Srila Rupa Gosvami
Srila Rupa Gosvami was extremely dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Through him
and his elder brother, Sri Sanatan, Mahaprabhu disseminated His own teachings,
the essential conclusions of all the scriptures. Amongst the devotees of
Mahaprabhu these two were known as His generals. In the Gaura - ganoddesa -
dipika, Kavi Karnapura has written that Sri Rupa Gosvami was known as Sri Rupa
Manjari during Krsna lila. There is an anecdote as to how they came to be the
ministers of the king of Gaudadesa, Hussain Shah Badsa. Even at a very young age
they had become quite learned in all of the scriptures. The guru (moulabi) of
Hussain Shah was supposedly capable of seeing into the future. Hussain Shah
inquired him about the prosperity of his kingdom. The moulabi replied, "There
are two extremely learned brahmana boys who are endowed with all good qualities.
If you appoint them as your ministers then you will attain a very opulent
kingdom." Having heard of the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Rupa had
written a letter to Him praying for His darshan. In His reply Mahaprabhu
explained to him, "As a woman who is attached to another man makes a show of
being devoted to her husband, so you should, while being internally attached to
the lotus feet of Sri 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 many brahmanas and panditas
from Navadwipa, Karnataka and various other parts of India. They were always
careful to receive these guests and serve them in a befitting manner.
They lived in a very opulent surroundings at Ramakeli. Their court, which
rivalled that of Lord Indra, was always attended by brahmanas, pandits from many
lands as well as poets, singers, musicians and dancers. At great expense they
maintained these guests and were always very careful that no one was
disrespected in any way. They were always engaged in studying the sastras and
could establish and defeat the same philosophical arguments alternatively. Near
their house were solitary gardens of Kadamba and other trees in the middle of
which were Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. There they would meditate on the
Vrndavana pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Syama and thus, losing their patience, a
constant stream of tears would flow from their eyes. They were always absorbed
in the service of Sri Madana Mohana and constantly assuaged their grief by
praying for His mercy. Hearing of the pastimes of Sri Gaurasundara at Nadia they
were always meditating when they might get His darsan. [B.R. 1/585].
Rupa Gosvami's worshipable Deity in Vrndavana was Sri Govinda Deva. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu had instructed the Gosvamis to re-discover the holy places of Krsna's
pastimes in Braja and to establish worship of His Sri vigraha. One day Sri Rupa
was sitting on the banks of the Jamuna, lamenting that they hadn't been able to
properly carry out His instructions. It was known to them that Sri Krsna's
grandson Vajranabha had installed a number of Deities in Braja, among them Hari
Deva, Madana Mohana Deva, Gopinath Deva and Sri Govinda Deva. Sri Rupa had tried
to locate these Deities, but to no avail. As he was sitting and thinking in this
way a very beautiful cowherd boy came along and asked him, "He Swamin! Why do
you look so sad?" Hearing the boy's cheerful voice, Sri Rupa's melancholy
reverie was broken and his heart felt engladdened. He replied that he was
feeling sad because he hadn't been able 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 on top of this hill and pours down her milk
here. There is a good chance you will find 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 began to 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 Mahayoga Pith (Gomatila), and then went back to his kutir. The next morning
he again came to Gomatila and quietly waited. After a little while an
exquisitely beautiful Surabhi cow came there and poured milk down on top of the
hill which immediately disappeared inside the earth. Then she sauntered on into
the woods.
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 them
everything that had happened. The cowherd men hurriedly gathered up some spades
and hatchets and came running to Gomatila. Digging where Sri Rupa indicated they
saw, after removing a small amount of earth, the all enchanting form of Sri
Govinda. They all erupted in shouts of ecstasy, "Hari! Hari! Sri Govinda has
again manifested Himself." Sri Rupa with tears flowing from his eyes fell down
at the lotus feet of Sri Govinda deva to offer his obeisances, all the while
reciting prayers and hymns. Very quickly the news spread and the other Gosvamis,
floating in an ocean of joy, came there also. Soon an incessant flow of people
from all quarters began to arrive, carried by waves of joy. Lord Brahma and the
other demigods, having assumed mortal appearances, mixed in with the other
people and gazed upon the body of Sri Govinda. There was not a lull in the crowd
for even a moment as people continued to pour in from places unknown. Sri Rupa
Gosvami immediately sent word to Mahaprabhu in Puri concerning this auspicious
event. Sri Gaurasundara along with His associates couldn't contain their ecstasy
on receiving this happy news. Meanwhile the brahmanas performed the abhiseka of
the Deity and began to prepare offerings of bhoga from the milk, yogurt, rice,
flour and vegetables which the villagers were bringing. Mahaprabhu sent Kasisvar
Pandit from Puri to assist in worshiping the Deity.
Sri Govinda Deva is presently being worshiped in Jaipur, Rajasthan, which is
easily reached by bus from Vrindavana. One has to proceed by rickshaw to Sri Sri
Radha-Govinda Mandir from the bus stand. Overjoyed that Sri Govindaji and Madan
Mohan had re-appeared and thus the responsibilities which Mahaprabhu had given
them were gradually being carried out, Sri Rupa and Sanatan began to compose the
Bhakti-sastras, in compliance with Mahaprabhu's further instructions. After
completing Vidagdha - madhava, Lalita-madhava, and various other books, Sri Rupa
began to work on Bhakti - rasamrta - sindhu. One day Sri Vallabhacarya (of the
Visnuswami sampradaya) came to visit Rupa Gosvami. After offering him a seat the
two of them began to discuss Krsna-katha. In the house of their conversation,
Sri Rupa presented the opening verse of Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu to Vallabhacarya
to read. After studying this verse for some time Vallabha commented that there
were a few mistakes. At this time Sri Jiva, who had arrived from Bengal a few
days before, was fanning his uncle Sri Rupa. He was extremely learned in all the
sastras and was unsatisfied with Vallabha's remark. When Vallabhacarya went to
the Jamuna to take his bath, Sri Jiva also came there on the pretext of fetching
some water. He inquired from the acarya as to what actually were the mistakes in
that verse. Vallabhacarya, after discussing some points with him, was amazed at
the boy's scholarship. After a few days Vallabha again came to Sri Rupa. After
inquiring about the boy scholar, he greatly praised his learning. After Vallabha
had gone to his residence, Sri Rupa Dalled Jiva and spoke to him, "Those whom we
respect as our Guru and to whom we offer our obeisances you are ready to debate
with on an equal level. This is not at all polite. What he spoke was for my
benefit but you couldn't tolerate that. You should return home and when you can
control your 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 to proceed
eastwards. When he came to an old dilapidated temple at Nanda-ghat, he sat down
and began to cry. Soon the villagers began to worry: "Such a handsome young man,
but he sits there crying for so long without taking food." After a while, Sri
Sanatana Gosvami came by and the villagers informed Sanatana of the boy's
presence at the old temple.
Sanatana went there and saw his nephew, who looked very pale from not eating.
Sanatana picked him up from the ground and affectionately asked him what was the
matter. Sri Jiva explained everything that had happened. Sanatana Gosvami
pacified him and, taking his nephew with him, went to see his brother. At first
Sanatana spoke with Rupa alone. When Sri Rupa happened to mention Jiva, Sanatana
explained everything. Sri Rupa immediately called Jiva. Seeing his forlorn and
pale appearance, he gradually nursed him back to health and a happy state of
mind.
Then he entrusted him with proof reading and various litratures which he had
composed. Just as he was very strict with his young nephew, so also he was very
affectionate and loving. Their relationship was an ideal example of how the guru
and sisya behave together. When Sri Rupa had finished writing Lalita-madhava, he
gave it to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami to read. Lalita-madhava is a description of
Krsna's pastimes after he left Vrindavana and is thus full with sentiments in
the mood of separation. By reading this book Dasa Gosvami began to cry day and
night, having become completely absorbed in love in separation to the point of
being ready to leave his body. [B.R.5.768] He became as though deranged in mind
from sadness, and he compeletely lost all patience. When Sri Rupa requested Sri
Dasa Goswami to return the manuscript so that he could correct it, Raghunatha
dasa held on to it very tightly, not saying anything, refusing to part with it.
After considering what to do, Sri Rupa composed Dana-keli-kaumudi. He managed
to exhange this manuscript with Lalita-madhava.
By reading Dana-keli-kaumudi, full of narrations of Krsna's Vrindavana pastimes,
Raghunatha dasa Goswami now became totally absorbed in the ecstacy of happiness.
On another occasion the Goswamis were having a discussion about the ecstatic
feelings of separation of Radha-Krsna and Their associates. Some of the
Vaisnavas were fainting to the ground, while Sri Rupa Goswami began to breath
very heavily. His heart felt as though it was burning. At one point as he sighed
his breath happened to fall on the body of one devotee present there.
Shortly thereafter a boil developed on that devotee's body where Sri Rupa's
breath had touched it. [B.R. 5.1326] After the re-appearance of Sri Govinda,
Madana Mohana and the Yoga Pith, Sri Rupa began to contemplate where Vrindadevi
might be. One night she came to him in a dream and said, "I am on the banks of
Brahma-kunda. You can have my darsan there." The next morning, after finishing
his bath and puja, he came to Brahma-kunda and began to look everywhere.
Suddenly he saw a heavenly damsel whose bodily effulgence defeated the luster of
gold. All the directions were illuminated by this glow and the atmosphere
created by her presence was very sweet and cooling. Sri Rupa offered his
dandavats and various prayers and hymns. In this way, Vrindadevi reappeared in
Vrajabhumi. Sri Gaurasundara established the glories of Sri Vrajadhama through
His two generals Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatan Goswamis. Within their hearts He
awakened, through oral transmission, the knowledge of what was in His own heart.
"Sri Rupa Goswami has established in this world the mission to fullfill the
desire of Lord Caitanya. When will he give me the shelter at his lotus feet?" [Srila
Narottama dasa Thakura in his Sri Rupa Pranama]. Sri Rupa Goswami completed many
literatures, among them: Sri Hamsaduta Kavya, Sri Uddhava-sandesh, Sri
Krsna-janma-tithi-vidhi, Brhat Radha-Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, Laghu
Radha-Krsnaªganoddesa-dipika, Stavamala, Vidagha-madhava, Lalita-madhava, Dana-keli-kaumudi,
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Prayuktakhyata-manjari, Mathura-mahima,
Padyavali, Nataka candrika, Laghu-Bhagavatamrta, among others.
.
Birth: 1493 (Christian calendar), 1415 (Sakabda) Disapearance: 1564 (Christian
calendar), 1486 (Sakabda) Appearance day? Disappearance day: 12th day of the
bright fortnight of Sravan.
Householder life: 22 yrs. Braja: 51 yrs. Age: 73
Note:: Special thanks to Jaya Tirtha Caran prabhu from NZ for allowing us to use some of the content from his site to compile these pages - http://www.hknet.org.nz
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