Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.252

c6.252

Gokula.—The Bhāgavata Purāṇa mentions it as a village (X. 2, 7; X. 5, 32). It is situated on the left bank of the Yamunā. It is famous in the history of Vaiṣṇavism. It contains the temple of Gokulanāthaji. Vāsudeva being afraid of Kaṃsa crossed the river Yamunā and left Śrī Kṛṣṇa in charge of Nanda who used to live here. Vallabhācārya who was a contemporary of Śrīcaitanya and who founded the Vallabhācāri sect of the Vaiṣṇavas, built new Gokula in imitation of Mahāvana. There was a forest near Gokula known as the Bṛhadvana (Bhāgavata P., X. 5, 26; X 7 38).