Imlitala Temple, Vrindavan — Attraction in Uttar Pradesh

"At the time of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in Vraja, the ancient imlī (tamarind) tree that stood here was enormous. That tree has since disappeared, and a new imlī tree stands in its place. Midway through rāsa-līlā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa disappeared in order to dispel the other gopīs’ pride in their good fortune (saubhāgya-mada) and to soothe Priyājī’s māna. He followed Priyājī to Śṛṅgāravaṭa, where He began to decorate Her with flowers. At that time, the other gopīs, who were searching for Kṛṣṇa, came closer to the place where Rādhikā and Kṛṣṇa were. Śrī Kṛṣṇa requested Priyājī to leave with Him, but She said, “I am unable to walk. You can carry Me on Your shoulders.” Kṛṣṇa squatted down, indicating that Priyājī should sit on His shoulders. Just as She went to do this, Kṛṣṇa disappeared again. Now, She also called out in separation, “O Nātha, O Ramaṇa!” and fell down unconscious. The other gopīs became very distressed to see Her in this condition. Having left Śrīmatī Rādhikā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa began to feel deep separation from Her. Sitting under an imlī tree on the bank of the Yamunā, He became so absorbed in thinking of Her that His bodily lustre turned golden like Hers. In connection with this incident, our most worshipful oṁ viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja has presented a wonderful verse that penetrates the heart: rādhā-cintā niveśeṇa yasya kāntir vilopitā śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇaṁ vande rādhāliṅgita vigraham Śrī Rādhā-vinoda-bihārī Tattvāṣṭakam (Text 1) “I worship the lotus feet of the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa that manifests when He is thoroughly immersed in separation from Śrīmatī Rādhikā (who is displaying māna, Her mood of jealous anger), or when He is embraced by Śrīmatī Rādhikā (after Her māna is broken). At these times‚ His own dark complexion vanishes and He assumes Her bright, golden lustre.”

The transcendental sentiments that lay within the heart of Śrī Gurupādapadma are profound and full of excellent siddhānta. It is the bhāva of the mañjarīs, the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, to feel that Kṛṣṇa should indeed experience great distress when He is separated from Śrīmatī Rādhikā. They become very pleased to see this distress, and arrange Kṛṣṇa’s meeting with Rādhā at that time. This bhāva is prominent in Śrī Rūpānuga Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. While visiting Vraja some five hundred and fifty years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu resided for several days at Akrūra-ghāṭa. Daily, He would come to this very beautiful Imlītalā-ghāṭa on the bank of the Yamunā, where He was immersed in bhāva as He chanted the holy names of the Supreme Lord Hari. He bestowed His mercy upon the Rājapūta Kṛṣṇadāsa here. One day, while Mahāprabhu was staying here, some people requested Him to come to Kālīya-hrada and take darśana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who they said was again manifesting His pastimes there at night. Mahāprabhu told them to wait for a few days. Nonetheless, crowds of people began to throng to Kālīya-daha at night. At last, it became evident that the spectacle on the Yamunā was nothing more than some Muslims in a boat catching fish. A light was burning on the bow of the boat. When the fishermen on the bow stood up and moved about, it appeared as if someone was dancing. The boat looked like a serpent, and the burning light like the serpent’s jewel. When the facts were revealed, Mahāprabhu said to the people, “Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa does not manifest such pastimes before the masses of ordinary people of Kali-yuga. Such pastimes appear only in the hearts of pure devotees.” Some days later, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya proceeded to Nīlācala via Sauroṅ and Prayāga. It is said that several years ago someone cut into a branch of the ancient imlī tree here and blood oozed from it. The person who severed the branch realised that he had committed an offence and repeatedly prayed for forgiveness. Residents of the dhāma believe that liberated great souls (siddha mahātmās) are still performing bhajana in Vṛndāvana in the form of the trees and creepers."

Excerpt from the book 'Sri Vraja-mandal Parikrama' by Srila Bhaktivedanta...

This tree was a favorite place of Srimati Radharani. Once, during a rasa dance perfor mance, Srimati Rädhäräni suddenly left and finding Her missing, Krishna went in search of Her. As He was unable to find Her, He came and sat beneath this tree. Due to intense feelings of separation from His beloved Radha, Krishna's body started to turn the same golden hue as Srimati Radharanis body. At that moment, Radharani came there accompanied by Her girl friends and had darsana of that golden complexioned form of Lord Krishna.

Radharani asked Krishna the meaning of this golden form and He explained to Her that after searching for Her, He came and sat here and in a mood of deep separation, after chanting the name of Radharani. His body started to turn a golden colour just like Hers Then His own feelings and sentiments were replaced by Hers, and He began to experience Her mood of separation from Himself. Krishna then told Rädhäräni that in the Kali-yuga He would again take on Her mood and complexion and distribute love of God to all the conditioned souls.

Almost 5,000 years later, Krishna again came in the form of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Krishna, known as the 'Golden Avatara'due to His golden complexion. When visiting Vṛndāvana, He came here regularly and sat beneath this same tree and chanted the holy names of Krishna. Feeling deep separation from Krishna, Sri Chaitanya's body would turn the same blackish hue as Lord Krishna's body and He would continually shed tears of love in...

When Lord Caitanya was in Vrindavan, He would sit under the Imlitala. Imlitala is a tamarind tree from the time of Lord Krishna. Once during the Rasalila dance, Srimati Radharani left the arena and Krishna went searching for her. He sat under this tree crying out the names of Srimati Radharani. Although Krishna is the supreme controller, in Vrindavan Krishna is controlled by the love of His devotees. Vrindavan is the place where the supreme controller reveals to the world that His greatest happiness is in being controlled by the love of His devotees.

Lord Krishna was feeling so much separation from Sri Radha’s love that His beautiful complexion turned into the golden color of Srimati Radharani’s body. At that time Srimati Radharani and the gopis came and saw Krishna weeping and chanting Sri Radha’s names. Srimati Radharani asked Him, “What am I seeing?” and Krishna replied, “In the age of Kali, I am going to appear in a golden complexion feeling the ecstasy of your love. Through bhakti, I am going to enlighten the world with the inner rasas of Vrindavan and inundate the hearts of countless people with your love through the chanting of the holy names.”

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