SRI VASUDEVA GHOSA, SRI MADHAVA GHOSA and SRI GOVINDA GHOSA

govinda, madhava, vasudeva--tina bhai
yan-sabara kirtane nace caitanya-nitai

The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were the eighty-second,
eighty-third and eighty-fourth branches of the tree. Lord Caitanya and
Nityananda used to dance in their kirtana performances.

The three brothers, Sri Vasudeva Ghosa, Sri Madhava Ghosa and Sri Govinda
Ghosa were very expert singers. Sri Nityananda Prabhu Himself would dance as
they sang. [C.B. Antya 5.259]

According to some, their maternal uncle's house was in the village of Buron
(or Burangi) in Sylhet (Srihatta). Their father later took up residence at
Kumarahatta. After residing there for some time, the three brothers came to
live at Navadvipa.

They were born in the family of uttara-radhiya Kayasthas, and were very
intimate associates of Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakur states that they are immediate expansions of Srimati Radhika's body.

All three of them composed very sweet songs describing the lilas of Sri
Gaurasundara and Sri Krsna. They have particularly described the childhood
pastimes of Gaura Hari, His sankirtana pastimes and acceptance of sannyasa, as
well as descriptions of the beauty of Sri Nityananda prabhu.

According to Gaur-ganoddesa-dipika, Sri Govinda, Sri Madhava and Sri Vasudeva
were in Vraja-lila as Kalavati, Rasollasa and Guntinga (Guntungi) Sakhis, who
recited songs composed by Sri-Visakha-gopi. (Cc Adi 10.115)

Vasudeva and Madhava were sent with Nityananda to preach in Bengal. Govinda
stayed for some time with Mahaprabhu at Nilacala.

Every year they would come to Puri to see Mahaprabhu and perform kirtana during
Ratha-yatra. Later in life they took up residences at different places. Sri
Govinda lived in Agradvip, Sri Madhava in Dainhat and Sri Vasudeva in Tamluk.

Sri Govinda Ghosa and the pinda-dan lila:

When Mahaprabhu set out for Sri Vrindavana from Nilacal with His devotees,
Govinda Ghosa was also present. There is an incident described by one
Acyutacarana Caudhuri. One day, Mahaprabhu, after accepting his noon meal,
extended his hand, thus requesting some hari-taki (dried fruit which aids in
digestion). Govinda immediately ran out to bring some from some householders in
the village near where they were staying.

The next day when Mahaprabhu similarly extended His hand after lunch, Govinda
again placed in it some hari-taki. Mahaprabhu looked at him and inquired as to
how he was able to provide it so quickly whereas yesterday it had required
some time to bring. Govinda replied that he had kept some for Mahaprabhu from
yesterday. Mahaprabhu said that since he was saving things he should remain in
that village and, becoming a householder, he should worship Sri Gopinathaji
there. As per the order of Mahaprabhu, Govinda began to worship Gopinathji,
and after marrying he had a son who would also assist him in the worship of
the Deity. But his wife and then later his son passed on to the next world.
Govinda became very sad. In a fit of anger he lay down on his bed. He didn't
cook anything that day, neither he ate anything, neither did he offer anything
to Gopinathaji. In the night, Gopinatha came and began to massage Govinda's
legs. Then He asked him, "I don't understand your intelligence. One of your
sons dies, and you decide, "Whats the point in feeding the other one let him
die also."

Govinda replied, "I don't know what you're talking about. I had only one son."

"Am I not also your son? You are feeding Me and taking care of Me as your son.
Now when I am dependent on you, you decide to neglect Me altogether."

"Well, anyway, now there's no one to perform my sraddha and the offering of
pinda to my forefathers. Will You do that?"

"Yes, I can do it. Why not? So now will you give Me something to eat?"

Having heard Gopinatha's reply, Govinda was very happy and got up to prepare
an offering. To this day, the Deity dresses in a plain white cloth and with a
kusa grass ring on His finger, He offers pinda on the disappearance day of
Govinda Ghosa Thakura. Gopinathaji's temple is a rickshaw ride away from
Agradwip railway station on the Navadwip-Katwa line.

In Tamluk, at the Sripat of Vasudeva Ghosa Thakura, is a very beautiful Deity
of Mahaprabhu, standing with His hands in an interesting mudra (pose), quite
unlike any other Deity of Mahaprabhu anywhere else.

In this connection, there is a story. When Vasudeva Ghosa received the news of
Mahaprabhu's departure from this world, he promptly proceeded to dig his own
samadhi, and then sat down inside it, to wait for his final breath. Mahaprabhu
then appeared there, and with one hand He offered His benediction, and with
the other indicated that Vasudeva should get up out of the hole. Tamluk can be
reached from Mecheda station, on the Calcutta-Kharagpur line, by bus. One
should request to get down at Jailkhamamor.

