Radharamana Temple

Radharamana Temple is one of the seven important Temples in Vrindavana. These principal temples were established by the six Goswamis – the great devotees of Lord Krishna and disciples of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Each day thousands of devotees visit these temples to have a glimpse of their beloved Lords.

One of the six Goswami (main) temples is Sri Radharamana Temple housing a swayambu (self-manifested) Deity of Lord Krishna. Standing in the tribhangi (three bent) posture, He is sure to enchant a devotee’s heart by His enchanting smile. The Radharamana temple was established by Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami – one of the six Goswamis, in the year 1542 AD.

How Radharamana manifested Himself

After devoting a number of years toward scrutinizing and writing the holy literatures along with the other Goswamis of Vrindavana, Gopala Bhatta Goswami decided to make the strenuous journey to Muktinath located in the Himalayas. While taking a holy dip in the Gandaki River, as he filled his kamandalu (stoup) with water to offer oblations, he found that several Shaligrama shilas had got into his kamandalu.

Having no intention of worshiping them, he left them back in the river and again tried filling water in the kamandalu. Yet again the shaligrama shilas entered his kamandalu which made him repeat the activity of letting them back in the river. The third time when the shaligrama shilas entered, he thought it to be the plan of the Supreme Lord and chose to retain all the twelve shilas in his kamandalu.

He carefully tied them in a cloth, returned to Vrindavana and performed his devotional activities in Nidhivan – where Lord Krishna performs Rasa-lila even today with His gopis; while he worshiped the shilas. At night, he used to tie the shilas back in a cloth and hang them on a tree while he retired for the day.

Once a wealthy merchant visited Vrindavana and handed over a set of elegant Deity garments with precious jewelry for his shaligrama shilas. However, the Goswami told the merchant, “Kindly give these garments and ornaments to someone else who has a Deity. I only have shaligrama shilas and these cannot be used by me”.

That night of Vaishakha Shukla coinciding with Narasimha Chaturdashi left Gopala Bhatta Goswami lamenting that he did not have a Deity to adorn those elegant garments and that lavish jewelry. Falling asleep in these thoughts and he prayed the Lord, “O Lord, You are very merciful. You fulfill all the desires of Your devotees. I wish to serve You in Your Deity form”.

The next morning when he woke up early in the morning to worship the shaligrama shilas, he found one of the twelve shilas (Damodara shaligrama shila) missing and was transformed into a beautiful, enchanting and mesmerizing Deity of Lord Krishna positioned in the tri-bhanga form and playing a flute, who stood about ten inches high.

On receiving this news, the other Goswamis rushed to congratulate Gopala Bhatta Goswami on his incredibly great fortune and to see for themselves the elegant beauty of the self-manifested Deity. The Goswamis named the Deity, Radharamana. Ramana means enjoyer. Krishna relishes the association of Srimati Radharani, hence He was named Radharamana. This incident occurred in 1532 CE.

The beautiful features of Radharamana

Sri Radha Ramana’s lotus face is like Sri Govinda’s, His chest is like Sri Gopinatha’s and His lotus feet are like Sri Madana Mohana’s. By having His darshan, one receives the benefit of having darshan of these three principle Deities (All carved by Vajranabha – the great grandson of Lord Krishna).

The features of Radharamana are so beautiful and intricate that one can see His fingernails as well as His tiny teeth (when He is pleased by the devotees’ service). There is no Deity of Srimati Radharani in the temple. However, a crown placed on the left-hand side of Sri Radha Ramana signifies Her presence.

The remaining eleven shaligrams are still being worshipped in the samadhi mandir of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami. If one requests the pujari in the samadhi mandir, he will show them.

Not known to many, the exquisite Deity of Lord Radharamana, strikes a heart-melting smile when pleased with one’s service rendered, so much so that His teeth can be seen.

Radharamana Temple

This temple appears to be a house externally with a lot of spiritual vibrations revolving around it.  A green bulb glows on the temple’s front arch indication if the darshan of Sri Radha Raman is available. The actual spot where the Deity of Radha Ramana self-manifested from a shaligrama shila can still be seen in a courtyard next to Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami’s Samadhi. An offshoot of the original tree where Gopala Bhatta used to hang his shaligrama shilas in a cloth bag can also be seen here.

During the brutal attacks by Aurangzeb and his army on Vrindavana temples, Radharamana temple was unharmed as the soldiers thought it was an ordinary house. Resulting, Radharamana was never taken out of Vrindavana, unlike most of the other major Deities.

The Eternal Flame in Radharamana Temple

This temple operates without a matchbox since close to 500 years. This is the furnace at Sri Radharamana Temple which was lit about 478 years ago. The furnace is used for literally everything from lighting the lamp to cooking the Lord’s offerings. It was lit by Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami with the recitation of appropriate mantras. Hence, this temple operates without a matchbox since then.

This temple follows the top Deity worship process in the world. In fact, spiritual leaders turn to this temple for guiding their disciples to learn Deity worship from this temple’s priests/present Goswamis.

Kuliya Prasad exclusive delicacy of this temple

The ‘kuliya’ Prasad, is a divine concoction of milk and sugar stirred over fire for hours and is a specialty of this temple. Devotees from all over the world hanker for a morsel of it.

Festivals Celebrated in Radharamana Temple

Radharamana temple is very famed for celebrating the festivals with great pomp and fervor. Festivals like Janmashtami, Radhashtami, Phool Bunglow, Radha Ramana prakata divas, Holi, Gaura Purnima, Ratha Yatra, Jal Yatra, Jhulan Utsava, Dussehra etc are the major attractions of this temple. Thousands of devotees visit this temple especially on these festival days to have darshan of the Lord.

Radharamana’s appearance Day

Radharamana’s appearance day is celebrated every year the day after Narasimha Chaturdashi, and He is given a ceremonial bath with 500 liters of milk. After the abhisheka, the charnamrita is distributed among the devotees. Whoever partakes this charnamrita, claims that it tastes like nectar.

Gopashtami

Gopashtami is another festival celebrated with great grandeur and zeal. This is the day when Lord Krishna was given the responsibility at the age of 5 years by His father – Nanda Maharaj to set out to the grazing fields for the first time with a few calves for them to graze. Lord Krishna’s Deities in Vrindavana are dressed as a Gopala on this day adorning a stick and a bugle. Sri Radha-Ramana is also dressed as a Gopala by adorning a stick and a bugle.

How to Reach

Sri Radharamana temple is a very famous and a well-known temple in Vrindavana.

The best way to visit this temple is to join our package tours to experience a spiritually enriching pilgrimage. You can either join us on our Vrajabhumi Yatra or on the Vrindavana Yatra.

By Air

The nearest airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), New Delhi, Delhi which is 169 km away from the temple. One will have to travel by road from the airport to reach the temple.

By Train

There are regular trains from other major cities of the country to Mathura. The nearest Railway Stations are Mathura Junction (MTJ), Mathura Cantt. (MRT) which is 16 km away from the temple. One will have to travel by road from the railway station to reach the temple.

Radharamana Temple Timings

Like most of the temples in Vrindavana, Radha Ramana Temple also follows the Day-Light savings practice. The timings during summer is 5:00 AM to 21:30 hrs and the timings during winter is 5:30 AM to 21:00 hrs.

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