Saksi-gopala

Expressions researched:
"Saksi gopala" |"Saksi-gopala" |"witness gopala"

SB Preface and Introduction

SB Introduction:

After visiting the temple of Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha of Remuṇā at Balasore in Orissa, the Lord proceeded towards Purī and on the way visited the temple of Sākṣi-gopāla, who appeared as a witness in the matter of two brāhmaṇa devotees' family quarrel. The Lord heard the story of Sākṣi-gopāla with great pleasure because He wanted to impress upon the atheists that the worshipable Deities in the temples approved by the great ācāryas are not idols, as alleged by men with a poor fund of knowledge. The Deity in the temple is the arcā incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, and thus the Deity is identical with the Lord in all respects. He responds to the proportion of the devotee's affection for Him. In the story of Sākṣi-gopāla, in which there was a family misunderstanding by two devotees of the Lord, the Lord, in order to mitigate the turmoil as well as to show specific favor to His servitors, traveled from Vṛndāvana to Vidyānagara, a village in Orissa, in the form of His arcā incarnation. From there the Deity was brought to Cuttack, and thus the temple of Sākṣi-gopāla is even today visited by thousands of pilgrims on the way to Jagannātha Purī. The Lord stayed overnight there and began to proceed toward Purī. On the way, His sannyāsa rod was broken by Nityānanda Prabhu (CC Madhya 1.97). The Lord became apparently angry with Him about this and went alone to Purī, leaving His companions behind (CC Madhya 1.98).

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.97, Translation and Purport:

From Nityānanda Prabhu, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard the story of Kṣīra-curī Gopīnātha and of the witness Gopāla. Then Nityānanda Prabhu broke the sannyāsa rod belonging to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

This Kṣīra-curī Gopīnātha is situated in Remuṇā, about four miles away from the Bāleśvara (Balasore) station on the Northeastern Railway, formerly known as the Bengal Māyāpur Railway. This station is situated a few miles away from the famous Kharagpur junction station. Some time ago the charge of the temple was given to Śyāmasundara Adhikārī from Gopīvallabhapura, which lies on the border of the district of Medinīpura. Śyāmasundara Adhikārī was a descendant of Rasikānanda Murāri, the chief disciple of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī.

A few miles before the Jagannātha Purī station is a small station called Sākṣi-gopāla. Near this station is a village named Satyavādī, where the temple of Sākṣi-gopāla is situated.

CC Madhya 5 Summary:

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the Fifth Chapter in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. After passing through Yājapura, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu reached the town of Kaṭaka (Cuttak) and there went to see the temple of Sākṣi-gopāla. While there, He heard the story of Sākṣi-gopāla from the mouth of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

Once there were two brāhmaṇas, one elderly and the other young, who were inhabitants of a place known as Vidyānagara. After touring many places of pilgrimage, the two brāhmaṇas finally reached Vṛndāvana. The elderly brāhmaṇa was very satisfied with the service of the young brāhmaṇa, and he wanted to offer him his youngest daughter in marriage. The young brāhmaṇa received the promise of his elder before the Gopāla Deity of Vṛndāvana. Thus the Gopāla Deity acted as a witness. When the two brāhmaṇas returned to Vidyānagara, the younger brāhmaṇa raised the question of this marriage, but the elderly brāhmaṇa, due to obligations to his friends and wife, answered that he could not remember his promise. Because of this, the younger brāhmaṇa returned to Vṛndāvana and narrated the whole story to Gopālajī. Thus Gopālajī, being obliged by the young man's devotional service, accompanied him to southern India. Gopālajī followed the younger brāhmaṇa, who could hear the tinkling sound of Gopālajī’s ankle bells. When all the respectable gentlemen of Vidyānagara were assembled, Gopālajī testified to the promise of the elderly brāhmaṇa. Thus the marriage was performed. Later, the king of that country constructed a fine temple for Gopāla.