The Damodar Image of Lord Shri Krishna is one  which even Brahmma,  Mahesh, Indra and everyone of  the gods togetherwith the great saints seers and sages, each one without exception, loved to behold.  It was a delight beyond words to witness the MOTHER YASHODA trying to tie the little KRISHNA with a rope.  (Damodar literally means 'with the rope around the waist' (abdomen).  The LORD of the universe teases at first and then surrenders to the bosom love and affection of a MOTHER.  The Divine Aroma of the scene enchants even when it enters one's dreams! It was a sight to behold!

Shri Roop Goswami gave this same DIVINE Name to the small image of  Lord Krishna which he made together with the image of Shri Radha,  inspired by the Divinity in his dreams; Both together called RADHA-DAMODAR !  In fullfilment of the directions received in the dreams he handed over these images to his dear nephew  Jeeva Goswami  for his personal worship. Blessed was he with this exquisite Heavenly Bliss. His cherished dream came true. Long ever since he intensely desired he could adore and serve his Devotion Shri RADHA-DAMODAR with his own hands ! The Historians quote: 

It was the pious day of Magh Shukla Navmi, Samvat 1599 (the year 1542) Thakur Shri Radha-Damodarji manifested on the Indian Soil in Vrindavan Dham.  On Magh Shukla Dashmi, the next day,  with the joy beyond expression Shri Jeeva Goswami enshrined The THAKUR  in his PERSONAL DEVOTION and the Patotsava is celebrated every year on this divine day just after the Mangla Jhanki, in the morning hours!  Innumerable devotees join this celebration to their Heavenly delight !!

In year 1733 during the reigns of King Sawai Jai Singh, The divine images of Shri Radha-Damodar and the Divine Goverdhan Shila came to Jaipur.  Shri Naval Lal Goswami, the then Sole Sevayat enshrined the Sacred Images in Shri Himmat Ram Nazir's house (called Haveli) at Chaura Rasta, Jaipur - The Present Temple of Thakur Shri Radha-Damodar.  This was the period when the Iconclast King Emperor Aurangzeb's fanatic drive was at its heights and to avoid this fanaticism the Divine Images were being shifted from Vrindavan to other safer parts of India.

Arising out of some thing not up-to his heart-satisfaction, Goswamiji took back these Divine images of his personal devotion to Vrindavan in the year 1796.  However, on much pursuation and restless insistence of the then rulers of Jaipur, in the year 1821 Goswami Govindlalji (the successor of Goswami Shri Naval Lalji) brought the IMAGES back to Jaipur and on Jyestha Shukla Navmi, Samvat 1878 "THAKUR" Enshrined in the same Haveli of Himmat Ram Nazir in Chaura Rasta with the Royal Honours and Celebrations.  Right since then,  with His Divine Presence Thakur Radha-Damodarji keep blessing the much devoted people of this Heritage Pink City of India !!

DAMODAR, Mother Yashoda's this small child, the incarnation of the LORD of universe HIMSELF,  granted salvation to both the sons of Lord Kuber - Nalkoobar & Manigreeva from the curse of Devrishi Narad which destined them to become & remain as the Trees "Yamlarjuna" in Brij bhoomi. So do The RADHA-DAMODAR, the small images manifested by shri Roop Goswami, to their lakhs of devotees granting them a divine solace.  People from all walks of life when  come, pray and submit themselves to the lotus feet of LORD KRISHNA,  find their belief coming true as if something extra-human, some power beyond the earth, something celestial  relieving their burdens; bringing them something heavenly soothing - a unique ever sought-after divine immortal experience!

Shri Damodarshtak

The Hindu Calendar month of KARTIK has been named DAMODAR MAAS signifying the importance ot this month;  And Thakur Radha-Damodar accordingly named "KARTIK KE THAKURJI". People rise early in the morning from their beds, take their baths while the stars are still there in the sky, reach the temple and submit themselves to the Lotus-Feet Thakur Shri RADHA-DAMODAR in the Mangla Jhanki itself which opens at 4:30 a.m. and remains open till 5:00 a.m. Whole of the Kartik Month (October-November) witnesses a heavy rush and hectic holy celebrations. Some people celebrate "KARTIK Mahotsava" from Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi itself to Kartik Shukla Purnima.

Just on the back of Radhadamodarji, on a lifted dias Thakur Shri Radha -Vrindavan Chandraji enshrine.  These images are much bigger in size.  These belong to the personal devotion of Shri Krishnadas Kaviraj, writer of the famous book "Chaitanya Charitramrit" and are the  inherited heritage of Shri Jeeva Goswami.                               

On one side, is The Famous Divine Goverdhan Shila with the Foot Prints of Lord Shri Krishna Himself & the Mother Cow.  As said, Lord Krishna Himself gave this Shila to Shri Sanatan Goswami for accomplishment of his daily routine of Circumambulation of Shri Goverdhan hill. Shri Sanatan Goswami gave this Divine Heritage to Shri Jeeva Goswami in his succession.  On every Purnima, Panchamrit and Dugdhabhishek is performed between 8a.m. to 9a.m. joined and celebrated by number of devotees enjoying the eventful  delight while showering on the hundreds of kiloes of milk & the sacred composites!
  

Shri Giriraj Shila is a Unique Heavenly boon and a  RARE Super Natural Bliss to the mankind.  The saying goes like this that Shri Sanatan Goswami used to circumambulate the Goverdhan Hill daily as his compulsory daily routine.  When he got old enough, one day he fell in the way while completing his this daily routine. A cowherd child came to his help and asked him to leave this routine now as he had got old enough.  But Shri Sanatan was so determined to his routine that he won’t heed.  Again one day he fell down – The cowherd child appeared again, helped him and insisted that Sanatan should leave his this routine now.    He said:
                                    
But Shri Sanatan did not stop.

Lord Shri Krishna could not any more bear the agony which HIS this staunch devotee was undergoing;  HE appeared before him as a cowherd boy, went uphill and brought THIS SHRI GIRIRAJ SHILA bearing HIS OWN FOOT PRINTS.  HE handed over it to Shri Sanatan and asked him to circumambulate around the same daily which in itself shall complete his daily routine-circumambulation of the whole of Goverdhan Hill.  Shri Sanatan took it to his hut, gave it a sacred bath and started worshipping and circumambulating it.  The Historians quote this whole episode as under:

From Shri Sanatan Goswami Shri Jeeva Goswami inherited this SHILA which was later brought to Jaipur and now enshrines in the Temple Shri Radha-Damodarji, Chaura Rasta, Jaipur.

In the temple, in south of the building, the images of Lord Narsinghji, Gopalji & Sitaramji enshrine.

In north wing of the building, the SHADBHUJ Image of Kaliyuga-Pavanavtar, Chaitanya Mahaprabhuji enshrines.

To relate to the historic landmarks, it dates back when with passing of ages the glories of the Indian Culture were being forgotten and the sands of time kept piling up.  Togetherwith every other thing the splendid  divine heritage of the times of Lord Krishna was also lost from the memories of people. Some 500  years ago Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took his birth on the Indian Soil and did the massive work to remove the layers of ignorance & infuse back in our lives the forgotten vitality of great grand Indian Past....  -  Vrindavn Dham had become almost a Jungle by the early 16th Century.  No trace of the original place was left at the site.  Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had visited the site in 1514 A.D. and had discovered some of the places mentioned in the Bhagvat Purana.  But he was not able to stay here long enough to bring out the complete Glory of The Place.

It is said that tears were coming out of every eye, be it a human being or the cattle or even the plantation  when Lord Krishna left for Mathura leaving  Vrindavan.  So did it happen  when Mahaprabhuji came to Vrindavan and started enchanting the Maha Mantra "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare"; as if life got infused into  every particle of the soil, every  leaf of the trees and every thing, live or static, all around!

Before the reign of Emperor Akbar, On the behest of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, his immediate   disciples, two brothers Shri Roop Goswami & Shri Sanatan Goswami came to Vrindaban to Spread the Doctrines of Vaishnavism & to discover the lost holy sites.    

To revitalize the principles of True Love & Devotion and re-establish the glorious identity of this land of Lord Krishna, they were later joined by their nephew shri Jeeva Goswami & others, viz., Shri Raghunath Bhatta, Shri Raghunath Das and Shri Gopal Bhatta.  These six distinguished disciples of Chaitanya Mahaprabhuji later gained the name  of "SHAD GOSWAMI"  (The Six Goswamis). 

Shri Jeeva Goswami was the most learned among them.  He was much discontent that he did not have any divine image of his personal devotion while Roop Goswamiji was blessed with the Divine Image of Govinddevji and Sanatan Goswamiji with the Divine Image of Madanmohanji. Shri Roop Goswmi then inspired by a dream made small images of Shri Radha-Damodar and handed over the same to Shri Jeeva Goswami. 

Shri Sanatan Goswami was the eldest, born around the year 1445, Shri Roop Goswami, born around the year 1470 was younger to him and Shri Jeeva Goswami was their younger brother Anupam Goswami's son, born around the year 1518.  

The Great Founder of the Madhviya Gauria Sampradaya, 1008 Shri Chaitanya Dev  Mahaprabhu  is believed to be the spiritual incarnation  of Lord Shri Krishna Himself  and thereby goes the saying :  He had a unique white golden complexion and, therefore, gained the name of "Gaurang Deva".  "Gaur" was his popular name.  After Him ‘Bengal’ came to be known as 'Gaur Desh' as well.  Nitai was his elder brother.  He was born in Navadwipa ( West Bengal) at Mayapur on Phalgun Purnima in 1486 A.D..  Therefrom   begins   the   History of   This   Glorious  Heritage  which  this Thikana of Mandir Shri Radha Damodarji  continues to uphold ! 

Thakur Govinddevji, the personal devotion of Shri Roop Goswami, Thakur Radha-Damodarji, the personal devotion of Shri Jeeva Goswami and Thakur Radha-Gopinathji, the personal devotion of Shri Madhu Pandit, togetherwith Thakur Madanmohanji, the personal devotion of Shri Sanatan Goswami HOLD a DISTINCT Divine Place in the life style of Vaishnavas.  In the month of Kartik several pilgrims & devotees offer their prayers to Radha-Damodarji & the Sacred Goverdhan Shila in MANGLA Jhanki, then go to offer their prayers to Radha-Gopinathji in the MANGLA Jhanki there, next they go & offer their prayers to Govinddevji in the MANGLA Jhanki itself and then the same day they go to Karauli to offer their prayers to Madanmohanji; thus completing a divine cycle in one day itself they feel special contentment to their hearts! .

Heavenborn Eventuality is it  that On Magh Sudi 5 (Panchami - Basant Panchami) Occurs the "GOVIND Patotsava", five days later comes the "RADHA-DAMODAR Patotsava" on Magh Sudi 10 (Dashmi) and again 5 days later on Magh Sudi 15 (Purnima) "RADHA-GOPINATH" Patotsava is celebrated each year. Thakur Shri Radha Gopinathji manifested in the year 1503  from under the  ground at "BANSHI VAT", Vrindavan; Thakur Shri Govinddevji manifested  in the year 1535 at "GOMA TEELA", Vrindavan AND Thakur Shri Radha-Damodarji manifested in the year 1542 in Vrindavan.

The Imperial Divine Majesty of Lord Radha-Damodar and the Giriraj Shila commanded a great influence over the Royal Family of Jaipur, so much so that when the divine images and the Giriraj Shila were taken back to Vrindavan in 1796, After much pursuation and insistence of the Royal Family of Jaipur, the same were brought back to JAIPUR in 1821 with the full Royal Honour and Celebrations;  lot of grants were bestowed  in the honour of Thakur Radha-Damodarji and The Giriraj Shila!

The Temple Radhadamodarji  is Governed and managed by its Sole Sevayat.  The Glorious Heritage finds its Origin from 1008 SHRI SHRI  CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, the founder of the MADHVIYA GOURIA SAMPRADAYA.  Right Since the Times of Akbar the Great, the Heritage in its chain, descends now to the present Sole Sebait, SHRI MALAY  KUMAR GOSWAMI, an enlightened, educated, dedicated young Man with Simple Living & High Thinking, ever engaged to the service of every living being, determined to preserve, promote and proliferate the Nature to  the  cause  of  The  Humanity  and  the  Divinity.

True Love, Devotion &  "Krishna Leela Prasar" are the Aims, Objectives & Activities of the Temple.  Universal Peace, Universal Love, Universal Brotherhood and Relief from the sufferings,  are the causes, the Temple nurtures.  Upholding these high values of the Madhviya Gauriya Sampradaya, laid down by the Great Gaurang Deva more than 500 years ago, the Temple is constantly on the march to the Path Ahead in service of the every living being .

19-2-2024, श्रीराधादामोदर जी के 482वें प्राकट्योत्सव की बहुत-बहुत बधाई !!

श्री धाम वृन्दावन स्थित श्रीराधादामोदर मन्दिर में विराजमान ठाकुर श्री राधादामोदर जी महाराज का प्राकट्य लीला प्रसंग अत्यंत विशिष्ट एवं विलक्षण है। षड्गोस्वमीगणों में से श्रीपाद जीव गोस्वामी जी बीस वर्ष की अल्पायु में वृन्दावन धाम पधारे । उन्होंने वृन्दावन में श्रील रुप गोस्वामी जी के आनुगत्य होकर ठाकुर सेवा ,भक्ति , प्रभु - अनुराग सेवा प्रारम्भ की एवं श्रील रूप गोस्वामी जी के लेखन- कार्य में सहयोग किया। श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी की सेवा से प्रभावित होकर श्रील रूप गोस्वामी जी ने उन्हें मन्त्र दीक्षा से दीक्षित किया।

श्रील रूप गोस्वामी जी की सेवा करते हुए श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी ने अवलोकन किया कि उनके गुरु जी आनन्दकन्द ठाकुर श्री गोविंददेवजी की अन्तरंग सेवा में भाव - विभोर हो जाया करते हैं और श्रीगोविंददेव जी के साथ वह प्रत्यक्ष वार्तालाप भी करते हैं।उनको सजाने , भोगराग सेवा करने में दिन-रात का स्मरण भी नहीं रहता। इन सबका श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी के हदय में इतना प्रभाव पड़ा कि वह भी सोचने लगे कि मेरे द्वारा भी एक सेवित ठाकुर विग्रह हो तो मैं भी उनका श्रृंगार करूँ , अपने हाथ से भोग लगाऊँ एवं उन्हें निहारता रहूँ। भक्तों की मनोकामना की पूर्ति भगवान अति शीघ्र करते हैं और जहाँ भक्त श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी हो, तो कहना ही क्या .....!!

श्री भक्ति रत्नाकर ग्रन्थ में ठाकुर श्री राधा दामोदर जी महाराज के प्राकट्य का विशेष उल्लेख उद्घृत हैं । ठाकुर श्री राधा दामोदर जी महाराज ने श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी की मनोकामना पूर्ण करने के लिये एक रात्रि में, जब श्रील रूप गोस्वामी जी शयन कर रहे थे, तब उनके स्वप्न में दर्शन देते हुए आदेश दिया कि हे रूप ! तुम अपने अतिप्रिय शिष्य तथा मेरे भक्त जीव के लिये मेरे दामोदर स्वरूप को प्रकट करो । उस प्रकट दामोदर स्वरूप विग्रह को जीव को दे देना।

श्रील रूप गोस्वामी जी को यमुना स्नान से लौटते समय श्याम रंग का विलझण शिलाखंड प्राप्त हुआ। शिलाखंड को अपनी कुटिया में ले आये एवं सोचने लगे कि मैं विग्रह को कैसे प्रकट करूँ । तब दामोदर जी ने दर्शन देकर अपने दामोदर स्वरूप का वर्णन किया और दामोदर स्वरूप के दर्शन कराये । दर्शन पश्चात श्री दामोदर जी ने उस शिलाखंड को श्री दामोदर स्वरूप प्रदान किया । यह प्राकट्य घटना आज ही के दिन माघ शुक्ला दशमी (सम्वत 1599) सन 1542 ई. के पावन दिवस की है । जिसे हम समस्त भक्तगण ठाकुर श्री राधादामोदर जी के प्राकट्य महोत्सव के रूप में मनाते हैं।

स्वप्नादेश के अनुसार " श्रीदामोदर विग्रह " को श्रील रूप गोस्वामी जी ने अपने परम प्रिय शिष्य श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी को नित्य सेवा हेतु प्रदान किया । अपने गुरु से श्रीविग्रह को प्राप्त कर श्रीलजीव गोस्वामी जी आनन्द उल्ल्हास से नृत्य करने लगे और श्री राधा दामोदर मन्दिर की स्थापना कर " श्री विग्रह " को श्री सिंहासन पर विराजमान किया ।

श्रीजीवेर श्रीराधादामोदर विलास दर्शन (भक्ति रत्नाकर चतुर्थ तरंग)

निरन्तर श्री जीवेर परम् उल्लास।
देखिया श्रीराधादामोदरेर विलास।।

मध्ये-मध्ये भक्ष्यद्रव्य मांगे श्रीजीवेरे।
श्री जीव देखये प्रभु भुंजे ये प्रकारे।।

एक दिन बाजाय वंशी हासिया हासिया ।
श्री जीवे कहये - मोरे देखह आसिया।।

कैशोर वयस , वेश भुवनमोहन।
देखितेई श्री जीव हईल अचेतन।।

चेतन पाईया हिया आनन्दे उथले।
भासये दीघल दुटी नयनेर जले।।

प्रसंगे कईनु किछु - एंछे वहु हय।
राधादामोदर सर्वचित्त आकर्षय।।

अर्थात ठाकुर श्री राधादामोदर जी महाराज के विलास को देख कर श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी परम् उल्लास में रहते थे। ठाकुर जी श्रील जीव गोस्वामी जी की प्रेममयी भक्ति से आकृष्ट होकर उनसे भोज्य प्रदार्थ मांग मांग कर खाते थे । एक दिन ठाकुर जी सुमधुर वंशी की ध्वनि से श्रील जीव को अपनी ओर आकर्षित कर हँसते हँसते बुलाते हैं । श्री जीव ठाकुर जी की किशोर अवस्था की मनमोहन छवि के दर्शन कर भाव विभोर होकर अचेतन हो गये । पुनः चेतन होकर ठाकुर जी के दिव्य स्वरूप का स्मरण कर आनन्दित होकर नाचने लगे और दोनों नेत्रों से प्रेमाश्रु बहने लगे। मुग़ल शाशन के द्वारा चलाये गए मूर्ति भंजक काल में वृन्दावन से स्थान्तरित हो ठाकुर जयपुर (राजस्थान) पधारे।

ऐसे ये ठाकुर श्री राधादामोदर जी महाराज   वर्तमान में जयपुर  में चौड़ा रास्ता स्थित मंदिर श्री राधादामोदरजी में विराजमान होकर महंत  श्री मलय गोस्वामी के सान्निध्य  एवं सेवा में भक्तों के मनवाँछाकल्पतरु भाव को सिद्ध और सार्थक कर रहें हैं।