Gopalacharana Dwija
Gopalacharana Dwija, born around 1500 in Kamrup, was a respected Vaishnava poet and scholar who wrote in Assamese (Kamrupi dialects). He was a follower of Damodara Deva and worked to spread Vaishnavism through his translations and writings.
He translated several important texts into verse and prose:
- Harivamsa and Bhagavata Purana (Book III) into verse for Vaikunthapura Sattra devotees, and Bhagavata Purana (Book VIII) into verse.
- Bhaktiratnakara into prose.
- Graho Gajendrapakhyana from Bhagavata Purana (Book III) into verse, while also outlining the next ten chapters.
Gopalacharana translated Bhagavata Purana Book III with the help of Shridhar Swami’s commentary. Book III covers Krishna’s early life and includes various mythological and philosophical stories, such as the meetings of Maitreya and Vidura, the Boar incarnation (Varaha), and Kapila’s teachings on Samkhya.
In Graho Gajendrapakhyana, he translated the first four chapters about the four Manus and the episode of Graha (the alligator) and Gajendra (the elephant king) and their ultimate emancipation. He also provides a quick overview of the following chapters, including the Amritamanthana episode, and notes on the Manus in the fourteenth chapter. He often refers to Shridhar Swami in his work.
His Harivamsha blends material from Bhagavata Purana, Harivamsha, and Vishnu Purana, focusing on the killing of Narakasura and Krishna’s removal of the Parijata tree from Indra for his wife Satyabhama. In his colophon, Gopalacharana identifies himself as the disciple of Gopala Mishra, who was connected to Damodara Deva, and he mentions Baladeva, a close associate who later led the Vaikunthapura Satra.
Gopalacharana’s translations are known for their elegance and clarity. He also ran a Sanskrit school (Tol) at Baranagar in Kamrup, where scholars from across the region visited.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:14 (CET).