While in Jaipur we went to the Madan Mohan temple in Karauli.
Madan Mohan means one who can even enchant cupid. In the temple there are three altars. Madan Mohan with Srimati Radharani and Lalita Devi are present in the center altar. On the left altar Gopal Krishna with Radharani and Lalita.
The king of Karauli worshiped the second set of deities 100 years before even Madan Mohan came to Karauli. The deities receive a midday offering consisting of 56 dishes.
The deity of Madan mohan was worshiped by Sanatan Goswami in Vrindavan at the Madan Mohan temple. This deity gave blessings to Krishnadas Kaviraj Das Goswami to write his classic work, the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita.
In 1670 Maharaj Jai Singh brought Madan Mohan to Jaipur from Vrindavan. His brother in law, Maharaj Gopal Singh had dream in which Madan Mohan expressed his desire to return to the area of Vraja. Karauli is considered to be a part of great Vraja mandala.
He then told Maharaja Jai Singh about it and asked permission to bring Madan Mohan to Karauli. Maharaja Jai Singh was also attached to serving the deity. So he made one condition that Maharaja Gopal Singh would be blind folded and all the three deities i.e. Govinda, Gopinath and Madan Mohan would be placed and if he could distinguish Madan Mohan then he could take Him to Karauli.
Maharaj Gopal Singh prayed to Madan Mohan to reveal Himself during the test. So Madan Mohan again appeared to him in dream and said that when he touches the deity He will lower His right hand more than the other two deities and that’s how to recognize Him.
That’s how Maharaja Gopal Singh could take the deity of Madan Mohan to Karauli to worship. Because of this pastime even today the right hand of Madan Mohan is lower and not in line with left hand.
Comments