Radha Damodar Temple Vrindavan

Whereas Madan Mohan, Govindaran Gopinath are 5,000 year old deities, Damodara is of much more recent origin. The temple is number four on our map. Sadhna Dipika, an important Gaudiya Vaishnava literature, explains that Srila Rupa Goswami was expert in many ways. He was an artist, he was an expert astrologer, and was fluent in Sanskrit, Bengali, Persian, and other languages.

He could also carve deities. Understanding the desire of his dear nephew Jiva, Rupa Goswami carved Damoda and gave the deity to him as a present. This happened in 1542, but then, as with the other major deities, Dhammada was taken to Jaipur by Maharaj Jai Singh in 1670. Radha Dhammada with Lalita are on the centre of the altar in Vrindavan.

Pratibu forms of Radha Vrindavan Chandra of Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami are on our far left. Pratibu deities of Radha Madhava of Jayadev Goswami are on our right of Radha Dhammada. and on our far right, a Radha Chalchikam of Bhuggaba Goswami. There's also a large Govardhan Shila, said to have been given to Shila Sanatana Goswami by Lord Krishna when he became too old to do Govardhan Parikrama every day. This is the footprint of Lord Krishna.

Then, behind it, is the footprint of one of Krishna's calves. Then above it is the mark of Krishna's Lati, Krishna's stick for controlling the cows. Then above that is the mark, the impression of Lord Krishna's flute. We walk to the left of the altar and enter the Samadhi garden.

There on our right is the Samadhi of Srila Jiva Goswami. As a great acharya in our line, he wrote 400,000 verses, elucidating the philosophy of Krishna consciousness in minute detail. Coming around further, we find the samadhi of Srila Rupa Goswami. He is the Abhidheya Acharya in the Gaudiya Sampradaya, describing elaborately the practice and cultivation of Krishna consciousness in many books, particularly Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, which Srila Prabhupada translated as Nectar of Devotion.

Next to his samadhi is the samadhi of Bhuggava Goswami. He and Lokanath Goswami were the first devotees sent by Lord Chaitanya to start the work of uncovering the Vrindavan area, even before the six Goswamis came. Looking out into the courtyard of the Radha Damodar temple are the rooms of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

He lived here from 1959 till he went to the Western world in 1965. In the room on the right he lived and wrote his Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam commentaries. In the beam was his bridge-busy safe in which he would keep valuables. He would remove the stone and put things inside, and then close the beam again.

In the room on the left, Srila Prabhupada would cook and take prasadam. In this famous photo, he's looking out the window to the samadhi of Srila Rupa Goswami, praying for empowerment to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. Now we go to the Radha Damodara temple in Jaipur. It is not clear whether Radha-Dhammada in Vrindavan or in Jaipur is the actual original deity, but certainly they are both very beautiful.

Radha-Dhammada here are the small deities on the lower step of the altar, while on the upper step are the larger Radha-Vrindavan Chandra of Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami. Damodar is very striking and exudes transcendental character.