Shri Brahmand Bihari Mandir
- Brahmand Ghat, Gokul Mahavan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
- +91 7060492877
- shribrahmandbiharimandir@gmail.com
Shri Brahmand Bihari Mandir, located at the sacred Brahmand Ghat in Gokul Mahavan, Mathura, holds immense religious and historical importance in the holy region of Braj Chaurasi Kos.
Every place in Braj is associated with the divine pastimes (Leelas) of Lord Krishna and Radha Rani. Devotees visit these sacred sites to attain spiritual fulfillment and blessings. At different places, Lord Krishna is offered various types of bhog such as peda, makhan-mishri, rabri, sweets, and other delicacies.
However, Brahmand Ghat is unique, as here Lord Krishna is offered sacred clay (Mitti) as bhog.
This tradition originates from a divine childhood pastime of Lord Krishna.
While playing with the cowherd boys near the Yamuna River, Lord Krishna ate mud. This लीला is considered extremely divine and significant.
Even today, local devotees collect soil from the Yamuna River, dry it, purify it carefully, and prepare “Mitti ke Pede”, which are offered to the deity and later distributed as Prasad.
According to the divine pastimes, once Mother Earth (Prithvi Mata) prayed to Lord Krishna, requesting Him to bless her just as He brought joy to the people of Braj through His Leelas.
To fulfill her wish, Lord Krishna performed the लीला of eating mud.
One day, while playing hide and seek with His friends, Krishna went aside and, in the process of blessing Mother Earth, touched and kissed the soil. Some mud entered His mouth, and some remained on His lips.
When His friends and elder brother Balram Ji saw this, they immediately went to inform Mother Yashoda.
Mother Yashoda came and held Krishna’s hand. Seeing Him, she asked firmly,
”Have you eaten mud?”
Krishna replied innocently,
”No Maiya, I have not eaten mud. They are all lying. If you think they are telling the truth, you can look inside my mouth.”
When Mother Yashoda asked Him to open His mouth, she was left completely astonished.
She saw within His mouth:
She became confused and wondered whether it was a dream, divine illusion, or some supernatural power.
Despite witnessing this divine cosmic form, Mother Yashoda’s love for Krishna as her child remained unchanged. Her maternal affection became even deeper.
The soil of Braj, known as Braj Raj, is considered extremely sacred because Lord Krishna has touched it, played in it, and accepted it.
Devotees visiting this place deeply respect this sacred soil and often take it home as a blessing.
It is believed that:
Devotees may:
Thousands of devotees visit the temple every day to:
The temple also has a sacred Peepal tree, where devotees tie threads or ribbons while praying for the long life and well-being of their loved ones.