Sri Sri Radha Raman Temple

       When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring South India, He spent the four months during the rainy season called Caturmasya in Shri Rangam at the house of Vyenkata Bhatta, the chief priest of the Ranganatha Temple. His son, Shri Gopal Bhatta, was then able to serve the Lord to his heart's content. Being pleased by his devotion, Shri Caitanya gave him initiation and ordered him to go to Vrindavana after the disappearance of his parents. There he should remain with Rupa and Sanatana doing bhajana and writing books. - At the age of thirty, after the death of his parents, Gopala Bhatta, left for Vrindavana. When Lord Caitanya heard that Gopala Bhatta Goswami had arrived in Vrindavana and had met Shri Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, He was very pleased. At that time Mahaprabhu had already visited Vrindavana. Although Rupa and Sanatana had gone to visit him in Puri, Gopala Bhatta never received any invitation to go. Understanding his disappointment, Shri Caitanya sent His personal asana and cloth to him through Rupa and Sanatana, which can still be seen on special festivals in Radharamana Temple. 

       Later when Gopala Bhatta heard of the disappearance of Mahaprabhu, he felt intense separation from the Lord, having associated with him only in his childhood.

       One night Lord Caitanya appeared in a dream and told him, "If you want my darshana, make a pilgrimage to Nepal." In Nepal, Gopala Bhatta visited the river Gandaki. After taking his bath he filled his water pot and was surprised to see that some Shalagrama-shilas had entered it. Emptying his pot, he filled it again, only to find the shilas had re-entered his water pot. Again he emptied his pot, and when he filled it for a third time he found that now twelve Shalagrama-shilas were there. Thinking this must be the mercy of the Lord, he decided to bring those shilas with him to Vrindavana. - One day after returning to Vrindavana, a wealthy devotee approached Gopala Bhatta Goswami with dresses and ornaments for his Deity. Gopala Bhatta told him that as he was only worshiping a shalagrama-shila, it would be better to give to someone else who was worshiping a Deity and could use them. It happened to be Narasimha-caturdasi and thinking deeply on this incident Gopala Bhatta remembered how Lord Narasimha deva had manifested from a stone pillar. He then began to pray to the Lord, "O Lord, you are very merciful and fulfill the desires of your devotees. I wish to serve you in your full form." In ecstasy he read the chapters of Shrimad Bhagvatam about Lord Narasimha deva's pastimes, and then took rest. In the morning when he awoke, he found that one of the twelve Shalagramas, the Damodara-shila, had manifested as Shri Radharamana.

       He immediately called Rupa and Sanatana and all the other devotees. They were all astounded by the beauty of Shri Radharamanaji. They remarked that from the feet to the waist He had the form of Shri Madana-Mohanaji, His chest was like that of Shri Gopinathaji and He had the moonlike face of Shri Govindadeva. Then with the blessing of all the Vaishnavas, he began the worship of Shri Radharamanaji.

ananga-manjari yasit sadya gopala-bhattakah 

bhatta-gosvaminam kecit ahuh sri-guna-manjari

       She who was formerly Ananga Manjari has appeared to enrich Mahaprabhu’s pastimes as Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Some say that Gopal Bhatta is actually Guna Manjari. (Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika 184)

        Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami appeared in 1500 AD (though, according to some authorities, he was born in 1503) as the son of Venkata Bhatta in the town of Srirangam in South India. Their residence was in a village not far from Srirangam called Belagundi.

       According to Narahari in the Bhakti-ratnakara, Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami was given a vision in a dream by Mahaprabhu in which he was fortunate enough to witness all the Lord’s Nabadwip pastimes. An eternal associate of Krishna, he appeared in a faraway place in order to participate in Lord Gauranga’s pastimes. Even so, he was able to know long before he even saw him that the Lord had appeared and taken sannyas. Gopal Bhatta did not particularly like the Lord’s appearance as a sannyasi. He was distressed and crying alone when the Lord appeared to him and gave him the dream vision of his Nabadwip lila. In this vision, the Lord was overwhelmed by ecstatic love, embraced him and drenched him in his tears.

       Having said this to Gopal, the Lord embraced him and drenched him in his tears. He then told him to keep all these experiences secret, and Gopal felt great joy in his mind. (Bhakti-ratnakara 1.123-4)

       Through the power of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s merciful association, Venkata Bhatta, his brother Prabodhananda Saraswati, his son Gopal Bhatta Goswami, and all the other members of his family, were inspired to give up the worship of Lakshmi-Narayan and became engaged in the exclusive devotional service of Radha and Krishna. Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami took initiation from his uncle, Tridandi Yati Srimat Prabodhananda Saraswati. Proof of this is found in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa:

bhakter vilasams cinute prabodha-

nandasya sisyo bhagavat-priyasya

gopala-bhatto raghunatha-dasam

santosayan rŸpa-sanatanau ca

       Gopal Bhatta, the disciple of Prabodhananda who is dear to the Lord, has collected these devotional activities to satisfy Raghunath Das, Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis. (Hbv 1.2)

       Gopal’s parents were very fortunate, for they surrendered themselves, life and soul, to the feet of Lord Chaitanya. They ordered their son to go to Vrindavan before they left this world, absorbed in meditating on the Lord. Gopal travelled directly to Vrindavan where he met with Rupa and Sanatan. (Bhakti-ratnakara 1.163-5)

       When Gopal arrived in Vrindavan, Rupa and Sanatan wrote to Mahaprabhu to tell him. The Lord was overjoyed and immediately wrote back telling them to affectionately take care of him as though he were their own younger brother. Srila Sanatan Goswami compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilasa and published it in Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s name. Rupa Goswami considered Gopal to be as dear to him as his own life and engaged him in the deity worship of Radha Raman.

       Sri Gopal Bhatt Goswami became one of the Six Goswamis, but he always kept an attitude of meekness and humility. Thus, when Krishnadas Kaviraj approached him for permission to write the Chaitanya Charitamrita, he granted it, but under the condition that he not write about him. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami could not go against the order of Gopal Bhatta and thus did nothing more than mention his name. Sri Jiva Goswami writes in the introduction to the Sat-sandarbha that he wrote it on the basis of an earlier text by Gopal Bhatta. Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami also wrote a book called the Sat-kriya-sara-dipika (“Light on the essential sacraments for the Vaishnavas”). Thus his contribution to Gaudiya Vaishnava literature was in editing the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, preparing the notes for Jiva’s Sat-sandarbha and in compiling the Sat-kriya-sara-dipika. He also gave great joy to the community of devotees by writing a commentary on Bilvamangala’s Krishna-karnamrta.

       Amongst his disciples were Srinivas Acharya and Sri Gopinath Das Goswami. The following story is told about Gopinath Das Goswami becoming Gopal Bhatta’s disciple.

 One day, Gopal Bhatta went to visit the town of Dev-van,(Now, Debbannd) Saharanapura, not far from Haridvara. On that occasion, a simple, devoted Brahmin engaged in his service in a most unpretentious manner. He had no children, but desired to have a son. Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami knew the desire of the Brahmin and blessed him that he would have a devotionally minded male child. The Brahmin promised Gopal Bhatta that he would give him his first son to be his servant and disciple. This son was Gopinath Das Goswami.

       Srimad Gopala Bhatta Goswami lived within this world for 75 years. In the Christian year of 1578 on the sixth day of the dark moon, Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami left this world behind and entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord.

      The credit and complement with due respect to Srimanmadhvagaudeshvaracharya Yatiraj Sri Madhvendra Puripad ji who contributed and constitutes as the main and major source of the Mahaprasad of Sri Radha Ramanji’s Kuliya.

       Once on a night he saw a sacred spiritual dream: Sri Nathji, who filled Madhvendra Puripad with divine inspiration. Upon waking up from the dream, he acted and handed over the responsibilities of Seva to his two dearest disciples. He traveled and toured around many parts of India, finally he arrived at the Remuda region of Orissa.

       His joy knew no bond when he had an opportunity of taking the divine darshan of Sri Gopinathji. Drowned away in the ecstatic mood, he started seeing in his own being, His worship – Lord Sri Nathji.

  

       Being overwhelmed with this ecstasy, he lost himself and began rolling down on the ground, yelling around “ Oh Gopinath! Sri Nath…”

       His desire to serve Sri Gopinathji was so intense that he approached the priests and expressed his burning curiosity about the seva in succession.

       In this context, he came to know that it was the daily routine to offer the bhog of “Khirsa” contained in mud pots which was verily far superior to the nectar. Dozens of “Amrtakelis” were being offered to the deity. Within himself he developed a deep urge, “I myself must offer this Amrtakeli” he wondered “wish I could get a grain of that pious prasadam”.

       It is improper for a Sanyasi to desire anything external to himself. He tried to suppress feelings but Lord is all knowing and saw through him.

  

       So, in the guise of a devotee, Lord came up and stealthily concealed an Amrtakeli in his fold. Shortly after the bhog offering, the priest found one “Amrtakeli” missing, so he searched every nook and crook but could not trace.

       In a lonely spot, Sri Puripad Maharaj seated himself. In a fit of ecstasy he dropped down unconscious and mutters out, “Oh Lord please quench my thirst I am longing, to have Your darshan.” The devotee’s deep desire roused the Lord, He could not Himself, so He flashed himself before the priest in dream and said, “It was me who stole an “Amrtakeli”, hand it over to Sri Puripad who is at the Gate.”

       This awakened the priest who woke up, took bath and got ready. He found the Amrtakeli folded in a cloth, he picked it up and gave it to Sri Madhvendra Puripad.

  

       By receiving this unique prasadam he was so much overjoyed that he burst into the tears of joy. He tasted a bit of prasadam and saved the remnants for future.

  

       After this Gopinathji became renowned and popular by the name “Kheerchora Gopinath”

       Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu too was lucky enough to taste this unique Maha prasadam. Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami heard the whole story; therefore he too made a daily routine of offering this “Amrtakeli” mahaprasadam in dozens. Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami initiated the pious mahaprasadam tradition.

  

       With the passage of time, “Amrtakeli” came to be known by the name of Kuliya.

       In 1510, Mahaprabhu made his auspicious appearance in the pilgrimage city of Shrirangam. He was invited by Venkata Bhatta to spend the four months of the Caturmasya in his house. Knowing him to be a strict Vaishnava, Mahaprabhu accepted his invitation. In fact, the Lord’s pastime of coming to Shrirangam and staying at Venkata Bhatta’s home was to give his mercy to Gopal Bhatta and his family, for the Lord knew that Gopal, his eternal companion, had appeared there. 

       At this time, Gopal Bhatta was still a young boy. He was fortunate enough to be able to serve the Lord by massaging his feet. Even though he was satisfied with Venkata Bhatta and his family’s service, the Lord observed that Venkata had an element of pride in his object of worship. He believed that his worshipable deity, Lakshmi-Narayan, was the supreme worshipable object, that Narayan was the source of all other incarnations, including Krishna, Rama and Nrisingha. His reasoning was that Narayan is never born, he is aja, while Krishna and Rama take birth in the world. He thus thought, “Mahaprabhu worships Krishna, the incarnation of Narayan, while we worship Narayan, the source of all incarnations.” 

       Madhusudana is the destroyer of false pride, and Mahaprabhu finally decided one day that he would do the same for Venkata. He asked him in a bantering tone, “Venkata, I hear that no one is equal in opulence to your Lord Narayan; the same is true for your worshipable goddess Lakmsi Devi. On the other hand, the object of my worship, Krishna, has no opulence of any kind. He wears garlands of wild forest flowers and uses peacock feathers for decoration. He is the son of Nanda Gopa, and spends his day grazing the cows with the other cowherd boys. My worshipable goddesses, the gopis, are also nothing but poor cowherd girls. I wonder, therefore, why your worshipable Lakshmi Devi came to Vrindavan to perform austerities in the hope of gaining Krishna’s company in the rasa dance.”

  

       Venkata immediately answered, “What’s wrong with that? Radha’s beloved Krishna is not different from Lakshmi Devi’s husband Narayan. 

siddhantatas tv abhede ‘pi shrisha-krishna-Svarupayoh

rasenotkrishyate krishnah krishna-rupam esha rasa-sthitih

        “Though according to theological doctrine, Krishna and the husband of Lakshmi are identical in essence, the form of Krishna is superior when analyzed from the point of view of divine sentiment. This is the conclusion based on the analysis of divine sentiment. 

(Brs 1.2.59)

  

       “Since the divine sentiment in Krishna is superior, there is no fault if Lakshmi Devi chooses to seek his association and performs austerities to that end.” 

       Mahaprabhu answered, “I am not saying that there is any fault. I agree that from the transcendental point of view, Krishna and Narayan are identical. The difference between them is based on an analysis of sacred rapture. When the Lord performs pastimes of opulence, he is Narayan. When he performs pastimes of sweetness, he is Krishna. She who is Radha in Krishna’s pastimes is Lakshmi in the pastimes of Narayan. Thus, when Lakshmi performs austerities to have the association of Krishna there is no question of her breaking her vows of fidelity to her husband. Thus, she went to perform these austerities in Vrindavan. But I have another question for you: Why, even after trying so hard through such penances, etc., to enter Krishna’s rasa-lila, was Lakshmi still unable to do so?” 

       Venkata Bhatta was terribly distressed at being unable to give the Lord an answer. Mahaprabhu observed his distress and tried to pacify him by saying, “You yourself said that Narayan and Krishna are identical from the theological point of view, but that the superiority of Krishna is determined by an analysis of the divine sentiments. Narayan is involved in two and a half of the five principle rasas, whereas Krishna is experienced through the complete manifestation of all twelve rasas, the five principle and seven secondary sentiments. Since Narayan’s lila is primarily one of opulence and majesty, his principle devotee is Lakshmi, who also worships him in the appropriate mood of awe and reverence. The same Lakshmi Devi is Radhika in order to heighten the experience of romantic love. Unless one follows in the footsteps of Radha and her expansions, the gopis, who are the repositories of the erotic sentiment, then it is impossible to relish Krishna’s sweet qualities, i.e., those virtues which are particularly inspiring for the romantic mood of love. The reason for Lakshmi Devi’s failure is that she did not follow in the gopis’ footsteps, but continued to perform her austerities in the mood of awe and reverence. As a result, she repeatedly found herself in the company of Narayan and never in that of Krishna. By way of contrast, the Shrutis followed the gopis in the raga-marga and so were ultimately able to achieve Krishna’s service in the erotic mood. As long as one continues to think of Krishna in majestic terms as lord and creator of the universe, one cannot possibly worship in the spirit of raganuga bhakti. 

        “Krishna has one extraordinary characteristic: by his sweetness he attracts the minds of the entire world. By taking on the mood of the Vraja gopis one can attain to his lotus feet--the people of Vraja have no idea that Krishna is the lord and creator of the universe. Some think of him as their son and even tie him to a mortar, while others take him to be their friend and climb on his shoulders. The people of Vraja only know him as the son of Nanda, whereas in the attitude of awe and reverence, the devotee does not have a concept of such a relationship to him. One who takes the attitude of a resident of Vraja will attain Krishna as the son of the king of Vraja in Vrindavan.

       (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.9.127-31) 

       “When the gopis, the objects of my worship, were abandoned by Krishna in the rasa dance they began to cry in the intensity of their distress at not seeing him. Krishna came to them in the form of Narayan, but the gopis simply paid their obeisances and moved on in search of Krishna, showing absolutely no interest in him as a lover. When Radharani stood before the disguised Krishna, however, he could not maintain the four-armed form but once again appeared in his form as the holder of the flute. Such is the power of Radharani’s love!” 

  

         “Nandanandana Krishna is the avatari, or source of all incarnations. Narayan, Rama, Nrisingha, etc., are all his incarnations and expansions. Krishna is svayam bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

       “From his being the Supreme Personality of Godhead other forms of Godhead are also given the appellation of bhagavan. He alone however can be called the svayam bhagavan, or primeval supreme lord. 

(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.2.88)

ete camshakalah pumsah krishnas tu bhagavan svayam

indrari-vyakulam lokam mridayanti yuge yuge

  

       All of the previously mentioned forms of the Lord are either plenary or partial expansions. Krishna alone is the original personality of the Godhead. He and his expansions appear in every age to bring joy to this world when tormented by the enemies of the gods. 

(SB 1.3.28)

       Timings: 

       Summer - Mangala Arati 4:00am 

       Darshan - 08:00am thru' 12:30pm 

       (look out for the green light when you first enter the Gosai compound, up on the left) 

       (If it is red then darshan is over) 

       Evening Darshan:  - 6pm - 8pm (18:00 - 20:00 hrs)

       Winter - Mangala Arati 05:30am 

       Darshan - 08:00am - 12:30pm 

       Evening - 6pm - 8pm (18:00 - 20:00 hrs)