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.