Appearance of Srila Jiva Gosvami - Thursday, August 30

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Thursday, August 30 is the appearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami.

 

Here are some quotes about Srila Jiva Gosvami from the books of His Divine

Grace A.C. Bhaktivedant Swami Prabhupada.

 

 

TRANSLATION

Among these branches, Rupa and Sanatana were principal. Anupama, Jiva

Gosvami and others, headed by Rajendra, were their subbranches.

 

PURPORT

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (195) it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was

formerly Vilasa-manjari gopi. From his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was

greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He later came to Navadvipa to study

Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he

circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama. After visiting Navadvipa-dhama

he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana Vacaspati, and after

finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vrndavana and took shelter of

his uncles, Sri Rupa and Sanatana. This is described in the

Bhakti-ratnakara. As far as our information goes, Srila Jiva Gosvami

composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very much

celebrated, and they are listed as follows: (1) Hari-namamrta-vyakarana, (2)

Sutra-malika, (3) Dhatu-sangraha, (4) Krsnarca-dipika, (5)

Gopala-virudavali, (6) Rasamrta-sesa, (7) Sri Madhava-mahotsava, (8) Sri

Sankalpa-kalpavrksa, (9) Bhavartha-sucaka-campu, (10) Gopala-tapani-tika,

(11) a commentary on the Brahma-samhita, (12) a commentary on the

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, (13) a commentary on the Ujjvala-nilamani, (14) a

commentary on the Yogasara-stava, (15) a commentary on the Gayatri-mantra,

as described in the Agni Purana, (16) a description of the Lord's lotus feet

derived from the Padma Purana, (17) a description of the lotus feet of

Srimati Radharani, (18) Gopala-campu (in two parts) and (19-25) seven

sandarbhas: the Krama-, Tattva-, Bhagavat-, Paramatma-, Krsna-, Bhakti- and

Priti-sandarbha. After the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana

Gosvami in Vrndavana, Srila Jiva Gosvami became the acarya of all the

Vaisnavas in Bengal, Orissa and the rest of the world, and it is he who used

to guide them in their devotional service. In Vrndavana he established the

Radha-Damodara temple, where, after retirement, we had the opportunity to

live from 1962 until 1965, when we decided to come to the United States of

America. When Jiva Gosvami was still present, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja

Gosvami compiled his famous Caitanya-caritamrta. Later, Srila Jiva Gosvami

inspired Srinivasa Acarya, Narottama dasa Thakura and Duhkhi Krsnadasa to

preach Krsna consciousness in Bengal. Jiva Gosvami was informed that all the

manuscripts that had been collected from Vrndavana and sent to Bengal for

preaching purposes were plundered near Visnupura, in Bengal, but later he

received the information that the books had been recovered. Sri Jiva Gosvami

awarded the designation Kaviraja to Ramacandra Sena, a disciple of Srinivasa

Acarya's, and to Ramacandra's younger brother Govinda. While Jiva Gosvami

was alive, Srimati Jahnavi-devi, the pleasure potency of Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, went to Vrndavana with a few devotees. Jiva Gosvami was very kind to

the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the Vaisnavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vrndavana

he provided with a residence and prasadam. His disciple Krsnadasa Adhikari

listed all the books of the Gosvamis in his diary.

 

The sahajiyas level three accusations against Srila Jiva Gosvami. This is

certainly not congenial for the execution of devotional service. The first

accusation concerns a materialist who was very proud of his reputation as a

great Sanskrit scholar and approached Sri Rupa and Sanatana to argue with

them about the revealed scriptures. Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami,

not wanting to waste their time, gave him a written statement that he had

defeated them in a debate on the revealed scriptures. Taking this paper, the

scholar approached Jiva Gosvami for a similar certificate of defeat, but

Jiva Gosvami did not agree to give him one. On the contrary, he argued with

him regarding the scriptures and defeated him. Certainly it was right for

Jiva Gosvami to stop such a dishonest scholar from advertising that he had

defeated Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, but due to their

illiteracy the sahajiya class refer to this incident to accuse Srila Jiva

Gosvami of deviating from the principle of humility. They do not know,

however, that humility and meekness are appropriate when one's own honor is

insulted but not when Lord Visnu or the acaryas are blasphemed. In such

cases one should not be humble and meek but must act. One should follow the

example given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya says in His

Siksastaka (3):

trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna

amanina mana-dena kirtaniyah sada harih

[Cc. Adi 17.31]

 

"One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking

himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than

a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer

all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name

of the Lord constantly." Nevertheless, when the Lord was informed that

Nityananda Prabhu was injured by Jagai and Madhai, He immediately went to

the spot, angry like fire, wanting to kill them. Thus Lord Caitanya has

explained His verse by the example of His own behavior. One should tolerate

insults against oneself, but when there is blasphemy committed against

superiors such as other Vaisnavas, one should be neither humble nor meek:

one must take proper steps to counteract such blasphemy. This is the duty of

a servant of a guru and Vaisnavas. Anyone who understands the principle of

eternal servitude to the guru and Vaisnavas will appreciate the action of

Sri Jiva Gosvami in connection with the so-called scholar's victory over his

gurus, Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Gosvami.

 

Another story fabricated to defame Srila Jiva Gosvami states that when Srila

Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami showed him the newly-completed manuscript of Sri

Caitanya-caritamrta, Jiva Gosvami thought it would hamper his reputation as

a big scholar and therefore threw it into a well. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja

Gosvami was greatly shocked, according to this story, and he died

immediately. Fortunately a copy of the manuscript of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

had been kept by a person named Mukunda, and therefore later it was possible

to publish the book. This story is another ignominious example of blasphemy

against a guru and Vaisnava. Such a story should never be accepted as

authoritative.

 

According to another accusation, Srila Jiva Gosvami did not approve of the

principles of the parakiya-rasa of Vraja-dhama and therefore supported

svakiya-rasa, showing that Radha and Krsna are eternally married. Actually,

when Jiva Gosvami was alive, some of his followers disliked the

parakiya-rasa of the gopis. Therefore Srila Jiva Gosvami, for their

spiritual benefit, supported svakiya-rasa, for he could understand that

sahajiyas would otherwise exploit the parakiya-rasa, as they are actually

doing at the present time. Unfortunately, in Vrndavana and Navadvipa it has

become fashionable among sahajiyas, in their debauchery, to find an

unmarried sexual partner to live with to execute so-called devotional

service in parakiya-rasa. Foreseeing this, Srila Jiva Gosvami supported

svakiya-rasa, and later all the Vaisnava acaryas also approved of it. Srila

Jiva Gosvami was never opposed to the transcendental parakiya-rasa, nor has

any other Vaisnava disapproved of it. Srila Jiva Gosvami strictly followed

his predecessor gurus and Vaisnavas, Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana

Gosvami, and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami accepted him as one of his

instructor gurus.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Adi 10.85

 

 

Srila Jiva Gosvami, in order to please the Lord, later composed a grammar in

Sanskrit, in which all the rules of grammar were explained with examples

that used the holy names of the Lord. This grammar is still current. It is

known as Hari-namamrta-vyakarana and is prescribed in the syllabus of

schools in Bengal.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB Introduction

 

 

Srila Jiva Gosvami compiled a grammar in two parts, named

Laghu-hari-namamrta-vyakarana and Brhad-dhari-namamrta-vyakarana. If someone

studies these two texts in vyakarana, or grammar, he learns the grammatical

rules of the Sanskrit language and simultaneously learns how to become a

great devotee of Lord Krsna.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Adi 13.29

 

 

All the Gosvamis were in the renounced order of life, and Jiva Gosvami in

particular was a lifelong brahmacari.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 4.104

 

 

TRANSLATION

Sri Rupa Gosvami's nephew, Srila Jiva Gosvami, has compiled so many books on

devotional service that there is no counting them.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 1.42

 

 

In the First Wave of the book known as the Bhakti-ratnakara, it is said that

Sanatana Gosvami understood Srimad-Bhagavatam by thorough study and

explained it in his commentary known as Vaisnava-tosani. All the knowledge

that Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami directly acquired from Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu was broadcast all over the world by their expert

service. Sanatana Gosvami gave his Vaisnava-tosani commentary to Srila Jiva

Gosvami for editing, and Srila Jiva Gosvami edited this under the name of

Laghu-tosani. Whatever he immediately put down in writing was finished in

the year 1476 Saka (A.D. 1554). Srila Jiva Gosvami completed the

Laghu-tosani in the year Sakabda 1504 (A.D. 1582).

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 1.35

 

 

Antya 4.227

TRANSLATION

The son of Sri Vallabha, or Anupama, Srila Rupa Gosvami's younger brother,

was the great learned scholar named Srila Jiva Gosvami.

 

Antya 4.228

TRANSLATION

After renouncing everything, Srila Jiva Gosvami went to Vrndavana. Later he

also wrote many books on devotional service and expanded the work of

preaching.

 

Antya 4.229

TRANSLATION

In particular, Srila Jiva Gosvami compiled the book named

Bhagavata-sandarbha, or Sat-sandarbha, which is the essence of all

scriptures. From this book one can obtain a conclusive understanding of

devotional service and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

Antya 4.230

TRANSLATION

He also compiled the book named Gopala-campu, which is the essence of all

Vedic literature. In this book he has exhibited the ecstatic loving

transactions and pastimes of Radha and Krsna in Vrndavana.

 

Antya 4.231

TRANSLATION

In the Sat-sandarbha Srila Jiva Gosvami set forth the truths about

transcendental love of Krsna. In this way he expanded 400,000 verses in all

his books.

 

Antya 4.232

TRANSLATION

When Jiva Gosvami wanted to go to Mathura from Bengal, he requested

permission from Srila Nityananda Prabhu.

 

Antya 4.233

TRANSLATION

Because of Jiva Gosvami's relationship with Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana

Gosvami, who were greatly favored by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord

Nityananda Prabhu placed His feet on the head of Srila Jiva Gosvami and

embraced him.

 

Antya 4.234

TRANSLATION

Lord Nityananda Prabhu ordered, "Yes, go soon to Vrndavana. That place has

been awarded to your family, to your father and uncles, by Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, and therefore you must go there immediately."

 

Antya 4.235

TRANSLATION

By the order of Nityananda Prabhu, he went to Vrndavana and actually

achieved the result of His order, for he compiled many books for a long time

and preached the cult of bhakti from there.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Antya 4.227-235

 

 

TRANSLATION

In Sri Bhagavata-sandarbha, Srila Jiva Gosvami has written conclusively

about the ultimate end of devotional service.

 

PURPORT

The Bhagavata-sandarbha is also known as the Sat-sandarbha. In the first

part, called Tattva-sandarbha, it is proved that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the

most authoritative evidence directly pointing to the Absolute Truth. The

second Sandarbha, called Bhagavat-sandarbha, draws a distinction between

impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma and describes the spiritual world

and the domination of the mode of goodness devoid of contamination by the

other two material modes. In other words, there is a vivid description of

the transcendental position known as suddha-sattva. Material goodness is apt

to be contaminated by the other two material qualities -- ignorance and

passion -- but when one is situated in the suddha-sattva position, there is

no chance for such contamination. It is a spiritual platform of pure

goodness. The potency of the Supreme Lord and the living entity is also

described, and there is a description of the inconceivable energies and

varieties of energies of the Lord. The potencies are divided into categories

-- internal, external, personal, marginal and so forth. There are also

discussions of the eternality of Deity worship, the omnipotence of the

Deity, His all-pervasiveness, His giving shelter to everyone, His subtle and

gross potencies, His personal manifestations, His expressions of form,

quality and pastimes, His transcendental position and His complete form. It

is also stated that everything pertaining to the Absolute has the same

potency and that the spiritual world, the associates in the spiritual world

and the threefold energies of the Lord in the spiritual world are all

transcendental. There are further discussions concerning the difference

between the impersonal Brahman and the Personality of Godhead, the fullness

of the Personality of Godhead, the objective of all Vedic knowledge, the

personal potencies of the Lord, and the Personality of Godhead as the

original author of Vedic knowledge.

 

The third Sandarbha is called Paramatma-sandarbha, and in this book there is

a description of Paramatma (the Supersoul) and an explanation of how the

Supersoul exists in millions and millions of living entities. There are

discussions of the differences between the qualitative incarnations, and

discourses concerning the living entities, maya, the material world, the

theory of transformation, the illusory energy, the sameness of this world

and the Supersoul, and the truth about this material world. In this

connection, the opinions of Sridhara Svami are given. It is stated that the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, although devoid of material qualities,

superintends all material activities. There is also a discussion of how the

lila-avatara incarnations respond to the desires of the devotees and how the

Supreme Personality of Godhead is characterized by six opulences.

 

The fourth Sandarbha is called Krsna-sandarbha, and in this book Krsna is

proved to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are discussions of

Krsna's pastimes and qualities, His superintendence of the purusa-avataras,

and so forth. The opinions of Sridhara Svami are corroborated. In each and

every scripture, the supremacy of Krsna is stressed. Baladeva, Sankarsana

and other expansions of Krsna are emanations of Maha-Sankarsana. All the

incarnations and expansions exist simultaneously in the body of Krsna, who

is described as two-handed. There are also descriptions of the Goloka

planet, Vrndavana (the eternal place of Krsna), the identity of Goloka and

Vrndavana, the Yadavas and the cowherd boys (both eternal associates of

Krsna), the equality of the manifest and unmanifest pastimes, Sri Krsna's

manifestation in Gokula, the queens of Dvaraka as expansions of the internal

potency, and, superior to them, the superexcellent gopis. There is also a

list of the gopis' names and a discussion of the topmost position of Srimati

Radharani.

 

The fifth Sandarbha is called Bhakti-sandarbha, and in this book there is a

discussion of how devotional service can be directly executed, and how such

service can be adjusted, either directly or indirectly. There is a

discussion of the knowledge of all kinds of scripture, the establishment of

the Vedic institution of varnasrama, bhakti as superior to fruitive

activity, and so forth. It is also stated that without devotional service

even a brahmana is condemned. There are discussions of the process of

karma-tyaga (the giving of the results of karma to the Supreme Personality

of Godhead), and the practices of mystic yoga and philosophical speculation,

which are deprecated as simply hard labor. Worship of the demigods is

discouraged, and worship of a Vaisnava is considered exalted. No respect is

given to the nondevotees. There are discussions of how one can be liberated

even in this life (jivan-mukta), Lord Siva as a devotee, and how a bhakta

and his devotional service are eternally existing. It is stated that through

bhakti one can attain all success because bhakti is transcendental to the

material qualities. There is a discussion of how the self is manifest

through bhakti. There is also a discussion of the self's bliss, as well as

how bhakti, even imperfectly executed, enables one to attain the lotus feet

of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unmotivated devotional service is

highly praised, and an explanation is given of how each devotee can achieve

the platform of unmotivated service by association with other devotees.

There is a discussion of the differences between the maha-bhagavata and the

ordinary devotee, the symptoms of philosophical speculation, the symptoms of

self-worship, or ahangrahopasana, the symptoms of devotional service, the

symptoms of imaginary perfection, the acceptance of regulative principles,

service to the spiritual master, the maha-bhagavata (liberated devotee) and

service to him, service to Vaisnavas in general, the principles of hearing,

chanting, remembering and serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offenses in

worship, offensive effects, prayers, engaging oneself as an eternal servant

of the Lord, making friendships with the Lord and surrendering everything

for His pleasure. There is also a discussion of raganuga-bhakti (spontaneous

love of Godhead), of the specific purpose of becoming a devotee of Lord

Krsna, and a comparative study of other perfectional stages.

 

The sixth Sandarbha is called Priti-sandarbha, a thesis on love of Godhead.

Here it is stated that through love of Godhead, one becomes perfectly

liberated and attains the highest goal of life. A distinction is made

between the liberated condition of a personalist and that of an

impersonalist, and there is a discussion of liberation during one's lifetime

as distinguished from liberation from material bondage. Of all kinds of

liberation, liberation in loving service to the Lord is described as the

most exalted, and meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face is

shown to be the highest perfection of life. Immediate liberation is

contrasted with liberation by a gradual process. Both realization of Brahman

and meeting with the Supreme Personality of Godhead are described as

liberation within one's lifetime, but meeting with the Supreme Personality

of Godhead, both internally and externally, is shown to be superexcellent,

above the transcendental realization of the Brahman effulgence. There is a

comparative study of liberation as salokya, samipya and sarupya. Samipya is

better than salokya. Devotional service is considered to be liberation with

greater facilities, and there is a discussion of how to obtain it. There are

also discussions of the transcendental state one achieves after attaining

the devotional platform, which is the exact position of love of Godhead; the

marginal symptoms of transcendental love, and how it is awakened; the

distinction between so-called love and transcendental love on the platform

of love of Godhead; and different types of humors and mellows enjoyed in

relishing the lusty affairs of the gopis, which are different from mundane

affairs, which in turn are symbolical representations of pure love for

Krsna. There are also discussions of bhakti mixed with philosophical

speculation, the superexcellence of the love of the gopis, the difference

between opulent devotional service and loving devotional service, the

exalted position of the residents of Gokula, the progressively exalted

position of the friends of Krsna, the gopas and the gopis in parental love

with Krsna, and finally the superexcellence of the love of the gopis and

that of Srimati Radharani. There is also a discussion of how spiritual

feelings can be present when one simply imitates them and of how such

mellows are far superior to the ordinary mellows of mundane love, and there

are descriptions of different ecstasies, the awakening of ecstasy,

transcendental qualities, the distinction of dhirodatta, the utmost

attractiveness of conjugal love, the ecstatic features, the permanent

ecstatic features, the mellows divided in five transcendental features of

direct loving service, and indirect loving service, considered in seven

divisions. Finally there is a discussion of overlapping of different rasas,

and there are discussions of santa (neutrality), servitorship, taking

shelter, parental love, conjugal love, direct transcendental enjoyment and

enjoyment in separation, previous attraction and the glories of Srimati

Radharani.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 1.43