Within the Gaudiya Vaishnava vision, the heart of worship rests in the divine couple, Radha and Krishna. Krishna is revered as the supreme deity, the complete manifestation of divinity, while Radha is honored as the embodiment of the highest devotional love. Together as Radha-Krishna, they represent the ultimate spiritual relationship, in which the lover and the beloved are eternally united in pure bhakti. This focus on the intimate, loving bond between Radha and Krishna shapes the entire mood and theology of the tradition.

Flowing from this center, Gaudiya Vaishnavism gives special prominence to certain forms and pastimes of Krishna. Names such as Govinda, Gopinath, and Madana-mohana highlight Krishna as the cowherd, the lord of the gopis, and the enchanter of Cupid, emphasizing his charm, sweetness, and irresistible attractiveness. The form of Jagannath, especially associated with Puri, is also regarded as a significant manifestation of Krishna within this devotional stream. These forms are not separate deities but distinct ways of contemplating the same supreme person, each revealing a particular flavor of divine love.

Equally central is the worship of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, understood as Krishna appearing in the mood of Radha, embodying and teaching the path of ecstatic devotion. Around Chaitanya stand his intimate associates, who are also venerated as key figures in the divine drama of devotion. Nityananda is regarded as an incarnation of Balarama and serves as Chaitanya’s principal companion, while Advaita Acharya is recognized as an important associate with a divine status linked to Vishnu. Together with these, the tradition honors other close companions such as Gadadhara Pandita and Srivasa Thakura, and collectively these five are known as the Pancha-tattva, representing the full manifestation of divinity and its energies in this age.

In this way, Gaudiya Vaishnavism orients all its worship toward Krishna as the supreme object of devotion, yet does so through a rich constellation of divine forms and associates. Radha, the gopis, and the intimate companions of Chaitanya are revered not as independent centers of worship apart from Krishna, but as perfect exemplars and participants in his loving service. The tradition thus invites the practitioner to contemplate a living, relational universe of devotion, where every honored figure ultimately points back to the all-attractive Radha-Krishna and the overflowing current of bhakti that they embody.