Sri Harideva

[Paramananda das]

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Once Sri Radharani along with her Gopi friends was waiting for the association with Krishna. Completely absorbed in the intense feeling of separation from Lord Krishna Gopis started chanting: “Harideva, Harideva, Harideva” again and again. They were so much overpowered by this feeling of separation from Krishna that they were on the verge of giving up their lives. Suddenly, Lord Krishna appeared before them in the form of a seven year old boy lifting Govardhan hill in his left hand and the flute in his right hand. Seeing this beautiful and mesmerizing deity of Lord Krishna Gopis and Sri Radharani were filled with ecstasy and devotionally worshipped the deity of the Sri Harideva. The deity of Harideva is the presiding deity of Lord Govardhan and it’s said that the sacred circumambulation of Govardhan hill is considered incomplete without the blessings of Lord Harideva.

It is at Manasi Ganga at Govardhana and this is where one should take bath in Manasi Ganga and then take darshan of Harideva before ones Parikrama of Govardhana .Manasi Ganga was created from Krsnas mind because the Vrijabasis wanted to take bath in Ganges so Krsna manifested the Ganges here from His mind so the Vrijabasis did not have to leave Vraja to go all the way to Delhi area to take bath in Ganges !

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Braj Darshan | Harideva Temple
The presiding deity of Sri Harideva is believed to have been installed by Sri Vajranabh about 4800 years ago. The temple is located at a distance from the southern bank of Manasi Ganga. The original shrine was erected by King Bhagwan Das of Amber, the father of King Man Singh (Hindu general of Mugha...

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Madhya 18: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana
  Harideva and Sri Gopal are very important Deities in the worship of Sri Govardhana

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22 mins · 

Jaya Sri Harideva :CC Madhya 18.14 — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then marked His body with tilaka made from the mud of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, and with the help of Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya, He collected some of the mud and took it with Him.
CC Madhya 18.15 — From Rādhā-kuṇḍa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Sumanas Lake. When He saw Govardhana Hill from there, He was overwhelmed with joy.
CC Madhya 18.16 — When the Lord saw Govardhana Hill, He immediately offered obeisances, falling down on the ground like a rod. He embraced one piece of rock from Govardhana Hill and became mad.
CC Madhya 18.17 — Mad with ecstatic love, the Lord came to the village known as Govardhana. There He saw the Deity named Harideva and offered His obeisances unto Him.
CC Madhya 18.18 — Harideva is an incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, and His residence is on the western petal of the lotus of Mathurā.
CC Madhya 18.19 — Mad with ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to dance before the Harideva Deity. Hearing of the Lord’s wonderful activities, all the people came to see Him.
CC Madhya 18.20 — The people were astonished when they saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love and personal beauty. The priests who served the Harideva Deity offered the Lord a good reception.
CC Madhya 18.21 — At Brahma-kuṇḍa, the Bhaṭṭācārya cooked food, and the Lord, after taking His bath at Brahma-kuṇḍa, accepted His lunch.
CC Madhya 18.22 — That night the Lord stayed at the temple of Harideva, and during the night He began to reflect.
CC Madhya 18.23 — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought, “Since I shall not at any time climb Govardhana Hill, how shall I be able to see Gopāla Rāya?”
CC Madhya 18.24 — Thinking in this way, the Lord remained silent, and Lord Gopāla, knowing His contemplation, played a trick.
CC Madhya 18.25 — Coming down from Govardhana Hill, Lord Gopāla granted an interview to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was unwilling to climb the hill, thinking Himself a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
CC Madhya 18.26 — Gopāla stayed in a village called Annakūṭa-grāma on Govardhana Hill. The villagers who lived in that village were mainly from Rajasthan.
CC Madhya 18.27 — One person who came to the village informed the inhabitants, “The Turkish soldiers are now preparing to attack your village.
CC Madhya 18.28 — “Flee this village tonight, and do not allow one person to remain. Take the Deity with you and leave, for the Muslim soldiers will come tomorrow.”
CC Madhya 18.29 — Hearing this, all the villagers became very anxious. They first took Gopāla and moved Him to a village known as Gāṅṭhuli.
CC Madhya 18.30 — The Gopāla Deity was kept in the house of a brāhmaṇa, and His worship was conducted secretly. Everyone fled, and thus the village of Annakūṭa was deserted.
CC Madhya 18.31 — Due to fear of the Muslims, the Gopāla Deity was moved from one place to another again and again. Thus giving up His temple, Lord Gopāla would sometimes live in a bush and sometimes in one village after another.
CC Madhya 18.32 — In the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His bath in a lake called Mānasa-gaṅgā. He then circumambulated Govardhana Hill.
CC Madhya 18.33 — Just by seeing Govardhana Hill, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became ecstatic with love of Kṛṣṇa. While dancing and dancing, He recited the following verse.
CC Madhya 18.34 — “ ‘Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, as well as Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities — water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respect to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.’ ”

This chapter of Caitanya Caritamrta is very important