Gadadhar Pandit (circa 1486–circa 1540 CE) was a close associate and lifelong companion of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. A key figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition, he is revered as an incarnation of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Lord Krishna, manifesting to assist Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in his divine mission of spreading bhakti (devotional love). Born in Navadvipa (present-day West Bengal), Gadadhar Pandit was gentle, soft-spoken, deeply scholarly, and highly devoted from a young age. He and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (then known as Nimai) were childhood friends, and their spiritual connection deepened over time. Gadadhar was profoundly affected by Chaitanya’s transformation into a divine preacher and became one of his closest followers.

After Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa (renunciation), Gadadhar Pandit moved to Jagannath Puri to remain near him. There, he served the deity of Tota Gopinath, a unique form of Krishna believed to have manifested to accept Gadadhar’s personal worship. It is said that Gadadhar's love and devotion were so deep that the deity once sat down so he could continue offering service in his advanced age. Gadadhar Pandit was known for his humility, emotional depth, and unwavering loyalty. He embodied the mood of loving separation, a central theme in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. Though he did not compose many writings, his life itself was a model of pure devotion and surrender. Today, Gadadhar Pandit is honored as one of the "Pancha Tattva," the five divine aspects who appeared with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to inaugurate the age of sankirtana, the congregational chanting of God's names.