In Srimad Bhagavatam we find many stories of devotees being challenged with insurmountable difficulties. In the face of these challenges, neither did they give up their faith, nor did they give up their hope. The more difficult the challenge was, the deeper they surrendered and Krishna revealed Himself in incredible ways to each of these devotees.
Lord Caitanya taught that bhakti means to serve. We can’t see Krishna or Vrindavan if we come like tourists. Krishna and Sri Vrindavan dham are revealed to us according to the sincerity of our devotion.
After accepting initiation from Ishwara Puri in Gaya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very eager to go to Vrindavan. As He was running towards Vrindavan in ecstasy, the demigods spoke and reminded Him of His mission of spreading the sankirtan movement. The Lord returned to Navadwipa and for the next 6 years established Nama Sankirtana in Bengal. At the age of 24, He accepted sannyasa in Katwa and wanted to go to Vrindavan. But He was tricked by His devotees to go to Shantipur. In Shantipur, the Lord met His mother, Sacimata and upon her request decided to stay in Jagannath Puri. Later He told Rupa Goswami and SanatanaGoswami, “What I wanted to establish in Vrindavan, I will do through you” and He sent them to Vrindavan.
To understand the principal Deities established by the Goswamis of Vrindavan is the most effective way of entering into the mood of Vrindavan.After the disappearance of Lord Krishna, Yudhisthira Maharaj along with his brothers retired to the Himalayas and coronated Pariksit Maharaj as the king of Hastinapur. Vajranabha, the great grandson of Lord Krishna, was made the king of Vrajadham.
Vajranabha understood that after Krishna’s disappearance many of His pastime places had disappeared. He sat on the banks of the Yamuna under a kalpavriksha tree and prayed to Lord Krishna to reveal His eternal abode. Krishna revealed the transcendental places of His pastimes in Vrindavan. Vajranabha excavated many of those places and called for Vishvakarma to carve Deities to be installed in those places. The first Deity that was carved was Madanamohana, followed by Radha Govinda and Radha Gopinath. Uttara, who had personally seen Krishna, confirmed the special features of these deities. While Madanamohana revealed Krishna’s body below His waist, Radha Govindaji revealed His beautiful smiling face and Radha Gopinathji revealed His flute playing hands.
– Radhanath Swami
