by Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev Goswami, originally published in Follow the Angels.
Gadadhara Pandita, Radharani and Rukmini, they are of the same line, and that was represented by Gadadhara Pandita in Gaura-lila. In Gaura-lila the bhava, the sentiment, the mood, the emotion of Radharani was taken by Mahaprabhu Himself, Krishna Himself. So, Gadadhara Pandita, Radharani, was emptied. His everything is drawn from him, and he holds a shadowlike position in Gaura-lila. And Rukmini’s characteristic was maintained there. Sober, considerate, patient; all these things, all these qualities remained there in him and so sometimes it is told that he is the Rukmini avatar, the avatar of Rukmini. But really, his position was that of Radharani.
Just like a shadow he cannot leave Sri Gauranga. Wherever Sri Gauranga is going, he is following from a distance. He does not know anything but Gauranga. But still, he is not seen to come forward. Always in the back. Krishna and Radharani are born in the middle of the new moon and the full moon. But Mahaprabhu took his birth in the full moon. Gadadhara Pandita appeared during the new moon. New moon means no moon. The full moon was taken by Mahaprabhu, and new moon, or no moon was taken by Gadadhara Pandita. Gadadhara is master of everything, but still here he has given everything to his master, and he is empty. He is empty, he is playing in such a way his part, Gadadhara Pandita. His is the highest position of sacrifice.
Nimai Pandita showed his character as an aggressor, impertinent, and an extraordinary genius. Gadadhara Pandita was just the opposite. He had some natural inclination, submission towards Nimai Pandita. And Nimai Pandita also had some special attraction for Gadadhara Pandita. But Gadadhara Pandita could not face Nimai Pandita directly. Some sort of shyness he felt about Nimai Pandita. So, this is what we know about Gadadhara Pandita. Gadadhara Pandita had very intimate relationship with Mahaprabhu, in which the acaryas, Swarupa Damodara, Rupa, Sanatana, Kaviraja Goswami, Raghunatha Dasa, all of them, could see Radharani and Rukmini both in his personality, and according to that we can try to understand him.
