Mathura is famous for its innumerable holy tirthas especially the sacred bathing ghatas situated along the banks of the River Yamuna. Besides Vishrama Ghata, which is the most famous, there are another twenty-four ghatas, which brings the total number of sacred ghatas to twenty-five. Vishrama Ghata, which is also called Vishranti-tirtha, is the place where Lord Varaha rested after having saved the earth from the ocean of devastation. Lord Krishna also rested here after slaying the despotic King Kamsa.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also rested here for some time after bathing in the Yamuna River upon His arrival from Jagannatha Puri. There are twelve ghatas to the north of Vishrama Ghata and twelve to the south. According to the Bhakti-ratnakara, the names of these ghatas are from north to south: Uttara Koti-ghata, Vighnaraja-ghata, Dashashmavamedha-ghata, Chakra-tirtha-ghata, Saraswati-Patana ghata, Soma-ghata, Brahma-ghata, Ghanta-Bharanaka-ghata, Naga-ghata, Dharapatana-ghata, Samyamana-ghata, Nava-ghata, (Vishrama Ghata), Avimukta-ghata, Guhya-ghata, Prayag-ghata, Kankhala-ghata, Tinduka-ghata, Surya-ghata, Bata-Swami-ghata, Dhruva-ghata, Rishi-ghata, Moksha-ghata, Dakshina-Koti-ghata and Bodhi-ghata. (This list of sacred ghatas appears differently in some of the ancient Puranas).
These sacred ghatas which are also called tirthas, are considered to be the best of all bathing ghatas in the entire universe, far superior to Prayag’s Triveni-sangam, or Haridwara’s Har-ki-pauri, what to speak of such holy places as Kashi, Gaya, Ujjain or Rishikesh. The ghatas at Mathura have been worshiped since time immemorial and many great personalities have taken a sacred bath there, including the important demigods headed by Brahma and Shiva, as well as the seven great sages (sapta-rishis), Dhruva Maharaja, Ambarisha, Bali, Durvasa, Dattatreya, Angira, Parashara, and many others.
Even demons like Ravana and Madhu-daitya performed tapasya here. During the four months of chaturmasya, the Puranas say that all the holy tirthas of the universe come to Mathura Dhama to bathe and perform seva-puja on the banks of the Yamuna to purify themselves of the accumulated sins left behind at their own tirthas by visiting pilgrims.
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