Gadadhara Pandita

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I offer my respectful obeisances unto the internal potencies of the Lord, of

whom Sri Gadadhara Prabhu is the foremost. Adi 1.42 Ref. VedaBase => Adi

1.42

 

Advaita Acarya, Lord Nityananda, Srivasa Pandita, Gadadhara Pandita, Svarupa

Damodara, Murari Gupta, Haridasa Thakura and all the other devotees of Sri

Krsna Caitanya -- bowing down with devotion, I hold their lotus feet on my

head. Ref. VedaBase => Adi 4.227-228

 

The devotees headed by Gadadhara Pandita are to be considered incarnations

of the internal potency of the Lord. They are confidential devotees engaged

in the service of the Lord. Ref. VedaBase => Adi 7.17

 

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Advaita Acarya, who is very

merciful, and also to that great personality Gadadhara Pandita, the learned

scholar. Ref. VedaBase => Adi 8.3

 

Gadadhara Pandita, the fourth branch, is described as an incarnation of the

pleasure potency of Sri Krsna. No one, therefore, can equal him.

PURPORT

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (147-53) it is stated, "The pleasure potency

of Sri Krsna formerly known as Vrndavanesvari is now personified in the form

of Sri Gadadhara Pandita in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu." Sri

Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has pointed out that in the shape of Laksmi, the

pleasure potency of Krsna, she was formerly very dear to the Lord as

Syamasundara-vallabha. The same Syamasundara-vallabha was present in Lord

Caitanya's pastimes as Gadadhara Pandita. Formerly, as Lalita-sakhi, she was

always devoted to Srimati Radharani. Thus Gadadhara Pandita is

simultaneously an incarnation of Srimati Radharani and Lalita-sakhi. In the

Twelfth Chapter of this part of the Caitanya-caritamrta there is a

description of the descendants or disciplic succession of Gadadhara Pandita.

Ref. VedaBase => Adi 10.15

 

All the followers of Gadadhara Pandita are considered great devotees because

they have Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as their life and soul. Ref.

VedaBase => Adi 12.90

 

No one can understand the loving intimacy between Gadadhara Pandita and Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita gave up his vow and service to

Gopinatha just as one gives up a piece of straw. Ref. VedaBase => Madhya

16.137

 

Gadadhara Pandita's behavior was very pleasing to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's

heart. Nevertheless, the Lord took his hand and spoke to him, displaying the

anger of love. Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 16.138

 

Being encouraged by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's words, Gadadhara Pandita

became absorbed in ecstatic love. Immediately clasping the lotus feet of the

Lord, he began to speak with great humility. Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 16.279

 

Gadadhara Pandita said, "Wherever You stay is Vrndavana, as well as the

river Yamuna, the river Ganges and all other places of pilgrimage. Ref.

VedaBase => Madhya 16.280

 

Gadadhara Pandita's pure ecstatic love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also

very deep. It was like that of Rukminidevi, who was always especially

submissive to Krsna. Ref. VedaBase => Antya 7.144

 

Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes desired to see Gadadhara Pandita's

affectionate anger, but because of his knowledge of the Lord's opulences,

his anger was never invoked. Ref. VedaBase => Antya 7.145

 

Gadadhara Pandita said, "Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is completely

independent. He is the topmost omniscient personality. It would not look

well for me to talk to Him as if I were His equal. Ref. VedaBase => Antya

7.157

 

After saying this, Gadadhara Pandita went to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and

fell down crying at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Antya 7.160 Ref. VedaBase => Antya 7.160

 

No one can describe the characteristics and ecstatic love of Gadadhara

Pandita. Therefore another name for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is

Gadadhara-prananatha, "the life and soul of Gadadhara Pandita." Ref.

VedaBase => Antya 7.163

 

No one can say how merciful the Lord is to Gadadhara Pandita, but people

know the Lord as Gadaira Gauranga, "the Lord Gauranga of Gadadhara Pandita."

Ref. VedaBase => Antya 7.164

 

Gadadhara Pandita is celebrated all over the world for his gentle behavior,

his brahminical attributes and his steady love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Ref. VedaBase => Antya 7.166