Radha-Ramana
A Comprehensive Guide to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma
Gopala Bhatta Gosvami established this temple. The Deity of Sri Radha-Raman was manifested from one of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s salagrama-silas (Damodara), on the full moon day (Purnima), 15th day of the month of Vaishaka (April-May) in 1542. It is the day after the appearance day of Lord Narasimha. This event is celebrated every year (April-May) by bathing the Deity of Radha-Raman with over 300 litres of milk and other auspicious items. Radha-Raman is bathed in pancamrita, which consists of milk, yogurt, ghee, honey and sugar. The remnants of this abhiseka (bathing) are like nectar. Sri Radha Raman’s appearance place is in the Radha-Raman Temple, next to the samadhi of Gopala Bhatta. It is said that there are markings of discs on the Deity’s back and feet. The Deity of Radha-Raman is around 30cm (1 foot) tall. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s other salagram-silas are also worshiped on the altar here.
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Appearance of Radha-Raman
One night Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to Gopala Bhatta in a dream and told him to go to the Gandaki River in Nepal and obtain some Shaligram-silas to worship. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami then went personally to the source of the Gandaki River in Nepal and collected twelve Shaligram-shilas. One of the shalagram was distinctly a Damodara Shalagram. Gopala Bhatta took the shalagrams and placed them in a basket, which he hung on the branch of a tree that was located at the place of the rasa-lila. He worshiped them daily reverentially. Gopala Bhatta would worship these shalagrama-silas in his place near Nidhivana.
Eventually a rich man came and donated dresses and ornaments for the Deities in the temples in Vrindavana. He also donated some dresses and ornaments for the salagrama-silas. Gopala Bhatta went to this man and said, “how can I dress my salagrams with these dresses and ornaments.” He then thought, that he had been very unlucky not to be able to have the darshan and perform further service to Sri Caitanya. He then prayed to Lord Caitanya that you fulfill the desires of your devotees, please give me your bodily darshan, so I can worship you in this form. This happened on the appearance day of Lord Narasimhadeva.
The next morning he saw that a beautiful Deity of Krishna had manifested from the Damodara-sila. His face was like Govindaji, His chest was like Gopinath, and His legs and feet were similar to Madana-Mohan. Gopala Bhatta gave this attractive Deity the name Radha-Raman.
Original Deity
Radha-Ramanji is one of the few original Deities of the Gosvamis still in Vrindavana. The standard of worship in this temple is very high. There is no Deity of Radha in this temple. The name of Radharani is worshiped in this temple, because according to scriptures the name and the person are considered nondifferent. There is a golden plate next to Krishna, which has the name of Radharani engraved into it. A Deity of Radharani is not worshiped in this temple because the Deity of Radha-Raman is self-manifested and there was no Deity of Radharani self-manifested.
The present temple was built in 1826 at the cost of 80 thousand rupees by Shah Behari Lallji from Lucknow, the grandfather of Shah Kundan Lall and Shah Fundan Lall, who built the Shahji Temple.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s kaupina (cloth) and asana (seat), which Gopala Bhatta Gosvami brought from Jagannath Puri, are also in this temple. The asana is black wood and is about 31cm (12") by 25cm (10"). They are brought out to be seen by the public for six days a year. They can be seen on Gaura Purnima, the appearance day of Radha Raman, the actual day and day after the disappearance of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Janmasthami and Nandotsava (the day after Janmasthami). There is a daily abhiseka of the asana with Yamuna water. There is no decay of the asana or any cracks, even after 450 years.
For the raja bhoga offering, Radha Raman’s pujaris first offer all of the bhoga (food) to Radha-Raman and the shalagrama shilas, then they make a second offering to Srimati Radharani, and then a third offering for Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. There are not three different plates, but the same plate is offered in the order above.
The fires for cooking in the temple kitchen have been burning continuously for over 440 years, since the Deity was installed. This is so no foreign elements, such as matches, are used for ignition purposes. Before the present temple was built, there was another temple at the same place that is now the kitchen and prasadam area for the present temple.
Directions to Temple
How To Get Here This temple is close to Loi Bazaar. You go to the bottom end of Loi Bazaar and make a left at the T intersection. You follow the road straight to the Shahji Temple (where the road ends). You then take a right and go about 50m (150 ft) and then the road turns left. After about 35m (100 ft) you make a right and follow the road along the high wall around Nidhivana. After a few minutes (200m) the road goes slightly to the right. There is also a road that goes to the left. The door to the courtyard of the Radha-Raman temple is on your left, in front of you. The gate to this temple is fairly big and has domes over it. When you enter the door to the courtyard, you go straight for about 35m (100 feet). You then make a left and the temple is directly in front of you, after about 35m (100 ft). When you enter the courtyard of the temple from the street, if you immediately turn left, the appearance place of Radha-Raman is about 10m (33 ft) away on your right. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s samadhi is another 3m (10 ft) away.
Temple Timings: Darshan--Winter: 8:00 am to Noon; 5:30 to 8:00 pm Summer: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm; 6.30 to 9:00 pm. Mangala Arati is 4:00 am in the summer, 5:00 am in the winter and 4:30 am during Kartika. According to the season, times may change. During festival times there are no set times.
Gopal Bhatta's Samadhi
Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s Samadhi is to the left, after you enter the first gate from the street into the temple compound. After entering the temple compound you turn left and walk fifty metres (150 ft). He passed away at the age of 85, in 1596, exactly 100 years after the appearance of Lord Caitanya. His disappearance day is celebrated in the month of Sravana (July-Aug) on the Shukla Panchami (5th) day. There are also smaller samadhis here of the previous sevaits (priests) of Radha-Raman. There is regular worship at this samadhi. Daily bhajans and kirtanas are chanted and the Srimad Bhagavatam is recited. Twice a day a full plate of Radha-Raman’s maha-prasada is offered. They also offer him fresh drinking water.
In a separate kitchen, five bhoga (food) offerings are prepared and offered to Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. After the offerings, five aratis are performed. After the last arati of the day, Radha Raman’s pujari give Radha-Raman’s maha flower garlands to Gopala Bhatta Gosvami.
In the area of the present Radha-Raman Temple, there used to be a lake connected to the Yamuna River. The Yamuna River used to be close to the Radha-Raman temple, but has moved away over the years. Until about 400 years ago Radha-Raman was worshiped in a tree. At night the Deity would be put on a boat, anchored in the middle of the lake. Devotees would stand guard with bows and arrows. The arrows were dipped in a homemade poison, so that even if the arrows nicked you, you would go down. At the Radha Raman Temple they still have these arrows. You can get good photos of the Deity of Radha-Raman at Pravin Photo House. This photography shop is to the right of the entrance of the Radha-Raman temple complex.
Descendant Gosvamis of Temple
Gopala Bhatta went to the Gandaki River in Nepal. During this time he went to a village near Haridwar named Devaban. He was invited into the house of a brahmana. The son of this brahmana, named Gopinatha, later came to Vrindavana. He was initiated by Gopala Bhatta and he was placed in charge of the Deity worship of Radha-Raman. He did not marry and remained a life-long celibate. Gopala Bhatta asked Gopinatha to get married, so his family could continue the worship of Radha-Raman. Gopinatha requested that he not get married and that his younger brother, named Sri Damodar Das, would continue the Deity worship. This family line from Sri Damodar Das has continued to worship the Deity of Radha-Raman in an unbroken chain, up to this day.
There are about 40 Gosvami families connected to the Radha-Raman temple.
One of the Gosvamis in this temple is Padmanabha Gosvami. He is a strong supporter and friend of ISKCON. His grandfather Sarvabhaum Madhusudan Gosvami, who was known as a distinguished preacher and a Vaishnava scholar, met both Bhaktivinoda Thakur and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Gosvami. He met Bhaktivinoda Thakur in 1906 and 1912, and Bhaktisiddhanta in 1911. He wrote in his diary on September 6, 1911: “Sri Vimala Prasad Siddhanta Saraswati (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja) today came at night, 9 pm. Ramananda Babaji was also present. Very intimate thoughts were viewed and discussed.” On September 7 he wrote: “At night we heard the voluminous writings by Sri Vimal Prasad, the writings very much appealed to us.” On the 22th of December in 1914 he sent the maha-prasada of Radha-Raman to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Gosvami, who at that time was doing the installation of Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s samadhi.
Padmanabha Gosvami’s grandfather met both Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja and A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Padmanabha Gosvami’s father, Viswambhar Gosvami, was considered one of the main scholars of Vrindavana. He was a good friend of Srila Prabhupada. When Srila Prabhupada came to Vrindavana in 1971, with a group of his disciples, the Vrindavana municipality honored Srila Prabhupada and his Western disciples with a formal reception at the town hall. Viswambhar Gosvami gave the opening talk at this time in glorification of Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Gopal Bhatta Gosvami
The all merciful Lord Sri Gaur Hari, as He travelled from village to village throughout the south of India, continued to distribute love of Godhead wherever He went. Hearing the nectarean names of Hari from His lotus mouth, thousands and thousands men and women felt relief from the blazing fire of material existence. Various wretched, miserable and fallen souls lives were completely rejuvenated and thus they became virtuous and happy. While causing rains of love of God to fall anywhere and everywhere, without consideration of time or place, Sri Gaurasundor came to the ancient holy place of Sri Rangakshetra on an island in the middle of the Kaveri river.
The temple of Sri Ranga Kshetra was extremely large, the crest of the temple tower pierced the sky. Throughout the day and night hundreds and thousands of pilgrims were going and coming to take darsan of Lord Ranganath. The temple hall resounded with the sounds of hundreds and thousand of brahmanas chanting Vedic hymns. In the midst of this scene from Vaikuntha, entered Sri Gaurasundara chanting the names of Krsna in his sweet voice that defeated the voices of 10 million gandharvas. Everyone in the temple became dumbstruck, amazed and thrilled with wonder. What unprecedented beauty; His bodily effulgence makes molten gold appear lack-lustre. From His eyes which are like the full blown petals of a lotusflower trickled down tears of ecstatic love. Every limb, every part of His body was filled with such exquisite grace that even the mind of cupid gets stolen away. The brahmanas began to consider, "Is this a demigod? Can such symptoms and emotions be found in human beings?" Again resounding the halls with the transcendental vibrations of Sri Hari's name, when He came before the Deity and fell down as a tree is blown down by the wind, some people thought that a mountain of gold was rolling on the ground. Sri Vyenkata Bhatta seeing this divine personage became restless with ecstasy. His heart being flooded with devotion he got up and began to move the crowds away so that the Lord could engage in chanting and dancing. When the Lord had regained His external consiousness after engaging in sankirtan, Vyenkata Bhatta approached Him and took the dust of His lotusfeet. Mahaprabhu gazed towards him and saying, "Krsna! Krsna!" embraced him firmly. Sri Vyenkata Bhatta invited Mahaprabhu to come to his house and having brought Him there, very reverantly washed His lotusfeet and along with the other family members, he drank the water. Sri Bhattaji's house became filled with joy.
Mahaprabhu came to Ranga Kshetra in the year 1511. Vyenkata Bhatta had two brothers, Tirumalla Bhatta and Prabodhananda Sarasvati. They all belonged to the Ramanuja sampradaya and Prabodhananda Sarasvati was a tridandi sannyasi of that order. Vyenkata Bhatta had a son named Gopal, who was then just a child. When the boy came to offer his obeisances at the lotusfeet of Mahaprabhu picked him up and very affectionately seated him in His lap. Mahaprabhu would call Gopal after He had finished His meal and offer His remnants to the boy. In this way He prepared him for the positon of Acarya.
Mahaprabhu's Mercy on Gopal Bhatta
After remaining at Vyenkata Bhatta's house during the four months of the rainy season (Chaturmasya) Mahaprabhu prepared to continue His journey of the South. Vyenkata Bhatta's house began to ebb in a tide of tears in anticipation of His departure. Gopal fell at His lotus feet in a dead faint. Therefore Mahaprabhu remained for a couple of more days in order to console the boy. Being pleased with Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's sincere service and devotion, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu initiated him, and ordered him to move to Vrndavana after the disappearance of his parents and perform bhajan and write. He instructed him to serve his mother and father and always engage in chanting Krsna's glories and thereafter to come to Vrindavan.
Very quickly Gopal became expert in grammar, poetry and rhetoric and then began his study of Vedanta. His uncle Prabodhananda, specifically began to instruct him from the devotional scriptures (Bhakti - shastra).
Gopal Bhatta always remained thinking of the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu and when he might again be able to meet Him. At the same time however he couldn't leave his aged mother and father. Finally having reached their final days they called their son Gopal and instructed him to go to the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu in Vrindavan. Then while meditating on His lotus feet themselves they went to join Him in His eternal lila. At the age of thirty Gopala Bhatta Gosvami came to Vrindavana, and having missed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu this saddened him.
Thus Gopala set out for Vrindavan and when he arrived there Rupa Gosvami immediately sent word to Mahaprabhu to inform Him of Gopala's arrival there.
Mahaprabhu had previously indicated to Rupa and Sanatan that Gopala Bhatta would one day come there to Brindavan, so upon his arrival they treated him with the same care and affection they would their own brother. They immediately became life long companions.
However, the all knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu received word that Gopala Bhatta had come to Vrindavan, He was very pleased and sent with that messenger with the Lord's personal wooden sitting plank (hoki) which He had used along with a pair of His undergarments and one of His upper cloths - uttara or chaddar. "Having received these gifts Gopala Bhatta was in ecstasy and he worshipped them as the prasad (tadiya) of Mahaprabhu.
When he would worship his Deities he would sit on that wooden plank. This piri (wooden seat) and Mahaprabhus clothes are still being worshipped at Radha-Ramana Mandir. Gopala Bhatta, like Rupa and Sanatana, had no fixed residence and would spend the night in various kunjas (forest groves). He spent his time studying the scriptures and composing various literatures.
Lord Appears in Dream
After Sri 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 Shaligrama silas enter his pot. He dropped the shilas back into the river, but the silas re-entered his pot when he refilled it.
After emptying and refilling his waterpot for the third time, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami found twelve Shaligrama silas sitting there. Thinking this must be the Lords' mercy, he kept all the silas and returned to Vrindavana.
Worship of Silas
Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami used to worship twelve Shaligram silas. Wherever he would go he would bring them with him in a piece of cloth tied at the corner. One day a wealthy man (Seth) came to Vrindavana and offered Gopala Bhatta a variety of clothing and ornaments for his Shaligrams. Being very impressed with the Gosvami he wanted his darshan and to render some service which he presented in the form of some valuable cloths and ornaments. 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, but the Seth insisted. Gopala Bhatta kept the cloths and ornaments with his shilas. While Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was absorbed in remembering how the half-man, half-lion form of the Supreme Lord had manifested from the pillar in Hiranyakasipu's palace, he prayed in transcendental lamentation to the Lord: "Oh my Lord, you are very merciful and always fulfill the desires of your devotees. I wish to serve you in your form, having arms and legs and blissful smiling face, with lotus eyes.... If I had a Deity then I would be able to decorate Him so nicely with these clothes and ornaments."
In the evening after offering some bhoga and arotika to his Shalagram silas, 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 silas and this Deity. The "Damodara sila", had manifested as the beautiful three-fold bending form of tri-bhangananda-Krishna. Floating in the ocean of ecstasy, he fell to the ground in order to offer his dandavats and then recited various prayers and hymns. This wonderful event of the appearance day of Radha Raman happened on the day after Sri Nrisimha Chaturdasi, and is celebrated on that day accordingly. That day they offer 500 liters of milk for the Lord's pleasure and many other sweets and different things. The Radha Raman temple has the highest standard of Deity worship in all of Vraja.
When Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis as well as many other devotees received news of this miraculous event they came running to see the Lord. Gazing on the Lord's transcendental form, which bewildered all the living entities of the many various planets, they all bathed Him with their tears. This Deity whom the Gosvamis named, "Sri Radha-Raman Deva" made His appearance on the full moon day of Vaisakha in the year 1542. Except for Vrindadevi, Sri Radha-Ramanaji is the only one of the original Deities of Vrindavana who never left to go to Jaipur. Sri Sri Radha-Ramanji is still being worshipped in Vrindavana near Nidhuvan kunja in the compound of the temple.
The Deity is called Radha-Raman although physically there is no apparent Deity of Radha there. Sri Radha-Ramana Deva, unlike other Deities, has very intricate features, including fingernails and even teeth. On the back side of His body parts of the original Salagram-sila from which He manifested Himself can be seen. There is a story that the small son of one of the sevaits was playing with the Deity once and put a small stick in one ear of the Deity and pushed it through out the other ear. The stick however, had blood on it, and that boy died vomiting blood that very day.
If you ever have the great good fortune to attend the Snana-yatra festival in Sri Vrindavana Dhama, then it is a must that you visit the Radha-Raman temple on this day. The temperatures are hot and dry in the 40+ centigrade and much anticipation of seeking out cooling water pervades the thoughts in Vrindavan's hot summer. At the temple, the merciful Ramanji has made a provision so that first He takes His transcendental bath right at the front of the altar for all to see - BUT THEN, after He has taken in His expanded kindness the pujaris turn on the sprinkler system that surrounds the open court-yard - the fan in the middle is even equipped with pipes to pour out cooling water as it rotates at a high speed, inundating all the devotees taking the darshan of the Lord, with great pleasure.
Sri Gopinatha Pujari Gosvami
Once Sri Gopala Bhatta went to Haridwar. As he was returning, suddenly a downpour started and thus he took shelter in the house of one brahmana. This brahmana was very devoted and he very carefully began to serve Sri Gopala Bhatta, who thus became very pleased. As this brahmana had no children Sripad Gopal Bhatta Goswami blessed him that he might have a son who would be a devoted follower of Lord Hari. The brahman replied out of gratitude that, "My first son I will send to you in order to serve you."
Approximately ten years later when Gopala Bhatta returned from bathing in the Yamuna one day, he saw a young boy sitting at the door of his kutir. When the boy saw the Gosvamiji approaching, he got up and then fell down to offer his dandavats (obeisances like a stick on the floor before him). Sripada Gopala Bhatta Goswami enquired who the boy was, to which he replied, "My home was in Devandyagram within Saharanpur near Haridwar. My father has sent me here to serve you. My name is Gopinatha."
Then Gopala Bhatta could remember the time when he went to Haridwar many years ago. So this boy remained with him and very carefully began to serve him. Eventually he became known as Sri Gopinatha Pujari Gosvami as he served Sri Radha-ramana Deva through his life as an unmarried brahmachari. His younger brother Sri Damodara dasa, along with his family, accepted iniation from Sri Gopinathaji and also became engaged in the service of the Deity. Sri Damodara dasa's three sons were named Harinatha, Mathuranatha and Harirama. It is from these family members of Gopinath's brother that todays guardians the Radha-Raman Gosais so nicely maintain and serve Sri Sri Radha-Ramanji.
Sri Gopala Bhatta's devotion was so special, his devotion so profound that the Lord appeared for him in this special form - but not only that as if in confirmation of the pastimes of the Lord, and Mahaprabhu's being directly Radha Krishna (sri krishna chaitanya radha krishna nahi anya), in his worship of Sri Radha-ramana would sometimes see that He had taken the form of Sri Gaurasundara - Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, "Becoming subservient to the love of Sri Gopala Bhatta, Sri Radha-Ramana would sometimes accept the form of Sri Gaurasundara."
Sri Gopala Bhatta was the initiating guru of Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu. Sripad Gopal Bhatta Goswami was very learned, trained in pancharatra, coming in the learned family of Vyenkata Bhattar in the Sri Vaishnava line - he wrote many books including: Sat-sandarbha karika, Sri Krsna-vallabha (Krsna karnamrtatika), Sat kriya sara dipika (a brilliant work on Vaishnava samkara viddhi), and Laghu Hari-bhakti vilasa with Dig darshini tika. From this work, Sri Sanatana Gosvami compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilasa now followed by all Gaudiya Vaishnavas. It is said, "Out of affection for Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami compiled the famous Vaishnava smriti titled Hari Bhakti Vilas, and published it under Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's name.
Gopala Bhatta Gosvami resided for forty-five years in Sri Dhama Vrindavana, but out of great humility he requested Srila Krsna das Kaviraja not to mention his name in the classic work, Sri Caitanya Charitamrita.
Gopala Bhatta Gosvami serves as Guna Manjari in Krishna's eternal lila. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, it is also mentioned that in the eternal pastimes of Radha and Krsna, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's name in Vraja-lila has been given as Guna manjari.
His birth was on the day of the dark fortnight of the month Pausa in the year 1503 (Christian), 1425 (Saka).
His disappearance was on the sixth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Sravan in the year 1578 (Christian - A.D.), 1500 (Sakabda era) Age: 75 years