Deity Stories |
1. Çåéla Sanätana Goswami and Madan Mohan
2. Çréla Rüpa Goswami and Rädhä Govinda
3. Gauridas Pandita. Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityänanda come to his house.
4. Gauridas and Hrdayananda/Hrdaya Caitanya. Gdp went and came back 1 day before festival and found invitations had already been sent out.
5. Vamsidas Babaji
6. Installation at Kheturi.
7. Çréla Prabhupäda with Rädhä Gokulananda
8. Çréla Prabhupäda in Los Angeles re Lord Kåñëa’s hair length
9. Çréla Gopäla Bhatta Goswami and Rädhä Ramana’s appearance
10. Stories on Caitanya-caritämåta: Sakñi Gopäla, Installation of Gopäla by Madhaverndra Puri
11. Lokanatha and Rädhä Vinoda — carrying Him in bag around neck
After re-establishing the lost holy places, Sri Rupa Gosvami felt anxious on only one point. According to the scriptures Sri Govinda Vrajendra Kumar had been installed as a deity in a holy place in vrndavana, but Sri Rupa had not found that deity although he had searched many places for a long time. He even searched the houses of the people of Vraja, but when he could not find the deity he sat petiently on the bank of the Jamuna.404-407
One day by chance a Vrajabasi came to Sri Rupa Gosvami. He was beautiful, calm and quiet in his manner and he asked Sri Rupa why he looked so sad. Sri Rupa felt a great attraction toward The Vrajabasi and told him his story. The Vrajabasi told him not to be anxious because there was a spiritual place named Gomatila in Vrndavana where a certain cow used to willingly let down her milk every afternoon. Sri Govinda devi kept himself hidden there under the ground. The Vrajabasi led Sri Rupa to Gomatila.408-413
After locating the place that Vrajabasi suddenly disappeared and Sri Rupa fell on the ground unconscious. After a long time he regained his senses but he could not control the tears which rolled down his face. Sri Rupa Gosvami realised the desire of the Lord and checked his emotions. He told the Vrajabasis about the hidden deitiy of Sri Govinda deva and they came to Gomatila in a crowd. They were surprised to learn that Gomatila was a spiritual place. A divine oracle from Balarama was heard by everyone, and the Vrajabasis dug very carefully until they at last unearthed the deity of Govinda deva who was as beautiful as millions of Kandarpas.414-421
In the book Sri Sadana Dipika written by Sri Radha Krsna Gosvami, the disciple of Sri Haridasa Pandita GOsvami of Vraja, the details of the above mentioned narration have been written.422-432
Everyone glorified the name of Sri Govinda deva and people were attracted to Gomatila to see the deity. Even Lord Brahma and other demigods came in the disguise of human beings to pay their respects to that deity. The place overflowed with lakhs of people. Sri Rupa Gosvami at once sent a letter to Mahaprabhu in Sri Khetra and Mahaprabhu could not control his happiness upon receiving the news. 433-437
Sri Vrndadevi appeared before Sri Rupa in his dream and by the order of Mahaprabhu Sri Rupa unearthed Sri Vrndadevi from the bank of Brahma Kunda. What a beautiful form was possessed by Sri Vrndadevi who could immediately fulfil the desires of her devotees. The book Sri Sadana Dipika has narrated everything about this incident. 449-453
A rich man from Multana named Krsnadasa Kapura was an influential Kapura Kshatriya. He left his boat and fell at the feet of Sanatana Gosvami with tears in his eyes. Sanatana blessed the man and dedicated him to the feet of Sri Madan Mohan.
Kåñëa’s Instructions to Uddhava from Çåémad Bhägavatam |
vaidikas täntriko miçra
iti me tri-vidho makhaù
trayäëäm épsitenaiva
vidhinä mäà samarcaret
One should carefully worship Me by selecting one of the three methods by which I receive sacrifice, Vedic, tantric or mixed.
pürvaà snänaà prakurvéta
dhauta-danto ’ìga-çuddhaye
ubhayair api ca snänaà
mantrair måd-grahaëädinä
One should first purify his body by cleansing his teeth and bathing. Then one should perform a second cleansing by smearing the body with earth and chanting both Vedic and tantric mantras.
sandhyopästyädi-karmäëi
vedenäcoditäni me
püjäà taiù kalpayet samyak-
saìkalpaù karma-pävaném
Fixing the mind on Me, one should worship Me by his various prescribed duties, such as chanting the Gäyatré mantra at the three junctures of the day. Such performances are enjoined by the Vedas and purify the worshiper of reactions to fruitive activities.
çailé däru-mayé lauhé
lepyä lekhyä ca saikaté
mano-mayé maëi-mayé
pratimäñöa-vidhä småtä
The Deity form of the Lord is said to appear in eight varieties—stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels.
caläcaleti dvi-vidhä
pratiñöhä jéva-mandiram
udväsävähane na staù
sthiräyäm uddhavärcane
The Deity form of the Lord, who is the shelter of all living entities, can be established in two ways: temporarily or permanently. But a permanent Deity, having been called, can never be sent away, My dear Uddhava.
dravyaiù prasiddhair mad-yägaù
pratimädiñv amäyinaù
bhaktasya ca yathä-labdhair
hådi bhävena caiva hi
One should worship Me in My Deity forms by offering the most excellent paraphernalia. But a devotee completely freed from material desire may worship Me with whatever he is able to obtain, and may even worship Me within his heart with
snänälaìkaraëaà preñöham
arcäyäm eva tüddhava
sthaëòile tattva-vinyäso
vahnäv äjya-plutaà haviù
sürye cäbhyarhaëaà preñöhaà
salile salilädibhiù
çraddhayopähåtaà preñöhaà
bhaktena mama väry api
In worshiping the temple Deity, my dear Uddhava, bathing and decoration are the most pleasing offerings. For the Deity traced on sacred ground, the process of tattva-vinyäsa is most dear. Oblations of sesame and barley soaked in ghee are the preferred offering to the sacrificial fire, whereas worship consisting of upasthäna and arghya is preferred for the sun. One should worship Me in the form of water by offering water itself. Actually, whatever is offered to Me with faith by My devotee—even if only a little water—is most dear to Me.
bhüry apy abhaktopähåtaà
na me toñäya kalpate
gandho dhüpaù sumanaso
dépo ’nnädyaà ca kià punaù
Even very opulent presentations do not satisfy Me if they are offered by nondevotees. But I am pleased by any insignificant offering made by My loving devotees, and I am certainly most pleased when nice presentations of fragrant oil, incense, flowers and palatable foods are offered with love.