Episode # 300 – Significance of “Dwaraka” – One of India’s important “Punya-Kshetras”!!!

In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagawan Krishna fighting epic battles for seventeen times against Jaraasantha, who was Kamsa’s father-in-law. However, both weren’t able to defeat each other. Something was pulling them back to war again and again. After the seventeenth battle, Bhagawan Krishna decides that He has had enough with Jaraasantha, and talks to His brother Balarama that they can leave Mathura city for some time, since this battle was creating lot of problems for the people there. However, Balarama did not accede to Bhagawan Krishna’s words, and finally Bhagawan Krishna had to “run” and run all through His way to reach Dwaaraka, in the western coast of Bhaarata Desha. In today’s episode, we’re going to witness the significance of this “Punya-Kshetra” called “Dwaraka”.

Till now, for the past 30-odd episodes, we’ve witnessed various important incidents, events and “Leelas” of Bhagawan Krishna’s childhood days. We’ve witnessed all important “Charitra” of Little Krishna at Gokula, Vrindavan and Mathura. Now He has grown up, well-educated and is ready to rule the kingdom as a righteous king. He is now “running” towards this place called “Dwaraka”. As mentioned in the previous episode, this “Dwaraka” is a place that is even today worshipped in the western Indian state of “Gujarat”. In fact, unlike other “Punya-Kshetras” like Ayodhya, Naimishaaranya, Mathura, Gokula, etc. which are just one in number, this “Dwaraka” is a conglomerate of five different places. However, Bhagawan Krishna’s enormously huge palace was established in the western seashore of Gujarat, wherein “Samudra-Raaja” had gifted a vast sheath of “reclaimed land” from the sea.

In today’s scenario, we’re talking about “reclaimed land” from the sea at various parts of the world, wherein people are now building underwater hotels, buildings, etc. It is to be remembered that this concept of “reclaimed land” had existed even during Bhagawan Krishna’s time. In fact, to be very precise, the concept of “reclaimed land” existed even during the Ramayana time, wherein the famous “Ram Sethu” bridge was built by the Vaanaras across the Indian ocean, so that the entire population of the Vaanara army along with Bhagawan Rama and Lakshmana could cross over from India to Sri Lanka. Even this “Ram Sethu” can be considered as a “reclaimed land” as the bridge was built with enormous amounts of sand and stones.

Similarly, here too, we’re witnessing that Samudra-Raaja is gifting a huge amount of “reclaimed land” from the sea. Sage Sukhaachaarya explains that the extent of this “reclaimed land” is about 125 miles, which can be translated to around 200 kilometers in area! We can imagine how huge Bhagwan Krishna’s palace would have been. As the palace was getting constructed, Indra, leader of the Devas sends a special “Raaja-Sabha” called “Sudharma” to Dwaraka. It was an exact replica of Indra’s “Raaja-Sabha” at “Svarga-Lokha” or “Indra-Patna”. It is only from this “Sudharma”, did Bhagawan Krishna rule the entire world with His divine potentials. It is only from this Dwaraka palace did Bhagawan Krishna leave for Vaikunta at the end of His divine incarnation. Once Bhagawan Krishna leaves for Vaikunta, the ocean waters surround the entire city and takes away most of the reclaimed land.

This is why, we would not be able to see vast portions of the Dwarakapuri alongside the Gujarat coastline. However, scientists and researchers from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have discovered various evidences of the existence of an under-sea temple, palace, etc. In fact, they have discovered various artifacts such as idols of lions, some sculptural works, artistic works, etc. from beneath the sea floor. All these artifacts are now kept as “exhibits” in a well-built museum in that vicinity and all of us can see them even today. Thus, this grossly proves that there was a huge palace that existed amidst the sea at Gujarat and this was nothing but the place from which Bhagawan Krishna ruled the entire world! This is the significance of the place called “Dwaraka”.

Of course, all these places were in existence, some five thousand years ago. It is to be remembered that Bhagwan Krishna’s incarnation was somewhere towards the end of the Dvaapara Yuga. Once Bhagawan Krishna departed for Vaikunta, the Kali Yuga took over the next day! Till date, we’ve crossed over around 5,120 years in the Kali Yuga. The Shrimad Bhaagawatha Puraana explains that Bhagawan Krishna’s total lifespan in this world was around 125 years. Hence, this Dwaraka palace that we’re currently talking about, should have existed some 5000 years ago.

As mentioned above, the Dwaraka-Kshetra is not just the one that comprises of this undersea palace. It is a conglomerate of five different places, out of which four are in Gujarat and the fifth one is in it’s neighbouring state called Rajasthan. So for today, let us understand the significance of this all-important “Punya-Kshetra” of Dwaraka and let us wait till the next episode to continue this discussion further! Stay tuned! 😊