Sri Sri Gandharvika Giridhari
Information – The next day Sree Sree Gandharbika Giridhari were solemnly installed by His Divine Holiness Paramahansa Paribrajakacharya Sreemad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur in the specially designed and newly built Temple. It is a composite structure consisting of the main shrine which is in the middle from which project laterally four minor shrines. Sree Gandharbika Giridhari and Sree Mahaprabhu occupy the main shrine. Each of the minor shrines is occupied by one of the founder Acharya of the four Vaishnab Sampradayas viz Sree Ramanuja, Sree Nimbarka, Sree Vishnuswami and Sree Madhwa, The lofty temple stands with its spacious Natmandir within the Sree Chaitanya Math. An immense concourse of people witnessed these grand ceremonies and joined enthusiastically with the Sankirtan party that circumambulated the temple. Mahaprasad was distributed to all present without stint.
(THE HARMONIST AS IT IS VOL.1 (VOL. XXV, June 1927 – May 1928), Page 24)
Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī offers his respectful obeisances to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, taking a straw in his mouth. Indeed, he prays, ‘O Gāndharvikā, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, just as Lord Kṛṣṇa never rejects a surrendered soul, please don’t reject me.‘ ” This is a summary translation of the Premāmbhoja-maranda, which Kavirāja Gosvāmī quotes.
(CC Madhya 8.166 purport)
One of the friends of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī told Her, “My dear friend Gāndharvikā (Rādhārāṇī), You were the most chaste girl in our village, but now You have divided Yourself and are partially chaste and partially unchaste. It is all due to Cupid’s influence upon You after You saw Kṛṣṇa and heard the sound of His flute.” This is another example of uparasa caused by divided interests in conjugal love.
(Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 51)
Lord Kṛṣṇa, who enchants the heart of Gāndharvikā and who bestows mercy on the qualified devotees, does not belong to anyone other than Rādhārāṇī. The perfection of attaining His lotus feet is achieved by serving Śrī Caitanya, who is the ocean of mercy and friend of the poor.
Śrī Vārṣabhānavī dayita dāsa desires to serve the beloved Lord of Śrī Vārṣabhānavīdevī by giving up all offenses. O Gāndharvikā- Giridhārī, I pray day and night for Your service while sitting at Śrī Vrajapattana, Māyāpur.
(Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, Gauḍīya-bhāṣya)
(14)
jaya gandharvika-giridhari gandharvika-giridhari radhe
(saraswatir prana-dhana he)
(14)
All glories to Gandharvika and Giridhari, the treasure of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s heart!
(Jaya Radha Krsna Giti)
Information – On the altar to the right of Gandharvika-Giridhari, you will find two deities of Lord Caitanya with Their right arms raised. As you walk around the deity chamber, you will notice four additional altars, each dedicated to one of the Vaishnava acaryas: Sri Madhvacarya, Sri Vishnu Swami, Sri Nimbarkacarya, and Sri Ramanujacarya.
Kṛṣṇa is one, but when Kṛṣṇa wants to enjoy, He must expand His pleasure potency. That is Rādhārāṇī. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir. Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy anything material. The original spiritual potency, pleasure potency, is Rādhārāṇī. So first of all He expanded, then again He combined together. That is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is the study of the Gosvāmī. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī.
Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is given seat along with Kṛṣṇa. He's combination of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. We may not misunderstand that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is . . . imitating Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there are so many so-called avatāras. But this is approved by the śāstra. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32). Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, same category, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ. Just like we say varṇa: brāhmaṇa varṇa, kṣatriya varṇa, śūdra varṇa, vaiśya varṇa. Varṇa means the same category, varṇa. Or kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ means who is always describing Kṛṣṇa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is passing on the road, He's chanting,
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa pāhi māṁ
(CC Madhya 7.96)
Therefore kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ is He; iti kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself: kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. But by His complexion, He is not black—very fair complexion.
(730306 - Lecture BG 10.01-3 - Calcutta)