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10 July 2020
Our glorious Acarya - Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami
Hare Krishna! We have chanting taking place from 872 locations. We will stop now for the japa talk.
nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saḿsthāpakau lokānāḿ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāravinda-bhajanānandena mattālikau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
Translation I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who are very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honored all over the three worlds and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the gopis and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Radha and Krsna. (Verse 2, Sri Sri Sad-Gosvami-Astakam, Srinivasa Acarya)
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Today is a very special and auspicious day. Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami ki jai!
je ānilo prema-dhana koruṇā pracur heno prabhu kothā gelā ācārya-ṭhākur
Translation He, who brought the treasure of divine love and who was filled with compassion and mercy--where has such a personality as Advaita Acarya gone? (Swa Parsada Bhagavad Viraha Janita Vilapa' - Song 1, Narottama Dasa Thakura)
In this song, it has been said, “Where has Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami and all other ācāryas gone? We know the answer to this question. In the case of Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami, we can surely say that he has gone back to Godhead from where he had come. Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu had appeared and brought nityamukta bhaktas ( eternally liberated associates) with Him. One of them was Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Still today we are observing the Disappearance Day of Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Devotees would have observed this 500 years ago also. They would be happy as he has returned to Godhead and sad that they won't be getting his association. Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami is our ācārya. All the six Goswamis of Vrindavan are ācāryas beginning with Rupa Goswami. We are Rupanugas, Gopal Bhatta Goswami-anugas or Sad goswami-anugas.
You can read about Gopal Bhatta Goswami. What can be described about him in 2 minutes?
vaiṣṇavera kriyā mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya
Translation One cannot understand the mind or the activities of the Vaisnava.
Even a very intelligent man cannot understand the activities of a pure Vaisṇava or ācārya. It is difficult to understand their life and teachings. It's inconceivable or beyond our logic.
Śri Śri Radha Ramanji ki jai! Gopal Bhatta Goswami had installed Śri Śri Radha Ramanji. He had brought Silas from Gandaki River, Nepal. He would think,"Other Goswamis have Deities, but I am just worshipping Silas. If I could get a Deity then I will also decorate and worship Him."
Vanshi vibhushit karaan navneerdabhat pitambara arun bimb phaladhroshtaat | Purnendusunder mukharvindnetraat Krushnatparam kimapi tatvmaham na jaane
Translation Lord Krsna with flute in His hands, cloud-coloured, attired in Pitambar (yellow dress),with red lips and a radiant face like a full moon, with eyes like full bloomed lotus, is my Deity. I know only Him and no one else. ( Vanshi Vibhushit Stuti)
Then his Śila transformed into the Radha Raman Deity. This is a wonderful, ecstatic incident. Nobody carved Radha Ramanji. What mood he must have had that such a transformation took place in his Sila ! That's why it is said vaiṣṇavera kriyā mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya.
Śri Krsna Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at Vyankat Bhatta's place during Caturmasya at Sri-Rangam. Gopal Bhatta was the son of Vyankat Bhatta. At that time, he was a child and he got the association of Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya
Translation Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is none other than the combined form of Śri Śri Radha and Krishna. (Caitanya Bhāgavata)
Gopal Bhatta Goswami would get His darsana and association.
mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta- vāditra-mādyan-manaso rasena romāñca -kampāśru-tarańga-bhājo vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Translation Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. ( Verse 2, Samsara Davanala Lidha Loka, Sri Gurvastakam, by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
It's not that Gopal Bhatta was a conditioned soul and he became elevated by association. It is just a saying. Later Gopal Bhatta came to Vrindavan and became one of the six Goswamis. His uncle, Gopal Guru, also came to Vrindavan and became Śrila Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura. Gopal Bhatta Goswami took initiation and śikśa from him. Later Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami initiated Śrinivas Ācārya. Śrinivas Ācārya has glorified all six Goswamis in his composition Sri Sri Sad-Gosvami-Astakam.
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau (Sri Sri Sad-Gosvami-Astakam
Śrila Narottama Dasa Thakura took initiation from Lokanath Goswami and he has composed a song in glorification of his Guru.
śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma, bando muñi sāvadhāna mate jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi, kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha'te
Translation The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krsna. ( Verse 1, Guru Vandana Song 1, Narottama Dasa Thakura)
śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu, lokanāth lokera jīvana hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā, ebe jaśa ghuṣuk tribhuvana
Translation Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O Lokanatha Goswami! O Master! Be merciful unto me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds. (Verse 4, Guru Vandana Song 1, Narottama Dasa Thakura)
Gaudiya Vaiśnavas in ISKCON also sing this song in Guru Puja in glorification of their guru. You should study both songs by Śrinivas Ācārya and Narottama Dasa Thakura. Śrinivas Ācārya has glorified his guru, Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami - how he discussed various śastras, how he is absorbed in the transcendental loving service of Radha and Krsna.
tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīḿ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
Translation I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who kicked off all association of aristocracy as insignificant. In order to deliver the poor conditioned souls, they accepted loincloths, treating themselves as mendicants, but they are always merged in the ecstatic ocean of the gopis’ love for Krishna and bathe always and repeatedly in the waves of that ocean. (Verse 4, Sri Sri Sad-Gosvami-Astakam)
It's astonishing how Gopal Bhatta Goswami had given up his family and posts and lived a very simple life with simple clothing.
sańkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-smṛter madhurimānandena sammohitau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
Translation I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who were engaged in chanting the holy names of the Lord and bowing down in a scheduled measurement. In this way they utilized their valuable lives and in executing these devotional activities they conquered over eating and sleeping and were always meek and humble enchanted by remembering the transcendental qualities of the Lord. (Verse 6, Sri Sri Sad-Gosvami-Astakam)
Śrinivasa Ācārya further described how his guru was always engaged in chanting 64 rounds or 3 lakh names tholy names of the Lord. He was always meek and humble and enchanted by remembering the transcendental qualities of the Lord. This song is very special and filled with many emotions.
he rādhe vraja-devīke ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ śrī-govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ ghoṣantāv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mahā-vihvalau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
Translation I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who were chanting very loudly everywhere in Vrindavana, shouting, "Queen of Vrindavana, Radharani! O Lalita! O son of Nanda Maharaja! Where are you all now? Are you just on the hill of Govardhana, or are you under the trees on the bank of the Yamuna? Where are you?" These were their moods in executing Krishna consciousness. ( Verse 8, Sri Sri Sad-Gosvami-Astakam)
He searched for Krsna in all the places in Vrindavan like the gopīs, who were very eager to have darsana of Krsna. Thus all the Goswamis have put forward this mood of devotional service. Goswamis resided under a tree. The Bhajan Kutir of Śrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami is at Sanket which is in between Barsana and Nanda Gram. When I first saw the kutir, I was amazed. It is such a small kutir. Such simple living! We pray at his lotus feet that he bestows bhakti on us, “May we also develop taste for the holy names of the Lord. May we worship the Deities and study scriptures." Hari Bhakti Vilas is a combined composition of Sanatana Goswami and Gopal Bhatta Goswami.
We will stop here. You all read and sing Sad-Gosvami-Astakam. Contemplate on this. This is the food for thought for today. Then you share this. Then same thing will happen,
yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
Translation Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land." ( CC. Madhya 7.128)
You hear this, realize it and then explain it to others. First do sravana, then kirtana. You listen and make others hear. My prayers that whatever sankalpas you have taken up, all get completed.
Hari Hari ! Gaura prema nande Hari Haribol!