Venkatta Bhatta - Gaudiya Vaishnava (formerly principal priest of Srirangam belonging to Sri Sampradaya) is famous for being part of the conversion from worship of Laksmi-Narayana to worship of Krishna as Svayam bhagavan. In Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.9.108-124[1] and further on Chaitanya talks about Krishna's supremacy in a joking mood with Venkatta Bhatta.[2] Also notable for being the father of Gopala Bhatta.

When Chaitanya traveled through South India in 1509–10, he stayed at his house of at Srirangam.[2] Venkata and his two brothers, Gopala's uncles Trimalla and Prabodhananda Sarasvati "were converted from their Sri Vaishnava faith in Lakshmi-Narayana as supreme to one in Radha Krishna" as original, Svayam bhagavan.[2] The dialog of this conversion is recorded in 16 c. Caitanya Caritamrita biography by Krishna dasa Kaviraja.[3]

In the Chaitanya Charitamrita lila, a presentation is given,[4] with a reference to the particular verse of the tenth canto of Bhagavata Purana as to the reason why Lakshmi, also known as Sri (thus the name of Sri Sampradaya), is burning with desire and still not capable of entering into the realm of Vrindavana.[5]

Prabodhananda Sarasvati who was a Sri Sampradaya sannyasi was also converted as to supreme position of Radha-Krishna being Svayam bhagavan instead of Lakshmi-Narayana. He as well apparently came to appreciate the supremacy of Radha worship from Caitanya.[6]

See also edit

References and notes edit

  1. ^ Caitanya Caritamrita 2.9.108
  2. ^ a b c Brzezinski, J.K. (1992). "Prabodhananda, Hita Harivamsa and the" Radharasasudhanidhi". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 55 (3): 472–497. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00003669. JSTOR 620194. S2CID 161089313."identify Radha as the supreme Laksmi.."
  3. ^ Jan, Marez. "VEDA - Vedas and Vedic Knowledge Online - Vedic Encyclopedia, Bhakti-yoga in vedas, Library". www.veda.harekrsna.cz. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
  4. ^ [http://vedabase.net/cc/en C.C.] Madhya 9.113-114 Archived 2011-05-25 at the Wayback Machine "Just to associate with Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine abandoned all transcendental happiness in Vaikuṇṭha Archived 2008-05-04 at the Wayback Machine and for a long time accepted vows and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities."
  5. ^ "SB 10.16.36". Archived from the original on 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
  6. ^ Brzezinski, J.K. (1992). "Prabodhananda Sarasvati: From Benares to Braj". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 55 (1): 52–75. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00002640. JSTOR 620476. S2CID 154350212.