Pastimes of Gadadhara Pandit - in memory of his appearance day

VERSES FROM
GAURA GANODDESA DIPIKA
ON GADADHARA-TATTVA

147. Srimati Radharani, who is the personification of pure love for Lord Krsna and who is the queen of Vrndavana, appeared as Sri Gadadhara Pandita, who was very dear to Lord Caitanya.

148-150. Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has also confirmed that the goddess of fortune, who appeared in Vrndavana and was very dear to Lord Krsna, has now appeared as Sri Gadadhara Pandita, who is filled with love for Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lalita-gopi always follows Srimati Radharani, and therefore she is known as Anuradha (Radha's follower). When Srimati Radharani appeared as Gadadhara Pandita, Lalita followed her, entering the body of Gadadhara Pandita. Therefore, Gadadhara Pandita is the incarnation of both Srimati Radharani and Lalita-gopi. This is described in the following statement of Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka.

151. "Gadadhara, the best of the brahmanas, is the incarnation of both Srimati Radharani and Lalita-gopi. These two are the transcendental potencies of the Lord, and since the Lord is in one sense not different from His potencies, it may be said that He is present wherever His potencies go. For this reason it may be said that Lord Hari is also present in the body of Gadadhara Pandita. Gadadhara is therefore the incarnation of three persons: Srimati Radharani, Lalita-gopi, and Lord Hari."

MADHYAHNA-LILA OF SRIMAN MAHAPRABHU --

PLAYING DICE WITH GADADHARA

from the gutika of Siddha Baba

"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees are seated in a pavilion of the six-seasonal flower garden of Srivasa Pandit, completely absorbed in ecstasy. Mahaprabhu hears from the mouth of Svarupa Damodara the glorification of each and every limb of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna described by the shuka and sarika parrots. He also hears how Radha and Krsna fondle their individual shuka and sarika parrots and offer them fruits as a reward.

When Mahaprabhu hears these descriptions, He roars in ecstasy and attains external consciousness. His associates also attain external consciousness. Srivasa Pandit then decorates the three Lords and the devotees with flower garlands and sandalwood pulp. Knowing Mahaprabhu's feelings, Svarupa Gosai sings about Radha and Krishna playing dice and performing surya puja.

Srivasa Pandit then brings various dice for the dice game and places them before Mahaprabhu. In great ecstatic love, the Lord begins to play dice with Gadadhara. Absorbed in the songs of Svarupa Damodara, everyone is immersed in their own braja bhava.

THE LORD LEAVES JAGANNATHA PURI

Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 16.127-149

Paramananda Puri Gosvami, Svarupa Damodara, Jagadananda, Mukunda, Govinda, Kasisvara, Haridasa Thakura, Vakresvara Pandita, Gopinatha Acarya, Damodara Pandita, Ramai, Nandai and many other devotees accompanied the Lord. I have mentioned only the chief devotees. No one can describe the total number.

When Gadadhara Pandita started to go with the Lord, he was forbidden to come and was asked not to give up the vow of ksetra-sannyasa.

When he was requested to return to Jagannatha Puri, Gadadhara Pandita told the Lord, “Wherever You are staying is Jagannatha Puri. Let my ksetra-sannyasa go to hell.”

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Gadadhara Pandita to remain at Jagannatha Puri and engage in Gopinatha’s service, Gadadhara Pandita replied, “One renders service to Gopinatha a million times simply by seeing Your lotus feet.”

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then said, “If you abandon His service, it will be My fault. It is better that you remain here and render service. That will be My satisfaction.”

The Pandita replied, “Do not worry. All the faults will be on my head. I shall not accompany You but shall go alone.

“I shall go to see Sacimata, but I shall not go for Your sake. I shall be responsible for the abandoning of my vow and service to Gopinatha.”

Thus Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami traveled alone, but when they all arrived at Kataka, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called him, and he went into the Lord’s company.

No one can understand the loving intimacy between Gadadhara Pandita and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita gave up his vow and service to Gopinatha just as one gives up a piece of straw.

Gadadhara Pandita’s behavior was very pleasing to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s heart. Nevertheless, the Lord took his hand and spoke to him, displaying the anger of love.

“You have abandoned Gopinatha’s service and broken your vow to live in Puri. All that is now complete because you have come so far.

“Your wanting to go with Me is simply a desire for sense gratification. In this way, you are breaking two religious principles, and because of this I am very unhappy.

“If you want My happiness, please return to Nilacala. You will simply condemn Me if you say any more about this matter.”

Saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu got into a boat, and Gadadhara Pandita immediately fell down unconscious.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya to take Gadadhara Pandita with him. The Bhattacarya told Gadadhara Pandita, “Get up! Such are the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

“You should know that Lord Krsna Himself violated His own promise just to keep the promise of Grandfather Bhisma.

“‘Intending to make my promise true, Lord Krsna broke His own promise not to take up a weapon at Kuruksetra. With His outer garment falling off, Lord Sri Krsna jumped from His chariot, picked up a wheel and came running at me to kill me. Indeed, He rushed at me like a lion going to kill an elephant, and He caused the whole earth to tremble.’

“Similarly, tolerating separation from you, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has protected your vow with great endeavor.”

In this way Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya revived Gadadhara Pandita. Then both of them, very much grief- stricken, returned to Jagannatha Puri, Nilacala.

All the devotees would abandon all kinds of duties for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sake, yet the Lord did not like the devotees’ giving up their promised duties.

All these are the misgivings of loving affairs. Whoever listens to these incidents gets the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet very soon.