Sri Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math - Vrindvana, India
Sri Rupa Sanatana Gaudiya Math - Vrindvana, India

This maṭha lies on Dāna-galī, very close to Śrī Sevā-kuñja, the heart of Śrī Dhāma Vṛndāvana, and has become a famous place for darśana. Prema-puruṣottama Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the ocean of mercy, sent the brothers Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī to Śrī Vṛndāvana to (i) re-establish the lost places of pastimes in Śrī Vṛndāvana, (ii) establish deities, (iii) compose literatures on bhakti and (iv) establish vaiṣṇava-sadācāra, or proper vaiṣṇava behaviour (smṛti). By the causeless mercy and encouragement of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmīs established Śrī Govindadeva and Śrī Madana-mohana, re-discovered lost places of pilgrimage (tīrthas), and composed vaiṣṇava-smṛti and bhakti texts like Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta, Laghu- bhāgavatāmṛta, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamaṇi and Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.

Vrinda devi

RadhaVinodeTo keep alive the memory of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, who fulfilled Śrīman Mahāprabhu's inner heart's desire, or mano'bhiṣṭa, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja and Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja established this maṭha. They did this under the inspiration of the founder of Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti, nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, and under the direction of the members of Śrī Gauḍīya Vedānta Samiti.

The distinguishing feature of this maṭha is the presence of Śrī Vṛndā-devī in one of the three sections (prakoṣṭhas) of the altar. In the remaining two sections are Śrī Gaurasundara along with Śrī Rādhā-Vinoda-bihārījī and gurupādapadma Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. At the present time, the only other prominent deity of Śrīmatī Vṛndā-devī can be found in Kāmyavana.