The Char Dham Yatra is a well-known religious journey in India, where devotees visit four revered sites nestled in the Himalayas – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The term “char” signifies four, while “dham” denotes religious destinations in Hindi. Sometimes called the “Chota Char Dham Yatra” or the smaller 4 Dham Yatra, what most people are unaware of is that all four dhams also exist eternally in Vraja Mandala, where Krishna, the source of all incarnations, and Vraja-dhama, the origin of all holy places, are found. In fact, the Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri found in the Himalayas are expansions of those found in Vraja Mandala. That is why Badrinath of Vraja Mandala, for example, is also known as “Adi Badri.” Along with Krishna, all the holy dhams have descended to Vraja Mandala. It is where Krishna brought Nanda Maharaja and the other Vraja gopis to take darshan of Badrinath, Kedarnath, and the other holy dhams, so they could easily do their pilgrimage without having to travel a great distance. Along with the four dhams, one also gets the opportunity to take the darshan of Lakshman Jhula here in Vraja Mandala. Situated in the forest of Kamyavan in Vraja, these four holy dhams can be found near the town of Deeg, close to Kaman, in Rajasthan. The char dham yatra of Vraja marks the farthest point from the center of the Vraja Mandala Parikrama, and from here, the parikrama begins to head back. This article will provide a brief description of the location and pastimes of these holy dhams.
Badrinath (Adi Badri)
Badrinath is a revered place of pilgrimage, believed to be the dwelling place of the Nara Narayana sages, and according to Srimad Bhagavatam, saintly individuals such as Uddhava have been visiting the site for thousands of years. Devotees journey to all these holy places to attain spiritual perfection, but Badrinath holds a special place in the heart of Lord Krishna. Its name derives from the Ilandai tree, which is beloved by Maha-Lakshmi. As stated in Srimad Bhagavatam (3.4.22), “In Badrikashram, the Personality of Godhead, in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities.” The Skanda Purana declares, “There are many sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell, but none compares to Badrinath.” In just five days, Narada Muni achieved liberation here, earning the site the name “Narada Kshetram.”
At Adi Badri, the temple houses a lovely deity of Nara-Narayana Rsi, the fourth incarnation of the Lord. Village life revolves around Tapasya-kunda, also known as Sitala-kunda for its refreshing waters. This remote location remains untouched by the advancements of the so-called modern age, offering visitors a glimpse into the Lord’s beautiful creation.
Ei setukandara – parama ramyasthan
Dekhi adi Badri-Narayana kripavan
(Bhakti Ratnakara)
–
This is Setukandara, a most enchanting place. See here the most merciful Adi Badri Narayana.
Kedarnath
Located one kilometer to the west of Bilond, Kedarnath of Vraja Mandala can be reached by ascending a steep flight of 270 stairs to the hilltop where Lord Shiva is worshiped. Kedarnath temple of Himalayas has an interesting history associated with it. After the Battle of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas wanted to seek atonement for the sin of killing their kinsmen in battle, and they sought Lord Shiva in Kasi. However, Lord Shiva playfully avoided them by disguising himself first as a Brahmana in Gupta Kasi and then as a bull in a valley in the Himalayas. When Bhima, one of the Pandavas, recognized Lord Shiva as the bull and caught him by the tail, Lord Shiva gave them his audience and instructed them to worship the hump of the bull, which led to the establishment of the Kedarnath temple. The Pandavas also constructed temples on other mountains where other parts of Lord Shiva’s body had appeared, known as PanchKedars: Kedarnath for the hump, Tungnath for the arm, Rudranath for the face, Kalpeshwar for the hair, and Madhyamaheshwar for the navel.
Gangotri and Yamunotri
Located behind the Badrinath temple, there are two streams representing Yamunotri and Gangotri. A gate at the back of the temple leads to a hiking trail that takes devotees through the mountains for about half a kilometer. Upon reaching the trail’s end, devotees can visit the Yamuna Maharani and Ganga Devi temple, which is situated near the Yamunotri and Gangotri streams. It’s worth noting that the best time to visit is between July and August, as the streams dry up during other times of the year.
The story of how the River Ganga descended from the heavens to the earth and became revered is a fascinating tale. Sagara, a wise king, had 60,000 brave and strong sons and was the Emperor of the World. During his final sacrifice, he set a horse free to roam the world for a year. Indra, the king of the gods, stole the horse to prevent Sagara from taking over heaven. Sagara’s sons found the horse at Kapila’s ashram and, thinking he was the thief, attacked him, resulting in their death. Kapila Muni burned them to ashes just by looking at them.
Many years later, Bhagiratha, Sagara’s great-grandson, asked Kapila how he could help his ancestors ascend to heaven. Kapila suggested that the River Ganga could purify their ashes. The River Ganga is considered holy because Lord Vishnu’s toe cracked the wall of the universe, and some water entered, which formed the River Ganga. Lord Vishnu had appeared as the Vamana avatar, and with just three strides, he encompassed the entire universe. As he took his final step, his toe punctured the wall of the universe, causing water to gush in and form the River Ganga, which flowed in heaven. Since the water had touched Vishnu’s foot, it was considered sacred.
Following Bhagiratha’s prayers, Lord Vishnu asked the River Ganga to descend to earth, but she was too ferocious. Lord Shiva held out his matted hair to catch her as she fell, softening her descent to earth. The River Ganga flowed across India, and Bhagiratha led it. One of the streams washed the ashes of the dead princes (ancestors of Bhagiratha), and their souls went to heaven. The River Ganga still flows in India and is considered holy by Hindus, who bathe in her waters for purification and liberation. She is also known as Bhagirathi because Bhagiratha caused her descent to earth from the heavens.
In a similar vein, Yamunotri is regarded as the source of river Yamuna. According to legend, Yamuna was born from Surya and Sangya. Sangya would close her eyes when the bright Sun approached her, which angered Surya. As a result, he cursed her that her son would cause fear and take the lives of living beings. This son would be called Yamaraj. However, after seeing Sangya’s repentance, Surya blessed her that she would bear a daughter named Yamuna (also known as Kalindi) who would not only free people from the fear of Yamaraj but also release them from the cycle of birth and death.
How to Reach
Adi Badri is located in the northwestern direction of Deeg, approximately 17 kilometers away, and 12 kilometers to the south of Bilond, in Rajasthan. Kedarnath dham, on the other hand, is situated about 2 kilometers west of Bilond and around 25 kilometers northwest of Deeg. Additionally, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Lakshman Jhula temples are situated within the same compound and are located about 12 kilometers to the south of Bilond, with the Adi Badri temple situated just behind them.