Vasudeva Carrying Lord Sri Krishna to Mathura

Ganga or Yamuna

As far as the sanctity is concerned, the river Yamuna is more directly connected with Lord Krishna than the Ganges. The Lord sanctified the river Yamuna from the beginning of His transcendental pastimes in the world. While His father Vasudeva was crossing the Yamuna with the baby Lord Krishna for a safe place at Gokula on the other bank of the river from Mathura, the Lord fell down in the river, and by the dust of His lotus feet, the river at once became sanctified. It is especially mentioned herein that Maharaja Parikshit took shelter of that particular river which is beautifully flowing, carrying the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, mixed with tulasi leaves. Lord Krishna’s lotus feet are always besmeared with the tulasi leaves, and as soon as His lotus feet contact the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, the rivers become at once sanctified. The Lord, however, contacted the river Yamuna more than the Gnges. According to the Varaha Purana, as quoted by Srila Jiva Goswami, there is no difference between the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, but when the water of the Ganes is sanctified one hundred times, it is called the Yamuna. Similarly, it is said in the scriptures that one thousand names of Vishnu are equal one name of Rama, and three names of Rama are equal to one name of Krishna.

-      Purport by Srila Prabhupada to text 6, Chapter 19, Canto 1, Srimad Bhagavatam

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