Kashi Bindu Madhava

A very important place that must be visited by those on a pilgrimage to Kashi is Sri Bindumadhava temple. Lord Vishnu resides in the city of Kashi in His form known as Bindumadhava. The temple is very small, but great is its glory. A pilgrimage to Kashi itself would be incomplete without a darshana of Bindumadhava.
Sri Vadirajateertha Gurusarvabhouma praises Sri Bindumadhava as

sa bindumādhavaḥ pāyādvibhōryasya nirīkṣaṇāt।
apārō’pihi sansārasindhurbindutvamaśnutē॥

The gaze of who reduces the boundless ocean of our Samsara to the size of a tiniest droplet, may such Bindumadhava protect us.

Pleased by the penance of a sage named Agnibindu, Lord Shri Hari appeared in this place as Bindumadhava. Sri Vijayadasaru hymns this as Agnibindu varada (He who blessed Agnibindu), Anaadimooruti (He who has no beginning), Ajnaana parihaara Vijayavittala (Vijayavittala, the expeller of ignorance). (There is also a belief that this very sage Agnibindu was Sri Jnananidhiteertharu, a previous preceptor in the Madhwa lineage.)

Sri Bindumadhava temple was once very grand. When evildoers cast their eyes on it, the temple got destroyed and their edifice came up over it. Going by the name Alangir, Kalipurusha established his dominance upon Sanatana Dharma. Do you know what his infamous name is? Aurangazeb! A mosque named Alangir usurped the Bindumadhava temple. Ever since then, till date, that is for 300 years now, the original temple of Sri Bindumadhava has been displaced, now situated at a small site opposite to that mosque. This new (let’s call it formerly new) temple was established by none other than Shivaji Maharaj.

Bindumadhava temple is situated in a place called Panchaganga Ghat.

There is a reason as to why it is called the Panchaganga Ghat. Two rivers named Kiranaa and Dhootapaapaa join the Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswathi confluence that comes from Prayaga. Surya performed a rigorous penance unto Sri Bindumadhava. At that time, a drop of sweat that perspired out of him flowed as a river. This is the river named Kiranaa. Another sage called Devashira performed penance here. His daughter too was an ascetic. She flowed as a river that cleansed everyone of their sins; this is the Dhootapaapaa river. At present, only the Ganga river can be seen here. Rest all have merged into her.

Thus, because of the observations performed by Aparokshis and for being located at the confluence of the holy rivers, the presence of the Lord is very conspicuous here even to this day. This is why Sri Vadirajaru has said that Bindumadhava, with his glance, reduces the pile of our sins to a speck. We have to expiate that remnant tiny speck by submitting our actions to Him.

Bindumadhava temple is located about 1 km away from Vishwanatha temple. We have to go through Manikarnika Ghat to reach there by walk. This is a road of small lanes. On the way, we must pass through the crematorium. All along the route, we must proceed asking for directions. Even while returning, passersby must be enquired to ensure that we are on the right path. An easier way would be to get down at the Ganga river ghat near Vishwanatha temple, and reach Panchaganga ghat from there by a boat. Here, about 50-60 steps must be climbed to have a darshana of Bindumadhava above. All exhaustion of climbing these stairs would vanish upon seeing the beautiful moorti of Sri Bindumadhava. He is very lovely.

Situated in the vicinity of this Bindumadhava temple is Partagaali Jeevotthama Mata of Madhwa tradition. This can be visited.