SRILA GOPAL BHATT GOSWAMI: Appearance Day
Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami (the son of Vyenkata Bhatta, a Sri Vaisnava brahmana) appeared in Sri Rangam, South India. Lord Chaitanya once stayed for four months in his home, and converted the family to Gaudiya Vaisnavism. A mere boy at that time, Gopala personally served the Lord. Sri Chaitanya treated him affectionately giving His remnants and blessings to become an acharya.
Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami used to worship twelve Shaligrama shilas. Wherever he would go he would bring them with him in a piece of cloth tied at the corner.
Once a wealthy man came to Vrindavan and offered Gopala Bhatta Gosvami a variety of clothes and ornaments for his Shaligrama shilas in charity. However, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami couldn’t use these for his round-shaped Shilas. He advised the donor to give the deity decorations to someone else. But the donor refused to take them back and Gopala Bhatta Gosvami kept the clothes 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 fulfil 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 Shaligram 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 shilas to render the puja, 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. 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 Sri Sri RadhaRaman happened on the day after Sri Nrisimha Chaturdasi, and is celebrated on that day accordingly.
That day 500 litres of milk and many other sweets are offered for the Lord’s pleasure. The Radha Raman temple has the highest standard of Deity worship in all of Vrajagopiyon
After receiving initiation from Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati, Gopala Bhatta came to Vrndavana and became a dear friend of Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis. He did bhajana in Vrndavana for forty-five years, mostly at Radha-kunda.
By the blessings of the Lord, Gopal Bhatt travelled to the holy city of Vrindavan on foot. There, he lived with the saints Rupa and Sanatan Goswami. Together they rediscovered the hidden places of Radha and Krishna’s pastimes and wrote the devotional texts, such as
Hari Bhakti Vilas, Tattva, Paramatma, Bhagavat, Krishna, Bhakti, Priti Sandarbhas, Krishna Vallabh’s commentary on Krishna Karnamrit, which now define Gaudiya Vaishnav philosophy.
He eternally serves Srimati Radharani as one of Her asta manjaris, Guna-manjari. This is confirmed in Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika.
He eternally serves Srimati Radharani as one of Her asta manjaris, Guna-manjari.
His samadhi is within Radha Ramanaji’s temple compound behind the appearance place of the Deity. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami initiated Gopinatha (Pujari Gosvami), a lifelong brahmacari who served Radha Ramanaji for his whole life. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami initiated Srinivasa Acarya and many other stalwart Vaisnavas.
All glories to Srila Gopal Bhatt Goswami!!
