The temple of Radha Damodara

 

May my head always very respectfully bow down to salute Vrindavana. May my tongue be enthusiastic to glorify its transcendental qualities. May my hands clean its newly blossoming groves. May my feet wander in Vrindavana. May my ears hear its glories. May my eyes gaze upon Vrindavana. May my mind always meditate upon Vrindavana.” 

On this earth, Sri Vrindavana dhama is a replica of that supreme Goloka Vrindavana located in the spiritual sky. When Lord Krishna descends to this material world, His transcendental abode also descends, along with His entourage and most confidential friends. 

 

For the benefit of us all, the Lord sported on that particular tract of land, performing transcendental pastimes with His eternal associates: 

 

This tract of land… is considered to be the topmost place of pilgrimage in India. This land is sacred because Lord Krishna traveled through it many times. From the very beginning of His appearance, He was at Mathura in the house of His maternal uncle Kamsa and He was reared by His foster father Maharaja Nanda at Vrindavana. There are still many devotees of the Lord lingering there in ecstasy in search of Krishna and His childhood associates, the gopis. It is not that such devotees meet Krishna face to face in that tract of land, but for the devotees eagerly searching after Krishna, it is as good as seeing Him personally. How this is so cannot be explained, but it is factually realized by those who are pure devotees of the Lord. Philosophically, one can understand that Lord Krishna and His remembrance are on the absolute plane and that the very idea of searching for Him at Vrindavana in pure God consciousness gives more pleasure to the devotee than seeing Him face to face.

 

Sri Vrindavana dhama is situated ninety miles southeast of Delhi and comprises about eighty-four square miles in the district of Mathura, India. 

 

There are over 5000 temples in Vrindavana. 

Of all the temples in Vrindavana, ninety percent belong to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, the follower of the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda, and seven are very famous.

Between the seven most important temples of Vrindavana, the Radha Damodara temple holds a very special position, for many reasons.

This is a section of the book “Brilliant As the Sun”(English).

To buy the complete book, click here