The History of Sri Tota Gopinatha
Sri Tota Gopinatha is exquisitely beautiful self-manifested Deity of
Lord Sri Krishna. Sri Tota Gopinatha is also a most unique Deity because
He is the only Krishna Deity in the world “sitting down” and playing His
flute.
Tota Gopinatha has such a charismatic bewitching quality that draws
one to His darshana over and over again. Srila Vrindavana Thakura extols
His power: “Even an extreme atheist will be changed upon seeing the Deity
of Gopinatha.” At 6am after Mangla darshana, upon request, the pujari can
show a small golden streak on Gopinatha’s right knee where Mahaprabhu entered
the Lord.
APPEARANCE OF SRI TOTA GOPINATHA
Gopinatha temple is situated in Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama in
an area named Yamesvara Tota. When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa,
He stayed at Jagannatha Puri Dhama for 18 years. Sri Gadadhara Pandita
also came with Mahaprabhu. Most of Mahaprabhu’s other associates in Navadvipa
remained in Bengal; they came to Puri only once in a year, for the four
months of the rainy season, to attend the Lord Jagannatha Rathayatra and
to see Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But Gadadhara Pandita couldn’t bear
to be separated from the Lord, and the Lord couldn’t bear to be separated
from Him. So He was permitted to stay with Mahaprabhu in Puri. Gadadhara
Pandita resided here at Sri Tota Gopinatha Temple. While residing here
in this peaceful garden of trees and creepers, Gadadhara Pandita recited
Srimad-Bhagavatam every afternoon. Mahaprabhu attended regularly and heard
recount the stories of Dhruva Maharaj and Prahlada Maharaj 100 times.
One day here, Sri Caitanyadeva experienced immense separation from Lord Krishna. Crying out, “Where is My Prananatha,” Gauranga started digging the earth to search of His Lord. Feeling the carved stone mukuta of a murti below the ground, Gaurahari declared, “Gadai, I have found a most precious treasure here. Would you like to accept it?” Noticing the head of a murti emerging from the sand, Gadadhara helped Gauranga uncover a most beautiful Deity of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.
Mahaprabhu named the Deity, Gopinatha, and because He appeared in this
garden called tota in Oriya the devotees called Him, Tota Gopinatha.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave the responsibility of Sri Tota Gopinatha’s
service to His most dear Gadadhara Pandita, and also awarded Him kshetra-sannyasa.
Sri Tota Gopinatha Deity is very beautiful. Sri Vrindavana Dasa Thakura
describes Sri Tota Gopinatha’s beauty in his Sri Caitanya-Bhagavat as follows:
gadadhara bhavane mohana Gopinatha
achene, ye hena nanda-kumara saksat
apane Caitanya tare kariyachena kole
ati pasandi-o se vigraha dekhe bhule
dekhi sri-murali mukha angera bhangima
nityananda ananda asura nahi sima
(Sri Caitanya-Bhagavat Antya 7.114)
“In the house of Gadadhara there is most attractive Gopinatha. This
Deity looks exactly like son of Nanda Himself is sitting there.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself had held Him in His lap. Even most
atheistic person will be changed to see this Deity.
By seeing the posture of the body and face with flute Lord Nityananda
sheds tears of bliss limitlessly.”
WHY SRI TOTA GOPINATHA IS SITTING DOWN?
The Deity of Sri Tota Gopinatha was previously in standing form and
was being worshiped by Sri Gadadhara Pandita.
But after the departure of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gadai (Gadadhara)
felt devastated. His body got bent over from intense agony of separation
from his beloved Gaura. Although he was only 47 years old, Gadadhara became
lean and thin like an old man. Incapable of lifting his arms, Gadai could
neither dress Tota Gopinatha nor offer Him candana and flower garlands.
Gadadhara thought it best to engage another pujari in worshiping the Lord.
In a dream that night, Tota Gopinatha appeared and said, “Why do you want
to engage another pujari in My seva? I only want you to serve Me.”
Gadadhara replied, “O Prananatha! Due to my condition, I can no longer
stand up and serve You properly.”
Lord Gopinatha said, “No, I insist that you alone serve Me. If you
are finding difficulty, then from tomorrow I will become shorter.”
Next morning when Gadadhara entered the Deity room to serve Gopinatha,
he saw an amazing sight. The most merciful Lord had sat down in order to
receive service from his hands.
After the Disappearance of Sri Gadadhara Pandita, another devotee by
name Mamu Thakura took care of Sri Tota Gopinatha Deities. Lord Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu used to call him Mama, which is Bengali for uncle; in Orissa,
"uncle" is Mamu. Thus he was known as Mamu Thakura among the people.
To this day the Deity of Tota-Gopinath in the temple remains
in a kneeling position to accept the eternal service of His beloved Gadadhar.
A slight golden crack which is still to be found near
the right knee of Sri Gopinathji is the spot where Mahaprabhu is said to
have entered the Deity.
Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Jagannath, Salagrams
Lord Balaram and consorts at Tota Gopinath temple
Devotees dancing together in Tota Gopinath mandir's gardens
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