Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami (the son of a Vyenkata Bhatta, a Shri Vaishnava
brahmana) appeared in Shri Rangam, South India. Lord Chaitanya once stayed four
months in his home, and converted the family to Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami (the son of a Vyenkata
Bhatta, a Shri Vaishnava brahmana) appeared in Shri Rangam, South India. Lord
Chaitanya once stayed four months in his home, and converted the family to
Gaudiya Vaishnavism. A mere boy at this time, Gopala personally served the
Lord. Shri Chaitanya treated him affectionately giving His remnants and
blessings to' become an acharya.
During His four month stay, Lord Chaitanya
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 Chaitanya
asked Vyenkata:
"Why does your worshipable goddess of
fortune, Shri Lakshmidevi, abandon the happiness of Vaikuntha and her service
to Her Lord Narayana? Why does she go to Vrindavana 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 (madhurya). Lord Narayana only has sixty
transcendental qualities but Shri Krishna has sixty-four. And all of them are
saturated with His unique quality of madhurya (honey sweetness). The Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Shri Krishna, attracts the mind of Lakshmidevi. 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, '0h Lord Narayana, pranams. Where did
Krishna go, did You see?' By following the gopis, who spontaneously 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. Lakshmi,
however, wanted to enjoy Krishna but retain Her spiritual form as Lakshmidevi.
Without following the gopis's footsteps no one can attain Krishna."
On pilgrimage he obtained twelve Shalagrama shilas. Later
the Damodara shila manifested Himself as the beautiful Radha Ramana Deity.
Since 1542, Radha Ramanaji has been worshiped with pure devotion following
precise sastric rituals. (In the image: Shri Radha Raman, Shri Vrindavan,
Dham).
After receiving initiation from Shri Prabodhananda
Saraswati, Gopala Bhatta came to Vrindavana and became a dear friend of Shri
Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis. He did bhajana in Vrindavana for forty-five years,
mostly at Radha-Kunda.
On pilgrimage he obtained twelve Shalagrama
shilas. Later the Damodara shila manifested Himself as the beautiful Radha
Ramana Deity. Since 1542, Radha Ramanaji has been worshiped with pure devotion
following precise sastric rituals.
Lord Chaitanya ordered Gopala Bhatta to write a book to check the
spread of pseudo-loving rasas and negligence to vaidhi bhakti. In corroboration
with Shri Sanatana Goswami he compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, the authorized
book explaining the ritual and devotional practices of the Gaudiya Vaishnava
sampradaya. He also wrote Sat-kriya-dipika and the outline for Shri Jiva Goswami's
Sat Sandarbhas.
He eternally serves Shrimati 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. Shri Gopala Bhatta Goswami initiated
Gopinatha (Pujari Goswami), a lifelong brahmachari who served Radha Ramanaji
for his whole life. Gopala Bhatta Goswami initiated Shrinivasa Acharya and many
other stalwart Vaishnavas.
Appearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami
Appearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami
Appearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami
Appearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami
Appearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami
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Appearance Day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami
