An avatar at the tip of Rama's arrow
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In an interesting account, G. BRINDA narrates how Lord Rama visualised his form as Krishna, much to the delight of Sita. And here enters Madhav Goswami, devotee who adored the Cowherd Lord.
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BY STEALING butter He came to be known as `Nani Chora,' for hiding the clothes of Gopis He was called Basan Chora and by stealing the heart of devotees He became `Chitta Chora.' But Lord Krishna is also known as kshira chora, stealer of milk and thereby hangs a tale.
It was Treta Yug. Rama was in exile and went to Chitrakut along with Sita and Lakshmana. Enthralled by the natural beauty of the place, he decided to stay there for some time. One day, it rained heavily and soon it was green all around. The milch cows in the hermitages were grazing. On seeing the cows, Rama smiled.
Sita was eager to know why. Rama explained that the scene indicated his next avatar as Krishna, the cowherd, in Dwapara Yug. Sita wished to see Him in that form. Ramachandra went into the forest and took a piece of stone and inscribed on it the Tribhangi posture of Sri Krishna with the `Murali' in his hands. He also sculpted the figures of eight sakhis at his service.
Further, the portrayals of his four dear companions, cows, rose apple (near his head), destruction of Chanur and Mustaka were added. An elated Sita touched the figures and asked Rama how he drew it. Rama touched the stone with the sharp end of his arrow. And lo! The image started bleeding profusely. The vigraha had sprung to life by the divine touch.
And Sita decided to carry it to Ayodhya.
While returning to Ayodhya, after destroying Ravana and his clan, Rama spent a night in a beautiful place. Sita wanted to have a bath. Rama created a river by discharging seven arrows. Hence the place came to be known as Remuna or Ramania, and hence the name of the river, Saptasara. Rama returned to Ayodhya.
The vigraha engraved at Chitrakut was being worhsipped by Brahma in Treta Yug, Dwapara Yug and for many years in Kali Yug. During Kali Yug, King Langula Narasimha Dev, a staunch Vaishnavite renowned for his charity, set out on a pilgrimage. He arrived at Chitrakut. One day, the royal couple while travelling spotted the vigraha worshipped by Brahma and decided to bring it to Srikshetra. At night the idol appeared in his dream and told that His name was Madanagopal and commanded the king to carry it with him.
Next day, they rechristened the idol as Jay Gopal and carried it with them. On the way, they rested at Remuna. The Lord expressed his wish to stay at Remuna since there were a lot of milch cows there. The king devotedly carried out the orders by a royal proclamation. Since Jay Gopal was encircled by eight sakhis and companions the queen named him `Sri Gopinath.' After excavating some tanks at Remuna, the king returned to Puri.
According to legend, Langula Narasimha Dev lived in the 13th Century A.D. Therefore, it could be construed that the arrival of Lord Gopinath at Remuna took place about 800 years ago. The river Saptasara now exists as a small resource.
The pot of milk
Madhavendra Puri, the 15th disciple of the Madhvacharya sect and the spiritual guru of Sri Chaitanya, had been to Brindavan, in the guise of a cowherd. He observed fasting and was reciting the name of Hari. Lord Krishna in the disguise of a cowherd appeared and offered him a pot of milk. With the assurance that he would be back again, he left the place quickly. Madhavendra, though astonished at the peculiar demeanour of the boy, waited patiently for his return. He spent a sleepless night. At dawn, he had a dream in which the boy appeared and led him to a thorny grove and showed his domicile. His name was Govardhana Gopal and was installed by Brajnava, the grandson of Krishna. He added that he accepted Madhav's sincere devotion and directed him to keep Him properly.
Madhavendra informed this to the residents of Braja who were overjoyed and assisted him in clearing the forest and installing Gopal on the stone throne of Giri Gobardhan.
Devotees from far and near thronged the place to have darshan. A temple was constructedAgain, Gopal ordered him to fetch sandal paste from Nilachal to cool his body. Madavendra after entrusting his work to two Brahmin disciples set out for Nilachal. On the way he reached Remuna. The priest in the temple there described the kind of food offered to the deity. After Raja Bhoga, 12 pots of kshir (milk) were offered as Sayan Bhoga. It was called Amrit Keli (nectar). He thought to himself that if he got a little of the prasad even without asking for it, he would offer his Lord Amrit Keli. That night, he felt ashamed of his temptation for milk. He sat under a tree behind the temple and began chanting the name of the Lord.
The Lord appeared in the temple priest's dream and revealed that he had hidden one milk pot under His cloth. And that it should be handed over to Madhavendra. The priest woke up and opened the door of the sanctum.
To his astonishment, he found a pot under the Lord's cloth. He obeyed the instructions and an ecstatic Madhav Goswami enjoyed the milk and broke the earthen pot into pieces and preserved them in his cloth, to eat one piece daily. That night he witnessed Krishna and Radha in a dancing posture on the banks of the Yamuna.
Goswami left the place at dawn for Purushottamdam. And Lord Gopinath came to be known as `Kshir Chora,' one who had stolen milk for a devotee.
Madhab Goswami went to Nilachal and Gajapati Raj gave sufficient quantities of sandal paste and camphor and also one sevak to carry the load. Madhabendra once again visited Remuna enroute his own place.
Gopal of Gobardan appeared in his dream and asked him to smear a mixture of sandal and sulphur on Gopinath's body. Further, he added that Gopal and Gopinath were one and the same. It would cool his body.
Madhab passed on the orders to the worshippers and priests. The paste should be applied throughout summer.
Everything was done in accordance with the directions of Goswami, who returned to Remuna after visiting Puri. His hermitage still exists in Remuna near the temple of Sri Gopinath and his sandals are being worshipped there.
The system of applying sandal paste to the body of Gopinath for 42 days (in summer) prevails even today. Sri Krishna Chaitanya has also visited this place.
How to reach there
The temple is located about eight km the west of Balasore town. The enshrined image represents Gopinath or adult Krishna.
The temple comprises a vimana, Jagmohana and Natamandapa. It is also provided with a kitchen (Rosaghara) and a store (Bhandaghara). The Lord here is in a tribhanga pose with flute in his hands. The place is easily accessible from Balasore, an important railhead in the Chennai-Howrah sector.
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