10/20/2019 Abhirama Gopala Thakura | Gaudiya History

Gaudiya History

Abhirama Gopala Thakura

   Shri Abhirama Gopal Thakura  was also known as Shri Rama Das. He was
a great Devotee of Lord Nityananda.  On the order of Shri Nityananda
Prabhu, he became a great acharya and preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
He was a very in uential personality, and atheists and blasphemers were
very much afraid of him. Empowered by Shri Nityananda Prabhu, he was
always in ecstasy and was kind to all fallen souls. It is siad that if he
o ered obeisances to any stone other than a shalagram-shila, it would
immediately burst into pieces. According to Gaura-Ganodesha-Dipika  (12)
in Krishna-lila he was Shridama, one of the 12 prominent boy cowherd
friends of Shri Krishna. He was Nityananda's dearmost Devotee. Abhiram
Gopal's wife's name was Shri Malini devi.
 
   Abhirama Gopala Thakura lived in Khanakula Krishnanagara. Khanakula
Krishanagar may be visited by taking the narrow gauge train from Howrah
Station in Calcutta to Amta. It is located in the present Hooghly District of
West Bengal.  There, in Khanakula Krishnanagara, near the bank of the
According to Gaura-Ganodesha- Khana river,  is the Temple of Abhirama Thakura.  Because it is a town
Dipika (12) in Krishna-lila he was (nagara) with a Krishna Temple, the town is called Krishna-nagara, and
Shridama, one of the 12 prominent because the Temple is on the kula (banks) of the Khana, it is called
boy cowherd friends of Shri Krishna. Khanakula-krishna nagara. Just outside the Temple is a bakula tree. This
place is known as Siddha-bakula-kunja. It is said that Abhirama Thakura
used to like sitting beneath this tree. 
 
   The story of how the Gopinath Deity of Khanakula Krishnanagara was established is as follows. One day, the
Deity of Gopinatha appeared to Abhiram Gopal in a dream, and informed him that he wanted to manifest
Himself in Khanakula Krishnanagara. It is said that he was buried in the earth, and that in the dream he
ordered Abhirama Gopal to excavate him and inaugurate His worship. Abhirama Gopal went to the place where
the Lord had indicated he would be found, and began excavation. There, after digging for some time, he found
the mind-enchanting Deity of Shri Gopinatha.  The place where this discovery was made is now called Rama
kunda, and there is a small lake there. The Bhakti Ratnakara says, "After having excavated the Gopinatha Deity,
all the Devotees headed by Rama Dasa (Abhirama Gopala) bathed in the sacred waters of the kunda near the
spot where the Deity had been found.  From that day on the kunda became famous as Rama Kunda. Whoever
bathes there becomes free from repeated birth and death." 
Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, Deities of Abhiram Gopala
 

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10/20/2019 Abhirama Gopala Thakura | Gaudiya History

   One day Shri Abhirama Gopala was overwhelmed with the

ecstasy of sakhya rasa, and had a desire to play the ute of a
cowherd boy.  Intoxicated by the bliss of Krishna-prema, he
began searching the four directions for a suitable ute. As he
searched through the forest for a suitable instrument all at
once he saw before him a big log. The log was so huge that
sixteen men could not move it. Grabbing hold of that log, he
turned it into a ute and began to play upon it.  The
Chaitanya Charitamrita says, "Rama dasa was one of the
principle branches of the Nityananda branch of the
Chaitanya tree of bhakti. He was full of sakhya-prema—love
Thakur.
of Krishna saturated with the mellow of friendship. He once
picked up a log that sixteen men couldn't lift and used it as a
ute." 
 
   Shri Abhirama Thakura had a bullwhip that was imbued with divine power. Its name was "Jayamangal."
 Whoever was struck with this whip became lled with Krishna prema.  One day Shrinivasa Acharya went to
take darshan of Abhiram Gopala.  At that time, Abhiram Gopal touched him three times with Jayamangal. The
Thakur's good wife, Malini, cried out, "My Lord! Do not touch him again. Calm yourself. Shrinivas is only a boy. If
you touch him again he will lose consciousness." As a result of coming in contact with the whip of Abhirama
Thakura, Shrinivasa Acharya became lled with Shri Krishna prema.
 
   When Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Nityananda Prabhu to preach in Bengal, he sent Abhirama Gopal
and Gadadhara Das along with him. Simply upon seeing Abhiram Gopal, atheists and blasphemers would ee
in terror. He was a remarkable scholar, well-versed in all the scriptures. He married his wife, Malini, upon the
order of Shri Nityananda Prabhu.  His disappearance day is on the seventh day of the dark moon in the month
of Chaitra, and on that day a great festival attended by thousands of Devotees is held every year in Khanakula-
Krishnanagara. 

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