Radha-Syamasundara
A Comprehensive Guide to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma
In this temple are the Deities of Syamananda Prabhu. This temple is one of the seven major temples in Vrindavana. Once Syamananda had a dream, in which he was directed to bring the Deities of Radha Syamasundara from the Nilgiri State in Orissa and to install them in Vrindavana. Syamananda went to Nilgiri and brought back the Deities and installed them in his hut. When Aurangzeb was having the temples destroyed in Vrindavana, these Deities were unnoticed because they were being worshiped in a hut at that time. Later, Guruprasad Maity, from Orissa, constructed the present temple.
Directions: This temple is close to Loi Bazaar. To get to this temple from Loi Bazaar, you go down the road across from Mahesh cloth shop. This road is in the middle of Loi Bazaar. You walk down this road about 50m (150 ft), and you make a left through a doorway, which is next to a video shop. There is a STD phone booth across the street. You walk about 15m (50 feet) and the entrance to the temple is on the right.
To get here from the Radha Damodara temple, you make a right after exiting the Radha Damodara temple and walk 50m (150 feet). At the Y intersection you go left and walk about 150m (450 ft). The entrance to the temple is on the right.
Temple Timings: Darshan is from 8:30 to 11:00 am and 4:30 to 7:30 pm. Mangala arati is 4:00 am.
Syamananda Prabhu’s Puspa Samadhi
Syamananda’s puspa samadhi is across the street, and down from the entrance of the Radha Syamasundara temple, in a courtyard. He left his body in Orissa. There is 24-hour kirtana here. Syamananda Tilaka Sthana is in the same courtyard as Syamananda’s puspa samadhi. The samadhi of Rasikananda, one of Syamananda’s main disciples, is to the left of Syamananda’s. He was a pujari at the Radha Govinda Temple. Syamananda sent him to preach in Orissa.
Directions: This place is a little hard to find. If you just walked onto the road after coming out of the Syamasundara temple, you make a left and walk down the road about 100m (300 feet) and the samadhi is on the right. From the street this places looks like a person’s house and you cannot see the samadhi. There is a sign (2 ft by 2 ft) over the door that says Noopur Prapti Sthara, Syamananda’s Samadhi.
If you just came out of the Radha Damodara temple you make a right and take the left road at the Y intersection. This place is about 50 metres (150 ft) down, on the left hand side.
Syamananda Tilaka Sthana
Once while sweeping the ground, Duhkhi Krishnadasa (Syamananda) found an anklet, which had transcendental effulgence. A small girl came looking for the anklet, saying that it belonged to her sister. Duhkhi Krishnadasa told her that he would only give the anklet to the owner, knowing that it belonged to Radharani. The small girl, who was actually Lalita-sakhi left, and then returned with Srimati Radharani. Radharani then put the anklet against his forehead and pressed it making a tilaka mark.
When the other Vaishnavas saw the new tilaka that Duhkhi Krishnadasa was wearing, they criticized him. Radharani then appeared to Jiva Gosvami in a dream and explained the situation to him. Jiva Gosvami then praised him and gave him the name Syamananda.
Directions: This place is in the same courtyard as Syamananda’s samadhi. After you enter the courtyard from the street, there is a small temple directly to the right (3m), which marks the spot where the anklet was found.
