This current age of Kali has been proclaimed as ‘dhanya kali-yuga—the blessed age of Kali’. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the emperor of all scriptures, we find the following statements:
kaliṁ sabhājayanty āryā guṇa-jñāḥ sāra-bhāginaḥ yatra saṅkīrtanenaiva sarva-svārtho ‘bhilabhyate
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.36
Karabhājana Ṛṣi says: Enlightened souls know the good quality and essence of this age of Kali. Simply by performing saṅkīrtana, all of one’s desired goals are achieved.
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.3.51 O King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one great quality to this age. Simply by performing kīrtana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities, and pastimes, one becomes free from all material entanglement and attains the Lord’s spiritual abode.In this current age, Śacinandana Gaurahari, the original source of the holy name, and the original source of pure love of God, brought with Him the holy name, which is the embodi ment of transcendental sound, and inaugurated the congrega tional chanting of the Lord’s holy names, which bestows pure love. This saṅkīrtana attained victory throughout the fourteen planes. All demigods, sages, great ascetics, and realized souls descended to Earth and took birth in this age of Kali, being eager to taste the prema-rasa given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Only by the process of worshiping through the medium of congregational chanting can one attain self-realization, and the final achievement of attaining the Lord’s abode. By loving devotional service inherent to the soul, one can even control the Supreme Lord.
kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.32 In the age of Kali, Kṛṣṇa appears in a golden color, and is always singing the two syllables kṛ and ṣṇa. He comes with His associates, servitors, weapons, and close companions. Those who are very intelligent, worship Him by performing saṅkīrtana.
After Caitanya Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa, He went to South India on pilgrimage. In due course, He arrived at Śrī Raṅgam. There, worship is performed by the process of arcana and it is very congenial for worshiping the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha in a mood of reverence for His opulence.
The Lord taught, “aiśvarya-śithila preme nāhi mora prīta—I am not attracted by love that is weakened by awe and reverence.” (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 3.16) Śrī Kṛṣṇa comes under the control of those who worship in a mood of spontaneous love and devotion. The Lord merci fully accepted the hospitality of the three brothers: Trimalla Bhaṭṭa, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, and Prabhodānanda Sarasvatī, and performed His Cāturmāsya-vrata in their company. Mahāprabhu would daily dance, perform saṅkīrtana, and distribute nāma-prema. He told them that by the performance of prema-nāma-saṅkīrtana, God and His associates quickly appear before one and bestow a place in Vraja. Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, the blessed son of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, served Mahāprabhu for four months and performed nāma-saṅkīrtana in His company. He prayed from the core of his heart, “I eternally want to serve the Lord.” The all-knowing Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told him: “The holy name and its possessor are non-different, and it is the embodiment of rasa. Chant the holy name, and the all-merciful Lord in His original form, full of sweetness and rasa, will manifest before you and accept your service eternally.” Later, when Gopāla came to Vṛndāvana, he always remembered Mahāprabhu’s words and thus chanted harināma in a loud voice and performed saṅkīrtana. One time, Gopāla became absorbed in bhāva while doing saṅkīrtana and remembering Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That night, Mahāprabhu Himself came to Vṛndāvana and manifested as Rādhā-ramaṇa. It was the year 1599 Saṁvat, on Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā. Gopāla Bhaṭṭa kept that rasa laden Deity nearby at all times and continuously served Him. The feet of Rādhā-ramaṇa are like Śrī Madana-mohana, the chest like Śrī Gopīnātha, and the face like Śrī Govinda. The Śrī Bhakti-ratnākara describes the following about Gopāla Bhaṭṭa:kaṭa dine gopāla gelen vṛndāvana rūpa-sanātana saṅge haila milanaAfter some days, Gopāla went to Vṛndāvana, where he met with Rūpa and Sanātana.
likhilena patrīte śrī rūpa sanātana gopāla bhaṭṭera vṛndāvane āgamanaIn a letter to Mahāprabhu in Purī, Rūpa and Sanātana informed the Lord about Gopāla Bhaṭṭa’s arrival in Vṛndāvana.
likhaye patrīte priya rūpa-sanātana pāila ānanda gopālera āgamane nija bhrāta sama gopāla bhaṭṭere jānibeThe Lord in a reply told them, “My dear Rūpa and Sanātana. I am overjoyed to hear about Gopāla’s arrival. Treat him like your own brother.”
gopālera nāme śrī gosvāmī sanātana karila śrī hari bhakti vilāsa varṇanaSanātana Gosvāmī compiled the Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, and gave it to Gopāla for editing.
śrī rūpa gosvāmī prāṇa sama jāne śrī radha ramaṇa sevā karaila taneŚrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, who was as dear to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī as his own life, performed loving service to Śrī Rādhā-ramaṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed Gopāla to go to Vṛndāvana and manifest vaiṣṇava-smṛti. By the Lord's desire, Gopāla edited the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, wrote the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta-ṭippanī, was the original compiler of the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha, and composed the Sat-kriyā-sāra-dīpikā and Saṁskāra-dīpikā, both of which are included in this book. Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was very humble and renounced, without any material possessions. He offered all his works into the hands of Sanātana Gosvāmī. By Rūpa and Sanātana’s order, Jīva Gosvāmī edited and published the Ṣaṭ-sandarbhas in a proper sequence. Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī requested Kavirāja Gosvāmī not to mention his name in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. In this way, he was very humble. Remembering his lotus feet awards the highest perfection in life. We pray to always remain under his guidance. [Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication "Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī: His Life and Teachings"] [CC-by-NDNC Bhakta Bandhav] You can buy a full book on Amazon (Only for United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Japan) or from our book shop.