Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c7.s4.5

c7.s4.5

The tradition recorded by Narahari informs us that Gopāla Bhaṭṭa was the son of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, a learned Brahman of Southern India, at whose house Caitanya was a guest for four months during his South Indian pilgrimage; but no information is given regarding the place where Veṅkaṭa lived. Veṅkaṭa's elder brother was Trimalla and younger Prabodhānanda; they were worshippers of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa and belonged to the Śrīvaiṣṇava sect; but through the grace of Caitanya, they, as well as young Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, were inspired with a devotion for Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa worship. Gopāla Bhaṭṭa further receiving Caitanya's direction to leave later for Vṛndāvana and meet Rūpa and Sanātana there.¹ He was educated by his uncle Prabodhānanda and, in a short time, went to Vṛndāvana with the permission of his parents. Narahari tells us that of all this there is a special account in the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* (चैतन्यचरितामृते विशेष-वर्णन) meaning Kṛṣṇadāsa's biography; but he acknowledges that Gopāla Bhaṭṭa's name does not appear there in this connexion (गोपाल भट्टेर नाम अलभ्य तथाय). But as an explanation he further states that 'elsewhere' it is found that Gopāla was the son of Veṅkaṭa (अन्यत्र व्याह गोपाल वेङ्कटनय).