श्यामवर्ण, सुन्दर पीताम्बर धारण किये, सम्पूर्ण शरीर को सुवासित चंदन-केसरसे लेपितकर, मुखमंडल पर मन्द-मन्द मुस्कान, कानोंमें रत्नजड़ित कुण्डल, वक्ष: - स्थलपर कौस्तुभमणि, गलेमें वैजयन्तीमाला धारण किये श्री श्यामसुंदर, वृन्दावन के एक निकुंजमें श्री राधा के संग विराजमान हैं। यमुना-किनारे किदाम्बी छाँवमें कन्हैया वेणुवादन् कर रहे हैं।
माधुर्य-रससे ओत-प्रोत श्रीराधा अपने प्रियतम के कंधेपर अपना कंधा रखे, समर्पितभावसे पलकें मूँदे लेती हुई हैं। श्याम वेणुके सुरोसे 'राधा-राधा' नाम अपने कानों से सुनने में रस ले रहे हैं। मोहन सदैव ही 'राधा' नामको मुरलीमें गया करते हैं। श्री राधा के बिना श्रीकृष्ण की बन्सी प्राणहीन हो जाती हैऔर उनकी गति भी शून्य हो जाती है। श्री राधा रानी की महिमा का वर्णन करते हुवे रसिकशिरोमणि किसी कविने लक्खा है -
परम धन राधा नाम आधार।
जाहि श्याम मुरली में टेरत, सुमिरत बारम्बार।।
यह महिमा है उस परम पवित्र श्री वृन्दावन-धामकी, जो श्रीकृष्ण को अपने गोलोक धाम से भी अधिक प्रिय है; क्योंकि कृष्ण सम्पूर्ण प्रकृति के अंश-अंशसे अपनी राधा का नाम सुनकर आनन्दित होते रहते हैं। वृन्दावन, ऐसा अनुपम धाम है जहाँ वायु ले झकोरों से , यमुनाकी कलकल करती धारासे, गोपियोंकी कंकण-पायलसे, पशु-पक्षियों की मधुर-मधुर स्वरलेहरियोंसे, म्यूरके नृत्यके कम्पनसे, देवताओंकी स्तुतिसे, योगी-तपस्वी महात्माओं की वाणीसे, भक्तोंकी प्राथनासे 'राधे-राधे' की ध्वनि निरंतर सुनायी देती है-
वृन्दावनके वृक्षका मरम न जाने कोय।
डार पात फल फूलसे 'श्री राधे राधे' होय।।
वृन्दावन राजधानी है वृषभानुनन्दिनी श्रीश्यामा प्यारीकी, भगवान श्रीकृष्ण ने स्वयं स्वीकार किया है कि श्री वृन्दावन का वास श्री राधा की कृपाके बिना सम्भव नहीं। राधारानीकी कृपासे ही वृन्दावन रस और माधुर्य से भरा रहता है-
सब रसको घर है सदा श्री वृन्दावन धाम ।
जो मधि वैभव बरसत नित अधिपति श्यामा श्याम।।
अनन्त महिमाओं से युक्त है श्रीवृन्दावन, जहाँ श्री राधामाधव नृत्य केली-क्रीड़ा किया करते हैं। इसी वृन्दावन में गोपियाँ माखनके एक-एक कण के लिए कान्हा को नाच नचाया करती हैं। यहीं ग्वाल-बाल कन्हैया को घोड़ा बनाकर पीठपर सवारी करके आनंद लिया करते हैं और इसी वृन्दावन में मोहनकी मुरली के स्वर से तीनों लोक स्थिर हो खिंचे चले आते हैं। कृष्णभक्त सूरदासजी ने इस लीला का सजीव चित्रण करते हुवे लिखा है-
सुनहु हरि मुरली बजाई।
मोहे सुर नर नाग निरंतर, ब्रज बनिता सब धाई।।
यमुना तीर प्रवाह थकित भयो, पवन रह्यो उरझाई।
खग मृग मीन अधीन भये सब, अपनी गति बिरसाई।।
द्रुम वल्ली अनुराग पुलक तनु, ससि रह्यो निसि न घटाई।
सूर स्याम वृन्दावन बिहरत, चलहु चलहु सुधि पाई ।।
अनन्त जनमोंसे, अनन्त कल्पोंसे भगवान श्रीकृष्ण को अपने प्रियतम-रूपमें प्राप्त करनेके लीये श्रुतियों, ऋचाओं और ऋषिकन्याओं कि आकांशा पूर्ण करते हुवे वृन्दावन में गोपिरूपधारणी, मनमोहिनी सरल स्वभाववाली भोली-भोली इन बलाओंकी संग माधव रासलीला रचाया करते हैं। इसका सुंदर वर्णण श्री कृष्णभक्त महाकवि जयदेव गीतगोविन्द में लिखते है-
नर्तन करती संग कृष्ण के , गोपी कोई देती ताल।
वंशीके स्वर में उसने दी, निज कंकण की लय को ढाल।।
इसपर माधव ने मोहित हो, किया प्रशंसा भरा बखान।
वशीकरण के मंत्र सरीखी , मधवकी मुरली तान।।
माधुर्यका धाम है श्रीवृन्दावन, इसी कारण श्रीराधा को ब्रजके अन्य स्थानों की अपेक्षा यहीं अपने प्रियतम के सानिध्य में अधिक आनन्द और प्रेमानुभूति प्राप्त होती है। रसात्मक लीलाओं का केंद्र है वृन्दावन।
यह श्रीवृन्दावन अनन्त और अनादि है, जहाँ प्रिय-प्रियतम एक-रस होकर नित्य विहार किया करते हैं। जहाँ फ़ाल्गुन में होली-पर्वपर प्रकृति विविध रंगों में सराबोर हो श्याममय हो जाती है,
सावन की फुहारों के बीच कान्हा अपने सखाओं के संग जहाँ झूलेका आनंद उठाते हैं, जहाँ नारदजी मुग्धा सखी-रूपमें सदा-सर्वदा विराजमान रहते हैं, जहाँ उद्धवजी महाराज ने गोपी-प्रेमसे अभिभूत होकर कहा था- इन व्रजगोपियोंकी चरणरज अपने सिरपर धारण करने के लिये गुल्मलता-रूपमें रहना होगा,
तुलसीके वनोंसे आच्छादित जहाँ कन्हैया नंगे पैर गैया-बछड़े चराया करते हैं, वह दिव्यधाम केवल वृन्दावन ही जो सकता है-
धनि वंशीवट, धनि जमुना तट धनि धनि लता तमाल।
सबतें धन्य धन्य वृन्दावन , जहँ श्रीकृष्णको वास।।
While Mathura, with its narrow and dust laden streets and urban buzz, overwhelms the visitors to the city, Vrindavan, which is situated a few miles from Mathura, offers a more secluded and peaceful experience.
Believed to be built on the ancient forest land where Krishna spent his youthful days in the company of cattle, maidens and cowherds, Vrindavan exudes the quietude of the country side and the sanctity of a holy place. In most of the mahatmya sources Vrindaban is mentioned as the twelfth forest and is related to a presiding goddess called Vrinda, who once performed austerities here.
The culmination and the highest most inclusive level of love between the Lord and His devotees is manifested in Vrindavan. Lord Krishna descends from Goloka Vrindavan to this material world once in a day of Brahma. When He told about His plan, to come to this world, Radharani said, “I cannot live without You and I want to come with You.” Sita was willing to leave Ayodhya to go into the forest for fourteen years to be with Rama and Srimati Radharani was willing to come to the material world, filled with so many envious, demoniac people, to be with Krishna. Lord Krishna said, “We will go together,” and He also sent the forest of Vrindavan, Govardhan Hill and Yamuna.
The circumambulatory path skirts the town, passing along the ghats that line the banks of the Yamuna. The red sandstone ghats and kiosks that lie between Madanmohan and Chir Ghat were mostly built by aristocrats who had mansions nearby. Today they are silted up and, with the exception of Keshi Ghat, are only touched by the river when it is in spate during the monsoon.
The circumambulation of Vrindaban can be started at any point along the parikrama path. It passes only a few of the places in Vrindaban that are visited by pilgrims or mentioned in the texts. Pilgrims usually spend a few days in the town and see the temples and other holy places at leisure, without following any prescribed route. The most detailed and systematic description of Vrindaban is given by Gopal Kavi, who mentions all the places of note that existed in the early nineteenth century, beginning upstream at Kalimardan and ending down-stream at Gahwarban. He deals with all the quarters of the town, mentioning the temples, mansions, and other places of interest. The description of Vrindaban given below follows his sequence, though many of the minor places he includes have been omitted.
Kalidah Ghat
The participants in the pilgrimages described by Narahari and Jagatanand approached Vrindaban by way of Akrur Ghat and Bhatror, then went to Kalidah Ghat, where they began their tour of the town. It must be one of the oldest sacred places of Vrindaban, for it appears in all the mahatmya texts. Lakshmidhara mentions a 'pond of Kaliya' among places lying outside of the city of Mathura, and the Varahapurana states that Kaliya was subdued in the Yamuna at Suryatirtha the adjacent bathing place beneath the mound on which Madanmohan temple now stands. Rup Goswami refers to the kadamba tree from which Krishna dived into the river, and Murari Gupta informs us that Chaitanya saw an image of Krishna defeating Kaliya here.
An inscription on the steps records that they were constructed by 'Holkar Rao' (in the early nineteenth century), but this was apparently a replacement of an older ghat built by Rajput Maharaja Bir Singh Deo Bundela of Orchha. Above the ghat is an old tree called Keli Kadamb, believed to be the one from which Krishna leapt into the water. One of the kiosks on the ghat has been converted into a small shrine with a modern image of Krishna dancing on the hoods of Kaliya. The image of Kaliyamardan mentioned in the older sources must refer to one that was recently stolen from a nearby temple of the Nimbark Sampraday. Further upstream from Kalidah Ghat are Ram Gol (or Pol?) Ghat, built by Goswamis of Banke Bihari temple, Madan Ter Ghat, named after an adjacent garden associated with Hit Harivansh, and finally Varaha Ghat. Downstream from Kalidah Ghat are Gopal Ghat and Nabhawala Ghat, built by Rajput Raja Madan Pal of Karauli and Raja Hira Singh of Nabha, whose mansions stand above them. By Nabhawala Ghat is a small compound in which stands the samadhi of Shri Lalji, founder of the Eighth Gaddi of the Pushtimarg, and smaller memorials commemorating his descendants.
Praskandan Ghat
It is not clear why the term praskandana ('leaping forward, attacking [said of Shiva], voiding excrement') should be applied to the ghat beneath the cliff-like mound on which the temple of Madanmohan stands. The name must have puzzled later writers and scribes, for they have come up with a number of variants. Growse suggests that the name refers to Shiva or to the cliff as 'standing out', but it is also possible that it was coined to designate the place where Krishna leapt into the pool of Kaliya. It appears that originally the term applied to the area beneath the mound and that the bathing place there was called Suryatirtha. The mound is associated with the twelve Adityas, sons of Prajapati and Aditi who were identified with the solar months. Archaeological evidence indicates that it was the location of a temple in the Gupta period, which was presumably dedicated to Surya. The Varahapurana tells us that Suryatirtha is where Kaliya lurked in the waters of the Yamuna and that Krishna, after defeating the serpent, established images of the Adityas there. Two later authors, Vrindabanchandradas and Sundarlal, tell us that the Adityas appeared in order to warm Krishna after he emerged from the Kaliya pool.
Madanmohan Temple
The temple of Madanmohan stands above the Yamuna on the mound called Dwadashaditya Tila. The deity was first worshipped by Sanatan Goswami and subsequently by members of his pupillary lineage. During the custodianship of Subalanand the deity was taken to Jaipur, where it was provided with a mansion (haveli) by Rajput Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. In 1728 it was transferred to Karauli at the request of Maharaja Gopal Singh, where it has remained ever since. Subalanand entrusted the deity to his disciple Krishnacharandas, since when the custodianship has been inherited by his descendants.
The temple consists of a nave and octagonal spire (sikhara) next to which stands a second and more ornate sikhara that was added later by a donor named in an inscription as Gunanand. He was the father of Basant Ray, founder of the principality of Jessore. The original approach to the temple was by the flight of steps on the south side that leads up to a gateway with a pyramidal tower (plate 27), but nowadays the usual approach is by steps on the east side, which were cut out when the temple was restored by Growse. Beside the temple, is a bhajan kutiya of Sanatan and a small shrine commemorating the place of the original Dwadashaditya (or Surya) temple. Beneath the mound on the south side is a new temple of Madanmohan, built by Nand Kumar Bose in the early nineteenth century, which is now the centre of activity. In a courtyard behind it is the samadhi of Sanatan and several smaller memorials commemorating subsequent Goswamis, as well as a samadhi said to mark the place where Sanatan's books were buried. At the foot of For the mound on the south-eastern corner is the samadhi of Surdas Madanmohan.
Beneath the mound on the east side are small shrines of Sitala, Shiva, and Surya, where stones are worshipped that may have belonged to the medieval temple. A short distance downstream from the mound is the site of Adwaita Bat, a banyan beneath which Adwaitacharya is supposed to have sat. The original tree was washed away, but has been replaced by a new one. East of Madanmohan is the prominent spire of an Ashtasakhi temple in which Krishna is enshrined with Radha and the eight Sakhis. It was founded in 1889 by the Raja of Hetampur, though the building as it now stands was erected nearly forty years later.
Banke Bihari
(discovery of deity).
Banke Bihari is the most famous deity of Vrindaban and is a favourite of local people as well as of visiting pilgrims. The deity was originally worshipped by Swami Haridas under the name of Kunjbihari, though his disciples described it as bdke ('crooked', referring to the tribhahgya posture in which he stands), an epithet that has been current ever since. It is said to have been discovered by Swami Haridas at his hermitage in Nidhiban, but was moved to its present site in the latter part of the eighteenth century following a dispute over its custody between his ascetic followers and the Goswamis who claim descent from his brother. The Goswamis, who now have control over the worship of the deity, arranged for the construction of the present temple in the middle of the last century. There are now several hundred Goswamis eligible for a share in the service, and they all live Biharipura, the quarter behind the temple. Every year on Bihar Panchami (Agahan II. 5), the day when the deity became manifest, they organize a programme of music in Nidhiban and a procession from there to the temple of Banke Bihari.
There are some exceptional customs in the service of Banke Bihari. He is said to dislike the sound of the bell and conch, and so they are not sounded in his presence. When the doors of the shrine are opened and the deity is on display, a curtain is repeatedly pulled in front of it and held closed for a few seconds, either to prevent it from being affected by the evil eye, or because its gaze is thought to be too devastating to be endured for more than a couple of minutes. There are only three periods of worship each day (in the morning, utthapan, and sayan), the early morning mahgal arati being omitted because it is believed that Banke Bihari has been up late sporting in Nidhiban. Huge crowds come to the temple for Dolotsav And (held on Chaitra 1.1), on Akshay Tritiya (Vaishakh II.3) the only day when the deity's feet are exposed, on Janmashtami the only time when mahgal arati is performed, and at the autumn full moon, when it is adorned with a special mukut and holds a flute. Banke Bihari is only placed in a swing for one day in Shravan, whereas in other temples this is done for the whole of the bright half of the month.
Temple of Radhavallabh
Radhavallabh, the deity worshipped by Hit Harivansh, stands in a new temple adjoining the one in which it was housed before it was taken to Kaman during the reign of Aurangzeb. The old temple, built in the latter half of the sixteenth century, is still occasionally used for gatherings in which lyrics by poets of the Radhavallabh Sampraday are sung, but nowadays the new temple is the centre of activity. It is popular among pilgrims and the general public, and has a reputation for the attractive way in which the deity and shrine are decorated. It was built by Seth Lallubhai Bhagwandas and other Gujarati devotees after the deity was brought back from Kaman in 1784. A special feature of the worship of Radhavallabh is the khicarT festival held between the new moon days of Paush and Magh. Early each morning the deity is offered khicarT (rice cooked with lentils), vegetables, papar(poppadums), and pickle, and is provided with costumes and other decorations appropriate for different festivals and incidents in the life of Krishna.
The two temples stand in a compound called Radhavallabh Ghera, which is entered through a gateway in a street that leads from Purana Bazaar at the junction known as Athkhambha. Also in the Ghera are the Calcuttawala temple and the small but popular Anandi Bai ka Mandir, founded earlier this century by a notable devotee. Among other temples in the neighbourhood are Radhamohan Ghera, founded by Krishnachandra, the younger son of Hit Harivansh, and Kalyanval- labh, said to be the deity worshipped by Raja Askaran. On Purana Bazaar, near Athkhambha, are the adjacent Radhavallabh Sampraday temples known as Bari and Chhoti Sarkar, founded at the end of the eighteenth century. At the back of Chhoti Sarkar is the temple of the Eighth Gaddi of the Pushtimarg, which houses a marble image of Balarama and a deity called Gopinath that was brought here from Dera Ghazi Khan, where the Gaddi used to have its headquarters.
Bhattji ka Mandir ( Madanmohan )
Beside the gateway leading into the Ghera is a Narasinha temple, and opposite is Bhattji ka Mandir, which houses a deity called Madanmohan that was worshipped by the poet Gadadhar Bhatt and is still in the custody of his descendants. The Goswamis of this temple are noted for their tradition of communal singing (samaj) and their skill in making Sanjhi designs.
Kaladhari Mandir
Past the entrance to Radhavallabh Ghera (in the direction of the river) is a narrow street on the left in which stands a temple dedicated to Krishna as Kaladhari. This temple had links with Goswamis in Bahawalpur and now houses a deity called Brajmohan, which was brought from there after it became part of Pakistan. There is another deity called Madanmohan that was once in Multan. The custodians claim to belong to the Vishnuswami Sampraday and to have inherited the Gaddi of Namdev, the Sant poet, who is commemorated by a samadhi in the temple. One of the Mahants, Yamunadas, founded an ashram near Dawanal Kund called Kaladhari Bagicha, where ascetics of all orders stay.
Jugal Kishor ( Jugal Ghat)
The street in which Kaladhari temple stands leads down to Jugal Ghat, where there is a temple of Jugal Kishor. It was founded by a Tomar Rajput called Haridas, a disciple of a grandson of Hit Harivansh.
Bihar Ghat
Past the gateway of Radhavallabh Ghera the street curves to the right and leads down to Bihar Ghat. The place is associated with Nagaji and is thought to have been the site of his temple of Atalbihari. Nowadays he is commemorated simply by a pedestal marked with footprints (caranpaduka). On the adjacent Shriji Ghat stands the samadhi of Harivyasdev. The Vrindaban residence of Shriji Maharaj used to be here before the construction of Shriji Kunj. Facing Bihar Ghat is Topiwali Kunj, founded in the nineteenth century by the incumbent of the Gaddi of Mukundadev, one of the twelve disciples of Harivyasdev. In front of it is a ras mandal, beside which a narrow lane begins that runs parallel to the ghats in the direction of Seva Kunj. One of the buildings along this lane is Nagari Kunj, the residence of Nagaridas, whose samadhi stands in an adjacent compound. Just past it there is a turning to the right that brings one to Seva Kunj.
Seva Kunj
This walled garden is in the custody of Goswamis of the Radhavallabh temple. In it there is a small tank called Lalitasarovar, several samadhi, and a small temple referred to as Rang Mahal or Shriji ka Mandir. The present structure is the result of restoration carried out in 1931.
The original shrine is said to have been built in about 1575 by a merchant named Puhukardas, a disciple of Goswami Damodar. Krishna and Radha are believed to be present here every night; it is said that any man or beast who dares to spend the night here will either die or become insane. A wall separates Seva Kunj from the adjoining Kishorban (or Hari Nikunj), in which stand a ras mandal and the samadhi of Hariram Vyas. Near Seva Kunj is Indramani Kunj, the temple and residence of descendants of Priyadas, the Bhaktamal commentator, whose samadhi is also there.
Imli Tala
A street opposite the entrance to Seva Kunj leads down to the tamarind tree (Imli Tala) beneath which Chaitanya sat when he visited Vrindaban. The worship of the tree was initiated by Goswamis of Madanmohan temple, but was neglected after they went with their deity to Jaipur and Karauli. The site was restored in the nineteenth century by Bhaktisiddhant Saraswati, founder of the Gaudiya Math, whose disciples raised funds in order to purchase it from the Goswamis. A festival is held here at the full moon of Karttik, the day on which Chaitanya is supposed to have arrived in Vrindaban. On this occasion the tree is worshipped and a picture is brought here in procession from a Chaitanya shrine on Gopinath Bazaar. The ghat beneath the tree is attributed to Ruler Bir Singh Deo Bundela of Orchha.
Shringar Bat
According to Kennedy the Goswamis of Shringar Bat belong to one of three Main distinct lineages based in Bengal that claim descent from Nityanand. Their lineage is called the 'Lata line', named after a town in Burdwan District. The temple derives its name from a banyan tree that grows in its courtyard. Beneath it, according to Vishwanath Chakravarti, Krishna used to help Radha put on her adornments(sringar). A banyan named after Nityanand, mentioned by Narahari, probably stood near the temple on Shringar Ghat.
Temple of Radhadamodar
The temple of Radhadamodar, founded in or around 1542, houses the deity given to Jiv Goswami by his uncle, Rup Goswami. Behind the temple are samadhi memorials of Rup and Jiv Goswami, Krishnadas Kaviraj, and many other Bengali devotees, as well as Rup Goswami's bhajan kuti. On Janmashtami a large Govardhan stone is displayed here that is said to have been presented by Krishna to Sanatan Goswami when, while he was staying at Chakreshwar on the banks of Manasi Ganga, he became too old to circumambulate the hill. It bears markings believed to have been made by the feet of Krishna and the hooves of his cows.
Ras Mandal
Further along the street is a ras mandal said to have been established by Hit Harivansh. According to an inscription here, it was made into a masonry structure in 1584 by Bhagwandas Swarnakar, a disciple of Vanchandra. Beside the arena are footprints of Naravahan and memorials to the poets Sevakji and Dhruvdas, all members of the Radhavallabh Sampraday. A festival is held here from the full moon of Chaitra until Vaishakh, during which ras lila are performed. Between Radhadamodar and the ras mandal is Gangamohan Kunj, a large mansion built by Ganga, a queen of Bharatpur, to house a deity reputedly discovered in a pond at Kamar.
Chir Ghat
Chir Ghat (ciraghatta/-ghata in most Sanskrit sources) is the place where Krishnais said to have stolen the Gopis' clothes and hid with them in a tree. Gopal Kavi omits Chir Ghat from his description of Vrindaban, though it was seen by Jean Law de Lauriston in 1785 and is mentioned in older sources, which implies that it is as old as the rival site at Siyarah. Narahari compromises by describing the latter as the place where Krishna stole the Gopis' clothes while they were bathing as part of their worship of Katyayani, as narrated in the Bhagavatapurana, and the one in Vrindaban as the location of a second theft of the clothes carried out while the Gopis were bathing after dancing the ras. Narayan Bhatt refers to the practice of offering pieces of coloured cloth here, which, according to Bhusundi- ramayana, are tied to the tree by women in the hope of gaining a suitable husband. Murari Gupta and Krishnadas Kaviraj also include it among places seen in Vrindaban by Chaitanya.
In the Padmapurana the place where Krishna stole the Gopis' clothes is located on the north-eastern petal of the Vrindaban yogapitha. The kadamba tree that is now revered as the one in which Krishna hid grows on the ghat behind the temple of Shahji. It is approached by a narrow street that begins near the entrance to Nidhiban and runs along the wall of Shahji temple and past the entrance to Jai Singh Ghera. An image of Krishna is placed in the tree, and a Panda who sits in attendance supplies pieces of cloth for women to tie onto one of its branches.
Nand Bhavan
Beside the path leading to the river from Ras Mandal is a small red sandstone temple referred to as Nand Bhavan, in which there is a deity called Govind Bihari. An inscription on the outer wall records that it was built by a wife of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur in 1613. Pilgrims from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bundelkhand, and Orissa bring sticks of cane that are deposited inside the temple. The attendant at the shrine used to beat the pilgrims with the canes in order to banish their sins and afflictions, but nowadays the dwindling number of pilgrims who maintain the custom receive no more than a gentle tap on the forehead. Pieces of a type of clay brought from Dwarka called gopTcandan, which is used to make the Vaishnava forehead mark (tilak), are also deposited here. The temple used to be in the custody of the Goswamis of Shringar Bat, but the rights were sold to members of the Pushtimarg earlier this century.
Temple of Shyamsundar
This temple is said to have been founded by Shyamanand when he came to Vrindaban. There are several samadhi here commemorating the Mahants who succeeded him.
Savaman Shalagram
On Loi Bazaar is a temple housing an enormous salagram, which, as its name implies, is reckoned to weigh one and a quarter maunds (ca.50kg). It is enshrined. with idols of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana and is said by Gopal Kavi to have been brought from Hyderabad by Seth Snehi Ram Fatehpuriya, whose son built the temple.
Bankhandi Mahadev
This Shiva temple stands at the beginning of Loi Bazaar and faces Purana Bazaar. It is attributed to Bir Singh Deo of Orchha, but is not mentioned in any pre-nineteenth-century source.
Vyas Ghera
The temple of Jugal Kishor in Vyas Ghera was founded in the mid-sixteenth century by Hariram Vyas, a companion of Hit Harivansh and Swami Haridas. The original deity worshipped by him is now in Panna, but there are other private temples in this quarter that are maintained by his descendants. Hiramohan (or 'Datiyawali') Kunj, was a residence of the royal family of Datiya and was used by Raja Parichhat, whose pilgrimage is described by Nawal Singh Pradhan. The editor of the text notes that it was established in the mid-eighteenth century by Prakash Kunwari, a sister of Raja Indrajit.
Temple of Rasikbihari ( Chhatarpurwali Kunj)
This temple houses the deity of Swami Rasikdev, a Haridasi ascetic who lived in the latter half of the seventeenth century. On the corner of the street running behind Rasikbihari is the temple of Gorelal, housing an image once served by Naraharidas and then by Rasikdev. Both temples have enjoyed the patronage of rulers of Bundelkhand.
Shriji Kunj Temple
This temple, the largest and most important establishment of the Nimbark Sampraday in Vrindaban, was built by in 1827 by Anand Kunwari, mother of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh III of Jaipur. It serves as a residence for Shriji Maharaj, head of the Gaddi at Salemabad, when he visits Braj.
Shahji Mandir
At the end of Pratap Bazaar, near the entrance to Nidhiban, is a tall gateway leading into the garden and temple of Shahji, built by Seth Kundanlal Shah in 1868 It is a popular attraction, thanks to the vulgarity of its italianate fagade featuring spiral columns of white marble.
A large crowd comes here on Basant Panchami (Magh II.5) to see the illuminated Basanti Kamra, which is filled withbcoloured chandeliers.
Nidhiban
Nidhiban is referred to as Nidhuvana by Krishnadas Kaviraj and Vishwanath Chakravarti, who have both described the love play of Krishna and Radha that took place in it. It is said to have been their retreat when they disappeared during the ras dance.
In the walled garden is a small tank called Vishakhakund, a bed chamber (Rang Mahal or Shish Mahal) where Krishna and Radha are believed to sleep, and samadhi of Swami Haridas and other Haridasi ascetics. The samadhi of Haridas is flanked by those of Bithal Vipul and Biharindas, though the Goswamis of Banke Bihari, who have retained control over them, claim that the former commemorates Jagannath, whopi they say was a brother of Haridas. A marble platform in the grove marks the spot where the deity of Banke Bihari appeared before Haridas. Each morning deities of Krishna and Radha are carried out of the sleeping chamber and placed in the samadhi shrine.
Govind Dev Temple
Govinda is named in the mahatmya texts as the presiding deity of Vrindaban and is perhaps the same Govindadeva that is referred to as being on the north of Mathura (one of four "-deva images). Govinda is also mentioned in Brahmasamhita and other texts describing the yogapTtha as the deity who stands in the centre of Vrindaban. Rup Goswami, the reputed founder of the temple, quotes a verse from the Bhagavatapurana (10.21.10) in which the epithet 'Govinda' is used for Krishna with reference to his playing the flute in Vrindaban and enchanting all the creatures that heard it. He also quotes a verse attributed to the Skandapurana with reference to Govinda having his abode (niketana, mahasadma) in Vrindaban.
Govind Dev is the largest and most ornate of the sixteenth-century red sandstone temples in Vrindaban. According to an inscription on the eastern wall, it was built by Rajput MahaRaja Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur. There is some confusion over the date, which is given as samvat 34. This would normally mean VS 1634 (= AD 1577) though some (including Growse and V. A. Smith) interpret it as referring to the thirty-fourth regnal year of Akbar (= 1590). The importance of the temple is emphasized in texts produced by the Gaudiya Sampraday, which usually describe it as being located on the site of the Vrindaban yogapTtha, as is stated in the inscription.
The main part of the temple consists of a nave and two transepts, the crossing of which is surmounted by a dome with a vaulted ceiling consisting of a massive block of stone carved as a lotus. At the north end of the nave, opposite the main entrance, is a deep shrine room, the doors of which are framed with panels depicting episodes in the life of Krishna. Adjoining the north end of the nave, on the east and west sides, are two shrines or side chapels. The one on the west once housed an image of Vrindadevi, referred to in some mahatmya sources as the tutelary goddess of Vrindaban.
It has remained empty since the image was taken to the Govind Dev temple in Kaman, though there is a cellar beneath it in which a small marble relief of Durga has been placed, which is given the name 'Yogamaya' or 'Patal Devi'. The exterior of the main building and the side chapels is covered with a variety of abstract mouldings and the capitals of the nave are richly decorated with clusters of carved bells.
The temple was restored by Growse, who gives a detailed description of it. An ornate chhatri that was insecure on its site to the south of the temple was removed and set up against the north wall. It bears an inscription dated 1636 which says that it was erected by Rambhawati, the widow of Raja Bhima of Mewar. A popular anecdote, recounted by all the pilgrim guides, is that the main shrine and two side chapels were once surmounted by tall spires, but they were demolished on orders from Aurangzeb after he saw a beacon burning on top of the temple from the terraces of the fort at Agra.
The defacement of the figures around the door of the main shrine bears witness to some kind of iconoclastic attack, but it seems unlikely that the spire was destroyed for the simple reason that it was never finished. Growse rightly notes that the towers over the 'sacrarium' and 'choir' were completed, since they were indispensible for liturgical purposes, but he was unable to identify any fragments that might have belonged to the upper stories of the main tower. The original deity of Govind Dev, much larger than is usual for images of Krishna, is now housed in a temple opposite the palace at Jaipur. The original shrine at Vrindaban houses smaller images of Krishna and accompanying figures, but a temple built at the back of the original one in the early nineteenth century is now the focus of of devotional activity.
Venukup
Near Govind Dev, along a street on the opposite side of the road, is a well called Venukup. It is virtually ignored by pilgrims, though it is mentioned in some texts dating from the seventeenth century onwards. Vishwanath Chakravarti says that Krishna created the well by playing his flute (venu) in order to provide water for Radha after they had disappeared together during the ras dance. In a walled garden nearby there is a collection of samadhi commemorating the sixty-four Mahants of the Gaudiya Sampraday and other devotees.
Singhpor or Hanuman Temple
On the street leading up to Govind Dev from Gopinath Bazaar there is a popular shrine of Hanuman, who is accorded the epithet 'Singhpor', though today there is no 'lion gate' to be seen. Gopal Kavi attributes its foundation to Sawai Jai Singh and Bhagwandas, a leader of the Ghamandadev branch of the Nimbark Sampraday. He says that the image perspires in times of strife and danger, as it did once in the presence of Mahadji Sindhiya, and that its coating of vermilion crumbled when Dig and Bharatpur fell. The shrine is the location of Jharin ka Akhara (or Jhariya Nirmohi Akhara), founded by a Mahant called Jhariya of Nim ka Thana in Rajasthan.
Temple of Rangji
The temple of Rangji, dedicated to Vishnu and built in the 1840's is visited by all pilgrims who come to Vrindaban. Belonging to the Tenkalai branch of the Shrivaishnava Sampraday, it is the largest temple in the town and is modelled on the temple of Rangnath at Shrirangam, both in its architecture and pattern of worship. It consists of a series of concentric quadrangles forming processional pathways. The outer gates are in local style, while the others are surmounted by gopurams decorated with sculpture. On the south side of the temple is a tank, and inside the southern gateway stands a tall flagstaff overlaid with gold. As is the case with its counterparts in Tamil Nadu, non-Hindus are not admitted into the inner part of the temple. There are numerous occasions throughout the year when processional images are taken out on a variety of conveyances and paraded around the temple precincts. At the annual Rath ka Mela the deity is placed on an large chariot and taken to a walled garden belonging to the temple (Rangji ka Bagicha).
Brahmakund
Some verses in Lakshmidhara and the Vardhapurdna describing an unspecified kund at Vrindaban are introduced by Rup Goswami as relating to Brahmakund. In the verses from Rup's mahatmya as quoted by Narahari the identification is made more m specific by replacing the words tatra kunde by tatra brahme. Rup adds verses saying that on its north side is an asoka tree that miraculously bursts into flower on Vaishakh. The tree is also mentioned in some subsequent sources. Gopal Kavi says that it will bestow happiness on those who worship it after bathing on Vaishakh. In the Padmapurana a pond called Brahmahrada is said to be the place where Vyoma and Shankhachuda were slain, and to be situated on the south-western petal of the Vrindaban lotus. The intended reference seems to be to Rup's Brahmakund, though Jiv Goswami identifies Brahmahrada with Akruratirtha and says that it is where Krishna gave Akrura and later devotees of Braj a vision of the world of Brahma.
The tank is said to have been provided with masonry ghats by Rajput Maharaja Bir Singh Deo Bundela of Orchha. It has been cleaned and restored in recent years, but hardly manages to retain any water and has lost its former importance. Gopal Kavi tells us that many ascetics used to live around the tank and that it was a centre of devotion, especially among members of the Gaudiya Sampraday. He says that fairs were held here for five evenings from Shravan (as part of the panctirthiparikrama) and from the ekadas until the new moon evening of Ashwin, when Sanjhi designs were made. He says that Krishna and Radha used to gather flowers at Brahmakund in order to make Sanjhi decorations and that the fair was initiated by Nagaridas, who composed poems on the theme of the dialogue that took place between them. These and other poems were recited before images of Krishna and Radha that were placed under two chatrT beside the tank. Above the tank are some old red sandstone kiosks, a small shrine in which an image of Brahma has been installed, and a modern Ram Charit Manas Mandir constructed by a celebrated expounder of Tulsidas' work.
Temple of Gopinath
The street running between the temples of Govind Dev and Gopinath is called Gopinath Bazaar. On the right-hand side is the quarter known as Gopinath Bagh and on the left is Pathar Pura, which, according to Gopal Kavi, derives its name from the quantity of stones scattered over the area that were left behind after the construction of Govind Dev. He names thirty-five temples, mansions, and shrines in this area, but none of them attracts much attention from pilgrims. Nowadays the busiest places in Pathar Pura are the two 'bhajan ashrams' where a number of widows, mainly from Bengal, spend several hours a day chanting the names of Krishna. The temple of Gopinath is one of the four red sandstone ones founded during the reign of Akbar, but most of the original structure is now obscured by later additions.
Gopal Kavi says that the original temple was founded by Rajput Raja Raysen Shekhawat and that later additions were made by Rajput Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh and, in the early nineteenth century, by Nand Kumar Bose. He informs us that the deity was first worshipped by Madhu Pandit, a disciple of Jahnavi, the wife of Nityanand. Apart from Radha, the main deity was also accompanied by an image of Jahnavi. Goswami Bhavanand, a descendant of Madhu Pandit, took all three images to Kaman in the reign of Aurangzeb, and later they were installed in a new temple at Jaipur. Near the temple, on the corner of Gopinath Bazaar, is a shrine of Sitala that was probably built in the eighteenth century, when her cult became popular among Bengalis.
Temple of Radharaman
The deity of Radharaman was first worshipped by Gopal Bhatt, one of the Six Goswamis of the Gaudiya Sampraday, and is believed to have manifested itself in 1542 from a salagram stone in his possession. It is the smallest of the main deities of Vrindaban and is said to bear markings of a discus on its back and feet. There is no accompanying image of Radha; instead her presence is indicated by a mukut.
On Janmashtami and on the anniversary of the appearance of the deity (the full moon day of Vaishakh) an elaborate abhiseka ceremony is held, and on Shravan 1.5 the death of Gopal Bhatt is commemorated by a procession and chanting. The ritual for the abhiseka and details of worship on festive occasions have been described by Manohardas in Radharaman ras sagar, composed in 1700. The Goswamis live nearby, most of them in Radharaman Ghera, a compound around the temple that is entered through a tall gateway. Gopal Kavi gives the names of Goswamis belonging to two lineages, one descended from Shrinivas and the other from a Goswami called Gopinath. Near the entrance to the Ghera are the samadhi of Gopal Bhatt, others in memory of later Goswamis, and a memorial commemorating the manifestation of the deity. Inside the temple are preserved a shawl that belonged to Gopal Bhatt and a wooden seat said to have been presented to him by Chaitanya. Flames required for the rituals are taken from a fire that is said to have been kept alive ever since it was first generated by Gopal Bhatt by means of verses from the Vedas.
The present temple was built in 1826 by Shah Biharilal of Lucknow, grandfather of Kundanlal and Phundanlal, the founders of Shahji temple.
Temple of Radhavinod and Gokulanand
Along the narrow street that begins in front of the gateway to Radharaman Ghera is a small temple built for Radhavinod and Gokulanand, deities that were once worshipped by Loknath and Vishwanath Chakravarti and are now in Jaipur. Facing the temple there is a samadhi commemorating each of these devotees, and also one for Narottamdas Thakur, and another where a tooth of Gadadhar Pandit is buried. The temple has a Govardhan stone that was presented to Raghunathdas by Chaitanya and is said to bear the latter's handprint.
Temple of Jugal Kishor ( Keshi Ghat)
The temple of Jugal Kishor, said to have been built in 1627, stands among the narrow streets behind Keshi Ghat. The nave has entirely disappeared, but the 'choir' and shrine surmounted by a tapering spire still stand. The most notable element of decoration is the tympanum above the eastern entrance, which shows Krishna holding up mount Govardhan. The temple has remained empty ever since the deity was removed and taken to Panna. In the neighbourhood there are other Krishna temples, one with an image that is half-Krishna and half-Kali, two Narasinha temples, and a few dedicated to Rama.
Keshi Ghat
Keshitirtha, nowadays called Keshi Ghat, is mentioned in mahatmya sources as the place where Krishna threw down the horse demon Keshi. It is the most impressive ghat in Vrindaban and the only one where the Yamuna flows all the year round. Overlooking the bathing steps is a series of mansions (referred to as Kunj) two of which are named after Kishori and Lakshmi, wives of Ranjit and Randhir Singh, Jat Rajas of Bharatpur. On the ghat are small temples of Yamuna, Hanuman, and a Rama temple founded by followers of Malukdas.
Bansi Bat
Bansi Bat (Skt. vamsTvata), the tree in which Krishna sounded his flute to summon the Gopis to the ras, is believed to have stood on the banks of the Yamuna some distance downstream from Keshi Ghat. The tree that now grows on the site is reputed to have been planted by Madhu Pandit, the founder of Gopinath temple, as a replacement for an older one that stood here. It stands in a walled compound in which there is a small temple of Bansibihari. Dhruvdas says that the saint Ghamandadev used to reside here; the small temple still belongs to the Nimbark Sampraday and is now cared for by the larger one founded by Brahmachariji. Close to Bansi Bat is a building in which there are baithak shrines of Vallabha, Vitthalnath, Gokulnath, and Damodardas Harsani, the foremost disciple of Vallabha. The stretch of river bank between Keshi Ghat and Bansi Bat is called Dhir Samir ('Gentle Breeze'), a name that presumably derives from the refrain of the eleventh song of Jayadeva's Gitagovinda
(dhirasamire yamunatTre vasati vane vanamali).
Vishwanath Chakravarti says that it is so called because the breeze softened when Krishna played his flute at Bansi Bat. According to Krishnadas Baba a temple of Shyamray was founded at Dhir Samir by Gauridas Pandit (a younger brother of Nityanand's father-in-law), whose samadhi is also here. The mansion (kuhj) and temple bearing the name Dhir Samir were built by Badan Singh.
Gopishwar
In some sources this temple is referred to as Gopeshwar, ('Lord of the Herdsmen' or 'Lord as a Herdsman'), but the older and more authoritative sources call it Gopishwar, an epithet relating to Shiva's becoming a Gopi in order to participate in the ras dance, which is supposed to have taken place at Bansi Bat. Gopal Kavi tells us that Shiva turned into a Gopi after bathing in Man Sarovar, after which the Gopis acknowledged him as the guardian of Vrindaban. He says that the temple was founded by Vajranabha, who is also believed to have established the image of Govind Dev, and that it was rediscovered by Rup and Sanatan when they noticed a cow shedding its milk on the spot. After serving the lihga for a while, the two Goswamis entrusted it to a Jogi named Ganganath, whose descendants still have custody of the temple. He gives the name of its builder as Hardiyarau Chaturbhuj. In all probability the temple has been cared for by Jogis from the very beginning and the association with Rup and Sanatan is simply the result of their being accredited with the reclamation of Vrindaban as a whole. Although the oldest sources give the name as Gopishwar, this does not exclude the possibility that it was a Vaishnava adaptation of'Gopeshwar', an epithet that (like Gopanatha) may have referred to Shiva as Pashupati ('Lord of the Cattle') in a period when the Nath Sampraday was more predominant in the area. Gopal Kavi and Sundarlal call the well outside the temple Saptasamudrikup, and both the Varahapurana and Rup Goswami mention Gopishwar and a Sapta-samudrikakupa together, recommending the latter as a suitable place for offering pinda, especially when the new moon falls on a Monday.
The Varahapurana adds that Matali, Indra's charioteer, created the well when he brought seven jars of water (i.e. from the seven seas) in order to anoint Krishna in the presence of the Gopis. At the same time he established Gopishwar and began to worship him. However, the Varahapurana, Rup Goswami, Murari Gupta, and Narayan Bhatt include Gopishwar and the well among places in the area of Mahaban. Narayan Bhatt relates Gopishwar and the well to the Yamalarjuna episode, saying that the well was dug by Nanda so that by bathing there the sin of uprooting trees could be expiated. The Varahapurana, however, also talks of the benefits obtained by those who resort to the area between Gopishwar and Govind Dev, which implies that Gopishwar is in Vrindaban, as stated in later sources. The temple is a simple rectangular structure built over a lihga. Some old pieces of sculpture are collected together in one corner of the gallery that is used for circumambulation. Being the most famous Shiva temple in Vrindaban, it is the one where most people come to worship on Shivratri. Between Gopishwar and Rangji there are two temples which, although they are impressive, no longer attract much attention. On the right hand side as one goes up the street is the temple of Brahmachariji, which was completed in 1860 and on the corner where one turns left to go down to Gyan Gudari stands the temple of Lala Babu, built about fifty years earlier.
Gyan Gudri
The name of this square derives from the patchwork garments made of rags of various colours (gudari/gudari/gudari) that are worn by some Hindu and Muslim ascetics, in this case those who are in pursuit of knowledge (gyan/jhana). Around the square are several Krishna and Rama temples as well as a shrine of Jagannath. Deities from various temples are brought here on decorated carts for the celebration of Rathyatra (Ashadh II.2), and on the full moon day of Shravan there is a procession of carts decorated with flowers. Nearby is Tikari Ghat and the attractive, but nowadays neglected Tikariwala Mandir, completed in 1871
Tatiya Asthan
Tatiya Sthan derives its name from the wattle fences that were put up when it was first established. Naval Singh and Gopal Kavi refer to it as the tatti or tatiof Maunidas, referring to Lalitmohinidas, the eighth leader in succession of the ascetic followers of Swami Haridas. It was originally founded by his predecessor, Lalitkishoridev, who built shrines for his deities named Radhikabihari and Mohinibihari (or Lalitamohini). It is one of the most conservative religious establishments in Vrindaban in that there is no electricity, visitors in western dress are frowned upon, and cameras and tape recorders are prohibited. Fairs are held on Radhashtami and the anniversary of the birth of Swami Haridas, and there are gatherings (samaj) commemorating previous Acharyas at which poems are sung.
In some sources the wooded area downstream from Gyan Gudri and Tatiya Asthan is referred to as Gahwarban. Gopal Kavi describes it as an area in which many ascetics live, and among the shrines, akhara, and ashrams he mentions Paramarthi Akhara, founded by Ramdas Paramarthi during the reign of Sawai Jai Singh, and a temple of Chaturbhuj, a deity brought here from Nawargarh by Raja Askaran. There are still several ashrams and other shrines in the area, though it is now less wooded than it once was and part of it may have since been eroded by the Yamuna. Near the temple of Rangji and Tatti Asthan is a walled garden call Radha Bagh, where, according to Caurasi vaisnavan kivarta, a devotee named Narayandas Bhat found an idol of Madanmohan, which was eventually presented to the Bengalis who had first served the deity of Shrinathji. Opposite Radha Bagh is Katyayani Pith, the images of which were installed in 1923. It was founded by a Swami from Bengal named Keshavanand and is claimed to be the place where Sati's hair fell. Behind Rangji ka Bagicha is a neglected temple of Vijay Bihari built by Vijay Bahadur of Charkhari.
Govind Kund
Rup Goswami refers to a Govindaswamitirtha after dealing with Govind Dev, implying that the tank was built for the temple. Hardly any pilgrims come here and it is not visited during the circumambulation of Vrindaban, but it has always been a place of residence for ascetics of the Gaudiya Sampraday.
Dawanal Kund
Near the point where the Vrindaban parikrama path crosses the railway line is the tank known as Dawanal Kund, named after the forest fire that Krishna is believed to have consumed here. Near the tank is Nimbark Sampraday temple with a deity called Dawanal Bihari. The image is said to have been discovered by a Mahant named Lakshmandas, who also had the tank constructed. Today the temple is cared for by ascetics of the nearby Kathiya Baba Ashram. The area around Dawanal Kund is known as Kai(n)warban.
Temple of Bhatror Bihari
A few hundred metres before the parikrama path crosses the Mathura-Vrindaban road, in the area known as Hanuman Nagar, there is a track to the left that leads to a mound on which stands the temple of Bhatror Bihari. This is said to be the place where Krishna and his friends were offered food by the wives of brahmins who were busy in the performance of a sacrifice. Raghunathdas and the Naradapurana. suggest that the name of the place derives from the boiled rice (bhakta) that was given to the boys. The Padmapurana says that the place of the brahmins' wives (yajhapatnl) is situated on the western petal of the Vrindaban lotus. Narayan Bhatt includes a place named after them among sites in Vrindaban, and in another context, while dealing with places in Mathura, mentions a spot where the Gopis offered Krishna boiled rice or porridge (odana). He says that the latter is situated in Mathura beside the road leading to Vrindaban, which suggests that it might also refer to the place now known as Bhatror. Opposite the temple is the garden that Parikhji built for the deity of Dwarakadhish, later installed in the temple of the same name in Mathura. The track that passes the garden and mound used to be the main route from Mathura to Vrindaban, but, since the construction of the metalled road that runs parallel to it, these places are no longer frequented. Growse and Nawal Singh Pradhan mention a fair that used to be held here on the full moon day of Karttik at which the episode of Krishna and the brahmins wives was re-enacted.
Akrur Ghat
A short distance further on from Bhatror is Akrur Ghat, believed to be the place where Akrura stopped to bathe while he was bringing Krishna and Balarama to Mathura. In the Naradapurana Akruratirtha is mentioned along with Bhaktabho-jana (i.e. Bhatror) and an apparently separate Anantatirtha is mentioned after Vighnarajatirtha situated further downstream as the northern most bathing place in Mathura. Anantadev deals with Akrura- and Anantatirtha separately, but in his source, the Varahapurana, they appear to be used synonymously in a chapter that illustrates the merits of the place with a story of how a merchant named Sudhana was confronted by a demon (brahmaraksasa). The name Anantatirtha is presumably related to the vision of Balarama as the serpent Ananta/Shesha that Akrura had when he ducked under the waters of the Yamuna.
The Varahapurana, Rup Goswami, and Bhusundiramayana recommend bathing at Akruratirtha on Karttik and the following full moon day, perhaps in connection with the fair that used to be held at nearby Bhatror. Krishnadas Kaviraj says that Akrur Ghat is where Chaitanya stayed during his visit to Vrindaban. In most texts Akrur Ghat is the first place mentioned in Vrindaban, usually as being visited by pilgrims arriving from the direction of Mathura. There are small temples of Akrur Bihari and Gopinath, the latter reputedly founded by Maharaja Bir Singh Deo Bundela of Orchha. Like Bhatror Bihari, they have both been neglected since the time when the new road began to carry all the traffic between Mathura and Vrindaban.
But the true place is where Shri Krishna resides. Time is the medium for His satsang. Shri Krishna is the true wealth because He is all and everything. The true doer is free from pride of accomplishment. Know that Shri Krishna’s names joined with His attributes and lilas are the true mantras, and that Shri Krishna’s seva is the essence of all practices – it is pure action. Satsang is the only practice in the devotional path where these six factors of place, time, wealth, doer, mantra and action are collectively achieved.
Placing white jasmine garlands in the sky with His repeated smiles and laughter,making all directions full of blue lotus flowers with His moving glances, and planting blossoming sthala lotus flowers on the ground with His footsteps, Lord Madhava walks with Sri Radha in the Vrindavan forest. I meditate on Them in this way.
If there is ever a wish for reward in one’s heart, it should be for the lotus face of Shri Krishna. Hari is the reward because He is always joyful and responds according to the devotional sentiments of His bhaktas.
It is extremely difficult to give up one’s material desires. Therefore, O brother, reject all varieties of sadhana and take shelter of Shri Vrindavan. Let the waves of material desires accumulated throughout your previous lives remain within your body, mind, and speech. By the glorious qualities of Vrindavan Dham, the fruits of all sadhana will be automatically obtained and you will attain ecstatic love of God.
-Shri Vrindavan Mahimamtria
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