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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

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Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya has sung: "O Acarya Prabhu
(Srinivasa), please bestow your mercy upon me. I pray that I might also
have the association of Ramacandra."

Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja was the disciple of Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu and
the very intimate friend of Narottama dasa Thakura. His father was
Ciranjiva Sena and mother Sri Sunanda. Ciranjiva was originally an
inhabitant of Kumaranagar but after marrying the daughter of Sri Damodara
Kavi he moved to Sri Khanda.

"Ciranjiva Sena was a pure devotee very much loved by Narahari Sarkar and
the other residents of Sri Khanda. He was extremely learned in all matters
and his wife was very chaste and gentle. Her activities were completely
transcendental." [C.C Mad. 11/92]

Sri Mukunda, Narahari, Raghunandana and Ciranjiva, who were all residents
of Sri Khanda, were of one mind and one purpose. Every year they would
come to Nilacala to have darshan of Mahaprabhu and to chant and dance in
front of Lord Jagannatha during Ratha Yatra. Ciranjiva was from a family
of physicians. His two jewel-like sons were Ramacandra and Govinda. Later
they both became disciples of Acarya Prabhu and came to reside at Teliya
Bhudari-gram in Murshidabad.

Ramacandra was very handsome, intelligent and perseverent. His maternal
grandfather, Sri Damodara Kaviraja, was a well-known poet who was a
worshiper of Krsna's energy (shakti) and was initiated in this cult. After
their father passed away, the two brothers Ramacandra and Govinda came to
live with their grandfather, who practiced the Shakta religion. Being
influenced by him, both became inclined to worship the various personified
forms of maya, Krsna's external deluding potency.

At this time Ramacandra practiced medicine and was also quite well known
as an accomplished poet.

After his marriage, Ramcandra was carried in a palanquin with his new
bride to his home at Kumaranagara. As the procession passed Srinivasa
Acarya Prabhu's house at Jajigram, he saw the Acarya seated on the
verandah of his house, discussing Krsna-katha with some of his disciples.
Simply upon seeing the Acarya he felt a strange new emotion dawn in his
heart. It was as though he was seeing a very dear friend after long time
of separation. Similarly, Acarya Prabhu, upon seeing Ramacandra seated in
the palanquin, immediately inquired from those who were present with
him, "Who is that? What is his name? Which varna (caste) he belong to? And
where does he reside?" [B.R. 8/530] His associates replied, "He is great
scholar of the name Ramacandra. He is very excellent poet as well as a
physician and resides at Kumaranagara."
Hearing this, Acarya Prabhu simply smiled.

Ramacandra Sena, still seated within the palanquin, after seeing Srinivasa
Acarya and hearing his sweet voice, became extremely anxious to meet him.
After a short time the procession reached the house where much pomp and
celebration took place. Everyone was overjoyed to see the new bride, Ratna
Mala, and a great din and bustle ensued in welcoming her and her
bridegroom into their new home. Ramacandra's mind however was still back
at Jagigram where he had seen that divine personage. With great difficulty
he somehow or other passed the day there, but with the fall of night he
returned to Gajigram, where he passed the night in the house of one
brahman.

With the approach of morning he came to Srinivasa Acarya's house and fell
down at the Acarya's and fell down at he Acarya's feet to offer his
prostrated obeisances. Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu had similarly been
continuously thinking of Ramacandra ever since he'd seen him the day
before. Upon seeing Ramacandra again, prostrated before him, he picked him
up and embraced him in deep ecstasy. Then he told him, "Birth after birth,
you are my most dear friend. In the same way that the Lord caused my
meeting with Sri Narottama dasa Thakura at Vrindavana, He has also re-
united me with another dear friend."

Ramacandra stayed with Acarya Prabhu and studied the literature’s of the
six Gosvamis under his tutorship. Acarya Prabhu was extremely pleased to
see his gentle and polite behavior and his deeply spiritual nature. On the
next auspicious day he initiated Ramacandra with Radha-Krsna mantra.

After some time, Ramacandra returned to his house. When the Shaktas saw he
had been initiated into Vaishnava religion they became very upset.
Ramacandra, however, was undaunted. With tilaka on his body in twelve
places and a japa mala in his hand, he sat down in front of them and began
to chant the holy names. One day, as Ramacandra was proceeding to his
house after having taken his bath, his Shakta neighbours called him.

"Kaviraja, without worshipping Lord Shiva, how is it that you are going
home? Your grandfather was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Have you given
up Lord Shiva's worship?"

Ramacandra replied, "Lord Shiva and Brahma are incarnations of two of the
material modes created by Sri Krsna. Sri Krsna Himself is the source of
all incarnations. Therefore, by worshipping Lord Krsna everyone's worship
is performed, just as by watering the roots of a tree all the leaves and
branches become nourished. Prahlad, Dhruva, Vibhisana and others were dear
devotees of Sri Krsna. Therefore Lord Shiva and Brahma were naturally
favorably disposed to them, whereas Ravana, Kumbakarna, Banasura and other
demons were only devotees of Lord Shiva and not devotees of Lord Krsna.
Thus their ultimate end was to simply be destroyed.

"The shastras say that Lord Brahma was able to create this world due to
having successfully worshipped Sri Visnu. Similarly, Lord Shiva has become
qualified to invoke auspiciousness in this world due to having received
the foot wash water of Lord Visnu (Ganges) on his head." Having heard
these various statements from the shastras, those scholars remained
speechless.

Ramacandra became very anxious to have darsana of Sri Vrindavana and the
Gosvamis there. He petitioned Sri Raghunandana and various other
Vaishnavas for their permission which they readily gave. Thus on the next
day he set out for Sri Vrindavana Dhama. After passing through Gaya, Kasi
and Prayaga, he finally arrived at Mathura. There he took bath and some
rest at Visramaghat. After taking darsana of the Adi Kesava Temple, he
started for Vrindavana.

At this time his guru, Srinivasa Acarya, was present at Vrindavana.
Ramacandra offered his prostrated obeisances at the lotus feet of his guru
and Sri Jiva Gosvami and conveyed the good news of the devotees from
Gaudadesa.

As ordered by Sri Jiva Gosvami, Ramacandra took darshana of Sri Govinda,
Sri Gopinatha, Sri Madanamohana and Sri Sanatana Gosvami's samadhi. Then
he offered his respects to Sri Gopala Bhatta, Sri Lokanatha and Sri
Bhugarbha Gosvami, who were very pleased with him and who offered him
their benediction. Hearing some samples of his great poetic ability,
everyone decided to present him with the title 'Kaviraja.' [B.R.9/214]

After remaining in the Gosvami's association for some days, they finally
instructed him to return to Gaudadesa. And so he returned, visiting Sri
Khanda, Jajigram, Khandaha and Kalna on the way. Finally he came to Sri
Mayapura, where he received the blessings of Sri Isana Thakur.

One time, some smarta brahmanas made a conspiracy to defame the name of
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya. They were very upset that though he
was only a kayastha by caste, he accepted those born in brahmana families
as his disciples. They enlisted Raja Narasimha and the conquering pandita
Sri Rupanarayana in a crusade to somehow expose Narottama dasa as a fraud.
In a large party they made their way to Kheturi, where Srila Narottama had
his headquarters.

Coming to know of this conspiracy, Sri Ramacandra and Sri Ganga Narayana
Cakravarti came forward to meet their challenge. They journeyed to
Kumarapura where they each set up two small shops in the market; one a pan
and betel nut shop and the other a store selling clay pots.

When the party of smarta brahmanas arrived at Kumarapura and sent their
disciples out to purchase wares for cooking their meals, the students came
to those shops. The 'shopkeepers' (actually Ramacandra and Ganga Narayana
in disguise) spoke to them in Sanskrit and began to raise a philosophical
dispute with them. Seeing the profound learning of those two shopkeepers,
the students were dumbfounded, but nevertheless took up the challenge.
After a short time, however, it became obvious that they were no match for
these 'shopkeepers.' They called for their gurus, who arrived on the scene
with Raja Narasimha and Rupanarayana. Rupanarayana himself was drawn into
the debate and was defeated by the Bhagavata-based arguments of Ramacandra
and Ganga Narayana.

When the king requested their introduction, those two shop keepers
informed him that they were two extremely insignificant disciples of Srila
Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya. Having met defeat in this village
marketplace, Rupanarayana and the smarta brahmanas were no longer
interested in proceeding onward to Kheturi. Their crusade evaporated as
they all decided to return immediately to their respective homes.

That night, after Raja Narasimha had returned to his house, he had a dream
in which Durgadevi told him, "Narasimha! You have committed a great
offense at the feet of Narottama dasa Thakura. As a result of this
Vaishnav aparadha, I will have to cut you all to pieces with this chopper.
If you want to save yourself, then you had better immediately go and take
shelter at Narottama dasa Thakura's lotus feet."

When his sleep broke the king quickly took his bath and set out for
Kheturi. Rupanarayana had a similar dream and was also proceeding towards
Kheturi at the same time. They met upon their arrival there and approached
the temple of Sri Gauranga in order to meet Narottama Thakura. Thakur
Mahasaya was absorbed in his bhajana, but when a disciple informed him of
the arrival of the two guests, he came out to meet them. Simply by seeing
his transcendental form, imbued with Krsna-prema, the two offenders became
purified and fell down to offer their obeisances at Thakura Mahasaya's
feet. Thakura Mahasaya very humbly presented himself as being a fallen
soul. Finally he initiated them with Radha-Krsna mantra.

Many sinful atheists were delivered by Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja. He was
present at the Kheturi festival. He came to Vrindavana a second time on
the order of Srinivasa and Narottama, but this time he couldn't have
darsana of the Gosvamis as they had all departed this world for Goloka
Vrindavana. Feeling separation from them, he was very distressed at heart.
Unable to tolerate that pain, he joined them in their eternal pastimes
there in Vrindavana. In Vraja-lila his name is Karuna-manjari. His
disappearance is on the third day of the dark fortnight in the month of
Pausa. His principal disciple was Harirama Acarya.

The Deities worshipped by Ramcandra and Govinda Kaviraja have been brought
from Jeliya-Bhudargram to Bhagavan Gola where they are at present being
worshipped by the followers of Rama dasa Babaji. There is a station at
Bhagavan Gola on the Sealdah-Lal Gola rail line.