Radhanath Swami on Lord Caitanya blesses Gopala Bhatta

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was on His South India tour, He went to Sri Rangam and flooded that holy city with Krishna prema. Venkata Bhatta, the priest of the Ranganath temple, fell in love with the Lord. He welcomed Him home and washed His feet with great devotion. He took that water and sprinkled it on his own head, his wife’s head, his two brothers Tirumala Bhat and Prabodhananda Saraswati and then gave that water to his little 7 year old son, Gopala Bhatta to drink. From that day on Gopal Bhatta’s only desire was to serve Lord Caitanya.

One day Gopal was lamenting that he could not see the Lord as Navadwip chandra. That night, he dreamt of being in Navadwip and saw the beautiful form of Lord Caitanya as Navadwip chandra. As the dream ended, Gopal ran up to Lord Caitanya and fell at His feet weeping.The Lord revealed to him the beautiful form of Shyamasundar and then the form of Navadwip Chandra. Little Gopal was overwhelmed in ecstatic love. He fell at the Lord’s feet and the Lord instructed him to go to Vrindavan and join Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis.

Gopal became the disciple of Prabodhananda Saraswati and a learned scholar in Vedic literatures. After his parents passed from this world Gopala Bhatta went to Vrindavan.

– Radhanath Swami

Gopal Bhatt Goswami