136. The devotee who had been the cowherd boy Gandharva in Vrajabhumi appeared in Caitanya’s pastimes as Kumudananda Pandita.
137. Bhrngara and Bhangura, who had been Krishna’s servants in Vrindavana, later appeared as Kasisvara and Govinda, the servants of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
138. Raktaka and Patraka, who had been Krishna’s servants in Vrindavana, later appeared as Haridasa and Brhacchisu, two servants of Lord Caitanya.
139. The two cowherdboys Payoda and Varida, who had formerly performed the nira-samskara ceremony for Lord Krishna, later appeared as Ramai and Nandai, two famous servants of Lord Caitanya.
140. Madhukantha and Madhuvrata, who were singers in Vrajabhumi, later appeared as Mukunda Datta and Vasudeva Datta, two famous singers in Lord Caitanya’s kirtana party.
141. Candramukha, the famous dancer in Vrindavana, appeared in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes as Makaradhvajakara.
142. Sudhakara, who had been an expert mrdanga player in Vrajabhumi during Krishna’s pastimes, appeared in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes as the expert drummer Sankara Ghosa.
143. Candrahasa, who in Vrajabhumi had been a dancer expert in transcendental mellows, appeared in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes as the dancer Jagadisa Pandita.
144. Maladhara, who had formerly carried Lord Krishna’s venu and murali flutes in Vrajabhumi, later appeared as Vanamala Pandita, who was very dear to Lord Caitanya.
145. Daksa and Vicaksana, the two famous parrots of Vrindavana, took birth during Lord Caitanya’s pastimes as Caitanya dasa and Rama dasa, who are both my seniors .
146. As much as I have heard from authorities, and as much as I can understand, I shall now describe Krishna’s dear friends, the gopis, and how they descended to participate in Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes.
147. Srimati Radharani, who is the personification of pure love for Lord Krishna and who is the queen of Vrindavana, appeared as Gadadhara Pandita, who was very dear to Lord Caitanya.
148-150. Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has also confirmed that the goddess of fortune, who appeared in Vrindavana and was very dear to Lord Krishna, has now appeared as Gadadhara Pandita, who is filled with love for Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Lalita Gopi always follows Srimati Radharani, and therefore she is known as Anuradha .
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.”
152. Some say that Dhruvananda Brahmacari is the incarnation of Lalita.
This opinion is also correct, for Lalita Gopi appeared as both Gadadhara Pandita and Dhruvananda Brahmacari.
153. By His own will Lord Caitanya appeared in this world in three different forms at the same time.
In the same way Srimati Radharani appeared as Gadadhara Pandita.
154. Radharani’s expansion as Candrakanti Devi appeared as Gadadhara dasa, a close associate of Lord Caitanya.
155. Purnananda Gopi, the dearmost girl-friend of Lord Balarama also entered the body of Gadadhara dasa.
Therefore Gadadhara dasa was the incarnation of both Candrakanti Devi and Purnananda Gopi.
156. Candravali Gopi, who had been very dear to Lord Krishna in Vrajabhumi, appeared in Bengal as Sadasiva Kaviraja.
157. During Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes He would sometimes sleep peacefully on the chest of Sribhadra Gopi.
This same Sribhadra Gopi later appeared as Sankara Pandita, who was very dear to Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
158. The Vraja Gopis Taraka Devi and Pali Devi appeared as Jagannatha and Gopala, who were both very dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
159. Hot-tempered Saibya who previously appeared in Vraja, appeared as Damodara Pandita during Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes.
The goddess Sarasvati also entered the body of Damodara Pandita, who is thus the combined incarnation of them both.
160. Visakha, who formerly taught the various fine arts to Radharani in Vrajabhumi, appeared during Sri Caitanya’s advent as Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, who was filled with the various splendid manifestations of ecstatic love of Godhead.
161. Citra Devi, who had formerly combed and decorated Srimati Radharani’s hair in Vrajabhumi, appeared as Sri Vanamali, who was very dear to Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
162. Srimati Campakalata Gopi, who considered Srimati Radharani as dear as her own life-breath, appeared as Raghava Gosvami, who lived at Govardhana Hill and wrote the book entitled Bhakti Ratna Prakasa.
163. Tungavidya, who lived in Vrajabhumi and was learned in all the scriptures, appeared later as Prabodhananda Sarasvati, the poet who eloquently glorified the transcendental qualities of Lord Caitanya.
164. Indulekha, who was Radharani’s close friend in Vrajabhumi, appeared as Krishnadasa Brahmacari, who resided in Vrindavana Dhama.
165. The Vraja Gopi Rangadevi appeared as Gadadhara Bhatta, and the Vraja Gopi Sudevi appeared as Ananta Acarya Gosvami.
166. The Vraja Gopi Sasirekha Devi appeared as Sri Kasisvara Gosvami.
The Vraja Gopi Dhanistha Devi, who had previously fed Lord Krishna with limitless opulent foodstuffs, appeared as Raghava Pandita, who was very dear to Lord Caitanya.
167. The Vraja Gopi Gunamala Devi appeared as Raghava Pandita’s sister Damayanti Devi.
Ratnarekha Gopi appeared as Krishnadasa, and Kalavati Gopi appeared as Krishnananda.
168. Gauraseni Gopi appeared as the saintly devotee Narayana Vacaspati.
Kaveri Gopi appeared as Pitambara, and Sukesi Gopi appeared as Makaradhvaja.
169. Madhavi appeared as Madhvacarya, and Indira appeared as Jiva Pandita.
170. The charming Vraja Gopi named Tungavidya appeared as Vidyavacaspati, who was dear to both Lord Caitanya and the residents of Vrindavana.
171. Madhureksana Gopi appeared as Balabhadra Bhattacarya, Citrangi appeared as Srinatha Misra, and Manohara appeared as Kavicandra.
172. The vraja-brahmani Nandimukhi Devi appeared as Saranga Thakura.
Some people think that Saranga Thakura was the incarnation of Prahlada Maharaja.
My father (Sivananda Sena) did not agree with them.
173. Kalakantha Devi and Sukantha Devi, the two Gandharva-dancers who appeared in Vrajabhumi, also appeared as Ramananda Vasu and Satyaraja.
174. The Vraja Gopi Katyayani Devi appeared as Srikanta Sena.
175. Vrinda Devi, the presiding deity of Vrajabhumi, appeared as Sri Mukunda dasa, who lived in the village of Srikhanda and was very dear to the Lord.
176. The two gopis Vira Devi and Duti Devi, who acted as messengers arranging the gopis’ meetings with Krishna, combined to appear as my father (Sivananda Sena).
The Vraja Gopi Bindumati appeared as my mother.
177. Radharani’s dear friend, the Vraja Gopi named Madhumati, appeared as Narahari Sarakara, who was very dear to Lord Caitanya.
178. Srimati Radharani’s dear friend, the Vraja Gopi named Ratnavalidevi appeared as Gopinatha Acarya, who was famous for his purity.
179. Lord Krishna’s favorite flute appeared as Vamsidasa Thakura.
180. Rupa Manjari, who had been famous in Vrindavana Dhama, appeared as Rupa Gosvami.
181. Rupa Manjari’s closest friend, who was known by the names Rati Manjari and Lavanga Manjari, appeared as Sanatana Gosvami, who was honored by everyone, and who was considered to be like an extension of the transcendental body of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sanatana Kumara, the jewel among the sages, entered the body of Sanatana Gosvami, who is therefore also considered to be an incarnation of Sanatana Kumara.
182. Sivananda Cakravarti, who lived in Vrindavana, is also considered to be an incarnation of Lavanga Manjari.
184. Ananga Manjari appeared as Gopala Bhatta Gosvami.
Some say that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was actually the incarnation of Guna Manjari.
185. Raga Manjari appeared as Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, who lived in a cottage by the shore of Radha Kunda.
186. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was the incarnation of Rasa Manjari.
Some say that Raghunatha das Gosvami was the incarnation of Rati Manjari, and others say he was the incarnation of Bhanumati Devi.
187. Bhugarbha Thakura was the incarnation of Prema Manjari.
Lokanatha Gosvami was the incarnation of Lila Manjari.
188. The Vraja Gopis Kalavati, Rasollasa, and Gunatunga, who sang the songs composed by Visakha, later appeared as Govinda, Madhavananda, and Vasudeva respectively.
189. Srimati Radharani’s maidservants, Rangalekha and Kalakeli, appeared as Sikhi-mahiti and his sister, Madhavi Devi respectively.
190. Malli Devi, the daughter of a Pulinda, appeared as Kalidasa.
191. Suklambara Brahmacari was the incarnation of one of the yajnapatnis who gave food in charity to Krishna and his friends. Lord Caitanya was accustomed to eating food He had begged from Suklambara Brahmacari.
Some say that Suklambara Brahmacari was not one of the yajna-patnis, but one of their husbands, the yajnika-brahmanas.
192. Two other yajna-patnis appeared as Jagadisa and Hiranya.
One ekadasi day Lord Caitanya ate grains he had begged from them.
193. Kubja, who had been very to dear to Lord Krishna in Mathura, later appeared in Jagannatha Puri as Kasi Misra, who was very dear to Lord Caitanya.
194-207 Malati, Candralatika, Manjumedha, Varangada, Ratnavali, Kamala, Gunacuda, Sukesini, Karpura Manjari, Syama Manjari, Sveta Manjari, Vilasa Manjari, Kamalekha, Mauna Manjari, Gandhonmada, Rasonmada, Candrika, and Candrasekhara, were among the maidservants of Srimati Radharani.
Assuming male forms they appeared among Lord Caitanya’s associates, and each displayed his particular kind of ecstatic love for the Lord.
These gopis became Subhananda Dvija, Sridhara Brahmacari, Paramananda Gupta , Raghunatha Dvija (who was an unalloyed servant of Lord Caitanya), Kamsari Sena, Sri Jagannatha Sena Mahasaya, Subuddhi Misra, Sriharsa, Raghu Misra (who was the best of the brahmanas), Jitamitra , Sriman Bhagavatacarya , Sriman Jiva Pandita , Vaninatha Dvija , Isanacarya, Kamala, Laksminatha Pandita, Ganga-mantri, Jagannatha Mamu , Srikanthabharana Ananta , Hastigopala , Hari Acarya, Srinayana Misra , Kavidatta, Ramadasa, Ciranjiva, and Sulocana respectively.
208. Someone may consider that among these devotees some are greatly exalted and others are a little less.
I will not make any such distinctions. For me all these great souls are equal.
209. Ciranjiva and Sulocana lived in the village of Srihatta.
They were completely surrendered to Lord Caitanya, and because they were the friends and helpers of Narahari dasa they were honored and considered great souls.
210. The scriptures state:
“A disciple should not address his spiritual master by name”.
For this reason I have not mentioned the previous name of my spiritual master, Sri Srinatha Cakravarti.
211. All glories to Sri Krishnadeva of Kumara Hatta, the author of the commentary on Sri Bhagavata-samhita.
His fame is always splendidly manifest.
212. If I have made any errors in describing the great souls mentioned in this book, I beg those great personalities to please forgive me.
Neither Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, nor Lord Ananta Sesa are able to describe completely the exalted virtues of those great souls.
213. I have written this book in such a way that the Mimamsakas, false logicians, and others who relish dry philosophical debate will not be able to understand it, even with the greatest endeavor.
Only the devotees, who are learned in the rasa-sastras, and who continually take shelter of Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet, will be able to understand this book properly. I have written this book for them.
214. I pray that this book I have written, the Sri Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, may shine in the homes of the blissful devotees of the Lord.
215. This book was written in the year 1498 of the Saka era .
I pray that those great devotees whose minds are immersed in the nectar of Lord Caitanyacandra’s pastimes may read this book critically and correct all its faults.
Sri Sri Gaura Ganoddesa Dipika ends here
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