Srila Jiva Goswami
“yah samkya pankena kutarka pamsuna
vivarta-gartena cha lupta didhitim
suddham vyadhat vak sudhaya mahesvaram
krsnam sa jivah prabhu rasta me gatih”
(Composed by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
Identity of Srila Jiva Goswami:-
In the Gaudiya Vaishnava world Srila Jiva Gosvami is called the Emperor of Vaishnava theology. Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatana and
Sri Vallabha (Anupam) were three brothers. Srila Jiva Goswami was the only son of Sri Anupam. Like Rupa and& Sanatana, Anupam Mallik was also a royal servant in the court of Hussain Shah.
Srila Jiva Goswami was a lifelong celibate. Sri Kavi Karnapura Goswami writes in his Gaura Ganoddesa Dipika that: in Sri Krishna’s lila, the one who is Vilasa manjari, now appeared as an associate branch of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Jiva Goswami. He appeared in 1455 CE. He manifested his pastimes for 85 years, of which 65 years in Vraja and 20 years at home for the purpose of study.
Getting darshan of Mahaprabhu and leaving home:-
Anupam’s son Sri Jiva lived with Rupa, Sanatana and Anupam in Gauda. He was the only son in the wealthy family. When Mahaprabhu visited Ramkeli, the then capital of Gauda, Sri Jiva met Him and got attracted to His lotus feet. At that time Mahaprabhu gave His feet dust at Sri Jiva’s head and appointed him as an Acharya of the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect. After the disappearance of his father, Anupam Sri Jiva became very impatient. The material world seemed to be very poisonous to him. He began to wonder when he would be able to leave this poisonous world and serve the Lord alone. Gradually the mood of renunciation increased in his mind. One evening, while weeping in separation from Mahaprabhu, he fell asleep. In dream he saw Mahaprabhu surrounded by His close associates. Immediately he left home and set out for Sridham Navadvipa.
Navadwvipa Parikrama and arrival at Vrindavan:-
Within a few days he arrived at Navbadwip. Meanwhile Nityananda Prabhu came Navadwvipa from Khardah and stayed at
Srivasa Angana. He was spending blissful time with the devotees. That day Nityananda Prabhu smiled and told Srivasa Pandita, “I think Sri Rupa & Sanatana’s nephew Sri Jiva will come today.” That is when a Vaishnava informed Sri Nityananda Prabhu about the arrival of Sri Jiva. Sri Jiva Goswami was standing at the door of Shrivasa’s house then. Nityananda Prabhu described the glory of Navadwvipa Dhama to Sri Jiva and took him to the house of Jagannatha Mishra. Devotees were sitting there chanting the glories of Mahaprabhu. Sri Jiva Goswami saw the old woman, Sachimata, sitting on the veranda with tears in her eyes. She was deeply thinking about Mahaprabhu. Nityananda Prabhu introduced him to Sachimata. Sachimata fed them. Nityananda Prabhu circumambulated the Dhama with Sri Jiva and then ordered him to go to Vrindavan.
Journey to Sridham Vrindavan:-
After performing Navadwip Dhama parikrama,Then Srila Jiva Goswami bowed down to Lord Nityananda Prabhu and set off towards Vrindavan. Before leaving for Vrindavan, he bowed down to all the Vaishnavas from Navadwip and received their blessings. In this way he bowed down to all the Vaishnavas from Navadwipa and accumulated the blessings of all. On his way to Sridham Vrindavan, he arrived toat Varanasi or Kashi.
There he learnedpractised Vedanta withto Shri Madhusudana Vachaspati (a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya).
Vraja vasa (residing at Vraja):-
Sri Jiva Goswami came to Vrindavan from Kashi. There he took shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami.
Under their exclusive guidance, he studied the entire Bhagavatam and Bhakti texts. He was permanently living in Vrindavan. Seeing the extraordinary erudition of Sri Jiva Goswami, both Sri Rupa and& Sanatana appointed him as the proof reader of their texts.
Acknowledgment as the Sovereign Acharya of Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya:-
After the disappearance of Sri Rupa and& Sanatana Goswami Prabhupada, the Vaishnavas of Sri Gauda Mandala, Sri Vraja Mandala and Sri Kshetra Mandala accepted him as the sovereign Sampradaya Acharya of Madhva Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He preached the doctrine of Shuddha Bhakti (unalloyed devotion) propagated by Sri Gaurasundara to everyone and inspiredinfluenced them to perform Hari Bhajana. Sometimes he circumambulated Sri Vraja Mandala with devotees and visited Sri Gopala Deva atin Sri Vallabha Bhatta’s son, Sri Bileswara’s’s house, in Mathura. After Akbar, the anti-Hindu and iconoclast Mughal emperors used to attack Vrindavan. Sri Jiva made a relationship with the Rajputs to protect the deities of Vrindavan from the Mughal invaders. He went to the Mughal court and brought the land deed of Vrindavan and Radha Kunda. He also managed many lands for temples. He gave the title of “Kaviraja” to Sri Ramachandra Sen and Govinda Sen. Both of them were the disciples of Srinivasa Acharya. During his presence, Sri Janhva Devi (consort of Lord Nityananda) arrived at Sri Vrindavan with some devotees. At that time he used to arrange the food and residences for devotees of Gauda.
Foundation of World Vaishnava Association (Visva Vaishnava Raja Sabha):-
After the disappearance of Mahaprabhu, Srila Jiva Goswami founded the World Vaishnava Association (Visva Vaishnava Raja Sabha) in 1545. He had multiple objectives as following:
1)to protect the philosophical doctrine of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
2)to propagate Achintya Bheda Abheda throughout the world,
3)to preach the glories of Sri Svarupa, Rupa and Sanatana,
4)to protect and defend Mahaprabhu’s philosophy through Sat Sandarbha etc.
All the Vaishnavas who consider themselves the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami, are the members of this assembly. The chief commanders of these Rupanuga Vaishnavas were Srimad Raghunatha Das Goswami and Srimad Jiva Goswami. Other members are
Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami, Kasishvara Goswami, Lokanatha Goswami, Bhugarbha Goswami,
Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami and so many exalted devotees.
Literary works:-
In Bhakti Ratnakara, 25 books of Srila Jiva Goswami are noted: 1. Hari Namamrta Vyakarana, 2. Sutra Malika, 3. Dhatu Sangraha, 4. Krishnarchana Dipika, 5. Gopala Virudavali, 6. Rasamritashesha, 7. Sri Madhava Mahotsava, 8. Sri Sankalpa Kalpa Druma, 9. Bhavartha Sucaka Dipika, 10. Commentary on Gopala Tapani, 11. Commentary on Brahma Samhita, 12. Commentary on Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, 13. Ujjvala Nilamani commentary, 14. Commentary on the Yogasara stava, 15. Sri Gayatri Commentary from Agni Purana, 16. Footprints of Lord Krishna from the Padma Purana, 17. Sri Radhika’s hand and feet signs, 18. Gopala Champu (First and Second part), 19. Krama Sandarbha, 20. Tattva Sandarbha, 21. Bhagavata Sandarbha, 22 Paramatma Sandarbha, 23 Krishna Sandarbha, 24. Bhakti Sandarbha, 25. Priti Sandarbha, 26. Sarva Samvadini etc.
Disappearance of Srila Jiva Goswami:-
Srila Jiva Gosvami appeared on Bhadra Shukla-dvadasi (12th day of bright fortnight) and disappeared on Paushi Shukla Tritiya Tithi (third day of bright fortnight). Srila Jiva Goswami’s worshippable deity Sri Radha Damodara Jiu is still being served in Vrindavan. The samadhi of Sri Jiva Goswami is next to the Sri Radha Damodara temple. His bhajana kutira is situated on the bank of Sri Radha Kunda (near Lalita Kunda).
