The Madan Mohan Temple, a renowned religious site in Sri Vrindavan dham, rests on a small hillock that holds a fascinating tale from the time of Lord Krishna’s presence on earth. The hillock was originally situated by the banks of the river Yamuna during Krishna’s pastimes. It gained fame due to an event that took place after Krishna’s encounter with the venomous serpent Kaliya. Following a grueling fight with Kaliya in the Yamuna, Sri Krishna emerged from the river, drenched and shivering from the cold water. He climbed the hillock to bask in the sun and dry himself. To warm Krishna, 12 suns manifested in the sky and shone down upon the hill. As a result, the hillock was named Sri Dwadashaditya Tila, and the spot where Krishna’s perspiration collected was called Praskandan ghat.
In the year 1580, Sri Radha Madan Mohan Temple was erected on Dwadashaditya Tila, marking the first temple built in the area. It was commissioned by Ram Das Kapur under the guidance of Sanatana Goswami, who had been sent to Vrindavan by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to rediscover the lost places of Krishna’s pastimes and document devotional service in books. The temple is dedicated to Madanmohan, also known as the “enchanter of Cupid,” along with Radharani and Lalita Sakhi.
The deity of Madan Mohan was lost for several years until Advaita Acharya discovered the original deity at the base of an old banyan tree, known as Advaita vat, where he was absorbed in meditation. Advaita Acharya used to perform his bhajana (devotional worship) at this site before leaving for Bengal, where he entrusted the care of the deity to a brahmana named Purusottama Chaube.
Sanatana Goswami, who used to beg in the nearby town of Mathura, came across the brahmana’s house and saw the children playing with the deity as if Madan Mohan were one of them. Sanatana corrected the brahmana for his improper deity worship and taught him the proper ways, but that night Madan Mohan appeared in a dream to Sanatana expressing his desire to be treated as one of Chaube’s children and not subjected to strict rules and regulations. Madan Mohan also informed Sanatana that He had been living happily under the care of the brahmana until now, but after Sanatana’s reprimand, the brahmana had introduced several rules and regulations that hindered the deity’s enjoyment.
Madan Mohan also appeared in the brahmana’s dream and instructed him to hand over the deities to Sanatana. The next morning, Sanatana rushed to the brahmana’s house to ask for forgiveness, but the brahmana insisted that he take Madan Mohan with him. Initially, Sanatana refused, stating that he would not be able to offer proper worship to the deities as he only lived on dry chapatis. In another dream, Krishna appeared to Sanatana and assured him that He would accept whatever Sanatana could offer Him. Madan Mohan went with Sanatana, promising to be content with whatever he was offered in worship.
Sanatana used to beg door to door and could only offer the deity dry bread balls. When Madan Mohan asked him if he could add salt to the offering, Sanatana declined as he could not afford such a “luxury” being dedicated to his writing. Later, when a merchant’s boat ran aground in the Yamuna river near the Dvadasaditya Hill, Madan Mohan took the form of a small cowherd boy and led the worried owner, Ram das Kapur, to Sanatana. Sanatana could not do anything about the situation, but he advised the merchant to pray to the Madan Mohan Deity, which he had humbly roofed. Following Sanatana’s advice, the merchant prayed to Madan Mohan, and the rising waters of Yamuna river released his boat. The merchant sailed down to Agra and made a huge profit, and under Sanatana’s direction, he started to build a temple for Madan Mohan in Vrindavan. The temple became one of the symbols and dominant features of the area, and Madan Mohan is still worshiped there along with Radharani and Lalita. In 1670, the original Madan Mohan Deity was moved from Vrindavan to Jaipur when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s soldiers attacked the area and desecrated the temple. The original deities of Radha Madan Mohan are now located in Karoli, southeast of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Deity of Madan Mohan
According to the legends, the Deity of Madan Mohan is considered one of the three exquisitely carved Krishna Deities by Vajranabha, great grandson of Krishna, under the watchful guidance of Uttara. The striking feature of this Deity is its uncanny resemblance to the beautiful lotus feet of Lord Krishna. It is believed that if one is fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the three Deities – Sri Madana-mohana, Sri Gopinatha, and Sri Govinda Deva – within a single day, before sunset, they receive the divine blessings equivalent to having the sacred vision of Lord Krishna Himself. Such a rare opportunity is considered to be a great spiritual boon in the eyes of devotees.
Madan-Mohan, Govindadev, and Gopinath are three distinct forms of Krishna, the Supreme Lord, that represent important philosophical principles in the practice of devotional service. Madan Mohan embodies the concept of sambandha tattva, which pertains to establishing and nurturing our relationship with the Supreme Lord, who is the ultimate object of our love and devotion.
For beginners on the spiritual path, it is essential to worship Madan-Mohan in order to awaken our dormant love for God and overcome our attachment to material pleasures. Through this process of devotion, we gradually rediscover our innate connection with the divine and develop a deeper understanding of our purpose in life.
As we progress in our spiritual practice and develop a stronger attachment to serving the Lord, we begin to worship Govinda Dev, who represents the principle of abhidheya tattva. This involves dedicating ourselves fully to the service of the Lord and striving to please Him in all aspects of our life. By offering our thoughts, words, and actions as a loving offering to Govindadev, we gradually purify our consciousness and become fully absorbed in the Lord’s divine will.
Finally, when we attain the pinnacle of devotion and achieve perfection in our spiritual practice, we are able to appreciate the supreme bliss of Gopinath, who embodies the principle of prayojana tattva. Gopinath is the beloved deity of the gopis, the cowherd damsels of Vrindavan, who are renowned for their intense love and devotion for Lord Krishna. By worshiping Gopinath, we enter into the realm of pure love and experience the highest levels of spiritual ecstasy and bliss.
Thus, the worship of Madan-Mohan, Govindadev, and Gopinath represents a gradual progression in our spiritual journey, from establishing our relationship with the Lord, to dedicating ourselves to His service, and ultimately attaining the highest goal of pure love and devotion.
What to See
Sanatana Goswami Bhajan kutir – Adjacent to the Madan Mohan Temple stands the bhajan Kutir of Sanatan Goswami, who used to worship Madan Mohan under a tree prior to the construction of the temple. Located beside the Bhajan Kutir is a well, which according to legend, was created by the divine flute of Madan Mohan. This well was specially made so that Sanatan Goswami, in his old age, did not have to travel a long distance to fetch water.
Sanatana Goswami samadhi – In the year 1558, Sanatana Goswami departed from this mortal world, and his mortal remains were laid to rest in a small garden adjacent to the Madan Mohan Temple.
Tapan Mishra and Chandrasekhara Pushpa samadhi – These two devotees were close associates of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Benaras (Kasi), He would stay at the house of Chandrasekhara and take meals at the house of Tapan Mishra. Tapan Mishra was the father of Raghunath Bhatta Goswami.
Grantha Samadhi – Adjacent to the samadhi of Sanatana Goswami is the Grantha Samadhi, which houses the sacred books written by the six Goswamis.
New Madan Mohan temple – After being desecrated by the Mughals, a new Madan Mohan temple was constructed adjacent to the old temple. The original deities of Radha Madan Mohan are currently situated in Karoli, located southeast of Jaipur in Rajasthan. The replicas of the original deities are now worshiped at the New Madan Mohan temple. Despite being replicas, there is no difference in the potency of the original deities and the replicas.
How to Reach
Madan Mohan Temple, located close to the Kaliya Ghat, is among the oldest temples in Vrindavan, and it can be reached easily by cab or auto rickshaw from the Vrindavan Railway Station, which is approximately 1 km away.