SRÍ GOPÁL BHATTA GOSVÁMÍ VrajaLélä svarüp: - TopicsExpress

SRÍ GOPÁL BHATTA GOSVÁMÍ VrajaLélä svarüp: AnaìgaMaïjaré / GuëaMaïjaré [GauraGaëoddeçaDépikä 184] Ävirbhäv: Pauçé/ MäghéKåñëaPaïcamé /Tritéya Father: VyenkataBhaööa Guru: PrabodhänandaSarasvaté Worshipful Deity: ÇréÇré RädhäRamaë Tirobhäv (disappearance): ÇrävaëéKåñëaPaïcamé / Ñañöhé, ÄñärhiGauraPaïcamé Samädhi: RädhäRamaë Mandir The all merciful Lord, Srí GauraHari, as he traveled 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 of men and women felt relief from the blazing fire of material existence. Various wretched, miserable and fallen souls 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, Srí GauraSundar came to the holy place of Srí RangaKsetra. The temple at Srí RangaKsetra was extremely large, the crest of the temple tower piercing the sky. Throughout the day and night hundreds and thousands of pilgrims were going and coming to take darshan of Lord RangaNáth. The temple hall resounded with the sounds of hundreds of bráhmanas chanting Vedic hymns. In the midst of this scene from Vaikuntha enters Srí GauraSundar, chanting the names of Krsna, in his sweet voice that defeats the voices of ten million Gandharvas. Everyone in the temple became dumbstruck, amazed and thrilled with wonder. What unprecedented beauty! His bodily effulgence makes molten gold appear lacklustre. From his eyes like full-blown petals of a lotus flower, tears trickle down out of ecstatic love. Every limb, every part of his body is filled with such exquisite grace that even the mind of KámDev is stolen away. Gandharva- celestial being, angel KámDev- Cupid The bráhmanas began to consider, “Is this a demigod? Can such symptoms and emotions be found in human beings?” The halls resounding with the transcendental vibrations of Srí Hari’s name, 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. Srí VyenkataBhatta became restless with ecstasy at the sight of this Divine personage. His heart was flooded with devotion as 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 consciousness after engaging in sankírtan, VyenkataBhatta approached him and took the dust of his lotus feet. Maháprabhu gazed towards him while saying, “Krsna! Krsna!” and embraced him firmly. Then Srí VyenkataBhatta invited Maháprabhu to come to his house. Having brought him there, he very reverently washed his lotus feet, and along with his other family members, drank that water. Srí Bhattají’s house became filled with joy. Maháprabhu came to RangaKsetra in the year 1511 C.E. VyenkataBhatta had two brothers, TrimallaBhatta and PrabodhánandaSarasvatí. They all belonged to the RámanujaSampradáya and PrabodhánandaSarasvatí was a tridandi sannyásí of that order. VyenkataBhatta had a son named Gopál, who was then just a child. When the boy came to offer his obeisances, Maháprabhu picked him up and very affectionately seated him in his lap. Maháprabhu would call Gopál after he had finished his meal and offer his remnants to the boy. In this way he prepared him for the position of Áchárya. tridandi sannyásí- máyávádís (impersonalists) accept ekadanda (single staff) sannyás, whereas Vaishnavas accept tridandi (triple staff) sannyás; the impersonalists’ goal is to become one (eka) with the Supreme, to merge within Brahman, whereas the Vaishnavas retain their individuality After remaining at VyenkataBhatta’s house during the four months of the rainy season (cháturmásya), Maháprabhu prepared to continue his journey of the South. VyenkataBhatta’s house began to ebb and flow in a tide of tears, in anticipation of his departure. Gopál fell at his lotus feet in a dead faint. Therefore, Maháprabhu remained for a few more days in order to console the boy. He instructed him to serve his mother and father and always engage in chanting Krsna’s glories, and thereafter to come to Vrindában. Very quickly Gopál became expert in grammar, poetry, and rhetoric, and then began his study of Vedánta. His uncle Prabodhánanda specifically began to instruct him from the devotional scriptures (bhakti shástra). GopálBhatta always remained thinking of the lotus feet of Maháprabhu and when he might again be able to meet him. At the same time, however, he couldn’t leave his aged mother and father. But eventually the day came when they called their son Gopál and instructed him to go to the lotus feet of Maháprabhu in Vrindában. Then, while meditating on his lotus feet, they also went to join him in his eternal lílá. Thus Gopál set out for Vrindában. When he arrived there, RúpaGosvámí immediately sent word to Maháprabhu in SríNíláchal, to inform him of Gopál’s arrival there. Maháprabhu had previously indicated to Rúpa and Sanátan that GopálBhatta would one day come to Vrindában, so upon his arrival they treated him with the same care and affection they would their own brother. They immediately became lifelong companions. When Maháprabhu received word that GopálBhatta had come to Vrindában he was very pleased. He sent back with that messenger a wooden sitting plank (piri) which he had used, as well as a pair of his undergarments and one of his cloths. GopálBhatta was in ecstasy to receive these gifts and he worshipped them as the prasád of Maháprabhu. When he would worship his Deities he used to sit on that wooden plank. This piri (wooden seat) and remnants of that cloth are still worshipped at ÇréÇré RädhäRamaë Mandir in Vrindäban. GopálBhatta, like Rúpa and Sanátan, 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. Srí GopálBhatta Gosvámí used to worship twelve ShálagrámShilás. Wherever he would go he brought them with him in a piece of cloth tied at the corner. One time a rich man (Seth) came to meet GopálBhatta to have his darshan. Being very impressed with the Gosvámí, he wanted to render some service, which he presented in the form of valuable cloths and ornaments. GopálBhatta kept the cloths and ornaments with his Shilás while thinking, “If I had a Deity then I would be able to decorate him very beautifully with these clothes and ornaments.” In the evening, after offering bhoga and árati to his ShálagrámShilás, Gopál Bhatta put them to rest, covering them with a wicker basket. Late in the night, Gopál Bhatta took a little rest himself and then, in the early morning went to take bath in the Yamuná. bhoga- foodstuffs; (lit.) enjoyment árati- worship ceremony; waving lamps and other articles before the Deity Returning from his bath, he went to uncover the ShálagrámShilás in order to wake them, when he saw amongst them a Deity of Krsna playing the flute. There were now eleven Shilás and this Deity! Floating in the ocean of ecstasy, he fell to the ground in order to offer his dandavats and then recited various prayers and hymns. When Rúpa and Sanátan Gosvámís, 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. dandavats- prostrated obeisances; (lit.) falling down on the ground like a stick This Deity whom the Gosvámís named, Srí RádháRamanDev, made his appearance on the full moon day of Baishákh in the year 1542. Except for VåndäDevé, Çré RädhäRamaëjé is the only one of the original Deities of Vrindäban who never left VrajaBhümi to go to Jaipur. He is still being worshipped in Vrindäban near NidhuvanKunj. Çré RädhäRamaëDev, unlike other Deities, has very intricate features, including fingernails and even teeth. On the backside of his body can be seen parts of the original ÇälagrämÇilä from which he manifested. When Srí GopálBhatta was returning from the GandakíRiver in the Himálayas, wherefrom he had brought the ShálagrámShilás, suddenly a downpour started and so he went to take shelter in the house of one bráhman. The bráhmana served Srí GopálBhatta very devotedly, thus Srí Bhattají was pleased. Since this bráhmana had no children GopálBhatta blessed him that he might have a son, who would be a devoted follower of Lord Hari. The bráhmana replied, “My first son I will send to you in order to serve you.” Approximately ten years later, GopálBhatta had just returned from bathing in the Yamuná, when he saw a young boy sitting at the door of his kutír. The boy saw Gosvámíjí approaching and so he first rose from his seat and then fell down to offer his dandavats. Gopál Bhattají inquired after the boy’s identity, to which he replied, “My home was in DevVandyaGrám within Saharanpur near HariDvár. My father has sent me here to serve you. My name is Gopínáth.” kutír- hut Then GopálBhatta remembered his journey to HariDvár many years ago. The boy remained with him and very carefully began to serve him. This boy became known as Çré Gopénäth PüjäréGosvämé. He served Çré RädhäRamaëDev throughout his life as a brahmacäré. His younger brother, Çré Dämodar däs, accepted initiation from Çré Gopénäthjé, along with his family members. Çré Dämodar däsa’s three sons were named HariNäth, MathuräNäth and HariRäm. Their descendants are the present sevaits of RädhäRamaë and are very influential both in wealth, learning, and prestige, among the GauréyaVaiñëavas at Vrindäban. brahmacäré- celibate student Srí GopálBhatta, in his worship of Srí RádháRaman, would sometimes see extraordinary things. “Becoming subservient to the love of Srí GopálBhatta, Srí RádháRaman would sometimes accept the form of Srí GauraSundar.” Çré GopälBhaööa was the initiating guru of Çrénivas ÄcäryaPrabhu. He is reputed by some to have written the following books: Çré KåñëaVallabhä (öékä on KåñëaKarëämåta), Laghu HariBhaktiViläs with DigDarçiné öékä (from this work, Çré SanätanGosvämé compiled the HariBhaktiViläs, followed by GauréyaVaiñëavas), ÑaöSandarbhaKärikä, and SatKriyäSäraDépikä. ÑaöSandarbhaKärikä is a treatise based on the teachings of ÇrémanMahäprabhu to SanätanGosvämé at Käçé and to RüpaGosvämé at Prayäg, told by them to GopälBhaööa. From this treatise Çréla JévaGosvämé compiled his ÑaöSandarbha. There is some controversy whether all of these books were in fact compiled by the GopälBhaööa who is known as one of the six Gosvämés. Manohar däs in his AnuragBalli has mentioned GopälBhaööaGosvämé’s commentary on KåñëaKarëämåta, entitled KåñëaVallabhä. There is a similar reference in BhaktiRatnäkar. Haridäs däs in his GauréyaVaiñëavaAbhidhän suggests that GopälBhaööa laid the ground work for the compilation of HariBhaktiViläs by churning the ocean of çästras; in other words, GopälBhaööa did most of the research, and SanätanGosvämé put it all together. Haridäs däs offers that since Sanätan had been employed in the service of the Muslim king, he preferred that this småti grantha should not be presented in his own name, rather in the name of GopälBhaööa, a virtuous brähmaë and life-long brahmacäré from SouthIndia. Sanätan had received the instruction from ÇrémanMahäprabhu to compile devotional scriptures citing proofs from the Puräëas. In his old age, he requested GopälBhaööa to assist him by doing the ground research, and then while compiling the book he finished each chapter, saying, “Çré GopälBhaööa vilikhita,” “composed by Çré GopälBhaööa.” It is Haridäs däsa’s contention that the DigDarçiné öékä was composed by SanätanGosvämé. “Without this commentary (öékä), it is very difficult to understand the original work, especially in the matter of observing the Vaiñëava rituals (tithis) mentioned in the twelfth and thirteenth chapters.” It was pointed out to us by GopalGhosh, a very learned scholar (‘walking encyclopedia of Vaishnav literature and history’) employed at VrindabanResearch Institute, that in SatKriyaSaraDipika, the author has given instructions how to offer Vaishnav homa (fire sacrifice) and that there are mantras for offering oblations to the six gosvamis. GopalGhosh contends that GopalBhatta would have never left instructions to worship himself and therefore the author of SatKriyaSaraDipika must be a GopalBhatta other than the friend of Rupa and SanatanGosvamis. Others have suggested that those mantras may have been added later on by someone else, and that Sri BhaktisiddhantaSarasvati Thakur accepted this book as the work of GopalBhatta Gosvami. GopalBhatta was so averse to pratistha (name and fame) that he has purposefully avoided taking credit for any of his literary works. This aversion to pratistha is what gives GopalGhosh’s argument credence. If people are going to add to another author’s writings (interpolate) they should make it clear that they are doing so, and not use the same argument of aversion to pratistha to cover up such interpolations. In the GauraGanoddeshDípiká, GopálBhatta Gosvámí’s name in VrajaLílá has been given as either AnangaMañjarí or GunaMañjarí. GopälBhaööa’s birth was on the third day of the dark fortnight of the month of Pauça, in the year 1503 C.E. (1425 Çakäbda). His disappearance was on the sixth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Çrävaë in the year 1578 C.E. (1500 Çaka). His samädhi is located at ÇréÇré RädhäRamaë Mandir in Vrindäban. references to GopálBhatta from: Srí ChaitanyaCharitámrita: ÁdiLílá 1.19, 36; 7.149, 164; 9.4; 10.105; 12.27 MadhyaLílá 1.35; 3.6; 7.37, 130; 9.82, 289; 17.104, 185; 18.49, 52; 22.153; 23.104 AntyaLílá 1.3-4; 4.221; 11.9