Srila Rupa Goswami

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Dear Devotees

Since we are studying Nectar of Instruction, I thought it would be nice to send

the biography of SRILA RUPA GOSVAMI.

 

Srila Rupa Gosvami was extremely dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Through himand

his elder brother, Sri Sanatan, Mahaprabhu disseminated His own teachings,the

essential conclusions of all the scriptures. Amongst the devotees ofMahaprabhu

these two were known as His generals.

 

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Kavi Karnapura has written that Sri Rupa

Gosvamiwas known as Sri Rupa Manjari during Krsna lila.

 

There is an anecdote as to how they came to be the ministers of the king

ofGaudadesa, Hussain Shah Badsa. Even at a very young age they had become

quitelearned in all of the scriptures. The guru (maulabi) of Hussain Shah

wassupposedly capable of seeing into the future. Hussain Shah inquired him

aboutthe prosperity of his kingdom.

 

The maulabi replied, "There are two extremely learned brahmana boys who

areendowed with all good qualities. If you appoint them as your ministers then

youwill attain a very opulent kingdom."

 

Having heard of the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Rupa had written

aletter to Him praying for His darsan. In His reply Mahaprabhu explained to

him,"As a woman who is attached to another man makes a show of being devoted to

herhusband, so you should, while being internally attached to the lotus feet

ofSri Krsna, externally make a show of being engaged in your worldly

duties.Krsna will bestow His mercy on you very soon."

 

While residing at Ramakeli, Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana were visited by

manybrahmanas and panditas from Navadwipa, Karnataka and various other parts

ofIndia. They were always careful to receive these guests and serve them in

abefitting manner. They lived in a very opulent surroundings at Ramakeli.

Theircourt, which rivalled that of Lord Indra, was always attended by

brahmanas,panditas from many lands as well as poets, singers, musicians and

dancers. Atgreat expense they maintained these guests and were always very

careful that noone was disrespected in any way. They were always engaged in

studying thesastras and could establish and defeat the same philosophical

argumentsalternatively. Near their house were solitary gardens of Kadamba and

othertrees in the middle of which were Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. There they

wouldmeditate on the Vrindavana pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Syama and thus,

losingtheir patience, a constant stream of tears would flow from their eyes.

Theywere always absorbed in the service of Sri Madana Mohana and

constantlyassuaged their grief by praying for His mercy. Hearing of the

pastimes of SriGaurasundara at Nadia they were always meditating when they

might get Hisdarsan. [b.R. 1/585].

 

Rupa Gosvami's worshipable Deity in Vrndavana was Sri Govinda Deva. SriCaitanya

Mahaprabhu had instructed the Gosvamis to re-discover the holy placesof Krsna's

pastimes in Braja and to establish worship of His Sri vigraha. Oneday Sri Rupa

was sitting on the banks of the Jamuna, lamenting that they hadn'tbeen able to

properly carry out His instructions.

 

It was known to them that Sri Krsna's grandson Vajranabha had installed anumber

of Deities in Braja, among them Hari Deva, Madana Mohana Deva, GopinathDeva and

Sri Govinda Deva. Sri Rupa had tried to locate these Deities, but tono avail. As

he was sitting and thinking in this way a very beautiful cowherdboy came along

and asked him, "He Swamin! Why do you look so sad?" Hearing theboy's cheerful

voice, Sri Rupa's melancholy reverie was broken and his heartfelt engladdened.

He replied that he was feeling sad because he hadn't beenable to follow

Mahaprabhu's instructions properly. The cowherd boy told him,"Swamin! Please

come with me. I know where what you are looking for is."

 

Then the boy brought him to Gomatila and explained, "Everyday a cow comes ontop

of this hill and pours down her milk here. There is a good chance you willfind

what you are looking for inside. Now I have to go."

 

Sri Rupa turned to see the cowherd boy off, but found no one present. He beganto

reflect, "Who was that cowherd boy and where did he run off so suddenly?"His

body thrilled with ecstatic symptoms as he intently gazed at the MahayogaPith

(Gomatila), and then went back to his kutir. The next morning he againcame to

Gomatila and quietly waited. After a little while an exquisitelybeautiful

Surabhi cow came there and poured milk down on top of the hill whichimmediately

disappeared inside the earth. Then she sauntered on into thewoods.

 

Now Sri Rupa was positive that Sri Govinda Deva must be within the earth here.He

came very quickly to the village of cowherds nearby and excitedly told

themeverything that had happened. The cowherd men hurriedly gathered up some

spadesand hatchets and came running to Gomatila. Digging where Sri Rupa

indicatedthey saw, after removing a small amount of earth, the all-enchanting

form ofSri Govinda appeared. They all erupted in shouts of ecstasy, "Hari!

Hari! SriGovinda has again manifested Himself." Sri Rupa with tears flowing

from hiseyes fell down at the lotus feet of Sri Govinda bowed to offer his

obeisances,all the while reciting prayers and hymns.

 

Very quickly the news spread and the other Gosvamis, floating in an ocean ofjoy,

came there also. Soon an incessant flow of people from all quarters beganto

arrive, carried by waves of joy. Lord Brahma and the other demigods,

havingassumed mortal appearances, mixed in with the other people and gazed upon

thebody of Sri Govinda. There was not a lull in the crowd for even a moment

aspeople continued to pour in from places unknown. Sri Rupa Gosvami

immediatelysent word to Mahaprabhu in Puri concerning this auspicious event.

SriGaurasundara along with His associates couldn't contain their ecstasy

onreceiving this happy news. Meanwhile the brahmanas performed the abhiseka

ofthe Deity and began to prepare offerings of bhoga from the milk, yogurt,

rice,flour and vegetables which the villagers were bringing. Mahaprabhu

sentKasisvar Pandit from Puri to assist in worshiping the Deity.

 

Sri Govinda Deva is presently being worshiped in Jaipur, Rajasthan, which

iseasily reached by bus from Vrindavana. One has to proceed by rickshaw to

SriSri Radha-Govinda Mandir from the bus stand.

 

Overjoyed that Sri Govindaji and Madan Mohan had re-appeared and thus

theresponsibilities which Mahaprabhu had given them were gradually being

carriedout, Sri Rupa and Sanatan began to compose the Bhakti-sastras, in

compliancewith Mahaprabhu's further instructions.

 

After completing Vidagdha-madhava, Lalita-madhava, and various other books,

SriRupa began to work on Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

 

One day Sri Vallabhacarya (of the Visnuswami sampradaya) came to visit

RupaGosvami. After offering him a seat the two of them began to

discussKrsna-katha. In the house of their conversation, Sri Rupa presented the

openingverse of Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu to Vallabhacarya to read. After studying

thisverse for some time Vallabha commented that there were a few mistakes. At

thistime Sri Jiva, who had arrived from Bengal a few days before, was fanning

hisuncle Sri Rupa. He was extremely learned in all the sastras and was

unsatisfiedwith Vallabha's remark.

 

When Vallabhacarya went to the Jamuna to take his bath, Sri Jiva also camethere

on the pretext of fetching some water. He inquired from the acarya as towhat

actually were the mistakes in that verse. Vallabhacarya, after discussingsome

points with him, was amazed at the boy's scholarship.

 

After a few days Vallabha again came to Sri Rupa. After inquiring about the

boyscholar, he greatly praised his learning. After Vallabha had gone to

hisresidence, Sri Rupa called Jiva and spoke to him, "Those whom we respect as

ourGuru and to whom we offer our obeisances you are ready to debate with on

anequal level? This is not at all polite. What he spoke was for my benefit

butyou couldn't tolerate that. You should return home and when you can

controlyour mind then you can come back to Vrindavana." [b.R. 5.1643]

 

Hearing this decision of his uncle Sri Jiva left that place and decided

toproceed eastwards. When he came to an old dilapidated temple at Nanda-ghat,

hesat down and began to cry. Soon the villagers began to worry: "Such a

handsomeyoung man, but he sits there crying for so long without taking food."

 

After a while, Sri Sanatana Gosvami came by and the villagers informed

Sanatanaof the boy's presence at the old temple. Sanatana went there and saw

hisnephew, who looked very pale from not eating. Sanatana picked him up from

theground and affectionately asked him what was the matter. Sri Jiva

explainedeverything that had happened. Sanatana Gosvami pacified him and,

taking hisnephew with him, went to see his brother.

 

Sanatana spoke with Rupa alone. When Sri Rupa happened to mention Jiva,Sanatana

explained everything. Sri Rupa immediately called Jiva seeinghis forlorn and

pale appearance, he gradually nursed him back to eat and happysit with him.

Then he entrusted him with proofreading of various literature,which he had

composed. Just as he was very strict with his young nephew, soalso he was very

affectionate and moving. Their relationship was an idealexample of how the Guru

and sisya behave together.

 

When Sri Rupa had finished writing Lalita-madhava, he gave it to Raghunathadasa

Gosvami to read. Lalita-madhava is description of Krsna's pastimesafter he left

Vrindavana and is thus full with sentiments in the mood ofseparation. By reading

this Dasa Gosvami began to cry day and night, havingbecome completely absorbed

in love in separation to the point of being readyto leave his body. [b.R5.768].

He became as though deranged in mindfrom sadness and he completely lost all

patience. When Sri Rupa requestedSri Dasa Gosvami to return the manuscript, so

that he could correct it,Raghunatha das held on it very mightily, not allowing

to add anything, orrewrite it or extract anything from it.

 

After considering what to do, Sri Rupa composed Dana-keli-kaumudi. He managedto

exchange this manuscript with Lalita-madhava. By reading Dana-keli-kaumudi,full

of narrations of Krsna's Vrindavan pastime, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami nowbecame

totally absorbed in the ecstasy of happiness.

 

On another occasion the Gosvamis were having a discussion about the

ecstaticfeelings of separation of Radha-Krsna and Their associates. Some of

theVaisnavas were fainting to the ground, while Sri Rupa Gosvami began to

breathvery heavily. His heart felt as though as burning. At one point, as he

sighedhis breath, he happened to fall on the body of one devotee present

there.Shortly after a while ecstatic symptoms developed on that devotee's body

whereSri Rupa's breath touched it. [b.R. 5.326].

 

After the reappearance of Sri Govinda, Madana Mohana and the Yoga Pits, SriRupa

began to contemplate where Vrinda deity might be. One night she came tohim in a

dream and said, I am on the banks of Brahma-kunda. You can have mydarsan there."

 

The next morning, after finishing his baths and puja, he came to Brahma-kundaand

began to look everywhere. Suddenly, he saw a heavenly damsel, whosebodily

effulgence defeated the luster of gold, all the directions wereilluminated by

this glow and the atmosphere created by her presence was veryfine and cooling.

Sri Rupa offered his dandavats and various prayers andhymns. In this way, the

Vrinda deity appeared in Vrajabhumi.

 

Sri Gaurasundara established the glories of Sri Vraja-dhama through His

twogenerals, Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatan Gosvami. Within their hearts Heawakened,

through ear transmission, the knowledge of what was in His own ear.Sri Rupa

Gosvami has established in this world the mission to fulfil thedesire of Lord

Caitanya. When will he give me the shelter of his lotus feet?"[srila Narottama

dasa Thakura in his song Sri Rupa manjari-pada].

 

Sri Rupa Gosvami completed many literatures, among them, Sri Hamsaduta,

Karya,Sri Uddhava-sandesa, Sri Krsna-janma-titha-vidhi, Brhat

Bhagavatamrta,Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, Laghu Bhagavatamrta, Stava-mala,

Vidagha-madhava,Lalita-madhava, Dana-keli-kaumudi, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,

Ujjvala-nilamani,Prayuktakhyaita-manjari, Mathura-mahima, Padyavali,

Nataka-candra-tika,among others.

 

Birth: 1493 (Christian calendar), 1415 (Sakabda)

 

Disappearance: 1564 (Christian calendar), 1486 (Sakabda)

 

Appearance day: ?

 

Disappearance day: 12th day of the bright fortnight of Stava (?)

 

Householder life: 22 years. Vraja: 51 years. Age: 73.

 

 

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