Sri Gadadhara Pandita Goswami

During their childhood, Sri Gaura Hari and Gadadhara would play together, sometimes at Mahaprabhu's house and sometimes at Gadadhara's house. They both studied together at the same school. Gadadhara was a few years younger then Nimai. Nimai couldn't remain without Gadadhara even for a moment and Gadadhara likewise couldn't stand to be separated from Nimai.

In the Gaur-ganoddesa-dipika, it is described that that person who in Vraja was the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Raja, namely Srimati Radharani, is now celebrated as Sri Gadadhara Pandita.

Sri Vasudeva Ghosa Thakura has written:

Agam agocar gora akhil brahma-par, veda upar, najane pasandi mati bhora Nitya-nityananda Caitanya Govinda Pandit Gadadhar Radhe Caitanya yugala-rupa kebol raser kup avatar sadsiva sadhe Antare nave-ghana bahire gaura tanu yugalrupa parkase Kahe Vasudeva Ghose yugal bhajan base janame janame rahu asa

"Lord Gaurasundara, who is beyond the perview of the scriptures, beyond the entire Brahman, and above even the Vedas, can never be known by the atheists whose intelligence is dull. Lord Nityananda is His eternal self. Lord Caitanya is Lord Govinda Himself and Pandita Gadadhara is none other than Sri Radha. The divine couple, who are present in Sri Caitanya, are a well of rasa. Advaita Acarya (Sadasiva) has prayed for His descent.

Within He is blackish but of a golden hue without, the manifestation of the divine couple. Thus Vasudeva Ghosa sings of the beauty of this divine couple - Sri Gaura-Gadadhara - in whose worship he has been completely subjugated. He prays that he will desire to serve them birth after birth."

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta we likewise find:

Panditer bhav mudre kahan na jay gadadhar pran nath nam hoila jay panditer krpa prasad lehan na jay gadai gauranga kari sarvaloke gay

"The emotions and expressions of Pandita Gadadhara are not possible to describe. Another name of Lord Gauranga is the 'Lord of the life of Gadadhara.' Who can understand what mercy has been bestowed upon him? Their glories are sung by everyone as Gadai-Gauranga."

During the time when Sri Isvara Puri was present for a few months in Navadwipa at the house of Sri Gopinath Acarya, he taught Gadadhara from the book he had composed, Sri Krsna Lilamrta.

Gadadhara was from his very childhood very serene, patient, calm, quiet, fond of solitude and very renounced. Nimai Pandit during the time of His precocious youth would ask his fellow students meaningless, fallacious questions in logic. Gadadhara however, was not especially fond of this pastime, and therefore he sometimes used to remain at some distance from Nimai. But Nimai wouldn't allow him to get away. He would tell him - "Gadadhara! In a very short time I'll become such a Vaisnava that Lord Brahma and Lord Siva themselves will come to My door."

Sri Gadadhara Pandita was very affectionate towards Mukunda datta. Whenever any Vaisnava came to Navadwipa, Mukunda would inform Gadadhara and they would both go to have darsana. One time Pundarika Vidyanidhi came from Cattagram to Navadwipa and Mukunda invited Gadadhara to come along and meet him. Gadadhara was very excited to meet such a Vaisnava and thus the two of them happily set out together to take advantage of sadhu-sanga with the famous Pundarika Vidyanidhi.

However, when Gadadhara saw that Pundarika Vidyanidhi dressed and acted like a wealthy materialist, he lost whatever reverence he had previously felt even before speaking with him. Gadahara thought to himself, "How can a Vaisnava look and act as if he was so addicted to sense enjoyment?"

However, Mukunda knew the real character of Pundarika Vidyanidhi, and he could also sense the doubts in the mind of Gadadhara Pandita. Thus he recited some slokas from the Srimad Bhagavatam in a very sweet voice. When Pundarika Vidyanidhi heard his beautiful recitation of these slokas, in a fit of ecstasy he began to cry while calling, "Krsna, Krsna", and finally fainted dead away on the floor. [C.B. Mad 7.78-79].

Gadadhara now felt very remorseful in his mind. He thought to himself, "Because I have ignorantly considered this highly advanced soul to be an ordinary materialist, what an offense I have committed! In order that I might be saved from the reaction of this offense, I think the only solution is to accept initiation from him."

Gadadhara Pandita submitted his proposal to Mukunda, who presented it to Pundarika Vidyanidhi with a full account of the pandita's high qualifications. "Hearing this proposal, Pundarik became very happy. 'Providence has bestowed upon me a great jewel; certainly I will accept him. You shouldn't have any doubt about that. It is the result of many lifetimes of good fortune that one gets a disciple like this.'" [C.B. Madya 7.117-118]. On an auspicious day, Sri Gadadhara Pandita received the divine mantra from Pundarika Vidyanidhi.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, upon going to Gaya Dham, first began to manifest Krsna-prema. There he enacted the pastime of accepting the shelter of Sri Isvara Puri. After returning to His house He began to exhibit a new life.

Day and night He floated in the ocean of love of Krsna. Gadadhara, upon seeing the Lord showering of tears in love for Krsna, also began to cry in ecstatic love. From this time, Gadadhara Pandita was always at Mahaprabhu's side.

One day Sri Gadadhara brought some pan to Sri Gauranga, Who, in an exuberance of emotion asked him, "Gadadhara! Where is that beautiful blackish boy Who is dressed in yellow garments?" After asking this, He began to shed tears.

Gadadhara couldn't immediately think of what to say. He finally respectfully suggested, "He is in your heart." Hearing this, Mahaprabhu began to tear at his chest with his nails, but Gadadhara quickly grabbed his hands. Prabhu said to him, "Gadadhara! Let go of My hands. I cannot remain a moment more not seeing Krsna."

Gadadhara replied, "Just try to be a little patient and calm Yourself. Krsna will come any minute now." Hearing this, Mahaprabhu became somewhat composed.

Sacimata heard all this from a distance and then came running there. Being very pleased with Gadadhara, she declared, "Though He is just a boy, He is very intelligent. I am frightened to go before my son when He is in these moods. But Gadadhara has very cleverly pacified him."

"Sacimata told Gadadhar, 'Gadadhara! You must please remain with Nimai always. If you stay with Him then I won't have to worry."

One day, Sri Gadadhara, having heard that Mahaprabhu will speak Krsna-katha at Suklambara Brahmacari's house, went there and sat down inside. Meanwhile, Mahaprabhu arrived outside on the verandah and began to speak about Krsna to an audience of devotees there; Gadahara Prabhu listened from within the house. Soon Mahaprabhu became totally absorbed in the ecstacy Krsna-prema, which quickly spread to the assembly of devotees. For some time they continued to taste the mellows of love of Krsna together and then becalmed themselves.

Gadadhara, however, couldn't restrain his ecstacy. With his head bowed down, he continued to cry very loudly. Hearing his pitiful sobbing, Mahaprabhu inquired, "Who is crying within the room?" Suklambara Brahmacari replied, "Your Gadadhara."

Mahaprabhu exclaimed, "Gadadhara! You are so pious and virtuous. Since your very childhood you were so devoted to Krsna. My life has been wasted. Due to my previous evil activities I cannot get the association of the Lord of my life, Sri Krsna."

Saying this Prabhu embraced Gadadhara in great love.

When Mahaprabhu began His pastimes in Navadvipa, Gadadhara was his chief companion. Radha-Krsna of Vraja are now sporting on the banks of the Ganga as Gadai-Gauranga, and the cowherd boy-friends of Vraja are assisting in His pastimes of kirtana.

One day after roaming throughout the town of Navadwipa, Mahaprabhu came to a forest and seated Himself there. Then He began to remember His pastimes in Vraja. Mukunda began to sing the purva-vag (courtship) songs in a very sweet voice while Gadadhara collected some flowers from that forest and after stringing a garland placed it on Prabhu's neck. Previously, in the way that Sri Radha used to decorate Sri Krsna, Gadadhara began to dress Prabhu in that exact same manner. Some were singing beautiful songs, while others began to dance in a very graceful style. Then Sri Gaurasundara taking Gadadhara by His side seated Himself on a dias at the base of one tree, while Adwaita Acarya began to offer arati. Nityananda seated Himself on Prabhu's right side and Srivasa Pandita began to decorate everyone with flower garlands. Narahari was fanning that Divine couple with a whisk made from the tail hairs of forest cows. Suklambar decorated them all with sandalwood paste while Murari Gupta recited the premdhani. Madhava, Vasudeva, Purusottama, Vijaya, and Mukunda began to sing songs in the various ragas.

Then Prabhu closed his pastimes in Nadiya and as per his mother's request he took up his residence at Nilacala. Gadadhara also went there to live at this time. He engaged himself in the service of Sri Tota Gopinatha. Mahaprabhu would very often visit His dear friend Gadadhara and lose Himself in discussions on the topics of Sri Krsna. The temple of Sri Tota Gopinathji is located near the ocean at Yameshvar.

When Lord Caitanya traveled to Sri Vrindavana, Gadadhara, not being able to bear separation from Him, wanted to go also but Mahaprabhu reminded him of his vow of Ksetra-sannyasa (by which he was to remain constantly in Sri Ksetra in the service of Sri Gopinatha) and sent him back.

Sri Gadadhara Pandita would regularly recite Srimad Bhagavatam. Sri Gaurasundara, along with His associates, would listen.

After enacting His pastimes on this planet for forty-eight years, Sri Gaurasundara merged into the body of Sri Gopinathji, who was served by Sri Gadadhara Pandita.

In the diary of one Orissan devotee, Mahaprabhu is said to have first went missing inside the Gundica Mandira. Then the devotees began to comb the four directions in search of their Beloved Lord. Finally, outside of Tota Gopinatha Mandira, at Yameswar, the outer garment of Mahaprabhu was found lying on the ground. A slight crack which is still to be found near the right knee of Sri Gopinathji is the spot where Mahaprabhu is said to have entered the Deity.

His appearance is on the amavasya (new moon) of the month of Vaisakha.

smara gaura-gadadhara keli kalam
bhava gaura-gadadhara paksa caram
srnu gaura-gadadhara caru katham
bhaja godruma-kanon kunja-vidhum
[Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura]

"Remember Gaura-Gadadhara during the time of Their pastimes, Meditate on Gaura-Gadadhar, the Divine couple, the par-excellence of beauty. Hear beautiful discussions on the topics of Gaura-Gadadhara, and worship them in the forest grove of Godruma, bathed in the light of the moon."

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