Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī

[July 26, 2024 is the disappearance day of Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana, India. The following is a short excerpt of a bhāva anuvāda of the kathā given by Śrīla Bhakti Vijñāna Bhāratī Gosvāmī Mahārāja on March 3, 2017. Editors’ input: Additional text has been included in square brackets to facilitate the flow of content.]

RECIPROCATION OF LOVE

Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was serving the Lord in the form of a śālagrāma. Upon seeing the śṛṅgāra of Rādhā Govinda-deva of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Madana-mohana of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī lamented within his mind, “I have a śālagrāma. So there is no provision to do any śṛṅgāra.” When he thought thus, that night itself, the Deity form of Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa appeared out of that śālagrāma. Bhagavān is always manifest by His own will, no one can make Him manifest, this was shown through this pastime.

[Similarly the Deity of Gopāla, Rādhā Govinda and Madana-mohana appeared to Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī respectively]

Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī offered himself completely at the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa. He led his life only on the will of Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa.