Why did the Goswamis compile and write so many granthas ??

krsna · May 12, 2004

krsna · May 12, 2004

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nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau

lokanam hita-karinau tri-bhuvane manyau saranyakarau

radha-krsna-padaravinda-bhajananandena mattalikau

vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

2. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis,

namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami,

Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami,

who are very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures

with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings.

Thus they are honored all over the three worlds and they are worth taking shelter of

because they are absorbed in the mood of the gopis

and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Radha and Krsna.

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Six Goswamis of Vrindavan

Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana Goswami

Srila Raghunatha Das Goswami

Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami

Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami

Srila Jiva Goswami

It was the six Goswamis who not only founded the holy city of Vrindavana but also firmly established the teachings of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu through their various writings. They explained the doctrine and philosophy of Sri Chaitanya for the benefit of the whole world.

Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana

Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana wre accomplished scholars having been trained by Vidyavachaspati, the brother of the great Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. They made their headquarters at Ramakeli ( then, the capital of Bengal ). King Hussain Shah, the ruler of Bengal, heard about the extraordinary qualifications of Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana; so he wanted them in his government. Out of fear of the Muslim king they were forced to accept government services.

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Ramakeli He met the two brothers ans said " My dear Dabhir Khas and Sakara Mallika, you two are my old servants. From this day on your names will be Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami. Have no fear of anything; birth after birth you have been ny eternal servants. Iam sure that Krsna shall soon deliver you."

Sri Caitanya ordered Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Gosvami to move to Vrndavana and perform four services.

1. Uncover Sri Krsna's pastime places.

2. Install deities and arrange for Their worship.

3. Compile bhakti scriptures.

4. Propagate the rules of devotional life.

After going to Vrndavana, the brothers Rupa and Sanatana preached devotional service and discovered many places of pligrimage. They specifically initiated the service of Madan-Mohana and Govindaji. They brought various scriptures to Vrndavana and collected the essence of these by compiling many scriptures on devotional service. In this way they delivered all the rascals and fallen souls.

If one wants to understand the meaning of sannyasa, Gosvami life, he should regularly sing the Sri Sri Sad Gosvamy-astaka ( prayer to the Six Gosvamis ), and meditate deeply upon the meaning."

All Glories to Radha and Govinda, the treasure of Srila Rupa Gosvami's heart.All Glories to Radha and Madan-mohana, the treasure of Srila Sanatana Gosvami.

Srila Raghunatha Das Goswami

Srila Raghunatha das Gosvami was a very, very rich man's son, but from his childhood he had no attraction for the material world. Hearing Krsna's pastimes from the pure heart of Srila Haridas Thakura, helped him to later receive the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Santipur. Anxious to join Lord Gauranga, Raghunatha repeatedly ran away from home. Seeing his unsuccessful attempts, Lord Caitanya advised , "Raghunatha be patient, live at home and accept the objects of sense gratification in a spirit of renunciation. Outwardly discharge your worldly affairs, while inwardly cultivate intense attachment for the lotus feet of Sri Krsna. By Krsna's mercy you will soon join Me."

He had no taste for visaya (sense grtification) therefore he became Raghunatha Das Gosvami. Formely he was known as Raghunatha, but when he joined Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he became Raghunatha Das Gosvami.

Raghunatha das gosvami joined Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri and intimately associated with him for sixteen years.

Acting as Raghunatha das gosvami's instructing spiritual master, Srila Damodara Gosvami elaborated upon following brief teaching dictatedby Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu "Don't hear and talk of worldly matters; don't eat palatable food or wear long clothes; always chant the holy name, free from the desire for honor, within your mind continously serve Radha and Krsna in Vrndavana." Raghunatha das gosvami illustrated the esoteric method for engaging oneself in the loving service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. He performed manasi-seva (remembering Radha and Krsna within one's mind and mentally serving their eight-folddaily, ecstatic loving pastimes in the sspiritual world. He also memorised the divine diary notes of Sri Svarupa Damaodara, which became a priceless database for Srila Krsna Das Kaviraj's compilation of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. After Sri Caitanya' disappearance Srila Raghunatha das gosvami move to Vrndavana where he perfromed exemplary bhajan for forty-one years on the banks oof Shyama-kund.

Raghunatha Das Gosvami followd the regulative principles so strictly and rigidly that they were compared to the lines on a stone. As such lines cannot be erased at any time so the regulative principles of Srila Raghunatha das gosvami could not be changed under any circunstances." ( CC ANTYA 6,310p). Daily sadhana included sixty-four rounds of japa; offering two-thousand prostrated obeisances to the Lord; bathing thrice in Radha-Kunda, performing manasi-seva in his spiritual

body,worshiping his Govaradhana-Sila; daily eating only a few drops of buttermilk; and resting for a mere one and one-half hours, and some days not resting at all.

Sri Raghunatha das gosvami gave up all eating, mating, sleeping, and defending and he was totally absorbed in serving the Lotus Feet of Radha and Krsna.

All glories to Radha and Giridhari, the treasure of Srila Raghunatha Das Gosvami's heart.

Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami

Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was known as the "kirtan acarya". While living briefly in Jagannatha Puri he satisfied Lord Caitanya with his nectarean cooking, humble service attitude and his excellent kirtan performance. Following Lord Caitanya's request , Raghunatha Bhatta moved to Vrndavana and became an intimate friend of Srila Rupa Gosvami whom he pleased by reciting each verse of the Srimad Bhagvatam in three different sweet-sounding and melodious tunes. "He never talked nonsense or worldly matters, but always engaged in hearing about Krsna twenty-four hours a day. Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami never cared to hear blasphemy of a vaisnava. Even when there were points to be criticized, he used to say that since all the vaisnavas were engaged in the service of the lord, he did not mind their faults." (CC Adi 10.158p.) Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami dedicated himself to the service of Radha-Govindaji in Vrndavana. He lived in Sri Vrndavana-dham for forty-five years engaged in the service of Radha-Govinda and reciting the Srimad Bhagvatam. Lord Caitanya specifically instructed Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami to preach about the unparallel significance and glories of the Srimad Bhagvatam. In the eternal lila of Radha and Krsna Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami serves as Guna Manjari. All Glories to Radha-Govindaji, the treasure of Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami.

Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami

Being pleased with Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's sincere service and devotion , Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu initiated him, and ordered him to move to Vrndavana after the disappearance of his parents and perform bhajan and write. At the age of thirty Gopala Bhatta Gosvami came to Vrndavana, and having missed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu this saddened him. However, the all knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, sent his personal asana and cloth as a gift for Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's disappearance Gopala Bhatta Gosvami felt intence separation from the Lord. To relieve his devotee, the Lord instructed Gopala Bhatta in a dream :"If you want my darsan then make a trip to Nepal."

In Nepal, Gopala Bhatta bathed in the famous Gandaki River. Upon dipping his waterpot in the river, he was surprised to see several Salagrama Silas enter his pot. He dropped the silas back into the river, but the silas reentered his pot when he refilled it. After emptying and refilling his waterpot for the third time, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami found twelve Salagrama silas sitting there.Thinking this must be the Lords mercy, he kept all the silas and returned to Vrndavana. One day a wealthy man came to Vrndavana and offered Gopala Bhatta a variety of clothing and ornaments for his Salagrams. However, Gopala Bhatta couldn't use these for his round-shaped Salagrams, so he advised the donor to give the deity decorations to someone else. While Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was absorbed in remembering how the half-man, half-lion form of the Supreme Lord had manifested from the pillar in Hiranyakasipu's palace, he prayed to the Lord:"Oh Lord, you are very merciful and always fulfill the desires of your devotees. I wish to serve you in your full form." Awakening the next morning he discovered that one if his twelve Salagrams, the "Damodara sila", had manifested as the beautiful three-fold bending form of Sri Radha-ramana. "Out of affection for Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami compiled the famous Vaisnava smriti titled Hari Bhakti Vilas, and published it under Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's name. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami resided for forty-five years in Vrndavana, and out of great humility he requested Srila Krsna das Kaviraja not to mention his name in the classic Caitanya Caritamrta.In the eternal pastimes of Radha and Krsna, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami serves as Guna Manjari.

Srila Jiva Goswami

Knowing of Srila Jiva Gosvami's desire foor a Deity, Srila Rupa Gosvami personally carved, installed and offered a small Krsna Deity named "Damodara" to his disciple Srila Jiva Gosvami. In his youth Srila Jiva Gosvami mastered Sanskrit, and later he perfected his knowledgeof the Vaisnava philosophy under the merciful tutelage of Srila Rupa and Santana Gosvami. After thier disappearance Srila Jiva Gosvami became the Gaudiya Vaisnava " Sampradaya Acarya" for the entire world of Krsna bhaktas. Srila Jiva Gosvami consolidated and commented elaborately upon the works of his uncles; Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami. He wrote an astounding half-a-million Sanskrit verses based on authentic Vedic scriptures, in order to conclusively prove that the philosophy and teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are the essence of Vedic wisdom and the perfection of religion.

Srial Jiva Gosvami was " the greatest philosopher the world has ever known," yet he remained extremely humble. He was expert in all practical dealings. Srila Jiva Gosvami built a library to preserve the Gosvami's writings; supervised the excavation and development of Radha-kunda; personally managed the temples and directed the worship of Radha-Madan-Mohan, Radha-Govindaji, Radha-Gopinatha and Radha-Damodara.

All Glories to Radha and Damodara, the treasure of Srila Jiva Gosvami's heart.