Biography of Shri Lalitmohinidev Ji - Rasik Saint of Vrindavan

Shri Lalitmohinidev Ji was a descendant of Shri Hariram Vyas. He was born in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh in the Year 1780.

Shri Lalit Mohinidev Ji had left home and come to Vrindavan at a young age and took initiation from 'Shri LalitKishoridev Ji' of the Haridasi sect. After the disappearance of Shri Lalit Kishori Dev in 1623, He became Mahant of the place and He was the eighth Acharya of the Haridasi sect.

Shri Lalit Mohanidev Ji was famous for his renunciation and sage-services. His theory was that body, mind, wealth are all for sage-services. He wrote:

One day Sri Swami Lalitmohini Dev Ji was resting after taking prasad and serving saints, but his mind was a little restless. He would often look towards the entrance of the ashram, go there and then return. The saint living there asked - Swamiji! Whom are you waiting for?

Swamiji said - A Muslim devotee will bring the deity of Shri Yugal Kishor Ji. I am waiting for him. After some time, that Muslim devotee came there with a pitcher on his head and talked about bringing two deities. On the request of Shri Swamiji, he told that digging of the land is going on in the Ding fort.

I have been doing excavation work there for many days. Yesterday while digging, I saw this pitcher, knowing that it was full of wealth and then pressed it into the soil so that the laborers could not see it. At night again, I brought this urn home, I thanked God many times that my life will be filled with joy, but, when I came home and saw it in the urn, these two deities came out, not even a single penny was there.

Swami Ji - Who told you to bring them here?

Laborer - When I was sleeping in the night, Thakur Ji came in my dream and ordered that I should reach Shri Swamiji in the morning at Tatiya Sthan in Vrindavan, so I have brought them here.

Swamiji took out the deities and returned the empty pot to the Muslim devotee and said: brother! You are very lucky, God will remove all your troubles. The Muslim laborer returned home with an empty pitcher, thinking on the way that such a miraculous Mahatma returned me empty-handed - It was not at all expected, even in my dream. Today's wages are also gone. Arrived in the house, put a pitcher in a fowl; depressed, and slept on a broken bed.

His wife asked - had you gone to Vrindavan?

What did Swami Ji give you?

Filled the pot with gold coins?

The laborer didn't reply.

He closed His eyes and turned to sleep. When His wife saw the pitcher in the corner, she saw that the pitcher is full of gold coins, She came to her husband, dancing with joy, she said, Wow! Despite all this wealth, could you not bring a little puffed rice for the children? Hearing the name of the gold coins, the devotee stood alert and looking at the pitcher, a tearful stream came out of his eyes. Who did I thank, God, or Swami Ji who lent me such wealth? Even I didn't realize the weight while carrying this heavy pot on my head and walking hundreds of miles, how blessed am I?

Shri Lalit Mohinidas Ji established Thakur Shri Mohini Bihari Ji at Tatiya Sthan at His place in the year 1823. At that time, the bamboo sticks were installed all around, since then only the renounced priests are worshipping and doing sewa at this place. The costumes of the priests are also very different from others.

During the time of Shri Lalit Mohinidas Ji, it was the rule of this place that whatever flour, pulse, ghee, and milk comes in, it is served on the same day to Thakur Bhoga and to the saints. After the evening time, everyone's utensils are emptied and washed and kept in reverse, there was never a shortage of food items. Once the Yavana ruler of Delhi heard this rule, sent one of his Hindu employee for examination with a bundle filled with true pearl and served in the night after dinner.

Shri Mahant Ji said - Wow, you brought these pearl at a very good time. Mahant Ji immediately grilled them and filled it in paan beedi and offered it to Shri Thakur Ji and kept nothing for tomorrow. Shri Mahant Ji was truly a renounced saint. He also had the rule that no matter how many sweet dishes were offered to the Lord, the saints used to consume only a few grains from that prasad, and used to serve the sweet dishes to the devotees and go for alms.
The brilliance of Shri Lalit Mohini Dev was so exaggerated that the then Gwalior-King Sindhia wanted to show his devotion by raising his palanquin, but Swamiji stopped.

Shri Lalit Mohini Dev was the originator of the present singing system of the "Samaj" of Tatiya Sthan place. The Muslim ruler, impressed by you, presented three areas, whose annual income would have been crores of rupees in today's era. It is also written in the agreement of the offering that no government official should give any kind of obstruction in this and collect the entire rent and bring it to the service of Swamiji. What to say of recovering or accepting the rent, Shri Swami Lalit Mohini Dev Ji did not even look at it. And that agreement remained only paper, which is still safe in the Tatiya Sthan place.

Shri Lalitmohinidev Ji had many disciples. Among them, 'Shri Bhagwat Rasik Ji' and 'Shri Chaturdas Ji' were prominent. After His disappearance, Shri Chaturdas Ji became Mahant of Tatiya Sthan.

The verses of Shri Lalitmohinidev Ji is included in the 'Ashtacharyan Vani'. It also has some verses of Siddhanta and Rasa mainly referred to as “Shri Lalit Mohinidev Ju Ki Vani”.