Gopal Bhatta Goswami

The six Goswamis of Vrindavan were entrusted by Caitanya Mahaprabhu

to provide extensive guidance to people on the path of spirituality. Each
of the six Goswamis, Sri Rupa Goswami, Sri Sanatana Goswami, Sri
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Sri Raghunatha Das Goswami, Sri Jiva
Goswami and Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami, were instructed and inspired by
Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself at various times and places. While
Caitanya Mahaprabhu left only eight verse (Siksastakam) that were
recorded by Damodara Svarupa and presented by Krishnadas Kaviraja
Goswami in the biography Caitanya Charitamrita, He inspired His
disciples, chief amongst then the six Goswamis, to write extensively,
with scientific precision the process of bhakti. Gopal Bhatta (1503-1578)
was born in an orthodox Brahman family in South India. His father
Vyenkata Bhatta was a priest of the famous Narayana temple of Sri
Rangam. Vyenkata Bhatta and his brothers, Prabhodhananda Saraswati
and Tirumalla Bhatta were famous for their vast learning and piety.
When Caitanya Mahaprabhu had undertaken His walking trip to South
India in 1511, He spent the four rainy months of Caturmasa with them
and engaged in deep discussion about philosophy and bhakti.
Even though the brothers belonged to the Sri (Laxmi) Sampradaya which
follows the aishwarya (awe and reverence) mode of worship,
Mahaprabhu convinced the brothers about the superiority of the
ragunaga (spontaneous love) form of worship. Young Gopal was a keen
audience to these discussions and was greatly inspired by Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. When the departure of Mahaprabhu became imminent, the
pain of separation became unbearable for Gopal Bhatta, till he was
pacified by Caitanya Mahaprabhu in a spiritual dream where
Mahaprabhu revealed His original identity as Krishna and instructed
Gopal Bhatta to serve under Rupa and Sanatana Goswami in Vrindavan.
Before leaving however, Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally instructed
Gopal Bhatta to serve his parents while they were alive. Gopal Bhatta
followed these instructions were assiduously. In time he accepted his
uncle Prabhodhanada Saraswati to be his spiritual master and acquired a
deep understanding of the Sanskrit, grammar, poetry and Vedic
scriptures from him. With the combined assets of Prabhodhanada
Saraswati's vast knowledge and divine inspiration of Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, Gopal Bhatta"s reputation as a scholar and a devotee
reached unprecedented proportions. In time he decided that he was now
ready to carry out the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and proceeded
to Vrindavan to meet Rupa and Sanatana Goswami.
When Gopal Bhatta arrived to Vrindavan, he was met with great joy by

the pure devotees residing there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, now in Puri, was
also pleased and send him many personal articles and paraphernalia for
worship. Following these instructions, Gopal Bhatta immersed himself in
writing about the science of bhakti. His book Sat-Kriya-Sar-Dipika is a
classic on the tenets of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. This delineates with great
care the ten rituals or samsakaras giving common people valuable
guidance on the gradual elevation to spiritual life while pursuing
materialistic activities.
His next book Samskara Dipika, elucidates the rules of behavior and
conduct of the sannyasis or renunciants. His greatest work is the HariBhakti-Vilas, which he corroborated with Rupa Goswami, comprises of
twenty vilas (chapters) that provided a scientific, step-by-step analysis of
Vaishnava etiquette, and takes one through the pitfalls and dangers in
the path of spiritual advancement. Living his life as an embodiment of
the scriptures, Gopal Bhatta's fame as a scholar and a pure devotee
spread all over India.
In a trip to the Gandaki river in Nepal, Gopal Bhatta carried back with
him twelve shilas (special stones that are considered as incarnations of
Krishna). However on reaching Vrindavan, he felt himself unqualified to
worship them and made the long, arduous journey back to place the
shilas back in the river. The shilas however refused to be left in the water
and repeatedly jumped back into his hand. Taking this as a sign from
Krishna, Gopal Bhatta took them back with him and began worshipping
them very nicely in Vrindavan.
Once on a festival, Gopal Bhatta felt constrained by his inability to dress
and decorate the shilas. Responding to his intense desire, one of the
shilas, called the Damodar shila, overnight acquired the form of a deity,
much to the pleasure of Gopal Bhatta. This deity, named as Radha
Ramandev, is still worshipped in the same place in Vrindavan and is one
of the most famous temples in the Vraja dhama. Gopal Bhatta initiated
such luminaries as Shrinivas Acarya and Gopinatha Pujari who continued
as the priest for Radha Ramandev. On the instructions of Gopal Bhatta
(who himself was a lifelong celibate), Gopinatha Pujari married and his
descendants worship the Radha-Ramandev deity to this day.
Gopal Bhatta is famous for his erudition, humility and devotion. His
intense study and elaborate knowledge of scriptures acquired him a
reputation as one of the most important religious scholar ever produced,
while his love and devotion for Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Krishna
catapulted him to the status of a saint. He is always revered as one of
the six Goswamis of Vrindavan and to this day followers commemorate
his exemplary life by visiting his samadhi (tomb) at the RadhaRamandev temple in Vrindavan.