Celebrate Radha Kund Appearance! 23 April 2024

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

According to Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya tattva acarya Sri Jiva Goswamipada, Sri Sri Radha-Krishna personally manifested Shyama Kunda and Radha Kunda at midnight of Chaitra Purnima.

He revealed this truth in his tika to Srimad Bhagavatam (10.45.3):

“Sri Krishna killed Aristasura on Chaitra Purnima when Krishna was eleven years old.”

In Gopal Champu (I. 31.8), Sri Jiva Goswamipada says, “When the full moon of the Chaitra month is in the Chitra nakshatra (star), that is the exact time of the appearance of Radha Kunda, yada-hi–chitra–yuta–purna–candram-purnimam-anu–turnita–cetah.”

The Vishnu Purana (part V, section 14, verse 1) says: pradosardhe-aristah-samupagatah, “The Arista demon arrived in the middle of Pradosh Kal (late evening) when Sri Krishna was relishing Rasa Lila with His gopi sweethearts.”

Pradosh Kal runs from PM 836-1048, which means Arista came to finish Sri Krishna, and ruin the rasa dance at approximately 9.30 pm on Chaitra Purnima evening.  After a brief tussle, Krishna killed the beast and formed the beautiful Shyama Kunda.

After some playful joking with Priyatama, Priyaji and Her sakhis created the magnificent lake of love divine, Sri Radha Kunda, in one hour (10-11 PM), according to Shri Visvanatha Cakravartipada’s tika to Shrimad Bhagavatam (10.36.16): divyam-sarah-prakatitam–ghatika–dvayena.

Now everyone clearly understands that according to our Gaudiya Vaishnava acharyas, Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda manifested near or about midnight 12 AM on Chaitra Purnima.

EXACT BATHING TIME: Sri Radha Kunda appeared on Chaitra Purnima after Pradosh-kal (PM 836-1048) during Chitra Nakshatra. Since this year, Chitra Nakshatra ends at 10.31pm, it is best to bathe in Shyam kunda and Radha kunda between 9-10.30 pm.

In 2019, ISKCON GBC passed resolution 423.3: “The observance of the appearance of Radha Kunda on Karttika Bahulastami is incorrect. The appearance of Radha Kunda SHOULD BE OBSERVED ON CHAITRA PURNIMA.”

Before offering arati and bathing in Radha Kunda, one can meditate on Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami’s “Radha-kundastakam” which follows:

The very dear, beautiful and fragrant Radha Kunda, that appeared after a joking quarrel between Radha and Krishna about piety after killing of the Arista bull demon, and which was joyfully revealed and filled up by Sri Radha’s own hand, with the assistance of Her sakhis, is my only shelter!

The very fragrant, dear and beautiful Radha Kunda, that instantly makes a desire-tree of Krishna prema sprout in the heart of anyone who bathes there, although this is very difficult to attain even by the Vraja-gopis, is my only shelter!

The very dear, beautiful and fragrant Radha Kunda, where Aghari Krishna eagerly bathes and submissively serves to obtain the merciful glance of Devi Radhika, is my only shelter!

 The very dear, beautiful and fragrant Radha Kunda, that is the abode of love for Vrajachandra, which is as dear to Krishna as Sri Radha, the crown-jewel of the sweet vraja-kishoris. Radha Kunda, which was named after Radharani by Krishna, is my only shelter!

The very beautiful and fragrant Radha Kunda, by whose mercy the desire vine of Krishna prema bearing the flowers of seva to my Ishvari Sri Radha, instantly sprouts in the heart of anyone who serves there, is my only shelter!

The very beautiful and fragrant Radha Kunda, whose shores are divided among Sri Radhika’s sakhis who have their own sweet kunjas named after them, and where the bees buzz sweetly, is my only shelter!

The very beautiful and fragrant Radha Kunda, where my Ishvari Sri Radhika makes ever-so-sweet and pleasant jokes about Vrndavanachandra, with Her dearest sakhis on a nice platform on the shore, is my only shelter!

The very beautiful and fragrant Radha Kunda, in whose water, that is filled with nicely smelling lotus flowers, Radha Madhava daily sport in loving intoxication along with Their sakhis, who are in a similar loving frenzy, is my only shelter!

Shruti phala: Anyone who recites this beautiful Radha-kundastakam for Devi Radha with a peaceful mind, a fixed intelligence, and submission to Radha’s blissful seva, will soon see Radha-Krishna in a delightful loving embrace.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe! Sri Radha Kunda ki jai!