Prabhasa Theertha - The Sacred Land of Sri Krishna Niryana

Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!
Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!
Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

Prabhasa Theertha

Sacred Land Of

Sri Krishna Niryana

(Lord Sri Krishna resting under Pepal Tree in Bhalka Theerth)

(Spot where Lord Sri Krishna's Niryana took place)

(Foot Print of Lord Sri Krishna at the Niryana Sthala)

(Balarama in the form of Aadi Sesha at the time of Niryana

from where He is said to have disaapeared)

Born in Mathura, brought up in Gokul, Brindavana and Mathura, migrated to Dwarka and ultimately disappeared from this world in Prabhasa Theertha, Lord Sri Krishna’s life is full of mystery, thrill and suspense. Everywhere He used to show utmost benevolence, love and affection, at the same time He never hesitated to get detached. When the time came for His departure from this world He didn’t even inform His prime queens and not even Arjuna knew. He coolly walked to his Niryana. Only person who was aware was Uddhava, the close associate and friend of Lord Sri Krishna to whom Sri Krishna had preached philosophy at that juncture. That came to be known as Uddhava Gita. Prior to Sri Krishna’s departure, Uddhava had left for Badarikasrama for penance.

Longevity of Sri Krishna’s avathara was only for a period of 125 + years during the end of Dwapara Yuga. Lord Sri Krishna lived in Dwarka for a period of 36 years after the Kurukshetra war and totally for 100 years after migrating to Dwarka. When the time came for winding up his avathara, Brahmaadi Devathas came to Lord Sri Krishna and invited him to come back to his original abode. Lord Sri Krishna realized that, the purpose of his incarnation is over and it is time for him to leave this world. He had also foreseen that, it was the time when the curses given by Gandhari and sacred Sages on the Yadava clan going to materialize.

Bhalka Theertha

Having accomplished his mission on the Earth, and firming up his mind for his Niryana, Lord Sri Krishna moved to Prabhasa Theertha (Somnath) in his chariot driven by Daruka.

After reaching Prabhasa Theertha Lord Sri Krishna was resting in a meditation posture under a Pepal tree on the banks of holy Triveni, Sangam of three sacred rivers Hiranya, Kapila and Saraswati. With his left leg raised and resting on the right, Sri Krishna was hit by an arrow released from a distance by a hunter called Jhara. The arrow struck the toe of His left foot thereby Lord Sri Krishna got fatally injured. The Jhara poacher misread the radiance from Lord Sri Krishna’s foot as that of an eye of a deer. Jhara poacher immediately rushed to Lord Sri Krishna and begged him pardon. Sri Krishna generously forgave him and blessed him with Mukthi.

The place where Lord Sri Krishna was sitting beneath the Pepal tree and got struck by an arrow is known as Bhalka Theerth. Bhalka is the name of a village which is 5 km away from Somnath temple on Prabhas - Veeraval highway. Bhalla in Sanskrit means an arrow. This divine place is immortalized by a temple of Lord Sri Krishna where the marble image of the Lord is depicted in the same posture when He got struck by an arrow, with Jhara poacher kneeling in front of him with folded hands. Here the Lord is depicted in Chaturbhuja form symbolizing that He is the Supreme Lord SriManNarayana. One can also find an ancient Pepal tree at the temple site said to be the same tree under which Lord Sri Krishna was resting when He got struck.

Dehotsarg Theertha(Nijadham Prasthan)

Lord Sri Krishna advised his chariot driver Daruka to go and inform Arjuna about his Niryana and ask him to shift his family members from Dwarka to Hastinapura. Lord Sri Krishna had earlier foreseen that Dwarka is going to submerge totally on the seventh day of his Niryana. Having sent Daruka away, Lord Sri Krishna walked through his final journey and reached the banks of river Hiranya. After reaching the appropriate spot, Lord Sri Krishna left for his original abode in his cosmic form leaving his physical body. Thus came to an end the great incarnation of Lord SriManNarayana, the most fascinating, benevolent and dynamic Sri Krishnaavathara.

But the memorabilia of Lord Sri Krishna’s charismatic figure, Leela, love and affection, benevolence, dynamism, strategies, preachings, and his stories etc… will be in remembrance for ever. He will reside in the hearts of the people for Yugas to come and we always find him existing in Pancha Bhoothas.

It is said as per scripts that, it was (Niryana) the first day of the bright fortnight in the month of Chaitra Masam which corresponds with 18th February 3102 B.C. at 2.27.30 hours. The period after his disappearance is marked as the beginning of Kali Yuga. As foreseen by Lord Sri Krishna, the golden city of Dwarka totally submerged in the ocean on the seventh day from the day of Lord Sri Krishna’s Niryana. Sri Vishnu Purana and Srimad Bhagavatha Purana (Ekadasa Skhanda), covers about Sri Krishna Niryana.

The site on the banks of river Hiranya where, Lord Sri Krishna’s Niryana took place is called as Dehotsarg Theertha or Nijadham Prasthan. It is also known as Golok Dham Theertha. At the spot where Lord Sri Krishna disappeared from this world is marked with foot print of the Lord in memory of His Niryana.

Balramki Gufa (Dauji-ni-Gufa)

Balarama the elder brother of Lord Sri Krishna was all through accompanying Sri Krishna in His final journey. After witnessing the Niryana of Lord Sri Krishna, Balarama (Aadisesha Avathara) cast off his human form and left for his abode from a nearby place in his original serpent form. This place is marked by an ancient holy cave known as Dauji-ni-Gufa where you can find the mark of Aadisesha depicted on the cave wall from where he said to have disappeared. This place is adjacent to the place of Sri Krishna’s Niryana.

Apart from the above, one can also find temples of Lord Sri Lakshmi Narayana, Geetha Mandir where, Bhagavat Geetha is depicted on the marble walls. The large campus of Dehotsarg theertha is very beautiful, serene on the banks of river Hiranya giving a spiritual atmosphere. This place is about 1.5 km from Somnath temple.

Yada yada hi dharmasya Glanir bhavati bharata
Abhyutthanam adharmasya Tadatmanam srjamy aham

(Whenever Dharma sinks and Adharma raises its head O’ bharata, I reincarnate myself upon this earth) - Bhagavat Geeta

Paritranaya Saadhunam Vinaashaya Cha Dhushkrutaam
Dharma Samsthapanarthaya Sambhavaami Yuge Yuge

(For the protection of the good and virtuous, for the destruction of evil, for the re-establishment of the natural law (Dharma), I will come, in every age)


Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu