Yavata (also known as Javat, Jao or Yao) is the town of Radharani and the Manjari
Yavata is the birthplace of the eight principle manjaris.
Yavata‚ or Yava-grama, lies approximately two miles east of Nandagaon, and is one of the places where the Divine Couple Sri Radha-Krishna perform highly confidential pastimes. It is not possible to describe all the pastimes that took place here.
Sometimes, rasika Sri Krishna would adorn His chest here with the red lac, or javaka, from Sri Radhika’s lotus feet. This place, which is decorated with a vata (banyan) tree is renown as Javata or Yava-grama.
The gopi Jatila used to live in this village with her son Abhimanyu and daughter Kutila.
Maharaja Vrishabhanu married his beloved daughter, Sri Radhika, to Jatila’s son Abhimanyu on the instruction of Yogamaya Purnamasi. Although Abhimanyu had the conception that he was Sri Radhika’s husband, by the power of Bhagavati Yogamaya he could not even touch Her shadow. Instead, out of shyness, he always busied himself by looking after his cows in the cowshed or spending time with his friends. Jatila and Kutila remained wholly occupied in household chores. On various deceptive pretexts the clever sakhis would arrange meetings between Srimati Radhika and Sri Krishna.
Actually these meetings were brought about by Yogamaya to nourish the rasa of paramour love, because Srimati Radhika is the embodiment of Sri Krishna’s pleasure giving potency (hladini-sakti), and the crown jewel of Krishna’s eternal beloveds. Fire and its power to burn, or the sun and its light, are intrinsically one in nature and cannot be separated from each other. Similarly, Sri Krishna and His para-sakti Sri Radha are eternally non-different and inseparable from each other; They are one soul manifest in two forms solely to taste rasa-vilasa. Ravana could not so much as touch the original Sita. He was only able to kidnap her shadow. One can reconcile Abhimanyu and Srimati Radhika’s relationship in the same way.
Maharaja Vrishabhanu built a beautiful royal palace for his darling daughter in Javata, in which Srimatiji lived happily with Her girlfriends. Every morning, Mukhara used to come here to see her beloved granddaughter. Bhakti-ratnakara gives charming accounts of the pastimes that took place here.
Yavata is also the birthplace of the eight principle manjaris
who are the most intimate young friends of Radharani including;
Rupa-manjari,
Rati-manjari,
Rasa-manjari,
Manjulali-manjari,
Guna-manjari,
Vilasa-manjari,
Kasturi-manjari, and
Lavanga-manjari.
These manjaris are differentiated from the sakhis, as they are all kaumaris, or pre-pubescent young girls, and can therefore enter the nikunja where Radha and Krishna are engaged in conjugal love and serve Them unhindered, and without being aroused or agitated to enjoy personally with Krishna.
This creates an uninhibited atmosphere for the ‘divine couple’ to fully submerge themselves in one another’s love without any distraction.
The special feature of the manjaris is that they have given up their own chance to enjoy intimate pastimes with Krishna, simply so they can unreservedly serve the lotus feet of Radharani and help Her to fully satisfy Her own desires to satisfy Krishna.
Therefore, the manjaris are considered to be more spiritually advanced than even the sakhis.
Pastime
One day, Sri Krishna could not meet with Radhika because She was in mana. He became most agitated in separation from Her, so on the advice of Visakha, He disguised Himself as a brahmana student. He donned a sacred thread across His shoulder and wooden shoes on His feet. Carrying a begging bowl and staff in His hands and a book under His arm, He arrived at the door of Jatila’s house in Javata and began begging by calling out God’s name. Since it was morning time, Jatila and Kutila were making cow-dung patties and had not yet bathed. Because they were not clean, they could not give any alms in charity. They therefore called for Radhika and ordered Her to give alms to the brahmana, but Radhika refused to come before any man other than Her husband. The beggar boy had His own unique style.
“Mother,” He said, “I cannot stay here very long. I can only wait for as long as it takes to milk a cow and no longer. It is already time for Me to go.”
Jatila thought, “If this young brahmana leaves empty-handed, it will not be at all auspicious for my family and the cows or any of my family members may die.”
She entered the house and in a gentle way explained the situation to her daughter-in-law, repeatedly requesting Her to give the mendicant some alms. She then returned to make cow-dung patties.
Srimati Radhika covered Her face with Her veil and carried a plate of flour, lentils and vegetables to the door. Lalita, Visakha and the other sakhis accompanied Her. When She tried to offer them to the beggar, He humbly petitioned Her, “I have no need for these alms. Please place Your precious mana in My begging bowl.”
Now Priyaji understood everything. She smiled, uncovered Her face a little and emptied the whole plate on top of His head. Delighted, the young beggar went His way, meditating upon the alms He had just received from Radhika.
The following pastime also took place here.
Once, Mother Yasoda was in her storeroom, organising some skirts, blouses, shawls and other expensive clothes and ornaments to be placed in a large chest, when mischievous Krishna burst into the room. He came up behind her, put His arms around her neck and insisted on knowing what she was doing. “Maiya, is it My birthday today?” He asked. “Are you preparing all of these clothes and ornaments for Me?”
“Go and play now,” Maiya answered with some irritation. “Do not disturb me.” Krishna felt somewhat dejected and left, only to observe what His mother was doing from a hidden place. Mother Yasoda was preparing this box to send to Srimati Radhika in Javata. She would occasionally send such gifts to please the hard- hearted Jatila, so that she would not prohibit her daughter-in-law from coming to Nanda-bhavana. Clever Sri Krishna understood this fact, so when His mother finished packing the chest and became absorbed in other household chores, Krishna made His way with Subala Sakha to the room in which the chest lay. They unlocked it and removed its contents, and Krishna climbed inside. Subala closed the lid and locked it as before.
Yasoda had requested Abhimanyu to personally come and collect the box because it was filled with expensive gifts and should not be given to anyone else. Abhimanyu put the box on his head and with great difficulty carried it to his mother in Javata-grama. Jatila said, “My son, this box is filled with very expensive clothes and ornaments for my daughter-in-law, so put it in Her room.” He happily placed the box in Srimati Radhika’s room and left. When the sakhis eagerly opened the box and saw the mischievous Syamasundara inside, they burst out laughing. Their bliss knew no bounds. With intense prema, Radha and Krishna met, which filled the sakhis with great satisfaction.
Many more transcendental pastimes happened around the town of Yavata.
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