Meeting with Mahaprabhu
Sri Gaurasundara traveled to the holy place of Sri Rangakshetra. The temple was very large, the top of the tower reaching the sky. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims went day and night to see Lord Ranganatha.
Sri Venkata Bhatta, seeing this divine personality, became full of ecstasy. His heart flooded with devotion, he approached Him and took the dust from His lotus feet. Mahaprabhu looked at him and saying "Krishna! Krishna!" embraced him firmly.
Venkata Bhatta invited Mahaprabhu to his home, where He spent four months (Chaturmasya). Here took place the famous discussion between Mahaprabhu and Venkata Bhatta as to why Lakshmi devi could not enter the Rasa dance, although she performed severe austerities, while the gopis of Vraja could.
Mahaprabhu explained that to enter the Rasa lila, one must follow in the footsteps of the gopis and accept their mood, which Lakshmi, being attached to her opulence (aishvarya) in Vaikuntha, could not do. This discussion converted the whole family from the Sri sampradaya to Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
Venkata Bhatta had a son named Gopala, who was then only a child. When the boy came to offer obeisances at Mahaprabhu's lotus feet, Mahaprabhu picked him up and very affectionately sat him on His lap.
Journey to Vrindavana
After the four months of the rainy season (Chaturmasya), Mahaprabhu was preparing to continue His journey. Gopala fell at His lotus feet unconscious. Therefore, Mahaprabhu stayed for a few more days to console the boy.
He instructed him to serve his mother and father, always chant the glories of Krishna, and later come to Vrindavana. Very quickly Gopala became an expert in grammar, poetry, and rhetoric, and then began to study Vedanta.
Finally reaching their last days, the parents called their son Gopala and instructed him to go to Mahaprabhu's lotus feet in Vrindavana. Then, meditating on His lotus feet, they left to join His eternal pastimes.
Thus Gopala traveled to Vrindavana and when he arrived there, Rupa Goswami immediately sent a message to Mahaprabhu. Rupa and Sanatana treated him with the same care and affection as their own brother.
Mahaprabhu's Gifts
Receiving the news of Gopala Bhatta's arrival in Vrindavana, Mahaprabhu was very pleased and sent him his personal items: a wooden sitting plank (piri) and His kaupina and outer garments. Gopala Bhatta worshiped these items as the greatest treasure. To this day, these items are kept and worshiped in the Radha Ramana temple.
Appearance of Radha Ramana
Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami worshiped eleven Shalagrama shilas. Wherever he went, he carried them with him in a cloth knot.
Once a wealthy Seth came to meet Gopala Bhatta and, wanting to render service, offered him expensive clothes and ornaments. Gopala Bhatta placed the clothes and ornaments next to his shilas and thought: "If I had a Deity, I could decorate Him so beautifully with these clothes and ornaments."
The Miracle
In the evening after offering bhoga and arati to his Shalagrama shilas, Gopala Bhatta covered them with a basket. Late at night he rested a little, and early in the morning went to bathe in the Yamuna. Returning, he opened the basket to wake Them up, and saw among Them a Deity of Krishna playing the flute!
Now there were eleven shilas and this Deity. Floating in an ocean of ecstasy, he fell to the ground offering his dandavats and recited various prayers and hymns.
This Deity, whom the Goswamis named "Sri Radha Ramana Deva", appeared on the full moon day of Vaishakha in 1542. Except for Vrindadevi, Sri Radha Ramanaji is the only one of the original Deities of Vrindavana who never left for Jaipur. He is still worshiped in Vrindavana near Nidhuban kunja to this day.
Gopala Bhatta during his worship sometimes saw Radha Ramana take the form of Sri Gaurasundara Himself, thus confirming that Radha-Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are non-different.
Gopinatha Pujari
Once Gopala Bhatta was traveling from Haridwar and, caught in a sudden rain, took shelter in the house of a brahmana. The brahmana served him very sincerely. Pleased with the service, Gopala Bhatta blessed the childless brahmana that he would have a son. The grateful brahmana promised: "I will send my first son to serve you."
About ten years later, Gopala Bhatta, returning from bathing in the Yamuna, found a boy sitting at the door of his kutir. The boy introduced himself: "My name is Gopinatha. My father sent me to serve you." This boy served Radha Ramana as a brahmacari all his life and became known as Sri Gopinatha Pujari Goswami. Descendants of his family serve in the Radha Ramana temple to this day.
Contribution and Writings
Gopala Bhatta Goswami became very famous in Vrindavana, but remained very humble – he asked Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami not to mention his name in his work Chaitanya Charitamrita.
He was the main diksha guru among the six Goswamis. Rupa, Sanatana, and Jiva would direct everyone who came to them for initiation to Gopala Bhatta Goswami.
Sri Gopala Bhatta was the initiating guru of Srinivasa Acharya Prabhu.
📚 Principal Writings:
Sat-kriyā-sāra-dīpikā
Manual of Rituals
Laghu Hari-bhakti-vilāsa
With Dig-darśinī ṭīkā
Ṣaṭ-sandarbha-kārikā
Summary of Sandarbhas
Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-vallabha
Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta-ṭīkā
Biographical Details
- Born: 1503
- Departed: 1578 (75 years)
- Father: Venkata Bhatta
- In Krishna Lila: Guṇa Mañjarī
- Worshipable Deity: Sri Radha Ramana Deva
Self-Check Questions
- How did Gopala Bhatta Goswami meet Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?
- Tell about the appearance of the Radha Ramana Deity.