Shri Shri Radha Gopinath are the life and soul of Shrila Madhu Pandit Thakur. The beautiful form of Gopinath was carved by the great demigod Vishwakarma, on the request of the great grandson of Sri Krishna, Vajranabh. It is said that the face of this particular Deity of Shri Krishna, is identical to the face of Krishna Himself. Gopinath is one of the deities which were installed in Vraja Bhumi about 5000 years ago by Vajranabh. Later however the deity became hidden from human perception for many many years. But one great devotee of the name Paramananda Bhattacharya rediscovered Shri Gopinathji near the Vamshi Vata tree. Paramananda Bhattacharya, later on handed over the worship of Shri Gopinathji to Shri Madhu Pandit and it was here that Madhu Pandit had arranged this beautiful temple to be built for Shri Shri Radha Gopinathji.
Gopinath is also the worshipable deity of Jahnava Devi, the eternal consort of Nityananda Prabhu. Jahnava Devi in her original spiritual form is Ananga Manjari, the younger sister of Shrimati Radharani. There are two deities of Shrimati Radharani on each side of Gopinath Dev, the smaller one on His right and the bigger one on His left. The bigger deity of Shri Radhika was personally installed by Jahnava Devi on the side of Gopinathji. The Acharyas have declared that when Jahnava Devi left this world, she entered this smaller deity of Shrimati Radharani and since then this deity is worshipped as Jahnava Ananga Manjari. The original deities of Gopinath, Radharani and Ananga manjari are now in Jaipur. The Pratibhu Murthis are being worshipped in Vrindavan.
Radhanath Swami explained that the Gopinath Murthi is presiding over the highest principle of Prayojana Gyana. Prayojana is the ultimate perfection of ones spiritual development, wherein by the grace of Shrimati Radharani one is bestowed upon with the ecstatic love and the mood of the servants of the Gopis of Vraja Bhoomi. This is the ultimate stage of purified consciousness in the spiritual world as taught by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Three deities are very important to all the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Madanmohana is the Sambandha Deity. It is through Shri Madanmohana that we establish our relationship with Krishna. Govinda Dev is the Abhidheya Deity. It is through the worship of Lord Govinda Dev that we actively engage in devotional activities based on complete attachment to the lotus feet of Krishna. And through this divine process of devotional service, at the ultimate stage of purification, we worship the Prayojana Deity or Sri Gopinath, with pure unalloyed love or prema bhakti.
Radhanath Swami concluded by saying that, “Let us worship Shri Shri Radha Gopinathji and Jhanava Ananga Manjiri with the prayer that we soon may follow in the footsteps of the most glorious residents of Vrindavan giving up all desires and all activities save and except those which give great pleasure to Radha Gopinathji and Their devotees.”
Shri Shri Radha Gopinathji Ki Jai!!!
