Svarupa Damodara Gosvami

[kailasa]

Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami was the principal figure among Lord Caitanya's confidential devotees. The records of his diary have revealed these confidential purposes of the Lord. These revelations have been confirmed by the statements of Srila Rupa Gosvami in his various prayers and poems.

 

This conclusion of rasa is extremely deep. Only Svarupa Damodara knows much about it.

 

Anyone else who claims to know it must have heard it from him, for he was the most intimate companion of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

The love of the gopis is called rudha-bhava. It is pure and spotless. It is not at any time lust.

 

Lust and love have different characteristics, just as iron and gold have different natures.

 

The desire to gratify one's own senses is kama [lust], but the desire to please the senses of Lord Krsna is prema [love].

 

The object of lust is only the enjoyment of one's own senses. But love caters to the enjoyment of Lord Krsna, and thus it is very powerful.

 

That is called firm attachment to Lord Krsna. It is spotlessly pure, like a clean cloth that has no stain.

 

Thus there is not the slightest taint of lust in the gopis' love. Their relationship with Krsna is only for the sake of His enjoyment.

 

The gopis do not care for their own pleasures or pains. All their physical and mental activities are directed toward offering enjoyment to Lord Krsna.

 

They renounced everything for Krsna. They have pure attachment to giving Krsna pleasure.

 

[The gopis think:] "I have offered this body to Lord Krsna. He is its owner, and it brings Him enjoyment.

 

When the gopis see Lord Krsna, they derive unbounded bliss, although they have no desire for such pleasure.

 

The gopis have no inclination for their own enjoyment, and yet their joy incriases. That is indeed a contradiction.

 

For this contradiction I see only one solution: the joy of the gopis lies in the joy of their beloved Krsna.

 

When Lord Krsna sees the gopis, His joy incriases, and His unparalleled sweetness incriases also.

 

Krsna, however, derives pleasure from the beauty and good qualities of the gopis. And when the gopis see His pleasure, the joy of the gopis incriases.

 

Therefore we find that the joy of the gopis nourishes the joy of Lord Krsna. For that reason the fault of lust is not present in their love.

 

The happiness of the abode of love is in the happiness of the object of that love. This is not a relationship of desire for personal gratification.

 

Whenever there is unselfish love, that is its style. The reservoir of love derives pleasure when the lovable object is pleased. When the pleasure of love interferes with the service of Lord Krsna, the devotee becomes angry toward such ecstasy.

 

"The lotus-eyed Radharani powerfully condemned the ecstatic love that caused a flow of tears that hindered Her sight of Govinda."

 

Furthermore, pure devotees never forsake the loving service of Lord Krsna to aspire for their own personal pleasure through the five kinds of liberation.

 

"Just as the celestial waters of the Ganges flow unobstructed into the ocean, so when My devotees simply hear of Me, their minds come to Me, who resides in the hearts of all.

 

"These are the characteristics of transcendental loving service to Purusottama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: it is causeless, and it cannot be obstructed in any way.

 

"My devotees do not accept salokya, sarnoi, sarupya, samepya or oneness with Me—even if I offer these liberations—in preference to serving Me."

 

PURPORT

These three verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.29.11–13) were spoken by Lord Krsna in the form of Kapiladeva.

 

"My devotees, having fulfilled their desires by serving Me, do not accept the four kinds of salvation that are easily earned by such service. Why then should they accept any pleasures that are lost in the course of time?"

 

PURPORT

This verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.4.67) was spoken by the Lord in connection with the characteristics of Maharaja Ambarisa. Merging into the existence of the Absolute is as temporary as living in the celestial kingdom. Both of them are controlled by time; neither position is permanent.

 

The natural love of the gopis is devoid of any trace of lust. It is faultless, bright and pure, like molten gold.

 

The gopis are the helpers, teachers, friends, wives, dear disciples, confidantes and serving maids of Lord Krsna.

 

"O Partha, the gopis know My greatness, My loving service, respect for Me, and My mentality. Others cannot really know these."

 

All the other gopis help incriase the joy of Krsna's pastimes with Radharani. The gopis act as the instruments of Their mutual enjoyment.

 

PURPORT

It is said that the gopis are divided into five groups, namely the sakhis, nitya-sakhis, prana-sakhis, priya-sakhes and parama-prestha-sakhes. ... The parama-prestha-sakhis are eight in number, and in the ecstatic dealings of Krsna and Radha they side sometimes with Krsna and at other times with Radharani, just to create a situation in which it appears that they favor one against the other. That makes the exchange of mellows more palatable.

 

Lord Caitanya appeared with the sentiment of Radha. He preached the dharma of this age—the chanting of the holy name and pure love of God.

 

In the mood of Srimate Radharani, He also fulfilled His own desires. This is the principal reason for His appearance.

 

Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya is Krsna [Vrajendra-kumara], the embodiment of rasas. He is amorous love personified.

 

He made His appearance to taste that conjugal mellow and incidentally to broadcast all the rasas.

 

Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya is the abode of rasa. He Himself tasted the sweetness of rasa in endless ways.

 

Bowing down with devotion, I hold on my head the lotus feet of Advaita Acarya, Nityananda, Srivasa Pandita, Gadadhara, Svarupa Damodara, Murari Gupta, Haridasa and all the other devotees of Sri Krsna Caitanya.

 

PURPORT

The author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta teaches us that we must offer our respectful obeisances to all such pure confidential devotees of Lord Caitanya if we indeed want to know Him in truth.

 

Anyone who has captured Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda Prabhu in his heart will become blissful by hearing all these transcendental conclusions.

 

...

 

"The happiness I feel when meeting Radharani is a hundred times greater than the happiness I get from meeting others."

 

"Considering this, I can understand that some unknown mellow in Me controls the entire existence of My captivator, Srimate Radharaee.

 

"I am always eager to taste the joy that Radharani derives from Me.

 

"In spite of various efforts, I have not been able to taste it. But My desire to relish that pleasure incriases as I smell its sweetness.

 

"I have appeared in the world to taste mellows. I shall taste the mellows of pure love in various ways.

 

"I shall teach devotional service, which springs from the spontaneous love of the devotees, by demonstrating it Myself with My pastimes.

 

But these three desires have not been satisfied, for one cannot enjoy them in a contrary position.

 

Unless I accept the luster of the ecstatic love of Sri Radhika, these three desires cannot be fulfilled.

 

"Therefore, assuming Radharani's sentiments and bodily complexion, I shall descend to fulfill these three desires."

 

...

 

In this way Lord Krsna came to a decision. Simultaneously, the time came for the incarnation of the age.

Adi 4.270

 

By His mercy I have attained the shelter of the great personality Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and by His mercy I have found the refuge of Sri Svarupa Damodara.

 

PURPORT

Anyone desiring to become expert in the service of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna should always aspire to be under the guidance of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.

 

When Raghunatha dasa Gosvami approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Pure, the Lord entrusted him to the care of Svarupa Damodara, His secritary. Thus they both engaged in the confidential service of the Lord.

 

Because Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was an assistant to Svarupa Damodara, he knew much about the external and internal features of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. Thus the two brothers Rupa and Sanatana always used to hear of this from him.

 

Day and night he rendered service within his mind to Radha-Krsna, and for three hours a day he discoursed about the character of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

"That very personality who stole away my heart during my youth is now again my master. These are the same moonlit nights of the month of Caitra. The same fragrance of malati flowers is there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forest. In our intimate relationship, I am also the same lover, yet still my mind is not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the bank of the Reva under the Vetasi tree. That is my desire."

 

PURPORT

This verse appears in the Padyavali (386), an anthology of verses compiled by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

This verse appears to be the hankering between some ordinary boy and girl, but its actual deep meaning was known only to Svarupa Damodara. By chance, one year Rupa Gosvami was also present there.

 

Although the meaning of the verse was known only to Svarupa Damodara, Rupa Gosvami, after hearing it from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, immediately composed another verse that described the meaning of the original verse.

 

Having shown the verse to Svarupa Damodara with great wonder, Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked him how Rupa Gosvami could understand the intentions of His mind.

 

PURPORT

We had the opportunity to receive a similar blessing from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami when we presented an essay at his birthday ceremony. He was so much pleased with that essay that he used to call some of his confidential devotees and show it to them. How could we have understood the intentions of Srila Prabhupada?

 

Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami replied to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "If Rupa Gosvami can understand Your mind and intentions, he must have Your Lordship's special benediction."

 

The Lord said, "I was so much pleased with Rupa Gosvami that I embraced him and bestowed upon him all necessary potencies for preaching the bhakti cult.

 

"I accept Srila Rupa Gosvami as quite fit to understand the confidential mellows of devotional service, and I recommend that you explain devotional service to him further."

 

Later, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami left home and took shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Pure. At that time, the Lord received him and placed him under the care of Svarupa Damodara for spiritual enlightenment.

 

PURPORT

In this regard, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami writes in Vilapa-kusumaijali (5):

 

"Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who, by His unreserved mercy, kindly saved me from household life, which is exactly like a blind well without water, and placed me in the ocean of transcendental joy under the care of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami."

 

Srila Kaviraja Gosvami has confirmed that the opinion of Svarupa Damodara is authoritative in the matter of devotional service. Over and above this are the notes of Svarupa Damodara, memorized by Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, who also helped in the compilation of Caitanya-caritamrta. After the disappearance of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami went to Vrndavana. At that time the author, Srila Kaviraja Gosvami, met Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, by whose mercy he also could memorize all the notes. In this way the author was able to complete this transcendental literature, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.

 

The pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are the topmost of jewels. They have been kept in the storehouse of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, who has explained them to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, who has repeated them to me. Whatever little I have heard from Raghunatha dasa Gosvami I have described in this book, which is presented to all devotees.

 

If someone wrote a book or composed verses and songs and wanted to recite them before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarupa Damodara would first examine them and then correctly present them. Only then would Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu agree to listen.

 

It was the practice of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami to examine all works of literature to find out whether their conclusions were correct. Only then would he allow them to be heard by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Svarupa Damodara was as expert a musician as the Gandharvas, and in scriptural discussion he was just like Bahaspati, the priest of the heavenly gods. Therefore it is to be concluded that there was no great personality quite like Svarupa Damodara.

 

Sri Svarupa Damodara was very dear to Advaita Acarya and Nityananda Prabhu, and he was the life and soul of all the devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura.

 

This verse was recited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu again and again. But for Svarupa Damodara, no one could understand its meaning.

 

No one can describe the good fortune of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, for he is always absorbed in the service of the Lord with his body, mind and words.

 

The senses of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were identical with the senses of Svarupa. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to become fully absorbed in tasting the singing of Svarupa Damodara.

 

Smiling, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Raghunatha dasa,"I have already appointed Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as your instructor.

 

I have briefly given you My instructions. Now you will get all details about them from Svarupa Damodara.

 

-----------

 

We are asking, following the footsteps of predecessor, Rupa Gosvami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction to Rupa Gosvami. Rupanuga. Therefore we are called rupanuga. Anuga. Anuga means following. Going, following the footsteps of Rupa Gosvami. So as the, Rupa Gosvami is following his predecessor, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so we have to follow our predecessor. Then we will be successful. There is no doubt about it. Nobody can do any harm. If you stick to the principle of following the footsteps of previous predecessor, evam parampara-praptam, don't add anything, don't subtract anything, present as it is and keep your spiritual strength intact, then the preaching will go on. Nobody can disturb you.