Service to Gaura-Gadadhar

Question: Does everybody have the right to worship Gaura-Gadadhar? We generally do not see Gaura-Gadadhar Deities installed in so many temples.

Rarely. There is Vaninath, a direct disciple of Gadadhar Pandit; he established Gaura-Gadadhar Math (in Chapahati). Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur was also fond of Gaura-Gadadhar worship: there are Gaura-Gadadhar Deities installed at the temple where his samadhi is (in Godrum) and at the Nrisingha Mandir in Yogapith, Mayapur. Srila Prabhupad also installed Gaura-Gadadhar at Gadai-Gauranga Math in Baliati, Dhaka.

Question: Is worship of Gaura-Gadadhar a completely madhurya conception?

Yes, and more than that. This worship is rather related to separation, or union in separation. Gadadhar Pandit represented Radharani's bhava (divine mood; heart), but though he is the possessor of that wealth, it was taken up by Mahaprabhu, so he stood empty. Standing empty, he followed Mahaprabhu as if his heart had been stolen by Him – he could not shun or leave Him. Wherever Mahaprabhu went, Gadadhar ran behind Him like a poor man whose all wealth had been stolen. With a vacant bag (not with a vanity bag but with a vacant bag), he ran in pursuance of Mahaprabhu wherever He went. That is his position.

We are told that service during the separation of the two parties has got greater importance than when both are in union. They are full in Themselves, but when They are separated, They feel great pain, so at that time service is of utmost necessity.

So, here we find that the greatest wealth (bhava) of Gadadhar Pandit (Radharani), his very essence, was as if snatched by Mahaprabhu (Krishna), and She, bereft of all Her property, remained standing like the poorest of the poor. Such a pitiable and pathetic sight demands service, and service at this time will be of the greatest value. In that state, service will draw the greatest remuneration – even some small service will earn much of the divine dollar.

Hare Krishna. Gaura-Gadadhar, Gaura-Gadadhar. Hare Krishna.

Question: In Antya-lila of Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, there is a section where Gadadhar Pandit is compared to Rukmini.

Yes [His Divine Grace chuckles], that is an outer aspect. Rukmini's mood is that of daksina (rightist, submissive), not vamya (leftist, quarrelsome). The vamya temperament is a little aggressive in nature – she can fight with the lover; and the daksina temperament tolerates everything whatever comes – she only stands with a defenceless attitude. The daksina mood is found in Rukmini.

When the leftist spirit of Radharani (Her opposing nature) was drawn out by Mahaprabhu, the spirit of that which remained is compared to that of Rukmini, a passive seer without any power to assert herself, a mere onlooker who bears everything. It is a very pitiable condition meant to awaken kindness and sympathy in everyone. What is He and what is She? And what is Her position now? Her lover has looted everything from Her, and now She is wandering in the street as a beggar! Radharani was looted to such a degree by Krishna that She becomes Gadadhar, a pitiable figure, to draw sympathy to Herself.

Of course, one's wealth cannot be gone forever. She is the owner, the proprietor, so She cannot be kept far off for a long time – that which is Her wealth must again come back to Her one day. And how much remuneration those who are helping Her in the days of Her distress will get once She gets all Her property back!

Question: In this light, what of Mahaprabhu's relationship with Vishnupriya Devi and Laksmipriya Devi as His wedded consorts?...

That is Gaura-Narayan and Vaikuntha. This relationship (between Mahaprabhu and Vishnupriya Devi or Laksmipriya Devi) is external, it concerns yuga-avatara and the potency of Vaikuntha in yuga-avatar, not Radha-Krishna. It is not on that plane. Gadadhar represents a higher plane.

Gaura Hari bol. Gaura Hari bol.

The conception of Gaura-nagara is not accepted by the bona fide school of Sri Caitanyadev's followers. There is a clash. Some think of Gauranga as of Krishna who is described in Bhagavatam, but Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur and others (Srila Kaviraj Goswami and the goswamis) were summarily against thrusting this idea on Gauranga; they rejected this. Mahaprabhu is a brahman, an acharya – He comes to do the work of a preceptor, not a nagara (an exploiter of girls) as we find Krishna doing in Vrindavan. It cannot tally, cannot be proper. There is a hitch. Taking the position of an acharya and at the same time playing the part of a debauchee cannot go together. The law of rasa will not allow that; it will be rasabhas (offensive mixing of devotional moods).

For instance, a man enters the temple to worship the Deity. His wife may come there, too, to help him to serve nivedan (offering) or help him with the worship in other ways, but she cannot come there to cut jokes with her husband or for merry-making with her husband. That will be rasabhas. There is a particular mood. In the same way, Mahaprabhu comes in a serious mood to distribute divine love to the world, to spread the divine Name of the Lord and Krishna consciousness, so He has to take the position of a preacher, a reverent position.

So, these two things cannot go together. Hare Krishna.

<< BACK TO THE MAIN PAGE
<< BACK TO LIBRARY

Read more:

• The All-Auspicious Name of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

• A Fugitive's Plea

• Service to Gaura-Gadadhar

• Soul's Svakiya and Parakiya

• Overthrowing Anarthas

• Self-Purification

• Srila Svarup Damodar Goswami: Master Acharya