Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple, Vrindavan

Gopeshvar Mahadev Temple, Vrindavan Overview

Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple is one of the oldest temples in Vrindavan, located in close vicinity to the holy Yamuna River. The temple is revered for the Shiva Linga which was established here by the great-grandson of Lord Krishna, Vrajanabha. Thousands of devotees visit this shrine in Vrindavan to worship Lord Shiva as this temple is one of the few in town that is associated with Shiva.

The temple holds the confluence of the masculine and feminine powers of nature - Shiva Linga which is the symbol of male power worshipped during the day (6:00 AM - 10:00 AM) and Shiv Linga dressed as a gopi with special shringar ceremonies which is worshipped at night (5:00 PM - 9:00 PM) at the time of Raasleela.

Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple is located near Vamshivat and anyone who wishes to explore the bliss of Raas Leela must visit the temple and pray to Gopeshwar for inducing him into Sakhibhav. The legends of Vrindavan consider Lord Shiva as the first Vaishnav ever and the guru of all Vaishnav since he was a devotee of Lord Vishnu of whom Lord Krishna was an avatar.

Legend of Gopeshwar Mahadev

Legends go that on the full moon night of Sharad Purnima, Krishna along with Radha was performing Raas Leela on the moonlit banks of Yamuna River near Vamshivat when Lord Shiva along with his wife, Pravati arrived there to take part in the same. Goddess Parvati was allowed to enter there but Lord Shiva was restricted from it because males were not supposed to take part in it. So, he was stopped on the outskirts of Vrindavan by Vrinda Devi, the deity of Vrindavan who told him that the reason for restricting him to enter is the lack of Sakhibhav which was a must for Raas leela which is intended to please Goddess Radha.

Shiva was determined to participate in it and so he meditated with Radha in his mind. Pleased by his meditation, Radha sent her close friend Lalita to bring him over into the Rasamandal after introducing him to Sakhibhav. Lalita went over to Lord Shiva and explained the deepest secrets of Sakhibhav, post which she asked him to take a dip in the holy Yamuna with full passion to achieve Sakhibhav.

When Shiva took the dip, he came back as a beautiful damsel and then Lalita took him to Rasamandal. Lord Krishna recognised Lord Shiva and named the female form of him as Gopeshwar. Shiva considered Lalita as his guru since she helped him understand the secrets of Sakhibhav. The belief prevalent about the Shiva Linga is that it was installed by Vraja Gopis themselves who worshipped him to attain Krishna as their husbands.