Srila Jiva Gosvami’s disappearance day 9th January 2019

Via Giriraj Swami

Today is Srila Jiva Gosvami’s disappearance day.

In his purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 10.85, Srila Prabhupada writes:

“In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (195) it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was formerly Vilasa-manjari gopi. 

From his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

He later came to Navadvipa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama.

After visiting Navadvipa-dhama he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana Vacaspati, and after finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vrndavana and took shelter of his uncles, Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana.

This is described in Bhakti-ratnakara.

As far as our information goes, Srila Jiva Gosvami composed and edited at least twenty-five books. 

They are all very celebrated, and they are listed as follows:

(1) Hari-namamrta-vyakarana,
(2) Sutra-malika,
(3) Dhatu-sangraha,
(4) Krsnarca-dipika,
(5) Gopala-virudavali,
(6) Rasamrta-sesa,
(7) Sri Madhava-mahotsava,
(8) Sri Sankalpa-kalpavrksa,
(9) Bhavartha-sucaka-campu,
(10) Gopala-tapani-tika,
(11) a commentary on the Brahma-samhita,
(12) a commentary on the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, (13) a commentary on the Ujjvala-nilamani,
(14) a commentary on the Yogasara-stava,
(15) a commentary on the Gayatri-mantra, as described in the Agni Purana,
(16) a description derived from the Padma Purana of the lotus feet of the Lord,
(17) a description of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani,
(18) Gopala-campu (in two parts), and
(19–25) seven sandharbhas: the Krama -, Tattva -, Bhagavat -, Paramatma -, Krsna -, Bhakti -, Priti -sandharba.

After the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami in Vrndavana, Srila Jiva Gosvami became the acarya of all the Vaisnavas in Bengal, Orissa, and rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them in devotional service.

In Vrndavana he established the Radha-Damodara temple, where, after retirement, we had the opportunity to live from 1962 until 1965, when we decided to come to the United States of America.

When Jiva Gosvami was still present, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compiled his famous Caitanya-caritamrta.

Later, Srila Jiva Gosvami inspired Srinivasa Acarya, Narottama dasa Thakura, and Duhkhi Krsnadasa to preach Krsna consciousness in Bengal.

Jiva Gosvami was informed that all the manuscripts that had been collected from Vrndavana and sent to Bengal for preaching purposes were plundered near Visnupura in Bengal, but later he received the information that the books had been recovered.

Sri Jiva Gosvami awarded the designation Kaviraja to Ramacandra Sena, a disciple of Srinivasa Acarya’s, and to Ramacandra’s younger brother Govinda.

While Jiva Gosvami was alive, Srimati Jahnavi-devi, the pleasure potency of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, went to Vrndavana with a few devotees.

Jiva Gosvami was very kind to the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the Vaisnavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vrndavana, he provided with a residence and prasada. His disciple Krsnadasa Adhikari listed all the books of the Gosvamis in his diary.”

You can read about Srila Jiva Gosvami in more detail on my website:

http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=13893

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami