Monday, December 21, 2009

Vrindavan on the banks of river yamuna

Among many holy places throughout the India, Vrindavan is the most secret of all of them.


It is located 135km south of Delhi and 55km north of Agra, just off the Delhi-Agra Road. It is 12 km or a 25 minute auto-rickshaw ride from Mathura.

It is the heart of grater area called Braja-Mandala, the place of Lord Krisna's pastimes on this Earth 5000 years ago.

The area of present day Vrindavan is actually the place of Krisna's rasa-lila pastime. There is a parikram-road around the town and some devotees are respectfully circumambulating Vrindavan every day.

Temples, shrines, ashrams, chipped walls, shops and bazaars - this is how the ancient town looks today.

Vrindavan is said to have 5000 temples and shrines of all different dimensions. One can walk around the town in about 2 hours, but to go through all streets and see all the altars may possibly take even years. Seven of the temples are most important.

Madanmohan of Sanatana Goswami.

Govindaji of Rupa Goswami.

Radha-Gopinath of Madhu Pandit Goswami.

Radha-Damodar of Jiva Goswami.

Radha-Syamasundar of Syamanada Pandit Goswami.

Radharaman of Gopal Bhatta Goswami.

Radha-Gokulananda of Lokanath Goswami.


Madanmohan means “one who can even enchant Cupid.” The Deity of Madanmohan (formerly Madan-Gopal) was made for Krisna's great grandson Vajranabha and for many years it was lost...

Advaita Acarya discovered the original Deity of Madanmohan (Krisna) in Mahavan-Gokul and served Him here at the base of an old "vat" tree. Before His departure for Navadvip He entrusted the Deity to brahmana Chaubhe in Mathura. Years later Caitanya Mahaprabhu sent Sanatana Goswami to Vrindavan to discover lost places of Krisna's pastimes and write books about devotional service

(courtesy http://www.vaisnava.cz/clanek_en.php3?no=180)