Even wood and stone would melt

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VASUDEVA GOSH'S KIRTANS WOULD MELT WOOD AND STONE

 

The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were the eighty-second, eighty-third and eighty-fourth branches of the tree. Lord Caitanya and Nityananda used to dance in their kirtana performances. By the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, three devotees accompanied Lord Nityananda Prabhu when He returned to Bengal to preach. These three were Ramadasa, Madhava Gosh and Vasudeva Gosh. Govinda Gosh, however, remained with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri and thus felt great satisfaction. Sri Madhava Gosh was a principal performer of kirtana. While he sang, Nityananda Prabhu danced. When Vasudeva Gosh performed kirtana, describing Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, even wood and stone would melt upon hearing it.

 

The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva Gosh all belonged to a kayastha family. Govinda established the Gopinatha temple in Agradvipa, where he resided. The Deity of Sri Gopinathaji is still situated there. This Deity accepted Govinda Gosh as His father. Even until today, the Deity performs the shraddha ceremony on the anniversary of the death of Govinda Gosh. The temple of this Deity is managed by the räja-vamsa family of Krsnanagara, whose members are descendants of Raja Krsnachandra. Every year in the month of vaisakha, when there is a baradola ceremony, this Gopinatha Deity is taken to Krsnanagara. The ceremony is performed with eleven other Deities, and then Sri Gopinathaji is brought back to the temple in Agradvipa.

 

Madhava Gosh was expert in performing kirtana. No one within this world could compete with him. He was known as the singer of Vrndavana and was very dear to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. It is said that when the three brothers performed sankirtana, immediately Lord Caitanya and Nityananda would dance in ecstasy. According to the Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika, the three brothers were formerly Kalavati, Rasollasa and Gunatunga, who recited the songs composed by Sri Visakha-gopi. The three brothers were among one of the seven parties that performed kirtana when Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu attended the Ratha-yatra festival at Jagannatha Puri. Vakresvara Pandita was the chief dancer in their party. (CC Adi-lila 10.115-118, 11.14-19)

 

The associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were many, but none of them should be considered lower or higher. This cannot be ascertained. All the great personalities in the line of Lord Caitanya enumerated these devotees, but they could not distinguish between the greater and the lesser. I offer my obeisances unto them as a token of respect. I request them not to consider my offenses. I offer my obeisances to all the dear devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Krsna. Every branch and subbranch of the tree is full of innumerable fruits and flowers. They inundate the world with the waters of love of Krsna. (Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami CC Adi-lila 10.4-7,161)

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare