Biography of Jiva Gosvami
Some people disagree with the practice of calling all these exalted Vaiṣṇavas as ‘Prabhu.’ They argue that only Śrīman Nityānanda and Śrīmad Advaita are worthy of being addressed as “Prabhu”.
While this is true, it does not mean that it is wrong with those who honour Vaiṣṇava ācāryas and Bhajanānandī Vaiṣṇavas as ‘Prabhu.’ They respect the Guru, Kṛṣṇa, and Vaiṣṇava equally. They have the understanding that all these three are the same from the aspect of qualities. Within some Acarya families, titles like ‘Prabhu,’ ‘Ṭhākura,’ ‘Gosvāmi,’ etc. which are not śāstrika, are only addressed by the devotees. These matters should be discussed in a mālya-candana-sabhā (a gathering where everyone is expected to receive a garland and sandalwood pulp) and not elsewhere.
True devotees avoid such debates. But the self-centred, arrogant, and vain individuals create these divisions. As a result, they often fall due to their disrespect towards Bhakti. The Vaiṣṇava is our guru. Where there is devotion, there are Prabhus. The customs observed within these families are not a part of the Bhakti-tattva. For instance, it’s been said that only Acyutānanda, the son of Śrī Śrī Sītānātha (Advaita), can be titled ‘Gosvāmī’ because Sītānātha rejected his other sons for being hostile to Gaura. Another individual once stated that anyone not belonging to the direct lineage of Śrī Śrī Vīracandra Prabhu could not be considered a descendant of Nityānanda and that the Gosvāmīs of Khaḍadaha should not be addressed as ‘Prabhu. I have also heard that the Gosvāmīs of Bāghnapaḍa should not be called Prabhu, as they are merely disciples of Jāhnavī Mātā.
We have no interest in hearing such justifications. We honour all Vaiṣṇavas as manifestations of Kṛṣṇa. I must show respect to the Acharya-vaṁśas. However, if they are hostile to Kṛṣṇa or show a desire to convert to another religion, I cannot respect them solely on the basis of their lineage. Is it one’s duty to treat an individual as a Brahmin who is a descendant of the Bandopadhyay family but accepted Christianity? Those who are in the seminal lineage of our revered Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu are our gurus. And those who belong to the disciplic lineage, are also our gurus. Some may be Mantra-gurus, while others are Śikṣā-gurus.
A Vaiṣṇava’s heart swells with joy as soon as the name of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī is heard. He was born in Bākulā-Candradvīpa, within the Bharadvāja gotra. He belonged to the lineage of Sarvajña Jagad-Guru, known as the most precious jewel of the Brahmana dynasty and the symbol of enlightenment in his family. Kumāradeva had many children. Among them Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana, and Vallabha – these three figures are the very life of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. Śri Jīva Gosvāmī was the only son of Vallabha.
From a young age, Jīva Gosvāmī was attracted to the path of Vaiṣṇava dharma. He was living in the village of Rāmakeli. When Mahāprabhu Caitanyadeva visited Rāmakeli to meet Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana, Jīva Gosvāmī was a child. He secretly had the darśana of the Lord’s feet. This detail is found in the text of Bhakti-ratnākara. His father, together with Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, met the Lord in Prayag. Upon his return to the bank of Ganga, Vallabha died. During that period, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī was in Candradvīpa.
After the disappearance of Mahaprabhu, an intense mood of renunciation arose in Sri Jiva’s mind. He did not marry. At a very young age, he gained expertise in various fields such as Vyākaraṇa (grammar), Sāhitya (literature), Ālaṅkāra (rhetoric), etc. He came to Śrī Navadvīpa to study philosophical texts. There, Prabhu Nityānanda showed him His special mercy and advised him to go to Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma. Without any delay Jīva Gosvāmī journeyed to Vṛndāvana.
Upon finishing his study, Jīva reached Mathurā-maṇḍala. There he took shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana. Jīva Gosvāmī immersed himself in the study of all the Bhakti-Śāstra under Rūpa’s guidance. Within a few days, Jīva Gosvāmī was recognized as the sole Acarya of the Gauḍīya sampradāya. Since then, Jīva Gosvāmī never left Vṛndāvana-dhāma. During this extended period, Jīva Gosvāmī authored twenty-five books.
1) Hari-nāmāmṛta Vyākaraṇa
2) Sūtra-mālā
3) Dhātu Saṅgraha
4) Kṛṣṇārcana Dīpikā
5) Gopāla Virudāvalī
6) Rasāmṛta-śeṣa
7) Śrī Mādhava Mahotsava
8) Saṅkalpa Kalpavṛkṣa
9) Bhāvārtha-sūcaka Campu
10) A commentary on the Gopāla Tāpanī
11) A commentary on the Brahma-saṁhitā
12) A commentary on the Rasāmṛta
13) A commentary on the Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi
14) A commentary on the Yoga-sārantara
15) Gāyatrī Bhāṣya
16) Kṛṣna-pada-cihna
17) Rādhikā Kara-pada-cihna
18) Śrī Gopāla Campu
19) A commentary on the Bhāgavata called Krama-Sandarbha
20) Tattva Sandarbha
21) Bhagavat Sandarbha
22) Bhakti Sandarbha
23) Paramātma Sandarbha
24) Kṛṣna Sandarabha
25) Prīti Sandarabha
In several of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī’s writings, the years are mentioned. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī authored the Vaiṣṇava-Toṣaṇī in the year 1476 Śakābda (1553 CE). At the request of Śrī Sanātana, Śrī Jīva condensed this book into a shorter version in 1504 Śakābda (1581 CE). Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī lived a long life, significantly contributing to the sacred dhāma for many years. Even Śrī Kṛṣṇa Dāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Narottama Ṭhākura Mahāśaya, and others paid visits to Śrī Jīva. They studied from him. The samādhi of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī is still present in Śrī Vṛndāvana.
In the realm of Vedānta philosophy, Śrī Jīva was unparalleled during his time. It is mentioned that Śrī Vallabha, the ācārya of the Viṣṇu Svāmī sampradāya, showed his book “Tattva Dīpa” to Śrī Jīva. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī raised numerous Vedāntic errors to demonstrate the flaws in the philosophy presented in the book. Vallabhācārya also revised his work based on Śrī Jīva’s advice. Here are some verses from “Tattva Dīpa” composed by Vallabhācārya:
“prapañco bhagavat-karyas tad rūpo māyayā’bhavat
tacchaktyā’vidyayā tasya jīva saṁsāra ucyate
saṁsārasya layo muktau prapañcasya na karhicit
kṛṣṇasyātma-ratau tvasya layaḥ sarva-sukhāvahaḥ”
(“The material world, made up of five elements, is a creation of Bhagavān, who creates it through Māyā. Through his avidyā, the jīva endures in saṁsāra. For those who achieve jīvan-mukti, saṁsāra dissolves, yet saṁsāra itself does not truly dissolve. The jīva dissolves into his own attraction towards Kṛṣna, which is all bliss.”)
Additionally:
“tad icchā mātra tasmād brahma bhūtāṁśa-cetanāḥ
srṣṭhādau nirgatāḥ sarve nirākārāntad icchayā
visphūliṅgā ivāgnesta sadaṁśe na jaḍā api
ānandāṁśa-svarūpeṇa sarvāntaryāmi-rūpinaḥ”
(“By the will of the Lord, those aṁśas that are conscious appeared from Him before the universe without any physical form. These aṁśas arise like sparks from a fire and are not inert. Within each of them, the Lord is present as the antaryāmi that holds ānanda.”)
Those Vaiṣṇavas who are well-versed in tattva have noticed the influence of Śrī Jīva in these verses. We hold the belief that Jīva Gosvāmī is a distinguished scholar in Vedānta and equal to Śrī Rāmānuja. Jīva’s Ṣaṭ Sandarbha is a unique gem among the philosophical texts. For those who properly studied the Ṣaṭ Sandarbha, no part of Vedānta remains unknown to them.
[This is an abridged version of the essay “Śrī Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu” of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol.2 issue 12 in 1885.]
