Vajranabha, the great grand son of Shri Krishna and founder of modern Braj and Jadon Clan ( Pauranic Yadavas /Jaduvansis ) of Lunar Race Kshatriyas-----

  

Vajranabha, the great grand son of Shri Krishna and founder of modern Braj and Jadon Clan ( Ancient Yadavas /Jaduvansis )  of Lunar Race Kshatriyas-----
 

      The classical history of Vraj continues after death of Lord Shri Krishna and the anihilation of a majority of the Jaduvansis (Ancient Yadavas ) kshatriyas at Prabhasa . Krishna sent Daruka to fetch Arjuna to convey an important message to him before his death .Krishna informed his father Vasudeva  that Dwaraka was about to be drowned by the ocean , and Arjuna had come here and  he  should transfer the women and other survivors of the Jadavas clan from Dwaraka to the safe location . The death of Krishna the end of Dvaparayuga and the behinning of Kaliyuga , a degenerative age marked by low moral and difficult life .

Arjuna, while he was based at Indraprastha (Delhi), rehabilitated the Vrishnis under the leadership of Krishna's great-grandson Vajra. Shrimadbhagavat, Harivanshpurana Gargsanhita , Mahabharata , Vishnupurana and Skandapurana all tells us how Arjuna placed Vajranabha, the son of Krishna's grandson Aniruddha, in charge of those Yadavas who had survived the internecine warfare that followed the destruction of Dwarka.

Arjuna departure from Dwaraka to Indraprashtha ---

As Arjuna  departured from Dwaraka  toward Indraprastha with the women ,elders , and other survivors of the Jadu clan , Dwaraka became submerged by the Ocean .
On their road to Indraprastha ,they made a circuit and passed through the Panch-nanda Pradesh (Punjab ). Here  they were attacked by a band of  Abhiras and other tribes who were attracted by the sight of so many women and so much treasure defended by one warrior  .Arjuna protected the women as well as he could ; but to his astonishment found that he had lost his wonted vigour , and that even the arrows from his Gandiva failed to take their usual effect . As a last resource , he was obliged to strike the robbers with horn of his bow ; but in spite of all his efforts , they succeeded in carrying of many of the women.

Settlement of Jadus(Ancient Yadavas /Yaduvansis.) by Arjuna---

The remainder of the women , old men and children of Jadus were established by Arjuna , some at Martikavata in Kurukshetra , some at Indraprastha with  Vajranabha , great –grand son of Krishna ( son of Anirudha and grandson of Pradyumna ) as their thorne.
Arjuna then went to Vyasa , and related the story of his own defeat , attributing the loss of his vigour to the death of Krishna , bereaved of whom he did not wish to live .Vyasa comforted him , declaring that it did not become him to grieve at the working of destiny .

While Arjuna  also crowned his grandson Parikshit , son of Abhimanyu and  Uttra , as the ruler  of Pandava State Hastinapura , and left his brothers on their journey  ( Mahaprasthan ) to reach the other world .

Parakshita settled Vajranabha, in Mathura---

Vraj was revived by Vajranabha ,  who was rescued and  coronated thorne  of the Jadu tribe in Mathura( Vraj )  by Parikshita .
Vajranabha  lamented to Parikshit that Mathura ( known as Surasena desha , Mathuramandal or Vrajbhumi  ) and the places sacred to Krishna had been abandoned since a large section of the Jadus clan had been annihilated  .
Vajranabha wished to recover the sacred sites associated with Krishna .
Parikshit summoned the sage Shandilya and asked for his advice .
Parikshit and Vajranabha subsequently consulted the sage Sandilya( Kula- purohit of Nand Gopas)  ,who was familiar with the life of Krishna and the region of Mathuramandal .The sage Sandilya took Vajranabha on a tour of the sacred  places associated with Krishna , identifying the places where major events of Krishna,s life had occurred .
Sandilya told Vajranabha that because these places were without guardians, he should establish some villages in the area and take care of the rivers, hills, tanks, and groves. He refers specifically to the establishment of settlements at Govardhan, Dirghapura (i.e. Dig), Mathura, Mahaban, Nandigrama (i.e. Nandgaon), and Brihatsanu (i.e. Barsana) and preserve the sacred places associated with Krishna for the future .He predicted that Vajranabha would meet Uddhava and learn all the secrets from him.

Vajranabha Reclaimed Old Vraja---

The reclamation of Braj in order to link modern Braj with the mythological realm, as well as the terrestrial
and transcendental planes on which Krishna performs his adventures, a myth was developed on the theme of the reclamation of Braj by Vajranabha. The basis for the myth is the tradition, mentioned in the Mahdbhdrata and Bhagavatapurana .

Vajranabha began repopulating Mathura .While ruling from there  , he constructed temples in important places associated with Krishna and took care of the natural areas of Mathura including Shiva Shrines , images of Krishna , hills ,tanks , wells and groves , to preserve the idyllic natural beauty of the region that once enjoyed Krishna,s presence .

Vajranabha  as the progenitor of devotional worship centured on Krishna . Historical records indicate that the first temple was also built by king Vajranabha .
He spread the message of devotion and people began to take
part in singing the praises of Krishna.

Vajranabha mets Kalindi and Uddhava--

He met Kalindi and other abandoned wives of Krishna who were suffering from the pangs of love in separation. She told him of their condition and suggested that he consult Uddhava, who was residing in the form of a creeper at Sakhisthala, near Govardhan. They went there together and rejoiced when they saw Uddhava appear beside a tank called Kusumasaras (Kusum Sarovar). Uddhava praised them for their devotion and the depth of their
absorption in Krishna, saying that those who reside in Braj are more fortunate than the people of Dwarka because here Krishna continually sports with Radha, just as he is always present in the Bhagavatapurana. He prophesied that the Bhdgavata- purana would be the subject of inspiration and commentary .
      Uddhava informed Vajra that he preferred to live in Vraj in any form , since Krishna sports eternally in the bowers of Brindavan .Uddhava also informed him that he would continue to reside near the Narad Kund and convey the message of the Bhagavatapurana to the devotees. This is in accordance with the role of Uddhav narrated in the Bhagavadgita . Uddhav conveyed the message of Krishna to the Gopis , and also Uddhav received another massage from Krishna also known as the Hamsagita or the Uddhavagita .Why Uddhava chose to remain a creeper in Vraja may be puzzling , but it may indicate the evergreen and flowering nature of the creeper  ,as Uddhava is said to be ever present in Mathura , spreading Krishna,s message . Therefore , Uddhava , reminiscent in the ubiquitous plant , and Kalindi , present as the water body of Vraja , symbolically indicate the conviction of Krishna devotees that Krishna’s presence is felt through every plant and water body of Vraja . Thus supported by Uddhava and Kalindi , Vajranabha recreated Vraja as it was known previously . Uddhava spreading Krishna,s philosophical message , while Kalindi helped him recreate the physical representation of Krishna in the places where Krishna sported . Thus the physical and metaphysical imagery of Krishna is spread through devotion to Krishna as narrated in the texts .
  
Vajranabha founded many Temples--
     
The Skandapurana and the Gargasanhita list a number of temples , vans ( bowers ) , and tanks that Vajranabha supported . Vajranabha is said to have been the founder of the images of Dirghvishnu and Keshavadeva at Mathura , Govindadeva at Vrindavan , Harideva at Govardhan , Gokulesha at Gokul and Baldeva at Baldeo .

References---
1-Shrimadbhagvatapurana.
2-Mahabharta .
3-Vishnupurana .
4-Harivanshpurana .
5-Gargasanhita.
6-Sakandapurana.
7-Krishna in History ,Thought and Culture :An Encyclopedia of HinduLord by Lavanya Vemsani .
8-Krishna Deities and Their Miracles by Stephen Knapp.
9-Meghdutam of Mahakavi Kalidas.
10-The life and Times of Krishna .byJ.B.Patro.
11-History of Ancient India.by J.P.Mittal
12-Krishna :A journey through the Lands and Legends of Krishna .By Dev Prasad.
13-The complete Life of Krishna .By Devi Vanamali .
14-The story of Ancient Dwaraka .By Devi Vanamala.
15-Braj Centre of Krishna Pilgrimage by A.W.Entwistle and Forsten ,E.1987.pp123 ,132.
16-Mathura: A District Memoir  by F .S.Growse .

Author-Dr Dhirendra Singh Jadaun
Village-Larhota near Sasni
District-Hathras ,Uttar Pradesh ,204216.
Associate Prof in Agriculture
Shahid Captain Ripudaman Singh Govt.College ,Sawai madhopur 'Rajasthan ,322001.