Rawal
Dear devotees please accept my humble obaisences all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Some devotees believe Varsana is the birth place of Radharani, this is a misunderstanding ,actually it is Rawal in Gokula. In the Bhakti Ratnakara chapter 5 , it is explained how Raghava Pandita took Narotama das Thakura and Srinivasa Acaray on Vraja mandal parikrama and there he is narating the glories of Rawal and how Radha appeared there and how Lord Caitanya visited this place:
Here Lord Caitanya became maddened with ecstatic love and performed sankirtan. He went with his followers to see Krsna’s birthplace. Caitanya described the various episodes of Krsna’s birth to his companions and his mind became overwhelmed. This is the place where Nanda Maharaja and other cowherd men would consult with their friends and also where elderly gopis would sing theglories of Krsna. But because the residents of Gokul frequently faced calamities they decided to shift to Vrndavana. Raghava pointed out the path by which the cowherd men from Gokul and Rawal would use to go to Vrndavana. During their journey they had great fun crossing the Jamuna near Vandiravana. In Sakarali village they collected the cows and calves and all took rest. Rawal was the village of Vrishabhanu where Sri Radhika took birth to enlighten the whole world.
“Let my mind be filled with love for Vishabhanupur in Rawal where the precious gem Sri Radha appeared in the mine of Kirtida’s room for which mother was praised by the demigods, rishis and human beings.” (Stavavali) This is a song.
What a happy moment passed in Vishabhanu’s temple when Radhika took birth from Kirtida’s womb. Brightening the world Sri Radha vanguished the sighs and depressions of everyone. Her body was soft as milk cream and beautifully shaped. Seeing her beauty her parents could not control their excitment and repeatedly looked at her moonlike face. A glorious sound is covering the world and the gopis are singing the Mangala Geet. Various instruments accompany the song and shouting in jubilation dancing gopis join in. Tamuk, curd and milk were brought for the occasion and the cowherd men laughed and enjoyed themselves. The brahmins and the singers were offered valuable gifts and Narahari also became joyful observing the fun.
Raghava continued to explain that seeing the beauty of Radha her parents were unable to take their minds away from her. For her well being they distributed many things to the visitors. As Radha played with her friends, her mother’s joy increased. Vishabhanu also observed the fun with his friends in Rawal.
O Srinivasa, after coming from Gokul Candra stayed here for sometime and he became overwhelmed with spiritual joy when he saw the Rawal village. Seeing this sannyasi saint people came from all directions with the name of Hari on their lips. When they saw the beauty of his face they felt that the sannyasi must be Krsna who had come to earth to enjoy himslef as a fair sannyasi. Other people were not able to express their feelings in words but everyone cried in enchantment. After performing his divine lilas in Rawal, Caitanya went to Mathura with Sanodra.
O Srinivasa, this pleasant and lonely place is full of the childhood lilas of Radhika.
After discussing these different holy places they passed the night in Rawal discussing the glory of Krsna. No one can describe the aesthetic feelings of love Sri Raghava, Srinivasa and Sri Narottama experienced. Whoever hears this story attentively will be blessed by Sri Radha, Sri Krsna and Sri Caitanya.
your servant Payonidhi das