Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was a devotee in the disciplic succession of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was the second of the five sons of Bhavānanda Rāya (also known as Paṭṭanāyaka), a highly respected associate of the Lord. His elder brother was the celebrated devotee and confidential associate of Lord Caitanya, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, who served under King Pratāparudra as the governor of Rājamahendri on the banks of the Godāvarī River in South India.
Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka served the government as a revenue officer at a place known as Malajāthiyā Daṇḍapāṭa, where he was responsible for collecting and depositing royal taxes. On one occasion, he was found to have under-deposited the royal revenue by two hundred thousand kāhaṇas of conchshells. When questioned by King Pratāparudra, Gopīnātha explained that he was unable to pay the entire sum immediately in cash and requested time to recover the amount through the sale of his commercial goods. He also offered to sell several valuable horses in partial settlement of the debt and brought them to the royal palace.
Prince Puruṣottama Jana, the eldest son of the king, was expert in judging horses and was deputed, along with ministers and attendants, to assess their value. However, the prince deliberately offered a price far below their actual worth. This unjust assessment angered Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka, who made a sarcastic remark regarding the prince’s mannerisms. Feeling insulted, the prince returned to the king and accused Gopīnātha of insolence and mismanagement, recommending severe punishment to recover the debt. The king authorized him to take whatever measures he deemed necessary to secure the revenue.
As a result, Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was placed upon the cāṅgā, a raised platform used for capital punishment, with swords positioned below, indicating imminent execution.
When the devotees informed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka had been condemned to death, the Lord inquired into the cause. After hearing the full account, the Lord stated that the king could not be blamed, since he was merely demanding the lawful revenue that had not been delivered. Nevertheless, by the causeless mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the situation was resolved.
Ultimately, Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was excused by King Pratāparudra and reinstated in his government post. His deliverance and reinstatement are described in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā 10.133; Antya-līlā 3.9.13–152), which demonstrate both the Lord’s strict impartiality in worldly matters and His boundless mercy toward His devotees.
Deepen your Bhakti-yoga practice, harmonize relationships, and receive guided coaching — all at Vedavarsity.com
