Here’s a brief synopsis of Gopal Bhatta Goswami (1503-1578) and the appearance of Radha Raman deity.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began His walking journey throughout Southern India in the summer of 1510. After many days He came to a small city called Shri Rangam. The main temple here is the largest Vishnu temple in all of India and pilgrims come from 100’s of miles to see the Deity, Ranganatha.
Ranganatha is a deity of Vishnu, lying on his side on Seisha Naga. Before entering the temple of Ranganath first one visits Ranganaiki, Lakshmi, and take her permission to visit the inner chamber of her husband. In the courtyard of the temple there is a huge deity of Garuda, the bird carrier of Vishnu, just waiting should Lord Vishnu wish to travel anywhere.
Here Lord Chaitanya met Vyenkata Bhatta and his 2 brothers. They were brahmans looking after the Deity. Vyenkata’s 7 year old son was Gopal Bhatta.
Lord Chaitanya stayed for 4 months of the rainy season and using logical and scriptural foundations, He enduced Vyenkata to worship Krsna. Meanwhile Lord Chaitanya had been allowing young Gopal Bhatta to serve Him the whole time He was there.
When it was time for Lord Chaitanya to leave, Vyenkata Bhatta fainted out of separation and young Gopal cried with tears of love. Just to pacify them Lord Chaitanya agreed to stay a few more days.
During this time Gopal Bhatta had a dream of Lord Chaitanya. He appeared to Gopal Bhatta as Krsna and then transformed Himself back into His form as Sri Chaitanya.
In this dream Gopal Bhatta was instructed by Lord Chaitanya You will meet 2 jewel-like persons, Rupa and Sanatan. I have given them my mentality in order to publish my teachings. But by your own disciple, especially, these teachings will spread to every town and village.
Upon awakening, Gopal Bhatta went directly to Lord Chaitanya to serve Him. Lord Chaitanya instructed him For now, stay here and serve your mother and father. After they have departed this world you may go to Vrindavan and join Rupa and Sanatan. Always engage yourself in hearing and chanting the glories of Krsna.
When he grew up Gopal Bhatta accepted his uncle Prabodhananda as his spiritual master. He studied scripture and became renowned throught the lands as a great scholar. Eventually after the death of his parents, Gopal Bhatta proceeded to Vrindavan where he was greeted with great love by Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatan Goswami.
On hearing of his arrival in Vrindavan Lord Chaitanya sent a letter to Rupa and Sanatan. Along with this letter He sent a package for Gopal Bhatta which included His loincloth and other personal articles. One item in particular, a small black wooden seat, used by Lord Chaitanya Himself, is still worshiped in a temple in Vrindavan.
Upon the arrival of the letter all the devotees became ecstatic and started chanting the holy Names of God. Gopal Bhatta was deeply grateful that Sri Chaitanya had sent His cloth and he treasured the sacred paraphernalia for the remaining years of his life.
Live his life as an embodiment of the scriptures, Gopal Bhatta’s fame spread through all of India and he became known as the younger brother of Rupa and Sanatan.
Once he travelled by foot to the Gandaki River in Nepal, a long and arduous journey. There he found 12 shilas (sacred stones) and brought them back to Vrndavan.
Upon arriving back in Vrndavan, he felt unqualified to worship his sacred stones, so he again journed back to Nepal to replace them in the Gandaki River. While chanting he carefully placed the shilas in the holy river. But they spontaneously jumped back into his hands. Trying 3 or 4 times to leave them in the river he found he was unable to do so. He took them back to Vrndavan to worship. He carried them at all times in a cloth bag that hung from his neck.
8 years after Lord Chaitanya’s disappearance, Gopal Bhatta felt the need to worship a Deity. This was intensified after a wealthy merchant gave him jewellery and find cloth for the worship of Krsna.
Gopal Bhatta placed these items before his shilas and fervently prayed for proper direction. The next morning he found that one of the shilas known as the Damodar shila had transformed into a Deity of Krsna. Gopal Bhatta fell to the ground immediately and offered beautiful prayers.
hearing of this miraculous event, Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami and many other Vaisnavas hurried to the spot. They were there when Gopal Bhatta named the Deity Shri Radha Raman.
Accreditation given where known, but as so often the case amongst Vaishnava devotees, one does not always know the name of artist or photographer, apologies for any offense caused.