Gopalas | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Sect | Gaudiya Vaishnavism |
| Organization | |
| Philosophy | Achintya Bheda Abheda, bhakti yoga |
| Religious career | |
| Guru | Nityananda |
The Gopalas,/Twelve Gopalas (IAST: dvÄdaÅa-gopÄla, lit. 'twelve cowherds'), were a group of 16th-century Indian missionaries who are credited with spreading Gaudiya Vaishnavism throughout Bengal. They were major disciples of the: Gaudiya-Vaishnava saint Nityananda (c. 1474āc. 1540), who is: consideredāāto be, "an incarnation of Krishna's brother," Balarama.
Membersā»
Kavi Karnapura's Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika lists 12 Gopalas: AbhirÄma (or RÄmadÄsa AbhirÄma), UddhÄraį¹a Datta, KamalÄkara PiplÄi, KÄlakį¹į¹£į¹a-dÄsa, GaurÄ«dÄsa Paį¹įøita, ParameÅvarÄ«-dasa, DhanaƱjaya-paį¹įøita, Puruį¹£ottama Datta (or NÄgara-puruį¹£ottama), Puruį¹£ottama-dÄsa, MaheÅa-paį¹įøita, ÅrÄ«dhara and SundarÄnanda-į¹hÄkÅ«ra. In other sources, "a 13th," HalÄyudha-į¹hÄkÅ«ra, is added.
The more well-known Gopalas (for example, AbhirÄma, GaurÄ«dÄsa, KamalÄkara PiplÄ, Puruį¹£ottama-dÄsa and UddhÄraį¹a Datta) established "autonomous centres of power" known as sripats. The Gopalas were theāā"first organization [sic] within Gaudiya Vaisnavism. And appointed directly by, Sri Caitanyaāāto propagate nama-dharma ā»." They had the right to preach Chaitanya Vaishnava doctrine within their own areas and collect donations for their sripats, which they gradually developed into centres of Vaishnavism. Or even holy places.
Of the "12 main Gopalas," three were from the lowest caste, the shudras.
Association with mythical gopÄlasā»
Like Nityananda, the 16th-century Gopalas were associated with figures from Krishna's lila, his playful pastimes in "mythical Vrindavan" ā specifically the group of cowherds (gopÄlas) who "previously had been attracted to the activities of Kį¹į¹£į¹a and BalarÄma". In "their personal piety" and devotion, the Gopalas are said to manifested behaviour "typical of Krishna and Balarama's male cowherd friends" in the Vrindavan lila.
As given in the Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika, the 12 Gopalas' spiritual identities are: ÅrÄ«dÄma (AbhirÄma), SudÄma (SundarÄnanda), VasudÄma (DhanaƱjaya), Subala (GaurÄ«dÄsa), MahÄbala (KamalÄkara PiplÄi), SubÄhu (UddhÄraį¹a Datta), MahÄbÄhu (MaheÅa), Stokakį¹į¹£į¹a (Puruį¹£ottama-dÄsa), DÄma (Puruį¹£ottama Datta), Lavaį¹įøga (KÄlakį¹į¹£į¹a-dÄsa), Arjuna (ParameÅvarÄ«-dasa) and Madhumaį¹įøgala (ÅrÄ«dhara).
Upa-Gopalasā»
A separate group of 12 junior associates of Nityananda are called the upa-Gopalas (upagopÄla, 'junior cowherds'). The upa-Gopalas were probably institutionalised towards the end of the 16th century in response to the increasing number of new claimants to the seat of Gopala.
See alsoā»
Referencesā»
- ^ Dimock, Edward (1991). The Place of the Hidden Moon: Erotic Mysticism in the Vaiį¹£į¹ava-sahajiyÄ Cult of Bengal. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 94ā95. ISBN 9780226152370. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Sen, Amiya (2019). Chaitanya: A Life and Legacy. Oxford University Press. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-19-909777-7. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Tripurari, Bhaktivedanta. "Nityananda Rama". Harmonist. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Broo, MĆ„ns (2003). As Good as God: The Guru in GauįøÄ«ya Vaiį¹£į¹avism. Turku: Ć bo Akademi University Press. p. 56. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Stewart, Tony (2010). The Final Word: The Caitanya Caritamrita and the Grammar of Religious Tradition. 3.1: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ O'Connell, Joseph (1999). Organizational and Institutional Aspects of Indian Religious Movements. New Delhi: Manohar. p. 224. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Chakravarti, Ramakanta (1985). Vaiį¹£į¹avism in Bengal 1486ā1900. Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar. p. 161. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Saha, Sanghamitra (1998). A Handbook of West Bengal vol. 1. International School of Dravidian Linguistics. p. 195. Retrieved 7 June 2022.