Vrindavan: 2015

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Chaousata Mahanta Samadhi Pitha
Near the Radha Govinda Temple is a garden that contains the nama (name) and puspa (flower) samadhis of 64 important Gaudiya Vaishnava Acaryas, associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. These include

1. Madhavendra Puri,
2. Iswara Puri,
3. 6 Gosvamis,
4. Ramananda Raya,
5. Swarupa Damodara,
6. Sivananda Sen,
7. 8 Kavirajas,
8. Paramananda Puri
9. Kasisvara Pandit
10. Subuddhi Raya’s Samadhis , etc.

These devotees are considered by Vaishnava authorities to be the 64 most confidential associates of Lord Caitanya.The first samadhis to be established here were those of Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Kasisvara Pandit Gosvami and Subuddhi Raya.
About 150 years ago the Govindaji temple managers started to add more samadhis. These samadhis are pushpa, smriti, or nama samadhis. Most of the samadhis are nama samadhis. Earth from the birthplaces of Sri Vidyapati Dasa and Sri Candidasa were used to make their samadhis.

There is also a well here, called Venu Kupa. It is said that Krishna played His flute here and this well was manifested from the ground. This well is said to come from Patala-loka. The well is now covered by grass, so you may have to ask someone where it is located. On special days, such as Krishna’s Janmastami, Govindaji is bathed with the water from Venu Kupa. Venu Kupa is in the northeast corner (far right hand corner) of this enclosure, just beyond the boundary wall.

How To Get Here

If you begin by facing the Rangaji Temple, from there you go to your right (south) passing the red sandstone Govindaji Temple, on your right. Turn left after 200m (625 ft), onto the first street you come to and walk 140m (450 ft). On your left will be two wooden doors and a surroun.ding wall. From the outside it is obvious that there are many samadhis in this courtyard.

In the far right corner of the 64 samadhi's garden, there used to be a pond which is now dry called Venu Kupa, where Lord Krishna dug His flute (venu) into the ground to produce a fresh water spring to quench the thirst of the cowherd boys.

Types
There are basically three types of samadhis in Vrindavana. They are: full body, pushpa samadhi, and smriti (memory).

A full body samadhi contains the full body of a realized Vaishnava buried in the earth.
A pushpa samadhi is made by taking flowers worn by a departed Vaishnava before his body is put into samadhi. These flowers are then buried in a holy place. During the sixteenth century many Vaishnavas were burned and their ashes were put into the ground to avoid desecration by the Muslims. Samadhis made from the ashes of a Vaishnava also fall in this category.
A smriti (memory) samadhi preserves the memory of a departed Vaishnava by memorializing some of his personal items. These usually include an asana (sitting place), japa beads, clothes, sastras (scriptures), shoes, a walking stick, etc. Things used by an elevated Vaishnava are accepted as pure and worshipable.