Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was King Pratāparudra’s tahaśīldāra in Mālajāṭhyā Daṇḍapāṭa, which is now the district of Midnapur in West Bengal. The tahaśīldāra’s duty is to collect taxes. On one occasion, there was a shortfall of 200,000 kāhans (1 kāhan = 16 paṇas, 1 paṇa= 20 gaṇḍās, 1 gaṇḍā = 4 cowries) of cowries. In the Odishan language, the crown prince is known as Baḍa Jānā. When Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka could not come up with the tax money, King Pratāparudra’s son, the Baḍa Jānā, decided to punish him. At that time, capital punishment was given by throwing the prisoner down from a scaffold to be impaled on swords.

When they saw Gopīnātha in this dangerous situation, some of Bhavānanda Rāya’s well-wishers came to Mahāprabhu to appeal to Him to intervene. When Mahāprabhu asked what the reason for Gopīnātha’s punishment was, one of the supplicants answered, “Gopīnātha owes the government treasury 200,000 kāhanas in back taxes and is unable to make a cash payment. He offered to pay back the money by selling some of his possessions and for that reason he brought a dozen fine horses to the palace. The King sent one of his princes who is expert in evaluating horses, but this prince offered a price far below what the horses were actually worth. This prince had a physical quirk in that he repeatedly stretches his neck, looking upward and then from side to side. Gopīnātha was angry at the attempt to cheat him and so he responded by mocking the prince, saying, ‘My horses lift their necks, but at least they don’t keep looking up in the air! I don’t see how they can be worth so little.’ In other words, he suggested that his horses were more valuable than the prince himself.

“The prince was insulted by this comment and decided to take revenge. He went to the King and got permission to put Gopīnātha on the scaffold. The prince is prepared to throw him down on the swords.”

Upon hearing this account, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took an attitude of impartiality and replied with affectionate anger, asking how the King could be at fault if Gopīnātha Pattanayak did not pay his dues. He further said, “How could the King be at fault for punishing someone who has committed an offence? What could He do about that?”

However, a few moments later, news came that Bhavānanda Rāya and his entire family had been imprisoned and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and other close companions of the Lord appealed to Him to do something. Mahāprabhu instructed everyone to take shelter of Jagannātha Deva’s lotus feet, Who is able to act freely and can do and undo whatever He likes.

As the Supersoul within the heart, the Lord inspired Haricandana Pātra, one of King Pratāparudra’s ministers, to recount Gopīnātha’s entire story to the King, asking him to repeal the death sentence. The King was surprised that he had not been informed of events and immediately had the death sentence repealed and Gopīnātha was released.

Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was Rāmānanda Rāya’s brother. By the Lord’s grace, he was delivered from a royal death sentence. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 2.1.265)

Mahāprabhu inquired about how Gopīnātha’s brother Vāṇīnātha and the other members of their family reacted when they were imprisoned. The messenger replied,

“Vāṇīnātha was without fear; he was constantly chanting Kṛṣṇa’s Name—‘Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa’. He counted each mantra on the fingers of his hands, and after he had finished chanting a thousand times, he would make a mark on his body.”

Mahāprabhu was pleased to hear that Vāṇīnātha was acting in this way. Who can understand the mysterious workings of the Lord’s mercy? (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.9.56-8)

Mahāprabhu complained to the King’s priest, Kāśī Miśra, that people were repeatedly coming to disturb Him, trying to get Him to intercede on behalf of Bhavānanda Rāya’s family, which was misappropriating state funds. He told him that He was thinking of moving to Ālālanātha where He could get some peace. Kāśī Miśra talked Him out of going but told Mahārāja Pratāparudra of how the Lord had been affected by these events. As a result, in order to please the Lord, the King not only pardoned Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka but he forgave him his debt and doubled his salary. Appreciative of the Lord’s mercy, Gopīnātha came and placed his head, which had been honoured with a silken turban personally wrapped around his head by the King, at the Lord’s lotus feet and said:

“The King has pardoned my tax arrears. He has reappointed me to my post and doubled my salary while honouring me with this silken turban. All of this is due to Your mercy. What a difference! One moment I am on the scaffold, preparing myself to die, the next I am being given honours like the silk turban. When on the scaffold, I began meditating on Your lotus feet, and this is the result of that meditation. People are amazed at this turn of events and they sing the glories of Your mercy. I know, however, my Lord, that these are not the principal results of meditating upon Your lotus feet, but are simply a secondary effect. Material gains are only temporary. Your real mercy has been granted to Rāmānanda Rāya and Vāṇīnātha Rāya, for You have granted them freedom from material sensual entanglements, a blessing that You have not given to me. I pray, O Lord, that You bestow Your pure mercy upon me so that I may also become renounced. I no longer wish for material enjoyment.” (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.9.133-9)

The Lord heard Gopīnātha’s heartfelt prayer and answered:

“Whether you remain involved in material activities or become completely renounced, you and your brothers are My eternal servants, birth after birth. But I ask you to obey one order of Mine. Do not spend money that belongs to the King. Pay the King his dues and then spend the balance for religious and fruitive activities. Don't spend a farthing on sinful activities, otherwise, you will be the loser both in this life and the next. (Caitanya Caritāmṛta 3.9.141-4)