Category Archives: Lohjanghvan / Lohvan

Lohjanghvan / Lohvan

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This place lies just across the Yamuna from Mathura, approximately two miles north-east of the Mathura Gokul highway. Bhakti-Ratnakar describes Lohvan as follows:

Lohavane krsneraadbhuta-gocharana
nanapuspasugandhevyapitaramyasthana
ethalohajanghasurebadhebhagvan
Lohjanghvannamahayataihara

“The forest of Lohvan is decorated with all varieties of trees and flowers and is one of the places where Krishna pastures His cows. It is called Lohvan because Shri Krishna killed Lohjanghasur while grazing the cows”.

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At Yamuna ghat, Krishna enjoyed boating pastimes in the company of the gopis. These pastimes have been beautifully described in Bhakti-Ratnakar:

yamuna-nikateyai Shrinivase kaya
eighate Krishna nauka-kridaarambhaya
se atikautuka rat sakhirasahite
dugdhadilaiyaaisena Para haite
dekhi, se apurvasobha Krishna mugdhahaiya
ekabhiterahilenajirnanaukalaiya
Shri-Radhikasakhisahakahe bare-bare
Para karanavika-yaibasighra pare

“Lohvan is a charming and delightful place adorned with attractive flowers of all kinds. Nearby, in the virtuous Yamuna, Shri Krishna performs boating pastimes with the gopis. Disguised as a boatman, He seats the beautiful young cowherd girls in His boat and takes them out into the middle of the Yamuna’s flowing waters. Then He says, `My old dilapidated boat is leaking, and water is rushing in. Throw all your pots of milk and yoghurt overboard; otherwise, it will surely sink.’ The gopis beg and beseech this boatman to quickly take them to the other side of the river”.

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At Lohavana, Jarasandha was defeated eighteen times. There is Radha Gopinatha temple on the bank of Krishna kunda. It is said that Krishna would row the gopis across this pond (kunda) in a boat. Lohavana has a circumference of 5 km. Krishna used to tend cows in this forest.There is a cave where the demon Lohasura (Lohajangha) lived. Krishna killed this demon. This cave is underground, inside a building, about 50 feet from both Krishna kunda and the RadhaGopinatha temple. Krishna kunda is basically in the middle of nowhere, next to the small village of Lohavan (Lohvan). Not many people visit this place.

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Ayore Gram
This village lies near Lohvan. During the Mughal rule, this village was named Alipur, and is still known by this name today. When Krishna had killed Dantavakra, He crossed the Yamuna and started for Gokul to meet with the Brajvasis – His mother, father, sakhas, gopas and gopis. They met Him at this place, crying out with great love, “Ayore, Ayore and Kanhaiya! – He is coming, Kanhaiya is coming!” Nand Baba’s and Yashoda’s meeting with Krishna brimmed with intense affection. This village therefore became known as Ayore. Bhakti-Ratnakar describes this poignant scene:

Krishna dekhidhayagopaanandevihvala
`ayoreayore’ balikarekolahala
miliyasabare Krishna, Krishna sabelaiya nijalayeailayamunaparahaiya
hailaparamanandabrajeghare-ghare
purvamatasaba-sahaShriKrishnavihare
`ayore’ baliyagopayekhanemilila
ayorenametegramathatayahaila