Srila Jiva Goswami Samadhi

According to the records of his last will and testament, Srila ]iva Goswami entered samadhi in the year 1608, at the Radha Damodara Mandira in Vrindavana, where his sacred body was entombed. According to the Gaura-ganaddesha-dipika, he was Vilasa-manjari in Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes. ]iva Goswami was the youngest of the Six Goswamis having been born in 1513, and was also the nephew of the brothers Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis, being the son of their younger brother Shri Vallabha, also known as Anupama, who died just after ]iva’s birth. With his father already dead, the sudden demise of his mother prompted ]iva to renounce the world and in 1535, he arrived in Vrindavana to join his two uncles in propagating the message of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, whom he had met in his childhood. Having been personally advised by Lord Nityananda, ]iva had studied Vedanta philosophy and Sanskrit grammar under the renowned scholar Madhusudana Vachaspati in Benares (Varanasi), and ]iva’s reputation as a brilliant student and protigi had been growing by the day. On arrival in Vrindavana, he took
shelter under Rupa Goswami, who accepted him as his disciple and trained him in all the finer points of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. With the help of both Rupa and Sanatana, ]iva soon became known as the greatest Vedic philosopher in Indian history. He is simultaneously credited to have been the foremost Sanskrit scholar that has ever lived. He was also the most prolific writer amongst the Gaudiya Goswamis ofVrindavana, having produced over twenty five important books including the celebrated Sat Sandharba and Gopala-champu; he also composed his own Sanskrit grammar known as Harenama-vyakarana. Even today, there is a department dedicated to the study of ]iva Goswami’s works at the Benares Hindu University.
Shrila ]iva Goswami was such a brilliant scholar that it was difficult for him to restrain
his youthful enthusiasm when confronted by those who wanted to present themselves as very learned scholars. On one occasion, he was actually banished from Vrindavana by his spiritual master Rupa Goswami, when he audaciously took to task the famous scholar Vallabha Bhatta, after hearing what he thought was the Bhatta’s unwarranted critique of Rupa’s perfect invocation to Bhakti-rasamrita-sindh (Nectar of Devotion). The most humble Rupa was so embarrassed by his nephews direct challenge and grammatical demolition of the senior Bhatta, he asked him to leave his association until he could develop what Rupa considered to be ‘proper Vaishnava humility’.
On another occasion some years later, a famous all-conquering (digvijayi) scholar from
Kashmir arrived in Vrindavana wanting to debate the highly renowned Gaudiya Goswamis.Having traveled the length and breadth of India defeating everyone, his ambition was to cover himself in glory as India’s greatest living scholar by defeating Rupa and Sanatana, the famous Goswamis of Vrindavana. The digvijayi pandita began pestering both Rupa and Sanatana to engage in a debate, but the Goswamis had no time for such trivialities, as they were fully occupied with their own writings. Ultimately, just to get rid of the digvijayi, they agreed to sign a patra (affidavit) signifying their defeat at the hands of the pandita, if that would satisfy him and he would stop pestering them and go away. Having got the victory patras from both Rupa and Sanatana, the Kashmiri panditas attention then fell on Jiva, who everyone said was an even greater scholar than his two uncles. Puffed-up by his own false prestige and his cheap successes over the two Goswamis, he approachedjiva to challenge him in a debate. When Jiva saw the two
patras signed by his uncles, he became filled with indignation after realizing the circumstances surrounding his uncles so-called defeat by this worthless Kashmiri pandita. jiva Goswami immediately engaged in a furious debate with the digvijayi that is said to have lasted a full seven days, culminating in the utter defeat and humiliation of the so-called digvijaya pandita. Jiva immediately took back the patras signed by his uncles and destroyed them while the so-called digvijayi pandita beat a hasty retreat from Vrindavana, never to be seen again.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in His youth, had also confronted a famous digvijaya
pandita from Kashmir named Keshava, and soundly defeated him by His superior knowledge of Sanskrit grammar. In those days, Mahaprabhu was a renowned scholar in His own right and was known locally as Nimai Pandita. The brahmana pandita’s from Navadwipa were famous for their learning, especially in the various branches of Sanskrit grammar or vyakarana, like Panini,Kalapa, and Kaumudi. Nimai Pandita was a teacher of kalapa-vyakarana. The brahmana pandita’s from Kashmir were undoubtedly superior to most other pandita’s in India at that time, due to their vast knowledge of the Vedas, and they traveled widely defeating all those who came before them. The word ‘digvijayi’ means ‘one who is victorious in all directions’. According to the Puranas, Kashmir is a part of bhauma-svarga, or the ‘heavenly realm’ situated on the earthly plain,
and is considered to be the original birthplace of all brahmanas.
Jiva Goswami’s fame as the greatest scholar spread so far and wide that even the Mughal
Emperor Akbar desired to meet him. In 1570, Raja Man Singh the king of jaipura, himself a disciple of Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, brought Akbar to meet Jiva at the Radha Damodara Mandira in Vrindavana, and the Emperor was so impressed with Jiva Gosvami, that he provided funds to build a small library where the works of jiva and the other Goswamis could be safely kept. Emperor Akbar, who was a pious and devoted follower of Sufism, also granted permission for Raja Man Singh to begin construction on a number of large temples including Madanamohana, Govindaji, and Gopinathaji. Akbar also agreed to donate high quality red sandstone for the construction of the Goswami temples that was till then, reserved only for use on Mughal forts and palaces.

LIFE OF JIVA GOSWAMI
Introduction
Appearing as the nephew of Sri Rupa and SanatanaGosvamis, Sri JivaGosvami displayed all the charming features of a mahapurusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body.
In his boyhood he made a Deity of Krishna-Balarama. Expressing his pure devotion, he would often cry while worshiping Them. After offering clothes, candana, flowers, ornaments, and tasty sweets to Krishna-Balarama he would take some and give maha-prasadam to his playmates. From the beginning Jiva showed his kindness to other jivas (living entities). Jiva was so much attached to Krishna-Balarama that at bedtime he would embrace his Deities and fall asleep. His parents thought he was only playing. But the villagers rejoiced to see Jiva’s love for Krishna-Balarama.
In school he quickly mastered Sanskrit grammar, poetry, logic, philosophy. SrimadBhagavatam gave life to his life. Krishna-katha filled him with happiness. No one dared to speak to him about anything but Krishna. He toured Navadvipa-dhama with Sri NityanandaPrabhu, studied Sanskrit in Benares, and then resided in Vrndavana. After humbly serving
Jiva Goswami with rupa goswami
Sri RupaGosvami by washing his feet, preparing his manuscripts, and editing his books he received diksa.
Once the aging Vaisnava, Vallabhacarya, gave critical advice to Sri RupaGosvami on his writing. Although much younger than the venerable Vallabha, Sri Jiva brazenly spoke in defense of his guru. Sri RupaGosvami scolded Sri Jiva telling him to leave Vrndavana. Living in an abandoned crocodile hole in Nanda Ghat (45 minutes from Sri Rupa’sbhajanakutir), Sri JivaGosvami began fasting. He subsisted on wheat flour, which he begged, mixed with Yamuna water. Seeing his strict self-denial, SanatanaGosvami brought him back to the service of Sri RupaGosvami.
Srila Prabhupada once commented on this “guru-disciple pastime.” “Sri RupaGosvami cast out JivaGosvami to teach us, the devotees of today, a lesson. It was not done to teach or punish Sri JivaGosvami, who is a perfectly liberated, eternal associate of Lord Krishna. RupaGosvami sent JivaGosvami out of Vrndavana to teach all jivas what he wrote in Upadesamrta: vacovegammansahkrodahvegam, jihvavegam… At all times, a devotee should control his tongue, his speech, and always remain humble, trnadapisunicena.”
His position as acharya
After the disappearance of Sri Rupa and Sri SanatanaGosvamis, Sri JivaGosvami became the GaudiyaSampradayacarya to guide all Vaisnavas in Navadvipa, Vrndavana, JagannathaPuri. Although he was the undisputed leader, he always acted as a humble servant of all the jivas. Whenever Bengali Vaisnavas visited Vrndavana he would lovingly receive them, arrange for prasadam and comfortable rooms, an even guide them on Vraja mandala parikrama.
A superexcellent Sanskrit scholar, Sri JivaGosvami would compose Sanskrit verses in his mind and write them down without changing anything. Write them down means he used a metal stylus to permanently etch them in palm leaves. This inscription method left no room for erasing, editing, rewriting, or running a spell-check. Yet, each verse was a priceless gem of perfect meter, rhythm, poetry, and meaning. He was the greatest philosopher in all of Indian history. Contemporary Sankritists call him the greatest scholar who ever lived.
As a writer
Sri JivaGosvami was the youngest but most prolific writer among the Gosvamis. He wrote an astounding half million Sanskrit verses (about 25 books). His books prove that Sri Caitanya’s philosophy gives the essence of Vedic wisdom and the perfection of religion. GopalaCampu, Sat Sandarbhas, and HariNama-vyakarana are three of his most famous works. The Sandarbhas firmly establish the transcendental truths of SrimadBhagavatam. They also confirm that Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth (svayambhagavan), the cause of everything and the source of all avataras. Anyone who faithfully reads these books will become a devotee of Krishna.
SatyanarayanaDasa, a GaudiyaVaisnavaSanskrit scholar who is presently translating the Sandarbhas into English for ISKCON BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) gives this explanation of JivaGosvami’s name: “Actually, Sri JivaGosvami’s name jiva is very interesting when considered in light of the Bhagavata verse: ahastanisahastanamapadanicatuspadam…jivojivasyajivanam, “Animals without hands are food for those with hands, those without feet are food for the four-legged…everywhere one jiva (living entity) is food for another.” Another meaning of jiva is, “one who gives life to others.” So the spiritual knowledge given by JivaGosvami in his twenty-five books gives life to all the devotees.
“Another name of Jiva is jivakah, “one who makes the jivas (living beings) emit ecstatic sounds.” Sri JivaGosvami did this by supplying the esoteric meaning of the SrimadBhagavatam through his Bhagavatacommentaries and the Sat Sandarbhas. One who expands the nature of the jiva, his relationship with the Lord, the process to achieve the goal, and the ultimate purpose of life is jivakah or jiva.”
The following quote comes from Sri JivaGosvami’snectareanGopalaCampu, which describes the playful Vrndavana pastimes of RadhaDamodara. “From Govardhana Hill a large form of Govardhana manifested. All the Vrajavasis along with Krishna Himself then offered obeisances to that towering form. As Sri Krishna stood by with folded hands, that great personality Govardhana bellowed, ‘I shall eat all your offerings.’ He ate and drank water by emptying all the kundas around the hill. While eating all the preparations made by the Vrajavasis with his right hand, he snapped the fingers on his left hand. The cowherd men ran out of the way when Govardhana stretched out His hands to take more and called out, Aniyor! Aniyor! Aniyor! ‘bring more, bring more, bring more.’ “ At the request of AcaryaraniJahnava Devi Thakurani, Sri JivaGosvami had SrinivasaAcarya, NarottamaDasaThakura, SyamanandaPrabhu take the Gosvami’s writings from Vrndavana to Bengal. They translated them into Bengali and distributed them throughout Bengal and Orissa. They also preached extensively and initiated hundreds of devotees. In 1542, Sri JivaGosvami established the worship Sri-Sri Radha-Damodara in SevaKunja, Vrndavana. His samadhi stands in the temple compound. Sri JivaGosvami is Vilasa-manjari in Radha-Damodara’snityaVrndavanalila

Sri JivaGosvami’s Samadhi Pitha
Within the compound of the RadhaDamodara temple in SevaKunja, Vrndavana are the samadhis of
Sri RupaGosvami,
Sri JivaGosvami,
and RadhaDamodara’spujari
Sri BhaktisiddhantaSarasvatiThakura. However, some claim that the samadhi of Krishna Dasabrahmacariactually belongs to Krishna DasaKaviraja. In either case, we worship both because these devotees were full of Radha-Krishna prema, and they were expert in distributing love of Godhead to the conditioned souls.
King Birhambhir, a leader of dacoits (thieves) and the powerful Malla king of VanaVishnupura (Bengal), stole the trunk of books that Srinivasa, Syamananda, and NarottamaDasa were bringing to Bengal. King Birhambhir thought the trunk was full of valuable jewels. Indeed, it was filled with the priceless gems of the Gosvamisgranthas (scriptures), which were destined for distribution in Bengal and Orissa. King Birhambhir eventually surrendered the sastras and took initiation from SrinivasaAcarya. He dedicated himself and his entire kingdom, which he renamed as Vishnupura, to the service of the Vaisnavas. Because of his lavish patronage GaudiyaVaisnava art, culture, and religion flourished without interference in Vishnupura. His pushpasamadhi is located near Sri JivaGosvami’s.
STORY
Behind RadhaMadana-Mohanatemple, and off the parikramamarga is a place called JavatriKunja. An old Surya temple graces that kunja. Bhakta-mala says that Radhika and the gopis would come here and pluck java (red) flowers for worshiping Surya-deva and Yamuna-devi. KishoraDasa baba, a scholar of Vrndavana, purchased this area and built a bhajanakutir here. Once at midnight while chanting japa, he saw a tall older man dressed in babaji cloth carrying a stick and a clay water pot. He was chanting very attentively and emitting a brilliant effulgence. After paying obeisances, KishoraDasa asked, “Could you be SanatanaGosvamipada?” The Babaji just smiled, said “Haribol,” and disappeared. To this day, KishoraDasa feels that he definitely saw Sri SanatanaGosvami.
Radha-Damodara’smaha-prasadam and offer it to Sri RupaGosvami in his samadhi. On the tirobhava of Sri JivaGosvami, follow the same procedure, but take Sri RupaGosvami’s remnants and give them as maha-maha-prasadam to Sri JivaGosvami in his samadhi.
A tirobhavamahotsava consists of extra pujas in the samadhi, abhiseka, kirtans, new dresses, reading of praises, singing sucaks, and a bhoga offering. The standard tirobhava offering is malpua, “a cake with rasa.” Malpua somewhat resembles a pancake fried in ghee and soaked in sugar water. Served with yogurt and subji, malpua is a Vraja area tradition. In olden days, malpua was the standard samadhi offering for a tirobhavamahotsava. But today, thrifty temples have substituted the cheap dry laddhu for the more costly, mouth-watering malpua.

Sri Jiva Gosvami Sucaka Kirtana
sri-jiva gosai mora, prema ratna-sagara
ohe prabhu krpa kara more.
mui ta pamara jane, baça sadha kari mane
tuya guna gaibara tare.
sri rupa sri-sanatana, anupama sumadhyama,
rama pade drçha yanra mati.
tanhara tanaya jiva, sarva-sastre su-pançita,
prakasila sri-rupa saëhati.
vairagya janmila mane, rajya chaçi sei ksane
calila sri nava-dvipa-puri
prabhu nityananda dekhi, chala chala kare ankhi
paçila carana-yuge dhari.
mastake carana diya, dui bahu pasariya,
uåhaiya karilena kole.
preme gada gada haiya, dainya-bhava prakasiya,
kandite kandite kichu bale.
prabhu nityananda nama, jagatare paritrana
saba jive ananda karila.
mo hena patita jane, krpa kaila nija gune
brahmara durllabha dhana dila.
mahaprabhu tomara gane, diyachena datta bhume,
sighra tumi yaho vrndavana.
sri mukhera ajna paiya, ananda haiya hiya,
vraja-pure karila gamana.
krishna-nama sada mukhe, netra-jala bahe buke
ei rupe pathe cali yaya.
prabhu rupa sanatana, kare paba darsana,
prana mora rakha mahasaya.
kabhu karu jala pana, kabhu cana carvana,
kata-dine mathura paila.
dekhi sobha madhu-puri, preme paçi ghuri ghuri,
dhire dhire visranti aila more.
yamunate kaila snana, kari kicchu jala pana,
sei ratre tanha kaila vasa.
prate aila vrndavane, dekhi rupa sanatane
prabhu saba puraila asa.
sri gopala-campu nama, grantha kaila anupama,
vraja-nitya-lila rasa pura.
saå-sandarbha adi kari, yahate siddhanta bhari,
paçi suni bhakta haila sura.
ujjvala premera tanu, rase nirmila janu,
bhava alankrta saba anga.
paçite sri-bhagavate, dhairaya na dhare citta,
satvike vyapita saba anga.
yugala bhajana sara, vilasai sada yanra,
vrndavana-vihara-sadai.
goloka sampuåa kari, tahate se prema dhari,
samvarana karila gosai.
mui ati muçamati, toma vinu nahi gati,
sri jiva jivana prana-dhana.
bahu janma punya kari, durllabha janama dhari,
paiyachi sri-jiva carana.
sri-jiva karuna-sindhu, sparsi tara eka bindu,
prema-ratna pabara lagiyaa
kahe raghunatha dasa, tuya anugata asa
rakha more pada chaya diya.
Sri Jiva Gosvami Sucaka (translation)
(1) Sri Jiva Gosvami is an ocean full of the jewels of Krishna prema. O Prabhu, please give me your mercy.
(2) I am the most fallen, but I want to sing your glories. This will keep me out of Maya’s clutches.
(3, 4) O, Srila Jiva Gosvami you are the son of Anupama, who is very devoted to Lord Rama. Anupama is the younger brother of Sri Sanatana and Sri Rupa Gosvamis. O Jiva you know all scriptures and you have revealed the inner meaning of Sri Rupa Gosvami’s writings.
(5) With your mind filled with detachment you immeditately renounced everything and went to Navadvipa-dhama.
(6) Upon seeing Lord Nityananda you fell down at His lotus feet and cried.
(7) Lord Nityananda put His lotus feet on your head. Then He lifted you up and embraced you.
(8) Overwhelmed with Krishna prema, your body shook and displayed other symptoms of ecstasy. In that condition you spoke the following:
(9) “The name of Nityananda Prabhu will deliver the entire universe and give bliss to all living entities.
(10) “You have given Your mercy and Your own qualities to this fallen one. Such mercy is so rare that even Lord Brahma doesn’t receive it.”
(11) Lord Nityananda replied: “Sriman Mahaprabhu has given a special land to your family. So immeditately go to that land of Vrndavana.”
(12) Overjoyed by hearing Lord Nityananda’s words, you went to Vrndavana.
(13) While walking to Vrndavana you constantly chanted Hare Krishna and cried profusely.
(14) Continuously you called out, “O Rupa! O Sanatana! When will I see you? Please keep me alive until then.”
(15) Some days you drank only water or ate a few chickpeas. But eventually you arrived in Mathura.
(16) You lovingly gazed upon Mathura and slowly walked to Visrama Ghat.
(17) You bathed in Yamuna, drank her pure water, and slept on her sands.
(18) The next day you went to Vrndavana. Upon seeing Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis all your desires were fulfilled.
(19) You wrote Sri Gopala-campu, which fully describes the nectarean pastimes of Vraja.
(20) The Sat Sandarbhas and your many other books give full explanation of the Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy. Anyone who reads or hears these books will become a devotee of Krishna.
(21) Your body is always adorned with all sattvika bhavas, symptoms of ecstatic love for Radha-Damodara.
(22) Your body radiates spiritual happiness and your mind loses its equilibrium when you recite the Srimad Bhagavatam.
(23) You always worship the Divine Couple and serve Their transcendental conjugal pastimes within the groves of Vrndavana.
(24) You always meditate on Goloka and the loving pastimes of Radha-Damodara.
(25) O Sri Jiva Prabhu, this foolish rascal can’t survive without your mercy which sustains my very life.
(26) After many births of accumulating pious acts I have taken this rare birth wherein I’ve attained the service of the lotus feet of Sri Jiva.
(27) By touching a drop from Sri Jiva’s ocean of mercy I have attained the jewel of prema, pure love for Radha-Krishna.
(28) Raghunatha Dasa calls out, “O Sri Jiva Gosai, my only desire is to become your follower. Please protect me and give me the shade of your lotus feet.”