Personalities in 7 Vrindavan temples related to Murti's

 

1. Madan Mohan Temple, Vrindavan

Deity: Śrī Rādhā-Madan Mohan
Main Gosvāmī: Sanatana Goswami

• Dīkṣā-guru: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (direct initiation is traditionally accepted in Gauḍīya accounts)

• Śikṣā-guru: Also Śrī Caitanya

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Ishvara Puri → Śrī Caitanya → Sanātana Gosvāmī

Sanātana was personally instructed for two months in Vārāṇasī by Mahāprabhu.

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2. Govind Dev Ji Temple, Vrindavan

Deity: Śrī Rādhā-Govinda
Main Gosvāmī: Rupa Goswami

• Dīkṣā-guru: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya → Rūpa Gosvāmī

Rūpa received direct empowerment and theological instructions (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu teachings) from Mahāprabhu.

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3. Gopinath Temple, Vrindavan

Deity: Śrī Rādhā-Gopīnātha
Main Gosvāmī: Madhupandita Goswami

• Dīkṣā-guru: Gadadhara Pandit

• Gadādhara’s guru: Śrī Caitanya (accepted as direct disciple/associate within Gaura-līlā)

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya → Gadādhara Paṇḍita → Mādhupandita

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4. Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan

Deity: Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara
Main Gosvāmī: Jiva Goswami

• Dīkṣā-guru: Rūpa Gosvāmī (his uncle)

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya → Rūpa Gosvāmī → Jīva Gosvāmī

Jīva is considered the principal systematizer of Gauḍīya theology.

Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami

Famous for: Author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta
Residence: Lived and wrote at Rādhā-Dāmodara

• Dīkṣā-guru: Raghunatha Dasa Goswami

• Śikṣā-guru: Also Raghunātha dāsa; inspiration from Svarupa Damodara (through preserved notes)

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Ishvara Puri → Caitanya Mahaprabhu → Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī → Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja

He wrote Caitanya-caritāmṛta in advanced age at Rādhā-Dāmodara, systematizing the theology of Rūpa and Raghunātha.

Jayadeva

Famous for: Gīta Govinda
Period: 12th century (pre-Caitanya)

⚠ Important historical note: Jayadeva lived centuries before Mahāprabhu and was not part of the Gauḍīya paramparā historically.

However:

• His Gīta Govinda deeply influenced Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

• Mahāprabhu regularly heard and relished it in Jagannātha Purī.

So:

• No dīkṣā connection to Caitanya.

• Considered a previous ācārya in the rāgānugā bhakti current, whose mood was embraced by the

Bhugarbha Goswami

(Spelled Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī)

Close associate of: Loknath Goswami
Service: Assisted in discovering holy places in Vṛndāvana

• Dīkṣā-guru: Traditionally accepted as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya → Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī

He lived in deep renunciation and helped establish early Vraja bhajana sites.

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5. Radha Raman Temple, Vrindavan

Deity: Śrī Rādhā-Ramaṇa (self-manifested from śālagrāma)
Main Gosvāmī: Gopala Bhatta Goswami

• Dīkṣā-guru: Prabodhananda Sarasvati (traditionally accepted)

• Later association: Direct association and blessings from Śrī Caitanya

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya → Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī

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6. Radha Shyamasundar Temple, Vrindavan

Deity: Śrī Rādhā-Śyāmasundara
Main Gosvāmī: Shyamananda Prabhu

• Dīkṣā-guru: Hridaya Chaitanya

• Hridaya’s guru: Gauridasa Pandit

• Gauridāsa’s guru: Direct associate of Śrī Caitanya

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya → Gauridāsa Paṇḍita → Hṛdaya Caitanya → Śyāmānanda

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7. Radha Gokulananda Temple, Vrindavan

Deities: Multiple — including Vijay Govinda, Rādhā-Vinoda
Main Gosvāmī connected: Loknath Goswami

• Dīkṣā-guru: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (traditionally accepted)

• Famous disciple: Narottama Dasa Thakura

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya → Lokanātha Gosvāmī

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

Period: 17th–18th century
Famous for: Commentaries on Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā

Residence: Lived at Rādhā-Dāmodara

• Dīkṣā-guru: Krishna Charan Chakravarti (traditional accounts)

• Paramparā branch: Narottama–Śyāmānanda line

• Lineage:
  Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya →
  (through) Narottama Dasa Thakura / Shyamananda Prabhu branch → Viśvanātha Cakravartī

He defended Gauḍīya siddhānta during the Jaipur controversies and clarified parakīya-rasa theology.

Baladeva Vidyabhushana

Famous for: Govinda-bhāṣya (Vedānta-sūtra commentary)
Connected to: Govindadeva in Jaipur but resided at Rādhā-Dāmodara

• Dīkṣā-guru: Radha Damodar Goswami

• Grand-guru: Rasikananda

• Lineage branch: Śyāmānanda line

Full paramparā flow:
Madhva → Mādhavendra Purī → Īśvara Purī → Śrī Caitanya →
Gauridāsa Paṇḍita → Hṛdaya Caitanya → Śyāmānanda → Rasikānanda → Rādhā-Dāmodara Gosvāmī → Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa

He established the Gauḍīya school as a legitimate Vedānta sampradāya before the Rāmānandīs in Jaipur.

Original deities by Vajranabha

 

According to traditional sources (including puranic descriptions linked to the Adi-Varaha Purāṇa and Vraja lore), Vajranābha installed at least sixteen important deities at specific spots in and around Vraja Mandala.

A. Four Principal Devas

These are major divine forms associated with important sacred sites:

1. Sri Govindadeva — originally in Vṛndāvana (later taken to Jaipur)

2. Sri Keshavadeva — in Mathurā

3. Sri Harideva — beside Manasi-gangā near Govardhana Hill

4. Sri Baladeva (also called Dauji / Baladeva) — in Mahāvana (cattle forest)
   (These represent Krishna, His elder brother Balarama, and accompanying aspects.)

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B. Four Gopāla Forms

Smaller cowherd-boy forms of Krishna, also significant:

5. Sri Sākṣi‑Gopāla — in Vṛndāvana

6. Sri Madana‑Mohana — originally in Vṛndāvana (later Karauli)

7. Sri Gopinatha — originally in Vṛndāvana (later Jaipur)

8. Sri Shrinātha — in Govardhana Hill village (Aniyora)
   (These highlight different aspects of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes as a cowherd boy.)

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C. Four Shiva Lingas (Dik-pālas)

Installed as protectors of Vraja — honoring Śiva’s guardian aspect:

9. Bhuteshvara Mahadeva — Mathurā

10. Gopishwara Mahadeva — Vṛndāvana

11. Cakreshwara Mahadeva — Govardhana Hill

12. Kameshvara Mahadeva — Kāmyavana forest area
    (These four mark cardinal guardian points of the sacred land.)

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D. Four Devis (Yogamāyā / Consort Forms)

Representations of Yogamāyā (Krishna’s internal potency) and sister-forms:

13. Sri Yogamaya Devi — Yoga-pīṭha, Vṛndāvana

14. Sri Vrinda Devi — Kāmyavana

15. Sri Manasi Devi — Govardhana

16. Sri Patala Devi — Mathurā
    (These honor divine feminine energies associated with Vraja’s sacred geography.)

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📍 Places Linked to These Deities

Your link “Pastime Places” lists many sacred forests (vanas) and holy sites — which correspond to where these deities were installed by Vajranābha or became associated over time. For example:

• Mahāvana, Vṛndāvana, Kāmyavana, etc. — forests where Krishna’s pastimes occurred and where deities were installed.

• These forests (e.g., Madhuvana, Bahulāvana, Khadiravana etc.) form the Vṛndāvana Mandala, where Vajranābha placed many of these murtis. 

Чинта Харан Махадев, Гокула

 Значение: Считается, что поклонение здесь избавляет от тревог (Чинта) и дарует душевный покой.

Легенда: Согласно местной традиции, когда мать Яшода, увидев весь космос во рту юного Кришны (известная история о Кришне), встревожилась, она обратилась к Господу Шиве с просьбой о помощи. В ответ на её молитву Шива явился здесь в образе Чинта Харана Махадева, чтобы избавить её от тревог. Когда мать Яшода была встревожена, сомневаясь, является ли Кришна её сыном, она молилась Господу Шиве, который остался здесь, чтобы успокоить её.

Расположение: Находится недалеко от Брахманд Гхата, Гокул-Махаван.

Время работы: Обычно открыто с 5:00 до 12:00 и с 16:00 до 21:00 (может немного меняться в зависимости от сезона).

Лучшее время для посещения: Махашиваратри, Шиваратри и зимний сезон.

Чинта Харан Махадев, Гокула