Gokul Mahavan

Gokul is also called Brihadvan because it is the largest (brihad) of all the forests (vanas) of Braj. In fact, this forest has three names: Mahavan, Gokul, and Brihadvan. This Gokul is non-different from Golok. Parjanya Gopa, the father of Goparaj (King of cowherds) Nand, initially resided at Nandagaon where he had five sons – namely Upanand, Abhinand, Nand, Sunand, and Nandan – and two daughters named Sananda and Nandana. Also, while staying in Nandagaon he gave all his sons and daughters in marriage. His middle son, Nand, had no offspring, which caused Parjanya Gopa great concern. He worshipped Lord Narayan in the hope that Nand would father a child. By a voice in the sky, he came to know that a very brave son would soon be born to Shri Nand. This son would possess all good qualities and annihilate every demon. Some time after this aerial prophecy, Kesi and other demons began to cause a disturbance in Nandagaon. Parjanya Gopa together with his family and all of his relatives moved here to Gokul. The Yamuna flows close by Gokul or Brihadvan, or Mahavan. This forest is beautifully decorated with different kinds of trees, creepers, and flowers, and there are lush, green meadows for the cows to graze in. Beholding this beauty, the Vrajvasi gopas became very pleased and happily began to reside here. Mother Yashoda gave birth to the twins Krishn and Yogamaya at midnight, in the delivery room at Nand-Palace in Gokul. The umbilical cord was cut and other Vedic purificatory rituals were performed here. Krishn killed the demons Putana, Trinavart, and Shakatasur here, thus liberating them. Krishn and Baladeva’s name-giving ceremony also took place at Gokul, in the nearby cowshed (goshala) of Nand Maharaj. It was here that Balram and Krishn started to crawl on Their knees, and Mother Yashoda tied the naughty baby Krishn to a mortar, and Krishn delivered the Yamal-Arjun trees. The childhood pastimes of Krishn and Balram up to the age of two-and-a-half to three years took place here in Gokul. Location : Gokul is situated about 9 km east of Mathura.