Radha Kunda

Glories of Radha Kunda     Appearance of Radha Kunda in the Material World
Lord Chaitanya Rediscovers Radha and Syama Kundas
Raghunatha dasa Goswami Excavates Radha and Syama Kundas
Bathing at the Kundas     Goswami Temples at Radha Kunda
Ma Janava's Sitting Place     Raghunatha dasa Goswami's Samadhi
Krishna dasa Kaviraja's Bhajan Kutira     Panca Pandava Ghat
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur's Bhajan Kutira      The Sangam
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Sitting Place    Giriraja Maharaja Mandir and Caran Cinha

 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Bhajana Kutira

This is the bhajana kutira of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (1838-1914) as well as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami (1874-1936), and is known as the Vraja-Swananda-Sukhada-kunja or the grove that gives one happiness and bliss. The kutira was constructed in about 1900 and was regularly used by Bhaktivinoda Thakura until his disappearance in 1914. At that time Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati started using it as his bhajana kutira.

Situated in this kutira is the puspa-samadhi of both Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. In another room can be seen the bed used by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati as well as his walking stick and wooden shoes.

It was here at Radha-kunda in 1935, that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada visited his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, and accompanied him on morning walks around the sacred kundas. It was at this historic meeting that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami told Srila Prabhupada, that if he ever got money, he should print books. Srila Prabhupada taking this instruction as his life’s mission, went on to become the world’s most prolific author in the field of Vedic philosophy, religion and culture, having published and distributed over one hundred million books in forty different languages, within a period of just thirteen short years.

In 1930 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had the kutira renovated and to everyone’s amazement installed a modern toilet which had never been seen in this part of India before. He was also the first sadhu to use a motor car for going to preaching engagements, demonstrating that everything, including modern inventions, could be used for spreading Krishna Consciousness.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami was one of the greatest revolutionary preachers in Indian history, and once visited Vrndavana accompanied by a number of disciples dressed in western suits. The reason for doing this was to expose all the false renunciates dressed in the garb of babajis, but who associate with women, indulge in illicit sex, smoke biddi’s, and beg for money as a means of livelihood. There was tremendous opposition to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati from the local babaji community, as well as the so-called caste brahmanas and caste gosvamis (those who claim the title of gosvami or brahmana simply by birthright) Regardless of their stiff opposition, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati continued to preach fearlessly in spreading Lord Chaitanya’s movement and was known as the ‘Lion Guru’. His giving the sacred thread to those not born in brahmana families created a storm of protest. On one occasion, as the thousand strong Vraja-mandala-parikrama party led by the ‘Lion Guru’ arrived in the town of Vrndavana, stones were thrown at them and all the temples closed their doors, except the Gosvamis of the Radharamana temple, who enthusiastically welcomed them. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s struggle to establish the Krishna Consciousness movement is unparalled in the history of world Vaisnavism, and his contribution will be remembered by generations of Krishna devotees the world over.

During his lifetime, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami established sixty four Gaudiya Mathas (temples) all over India. He sent preaching parties to England, Germany, Burma, and Bangladesh, as well as established a number of printing presses for printing books, magazines, and a daily newspaper all for the purpose of spreading the teachings of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu throughout the world. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami disappeared from the world in the year 1936, and his samadhi mandira is situated at Sridhama Mayapur, West Bengal. His puspasamadhi can also be seen at the Radha-Damodara temple in Vrndavana.

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