About half a kilometer from the Larily-Lal temple is Kushal Bihari temple. In the lecture delivered at this place during the Vrindavan Yatra of 1998, Radhanath Swami explains the history of this temple:
“There was a great king from Rajasthan who was very much devoted to Barsana Dham. He would come here with his royal family regularly to worship in the eternal home of Srimati Radharani. He decided to build a magnificent temple for Larily Lal, and thus this temple, one of the extravagantly opulent temples in Vraja Dham with very intricate hand carved sand stone—both inside and outside—came into being. He built it this way to show the world that Krishna should be the center of all activities, whoever we may be. He was a king. But he didn’t put his throne in the center. He wanted the beautiful deity of Larily-Lal in the center. And he built small rooms around the deity where he and his family members and his ministers could live. The idea is, everyone should be fully conscious that whoever we are, we are just the humble servant of the servant of the servants of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Radha and Krishna are in the center? And all the prime ministers and parliament members—everyone—chanted the holy names of God every morning, heard from the scriptures and offered services for the pleasure of Radha and Krishna? This is actually natural life. When Krishna is in the center there is unity and there is happiness. As soon as we put our own motivations in the center, there will be competition, there will be conflict, and there will be misery.
So the King spent years and fabulous amounts of wealth to build this beautiful palace. When it was complete, a day was assigned for the installation—bringing the deities of the little temple on Bhangad to this place. But the day before the installation Srimati Radharani appeared to the King in a dream and told him, “The place where the little temple is situated, that is my home, and not this.” Therefore, the King built another big temple where the little temple was.
The King wasn’t angry or frustrated. He had spent a huge amount of money and time to build this temple, but when instructed by Radharani he built another temple. That is detachment. Real detachment is what pleases Krishna. Whatever our occupation or duty, whatever our varna or ashram—the real perfection of life is that we perform our work in a way that Krishna is pleased.
Different set of deities were installed in this temple and were named Radha-Kushalbihari. With Their merciful glance, They bless all the pilgrims who come here to Barsana Dham.
So we should pray to Radha Kushal Bihari that we may learn how to practically perform our service for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. When Krishna is pleased all our desires will be fulfilled. Krishna is pleased when there is harmony, love and trust amongst the devotees. He is displeased when there are egoistic conflicts and disunity amongst the Vaishnavas. Vaikuntha consciousness means – “everyone is better than me. I am the servant.” “
