Sri Sri Radha MadanMohan

[Paramananda das]

dear devotees

Please accept my humble obaisences

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Since Sri Sri Radha Madanmohan is "turning 40" at ISKCON Potomac here is something in glorification of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan.

This is in glorification of the original Radha Madan Mohan installed by Vrajanabha , now worshipped in Karoli .This is of course the Deity of Srila Sanatana Goswami .This Deity was rediscovered by Srila Advaita Acarya (Advaita vat ) under a bannyan tree (still there) close to  present Madan mohan temple.He gave this Deity to a brahmin in Mathura that later handed it over to Srila Sanatana Goswami.Most devotees know the pastime of the mechant stranding with his ship on the banks of Yamuna and helped Sanatana Goswami contruct this temple.Before this time Madan Mohan was just  offered dough placed in the fire by Srila Sanatana Goswami ,and after cooked offered to Madan Mohan.Krsna told him to at least give him some salt .Sanatana Goswami said today you want salt then after that you want subjis ,rice and Puris and sweets ,I   have nothing I can offer you.The following day the whole ship of salt  stranded on the banks of Yamuna by Madan Mohan temple .There is a hill where this temple is located called Dwadasaditya tila,,where 12 suns once heated the transcendental body of Krsna after He bathed in Yamuna  .And a lake of Krsnas transcendental sweat was manifested.Praskandana-sarovara,It is said that the 12 main demigods sons of Aditi ,took on the form of suns to heat Krsnas transcendental body.Later a temple to the sun god was on top of this hill ,that disapperared over time .Srila Sanatana Goswami build the temple there of Radha Madan Mohan on the banks of Yamuna .(Praskanda Sarovara is dried out long ago and Yamuna devi has moved far away from this temple,

Srila Raghunath das Goswami has described this pastime in his Vraja Vilasa Stava:

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Once, accompanied by the gopas, gopis, and lowing surabhi cows, the supremely opulent, noble, and magnanimous Lord Krsna felt very uncomfortable in the winter cold. Twelve suns then appeared at that place, and with great devotion warmed the Lord with their intense shining. I eternally take shelter of this sacred place, which bears the name Dvadasasurya-tirtha (the place of the twelve suns).

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When the twelve suns shone from every direction, perspiration fell from Lord Krsna’s transcendental body, and from this perspiration came a charming, splendid, clear lake bearing the sweet fragrance of the Lord’s delicate, supremely handsome, and supremely opulent transcendental limbs. Bowing down, I worship this lake, known as Praskandahana-sarovara.

Srila Krsna das Kaviraja got the blessings of Radha Madan Mohan to write the Caitanya Caritamrta and thus he has offered this beautiful prayer in the introduction to Caitanya caritamrta

 

jayatam suratau pangor

mama manda-mater gati

mat-sarvasva-padambhojau

radha-madana-mohanau

Glory to the all-merciful Radha and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.

Here is a

prayer by Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura to Radha- Madan Mohan also known as Madan Gopala astakam: Shri Madana-Gopaladevastaka by Srila Visvanatha Chakravati Eight Prayers Glorifying Shri Madana-Gopaladeva 1 mrdu-talaranya-jita-rucira-darada-prabham kulisa-kanjari-dara-kalasa-jhasa-cihnitam hrdi mamadhaya nija-carana-sarasiruham madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam O Madana Gopala, please place Your lotus feet, which are marked with a thunderbolt, lotus, conchshell, waterpot, and fish, which eclipse all splendours, and which with soft soles have conquered Vrndavana forest, in my heart. Please protect me, for I am now Your home. 2 mukhara-manjira-nakha-sisira-kiranavali vimala-malabir anupadam udita-kantibhih sravana-netra-svasana-patha-sukhada natha he madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam With every step splendid garlands of the cooling moonlight of Your toenail-moons and the words of Your talkative anklets bring happiness to the path of my ears, eyes, and breath. O Madana Gopala, please protect me, for I am now Your home. 3 manimayosnisa-dara-kutilimani locanoc- calana-caturya-cita-lavanimani gandayoh kanaka-tatanka-ruci-madhurimani majjayan madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam O Madana Gopala, as You plunge me in the sweetness of the glittering golden earrings at Your cheeks, in the tilt of Your jewelled crown, and in the handsomeness of Your expertly moving restless eyes, please protect me, for I am now Your home. 4 adhara-sonimni dara-hasita-sitimarcite vijita-manikya-rada-kirana-gana-mandite nihita-vamsika jana-duravagama-lila he madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam You place a flute on the red of Your lips, which are worshipped by the splendour of Your smile and decorated with the effulgence of teeth that defeat the splendour of rubies. O Madana Gopala, whose pastimes cannot be understood by the people, please protect me, for I am now Your home. 5 padaka-harali-pada-kataka-nata-kinkini- valaya tatanka-mukha-nikhila-mani-bhusanaih kalita-navyabha nija-tanu-ruci-bhusitair madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam You are splendid with golden earrings, many necklaces and garlands, dancing anklets and bracelets, and many other jewel ornaments, which are themselves decorated by the splendour of Your form. O Madana Gopala, please protect me, for I am now Your home. 6 udupa-koti-kadana-vadana-ruci-pallavair madana-koti-mathana-nakhara-kara-kandalaih dyutaru-koti-sadana-sadaya-nayaneksanair madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam O Madana Gopala, with Your merciful glances, which are arbours of millions of celestial desire-trees, with the new blossoms of the splendour of Your face, which eclipses millions of moons, and with the kandala flowers of Your hands, which have nails to attack millions of Kamadevas, please protect me, for I am now Your home 7 krta-narakara-bhava-mukha-vibudha-sevita dyuti-sudha-sara puru-karuna kam api ksitau prakatayan prema-bharam adhikrta-sanatanam madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam O Madana Gopala, who appeared in a humanlike form and was served by Siva and all the demigods, O merciful one, who showed the Earth eternal spiritual love, please protect me, for I am now Your home. 8 tarani ja-tira-bhuvi tarani-kara-varaka- priyaka-sandastha-mani-sadana-mahita-sthite lalitaya sardham anupada-ramita radhaya madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam On the Yamuna’s shore is a shady kadamba grove and a glorious jewel palace where You eternally play with Radha and Lalita. O Madana Gopala, please protect me, for I am now Your home. 9 madana-gopala tava sarasam idam astakam pathati yah sayam ati-sarala-matir asu tam sva-caranambhoja-rati-rasa-sarasi majjayan madana-gopala nija-sadanam anuraksa mam Into the nectar lake of love for Your lotus feet You quickly plunge a sincere devotee who reads these eight nectar verses glorifying You. O Madana Gopala, please protect me, for I am now Your home. When you start your parikrama of Vrindavan, after Varaha Gat , not far from the ISKCON Goshalla ( at this place Krishna,showed the gopis Lord Varaha is non different from Himself) is a place called Mohan Ter, at this place Cupid tested the transcendental Cupid,Krishna.Trying to create material lust in the heart of the Supreme Personality who was associated with the Gopis, who either where Nitya siddhas and eternal associates, or sadhana Siddhis who priviously appeared like the personified Vedas, sages of Dandakaranya, and so many catagories of great souls that all had become Gopis due to their past devotional service and pure devotional desires, and now also had become Nitya parishads. How could Cupid succeed in polluting the Supreme Cupid, Krishna that shoots transcendental arrows of love into the hearts of His pure devotee.The Kama Gayatri mantra is meditation on Madan Gopal, Govindadev and Gopinath, the 3 stages of Sambhanda,abhideya and praoyjana in relation to Krsna who is reciprocating to devotees in all stages of Bhakti.The Gopal Gayatri is also meditation on Krsna this way, Krsnaya referes to Madan Mohan, Govindaya obviously to Govindadeva, and Gopijanavallabhaya to Gopinath. Lord Brahma has described Krsna as the attractor of Cupid (or conqueror) in Brahma Samhita: veṇuḿ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam- barhāvataḿsam asitāmbuda-sundarāńgam kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaḿ govindam ādi-puruṣaḿ tam ahaḿ bhajāmi SYNONYMS veṇum — the flute; kvaṇantam — playing; aravinda-dala — (like) lotus petals; āyata — blooming; akṣam — whose eyes;barha — a peacock's feather; avataḿsam — whose ornament on the head; asita-ambuda — (tinged with the hue of) blue clouds; sundara — beautiful; ańgam — whose figure; kandarpa — of Cupids; koṭi — millions; kamanīya — charming;viśeṣa — unique; śobham — whose loveliness; govindam — Govinda; ādi-puruṣam — the original person; tam — Him;aham — I; bhajāmi — worship. TRANSLATION I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids. PURPORT by Srila Bhaktisiddanta Prabupada The matchless beauty of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord of Goloka, is being described. Kṛṣṇa, the all-pervading cognition, has a spiritual form of His own. The form of Kṛṣṇa is not a fanciful creation of imagination formed after visualizing the beautiful things of the world. What Brahmā saw in his ecstatic trance of pure devotion, is being described. Kṛṣṇa is engaged in playing upon His flute. That flute by his enchanting musical sound attracts the hearts of all living beings. Just as a lotus petal produces a pleasant sight, so the two beautiful eyes of Kṛṣṇa who causes the manifestation of our spiritual vision, display the unlimited splendor and beauty of His moonlike face. The loveliness that adorns His head with peacock feather figures, the corresponding feature of the spiritual beauty of Kṛṣṇa. Just as a mass of blue clouds offers a specifically soothing, pleasant view, the complexion of Kṛṣṇa is analogously tinged with a spiritual dark-blue color. The beauty and loveliness of Kṛṣṇa is far more enchanting that that of Cupid multiplied a millionfold."

So at Mohan Ter, Cupid became bewildered by the transcendental beauty of Krishna, though in the material world almost all jivas are bewildered by Cupid, he fell down on the ground at Mohan Ter,at the bank of Yamuna and simply cried out :"Krishna ,Krishna ,Krishna". In his Kalyana kalpa Taru ,Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings: LYRICS: (1) mana, tumi bhalabasa kamer taranga jada-kama parihari', suddha-kama seba kori', bistaraho aprakrta ranga (2) anitya jadiya kama, santi-hina abisrama, nahi tahe pipasar bhanga kamer samagri cao, tabu taha nahi pao, paileo chare taba sanga (3) tumi seba koro' ja're, se toma' bhajite nare, dukha jwale binoder anga charo tabe micha-kama, hao tumi satya-kama, bhajo vrndavaner ananga janhar kusuma-sare, taba nitya-kalebare, byapt ha'be prema antaranga TRANSLATION 1) My dear mind, you are so fondly attached to rolling to and fro upon the waves of lust. Abandoning your sensual material lust, just render service in pure spiritual lust and thus extend yourself into the realm of transcendentally uncommon pastimes. 2) It is not possible to quench the thirst of this temporary mundane lust, for its nature is to continuously create a disturbing situation. Although you desire the things associated with lust, still you can not always get them. And even if you do get the things you lust after, you cannot keep them, for such temporary things will give up your company very soon. 3) My dear mind, you faithfully render service to this mundane lust, but I see that it actually cannot give you anything substantial; rather, it simply burns my entire body with miserable dissatisfaction. So then just give up all your false material lust and just accept the true, spiritual lust by worshiping the Cupid of Vrndavana. Then, He will shoot your spiritual body full of His flower arrow, and you will thereby become filled to the brim with eternal ecstatic love for Him. So in Vrindavan we worship Madan Mohan ,and Madan Mohan Mohini, Radha Krishna.Further down on the Parikrama path you will find Imli Tala.At this place Lord Gauranga who is Radha Krishna combined, is sitting under the Imli tree (Tamarind tree) He is chanting 300.000 holy names of the Mahamantra (around 192 rounds) and begging all His devotees to please chant minimum 100.000 names (64 rounds), and develop pure love for Radha Madan Mohan. When will I perfect my life by daily chanting 64 rounds (offenselessly) as instructed by Lord Caitanya and like Cupid also become attracted to Radha Madanmohan and develop pure love for Krishna in the stage of asakti and bhava.Dear Lord Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan please remove all anistha bhakti from our hearts and allow us to serve you in all eternity. your insignificant beggar Paramananda das