Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
This place is situated near the bajanī-śilā. Once, in his wan- derings, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī came to Vraja. He is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s grand spiritual master and Śrī Īśvara Purī’s spiritual master. Vraja-prema is difficult to obtain even for Brahmā and other demigods, but it has been distributed freely in the world by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Mādhavendra Purīpāda is the seed or sprout of that prema-kalpataru, or desire-tree that bestows divine transcendental love. He was a renunciant who followed ayācaka- vṛtti, which means he never begged food from anyone. One day, he was performing bhajana near Govinda-kuṇḍa in a secluded place surrounded by lush, green trees and creepers. For two or three days, he was so absorbed in his bhajana that he was even unconscious of his own body. On the third day, at midday, a cowherd boy whose complexion was darkish blue (śyāma) arrived there, carrying a pot of milk in his hand. The boy said, “Bābā, nobody remains hungry in Vraja. My mother saw you as she passed by, carrying water from the well. She understood that you are hungry and thirsty, so she has sent this milk for you. I am going now to herd the cows. When I return, I will collect the pot.” Saying this, the boy quickly left.
Purījī pondered the sweet talk, pleasant behaviour and beauty of that boy. “In my whole life, I have never seen such a beautiful boy,” he thought. He completed his bhajana, offered the milk to his worshipful deity and then drank it. The unequalled taste and fragrance of the milk made Purījī ecstatic. He became over- whelmed with love of God, but could apply no concentration to his bhajana. With tear-filled eyes, he began waiting for that śyāma-complexioned boy to return. Night fell but the boy did not come. During early hours of the morning he dozed off a little and saw that boy return. “I am Gopāla, the son of Vrajarāja Nanda,” He said. “My other name is Śrī Nāthajī. Mahārāja Vajranābha installed Me near here on the top of Girirāja. Long ago, in fear of the barbarians, the priests taking care of Me hid Me under the earth in a nearby valley of Govardhana. I have been thirsty and hungry for many days and am feeling so hot. I have been waiting for you for a long time, thinking, ‘When will Mādhavendra take Me from here and serve Me?’ ” Saying this, the boy indicated His hiding place and disappeared.
In the morning, when Purījī narrated this incident to the villagers, they dug at the place specified in the dream and found Gopālajī. This made Purī Gosvāmī and the Vrajavāsīs jubilant. An altar was built on top of the hill by erecting three vertical stones in three directions and placing a horizontal slab across them. Gopālajī was seated on that throne and for many days He received a splendid bathing ceremony with abundant milk, yoghurt, clarified butter, sugar and honey. The Vrajavāsīs offered annakūṭa, which means an offering of mounds of grains like dāl and rice, and kaḍhī, pūrī, kacauḍī and many other delicious preparations. The neighbouring people, especially the wealthy merchants of Mathurā, participated in the festival by body, mind and wealth. After serving Gopālajī like this for some time, Mādhavendra Purī, on the order of Śrī Nāthajī, turned over the responsibility of the worship to his disciples and went to Jagannātha Purī to procure malayana-candana, or sandalwood from the Malaya Hills, for Him.
This village is currently named Jatīpurā after him, as the word jatī (or yatī) means renunciant. This incident has been described vividly in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta75. Nowadays, Śrī Nāthajī presides in Śrī Nāthadvāra in Rājasthāna.
Due to the atrocities of the fanatic Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, the king of Jaipura brought the deities of Vṛndāvana, such as Śrī Govinda, Śrī Gopīnātha and Śrī Madana-mohana, to his kingdom in Rājasthāna.
