Venkatta Bhatta

Venkatta Bhatta - Gaudiya Vaishnava (formerly principal priest of Srirangam belonging to Sri Sampradaya), famous for being part of the conversion from worship of Laksmi-Narayana to worship of Krishna as "Svayam bhagavan",cite web
url=http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/bhaktiyoga/vaisnavism.htm
title=VEDA - Vedas and Vedic Knowledge Online - Vedic Encyclopedia, Bhakti-yoga in vedas, Library
publisher=www.veda.harekrsna.cz
accessdate=2008-05-04
last=
first=] , In Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.9.108-124 [ [http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/9/108/en Caitanya Caritamrita 2.9.108] ] and further on Chaitanya talks about Krishnas supremacy in a joking mood with Venkatta Bhatta.cite web
url=http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/bhaktiyoga/vaisnavism.htm
title=VEDA - Vedas and Vedic Knowledge Online - Vedic Encyclopedia, Bhakti-yoga in vedas, Library
publisher=www.veda.harekrsna.cz
accessdate=2008-05-04
last=Jan
first=Marez] cite journal
author = Brzezinski, J.K.
year = 1992
title = Prabodhananda, Hita Harivamsa and the" Radharasasudhanidhi
journal = Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
volume = 55
issue = 3
pages = 472-497
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0041-977X(1992)55%3A3%3C472%3APHHAT%22%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
accessdate = 2008-05-04"identify Radha as the supreme Laksmi.."] Also notable for being the father of Gopala Bhatta.

When Chaitanya traveled through South India in 1509-10, he stayed at his house of at Srirangam. Venkata and his two brothers, Gopala's uncles Trimalla and Prabodhananda Sarasvati "were converted from their Sri Vaishnava faith in Lakshmi-Narayana as supreme to one in Radha Krishna" as original, Svayam bhagavan. The dialog of this conversion is recorded in 16 c. Caitanya Caritamrita biography by Krishna dasa Kaviraja.

In Madhya lila of "Caitanya caritamrita" a presentation is given, [ [http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/9/113/en [http://vedabase.net/cc/en C.C.] Madhya 9.113-114] "Just to associate with [http://vedabase.net/k/krsna Kṛṣṇa] , [http://vedabase.net/l/laksmi Lakṣmī] abandoned all transcendental happiness in [http://vedabase.net/v/vaikuntha Vaikuṇṭha] and for a long time accepted vows and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities."] with a reference to the particular verse of the tenth canto of Bhagavata Purana as to the reason why Lakshmi also knows as Sri (thus the name of Sri Sampradaya) is burning with desire and still not capable of entering to the realm of Vrindavana. [ [http://vedabase.net/sb/10/16/36/en SB 10.16.36] ]

Prabodhananda Sarasvati who was a Sri Sampradaya sannyasi was also converted as to supreme position of Radha-Krishna being Svayam bhagavan instead of Lakshmi-Narayana. He as well apparently came to appreciate the supremacy of Radha worship from Caitanya.cite journal
author = Brzezinski, J.K.
year = 1992
title = Prabodhananda Sarasvati: From Benares to Braj
journal = Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
volume = 55
issue = 1
pages = 52-75
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0041-977X(1992)55%3A1%3C52%3APSFBTB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M
accessdate = 2008-05-04]

ee also

* Gaudiya Vaishnavism
* Sri Sampradaya

References and Notes