Biography of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji (of Gaudiya Sect.)

Shri Lalit Kishori Ji was born in Lucknow on the 2nd day of the dark fortnight in the month of Kartik (Oct-Nov) in 1825. His paternal grandfather, Shah Biharilalji, was a well-known wealthy man in Lucknow at that time. He received the title "Shah" from the Nawabs. His eldest son, Shah Govindlalji's second wife, gave birth to Shri Lalit Kishori Ji. His name was Shah Kundanlal. His younger brother's name was Shah Phundanlal.

In childhood, both the brothers were given education in Persian. Both were endowed with sharp intellects, so soon they became well versed in Persian. For a few days, they kept studying Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, etc. languages ​​and became proficient in that too.

Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had come for the darshan of Vrindavan in 1849. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji's grandfather Shah Bihari Lal had built a new temple of his presiding deity Shri Radharaman Ji. Ever since the temple was built, Shah Bihari Lal had not come to Vrindavan to see it. Both these brothers were great devotees from childhood. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had a great interest in all these subjects, so both the brothers were sent to Vrindavan to see the temple. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had brought a golden throne for Shri Radharaman Ji. They found the place of Vrindavan very beautiful and they wished to stay here, but at that time it was impossible, till that time their grandfather, father, etc. were alive. Even Shri Lalit Kishori Ji did not try to stay in Vrindavan permanently. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji returned to Lucknow after traveling all over Braj for about a month.

Shri Lalit Kishori Ji left Vrindavan and went to Lucknow. But he kept looking for opportunities that when should I go to Vrindavan. A few days later, the paternal grandfather of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji passed, and a year later his father also passed away. After two or three months of his father's death, his mother also went to heaven. Due to three sudden incidents, the mind of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji became very disturbed, due to the absence of his father and grandfather, his family became disordered. Many troubles started being given to Shri Lalit Kishori Ji on behalf of the family. Even the suffering became unbearable, but Shri Lalit Kishori Ji was very tolerant since childhood, who used to serve Shri Radha and used to spend the whole day in the service of Shri Radha Krishn, because of this he did not care about all those sufferings.

At the same time, Shri Radha Govind Goswami, the spiritual master of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji from Vrindavan, came to Lucknow. With his arrival, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji's mental attitudes shifted to the spiritual side, he received many teachings from the spiritual master and listened to 'Shri Gopal Champu' literature. When Shri Radha Govind Goswami started going back to Vrindavan, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji sent the deity of Shri Radharaman Ji with him to Vrindavan and said that "please take care of Shri Radharaman Ji, we will soon come to Vrindavan and build our residence." One day Shri Radharaman Ji ordered Shri Lalit Kishori Ji in a dream that you should come to Shri Vrindavan and get my residence constructed near Nidhivan. Shahji Sahab (Shri Lalit Kishori Ji) composed a verse at the same time.

- Abhilash Madhuri, Man Shiksha (288)

Shah Phundanlal Ji, brother of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji, used to collect all the verses created by him.

When the mind of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji was very disturbed to go to Vrindavan, he took shelter of the court and distributed all the property. In this quarrel, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had to go to places like Calcutta, Kanpur, etc. many times. But his work continued continuously and he continued to compose verses every day.

Finally, in a dark fortnight in the month of Chaitra (April) in 1855, both the brothers marched to Vrindavan. In those days there was a lot of fear of robbers on the way to Vrindavan. Lalitkisori Ji had to go to Vrindavan with enough money for the construction of a huge temple as per the orders of Radharamanji. Therefore, on the 13th day in the bright fortnight in the month of Vaishak (April-May) in 1856, both the brothers left for Vrindavan with an army of 4000 armed soldiers for protection. Shri Lalitkisori Ji started residing in King Patnimal's Kunj near the temple of Shri Radharaman Ji. Some of the servants accompanying him remained with him, for all the other servants, arrangements were made to stay in big tents on the banks of the Yamuna.

From here the moral life of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji started. He never used to wear shoes or slippers in Vrindavan. He didn't keep anything of comfort close to him. He had such faith in Shri Dham that after coming to Vrindavan, he never went outside the limits of Vrindavan. Even he ordered that his picture should never be sent outside Vrindavan. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji used to smoke hookah in Lucknow, but when he came to Vrindavan, he camped somewhere outside the border of Braj, there a servant brought hookah for him. But Shri Lalit Kishori Ji kicked that hookah and reached the border of Braj. He entered Braj barefoot. Since then he never smoked hookah.

Once Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had to go out of Vrindavan. Even then he did not go outside the limits of Braj, this is also a very strange story. In 1857, when there was a nationwide uprising, even Vrindavan was not untouched by this. Under the chairmanship of Thakur Hira Singh, a group of rebels came to rob Vrindavan, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had sufficient army and weapons and they came with their military force to protect Vrindavan. At the same time, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji got an auspicious message of the birth of a son. The army started firing guns. Seeing the extraordinary military force of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji, the rebellion broke down and they were all hungry for many days, so they took shelter of Shahji. Shahji also took care of them by providing food and shelter for three days. While leaving, Hira Singh said, "Shahji, give us whatever valuable things you have, we will not rob anything anywhere in Braj. Shahji said ok and asked a servant to bring his box, in which there was a very beautiful picture of Shri Radhakrishna and a bottle of Charanamrit. Shahji took it out and gave it to Hira Singh and said that I have nothing more priceless than these two things. That picture was so beautiful and full of emotion that the robber's heart filled with joy. 'Sri Chaitanya Charitamrit' states that "If a man gets association of Shri Krishn's devotees even for a moment, he will get the devotion of Lord Krishn." Hira Singh remained under the shelter of an exalted devotee Shahji for three days, if Hira Singh's mind was turned towards Shri Krishn, then what is the wonder in this. Tears started flowing from Hira Singh's eyes and he asked Shahji to give this picture to me. Shahji gave that picture to him, he quietly went away with both things. In this way Shri Lalit Kishori Ji protected Braj.

Here, when peace was established again, then a warrant came out in the name of Shah Kundanlal (Shri Lalit Kishori Ji) from the Supreme Court. Hearing this, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji did not get disturbed in the slightest. When he came to the court in Mathura, as per the rules of the court, after the affidavit, etc., his talk started like this.

Magistrate - Was some rebel staying at your house?

Shahji - No, they stayed in Braj.

Magistrate - How many days?

Shahji - three days.

Magistrate - Why did you give support to the rebels of the government?

Shahji - No, it is not called support, I had wished to take him under control by any means only to protect Braj. When he himself had come to my refuge, it was my duty that I should not trouble him in any way, I did my duty by protecting Braj, I did what you had to do.

Magistrate - Well, Kundanlal, do you know what punishment is given to those who help the rebels?

Shahji - You are powerful, can punish me by any punishment. You can give death sentence, not more than this.

Magistrate - (annoyingly) Well, this is what you will be punished for. You will be hanged.

Shahji - I accept your punishment but as a human being, I make a request to you that I should be hanged in Vrindavan and there should be Shri Harinaam Sankirtana around me at the time of hanging, except the name of God, I don't want to hear anything. In this way, this hanging will be a reward for me.

Magistrate - Looks like you're a religious person? I know that it is written in your religious book that the king is the father of the people, the people should also consider him equal to the father.

Shahji - Yes, I used to consider the king as equal to the father, I believe and will continue to believe.

Magistrate - You will be hanged now, how will you continue to believe in the future? Are you going to live in the future?

Shahji - I was afraid of you as long as the king was unaware of his duty, when the king understood his duty i.e. started treating the people as his sons, then I have no fear of you. If the father gets angry and gives any punishment to the child, then he punishes for his good only. There can be no harm to the son from the father's side.

Hearing these wise words of his, the magistrate got confused. After deliberating for some time, it was considered appropriate to leave him, so the magistrate acquitted Shri Lalit Kishori Ji. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji came back to Vrindavan by boat while doing Sankirtan.

Shri Lalit Kishori Ji used to look at Vrindavan with great reverence. In Braj, he never used to discard excreta. Instead of discarding his excreta, the soil was brought from Agra and laid. He used to discard excreta in the vessels made of soil from Agra itself. Those vessels were thrown outside the limits of Braj.

Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had written the pastimes of Shri Radhakrishna in verses. Due to his desire to have a direct darshan of those pastimes, he organized Rasleela by spending 3-4 lakh rupees. He had a special interest in Raasleelas. He himself used to compose the verses of Raasleela. He himself used to teach singing, dancing, and acting to the actors and singers of Raasleela.

From the 5th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magh (Jan-Feb) in 1860, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji started the construction work of his residence. This huge marble building (the present 'Shahji ka Mandir') was completed in eight years. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji named his residence "Shri Lalit Nikunj". On the 5th day of the month of Magh (Jan-Feb) in 1868, with great ceremony, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji took the deity of Shri Radharamanji to this new building and installed it there. The rest of his life was spent in great peace and joy.

Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had composed many verses and couplets. He has composed verses of Vinay (request), Vrindavan Shatak (greatness of Vrindavan in 100 verses), Shiksha (education in spiritual path), Manah Shiksha (inner education), Futkar Pada (random verses), Ghazals (poetic songs), etc. which are compiled in the book 'Abhilash Madhuri'.

He had a fever after Dussehra in 1873. In ten to twelve days he was cured but still, he was weak. On the 1st day of Kartik (Oct-Nov) month, he came to know that his long-time wish to renounce this mortal body while doing Sankirtan of Shri Radha Krishn's name in the dust of Shri Vrindavan is near. Therefore, he took renunciation that day and remembered many teachings of the scriptures. From that day the weakness in his body started increasing somewhat. On Thursday morning, his younger brother Shah Phundanlal Ji, seeing his weakness, requested him for medical treatment. But knowing his time of disappearance is near, he said, "make a platform from the dust of Vrindavan." Saying this Shri Lalit Kishori Ji engaged in his daily routine. Here the younger Shah Ji made a platform after filtering the soft clean sand of Yamuna Ji and took the bed of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji near it. Shri Lalit Kishori Ji was very happy to see the platform as if he had got the throne of a kingdom. Immediately sitting on it, he ordered that start the Sankirtan and don't let anyone come here except the nine men of our attendant. The younger Shahaji started the Sankirtan according to his orders. At this time the patience of the younger Shahji was commendable, he himself was not only brave but also used to give patience to others and was reciting the name of Shri Radheshyam to Shahji Sahab (Shri Lalit Kishori Ji). Three pictures of Shri Radharaman Ji were put on three sides of Shahji Sahab. One on the right, one on the left, and one in the front, wherever the vision goes, only Shri Radha Krishn could be seen. Shahji Sahab was also slowly taking holy names in a finer voice.

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, Shri Lalit Kishori Ji composed a verse and sang -

At this time, the body of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji became very joyous. His face was looking like a rose, which had never been seen even when he was healthy. Sometimes he used to touch the feet of the pictures and put them on the forehead, sometimes he used to express to dance. Sometimes he used to do kirtan raising his hands, sometimes he used to move towards the pictures with outstretched hands as if he would take the image of Shri Radha Krishn in his heart or he would get absorbed in these pictures. At around 3 o'clock in afternoon, he took the name of Radheshyam four times with a smile and while looking at the pictures without eyes blinking, left this mortal body and got absorbed at the Lotus Feet of Shri Radha.

The news of the passing of Shri Lalit Kishori Ji spread like lightning. People started coming from far away. His body's last journey took place in a very strange way. The soft sand of Shri Yamuna Ji was laid on the roads of Vrindavan. From there he was taken away. A vermilion-colored cloth was tied on his body like a young renounced woman. There was the last moment's smile on his face. Thousands of men were taking Shri Lalit Kishori Ji walking very slowly. Thousands of men were rolling in the dust, dancing and performing kirtan. Everyone used to touch his feet and put them on the foreheads of their children. He was taken from the gates of the principal temples, where he was honored with prasad, scarf, and garlands from the temple. Prasad was given in his mouth, the scarf was put on him. From there he was buried in Shri Yugal Vatika. This place was some distance away from Nidhivan but Shri Lalit Kishori Ji had already assigned his place near Nidhivan. Therefore, after a few days, his samadhi was taken from there and installed at the gate named Chandpol of the new building which is very near to Nidhivan. Even today both the brothers are on both sides of the gate like Jai Vijay.