Radha Raman Temple

Sri Radha Raman Mandir or Sri Radha Raman Temple, is ancient Hindu temple in Vrindavan, dedicated to Lord Krishna as Radha Ramana. It was constructed at the request of Gopala Bhatta Goswami around 1542 is one most exquisitely crafted and revered temples of Vrindavan, especially by the Gaudiya Vaishnavism (Goswamis). It still houses the original saligram deity of Krishna, alongside Radharani.^[1]

History

Radha Raman means the lover (ramana) of his Radha. The temple was established over 500 years ago by Gopala Bhatta Goswami. At the age of thirty Gopala Bhatta Gosvami came to Vrindavana.

After Caitanya Mahaprabhu's disappearance Gopala Bhatta Gosvami felt intense separation from the Lord. To relieve his devotee, the Lord instructed Gopala Bhatta in a dream: "If you want my darsan then make a trip to Nepal".

In Nepal, Gopala Bhatta bathed in the famous Kali-Gandaki River. Upon dipping his waterpot in the river, he was surprised to see several Saligrama Silas enter his pot. He dropped the silas back into the river, but the silas re-entered his pot when he refilled it.

Gopala Bhatta Gosvami found twelve Shaligrama shilas. Its believed once a wealthy man came to Vrindavana and offered Gopala Bhatta a variety of clothing and ornaments for his Shaligrams in charity. However, Gopala Bhatta couldn't use these for his round-shaped Shaligrams, so he advised the donor to give the Deity decorations to someone else. It's believed that donor refused to take them back and Gopala Bhatta kept the cloths and ornaments with his shilas.

On the Purnima (full moon) day of in the evening after offering to his Shalagram shilas, Gopala Bhatta put them to rest, covering them with a wicker basket. Late in the night, Gopala Bhatta took a little rest and then, in the early morning went to take bath in the Yamuna river. Returning from his bath, he uncovered the Shalagramas in order to render the puja for them, and saw amongst them a Deity of Krishna playing the flute. There were now eleven shilas and this Deity. The "Damodara shila" had manifested as the beautiful three-fold bending form of tri-bhangananda-krishna. In this way Radha Raman emerged in a perfectly shaped deity form from a sacred fossilized salagrama stone.^[2] Devotees consider this image to be alive and that he grants a chosen family the privilege of assisting him in his daily schedule.^[2] In this way "the Lord has granted his wish and the stone was turned into the murti of Sri Krishna".^[3] As a narrative account of actualized Krishna-bhakti, Radharamana's appearance story highlights the divine-human relationship of love as the ontologically central category of ultimate reality.^[4]

The Parshad for Shri Radha Raman Ji is prepared by the Goswami families gents member in the kitchen in Mandir and the fire lit from the start in early days is still continuing in present days. The Goswami families are allotted days colander in advance for their personal seva period in advance and they perform sewa in those days and invite their disciples during that period and celebrates like major family function and ceremony.

Near by in same complex samadhi of Gopal Bhat Goswami Ji sathal is also there. There Unag vastar of Shri Chetanya Mahaprabhu Ji is kept which is rarely available item of Mahaprabhi Ji.

References