July 29, Sri Gadadhara Pandit's Disappearance Day

[Guest guest]

For those who like bees can't live without special nectar, here is a drop of

ambrosia from mahanidhi swami's ecstatic book called:

"Gaudiya Vaisnava Samadhis in Vrndavana"

 

"Sri Gaurahari had so much affection for Sri Gadadhara Pandit that He

couldn't be without him for a moment. He appeared a year after Lord

Caitanya. Gadai and Nimai were inseparable as childhood playmates.

 

Peaceful,renounced, serious, self-composed, fond of solitude, Gadadhara

proved quite a contrast to his bosom friend Gaura Raya, who was fickle,

unsteady, and whimsical. In Ganga Dasa Pandit's tol (school) Nimai Pandit

regularly teased Gadadhara by challenging him with illogical questions.

 

Sri Kavi Karnapura states that in Vraja lila Gadadhara Pandit is the

daughter of King Vrsabhanu --Srimati Radharani. Gadadhara Pandit served as

Lord Gaura's chief assistant during His Navadvipa-lila. Sri Sri Radha and

Krsna in Vrndavana appeared as Gaura Gadadhara to perform pastimes in

Navadvipa in the forest groves beside the Ganges.

 

No one can describe the characteristics and ecstatic love of Gadadhara

Pandit. Therefore another name for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Gadadhara

Prananatha, 'the life and soul of Gadadhara Pandit'. (CC)

 

One day, while wandering along the bank of the Ganges, Gaurasundara entered

a forest grove and sat in a meditative mood. Soon, He became enraptured

remembering His Vrndavana pastimes. To enhance the Lord's mood, Mukunda

Datta began singing sweet songs in purva raga.

 

Sri Gadadhara made a garland of fragrant forest flowers and lovingly placed

it around the Lord's beautiful neck. As Sri Radha used to dress Damodara in

Vrndavana, similarly, Gadadhara would adorn the radiant form of Lord

Gauranga. He would also decorate Lord Caitanya's bed and bedroom with sweet

smelling flowers. Everyday, He would make sandalwood paste to rub on Sri

Caitanya's transcendental body.

 

Gaura Gadadhara sat on the root of a tree, serving as a raised dais.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu sat on Lord Caitanya's right.

Srivasa Pandit decorated them with flowers. Sri Advaita Acarya offered

aratika. Narahari waved a camara. Suklambhara offered candana and Murari

Gupta sang the Lord's glories. Vijaya, Mukunda, Purusottama, Madhava and

Vasudeva Ghosh sang a variety of songs in different ragas. In this way, Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed His Nadia lila.

 

Gadadhara Pandit also took the renounced order of life and went to

Jagannatha Puri to be with Lord Caitanya. Accepting Ksetra sannyasi (a

renunciate who never leaves the dhama), he served the Deity of

Tota-Gopinatha with full love and devotion.

 

Regularly, Sri Krsna Caitanya came to relish Sri Gadadhara's rasika reading

of Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Caitanya concluded His manifest pastimes by

entering the Deity of Tota-Gopinatha.

 

Although Gadadhara Pandit was barely forty-eight when the Lord departed, he

quickly became old because of the intense anguish he felt in separation from

his beloved Lord Gaurasundara. He couldn't stretch his arms to offer a

garland to his Deity. Understanding His servant's difficulty, Sri Tota

Gopinatha sat down to facilitate Gadadhara's loving service. To this day,

Sri Tota Gopinatha is the only sitting Deity of Krsna.

 

According to some authority, a short time after Lord Caitanya's

disappearance Sri Gadadhara Pandit joined His eternal pastimes by entering

his beloved Deity of Tota Gopinath. His danta (tooth) samadhi stands near

the Vamsi Gopala temple in Vrndavana."

 

All glories to assembled vaisnavas!

Your servant,

Krsna-kirtana dasi