Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa and Sri Vallabha were three brothers, all employed in the service of the Badshaw Hussain Shah. Amongst the three, there was only one descendent, Sri Jiva. Having been rewarded richly by the Badshaw for their sevices, their household life was very opulent. There was nothing lacking in whatever was necessary for the upbringing of the only son. The house was illuminated by the effulgence of the child's golden complexion; his eyes were like the expanded petals of the lotus; every part of his body was graced with a lusterous, radiant splendor.
When Sri Gaurasundara came to Ramakeli, Sri Jiva was blessed by having darshana of His worshipable lord, though he was just a baby at the time. Placing the dust of His lotus feet on the child's head, Mahaprabhu indicated him to be the future sovereign preceptor of the Gaudiya sampradaya. Though he was only a child, Sri Jiva kept the form of the Lord, which fascinates all the world, within his heart. As he grew up, while eating, lying down, in his dreams, while he was awake, at all times, he would meditate on that form.Later on, when his father and uncles renounced their family life in order to be with Mahaprabhu, the only child, Sri Jiva, was left with his mother in the family palace at Fateyabad.
Lying in her lap, which was wet with tears of separation, he gradually began to grow as the waxing moon. Seeing that the mother and the child's face were always wet with tears, their friends also fell under the shadow of sadness and only with great difficulty managed to assuage their grief. Whenever Sri Jiva would remember his father and uncles, or the lotus feet of Sri Gaura Hari, he would lose consiousness and fall to the ground.
As he got a little older, Sri Jiva took up the worship of the Deities of Sri-Sri Rama-Krsna. He would carefully decorate Them and offer bhoga and arati, serving Them with his full attention. Even in his play, whatever games he played were connected with Sri krsna's pastimes.While studying under the local panditas he became proficent in grammar, poetry and rhetoric. Noting his great intellect, his teachers commented, "Such brilliance is not often found in a child so young as this. No doubt he will be a very high-souled, saintly person."Even while engaged in his studies Jiva always thought of Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga.
Once he saw in a dream that Sri Rama-Krsna had taken the forms of Nitai-Gauranga and were dancing. [B.R.1.732] Giving him the dust of Their lotus feet, the Two Lords then disappeared. Having seen such a wonderful dream, Sri Jiva was consoled somewhat. Then he began to think, "When will I be able to crawl out of this well of family life and devote my full time and energy, my very self, to serving these two most magnanimous Lords?" But he was the only son of the family. Only in his company could his mother forget somewhat the pangs of separation in her heart. When Sri Jiva learned that his father had given up his life on the banks of the Ganga, he was compeletely unsettled.
After that his eyes were never dry. The family members and friends tried to console him but to little avail. Family life had become the source of his utter sadness.Someone suggested to Jiva to go to Navadwipa and bathe himself in the coolness emanating from the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu so that his mind and body, burning with with grief, could be refreshed.
Thus Sri Jiva set our for Navadwipa with a group of pilgrims. [B.R.1/741]Nityananda Prabhu, the omniscient Lord, could understand that Sri Jiva was on his way to Navadwipa. Therefore He also left for there from Khardaha. After a few days, Jiva arrived at Navadwipa. Seeing the beauty of that place he was charmed. Falling down on the ground, he offered his dandavats to Mother Ganges. Inquiring from the villagers the directions to Mayapura, he learned that Nityananda Prabhu was residing at Srivasa Pandita's house. At last arriving there, he fell down at the door to offer his dandavats. Nityananda Prabhu came out with Srivasa Pandita and picked him up and embraced him, asking, "Are you the nephew of Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana?"As an answer, Jiva again fell down on the ground at the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu. This time Nityananda Prabhu brought him in the house and began to inquire after the welfare of his family at Fateyabad. Then Sri Jiva was introduced to the devotees present in Navadwipa; he offered his salutations at their lotusfeet. Everyone was very happy to meet the nephew of Sri Rupa and Sanatana.
That day Sri Jiva received the remnants of Nityananda prabhu's prasadam.The next day, the two of them came to Saci Mata'a house. Seeing the birthplace of Sri Gaurasundara, which was filled with such splendor, Sri Jiva was greatly pacified and fell down on the ground to roll in the dust. In the large courtyard the devotees were singing songs praising the glories of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Seeing Nityananda Prabhu, everyone stood up and then fell down, offering their dandavats at His lotus feet.
Then Jiva saw Saci Mata sitting on the veranda. Dressed in white with silk chadder around her shoulders she looked radiant, the white of her hair blending with her white sari. Though her body trembled with old age and was very thin, still the courtyard was illuminated by her divine effulgence. Forgetting herself in rememberance of Sri Gaursundara, she was sitting with her eyes closed. Becoming aware that Nityananda Prabhu had arrived, she covered her head with her sari and called her servant. "Isana! Srpada has arrived. Please wash His feet."After this was done, Nityananda offered namaskar to the mother of the Supreme Lord and took His seat. He then introduced Sri Jiva to her. Saci Mata placed her hand on his head to bless him, and Sri Jiva floated in the ocean of happiness.
Saci Mata then requested the two of them to honor the Lord's prasada. "Take prasada here at your mother's house today, my child. I offered there preparations in secret to Sri Gaurcandra."Sri Jiva spent some days with Nityananda Prabhu, touring the nine islands of Navadwipa, in order to have darsana of the holy places of the Lord's pastimes there. Then, as ordered by Nityananda Prabhu, he set out for Kasi (Varanasi) . At Kasi he studied Vedanta under Sri Madhusudana Vacaspati, a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. The conclusions of Vedanta contained in Srimad-Bhagavatam that were expounded by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya in Puri had been in turn taught by the Bhattacarya to Madhusudana Vacaspati, who established a toll at Kasi. From him, Sri Jiva mastered the same conclusions.
From here Sri Jiva set out for Sri Vrindavana where he received shelter at the lotus feet of his two uncles. Sri Rupa and Sanatana. They were very pleased to see him and received from him all the news. Jiva stayed with Sri Rupa, who began to teach him Srimad Bhagavatam. After initiating him with the divine mantra, Rupa engaged him in the service of Sri Sri Radha-Damodara. According to Sadhana dipika, this Deity of Damodara was fashioned by Rupa Gosvami's own hand for his dear disciple Sri Jiva. Sri Sri Radha-Damodara are presently being worshipped in Jaipur, Rajasthan.Seeing that Jiva had quickly become conversant with the conclusion of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Rupa engaged him in proof-reading his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. At this time Sri Jiva compiled a commentary on Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu called Durgama sangamani.
In the year 1476 (Sakabda) Sri Sanatana Gosvami compiled Sri Vaisnava tosani, a commentary on the tenth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which he gave to Sri Jiva for proof reading. Under the order of Sri Sanatana, Sri Jiva compiled a commentary on that named Laghu Vaisnava tosani in the year 1500 (Sakabda). His writings, along with those of Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana, Sri Gopal Bhatta, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Raghunath das, Sri Krsna das, Sri Kasisvar Pandit, and Sri Madhu Pandit, completely captivated the learned men of that time.It was the beginning of a golden age at Sri Vraja dhama.
Sri Jiva regurlarly brought water for Sri Rupa and Sanatana's bath. He massaged their heads with oil, cleaned their ashram, worship the Deity, cooked and corrected manuscripts.After the disappearance of Sri Rupa and Sanatana, Sri Jiva continued the tradition that they had inaugerated. Once Sri Jiva travelled to Agra to debate with the Rajputs concerning the glories of Jamuna and Ganga rivers. He established that the Jamuna is more glorious than the Ganga as the Ganga emanates from Krsna's lotus feet whereas the Jamuna is His own consort. At this the Moghul emperor was very much satisfied and wanted to present him something. Sri Jiva replied that he would accept some blank papers. So the emperor presented Jiva some stained paper. (At that time paper was very rare and most manuscripts were usually composed on leaves.)
There is also a legend that once, when a moghul emperor (possibly Akbar) wanted to confer something on the Goswamis of Vrindavana, they requested a farman (emperor's order) that no living beings would be killed within Vraja. As a result of this no king would come to hunt there anymore.The disciple of Lokanatha Gosvami, Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's disciple Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu, and the disciple of Hrdaya Caitanya Prabhu, Sri Syamananda Prabhu, were greatly favored by Srila Jiva Goswami. Under his tutelage they studied all the literatures of the Gosvamis. Later he sent them to preach this knowledge in Bengal.
Srila Jiva Gosvami composed many literatures, amongst them:Harinamamrta-vyakaranaSutra-malika Rasamrta-sesa Gopala-virudavali Sri-Madhava-mahotsava Sri-Sankalpa-kalpavrksa Brahma-Samhita- tika Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-tika (Durgama-sangamani)Ujjvala-nilamani-tika (Locana-rocani)Gopala-campuSat-sandharbha (Tattva-sandarbha, Bhagavata-sandarbha, Paramatma sandarbha, Krsna-sandarbha, Bhakti-sandharbha, Priti-sandarbha)Srimad-Bhagavata-tika (Krama-sandarbha)Laghu-vaisnava-tosani (Tenth Canto Bhagavatam commentary)Sarva-sambadina (commentary on Sat-sandarbha)Gopala-tapani-tika (Sri-Suhkha-bodhini)Padma-puranastha-yogasara-stotra-tikaGayatri-vyakhya-vivrti (A commentary on the Gayatri mantra as described in the Agni Purana, chapters 216-217)Radha-Krsnarcana-candrikaDhatu-sangrahaBhavartha-sucaka-campuBirth: 1533 (Christian calendar), 1455 (Sakabdha), 12th day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadra.Disappearance : 1540 (Sakabdha), 3rd day of bright fortnight, PausaAge: 85 years
Appearance Day of Srila Jiva Goswami
a talk by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
at the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram, Soquel, California
September 25, 2004
Basic transcript by Amiya Kanti Devi Dasi, checked by Sripad B.P. Tirtha Maharaj and Mahananda Das B.R.
Today is a very auspicious day. It is the Appearance Day of Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu, who is the protector of our Sampradaya and a great Acharyya. Srila Guru Maharaj said, Jivadyair abhiraksitam, our whole Sampradaya with so much wealth came from Jiva Goswami Prabhu. Rupa-Sanatan gave so much and Jiva Goswami Prabhu protected them from the other schools of religion like Sankaracharyya and (the atheist) Kapila's sankhya philosophy. They wanted to establish nirakara, nirvisesa, brahma (impersonalism, non-variagatedness), but Jiva Goswami Prabhu very authentically and wisely defeated them. He established achintya bhedabheda siddhanta of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
He was born in Bakla Chandradwip as a son of Anupama. Anupama was the brother of Rupa-Sanatan. After he was maybe twelve years old, Jiva Goswami came to Nabadwip and met with Nityananda Prabhu, and Nityananda Prabhu showed him everything, all the Pastime places of Mahaprabhu Chaitanyadev. Vishnupriya Devi took him as a son and gave him so much affectionate nourishment. Nityananda Prabhu took Jiva Goswami around the whole of Nabadwip Dham and ordered him: "Mahaprabhu Chaitanyadev has given Vrindavan Dham to you all, then you go to Vrindavan. I am giving my mercy, my blessings, affection, love, everything to you. You establish Mahaprabhu's Sampradaya."
Jiva Goswami went, and on the way he received some education in Benares, Kasi. He became highly educated in all the Scriptures: Veda, Vedanta, Upanishads, Purana, nyaya. Within five years he learned and finished his education because he knew if he went to Rupa-Sanatan, only service would be waiting for him. He received education so he could do that service more expertly, beautifully and authentically.
Then from Benares he went to Rupa-Sanatan in Vrindavan, took shelter and stayed with Rupa Goswami Prabhu. He took diksa mantram from Rupa Goswami and was always serving Rupa Goswami. All the Vaisnavas, all of the Goswamis — especially Rupa-Sanatan, Bhatta Raghunath, Gopal Bhatta, Das Goswami — everyone gave him much nourishment and affection. Jiva Goswami also served the whole Sampradaya by staying in Vrindavan. By the order of Rupa Goswami, he manifested and established the Radha Damodar Temple, and when Rupa Goswami Prabhu became aged, he took Rupa Goswami to stay there at the Radha Damodar Temple. There in the Radha Damodar Temple we can see the bhajan kutir of Rupa Goswami and the samadhi of Rupa Goswami, and the samadhi of Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami, the samadhi of Jiva Goswami and others.
Once Radha Damodar wanted to give me some service but I had not taken it because I had no manpower who will serve with their heart and full devotion. That kind of person is very rare to get. Only instead of money, as a financial transaction, I could not take that, but Rupa Goswami is so merciful and Srila Jiva Goswami is so merciful, they gave one piece of land adjoining Rupa Goswami. That land is also Radha Damodar's land. And very critically but legally I got that land through my dead telephone! The telephone did not ring, but I picked up the receiver to see if it was still dead and suddenly one person from Vrindavan, Krishna Vallabha, is talking on the line and telling me, "Maharaj, fifteen days are given by the order of the Magistrate, that if you take this land within fifteen days you will get that land of Jiva Goswami Prabhu."
Then I was surprised! But within fifteen days where shall I get so much money? Within fifteen days who will deal with the legal documents? And Krishna Vallabha said, "You don't worry for money. Money I shall arrange but you send your person." I sent Purnananda and I told him to legally transfer it in the name of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. Jiva Goswami is very merciful and Rupa Goswami is very merciful to have given that land. I immediately started service there. Now there is a three storey building and a very beautiful temple of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Rasabiharijiu. Srila Guru Maharaja's pushpa samadhi is inside the temple. You will see when you go.
Jiva Goswami Prabhu's character was very strong, and he was very highly educated in Sanskrit and Scripture. Sometimes he even corrected the writings of Rupa Goswami. Rupa Goswami told him many times, "Jiva, you see if it is perfect or not."
Jiva Goswami helped to make the Sat-Sandharbas, super-authentic Scripture in Mahaprabhu's Sampradaya. Jiva Goswami said, "It was in a disordered form, so I am making it in an ordered form." That way he gave explanation, but actually he made everything.
Once it happened that Vallabha Bhatta, who was very learned, saw there was a little fault in one sloka of Rupa Goswami, and he told Rupa Goswami, "Rupa, here is a little fault, you can correct it this way." Rupa Goswami was always giving honour to everyone, and he gave honour to Vallabha Bhatta and corrected that. But Jiva Goswami knew that what Rupa Goswami wrote was correct. Then he went to take water from the Jamuna, and there he met Vallabha Bhatta. He told him, "The sloka you tried to correct is already correct, I think."
Then Vallabha Bhatta debated with Jiva Goswami about that sloka and he was very happy to see what Jiva Goswami said was perfect. Then he came back to Rupa Goswami and said, "Rupa, I said to correct that sloka, but it was not necessary to corrected it. It was perfect. You can keep it." Then he asked, "Who is that young boy, that seventeen or eighteen year-old boy?"
Rupa Goswami said, "He is my nephew and he is staying with me. He is my disciple."
Vallabha Bhatta said, "Oh, he is highly educated and a very big pandit. He defeated me about this."
Rupa Goswami Prabhu was a little angry with Jiva Goswami: "He is your Guru. Why you went to correct him? This type of mentality cannot stay with me. You get out from my kunja. Go back to your father's house, Bakla Chandradwip. Go back."
Jiva Goswami Prabhu was very sad. He thought, "What shall I do with my life if I cannot serve my Guru Maharaj?"
In maybe Vamsivata, under a tree, Jiva Goswami Prabhu was writing one book, Sri Gopal-champu. Sri Gopal was his good friend, and Sri Gopal was addicted with sakhya-rasa in Krishna-lila. Jiva Goswami had said, "I shall keep within our form your sakhya-rasa, and I shall write one book for you, for your happiness." Jiva Goswami remembered that and he wrote Gopal-champu.
In the meantime, Sanatan Goswami met with Jiva Goswami and saw that he was doing praya-upavesam, not taking even water, and wanting to leave his body. Sanatan Goswami went to Rupa Goswami and asked, "Rupa, what are Mahaprabhu's teachings, can you say?"
Rupa Goswami said, "Yes: Jive-doya Name-ruchi Vaisnava-seva, service to the Vaisnavas, and jive-doya means being kind to the jiva souls and giving them Krishna consciousness, and Name-ruchi means take the Holy Name, take Hari Nama always. That is service. Mahaprabhu's teaching is this."
Then Sanatan Goswami said, "You told jive-doya but Jiva is leaving his body. It is not good what you have done. Do not throw Jiva out. He is a good boy."
Then Rupa Goswami went to Jiva Goswami and said, "Jiva, you come back." He gave full service to him, not only full service but service charge — everything. That Jiva Goswami's avirbhava is today. Mayavad, sankhyavad, buddhavad, whatever 'vad' was there, all he defeated, and he established achintya bhedabheda tattva through the Sat-sandarbha.
Many books Jiva Goswami composed. One very beautiful book, I like that book very much, is Hari-namamrita-vyakaran, the grammar of Sanskrit. And that Sanskrit grammar is unique, we cannot conceive that the grammar of every word indicates Krishna. Grammar is grammar, but he made grammar in Krishna consciousness. It is inconceivable. But every Name is inside the grammar, every matter, all is built by Krishna consciousness. I read that grammar, and I was very happy. I felt my life is successful, and that happened also. I do not actually know Sanskrit but by the grace of Jiva Goswami and the mercy of Guru Maharaj, I am famous in Sanskrit. But actually I am not so qualified. More qualification is necessary to understand. But Guru Maharaj gave the vital point to me and I can relish with that.
Guru Maharaj engaged Dr. Dolgobinda Sastri as my teacher. He is a very good teacher. He is still alive in Cuttak, Orissa, India. Anyhow, that Jiva Goswami Prabhu's Appearance Day is today. That means all the light, all the strength, all the beauty and all the beautiful conception of Krishna consciousness has come through Jiva Goswami Prabhu to us. That is our wealth. The wealth of life, the wealth of the spiritual world — what Jiva Goswami Prabhu gave, no one else has given that. For that, Baladeva Vidyabushan went to defeat the acharya of the Sri Sampradaya, and under that is also the Ramanandi section. They challenged Baladeva Vidyabushan, "You have no Vedanta-bhasya." In response, Baladeva Vidyabhusan made Govinda-bhasya.
Mahaprabhu did not compose Vedanta-bhasya and Jiva Goswami did not compose Vedanta-bhasya as such. Bhasya means explanation, interpretation. However it was given by Jiva Goswami through Sat-sandarbha made up of the Tattva-sandarbha, Bhakti-sandarbha, Priti-sandarbha, Paramatma-sandarbha, Bhagavat-sandarbha, and Krishna-sandarbha. After reading those Sat-sandarbhas Baladeva Vidyabhusan made the pranam mantra for Jiva Goswami there at the start of the Govinda-bhasya:
yah sankhya-pankena kutarka-pamsuna
vibartta-garttena cha luptadidhitim
staddham vyabhadhak-sudhaya mahesvaram
krsnam sa jivah prabhurastu me gatim
"He is the super-protector of our Sampradaya from other disturbances, then I bow down to his lotus feet." This way he wrote. He established Krishna, who is Paramesvara sat-chid-ananda vigraha, who is anadi, who is anadi adir whose name is Govinda, who is the cause of all causes. What was written in Brahma Samhita was established in this world by Jiva Goswami Prabhu.
Today is also Vamandeva's aviribhava also. You know Vamandeva? He appeared to teach Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja started a big fire sacrifice and there were so many big personalities. If he was successful then he could defeat everyone and permanently conquer the heavens and other places. For that, by the order of Sukracharyya, Bali Maharaja started to make that big fire sacrifice. But at that time all the demigods were very much afraid. They went to Lord Krishna, and Krishna took the form of Vamandeva. Aditinandan. His name is Aditinandan. He went that day to Sukracharyya's disciple, Bali Maharaja, who was making a big fire sacrifice.
He went there in the form of a brahmin beggar with a short figure. Seeing that, Bali Maharaj said, "I have promised that in this period, if anyone wants anything from me, I will give it to him. Then you tell me, brahmin boy, what you want." Sukracharyya is a highly qualified brahmin and he understood that the brahmin boy was Vishnu and not a brahmin boy, and that He wants to take everything from Bali Raja. Then he told Bali Raja, "This boy is not a brahmin boy. He is really Vishnu coming to you to pray for something. But if you give that, you will lose everything."
Then Bali Maharaja said, "I promised that in this period, whoever will ask for anything, I will give it to him." Then he said, "Oh brahmin, tell me what you want." And Vamana said, "I want land — three steps of land by my feet."
"Yes, I promise I shall give you." He took the kamandalu water pot, and wanted to say the sankalpa mantram (a vedic formality then prevalent ). At that time Sukracharyya was very disturbed and went inside of the kamandalu's spout and choked it by staying there. He put his head there so water could not fall.
"What happened?"
Vamana replied, "Nothing happened, I am making it clear." Then he took a kusa grass and pushed it down the spout, and one eye of Sukracharyya was poked out. Then Sukracharyya came out and left. The water fell for the sankalpa and he gave it to Vamanadeva.
Vamanadeva then said, "Now I can put my feet on the land. Which land will you give?"
"Whether on this earth or not, anywhere you can take."
"I want swarga, martya, patala," the heavens, material worlds, and the underground worlds, patala. When Bali Maharaja gave his steps, he conquered with his first step swarga-loka, and with his next step martyaloka. Bali Maharaja then asked, "Where is your other step?" Nothing was in the hand of Bali Maharaj because swarga and martya were taken. Then he gave patala-loka. When Vamandeva took swarga-martya-patala, then Vamandeva asked him, "Give daksina!"
Bali Maharaja responded, "What daksina I will give? I have nothing. Swarga-martiya-patala already I have given you."
Then Vamandeva said, "You bow down, and I'll put my foot on your head." He gave blessings to Bali Maharaja and told him, "I am very happy with you. You go to patala-loka and stay there. Do not to stay here in swarga-loka. I have selected patala-loka for you. Go and stay there."
Then Bali Maharaja said, "Okay, as your order, I shall do."
Vamanadeva said, "I am very happy with you. You take some boon from me." And Bali Maharaja said, "If You are satisfied and very happy with me, then You stay as my doorkeeper in that place, in patala, the abode you selected for me. Then forever You will be there." Vamandeva accepted.
That Vamandeva's avirbhava (appearance) is today, Vaman dvadasi. Every time this is a very critical type of dvadasi because sometimes Vishnu-srinkala-yoga is happening, and at that time Ekadasi is going down and Vishnu-srinkala is getting that dvadasi day. Anyhow yesterday was Vishnu-srinkala, and today is Vaman dvadasi, so we have both: Vishnu-srinkala-dvadasi and Jiva Goswami's Appearance Day. All these auspicious things happen today.
Jay Om Visnupad Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jaya!
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