RADHA-KUND, four miles from Govardhan, the hoary and holy mount connected with the richest associations of the Hindus, and beheld by them with an absorbing interest. The Greeks had their Olympus, and the Hebrews their Sinai ; the Jain sect have their Parasnath, the Saiva Ilindu their Kailasa, and the Vaishnava Ilindu their Govardhan. The Christian pilgrim to Judea sees Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and then goes to Sinai. The Vaishnava pilgrim in Vrij sees Muttra and Brindaban, and then goes to Govardhan. Govardhan is the Parnassus of the Hindus. Indeed, taking Krishna for Apollo, the Gopini for the Muses, and the Mans-ganga—a large, beautifully infaced tank—for the fount of Castello, it out and out justifies the comparison. The especial holiness of Govtuvlhan is owing to Re being the firat Peene of Krishna's 'palled/ie. It was upon this mount that the first 11/1040 MIA reified to his worship under the name of Geyer dhannath, The great annual meta or religious fair of Ana-kilt at Govanben, first institnted by VaHahne, generally takes place in the month of ICartilut, and not leas than a hundred thousand people ensemble. It celebrates a pastoral incident in tile life of Krishna, and throughout all V») the horns of the cattle are painted rod a ith vermilion, and those of a cow are occusionally seen ouveral with silver leaf. Radha-Vallablii Is the name of a
sect of Vaislinava Hindus, literally the lonl and lover of Retina, whose worship is paid to Krishna on account of his favourite mistress Retina Mullin is the object of adoration to all the sects who worship that deity, and not unfrequently obtains a degree of preference that alntost throwa Krishna into the shade. This sect was founded at Briu daban, in the 16th century, by Hari Vans. Radlia Vallabhi are two Sanskrit wonls, from Itad'h, to accomplish, and Vallabha, beloved. Mr. Sherring, however, says the Radlia-Vallablii were founded by Vallabhacharya, and worship Krishna and Itadha conjointly. They profess high cere monial purity, do not eat fish or flesh, nor drink spirits, and worship Krishna frequently during the day, but taking great interest in all tales of the lila or sports of Krishna and the Gopins. They aro termed Jhanki. They aro burned when dead.—Tr. of Hind. p. 111 ; Sherring's Castes, p. 251.