All Gaudiya Vaishnavas who reside in Vrindavana traditionally start Vraja Mandala Parikrama from Vrindavana itself, in order to show proper respect to this most important amongst the twelve sacred forests of Vraja. Resident devotees of Vrindavana start their Vraja Mandala Parikrama by first performing the parikrama of Vrindavana while also taking darshana of the ‘Seven Goswami Temples’. There is also a tradition amongst Vaishnavas that before starting the Vraja Mandala Parikrama, they should first take a vow (sankalpa), promising Lord Krishna that they will complete the full Vraja Mandala Parikrama once they have started it.

Although this sankalpa is traditionally taken at Vishrama Ghata, where those (other than the residents of Vrindavana) start their Vraja Mandala Parikrama, however, the Vrindavana devotees make their sankalpa at the Madana-mohana Mandira on the occasion of niyama-seva, the day after the Saradiya Purnima, which is also the first day of Kartika. They then take a holy bath in the Yamuna River at Keshi Ghata, after which the parikrama of Vraja Mandala begins. After completing the parikrama by visiting Mahavana and than Ravala, the devotees from Vrindavana end their parikrama by bathing in the Yamuna at Vishrama Ghata in Mathura.

There is another tradition mentioned in the Vraja-bhakti-vilasa where the Vraja Mandala Parikrama starts on the Dvadashi day after Janmasthami from the Madana-mohana Mandira in Vrindavana and then proceeds to the Bhuteshwara Mahadeva Mandira in Mathura where sankalpa is offered. This particular Vraja Mandala Parikrama starting after Janmashtami is presently followed by the kathiya-baba lineage of the Nimbarka sampradaya and it takes forty two days to complete ending on Durga-puja. It is also acceptable that Vraja Mandala Parikrama can start from any point on the parikrama route and also at any time of the year according to practical convenience, but it is said that the parikrama must finish at the same place from where it was started in order for it to be considered as a complete parikrama.

On the other hand, simply visiting any place within the sacred land of Vraja Mandala is also a form of parikrama and destroys an unlimited number of sins and helps one traverse the route back to Godhead. In the Garga Samhita it says, “Walking in the holy land of Vrindavana is equal to the merit of going to a different holy tirtha with every step”. In the Skanda Purana it says, “The result one obtains by performing pious acts in any part of India for thirty-three thousand years is obtained simply by remembering Mathura Vrindavana.”

The Vraja Mandala Parikrama followed by ISKCON passes through eighty-four of the most important holy places of Vraja Mandala. ISKCON’S Vraja Mandala Parikrama begins from Vrindavana on Saradiya-purnima (Sharad-purnima) with a parikrama of Vrindavana and the seven Goswami temples. The following day which is niyam-seva, the parikrama followed by ISKCON leaves Vrindavana for Mathura going via Bhatrol-bihari, Akrura Ghata and Gokarnesvara. ISKCON’S Vraja Mandala Parikrama travels a distance of approximately two hundred and seventy kilometers from start to finish, which by foot takes one month to complete returning on Kartika purnima

The parikrama route described in this book is based on the parikrama undertaken by Raghava Pandita, Shrinivasa Acharya and Narottama Dasa Thakura, as mentioned in the Bhakti ratnakara. The particular parikrama detailed in this book is now called the ‘Chaurasi-tirtha Parikrama’ as it specifically visits the eighty-four (chaurasi) most important holy places (tirthas) within Vraja Mandala. (This is the same ‘Chaurasi-tirtha Parikrama’ route is being followed by ISKCON’S Vraja Mandala Parikrama). Besides these eighty-four prominent holy places, this book also describes many hundreds of other holy places that can be visited while following the main Chaurasi–tirtha-Parikrama route. Thus every holy place within Vraja Mandala that has been mentioned in books like: Bhakti-ratnakara, Vraja-bhakti-vilasa, Adi-Varaha Purana, and Chaitanya-charitamrita, are included in this edition.

There are a total of two hundred and eighty-eight holy places listed in Bhakti ratnakara that were visited by Raghava Pandita, Shrinivasa Acharya and Narottama Dasa Thakura, during their parikrama of Vraja Mandala. Although some tirthas are no longer visible, the places they visited are as follows:

Mathura (Vishrama Ghata and the 24 ghatas along the Yamuna, Keshavadeva, Gokarna-tirtha, Krishna-ganga, Vaikuntha-tirtha, Asi-kunda, Varaha, Narayana (Padmanabha), Vamana, Langali (Balarama), Catuh-samudrika, Sudama-ghara, Rajaka-vada-tila, Kuvalayapida badha-sthala, Rangabhumi, Kamsa-khali, Kubja-kupa, Baladeva-kunda, Krishna-kupa, Vallabha Bhavana), Madhuvana, Talavana, Kamudavana, Datiha, Shastikara, Sakata Rohana, Garuda Govinda, Gandharvara-kunda, Satoha, Bahulavana, Sankarshana-kunda, Mana-sarasi, Mayura, Dakshina-grama, Vasati, Ral, Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda, Govardhana, Kusuma-sarovara, Narada-kunda, Ratna-simhasana, Govinda-kunda, Gandharva-kunda, Nipa-kunda, Sankarshana kunda, Gauri-tirtha, Aniyora, Annakuta-sthana, Indra-dhvaja Vedi, Rinmochana, Papamochana, Dana-nivartana-kunda, Apsara-kunda, Airavata, Surabhi-kunda, Rudra-kunda, Kadamba-khandi, Dana-ghati, Brahma-kunda, Manasa-ganga, Cakra-tirtha, Pali, Ata-grama, Shyama Dhaka, Paitha, Parsauli, Candra-sarovara, Sonkrai, Sakhisthali, Surya-kunda, Bhadayara, Magahera, Ghanthuli, Reheja, Devashirsa-sthana-kunda, Munishirsa-sthana–kunda, Paramadana, Setukandara, Budhe Badri, Kadamba-kanana, Indroli, Kanoyaro, Kamyavana, Vishnu-simhasana, Charana-kunda, Kameshwara, Garuda-baithaka, Dharma-kunda, Vishoka, Pancha-pandava-kunda, Manikarnika, Vimala-kunda, Yashoda-kunda, Prahlada-kunda, Lakshmi-kunda, Dhulauda-grama, Udha-grama, Atora-grama, Svarnahara, Unchagrama, Triveni.

Varsana, Sankari-khora, Dana-parvata, Mana parvata, Vilasa-parvata, Chiksauli, Dohani-kunda, Mukta-kunda, Bhanu-khora, Piyala-sarovara, Pilu-khora), Dabhararo, Prema-sarovara, Sanketa, Vihvala-kunda, Krishna-kunda, Radhika gamana-routea, Nandagrama, Nanda Bhavan, Pavana-sarovara, Sanatana Goswami Bhajana kutira, Nandeshvara Parvata, Nandeshvara-gufa, Tagada-tirtha, Ksunahara-kunda, Dhoyani kunda, Krishna-kunda, Kadambavana, Lalita-kunda, Surya-kunda, Vishakha-kunda, Purnamasi kunda, Nandamukhi, Yashoda-kunda, Karela-kunda, Madhusudana-kunda, Yashoda’s Kithchen, Dadhi-mantana, Purnamasi-ka-agamana-routea’, Vrnda-kunda, Sahasi-kunda, Mukta-kunda, Akrura-sthana, Yogiya-sthana, Khadiravana, Sangama-kunda, Kadamba-khandi, Bakathara, Neochaka, Bhandagora, Nipavana, Krishna-kunda, Kundala-kunda, Bedokhora, Anjanaka, Vidyudvari, Sigrama, Kamai, Karala, Ludhauli, Piyaso, Sahara, Rama-talao, Krishna-kunda, Narisemari, Chatravana, Kishori-kunda. Yavata, Mukta-kunda, Pibana-kunda, Ladali-kunda, Krishna-kunda, Narada-kunda, Kokilavana.

Charana Pahari, Haroyala, Satoya (Surya-kunda, Nandana-kupa, Vidya-shila), Pai-grama, Chalana-sila, Kamari, Vichora, Tiloyara, Shringara Vata, Vasosi, Paya-grama, Dadhi-grama, Kotaravana, Sesashayi, Rama Ghata, Viharavana. Bhandira (Akshaya Vata), Ara, Munjatawi, Tapovana, Gopi Ghata, Chira Ghata, Nanda Ghata, Vatsavana, Unai, Balahara, Parkhama, Chaumuhan, Aghavana, Sapauli, Jait, Soyano, Taroli, Baroli, Maghera, Tamalavana, Atas, Sakaroya, Varahara, Rasoli, Surukhuru. Bhadravana, Bhandiravana, Matha grama, Krishna-kunda, Belvana, Manasa-sarovara, Lohavana, Brahmanda Ghata, Mahavana Trinavarta-badha-sthala, Yamalarjuna-bhanjana-tirtha, Sapta-samudra-kupa, Gopeshwara, Madana-gopala, Ravel, Vishrama Ghata, Ambika-kanana, Gokarneshwara, Krishna-ganga, Mahavidya Mandira (Ambika Devi), Akrura Ghata, Bhojana Sthali, Sanorakha, Vrindavana, Kaliya Ghata, Dwadashaditya-tirtha, Prashkandana Ghata, Surya Ghata, Advaita Vata, Imli-tala, Shringara Vata, Chira Ghata, Keshi Ghata, Manikarnika, Vamsi Vata, Gopeshvara, Brahma-kunda, Govindaji, Davanala-kunda.

He parikrama route followed by Lord Chaitanya is described in both the Chaitanya charitamrita and Bhakti-ratnakara as follows: Vishrama Ghata, Shri Krishna Janmasthana, Keshava Mandira, the twenty-four ghatas along the banks of the Yamuna (the Yamuna ghatas mentioned in Chaitanya-charitamrita are not in systematic order). The correct order is 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.

During His parikrama of Mathura Lord Chaitanya visited many holy places including: Kamsa’s palace, the Mutra-sthana (where baby Krishna urinated on Vasudeva), Uddhava’s house, the washer-man’s house, Sudama the garland-makers house, Kubja’s house (Kubja-kupa), Ranga bhumi, Vasudeva’s house, Ugrasena’s palace, Kamsa-khali (Kamsa-tila), Kamsa Kupa (where Kamsa planned to throw Krishna’s dead body), Agastya Kupa, Setabandhu-sarovara, Sapta samudra-kunda, Mara-shila (where Kamsa killed Devaki’s seven sons), Bhuteshwara Mahadeva, Jnana-vapi, Krishna Kupa and Saraswati Sangama. The Chaitanya-charitamrita says that Lord Chaitanya also had darshana of Dirgha-Vishnu, Swayambhu (Padmanabha), Gokarneshwara Mahadeva, and Mahavidya Devi.

After parikrama of Mathura, Lord Chaitanya then visited: Madhuvana, Talavana, Kumudavana and Bahulavana, Arit-grama (Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda), Sumanas Lake (Kusuma Sarovara), Govardhana Hill, Harideva, Brahma-kunda, Manasa-ganga, Govardhana Hill, Govinda-kunda, Ganthhuli-grama, Kamyavana, Nandishwara (Nandagrama), Pavana Sarovara, Khadiravana, Seshashayi, Khela-tirtha (Kelanvana), Bhandiravana (Akshaya Vata), Bhadravana, Lohavana, Mahavana, Gokula, Yamalarjuna-bhanjana-tirtha (twin arjuna trees), Shri Krishna Janmasthana (second time), Akrura-tirtha (Akrura Ghata), Vrindavana, Kaliya Lake (Kaliya Ghata), Praskandana Ghata, Dwadasaditya-tila, Tentuli-tala (Imli-tala), Chira Ghata ( Chayana Ghata) and Keshi-tirtha (Keshi Ghata).

While performing Vraja Mandala Parikrama, there are a number of different routes followed by the various Vaishnava sampradayas which are based on four main literatures: Adi Varaha Purana, Vraja-bhakti-vilasa, Chaitanya-charitamrita and Bhakti-ratnakara. The various parikrama routes may also change from time to, but the overall purpose of these parikramas is to circumambulate the twelve sacred forests of Vrindavana Dhama, whereas the places visited in between may differ according to preference. The Bhakti-ratnakara and Chaitanya-charitamrita trace out the parikrama route taken by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu while the Vraja Mandala Parikrama followed by the Gaudiya Math is based upon Vraja-bhakti-vilasa. Besides the Gaudiya sampradaya, two other prominent sampradayas also conduct the annual Vraja Mandala Parikrama, the Nimbarka sampradaya and the Vallabhacharya sampradaya.

There are many benefits of performing the Vraja Mandala Parikrama and in the Vedic literatures one can find the following verses: In the Skanda Purana it says, “Those who with firm faith and devotion for Lord Krishna, who perform the parikrama of Vraja Mandala – are freed from all sins and go back to godhead at the time of death.”

The Mathura Mahatmya says, “All sins accumulated through innumerable births can be destroyed in a second by staying in Vrindavana Dhama even for one day.” The Mathura Mahatmya also says, “What is the need for any further consideration, anyone who simply hears about the glories of Vraja Mandala automatically delivers two hundred generations of both his paternal and maternal family members.” The Adi-Varaha Purana says, “Those who visit the twelve sacred forests of Vrindavana will no longer suffer the pangs of hellish life.”

There are many benefits of performing the Vraja Mandala Parikrama and in the Vedic literatures one can find the following verses: In the Skanda Purana it says, “Those who with firm faith and devotion for Lord Krishna, who perform the parikrama of Vraja Mandala – are freed from all sins and go back to godhead at the time of death.” The Mathura Mahatmya says, “All sins accumulated through innumerable births can be destroyed in a second by staying in Vrindavana Dhama even for one day.” The Mathura Mahatmya also says, “What is the need for any further consideration, anyone who simply hears about the glories of Vraja Mandala automatically delivers two hundred generations of both his paternal and maternal family members.” The Adi-Varaha Purana says, “Those who visit the twelve sacred forests of Vrindavana will no longer suffer the pangs of hellish life.”

Besides being an important aspect of sadhana-bhakti, by performing Vraja Mandala Parikrama, one offers one’s homage to the holy dhama by circumambulating the twelve sacred forests of Vrindavana, just as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had done on His pilgrimage to the dhama in the year 1515. The word ‘parikrama’ is derived from the word ‘pradakshina’ which means to circumambulate or walk in a ‘circular motion to the right’ around a holy place of worship. The performance of pradakshina or parikrama is an important act of self-purification as well as an offering of devotion to the Lord.

The goal of performing parikrama around Vraja is to increase ones smaranam, or remembrance of Lord Krishna, while seeing all the holy places where the Lord performed His transcendental pastimes five thousand years earlier. By performing parikrama around the sacred forests of Vrindavana, one’s faith in the lotus feet of the Lord automatically increases with every step. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the first to perform the circumambulation of the twelve sacred forests of Vrindavana and He chanted the holy names and danced in ecstasy in all the various holy places that He visited during His historic journey.

Circumambulating the sacred forests had a very powerful effect on Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, especially after reaching the celebrated Imli-tala, the site where Radharani experienced the ecstasy of maha-bhava. After performing the Vraja Mandala Parikrama, Lord Chaitanya’s mood drastically changed and after returning to Jagannatha Puri, He became more and more absorbed in the transcendental ecstasy of Radha-bhava, while experiencing Radharani’s own intense feelings when She herself is separated from Her beloved Krishna.

While performing the Vraja Mandala Parikrama, besides circumambulating hundreds and thousands of holy tirthas, temples and sacred shrines, one also simultaneously performs many other important parikramas including the parikramas of Vrindavana, Mathura, Radha kunda, Govardhana Hill, Kamyavana, Varsana, Nandagrama, and Gokula-Mahavana. Therefore it is said in the Vedic scriptures that those who perform the Vraja Mandala Parikrama are immediately freed from all their sins and will never take birth again in this material world.

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, also known as the ‘Hare Krishna Movement’, became the first Vaishnava acharya in the history of the world to travel to the West and convert Americans and Europeans to Krishna Consciousness also known as Bhagavata-dharma. After traveling to America in 1965, He established hundreds of Radha-Krishna temples, not only in America but around the globe, and translated into the English language for the first time a large volume of books on the subject of Vedic culture and religion, including the Vedic classics Shrimad-Bhagavatam and Chaitanya-charitamrita.

His unique translation of the celebrated Bhagavad-gita became the best selling edition of the Gita in history and his books are most highly appreciated by scholars, educators and academicians the world over. Shrila Prabhupada was also the first Vaishnava acharya to introduce Westerners to the Vraja Mandala Parikrama when in 1972, he arrived in India from the West with a large party of Europeans and American devotees and personally took them to all the important holy places around Vraja Mandala including: Vrindavana, Govardhana Hill, Radha-kunda, Varsana, Nandagrama, and Gokula. He later established the famous Krishna Balarama Mandira in Vrindavana, where his foreign disciples could visit on pilgrimage and become purified of all contamination of the material world while spending their time appreciating the transcendentally surcharged atmosphere of the holy dhama, while engaging in yoga, meditation, chanting Krishna’s holy names and performing parikrama.

In November 1977, during the last few days of his life, as Shrila Prabhupada lay ill in his rooms at the Krishna Balarama Mandira in Vrindavana, even though in a precarious state of health, he desired to be taken on parikrama to Govardhana Hill and requested that his disciples bring a bullock-cart in which he could travel to the various holy places. When a number of senior disciples objected saying that the ride would kill him, he challenged them saying that parikrama of Govardhana Hill would in fact give him life. Shrila Prabhupada also said that it was far better to die while on parikrama of Govardhana Hill, than to die while lying in bed, as it would be a far more glorious death.

However, his senior disciples refused to allow him to go, in fear he would die at the first bump in the road. On the third day after Govardhana-puja, which is the celebration of Krishna’s pastime of lifting Govardhana Hill, Shrila Prabhupada breathed his last and entered into maha-samadhi and the eternal pastimes of Krishna’s Vraja-lila. In order to fulfill Shrila Prabhupada’s final wish, a parikrama was organized by his disciples and a Deity of Shrila Prabhupada was taken on parikrama around Govardhana Hill. It was decided to organize this parikrama as an annual celebration and it has been performed each year since then. A few years later, it was decided to perform the full Vraja Mandala Parikrama in honor of Shrila Prabhupada, and this particular parikrama is now organized every year in the holy month of Kartika, which has now become very popular with all ISKCON devotees from around the world who flock to Vrindavana to take part in this ecstatic parikrama.