Bāla-gopāla—Deity of Kṛṣṇa as a cowherd boy.

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Bala-gopala-Deity of Krsna as a cowherd boy.

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Previous: Bakula-a fragrant flower very pleasing to Lord Krsna. Next: Baladeva Vidyabhūsana-Born in the 18th century in the Baleswar district of Orissa, he was initially a learned scholar of the Madhva-sampradaya. He was converted to Gauḍiya Vaisnavism and became the ardent follower of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. He is especially renowned for his commentary on Vedanta-sūtra called Govinda-bhasya; Srila Baladeva Vidyabhūsana was a highly renounced pure devotee. For the spiritual benefit of mankind, he presented many transcendental literatures to the world. The details of his early life are not known for sure, as he never mentioned his birth place or his family background. Historians have estimated that he was born sometime in the eighteenth century, most probably in Orissa (possibly near Remuna). At a very early age, Baladeva finished his studies of grammar, poetry, rhetoric and logic and then went on pilgrimage. During his travels he spent some time with the Tattvavadis in South India and thus became conversant with the teachings of Sri Madhvacarya. He became a powerful exponent of this philosophy throughout India. Later he was initiated into the Gauḍiya Vaisnava sampradaya by Radha-Damodara Deva, and went to Vrndavana to study under the great acarya Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Baladeva's defeat of an assembly of Ramanandi scholars is celebrated in Indian philosophical history. It was on this occasion that he composed the Govinda-bhasya commentary on the Vedanta-sūtra. Actually, it was dictated to him by the Sri Govinda Deva Deity; hence, it is named after the Lord. The commentary so astonished the scholars that they bestowed upon Baladeva the title Vidyabhūsana (ornament of learning).