Every devotee of the Lord has a curiosity in his mind to know why the Father of the World himself goes out to give darshan to the Nath devotees of the world. Not with Radharani or Patrani Rukmini and also with sister Subhadra and brother Balram? Neel Madhav’s rathyatra takes place amidst huge crowds in Puri, Orissa. The Garg Samhita mentions such a rathyatra as a spiritual reunion of a devotee and a devotee. Krishna’s 16,000 queens asked Balbhadra’s mother Rohini why Krishna loves Radha even though we are formless. Rohini’s mother, after hearing the queen’s question, said that Krishna and Balram have now gone out of Dwarka, if you do not allow them to enter the palace.
– It is said that to stop Krishna and Balram from entering the palace, the queens kept Subhadraji standing at the door but Subhadraji became curious to hear the story so they listened to the story at the door. But listening to the story, Subhadraji became emotional. That is why Krishna and Balram came. If Subhadra stopped them both, but Balram and Purnapurushottam Krishna himself became emotional when they heard the words coming from the room. His eyes watered as he remembered Gokul and Mathura associated with his childhood. Shri Krishna, Balbhadraji and Subhadraji were just outside the gate. That’s where Naradamuni came from. He saw this form of God and had a vision. He also urged the devotees to give darshan of this form of Bhavayukta. Then Shri Krishna promised to show this form to the devotees in Tretayuga. From then on, Jagatnath started doing Nagarcharya to fulfill his promise.
Myth associated with Subhadraji
It is said that once Subhadraji begged his two brothers Sri Krishna and Balbhadra to return to Dwarka. Then to satisfy this demand of the sister, both the brothers got in the chariot and kept Subhadraji in the middle and made him travel all over the city of Dwarka. It is believed that every year since then, the two brothers have been taking their sister to the town once a year. At the time of Kansa’s slaying, Nagaracharya rode on Krishna’s chariot and the moment was connected with the Rathyatra. Similarly when Krishna and Balram went to see Mathura after the slaying of Kansa. There is also a folklore that since then the day has become popular as a rathyatra.
God’s love for the devotee
Another belief in the beginning of the Rathyatra is that Shri Krishna himself goes out in the township to give darshan to the devotees. God took the decision to meet the devotees. Because many devotees of the Lord are crippled and handicapped. Such devotees of the Lord are unable to reach the temple. They cannot go to see God. To meet such devotees, God Himself decided to go for darshan. For this, on the day of unripe seeds, Lord Himself comes out of the temple, mounts a chariot and reaches through the devotees and gives them darshan. The same practice continues unabated today.
Myths associated with Akrurji
The story of love for the devotee of God is sung even today. But that moment of Krishna’s life is also connected with the beliefs of the beginning of the Rathyatra. The story of Akrurji associated with Rathyatra in which Akrurji is mentioned. It is well known that Kansa sent Akrurji in a chariot to Gokul to take Krishna with the intention of removing Krishna’s kasal. Krishna and Balbhadra left for Mathura with Akrurji. The rathyatra is believed to have started since then.
-Vyoma Cellar
