SRI SRI
TOTA GOPINATHA TEMPLE
at Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama
and
SRI
GADADHARA PANDITA
Sri Tota Gopinatha is exquisitely beautiful self-manifested Deity
of Lord Sri Krishna. Sri Tota Gopinatha is also a most unique Deity because He
is the only Krishna Deity in the world “sitting
down” and playing His flute.
Sri Tota Gopinatha has such
a charismatic bewitching quality that draws one to His darshana over and over
again. Srila Vrindavana Thakura extols His power: “Even an extreme atheist will
be changed upon seeing the Deity of Gopinatha.” At Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple
number of pastimes related to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda and
sri Gadadhara Pandita took place.
SRI TOTA-GOPINATHA -
MOST UNIQUE KRISHNA DEITY IN THE WORLD IN
"SITTING" POSTURE.
Being deeply absorbed in syama-rasa - the mellow of
satisfying all of Krishna’s conjugal desires - Radhika and Lalita-sakhi appear
black. Holding Her kacchapi-vina, Srimati Radharani curiously stands in a
three-fold bending form dancing in time with Her beloved syamam
tri-bhanga-lalitam.
Tota Gopinatha has such a charismatic bewitching
quality that draws one to His darshana over and over again. Srila Vrindavana
Thakura extols His power: “Even an extreme atheist will be changed upon seeing
the Deity of Gopinatha.” At 7am during darshan time, upon request, the pujari
can show a small golden streak on Gopinatha’s right knee where Mahaprabhu
entered the Lord.
The left altar at Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple
features Lord Balarama with Revati and Varuni on His left and right
On right altar are Deities of Gaura-Gadadhara and
Sri Sri Radha Madana-mohana installed by Mamu Thakura. Mamu Thakura is the
nephew of Sri Nilambara Cakravati, Lord Gauranga’s grandfather.
Main Deities: Sri Tota Gopinatha graces the centre altar with Sri
Radhika playing vina and Lalita sakhi playing flute on His left and
right. Being deeply absorbed in syama-rasa - the mellow of satisfying
all of Krishna’s conjugal desires - Radhika and Lalita-sakhi appear
black. Holding Her kacchapi-vina, Srimati Radharani curiously stands in
a three-fold bending form dancing in time with Her beloved syamam
tri-bhanga-lalitam. The left altar features Lord Balaram with Revati and
Varuni on His left and right. On right altar are Deities of Gaura-Gadadhara and
Sri Sri Radha Madana-mohana installed by Mamu Thakura. He is the nephew of Sri
Nilambara Cakravati, Lord Gauranga’s grandfather.
Tota Gopinatha has such a charismatic bewitching
quality that draws one to His darshana
over and over again. Srila Vrindavana Thakura extols His power: “Even an
extreme atheist will be changed upon seeing the Deity of Gopinatha.” At 7am
during darshana time, upon request, the pujari can show a small
golden streak on Gopinatha’s right knee where Mahaprabhu entered the Lord.
APPEARANCE OF SRI
TOTA GOPINATHA
Gopinatha temple is situated in Sri Ksetra Jagannatha
Puri Dhama in an area named Yamesvara Tota. When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
took sannyasa, He stayed at
Jagannatha Puri Dhama for 18 years. Sri Gadadhara Pandita also came with
Mahaprabhu. Most of Mahaprabhu’s other associates in Navadvipa remained in
Bengal; they came to Puri only once in a year, for the four months of the rainy
season, to attend the Lord Jagannatha Rathayatra and to see Lord Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. But Gadadhara Pandita couldn’t bear to be separated from the Lord,
and the Lord couldn’t bear to be separated from Him. So He was permitted to
stay with Mahaprabhu in Puri. Gadadhara Pandita resided here at Sri Tota
Gopinatha Temple. While residing here in this peaceful garden of trees and
creepers, Gadadhara Pandita recited Srimad-Bhagavatam every afternoon.
Mahaprabhu attended regularly and heard recount the stories of Dhruva Maharaj
and Prahlada Maharaj 100 times.
One day here, Sri Caitanyadeva experienced immense
separation from Lord Krishna. Crying out, “Where is My Prananatha,” Gauranga
started digging the earth to search of His Lord. Feeling the carved stone mukuta
of a murti below the ground, Gaurahari declared, “Gadai, I have found a
most precious treasure here. Would you like to accept it?” Noticing the head of
a murti emerging from the sand, Gadadhara helped Gauranga uncover a most
beautiful Deity of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.
Mahaprabhu named the Deity, Gopinatha, and because He
appeared in this garden called tota in Oriya the devotees called Him, Tota
Gopinatha. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave the responsibility of Sri Tota
Gopinatha’s service to His most dear Gadadhara Pandita, and also awarded Him ksetra-sannyasa.
Sri Tota Gopinatha Deity is very beautiful. Sri
Vrindavana Dasa Thakura describes Sri Tota Gopinatha’s beauty in his Sri
Caitanya-Bhagavat as follows:
gadadhara bhavane mohana Gopinatha
achene, ye hena nanda-kumara saksat
apane Caitanya tare kariyachena kole
ati pasandi-o se vigraha dekhe bhule
dekhi sri-murali mukha angera bhangima
nityananda ananda asura nahi sima
(Sri Caitanya-Bhagavat Antya 7.114)
“In the house of Gadadhara there is most
attractive Gopinatha. This Deity looks exactly like son of Nanda Himself is
sitting there. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself had held Him in His lap. Even
most atheistic person will be changed to see this Deity. By seeing the posture
of the body and face with flute Lord Nityananda sheds tears of bliss
limitlessly.”
Wonderful Pastimes of Sri Tota Gopinatha
WHY SRI TOTA
GOPINATHA IS SITTING DOWN?
The Deity of Sri Tota Gopinatha was previously in
standing form and was being worshiped by Sri Gadadhara Pandita. But after the
departure of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gadai (Gadadhara) felt devastated.
His body got bent over from intense agony of separation from his beloved Gaura.
Although he was only 47 years old, Gadadhara became lean and thin like an old
man. Incapable of lifting his arms, Gadai could neither dress Tota Gopinatha
nor offer Him candana and flower garlands. Gadadhara thought it best to
engage another pujari in worshiping the Lord. In a dream that night, Tota
Gopinatha appeared and said, “Why do you want to engage another pujari in My
seva? I only want you to serve Me.”
Gadadhara replied, “O Prananatha! Due to my condition,
I can no longer stand up and serve You properly.”
Lord Gopinatha said, “No, I insist that you alone
serve Me. If you are finding difficulty, then from tomorrow I will become
shorter.”
Next morning when Gadadhara entered the
Deity room to serve Gopinatha, he saw an amazing sight. The most merciful Lord had sat down in order to receive service from
his hands.
After the Disappearance of Sri Gadadhara Pandita,
another devotee by name Mamu Thakura took care of Sri Tota Gopinatha Deities.
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to call him Mama, which is Bengali for uncle;
in Orissa, "uncle" is Mamu. Thus he was known as Mamu Thakura
among the people.
WAY
TO SRI TOTA GOPINATHA TEMPLE
ENTRANCE
TO SRI TOTA GOPINATHA TEMPLE
SRI TOTA-GOPINATHA (centre), SRIMATI
RADHARANI HOLDING KACCHAPI-VINA (right) and
SRIMATI LALITA SAKHI HOLDING FLUTE
SRI
TOTA GOPINATHA
SRI
TOTA GOPINATHA
LORD
BALARAMA with SRIMATI REVATI and SRIMATI VARUNI
Deities of Gaura-Gadadhara and Sri Sri Radha
Madana-mohana installed by Mamu Thakura
Gaudiya
Vaishnava’s accept that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ended His manifested pastimes
in Jagannatha Puri by entering into the knee of the Tota Gopinatha Deity. If
one come in the morning around seven, one can give a donation to see the crack
in His knee where Lord Caitanya entered the Deity and left this world.
GARDENS
(TOTA) at SRI TOTA GOPINATHA TEMPLE
Transcendentalists
at Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple during annual Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama
Parikrama
Devotees
at Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple during Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama Parikrama
Devotees
at Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple during Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama Parikrama
Devotees
at Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple during Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama Parikrama
Transcendentalists
at Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple during annual Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama
Parikrama
Wonderful
drama performance at Sri Tota Gopinatha
Wonderful
drama performance at Sri Tota Gopinatha
Dedicated
pujari at Sri Tota Gopinatha
LORD NITYANANDA VISITS GADADHARA
AND HIS OFFERINGS TO SRI TOTA GOPINATHA
Once Lord Nityananda came from Gaudadesh to Jagannatha
Puri to take darshan of Lord Jagannatha, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His
associates. After taking darshan of Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu went to take
darshan of Lord Jagannatha. As soon as Lord Nityananda saw Jagannatha, He
became overwhelmed with ecstasy and began to roll on the ground. Repeatedly He
forcefully fell on the floor. Even a hundred people could not control Him.
Seeing Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balarama, Subhadra and Sudarsana-cakra, Nityananda
Prabhu began to weep. Knowing the glories of Nityananda Prabhu, the brahmana
priest offered the flower garlands from Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra to
Nityananda. When the servants of Lord Jagannatha saw Nityananda, they became
extremely joyful. Those who did not know Lord Nityananda, asked others who He
was? Everyone replied that He was the brother of Krishna Caitanya. Lord
Nityananda's swarupa also embraced everyone, drenching them with His
tears.
Thus after taking darshan of Lord Jagannatha with
great bliss, Lord Nityananda came to see Gadadhara Pandita at Sri Tota
Gopinatha Temple. Gadadhara and Nityananda would love each other very much.
There, by seeing the exquisite, three-fold bending form of Sri Tota Gopinatha,
He cried incessant tears of joy.
Hearing of Nitai’s arrival, Gadadhara Pandita
immediately stopped reciting the Srimad-Bhagavatam and hurried to welcome the
Lord. Nitai and Gadai embraced firmly, bathed in each other’s tears, offered
obeisances and profusely praised each other. Oblivious to Their own bodies and
external environment, they floated in the ocean of spiritual happiness. No none
had ever seen such expressions of love and affection.
Nitai had brought with Him thirty kilograms of the
best quality rice from Bengal for offering to Sri Tota Gopinatha. He also
brought brightly colored fine cloth for a Deity outfit. Presenting these items
to Gadai, Nitai said, “Here is some fine
cloth and first class rice for Gopinatha’s seva.”
Gadai replied gratefully, “Nitai, I have never seen such superb rice. My Lord, did You carefully
bring this rice all the way from Vaikuntha for Gopinatha? Sri Laksmi Devi
Herself should cook this rice, which will be offered to Gopinatha and then to
His devotees.”
Gadai then wrapped the beautiful cloth attractively
around Gopinatha Jiu. Then Gadadhara Pandita started to cook. He picked up some
wild spinach from the garden and prepared some item from that. He also picked
up some soft tamarind leaves. There was no salt at the temple at this time. Sri
Gadadhara Pandita brought the salty sea water and mixed it and cooked a preparation.
After finishing the cooking Gadadhara Pandita offered the rice and other
delectable dishes for Lord Tota Gopinatha’s bhoga offering.
Suddenly, at that time Lord Gaura Chandra arrived
there. While chanting Hare Krishna maha-mantra Lord entered inside calling,
"Gadadhara! Gadadhara!" Immediately Gadadhara came to worship the
lotus feet of the Lord Gauranga with great respect.
Mahaprabhu was smiling and said, "Gadadhara!
How come I have not been invited? I am not different from both of You. Even if
You do not invite me still, I have come here to take Prasad by asking it from
you. Nityananda has brought this rice, You have cooked and offered to Lord
Gopinatha. I must have share from this Prasad.”
By hearing this merciful words from the Lord Caitanya,
Gadadhara and Nityananda were floating in the ocean of bliss. With great
happiness Gadadhara brought the remnants of Gopinatha’s Maha-Prasadam to Gaura-sundara. Whole garden filled with sweet
aroma of the rice Prasad. Gaura Chandra offered prayers to Maha-Prasadam and glorified the rice again and again.
Mahaprabhu said, "Divide this Maha-Prasadam in to three portion and we
all three will eat together." Lord sat in the middle and both Nityananda
and Gadadhara sat on both side of the Lord to honour the Maha-Prasadam. Lord was glorifying the rice and sabji. Mahaprabhu
said, "This rice gives Krishna-Bhakti simply by its sweet smell. Or
whoever will smell the scent of this rice will get Krishna Bhakti. There is no
doubt about it. Gadadhara! What kind of attractive cooking have you done? I
have never eaten such nice spinach. Gadadhara! What a wonderful cooking
do you know? You have cooked so nice preparation from mere tamarind
leaves. Now I understand You must be cooking in Vaikuntha. Why are you
hiding Your identity?"
In this way all three of Them enjoyed Maha-Prasadam with great fun and ecstasy
while joking with each other. After they finished Their Prasad other devotees
took their remnants.
Whoever will hear or read this pastime of taking
Prasad with devotion and blissful mode will attend Krishna-Bhakti and the lotus
feet of Sri Gopinatha, of this, there is no doubt.
[Sri Caitanya Bhagavata Antya 6]
SRILA
SANATANA GOSVAMI MEETS LORD CAITANYA
AT
YAMESVARA TOTA
Sanatana Gosvami had come to see Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri during the month of April-May, and during
the month of May-June Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu tested him. In that month of
May-June, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to the garden of Yamesvara (Lord Siva)
and accepted Prasadam there at the request of the devotees. At noon, when it
was time for lunch, the Lord called for Sanatana Gosvami, whose happiness
increased because of the call. At noon the sand on the beach was as hot as
fire, but Srila Sanatana Gosvami came by that path. Overwhelmed by the joy
at being called by the Lord, Srila Sanatana Gosvami did not feel that his that
his feet were burning in the hot sand. Although the soles of his feet were
blistered because of the heat, he nevertheless went to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
There he found that the Lord, having taken His lunch, was resting. Govinda gave
Sanatana Gosvami the plate with the remnants of Lord Caitanya's food. After
taking the prasadam, Sanatana Gosvami approached Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
When the Lord inquired, "By which path have you
come?" Sanatana Gosvami replied, "I have come on the path along the
beach."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "How did you come
along the beach, where the sand is so hot? Why didn't you come by the path in
front of the Simha-dvara gate? It is very cool. The hot sand must have
blistered your soles. Now you cannot walk. How did you tolerate it?"
Sanatana Gosvami replied, "I did not feel much
pain, nor did I know that there were blisters because of the heat. I have no
right to pass by the Simha-dvara, for the servants of Lord Jagannatha are
always coming and going there without interval. If I touch them, I shall be
ruined."
Having heard all these details, Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, greatly pleased, spoke as follows: "My dear
Sanatana, although you are the deliverer of the entire universe and although
even the demigods and great saints are purified by touching you, it is the
characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaisnava etiquette.
Maintenance of the Vaisnava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee. If one
transgresses the laws of etiquette, people make fun of him, and thus he is
vanquished in both this world and the next. By observing the etiquette, you
have satisfied My mind. Who else but you could show this example?"
After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced
Sanatana Gosvami, and the moisture oozing from the itching sores on Sanatana's
body smeared the body of the Lord. Although Sanatana Gosvami repeatedly forbade
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to embrace him, the Lord still did so. Thus His body
was smeared with the moisture from Sanatana's body, and Sanatana became greatly
distressed.
[Sri
Caitanya Caritamrta Antya Lila 4.115-135]
PREMA
VIVARTA LILA OF GADAI-GAURA
One year, on the day of Vijaya-dasami, Mahaprabhu
decided to leave Sri Ksetra Dhama and go to Vrindavana. Maharaja Prataparudra made various
arrangements for Gauranga’s trip to Vrindavana.
When Gadadhara Pandita started to go with Sri Caitanyadeva,
he was forbidden to come and asked not to give up his vow of ksetra-sannyasa, wherein a sannyasi lives his entire life in a
sacred place like Sri Ksetra Dhama or Radha Kunda without going anywhere else.
Gadai (Gadadhara) and Gaura then had a very deep conversation.
Gadai: pandita
kahe yahan tumi, sei nīlacala ksetra-sannyasa mora, yauka rasatala “Wherever You are staying is Nilacala. Let my
so-called ksetra-sannyasa go to rasatala (hell).”
Gauranga: inha
kara gopinatha sevana, “Just stay in
Jagannatha Puri and serve Tota Gopinatha.”
Gadai: kotii-seva
tvat-pada-darsana, “One renders
service to Gopinatha a million times simply by seeing Your lotus feet.”
Gauranga: koti-seva
tvat-pada-darsana, “One renders
service to Gopinatha a million times simply by seeing Your lotus feet.”
Gauranga: prabhu
kahe seva chadibe, amaya lage dosa inha rahi’ seva kara, amara santosa “If you abandon Gopinatha’s seva, it will be
My fault. It will give Me great satisfaction if you remain here and render
service.”
Gadai: pandita
kahe saba dosa, āmāra upara tomā-sange nā yāiba,
yāiba ekeśvara āi’ke dekhite yāiba nā, yāiba
tomā lāgi’ ‘pratijñā‘sevā’ tyāga-dosa, tāra
āmi bhāgī eta bali’ pandita-gosāñi prthak calilā
kataka āsi’ prabhu tānre sange ānāilā “Do not
worry. All the faults will be on My head. I shall not accompany You but shall
go alone. “I shall go to see Sacimata, but I shall not go for Your sake. I will
take full responsibility for the fault of giving up my vow and service to
Gopinatha. “Thus Gadadhara travelled alone, but when all the devotees arrived
at Kataka, Mahaprabhu called Him, and He went to meet Lord Caitanya.”
It is not possible for anyone to understand
Gadadhara’s Gauranga-prema. He gave
up his life’s vow of sri-krishna-seva,
service of Gopinatha, just as one gives up a piece of straw. Such intimate
divine love can be understood only by very confidential devotees. Actually,
within His heart, Gauranga was very much satisfied with Gadai’s behaviour.
Nevertheless, Gauranga caught his hand and spoke to him, exhibiting anger in
divine love (pranaya-rosa).
Gauranga: pratijñā
sevā chadibe, e tomāra ‘uddeśa’ se siddha ha-ila chadi,
āilā dūra deśa āmāra sange rahite cāha,
-vāñcha nija-sukha tomāra dui dharma yāya, -āmāra haya
‘duhkha’ mora sukha cāha yadi, nīlācale cala āmāra
śapatha yadi, āra kichu bala “You
have given up Gopinatha’s seva and broken your vow to live in Puri. All that is
now complete because You have come so far. Your desire to remain with Me is
simply a desire for Your own happiness. In this way, You are breaking two
religious principles, and because of this I am very unhappy. If you want to
make Me happy, then please return to Nilacala. You will simply condemn Me if
You say any more about this matter.”
Saying this, Mahaprabhu boarded a boat and Sri
Gadadhara Pandita immediately fell down unconscious. Lord Caitanya ordered
Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya to take Gadadhara Pandita with him. The Bhattacharya
told Gadadhara Pandita, “Get up! Such are the pastimes of Mahaprabhu. You
should know that Sri Krishna Himself violated His own promise just to keep the
promise of Grandfather Bhisma. Similarly, tolerating separation from You,
Mahaprabhu has protected Your vow with great endeavour.”
In this way Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya revived Gadadhara
Pandita. Overwhelmed with grief, they both returned to Jagannatha Puri. Lord
Caitanya’s devotees abandoned all kinds of karmically prescribed duties for
Mahaprabhu’s sake. Yet Gauranga could not tolerate the devotees’ giving up
their devotional duties (bhakta-dharma).
Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami concludes this
wonderful narration with a phala-sruti,
a verse of blessings for all the devoted readers.
premera vivarta’ iha, sune yei jana, acire
miliye tanre, caitanya-carana “All
these pastimes of Gaura-Gadadhara are the reversals in loving affairs (prema vivarta). Whoever hears these
pastimes gets the shelter of Sri Caitanya’s lotus feet very soon. [Sri Caitanya Caritamrta 2.16.139-149]
In this verse, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami
mentions the term prema vivarta. The
word avartana means “to move” or “to
turn”; so vivarta means visesa-avarta, “a special or unique
reversal in movement.” Thus prema-vivarta
is the state of love when it turns against its natural flow; the reversed
movements of love. Srila Prabhupada translates it as, “the misgivings of loving
affairs.”
In this prema-vivarta
lila, when Mahaprabhu left Nilacala to go to Vrindavana , He left Gadadhara
Pandita behind. At that time, Gadadhara said, “Prabhu! What is the use of my ksetra-sannyasa? I only took ksetra-sannyasa to be with You; it was
not for any purpose of my own. I do not want it.” Such contrary emotions were
churning his heart in different directions. This is the mysterious expression
of prema-vivarta, a transcendental
phenomenon shared between Sri Krishna and His premi-bhaktas.
SRI GADADHARA PANDITA
Sri Gadadhara Pandita appeared one year after Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And in their childhoods, the two were inseparable. They
were so attached to each other. Together, they attended Gangadasa Pandita’s
tola, or school, and as classmates they enjoyed many pastimes with each other.
In His childhood, Lord Caitanya was called Nimai, because He was born under a
nima tree. So, Nimai and Gadadhara would go to Ganganagara and attend class
together. They would walk home together. They would study together. They would
take bath in the Ganga together. They were inseparable. They could not bear to
be separated from each other for even a moment.
Later, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa
and went to reside in Jagannatha Puri, Gadadhara Pandita followed Him. Most of
Mahaprabhu’s other associates in Navadvipa remained in Bengal; they came to
Jagannatha Puri only once in a year, for the four months of the rainy season,
to attend the Jagannatha Rathayatra and to see Mahaprabhu. But Gadadhara
Pandita couldn’t bear to be separated from the Lord, and the Lord couldn’t bear
to be separated from him. So he was permitted to stay with Mahaprabhu in Puri,
and there they engaged in pastimes. Gadadhara Pandita accepted ksetra-sannyasa,
which means he took a vow never to spend a night outside the dhama, Jagannatha
Puri. And He engaged in the service of the Deity, Sri Tota-Gopinatha. The first
time Caitanya Mahaprabhu left Jagannatha Puri to travel to Vrindavana,
Gadadhara Pandita followed Him - even at the cost of his ksetra-sannyasa
and his service to Gopinatha. And when Caitanya Mahaprabhu finally compelled
Him to return to Jagannatha Puri, Gadadhara fainted. He could not bear the
separation. And for Mahaprabhu too, the separation was difficult. But
Mahaprabhu tolerated it because He wanted to keep Gadadhara’s vow and service
intact. Gadadhara Pandita and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had many intimate, loving
pastimes together in Jagannatha Puri, which are described in Sri Caitanya
Caritamrta. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would come regularly to relish
Gadadhara Pandita’s reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam. And it is said that in
the end Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered the Tota Gopinatha temple and never
came out, that He entered into the Deity of Gopinatha to return to His eternal
pastimes.
After Mahaprabhu left, Gadadhara Pandita felt such
intense separation that his body began to age very quickly - although He was
hardly forty-eight years old. In time, He was unable to stretch out his arms
even to offer a garland to the Deity. So, as mentioned in the pastime above, to
facilitate Gadadhara’s loving service, the Deity Sri Tota Gopinatha sat down.
Soon after Lord Caitanya ended His manifest pastimes on this planet, Sri
Gadadhara also Himself entered into the Deity to join Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in
His eternal pastimes. Just before the disappearance of Sri Gadadhara, Shrinivas
Acarya got great fortune to have his darshan.
Sri Caitanya Caritamrta states that Gadadhara Pandita was an incarnation of
the pleasure potency of Sri Krishna. And Sri Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika
confirms that Srimati Radharani appeared in Gaura-lila as Gadadhara
Pandita. When the Lord descends, He doesn’t come alone. He comes with His
eternal associates. Thus, when Lord Krishna came as Sri Krishna Caitanya, in
the role of a devotee, His eternal associates accompanied Him, as devotees, to
assist Him in His pastimes. And the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, written by
Kavi-karnapura, also an associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, explains what roles
the associates of Krishna in Krishna-lila played in Gaura-lila.
Sri Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (147-149) states, “Srimati Radharani, who
is the personification of pure love for Krishna and who is the queen of
Vrindavana, appeared as Sri Gadadhara Pandita, who was very dear to Lord
Caitanya. Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has also confirmed that the goddess of
fortune, who appeared in Vrindavana and was very dear to Lord Krishna, appeared
as Sri Gadadhara Pandita, who was filled with love for Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu.”
Gadadhara Pandita is an incarnation of Srimati
Radharani, the internal potency of Lord Krishna. But because Lord Caitanya is
Krishna acting in the mood of Srimati Radharani, Gadadhara Pandita, although
Radharani, did not act in the mood of Radharani–because there can be only one
Radharani. Gadadhara Pandita understood, “This is Krishna’s time. This is
Krishna’s opportunity to relish the loving ecstasy of Srimati Radharani, so I
will keep my mood of Radha in the background and just support Him in His
experience of Radha-bhava.” It is also said that if Gadadhara Pandita
had manifested the nature or feature of Srimati Radharani, then Krishna, who
was trying to absorb Himself in the mood of Radharani, would have become
attracted to the Radha outside of Him and wouldn’t have been able to maintain His
inner mood as Radha. So Gadadhara Pandita, to facilitate Lord Caitanya in His
pastimes, played the perfect role to complement and support the Lord–that of a
perfect brahmana, very gentle, very submissive, very scholarly, very
sober.
Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya 7.166, 163-164 concludes,
panditera saujanya, brahmanyata-guna drdha
prema-mudra loke karila khyapana
“Gadadhara Pandita is celebrated all over
the world for his gentle behaviour, his brahminical attributes, and his steady
love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
panditera bhava-mudra kahana na yaya
‘gadadhara-prana-natha’ nama haila yaya
“No one can describe the characteristics
and ecstatic love of Gadadhara Pandita. Therefore another name for Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu is Gadadhara-prananatha, ‘the life and soul of Gadadhara Pandita.”
pandite prabhura prasada kahana na yaya
‘gadaira gauranga’ bali’ yanre loke gaya
“No one can say how merciful the Lord is
to Gadadhara Pandita, but people know the Lord as Gadaira Gauranga, ‘the Lord
Gauranga of Gadadhara Pandita.’”
One must pray to Sri Gadadhara Pandita, a most
intimate associate of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and a member of the
Panca-Tattva, to be merciful to us, to help us to taste and distribute the
nectar of the Holy Name, the nectar of Krishna consciousness, as humble
servants of his devoted servants.
Transcendental Handwriting of Sri Gadadhara
Pandita
from a copy of Bhagavad-Gita handwritten
by Sri Gadadhara Pandita at Bharatpur, District Murshidabad, Orissa. Generally
this rare manuscript is only shown once a year on Gadadhara Pandita’s
appearance day.
[ref: http://www.travelingmonk.com/16555/the-handwriting-of-sri-gadadhara-pandit and Back to Godhead
(India): https://www.facebook.com/btg.in/posts/198727933564694 ]
Transcendental Handwriting of Sri Gadadhara
Pandita
from a copy of Bhagavad-Gita handwritten
by Sri Gadadhara Pandita at Bharatpur, District Murshidabad, Orissa. Generally
this rare manuscript is only shown once a year on Gadadhara Pandita’s
appearance day.
[ref: http://www.travelingmonk.com/16555/the-handwriting-of-sri-gadadhara-pandit and Back to Godhead
(India): https://www.facebook.com/btg.in/posts/198727933564694 ]
Sri Krishna Deity which Sri Gadadhara
Pandita wore around his neck most of his life at Bharatpur, District Murshidabad,
Orissa.
[ref: http://www.travelingmonk.com/16555/the-handwriting-of-sri-gadadhara-pandit and Back to Godhead
(India): https://www.facebook.com/btg.in/posts/198727933564694 ]
Sri Gadadhara Pandita
[ref: http://www.travelingmonk.com/16555/the-handwriting-of-sri-gadadhara-pandit and Back to Godhead
(India): https://www.facebook.com/btg.in/posts/198727933564694 ]
In this sacred spot the Script of Sri
Sri Gadadhara Pandita and His nephew and disciple Sri Nayanananda Thakura at
Sripat Bharatpur this Nat Mandir has been constructed in the service of Their
Worshipable Deities Sri Sri Meyo Krishna, Sri Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and Sri Sri
Radha Gopinath that They might be glorified by the process of Sri Hari Nama
Sankirtan. By Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust Sridham Mayapur on Gaura
Purnima Gaurabda 508.
[ref: http://www.travelingmonk.com/16555/the-handwriting-of-sri-gadadhara-pandit and Back to Godhead
(India): https://www.facebook.com/btg.in/posts/198727933564694 ]
SRI
PANCHA-TATTVA at Sri Mayapur Candodaya Temple, ISKCON Mayapur -
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (centre) surrounded (from left to right)
by
His avatara (Sri Advaita Acarya), His expansion (Lord Nityananda),
His manifest internal energy (Sri Gadadhara Pandita) and His perfect devotee (Sri Srivasa Pandita)
Abhishek
of Sri Gadadhara Pandita
Sri Gadadharastakam by Srila Svarupa
Damodara Gosvami
Text 1
sva-bhakti-yoga-lasinam sada vraje
viharinam
hari-priya-ganagragam cacisuta-priyecvaram
saradha-Krishna-sevana-prakacakam mahacayam bhajamy aham
gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned and exalted
spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, who appears very splendid, engaged in
the Lord's devotional service. He always performs pastimes in Vraja, where he
is very prominent among the gopis, who are very dear to Lord Hari. Lord
Caitanya, the Son of Saci is the dear Lord of Gadadhara Prabhu, who is
preaching the service of Radha and Krishna.
Text 2
navojjvaladi-
bhavana-vidhana-karma-paragam
vicitra-gaura-bhakti-sindhu-ragga-bhagga-lasinam
suraga-marga-darsakam vrajadi-vasa-dayakam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila
Gadadhara Prabhu. He is expertly absorbed in meditation on the nine rasas of
devotional service, beginning with ujjvala-rasa (conjugal love), and he dances
in the waves of the amazing ocean of devotional service to Lord Caitanya. He
preaches the path of raganuga-bhakti (spontaneous devotional service), and He
is a fit person to attain residence in the transcendental land of Vraja.
Text 3
sacisutagghri-sara-bhakta-vrnda-vandya-gauravam
gaura-bhava-citta-padma-madhya-Krishna-vallabham
mukunda-gaura-rupinam svabhava-dharma-dayakam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila
Gadadhara Prabhu. The best of those who are devoted to the lotus feet of Lord
Caitanya, the Son of Saci-devi, offer respecful obeisances to him and treat him
with great importance, and he is very dear to Lord Krishna, Who is seated in
the middle of the lotus flower which is his heart, assuming His golden form of
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He preaches that Lord Mukunda has assumed the golden form
of Lord Caitanya, and he returns the living entities to their constitutional
position as servants of the Lord.
Text 4
nikunja-sevanadika-prakasanaika-karanam
sada
sakhi-rati-pradam maha-rasa-svarupakam
sadacritagghri-pankajam sariri-sad-gurum varam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned and exalted spiritual
master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. It is only because of him that the truth of the
exalted devotional service performed by the intimate associates of Krishna in
the forests and groves of Vrindavana has been revealed. He is preaching the
ecstatic love attained by the gopis, and he is indeed a personification of the
mellows of devotional service. The saintly devotees take shelter of his lotus
feet, and he teaches the truth of spiritual life to the living entities.
Text 5
mahaprabhor maha-rasa-prakasanagkuram
priyam sada
maha-rasagkura-prakacanadi-vasanam mahaprabhor
vrajagganadi-bhava-moda-karakam bhajamy aham
gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila
Gadadhara Prabhu. He is very dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and it is as if
he had sprouted from the manifestation of the Lord`s ecstatic love. He is
always adorned with the garments of ecstatic love of Godhead, and He delights
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by arousing in the Lord the ecstatic emotional love
experienced by the gopis of Vraja.
Text 6
dvijendra-vrnda-vandya-pada-yugma-bhakti-vardhakam
nijesu radhikatmata-vapuh-prakacanagraham
asesa-bhakti-sastra-siksayojjvalamrta-prabam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila
Gadadhara Prabhu, who expands the mellows of devotional service and whose lotus
feet are worshipped by the kings of the brahmanas. Among his confidential
associates, he reveals his actual form as Srimati Radharani. He distributes the
nectar of the ecstatic mellow of the gopis conjugal love, strictly following
the instructions of all the devotional scriptures.
Text 7
muda
nija-priyadika-svapada-padma-sindhubhir
maha-rasarnavamrta-pradesta-gaura-bhaktidam
sadast-sattvikanvitam nijesta-bhakti-dayakam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila
Gadadhara Prabhu. With delight he is giving the devotional service of Lord
Caitanya which reveals the nectarean ocean of the most exalted mellows of
devotional service, along with the nectar flowing from the lotus feet of the
gopis, headed by Srimati Radharani, who is most dear to Krishna. Gadadhara
Prabhu is decorated with the eight transcendental ecstatic symptoms of
sattvika-bhava, and he is distributing devotional service to his worshippable
Lord Krishna.
Text 8
yadiya-riti-raga-ragga-bhagga-digdhamanaso
naro `api
yati turnam eva narya-bhava-bhajanam tam
ujjvalakta-cittam etu citta-matta-catpado bhajamy aham
gadadharam supanditam guram prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila
Gadadhara Prabhu. Even a conditioned soul, whose mind becomes anointed by the
colorful waves of spontaneous devotional service as delineated by Srila
Gadadhara Prabhu, quickly attains the highest level of devotional service. He
becomes like a maddened bumble bee whose mind is anointed with the mellow of
ujjvala-rasa (conjugal love).
Text 9
maha-rasamrta-pradam sada
gadadhara-astakam pathet tu
yah subhaktito vrajaggana-ganotsavam
saci-tanuja-pada-padma-bhakti-ratna-yogyatam labheta
radhika-gadadharagghri-padma-sevaya
"These eight verses glorifying Srila Gadadhara
Prabhu distribute the nectar of the most exalted mellow of devotional service,
and they are like a festival for the gopis of Vraja. If one regularly reads
these verses and serves the lotus feet of Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, who is an
incarnation of Srimati Radharani, then he will become qualified to attain the
jewel of pure devotional service for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, the son
of Sacidevi."
Directions to Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple:
Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple is situated in Yamesvara
Tota next to the Bhajana Kutir of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and
Cataka Parvata Sand Dunes. It is 10 minutes walking distance from ISKCON Bhakti
Kutir. One can also visit Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple by attending annual Sri
Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama Parikrama organized by ISKCON (International
Society for Krishna Consciousness) every year, few days after the end of
Kartik-masa.
SRI KESTRA JAGANNATHA PURI DHAMA YATRA: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=11947
Pastimes of Sri Tota Gopinatha and Sri
Gadadhara Pandita - Jagannatha Puri Yatra 2006: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O0DO-zi6aE
MAYAPUR TV:
http://Mayapur.tv / VRINDAVANA TV:
http://Vrindavan.tv/
Sri Tota Gopinatha ki jaya! Sri Gadadhara
Pandita ki jaya! Sri Panca-tattva ki jaya!
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