Gopalas
The Gopalas, or Twelve Gopalas, were a group of 16th-century Indian missionaries who are credited with spreading Gaudiya Vaishnavism throughout Bengal. They were major disciples of the Gaudiya-Vaishnava saint Nityananda, who is considered to be an incarnation of Krishna's brother, Balarama.
Members
's Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika lists 12 Gopalas: Abhirāma, Uddhāraṇa Datta, Kamalākara Piplāi, Kālakṛṣṇa-dāsa, Gaurīdāsa Paṇḍita, Parameśvarī-dasa, Dhanañjaya-paṇḍita, Puruṣottama Datta, Puruṣottama-dāsa, Maheśa-paṇḍita, Śrīdhara and Sundarānanda-ṭhākūra. In other sources, a 13th, Halāyudha-ṭhākūra, is added.The more well-known Gopalas established "autonomous centres of power" known as sripats. The Gopalas were the "first organization within Gaudiya Vaisnavism and appointed directly by Sri Caitanya to propagate nama-dharma ." They had the right to preach Chaitanya Vaishnava doctrine within their own areas and collect donations for their sripats, which they gradually developed into centres of Vaishnavism or even holy places.
Of the 12 main Gopalas, three were from the lowest caste, the shudras.
Association with mythical ''gopālas''
Like Nityananda, the 16th-century Gopalas were associated with figures from Krishna's lila, his playful pastimes in "mythical Vrindavan" – specifically the group of cowherds who "previously had been attracted to the activities of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma". In "their personal piety" and devotion, the Gopalas are said to manifested behaviour "typical of Krishna and Balarama's male cowherd friends" in the Vrindavan lila.As given in the Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika, the 12 Gopalas' spiritual identities are: Śrīdāma, Sudāma, Vasudāma, Subala, Mahābala, Subāhu, Mahābāhu, Stokakṛṣṇa, Dāma, Lavaṇḍga, Arjuna and Madhumaṇḍgala.