About Sanatana, Rupa and Jiva Goswami

by

Srila B. S. Govinda Maharaj

26-12-92
Jiva Goswami was broken hearted by this order of his Guru, he left and
went to the Yamuna, there he wanted to leave his body. He was living
under the trees and fasting, and anyhow he fainted and a devotee of
Mahaprabhu called Gopal, who was also a friend of Jiva Goswami came
by Jiva in this lamentable situation. This Gopal had some sakhya bhava
and some parakiya bhava, that is paramour love and conjugal love. That is
he had some attachment for conjugal life, that is vedic rules married life,
like the relationship of a husband. He liked that more than the paramour
mood, anyhow he was a friend of Jiva Goswami and Jiva had promised
him that he would show that Radha and Krsna are eternal conjugal lovers.
Although Jiva was leaving his body, he remembered his promise to his
friend Gopal and in seven days he composed the great book "Gopal
Champu".
Sanatana Goswami was unhappy to hear about Jiva Goswami heavy
chastisement by Sri Rupa and he went to see Rupa. Then Sanatana asked
Rupa could he tell him in a short way the gist of the teachings of
Mahaprabhu. Sri Rupa replied "jiveraya name ruci, vaisnava sevaya" and
"nirantai kara Krsna nam sankirtan" these are the teachings of
Mahaprabhu, in this way. "jive raya" means mercyfull to the conditioned
souls, and nama ruci and vaisnava seva, means chant Hare Krsna and do
vaisnava seva, this is the gist of Mahaprabhus teachings. The word
"jiveraya" means conditioned souls and also means Jiva Goswami.
Then Sanatana Goswami replied, but I have seen that Jiva, he is dying on
the bank of the Yamuna under a tree. This is not good, he is a young boy
and he was only fighting for the honour of his Guru, and I think that is
alright, why are you so strict with Jiva. Then he left. So Rupa Goswami
was feeling that Sri Sanatana was his guru and thinking that it was the
desire of Sanatana that he bring back Jiva Goswami. Rupa Goswami then
went to the bank of the Yamuna to find Jiva, upon seeing his gurudev Jiva
began to cry and Rupa Goswami embraced him and took him back and
they stayed happily together.
When anyone ever tried to teach Rupa Goswami something Jiva Goswami
could not tolerate it and many times he could not control himself in this
regard. Sri Jiva Prabhu saw Rupa Goswami as the topmost authority
regarding the teachings of Mahaprabhu, so Jiva could not tolearte it if
someone tried to teach something to his gurudev.
One day Jiva Goswami challenged Gopal Bhatta Goswami, this is what
happened. Rupa Goswami used Gopal Bhatta Goswamis name in the book
Hari Bhakti Vilasa, with the full consent of Gopal Bhatta. And Jiva
Goswami composed the "Satsandarva" from the compositions of Gopal
Bhatta Goswami. But one day while Rupa Goswami composed some
slokas, Gopal Bhatta listened happily, and commented that there was a
little sansrit fault in such a place and you may correct it like this. Rupa
Goswami was very humble and immediately he corrected that. Jiva
Goswami was also there but at some distance, and he left the bhajan kutir.
Then Gopal Bhatta Prabhu left and Jiva Goswami showed the waterpot to
Sri Rupa indicating that he was going to the Yamuna for some water, but
he was not. Actually he ran after Gopal Bhatta Goswami, he wanted to ask
Gopal Bhatta what he said about the poetry of Rupa, was it correct or not.
Gopal Bhatta asked Jiva his name and what was his interest in the poetry
of Rupa Goswami. Then Jiva Goswami replied that he was the servant of
Rupa Goswami. Jiva then said to Gopal Bhatta "you see, what Rupa has
written is correct, if you look at it this way" and then understanding, Gopal
Bhatta Boswami was very happy hearing the explanation of Sri Jiva. Bopal
Bhatta Goswami went back to Rupa Goswami and told him that what you
have first written you can keep that word like that, it is allright, I was
wrong. Your composition is perfect. Sri Rupa replied "alright, if it is your
desire I shall keep it like that."
When later Gopal Bhatta Goswami said to Rupa Goswami, I have seen a
young boy near to your bhajan, he met with me and we discussed this
particular composition and I think that he is a great pandig. Who is he, he
is very intelligent and he has corrected me, tell me about that boy." Then
Rupa explained that Jiva is his nephew and that he is trying to serve here,
but this is not good that he has tried to correct your grammar. But Gopal
Bhatta replied "what that boy told is correct, he is right, my conception
was wrong. So as you have first written that is correct, please keep it that
way."
Then Gopal Bhatta Goswami left and Jiva Goswami came in with the
water and Rupa said to him, "Oh, why are you doing this again and again,
it is not good actually. You are living in Vrndavana Dham so you must
always be humble. Jiva Goswami replied "Yes, Guru Maharaj, it is true,
but what will be right if anyone will say it is wrong, therefore it was
necessary to show him that what you had composed was perfect, that is all
I said to that vaishnava."
But Rupa Goswami said "It may be right or wrong, that doesn't matter, it
was the desire of the vaisnava that I change that word then I shall change
that word." Sri Rupa gave some explanations showing that he was not
happy with Jiva for doing this time and time again. But in his heart Rupa
had much affection for Jiva and he knew that in the future he would (jiva),
do much service for the sampradaya, because he knew expert sanskrit and
his conception of the philosophy of Mahaprabhu was very clear.
Now we can see all the wonderful books composed by Jiva Goswami, and
his "Satsandarbha" is the highest philosophical book in our sampradaya. In
this way Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami and Jiva Goswami were
living in Vrndavana along with the many other devotees of Mahaprabhu. A
friend of Mahaprabhus called Jagadananda wanted to go to Vrndavana and
Mahaprabhu told him that they were his guardians and that he need not go
anywhere else, but "because you are my friend Jagadananda Prabhu, they
will consider you higher than themselves, but please, you don't think like
that. They are actually living in a higher position then you, you please stay
with them and follow their instructions, and don't go to see the Gopal on
the hill of Govardhan, because that is Krsna Himself, so don't put your feet
on the hill of Goverdhan." That was His advice to His dear friend
Jagadananda Pandit.
Later when they finished their seva in Vrndavana they took samadhi. Rupa
Goswami took samadhi in Radha Damodar and Sanatana Goswamis
samadhi is near to Madan Manohar, and Jiva Goswami and others joined
in the mission of Mahaprabhu in Vrndavana and there were many devotees
at that time. The Goswamis of Vrndavana all had long lives even though
they only rested a little every night and they also ate very little and they
were all over eighty. We are taking medicine and they did not, their bodies
were also very strong, they did not have many garments and they did not
have shoes, we cannot imitate them.
Raghunath Das Goswami would only take one pot of Buttermilk a day
(250 gram) and Rupa and Sanatana would sometimes cook some chapatis
and they would keep them up to seven days and with a little rich and
spinach that was offered to them, they would offer that to Madan Mohan
and take that prasadam.
When I went to Vrndavana with Srila Guru Maharaj in 1947, I stayed with
Guru Maharaj in the Bhajan kutir of Sanatana Goswami. There are two
caves, and in one cave Krsna Das Babaji was living and the other cave
was vacant. Guru Maharaj stayed in that cave and inside there were two or
three rooms and other babajis also lived there, one whose name was
Dinatihar Prabhu and the other was a babaji disciple of Srila Saraswati
Thakur and there were one or two others. Anyhow they have shown me
how they did their "madhava kuri" and also how to perserve the roti.
One day they will do "madhava kuri" that is they go from door to door and
the people of Vrndavana will give them some rotis, and they will collect 15
or more rotis. Then they will eat two rotis in the morning and two in the
evening and the other rotis they keep in the open almira, cabinet. Because
the climate is so dry in Vrndavana the rotis also dry out and after fifteen
days to one month they become like hard biscuits. Then they wash the roti
with water and put into the buttermilk in the morning (2 rotis) then they
will take that at noon time and the roti will be soft. Then again two rotis in
the evening and in the morning they will take some boiled wheat with
some buttermilk and that is their breakfast. We also took like that but they
arranged roti and dal for Srila Guru Maharaj, I would collect that roti and
dal from the "chatra" the free distribution center and I would collect that at
noon time. Srila Guru Maharaj and Krsna Das Babaji Maharaj arranged
some festivals there at the bhajan kutir of Sanatana Goswami.