Ramchandra Kaviraja
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung: "daya koro sri acarya prabhu srinivasa, ramacandra sanga mage narottama dasa—O Srinivasa acarya Prabhu, kindly have mercy upon me; Narottama dasa always prays for the association of Ramacandra Kaviraja."
Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja was one of the internal associates of Narottama Thakura. The two of them were practically inseparable. Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja had obtained the full mercy and blessings of Srinivasa acarya. Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja's father's name was Ciranjiva Sena—his mother's name was Sri Sunanda. At first Sri Ciranjiva Sen lived in Kumara Nagara. After he married the daughter of the poet Sri Damodara Kavi, he moved to the village of Sri Khanda. Ciranjiva Sen was a Mahabhagavata, a topmost devotee of the Lord. The devotees of Sri Khanda, headed by Narahari Sarakara Thakura all had great affection and respect for Ciranjiva.
Ciranjiva is mentioned in Caitanya-Caritamrta by Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami as follows (CC Madhya 11.92): "Gopinatha acarya continued to point out the devotees [to Prataparudra Maharaja]. 'Here is Suklambara. See, there is Sridhara. Here is Vijaya, and there is Vallabha Sena. Here is Purusottama, and there is Sanjaya. And here are all the residents of Kulina-grama, such as Satyaraja Khan and Ramananda. Indeed, all of them are present here. Please see. Here are Mukunda dasa, Narahari, Sri Raghunandana, Ciranjiva and Sulocana, all residends of Khanda. How many names shall I speak to you? All the devotees you see here are associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is their life and soul.' The King said, 'Upon seeing all these devotees, I am much astonished, for I have never seen such an effulgence. Indeed their effulgence is like the brilliance of a million suns. Nor have I ever heard the Lord's names chanted so melodiously.'"
Mukunda dasa, Narahari, Sri Raghunandana, and Ciranjiva all lived in Khanda.
They were as one, for their aim in life was the same, and every year at the time of the Ratha-yatra festival they used to go to Jagannatha Puri dhama to take darsan of the holy feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to take part in the kirtana and behold his wonderful dancing and chanting.
Ciranjiva Sen took birth in a vaidya family, that is, within the doctor caste. His two sons were Sri Ramacandra and Sri Govinda. These two sons were great jewels. Both of them attained the mercy of Srinivasa acaraya Prabhu, after which they went to live in Teliya-budhari-grama. Budhari-grama is in the Mursidabad district.
Ramacandra Kaviraja was especially enthusiastic, earnest, persevering, energetic, intelligent, and beautiful. His maternal grandfather was Sri Damodara Kaviraja, who was famous as a great poet. He used to instruct people in the philosophy of the saktas. He was also initiated into the path of dharma followed by the saktas.
After the passing away of their father, Ciranjiva, Sri Ramacandra and Sri Govinda went to live at the place of their grandfather Damodara Kaviraja. As they were living with their scholarly grandfather, who was a follower of sakta-ism, they too gradually became infected with this anti-devotional philosophy, even though their father had been a great mahabhagavata devotee and personal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ramacandra Sen became a doctor and gradually he became famous as a highly learned poet as well.
One day, Ramacandra Kaviraja was on the road to Yajigrama, on his way home from his wedding. At that time, Srinivasa acarya was passing on the road, accompanied by his followers.
One day Shrinivasa Acharaya was in Yajigrama at his own house, where many devotees had gathered to hear him lecture on Shrimad-Bhagavatam. At that time, passing by the house of Shrinivasa Acharya was Ramachandra Kaviraja the son of Chiranjiva Sen (one of Mahaprabhu's eternal associates). He had just been married, and he and his new bride were on their way back from the wedding.
From a long way off, Shrinivasa Acharya saw Ramachandra Kaviraja, and Ramachandra Kaviraja also saw Shrinvasa Acharya from a distance. Upon seeing each other from a distance a deep mood of friendship arose within the hearts of those two eternally perfect devotees of Shri Gauranga. After seeing each other they were eager to meet one another. Shrinivasa Acharya inquired about Ramachandra Kaviraja from the local people. They told him that he was a great pandita named Ramacandra—a learned poet and expert doctor from a family of doctors and scholars. Hear all this, Srinivasa acarya smiled, for he was greatly pleased.
Ramachandra Kaviraja had heard about Shrinivasa Acharya and was eager to have his darsana. In this way, he finally went to the house of Srinivasa acarya along with his new bride and were introduced by some of the local people. The day passed quickly in discussion of Hari-katha. They spent the night where they had been staying since coming to Yajigrama, at a brahmana's house near the home of Shrinvasa Acharaya, and the following morning went to Shrinivasa Acharya and fell before his feet offering prostrated obeisances.
The Acharya bade Ramachandra Kaviraja to get up from the ground, and heartily embraced him saying, "Life after life you have been my friend. Providence has brought us together again today by arranging our meeting." Both of them felt great happiness as a result of their having met. Seeing that Ramchandra had an acute and deeply learned transcendental intelligence, Shrinivasa was very happy. He began to make him hear the Goswami scriptures. Ramacandra's pure behavior which was always in accordance with the scriptures very much pleased Srinivasa acarya, and after a few days the Acharya initiated him in the divine Radha-Krishna mantra.
After a few days, Ramacandra Kaviraja left Yajigrama and returned to his own village. At that time, the local saktas became envious of him, seeing that he had been initiated into the Vaisnava faith. Ramacandra Kaviraja always marked his body with the twelve tilaka marks of a devotee and always chanted the holy name of Hari.
One day, after having taken his bath in the Ganges, Ramacandra Kaviraja was on his way home when the saktas confronted him saying, "Kaviraja! Why don't you worship Siva? Your grandfather Damodara Kaviraja was a great devotee of Siva, so why have you given up his worship?"
Ramacandra said, "Both Siva and Brahma are guna-avataras, qualitative incarnations of the Lord, but Krsna is the root of all avataras, all incarnations. Simply by worshiping Krsna all worship is performed, just as by watering the root of a tree, all the leaves and branches are automatically nourished. Prahlada, Dhruva, Vibhisana and others who were dear devotees of Krsna are always glorified by Brahma and Siva. On the other hand Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Vanasura, and others were envious of Krsna and were solely devoted to Siva. But because they were envious of Krsna, Siva himself saw to their destruction.
"When Brahma creates the universe, He prays to Visnu for success in the matter of creation. And Siva also submits himself to Lord Visnu by carrying upon his head the Ganges, the water that has washed the lotus feet of Visnu and that sanctifies the three worlds."
Hearing all this, the smarta brahmanas, the materialistic worshipers of Siva known as the saktas were speechless.
Gradually, Ramacandra Kaviraja became eager to go to Vrndavana and take darssana of the holy feet of the Goswamis there. After receiving permission and blessings from various Vaisnavas in Bengal, including Sri Raghunandana Thakura, he set out for Vrndavana on an auspicious day. On the way to Vrndaavana, he vistied Gaya, Kasi, Prayaga, and many other holy places. At long last he arrived in Mathura. There bathed in the Yamuna at Visrama ghata, and after bathing, he rested for some time. He took darsana of the adi Kesava deity at the birthplace of Sri Krsna and then continued on his way to Vrndavana.
At that time, Srinivasa acarya was staying in Vrndavana. Arriving there, Ramacandra Kaviraja offered his obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Jiva Goswami and Srinivasa acarya and gave the devotees there the auspicious news about all the devotees in Bengal. On the order of Jiva Goswami, Ramacandra Kaviraja went to visit the three principal deities of Vrndavana: Sri Madana-Mohan, Sri Govinda, and Sri Gopinatha, as well as the memorial shrine or samadhi of Sanatana Goswami. He took darsana of the holy feet of the principle Goswamis residing in Vrndavana at the time, including Sri Lokanatha Goswami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami, and Sri Bhugarbha Goswami. Seeing Ramacandra's wonderful expertise in composing beautiful verses glorifying Sri Krsna, they gave him the title "Kaviraja," in recognition of his scholarship.
After staying in Vrndavana for some time under the guidance of those great souls, and after visiting the important holy places, Ramacandra was ordered by the Goswamis to return to Bengal. Arriving in Bengal, he passed through Sri Khanda, Yajigrama, Khadadaha, Ambika Kalna, and other famous Vaisnava centers, before arriving in Nabadwipa, where he visited Mayapura. There he went to the ancient house of Jagannatha Misra, where he found Mahaprabhu's old family servant, ^sana Thakura. After introducing himself, he took the dust from the holy feet of ^sana and prayed for his blessings, which he received. Ramacandra Kaviraja was extremely dear to Srinivasa acarya, and for this reason, Narottama Thakura considered Ramacandra Kaviraja to be his life and soul. A discussion of their pastimes together is found in the chapter on Narottama dasa Thakura.
Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja delivered many sinners and nonbelievers to a life of auspiciousness as a result of his mercy. At the festival in Kheturi-grama, he was one of the leaders. On the order of Narottama dasa Thakura and Srinivasa acarya he again went to Vrndavana. When he arrived there, he found that almost all the Goswamis had passed away. When he found that so many great souls had passed away, his heart was deeply pained. After some days in Vrndavana, feeling the pain of separation in this way, while deeply meditating upon the lotus feet of Sri Radha and Govinda, he entered into their eternal Vrndavana pastimes. His disappearance day is on the third day of the dark moon in the month of Pausa.
Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja's disciple was Sri Harinama acarya. Ramacandra Kaviraja composed many beautiful verses in glorification of Sri Gauranga. The following song is an example of one of the many prayers composed by Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja. In this song he glorifies the inconceivable transcendental mercy of Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu who descended to save all souls in the dense darkenss of the age of Kali; here he also expresses his deep Vaisnava humility, by lamenting that he was unable to taste even a drop of the Lord's mercy.
Song by Ramacandra Kaviraja
dekha dekha are bhai gauranga canda parakasa
purnimara canda yena udita akasa
simharasi paurnamasi gaura avatara
chadala yuger bhara dharani nistara
mahitale achaye yateka jivatapa
harala sakala pahun nijahi pratapa
kaliyuge tapa-japa nahi kona tantra
prakasila mahapratu hare-krsna mantra
premera vadara kari bharila samsara
pataki naraki saba paila nistara
andha avadhi yata kare parakasa
bindu na padila mukhe ramacandra dasa.
"Just see! Just see, brothers how Sri Gauranga has arisen like a golden moon. Just as the full moon had arisen in the sky, another, fuller moon arose in the form of the Gaura avatara, just to deliver us all from this dark age of ignorance.
His mercy takes away all the suffering of the jiva souls. Japa, mantras, austerities and other rituals are all useless for purification in the age of Kali. The only means of deliverance is the hare krsna mantra. Mahaprabhu is so kind that he has manifest the nectar of the holy name, so that the souls in this dark age can be released from the cycle of repeated birth and death and a hellish life in the lower planetary systems and experience divine love.
Whether one is blind or dumb does not matter; everyone one can drown in this inundation. In this way Caitanya Mahaprabhu has drowned everyone in love of Godhead, but Ramacandra dasa is so unfortunate that he could not taste even a drop of that nectar.
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Jayadeva Goswami
Shri Jayadeva Goswami was the court pandit of Shri Lakshman Sena, the King of Bengal. Jayadeva's father was Bhojadev, and his mother's name was Bamadevi. They lived in the Birbhum district of what is now West Bengal in a village called Kenubilva Gram. He was born at the beginning of the twelfth centrury AD.
Jayadeva Goswami's wife was named Shri Padmavati. When he was the court pandit of Laksman Sen, he lived on the banks of the Ganges. Approximately three hundred years before the appearance of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Jayadeva Goswami lived in Bengal. He was the author of Shri Gita Govinda, which is mentioned by Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami in the Chaitanya Charitamrita as follows (CC ML 2/11): "Day and night, in teh company of Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to hear with great ecstasy the songs of Vidyapati and Chandidas, as well as a drama composed by Ramananda Raya. He also used to relish hearing the Krishna-Karnamrita and the Gita-Govinda. In his introduction, Jayadeva says that the Gita Govinda is a scripture describing the intimate pastimes of Shri Radha and Govinda. It may be worshiped and served by those who are extremely qualified in devotional piety. For those who are constantly remembering the rasik pastimes of Shri Hari within his mind, Shri Jayadeva has composed this divine poetic song glorifying the Lord's internal pastimes. He requests the topmost spiritually advanced souls to hear it with gravity and attention.
There are many many traditional stories regarding the life of Shri Jayadeva. The following story is generally accepted as authoritative. One day, Shri Jayadeva Goswami was composing a particulary sensitive section of the Gita-Govinda, describing Krishna's relationship with the gopis headed by Radharani. He meditated deeply on what he had written and became concerned that he had perhaps gone too far in describing the exalted character of the gopis. What he had written seemed to represent Krishna's position as being, in a sense, subordinate to that of the gopis. And yet Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How could he be subordinate to the gopis? He had been inspired to pen a line stating that Krishna bows down to touch the lotus feet of Shri Radha. But his hand shrank from the page. He hesitated thinking, "How can I commit such an idea to writing? How can I have the audacity to put such a thing it in black and white?" At that time he decided to go bathe in the Ganges, in hopes that perhaps some inspiration would come to him.
Jayadeva Goswami went off to take his afternoon bath, leaving his wife Padmavati behind to cook the offering for the Deities. While he was away, Krishna arrived at his house in the dress of Jayadeva. Krishna went over to Jayadeva's writing desk, and there found the sheaves of palm upon which the Gita-Govinda was written. Krishna picked up Jayadeva's pen and wrote the verse with the line "dehi padapallava-mudaram," wherein it says "Krishna bows down his head to the lotus feet of Shri Radha." With this Krishna, disguised as Jayadeva, sat down and took the prasadam prepared by Padmavati. After finishing his prasadam, Krishna stepped outside and vanished. Just at that time, Jayadeva returned from bathing at the Ganges. When he asked about prasadam, his wife was perplexed. When she told Jayadeva what had just happened, Jayadeva was astonished. He was he went over to his book and saw there in wet ink the verse he had thought of writing before he had gone to bathe in the Ganges: dehi padapallavam udaram: Krishna bows down his head to the lotus feet of Shri Radha. Upon seeing that verse he said to Padmavati, "It is a miracle! See here: what I told you I was reluctant to write has been written here exactly as I thought of it." Tears of ecstasy flowed in rivers from his eyes as he understood the mystery of what had just transpired. "Padmavati!" he said, "You are most fortunate. Krishna Himself has written the line, dehi padapallavam udaram, and accepted prasadam from your own hand."
Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written that although Chandidasa, Vidyapati, Bilvamangala, and Jayadeva lived before Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was externally manifest within this world, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's conception of bhakti had arisen within their hearts and was expresed in their writings. Besides the Gita Govinda, Jayadeva Gowsami has written another book called Chandraloka.
The famous Dasa-Avatara-Gita, describing the ten avatars of Vishnu is from Gita-Govinda. Jayadeva Goswami's disappearance day is on Pausha-Sankranti. At present, at Jayadeva's birthplace in Kendubiva Gram, there is a festival every year on this day which is known as the Jayadeva Mela.
More Information
Three hundred years before the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Jayadeva Gosvami served as the court pandita of Sri Laksmana Sena, King of Bengal. Jayadeva and Padmavati (his wife and an expert dancer) used to worship Lord Sri Krishna with single-minded devotion. After some time, he left the opulent royal life to live peacefully in a grass hut in Champahatti, Navadvipa. Here Jayadeva wrote Gita Govinda.
One day while working on Gita Govinda Jayadeva felt inspired to write, "Krishna bows down to touch the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani." Jayadeva was hesitant to say something which might diminish Lord Krishna's position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
He went to refresh himself with a Ganges bath before honor ing Radha-Madhava's maha-prasadam. In his absence, Krishna Himself, disguised as Jayadeva, wrote a line in the Gita Govinda: dehi pada pallavam udaram. The Lord also accepted prasadam from Padmavati. Upon returning, Jayadeva was astonished to see the line. Understanding the mystery, Jayadeva cried in spiritual joy and said, "Padmavati, we are most fortunate. Sri Krishna Him self has written the line, dehi pada pallavam udaram, and taken prasadam from your hand."
Gita Govinda expresses the intense feelings of separation that Sri Radhika felt before the rasa dance. It also describes the most intimate pastimes of Radha-Syamasundara. During Lord Caitanya's Gambhira lila in Jagannatha Puri, He would thorough ly relish hearing the Gita Govinda sung daily by Svarupa Damodara and Mukunda.
The author Jayadeva Gosvami describes Gita Govinda: "Whatever is delightful in varieties of music, whatever is graceful in fine strains of poetry, and whatever is exquisite in the sweet art of love-let the happy and wise learn from the songs of Jayadeva."
After finishing Gita Govinda Jayadeva visited Vrndavana and then lived his last in Jagannatha Puri. He introduced daily reading of Gita Govinda in the temple for the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha.
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Gopal Bhatta Goswami
Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami was the son of Vyenkatta Bhatta, a brahmana resident of Shri Rangam, who was initiated in the Shri Sampradaya. The city of Shri Rangam is located on the Kaveri river in the district of Tanjor about ten miles west of Kumbhakonam. Regarding this temple. Shri Bhaktivedanta Swami remarks as follows. "The Shri Rangam temple is the largest in India, and there are seven walls surrounding it. There are also seven roads leading to Shri Rangam. The ancient names of these roads are Dharma, Rajamahendra, Kulashekhara, Alinadana, Tiruvikrama, Tirubidi and Ada-iyavala-indana. The temple was founded before the reign of Dharmavarma, who reigned before Rajamahendra. Many celebrated kings like Kulashekhara and others such as Alabandaru, resided in the temple of Shri Rangam. Yamunacharya, Shri Ramanuja, Sudarshanacharya, and others also supervised this temple.
According to Bhaktivedanta Swami, "Shri Vyenkatta Bhatta was a Vaishanva brahmana and an inhabitant of Shri Rangakshetra. He belonged in the disciplic succession of Shri Ramanujacharya. Shri Rangam is one of the places of pilgrimage in the province of Tamila-desha. The inhabitants of that province do not retain the name Vyenkatta. It is therefore supposed that Vyenkatta Bhatta did not belong to that province, although he may have been residing there for a very long time. Vyenkatta Bhatta was a membin a branch of the Ramanuja Sampradaya known as Badagala-i. He had a brother in the Ramanuja Sampradaya known as Shripada Prabodhananda Saraswati. The son of Vyenkatta Bhatta was later known in the Gaudiya Sampradaya as Gopala Bhatta Goswami and he established the Radha-ramana temple in Vrindavana. More information about him may be found in a book known as Bhakti-Ratnakara (1.100)by Shri Narahari Cakravarti.
The Gaura-parshada-charitavali describes the life of Gopala Bhatta Goswami as follows. The merciful Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in order to deliver the souls of this world, as well as to distribute krishna-prema everywhere, walked throughout the length and breadth of South India and moved from place to place inundating every town and village with the nectar of the divine name. Drinking the nectar of the holy name from the lotus mouth of Shri Chaitanya Mahrapbhu Himself, thousands and thousands of men and women who were burning in the desert of material existence, quenched their thirst. Thus their lives were freed from the burning of material life, and their souls were cooled. Day after day, the fallen people in general drank the nectar of Krishna's holy name and thus attained life's supreme treasure.
In order to shower nama-prema far and wide like a great thundercloud, Shriman Mahaprabhu came to stay for some time at the great holy place of Shri Rangakshetra. Shri Ranganath's huge and expansive temple is so tall that it appears to reach the heavens. That great temple has seven huge walls. Millions of devotees come to see that deity every year. Within the temple, the brahmanas are constantly chanting the glories of Shri Ranganatha. When Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu entered that temple and began chanting Hare Krishna in kirtan, his song was far sweeter than that of millions of Gandharvas. Everyone was stunned and astonished, and the hairs of their body stood on end. His divine figure was wonderful to behold, and his bodily radiance was dazzling. From his lotus eyes showered torrents of tears of Krishna-prema. The brahmanas wondered, "Is he a god? Is such a manifestation of ecstasy possible in a man?"
Again and again exhorting everyone to chant the holy name, saying, "Haribolo! Haribolo!" he was drowning in the tears that poured from his lotus eyes, as he fell before the deities like a tree that has been cut down. Everyone thought that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared like a golden mountain that had fallen to the earth.
Shri Vyenkatta Bhatta, detecting in Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the symptoms of a Mahapurush, a great personage, could not contain himself as he saw the Lord performing sankirtan. His heart leaped with joy as it became filled with bhakti. Pushing his way through the crowd, he joined the kirtan party and lost himself in dancing and singing the holy name of Hari with the Lord. When the Lord had regained his external consciousness somewhat and had steadied himself, Vyenkatta fell in the dust of his lotus feet and asked the Lord for his mercy. The Lord, saying, "Krishna! Krishna!" heartily embraced him. At that time, Shri Vyenkatta invited the Lord to stay with him in his home during the four months of the rainy season. At his home Vyenkatta Bhatta washed the Lord's lotus feet and drank the holy water. In this way there was great joy within the home of Vyenkatta Bhatta.
The above has been briefly described in the Chaitanya Charitamrita as follows (ML 9.79—86):
papa-nasane vishnu kailo darasane,
shri-ranga-ksetre tabe karila gamana
kaverite snana kari dekhi ranganatha
stuti pranati kari manila krtartha
premaveshe kaila bhauta gana nartena
dekhi camatkara haila saba lokera mana
shri vaishnava eka—vyenkatta bhatta nam
prabhure nimantrana kaila kariya sammana
nija-ghare laya kaila pada praksalana
sei jala kaila sa-vamse bhakshana
bhiksha karaya kichu kaila nivedana
caturmasya asi prabhu haila upasanna
caturmasya kripa kari raha mora ghare
krishna-katha kahi kripaya uddhara amare
tanra ghare rahila prabhu krishna-katha rasa
bhatta-sange gonaila sukhe cari mase.
"After visiting the holy place named Shiva-ketra, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived at Papanashana and there saw the temple of Lord Vishnu. Then He finally reached Shri Ranga-kshetra. After bathing in the river Kaveri, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw the temple of Ranganatha and offered his ardent prayers and obeisances. Thus He felt Himself successful. In the temple of Ranganatha, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chanted and danced in ecstatic love of Godhead. Seeing His performance, everyone was struck with wonder. One Vaishnava known as Vyenkatta Bhatta then invited Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to his home with great respect. Shri Vyenkatta Bhatta took Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to his home. After he washed the Lord's feet, all the members of his family drank the water. After offerin lunch to the Lord, Vyenkatta Bhatta submitted that the period of Chaturmasya had already arrived. Vyenkatta Bhatta said, 'Please be merciful to me and stay at my house during Chaturmasya. Speak about Lord Krishna's pastimes and kindly deliver me by your mercy.' Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu remained at the house of Vyenkatta Bhatta for four continuous months. In this way, The Lord passed His days in great happiness, enjoying the transcendental mellow of discussing Lord Krishna's pastimes."
In the year 1511, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at the house of Vyenkatta Bhatta. At that time Vyenkatta Bhatta lived with his two brothers, Prabodananda Saraswati and Trimalla Bhatta. At that time, Shri Prabodhananda Saraswati was a tridandi sannyasi of the Ramanuja Sampradaya and Vyenkatta Bhatta and Trimalla Bhatta were also Vaishnavas in the Ramanuja Sampradaya. Vyenkatta's son was Gopala Bhatta. At the time of Mahaprabhu's visit, he was only a child. When the little boy offered his respects at the feet of Shri Chaitanya, the Lord picked him up and held him on his lap, affectionately embracing the boy. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to call the boy and give him the remnants of his prasadam. By giving him his prasada in this manner, he was blessing Gopal Bhatta Acharya to become a great acharya in the future.
The Lord arrived in Shri Rangam during the time of Chaturmasya. At that time he stayed in the house of Vyenkatta Bhatta. In Shri Rangam live many Shri Vaishanvas. Seeing the manifestation of divine sentiments in Shri Chaitanya, however, many of them were converted, for they experienced the nectar of Krishna-prema. Every day, one brahmana Vaishanva after another invited the Lord to take lunch. In this way, during the four months of Chaturmasya, the Lord accepted many invitations, and still could not honor all the invitations of the many Vaishnava grihasthas who wanted to show their hospitality to the Lord.
The Lord stayed at the house of Vyenkatta Bhatta. Every day, Shri Gopala Bhatta would serve him personally. At that time, Shri Chaitanya instructed Vyenkatta Bhatta on the position of Lakshmidevi and the worship of Lakshmi-Narayan versus the position of the gopis and the worship of Radha-Govinda. The Lord preached these points to him in a humourous style, laughing and joking in a clever way. The Lord said, "Bhatta! Your Lakshmidevi is the crest jewel of chaste ladies. My Krishna is a gopa-boy who herds cows. Why does she want to be with Krishna?"
Vyenkatta Bhatta said, "Krishna and Narayana are one and the same. Krishna is one of the forms Our Lord takes in order to enjoy pastimes of a clever and sporting nature. There is no violation of Lakshmidevi's chastity if she takes an interest in Krishna—he is one and the same with Narayan. This is not in contradiction with any religious principles. Therefore why do you joke with me in this way?"
The Lord said, "What you say is true. But tell me, why is it that Lakshmidevi performs great penances to attain Krishna, but cannot do so? On the other hand, the Upanishads also performed penances to attain Krishna and did so. How is it that the Upanishads succeeded in entering Vrindavan and getting Krishna's association where Lakshmidevi failed?"
Vyenkatta said, "I cannot understand this at all." At this point he said, "You are Krishna Himself. You know the meaning of your own pastimes. Only those who you choose to enlighten can understand all these things. If you enlighten me, then I can also understand them."
At that time, Shri Chaitanya explained that Lakshmidevi wanted to remain in her position as the opulent goddess of fortune in Vaikuntha and at the same time enter into the pastimes of Krishna, where sweetness and beauty are superior to power and opulence. This is not possible. Only those who follow in the footsteps of the gopis and the residents of Vrindavana can attain such a position. The Upanishads succeeded where Lakshmidevi failed because they followed in the footsteps of the Gopis. Before this explanation was given Vyenkatta Bhatta thought that Shri Naryana was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thinking in this way, he believed that the worship of Naryana was the supreme form of worship. Mahaprabhu understood his misconception and corrected it through joking about it. After this, Vyenkatta was convinced of the Supreme position of Krishna and Vrindavan, and converted to the cause of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, although he was raised in the Ramanuja Sampradaya. He offered his respects at the lotus feet of the Lord and the Lord embraced him.
Inthis way, the Lord spent the four months of the rainy season at the home of Vyenkatta, discussing many things about Krishna and His pastimes. After this, he bid farewell. The happy home of the Bhattas was plunged into tears. Gopal Bhatta fainted at the Lord's lotus feet. The Lord gave some consolation to Gopal Bhatta saying, "Now you must serve at the home of your mother and father. Later, you must come to Vrindavan. There you will constantly hear and glorify the holy name of Shri Krishna. In this way, after instructing the whole family, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went on his way.
Within a short time, Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami learned Sanskrit grammar, poetry, rhetoric and became expert in all the scriptures, beginning with the Vedanta sutra. His uncle, Shripad Prabodhananda Saraswati instructed him extensively in the different bhakti-shastras. His scholarship was unparalleled.
After he had been blessed by having darshan of the lotus feet of Shri Gauranga, Gopal Bhatta Goswami's mind was always absorbed in thoughts of the Lord's lotus feet. He began thinking, "When will I again obtain a vision of the Lord?" Day and night he posed this question in his mind and could think of nothing else. And yet, he thought, "I cannot just give up my aging father and mother and go away." In this way, some time went by. At length his mother and father arrived at their final days. They called Gopal Bhatta to their side and said, "Boy, after we pass away, you must go to Vrindavana and take shelter of the lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu." Taking the order of his mother and father on his head, Gopala Bhatta went to Vrindvana, always remembering the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu.
When Gopal Bhatta arrived in Vrindavana, he found that Rupa Goswami was preparing to send messages with some devotees from Vrindavan to Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri. Shri Rupa and Shri Sanatana Prabhu already knew that Gopal Bhatta would be coming to Vrindavan. Shri Rupa and Sanatana greeted him and treated him like a brother. From that time on, their lifelong friendship began.
When the messengers arrived in Puri, Mahaprabhu was happy to receive them. He heard from them of how Gopal Bhatta had come to Vrindavana. He sent the messenger from Vrindavan back to Rupa Goswami with the kaupin and outer garments of the babaji order, to be given to Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami as symbols of his renunciation. Shri Rupa received these things with great joy. Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami accepted the loincloth and dress of a babaji with great happiness, considering it to the Lord's mercy and prasada. In this way he went on. He was very close to Rupa and Sanatana. he would pass his nights at different kundas, and spent all his time studying the shastra and writing.
Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami had twelve shalagram shilas. He used to keep them in a cloth bag hung round his neck. Still, he had a mind to worship the shri vigraha of the Lord in his deity form. At this time a rich man went to see Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Having seen him, he was very happy. Eager to serve, the rich man offered some fine cloth and ornaments for the service of the Lord. Shri Gopal Bhatta placed these things before his shalagrams. The wealthy man bid Gopal Bhatta goodbye.
That night, Shri Bhatta Goswami offered aroti and bhoga and put his shalagrams to rest, covering them carefully in a basket. At last, late that night Gopal Bhatta after performing different kinds of bhajan, took some prasada and went to rest. The next morning he bathed in the Yamuna. When he went to wake his shalagram and opened the basket, he saw, in the midst of the shalagrams, something divine. One of the shalagram shilas had become a full-fledged deity of Krishna with a three-fold bending form, who stood there looking very beautiful. Seeing the unprecedented beauty of this deity, Gopala Bhatta's happiness took the shape of a great ocean in which he was diving and surfacing. Offering his full dandavats to the deity, he began offering different hymns and prayers to the Lord. Hearing this beautiful language, Shri Rupa Goswami and Shri Sanatana Goswami, as well as the other Vaishnavas and Goswamis, quickly went there and saw the world-enchanting beauty of the deity as tears of divine love flowed from their eyes and wet the earth. In the year 1599 of the Christian era, on the full moon day of Vaishakha, this deity form of Krishna became manifest. The Goswamis named this deity, "Shri Radha-ramana-deva."
After a time, Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami went to a town called Devavandya Gram in Saharan Pura near Haridwara. There he was received with great delight by the residents. One day, he was on his way to the house of a devotee near the edge of the town. In the afternoon, there was a great storm. On the road was the house of a brahmana in which Gopal Bhatta took shelter. This brahmana was very devoted to Krishna. He saw to the needs of Shri Bhatta Goswami with great care. Shripad Gopal Bhatta Goswami was very happy. The brahmana had no son. Gopal Bhatta blessed him, saying, "May you have a son who is a great devotee of Krishna." The brahmana then said, "I shall give you my first son to engage in the service of Krishna as you see fit."
Shri Bhatta Goswami stayed in Saharanapur and preached the holy name of Hari for a few days before returning to Vrindavana. At that time he went to the Gandaki river and retrieved twelve shalagram shilas from the river. One of these shalagramas was the one from which the deity of Radha-ramana-deva later manifest himself.
Almost ten years past since this time. One day, Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami went to take his noon bath in the Yamuna and afterwards returned to his kutir to perform his bhajan. From a distance he culd see a young boy sitting in the door of his hut. When the boy saw Shri Bhatta Goswami he arose and offered his obeisances at the Goswami's feet. Shri Gopal Bhatta asked him, "Who are you?" He boy said, "I am from Devavandya Gram in Saharan Pura. I have come from there."
Bhatta Goswami said, "Who is your father?" Why have you come to me?" The boy said, "My father has sent me here to engage in your service. My name is Gopinatha." With this, Gopal Bhatta remembered his previous conversation with the boy's father, in which the brahmana said he would give the Goswami his son to engage in the service of the Lord. After this time, Shri Gopinatha served Shri Bhatta Goswami with great attention and regard.
Subsequently that boy became known as Shri Gopinatha Pujari Goswami. He remained a brahmachari and served the Radha-ramana deity up until his death. Eventually his younger brother Shri Damodara Dasa took mantra initiation from Shri Gopinathaji and also engaged in the service of Shri Radharamana. Shri Damoadara Dasa had three sons, Harinatha, Mathuranatha, and Harinama.
Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami served his beloved Radha-ramana deity constantly, remembering the words and teachings of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. While serving in this way, the eyes of Gopal Bhatta were often filled with tears of divine love that flowed like torrential rain. Whereupon Shri Radha-ramana deva bestowed upon Shri Bhatta Goswami a divine vision of Shri Gauranga Himself. "When Shri Bhatta Goswami was overwhelmed by Krishna-prema, Shri Radha-ramana revealed himself as Shri Gauranga deva." Bhakti Ratnakara 4th Taranga.
Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami Shrinivasa Acharya gave mantra-diksha to Shrinivasa Acharya. Shrimad Sanatana Goswami composed Hari Bhakti Vilasa in collaboration with Gopal Bhatta Goswami, who edited the work. Sanatana Goswami had such great affection for Gopal Bhatta Goswami that he even published the book under his name. Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami was responsible for originating the six thesis of Shat Sandarbha later elaborately developed by Shri Jiva Goswami. Jiva Goswami writes in the beginning of his Tattva-Sandrarbha: "A devotee from Souh India who was born of a brahmana family and was a very intimate friend of Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami has written a book that he has not compiled systematically. Therefore I, a tiny living entity called jiva, am trying to assort the events of the book systematically, consulting the direction of great personalities like Madhva, Shridhara Swami and Ramanujacharya. Gopal Bhatta Goswami has written a foreward to Jiva Goswami's Sat Sandarbha. He wrote a commentary on Krishna-Karnamrita. He also wrote Sat-Kriya-Sara Dipika, a guide to Vaishnava samskaras and rituals for birth ceremonies, sacred thread initiations, marriage ceremonies, sannyasa, and funerals etc. In addition to this he composed many other scriptures.
In the Gaura-Gandodesha-Dipika, Shri Kavi Karnapura Goswami writes:
ananga-manjari sadya gopala bhattakah
bhatta goswaminam kocidahuh shri guna manjari
"In my opinion, that person who in Vrindavana was Ananga Manjari is now Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Some authorities, however, have given their opinion that he was Guna Manjari."
Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami was born in the year 1503 of the Christian era on the 13th day of the dark moon in the month of Pausha. Shrimad Gopal Bhatta Goswami lived within this world for 75 years. In the Christian year of 1578 on the sixth day of the dark moon, Shri Gopal Bhatta Goswami left this world behind and entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord.
More Information
Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami (the son of a Vyenkata Bhatta, a Sri Vaisnava brahmana) appeared in Sri Rangam, South India. Lord Caitanya once stayed four months in his home, and con verted the family to Gaudiya Vaisnavism. A mere boy at this time, Gopala personally served the Lord. Sri Caitanya treated him af fectionately giving His remnants and blessings to become an acarya.
During His four month stay, Lord Caitanya developed a close friendship with Vyenkata Bhatta, which Krishna Dasa Kaviraja describes as"sakhya rasa." Freely conversing with each other, they would often laugh and joke together. One day in a humorous mood Lord Caitanya asked Vyenkata:
"Why does your worshipable goddess of fortune, Sri Laksmidevi, abandon the happiness of Vaikuntha and her service to Her Lord Narayana? Why does she go to Vrndavana and perform severe austerities to attain the association of My Lord Gopala, the cowherd boy of Vraja?"
"I can't understand these mysteries," said Vyenkata, "but You, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, can surely enlighten me."
"Lord Krishna has one unique quality," said Lord Gauranga, "He attracts the hearts of everyone with His personal conjugal love (madhuryd).Lord Narayana only has sixty transcendental qualities but Sri Krishna has sixty-four. And all of them are saturated with His unique quality ofmadhurya (honey sweetness). The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, attracts the mind of Laksmidevi. But Lord Narayana can never attract the minds of the Vraja gopis.
"In Vraja lila, Krishna, disguised as Lord Narayana, once appeared before the gopis who were searching for Krishna. Seeing Lord Narayana the gopis said, '0 Lord Narayana, pranams. Where did Krishna go, did You see?' By following the gopis, who spon taneously love Krishna without awareness of His Godhood, one can attain Krishna. The Srutis worshiped Krishna in the ecstasy of the gopis. Following in their footsteps, they received gopi's bodies to join Krishna in the rasa dance. Laksmi, however, wanted to enjoy Krishna but retain Her spiritual form as Laksmidevi. Without following the gopis's footsteps no one can attain Krishna."
After receiving initiation from Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati, Gopala Bhatta came to Vrndavana and became a dear friend of Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis. He did bhajana in Vrndavana for forty-five years, mostly at Radha-kunda.
On pilgrimage he obtained twelve Salagrama silos. Later the Damodara sila manifested Himself as the beautiful Radha Ramana Deity. Since 1542, Radha Ramanaji has been worshiped with pure devotion following precise sastric rituals.
Lord Caitanya ordered Gopala Bhatta to write a book to check the spread of pseudo-loving rasas and negligence to vaidhi bhakti. In corroboration with Sri Sanatana Gosvami he compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, the authorized book explaining the ritual and devotional practices of the Gaudiya 'Vaisnavasampradaya. He also wrote Sat-kriya-dipika and the outline for Sri Jiva Gosvami's Sat Sandarbhas.
He eternally serves Srimati Radharani as one of Her asta manjaris, Guna-manjari. His samadhi is within Radha Ramanaji's temple compound behind the appearance place of the Deity. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami initiated Gopinatha (Pujari Gosvami), a lifelong brahmacariwho served Radha Ramanaji for his whole life. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami initiated Srinivasa Acarya and many other stalwart Vaisnavas
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