Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami

[Guest guest]

Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami

 

The all merciful Lord Sri Gaur Hari, as He travelled from village to

village throughout the south of India, continued to distribute love of

Godhead wherever He went. Hearing the nectarean names of Hari from His

lotus mouth, thousands and thousands men and women felt relief from the

blazing fire of material existence. Various wretched, miserable and fallen

souls lives were completely rejuvenated and thus they became virtuous and

happy. While causing rains of love of God to fall anywhere and everywhere,

without consideration of time or place, Sri Gaurasundor came to the ancient

holy place of Sri Rangakshetra on an island in the middle of the Kaveri

river.

 

The temple of Sri Ranga Kshetra was extremely large, the crest of the

temple tower pierced the sky. Throughout the day and night hundreds and

thousands of pilgrims were going and coming to take darsan of Lord

Ranganath. The temple hall resounded with the sounds of hundreds and

thousand of brahmanas chanting Vedic hymns. In the midst of this scene from

Vaikuntha, entered Sri Gaurasundar chanting the names of Krsna in his sweet

voice that defeated the voices of 10 million gandharvas. Everyone in the

temple became dumbstruck, amazed and thrilled with wonder. What

unprecedented beauty; His bodily effulgence makes molten gold appear lack-

lustre. From His eyes which are like the full blown petals of a lotusflower

trickled down tears of ecstatic love. Every limb, every part of His body

was filled with such exquisite grace that even the mind of cupid gets

stolen away. The brahmanas began to consider, "Is this a demigod? Can such

symptoms and emotions be found in human beings?" Again resounding the halls

with the transcendental vibrations of Sri Hari's name, when He came before

the Deity and fell down as a tree is blown down by the wind, some people

thought that a mountain of gold was rolling on the ground. Sri Vyenkata

Bhatta seeing this divine personage became restless with ecstasy. His heart

being flooded with devotion he got up and began to move the crowds away so

that the Lord could engage in chanting and dancing. When the Lord had

regained His external consiousness after engaging in sankirtan, Vyenkata

Bhatta approached Him and took the dust of His lotusfeet. Mahaprabhu gazed

towards him and saying, "Krsna! Krsna!" embraced him firmly. Sri Vyenkata

Bhatta invited Mahaprabhu to come to his house and having brought Him

there, very reverantly washed His lotusfeet and along with the other family

members, he drank the water. Sri Bhattaji's house became filled with joy.

 

Mahaprabhu came to Ranga Kshetra in the Christian year 1511. Vyenkata

Bhatta had two brothers, Tirumalla Bhatta and Prabodhananda Sarasvati. They

all belonged to the Ramanuja sampradaya and Prabodhananda Sarasvati was a

tridandi sannyasi of that order. Vyenkata Bhatta had a son named Gopal, who

was then just a child. When the boy came to offer his obeisances at the

lotusfeet of Mahaprabhu picked him up and very affectionately seated him in

His lap. Mahaprabhu would call Gopal after He had finished His meal and

offer His remnants to the boy. In this way He prepared him for the positon

of Acarya.

 

After remaining at Vyenkata Bhatta's house during the four months of the

rainy season (Chaturmasya) Mahaprabhu prepared to continue His journey of

the South. Vyenkata Bhatta's house began to ebb in a tide of tears in

anticipation of His departure. Gopal fell at His lotusfeet in a dead faint.

Therefore Mahaprabhu remained for a couple of more days in order to con-

sole the boy. Being pleased with Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's sincere service

and devotion, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu initiated him, and ordered him to

move to Vrndavana after the disappearance of his parents and perform bhajan

and write. He instructed him to serve his mother and father and always

engage in chanting Krsna's glories and thereafter to come to Brindavan.

 

Very quickly Gopal became expert in grammar, poetry and rhetoric and then

began his study of Vedanta. His uncle Prabodhananda, specifically began to

instruct him from the devotional scriptures (Bhakti - shastra).

Gopal Bhatta always remained thinking of the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu and

when he might again be able to meet Him. At the same time however he

couldn't leave his aged mother and father. Finally having reached their

final days they called their son Gopal and instructed him to go to the

lotus feet of Mahaprabhu in Vrindavan. Then while meditating on His lotus

feet themselves they went to join Him in His eternal lila.

 

At the age of thirty Gopala Bhatta Gosvami came to Vrindavana, and having

missed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu this saddened him.

 

Thus Gopal set out for Vrindavan and when he arrived there Rupa Gosvami

immediately sent word to Mahaprabhu to inform Him of Gopal's arrival there.

 

Mahaprabhu had previously indicated to Rupa and Sanatan that Gopal Bhatta

would one day come there to Brindavan, so upon his arrival they treated him

with the same care and affection they would their own brother. They

immediately became life long companions.

 

However, the all knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu received word that Gopal Bhatta had come to Vrindavan, He was

very pleased and sent with that messenger with the Lord's personal wooden

sitting plank (hoki) which He had used along with a pair of His

undergarments and one of His upper cloths - uttara or chaddar. "Having

received these gifts Gopal Bhatta was in ecstasy and he worshipped them as

the prasad (tadiya) of Mahaprabhu.

When he would worship his Deities he would sit on that wooden plank. This

piri (wooden seat) and Mahaprabhus clothes are still being worshipped at

Radha-Ramana Mandir. Gopala Bhatta, like Rupa and Sanatana, had no fixed

residence and would spend the night in various kunjas (forest groves). He

spent his time studying the scriptures and composing various literatures.

After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's disappearance Gopala Bhatta Gosvami felt

intence separation from the Lord. To relieve his devotee, the Lord

instructed Gopala Bhatta in a dream :"If you want my darsan then make a

trip to Nepal".

 

In Nepal, Gopala Bhatta bathed in the famous Kali-Gandaki River. Upon

dipping his waterpot in the river, he was surprised to see several

Shaligrama Shilas enter his pot. He dropped the shilas back into the river,

but the shilas re-entered his pot when he refilled it.

After emptying and refilling his waterpot for the third time, Gopala Bhatta

Gosvami found twelve Shaligrama shilas sitting there. Thinking this must be

the Lords mercy, he kept all the shilas and returned to Vrndavana.

 

Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami used to worship twelve Shaligram silas. Wherever

he would go he would bring them with him in a piece of cloth tied at the

corner. One day a wealthy man (Seth) came to Vrndavana and offered Gopala

Bhatta a variety of clothing and ornaments for his Shaligrams. Being very

impressed with the Gosvami he wanted his darshan and to render some service

which he presented in the form of some valuable cloths and ornaments.

However, Gopala Bhatta couldn't use these for his round-shaped Shaligrams,

so he advised the donor to give the Deity decorations to someone else, but

the Seth insisted. Gopala Bhatta kept the cloths and ornaments with his

shilas. While Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was absorbed in remembering how the

half-man, half-lion form of the Supreme Lord had manifested from the pillar

in Hiranyakasipu's palace, he prayed in transcendental lamentation to the

Lord: "Oh my Lord, you are very merciful and always fulfill the desires of

your devotees. I wish to serve you in your form, having arms and legs and

blissful smiling face, with lotus eyes.... If I had a Deity then I would be

able to decorate Him so nicely with these clothes and ornaments."

 

In the evening after offering some bhoga and arotika to his Shalagram

shilas, Gopala Bhatta put them to rest, covering them with a wicker basket.

Late in the night, Gopala Bhatta took a little rest and then, in the early

morning went to take bath in the Yamuna river. Returning from his bath, he

uncovered the Shalagramas in order to render the puja for Them, and saw

amongst Them a Deity of Krishna playing the flute. There were now eleven

shilas and this Deity. The "Damodara shila", had manifested as the

beautiful three-fold bending form of tri-bhangananda-krishna. Floating in

the ocean of ecstasy, he fell to the ground in order to offer his dandavats

and then recited various prayers and hymns. This wonderful event of the

appearance day of RadhaRaman happened on the day after Sri Nrisimha

Chaturdasi, and is celebrated on that day accordingly. That day they offer

500 liters of milk for the Lord's pleasure and many other sweets and

different things. The RadhaRaman temple has the highest standard of Deity

worship in all of Vraj.

 

When Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis as well as many other devotees received

news of this miraculous event they came running to see the Lord. Gazing on

the Lord's transcendental form, which bewildered all the living entities of

the many various planets, they all bathed Him with their tears. This Deity

whom the Gosvamis named, "Sri Radha-raman Deva" made His appearance on the

full moon day of Vaisakha in the year 1542. Except for Vrindadevi, Sri

Radha-Ramanaji is the only one of the original Deities of Vrindavana who

never left to go to Jaipur. Sri Sri Radha-raman-ji is still being

worshipped in Vrindavana near Nidhuban kunj in the compound of the temple.

 

The Deity is called Radha-raman although physically there is no apparent

Deity of Radha there. As one can see from the picture at the top of this

page, that to the right of the picture (to Ramanji's left) is a place

setting for Srimati Radhika. In this way the pujaris worship Sri Radha and

Ramanji together.

 

Sri Radha-ramana Deva, unlike other Deities, has very intricate features,

including fingernails and even teeth. On the back side of His body parts of

the original Shalagram shila from which He manifested Himself can be seen.

There is a story that the small son of one of the sevaits was playing with

the Deity once and put a small stick in one ear of the Deity and pushed it

through out the other ear. The stick however, had blood on it, and that boy

died vomiting blood that very day.

 

If you ever have the great good fortune to attend the Snan-yatra festival

in Sri Vrindavan Dham, then it is a must that you visit the Radha-Raman

temple on this day. The temperatures are hot and dry in the 40+ centigrade

and much anticipation of seeking out cooling water pervades the thoughts in

Vrindavan's hot summer. At the temple, the merciful Ramanji has made a

provision so that first He takes His transcendental bath right at the front

of the altar for all to see - BUT THEN, after He has taken in His expanded

kindness the pujaris turn on the sprinkler system that surrounds the open

court-yard - the fan in the middle is even equipped with pipes to pour out

cooling water as it rotates at a high speed, inundating all the devotees

taking the darshan of the Lord, with great pleasure.

It is truly my favourite place in the world for snan-yatra. Sri Sri Radha

Ramaji ki jaya.

In some discussion with the present day guardians of the temple and Deity,

they told me that some scientists had come to examine the Deity and

propound their doubts that He was self manifested, as the devotees state.

They examined the Deity under the supervision of the devotees, but could

find no evidence of carving.

 

About todays descendents:

Once Sri Gopala Bhatta went to Haridwar. As he was returning, suddenly a

downpour started and thus he took shelter in the house of one brahmana.

This brahmana was very devoted and he very carefully began to serve Sri

Gopala Bhatta, who thus became very pleased. As this brahmana had no

children Sripad Gopal Bhatta Goswami blessed him that he might have a son

who would be a devoted follower of Lord Hari. The brahman replied out of

gratitude that, "My first son I will send to you in order to serve you."

 

Approximately ten years later when Gopala Bhatta returned from bathing in

the Yamuna one day, he saw a young boy sitting at the door of his kutir.

When the boy saw the Gosvamiji approaching, he got up and then fell down to

offer his dandavats (obeisances like a stick on the floor before him).

Sripada Gopala Bhatta Goswami enquired who the boy was, to which he

replied, "My home was in Devandyagram within Saharanpur near Haridwar. My

father has sent me here to serve you. My name is Gopinatha."

 

Then Gopal Bhatta could remember the time when he went to Haridwar many

years ago. So this boy remained with him and very carefully began to serve

him. Eventually he became known as Sri Gopinatha Pujari Gosvami as he

served Sri Radha-ramana Deva through his life as an unmarried brahmachari.

His younger brother Sri Damodara dasa, along with his family, accepted

iniation from Sri Gopinathaji and also became engaged in the service of the

Deity. Sri Damodara dasa's three sons were named Harinatha, Mathuranatha

and Harirama. It is from these family members of Gopinath's brother that

todays guardians the Radha-Raman Gosais so nicely maintain and serve Sri

Sri Radha-Ramanji.

 

Sri Gopala Bhatta's devotion was so special, his devotion so profound that

the Lord appeared for him in this special form - but not only that as if in

confirmation of the pastimes of the Lord, and Mahaprabhu's being directly

Radha Krishna (sri krishna chaitanya radha krishna nahi anya), in his

worship of Sri Radha-ramana would sometimes see that He had taken the form

of Sri Gaurasundara - Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, "Becoming subservient to

the love of Sri Gopala Bhatta, Sri Radha-ramana would sometimes accept the

form of Sri Gausundara."

 

Sri Gopala Bhatta was the initiating guru of Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu.

Sripad Gopal Bhatta Goswami was very learned, trained in pancharatra,

coming in the learned family of Vyenkata Bhattar in the Sri Vaishnava line -

he wrote many books including: Sat-sandarbha karika, Sri Krsna-vallabha

(Krsna karnamrtatika), Sat kriya sara dipika (a brilliant work on Vaishnava

samkara viddhi), and Laghu Hari-bhakti vilasa with Dig darshini tika. From

this work, Sri Sanatana Gosvami compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilasa now

followed by all Gaudiya Vaishnavas. It is said, "Out of affection for Srila

Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami compiled the famous Vaishnava

smriti titled Hari Bhakti Vilas, and published it under Gopala Bhatta

Gosvami's name.

 

Gopala Bhatta Gosvami resided for forty-five years in Sri Dham Vrndavana,

but out of great humility he requested Srila Krsna das Kaviraja not to

mention his name in the classic work Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita.

 

Gopala Bhatta Gosvami serves as Guna Manjari. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika

too, it is mentioned that in the eternal pastimes of Radha and Krsna,

Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's name in Vraja-lila has been given as Guna manjari.

 

His birth was on the day of the dark fortnight of the month Pausa in the

year 1503 (Christian), 1425 (Saka).

 

His disappearance was on the sixth day of the dark fortnight of the month

of Sravon in the year 1578 (Christian - A.D.), 1500 (Sakabda era) Age: 75

years