These twelve forests are presided over by the 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras,
eight Vasus, seven Rishis, Brahma, Narada, the five Vinayakas (Moda,
Pramoda, Amoda, Sumukha and Durmukha), Viresvara, Rudresvara,
Visvesvara, Gopalesvara, Bhadresvara, and 24 other Siva Lingas.
There are two chief forests, Krishnavana and Bhadra vana. The 12 forests
are included in these. They are all sacred, some of them most sacred.
There are four forms of Vishnu (Murtis) in these forests, Rama
(Sankarshana), Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Krishna (Vasudeva).
There are twelve other Murtis in Mathura:
_Roudri_ adored by the Rudras.
_Brahmi_, by Brahma.
_Devi_, by the sons of Brahma.
_Manavi_, by the Maruts.
_Vighna nasini_, by the Yinayakas.
_Kamya_, by the Vasus.
_Arshi_, by the Rishis.
_Gandharvi_, by the Gandharvas.
_Go_, by the Apsarasas.
_Antardhanastha_ remains hidden.
_Svapadangata_ is at the supreme abode of Vishnu.
_Bhumisitha_ remains on the earth (Bhumi).
Those who worship _Bhumistha_ know no death, they become liberated.
Gopa is Jiva (Ego).
Gopala = Gopa (Jiva) + ala (acceptor).
Gopala is he who accepts the Jivas as his own.
He who realises "I am Gopala" attains Moksha. Gopala always remains at
Mathura. Mathura is the place for devotion.
The Lotus of the heart is Mathura with its eight petals. The two feet of
Narayana are there marked with the divine Symbols (flag, umbrella &c.).
The object of meditation there is either Krishna, with Srivatsa, with
Kaustubha, with four hands, bearing Sankha, Chakra, Padma, and Gada,
with arms adorned by Keyura, with the neck adorned by a garland, with a
crown on the head and with Makara-shaped Kundalas on the ears; or it is
Krishna with, two hands, bearing a flute and horn.
Mathura is from _Math_, to put down, because materiality is put down
there by divine wisdom. The eight Dikpalas (Indra, Agni, Vayu, Varuna
and others) preside over the eight petals of the Lotus in the heart.
The "flags" have the glow of the Sun and the Moon.
The umbrella is Brahma Loka.