Jiva Gosvami (Conv and Letters)
Expressions researched:
"Jiva Gosvami"
|"Jiva Gosvami's"
|"Jiva Goswami"
|"Jiva Goswami's"
|"Jiva"
|"Jiva's"
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Sumati Morarjee: I know Jīva Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, or Rūpa, Sanātana.
Prabhupāda: Rūpa-Sanātana was minister, minister.
Sumati Morarjee: Ah, I know. And that you know, those other two also, what is their name? They were also very high up.
Prabhupāda: Rāmānanda Rāya?
Sumati Morarjee: Ah, Rāmānanda Rāya.
Prabhupāda: He was governor.
Sumati Morarjee: And Ācārya?
Prabhupāda: Yeah, Bhaṭṭa, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.
Śyāmasundara: Are those rooms you live in, were they formerly inhabited by the Gosvāmīs, Jīva or Rūpa Gosvāmī, those rooms you have now?
Prabhupāda: These rooms?
Śyāmasundara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: No.
Śyāmasundara: These came after that time.
Prabhupāda: This is..., rooms were existing, but they used to sit down here.
Devotee (1): Was Vṛndāvana mostly...?
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) In this place, all the six Gosvāmīs used to sit down and read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Śyāmasundara: ...tell us a little bit about the temple as we move?
Prabhupāda: Yes. This temple was constructed by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, one of the first disciples of Lord Caitanya, and this is Narottama Samādhi. Here is Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī entombed, and here is Rūpa Gosvāmī entombed. Later on, several other devotees, they are not entombed like them. Flowers from their body, they were placed. It is called Puṣpa Samādhi. But here, the original bodies.
Devotee (1): Did the Gosvāmīs drink from this well, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is... This well water is used for cooking, for... (break)
Devotee (1): And Jīva Gosvāmī and Rūpa, they drank from this well?
Prabhupāda: (Hindi with passers-by) This is the place for dining. The Gosvāmīs, they used to dine here, this room.
Devotee (1): Is this building four or five hundred years old? This very room?
Prabhupāda: Huh? Oh, yes!
Devotee (1): This is the original building?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Not less than four hundred and fifty years.
Prabhupāda: Rūpa Gosvāmī. So formerly they were living under trees. That I have already described in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Later on, when Jīva Gosvāmī constructed this temple, he is nephew and disciple, at that time Rūpa Gosvāmī also, he lived with his disciple. Actually, this temple belongs to Jīva Gosvāmī, and Rūpa Gosvāmī's temple is at...
Śyāmasundara: We saw it.
Prabhupāda: ...Govindajī.
Śyāmasundara: Yeah.
Prabhupāda: And Sanātana Gosvāmī's temple is at Madana-Mohana. But when Jīva Gosvāmī was here, naturally—they were elder uncle—so lived together, and because they, all of them lived here, so other Gosvāmīs, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, all of them used to meet here. And Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī used to live (indistinct), and all other Gosvāmīs used to be here. And this is explained, Rūpa Gosvāmī bhajana, that chant (indistinct).
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Professor: How many levels of initiation do you have?
Prabhupāda: Two.
Professor: Two. The first...
Prabhupāda: First initiation, experimental...
Professor: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Then, as he practices, becomes more purified, then second initiation. Gāyatrī. Gāyatrī-mantra. But the first initiation, according to Jīva Gosvāmī, that is sufficient. Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that is sufficient. But still, to purify them more, the second initiation, Gāyatrī, is given. So we are creating brāhmaṇas in the western countries. Yes.
Professor: Yes. I know. Don't you think it's against the dharma-śāstra?
Prabhupāda: No.
Professor: No. Tell me why?
Prabhupāda: Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There is nothing, such thing as janma.
Professor: ...is translating this Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. It is very voluminous.
Prabhupāda: Ṣaṭ-sandarbha.
Professor: Yaḥ.
Prabhupāda: Not yet.
Professor: No, no sense in this...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Jīva Gosvāmī.
Professor: Yes, also his books are very long.
Prabhupāda: I, I, I am doing alone.
Professor: Also Gopāla-campū.
Prabhupāda: Gopāla-campū, yes, not yet done.
Professor: No. That's what I have.
Professor: Where do you have these eight commentaries? Are they found in this edition or...?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Vīrarāghava Ācārya, Jīva Gosvāmī, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Here is the original text, type. It is in Bengali type. (break)
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have any specific reference for acintya in the Vedic reference?
Prabhupāda: Acintya, acintya, yes, acintya. Acintya potency, even you have got acintya potency. That I have already explained. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore there is pinch of acintya, inconceivable potency, in us also. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21).
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Do we have any specific reference?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Jīva Gosvāmī. Jīva Gosvāmī has stated that unless we accept acintya, inconceivable energy, there is no conception of God. There is no conception of God. If you bring God to your conception, he's not God.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Dr. Patel: But some of the absolutely ignorant people, they have become, but...
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. We don't say, we don't speak of "some." This is the, yes, there are many...
Dr. Patel: Extremely scholastic they have become afterwards. Even though they have not gone to the school.
Prabhupāda: Just like Jīva Gosvāmī. Jīva Gosvāmī, there is no comparison of learned scholarship with him throughout the whole world. He's such a jñānī. Even great, great paṇḍitas said that "There will be no more such learned philosopher, neither there was, like Jīva Gosvāmī." Yes. We are also referring to Jīva Gosvāmī.
Dr. Patel: I, I, I... I also refer. I want to read, I want to read his books.
Prabhupāda: So in our Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-sampradāya there are so many learned scholars. Just like my Guru Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: Gokula-taruṇī maṇḍala-mahite. Rādhe jaya jaya mādhava-dayite, gokula-taruṇī, all the maṇḍala-mahite. She is the most beautiful amongst all the young girls in Gokula. Rādhe jaya jaya mādhava... Rūpa Gosvāmī's praying,
- rādhe jaya jaya mādhava-dayite
- gokula-taruṇī maṇḍala-mahite
And Jīva Gosvāmī says, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api, deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau (CC Adi 1.5). Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself by His pleasure potency. That is Rādhārāṇī. Ekātmānāv api deha-bhedaṁ gatau.
Professor La Combe: What is the paramparā from Caitanya?
Prabhupāda: From Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Yes. The Six Gosvāmīs: Rūpa, Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, Dāsa Raghunātha. The Six Gosvāmīs. Then from the Gosvāmīs there is Śrīnivāsācārya. Then from him, I think, this Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, and then Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Then Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, then Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, then Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, then Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, then my Guru Mahārāja. Next we are. I am the tenth or eleventh, eleventh from Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Prabhupāda: After Mathurā. It is Vṛndāvana, Vṛndāvana. There is a shortcut. Formerly... The road is very old road, from Delhi to Vṛndāvana, taking a turn at the place known as Chattikara. So on that road we are constructing our temple.
Professor La Combe: Constructing now?
Prabhupāda: No, it is finished.
Professor La Combe: It is ancient? But you are...
Bhagavān: Do you have the photographs?
Yogeśvara: Some slides somewhere.
Professor La Combe: But that is an old shrine. It is not a new establishment.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, formerly I was staying. I have got my place there also, one of the oldest temples, Rādhā-Dāmodara temple. Rādhā-Dāmodara. This temple was established by Jīva Gosvāmī. There are seven important temples: Govindajī's temple, Madana-Mohana, Rādhā-Dāmodara, Rādhā-Ramaṇa, and Rādhā-Śyāmasundara.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Acyutānanda: That it says... They interpret kṛṣṇa-varṇam...
Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. That is foolishness. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam means kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati iti kṛṣṇa-varṇam. If it is kṛṣṇa-varṇa, then how it is again confirmed, tviṣā akṛṣṇa?
Acyutānanda: That is His effulgence.
Prabhupāda: That is his interpretation. Tviṣā, tviṣā akṛṣṇam. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ, śuklo raktas tathā pitaḥ idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. So God has other colors also. White and red and yellow. So here is yellow. Tviṣā akṛṣṇa. So we have to follow Jīva Gosvāmī. What these rascals, we have to follow? We don't follow. If you have got a interpretation, we have got better interpretation. Why shall I accept you? My mother says, "Here is your father." I shall accept that, or somebody says, "Here is your father" Whom shall I accept? Mother's version. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). We should accept the paramparā ācāryas, not whimsically anyone's interpretation you have to accept.
Pañcadraviḍa: How...? If a person says, "How do you find out? How we can find out other names?"
Prabhupāda: Here we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and we are becoming purified. That is the name.
Pañcadraviḍa: Dhruva chanted Oṁ...
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇeti na..., varṇa-dvayam. Kṛṣṇeti. Kṛṣ-ṇa, varṇa, alphabets two. Jīva Gosvāmī said, kṛṣṇeti varṇa-dvayam. This is the name. Rāma. Rāmeti varṇa-dvayam. You chant Rāma, Rāma, you chant Kṛṣṇa, and it is... It will act. And there is proof. So find out any other name. If he acts... If it acts like that, then it is God's name. Phalena paricīyate: "By the action, we have to understand the substance." Just like quinine is understood to subsidize, subside fever. Then if you take something as quinine and if your fever is gone, then it is quinine. Similarly, God-name, it acting as God, purifying... So Kṛṣṇa is purifying. Therefore it's God's name.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa bhuliyā jīve bhagavān akore kari pasate māyā ta're japatiyā kare.
Dr. Patel: I think this one commentary is Jīva Goswami's. Hm?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Jīva... Not Jīva Goswami. There are... I consult so many others.
Dr. Patel: This commentary is Rūpa Goswami or Jīva Goswami? Jīva Goswami.
Prabhupāda: No, we have got Viśvanātha Cakravartī also. Śrīdhara Swami, Birarāghava, Vijayadvaja. Hare Kṛṣṇa! (to passerby who loudly greets and has Hindi exchange)
Prabhupāda: One thing is, we don't find any authoritative scripture that Mīrābai ever met Rūpa Gosvāmī, but they say like that in Vṛndāvana. But from the life of Rūpa Gosvāmī, we understand that the Gosvāmīs were so popular in Vṛndāvana that if there was any family quarrel, husband and wife, they used to come to Rūpa Gosvāmi to settle up, and automatically he would give the decision, and they would settle up. So how it is possible that he did not see any woman?
Dr. Patel: He did not, ah, Rūpa Gosvāmi or Jīva Gosvāmī, some other Gosvāmī, they say.
Girirāja: It was Jīva Gosvāmī.
Prabhupāda: Jīva Gosvāmī?
Girirāja: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Why Jīva Gosvāmi should not see woman? That is also doubtful.
Dr. Patel: He, he did see Mīrābai.
Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu also never refused to see woman. But womans were offering respect from a distance, that's all. Not very near. But we don't see that He refused to see woman. Why the Goswamis will do that?
Dr. Patel: And qualifies, I mean.... Somebody has very well commented on that particular śloka, giving all the views of Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Jīva(?)ācārya, and all the modern.... Somewhere I read, I don't know where, on that particular śloka. After all these things, ācārya, ācārya para...
Prabhupāda: Ācāryopāsanam...
Dr. Patel: (indistinct) Without ācārya...
Prabhupāda: Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has accepted ācārya, he knows, he knows. Now our these European and American boys are preaching in South India, big, big ācāryas, they have received them. Because they know that these boys know; latest letter. Hare Kṛṣṇa!
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Rūpānuga: Out of sight, they say it is finished.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So this thing you have to convince them. Why should you allow them to remain a rascal? Now the sun is rising. Does it mean all of a sudden a sun is created? So these are the examples. You have to preach like that. Simply believe your eyes? You believe also there was no sun; now it is sun. That means all of a sudden a sun became created. See the intelligent persons and convince them. Yad yad ācārati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). Pick up the best man. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He picked up the best men, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. So His movement became successful. Sanātana Gosvāmī was not an ordinary man. Very educated, learned brāhmaṇa and minister, Caitanya Mahāprabhu picked up. Similarly Rūpa Gosvāmī, similarly Jīva Gosvāmī. Picked up means by His preaching they became converted. So similarly pick up a person like Sanātana Gosvāmī, intelligent, in position, and try to convince him. Why he will not be convinced, if he's a human being? This is not religion.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So any serious student, he can learn at home. It is not very difficult. And after studying one or two or a dozen sentences like that, automatically, yes, he learns sandhi, he learns verb, he learns subject, object, everything. No time, otherwise I would have made Bhagavad-gītā grammar. Yes.
Dr. Patel: That is what I really meant when I say that...
Prabhupāda: You can do that. You can do that. People will read it, Bhagavad-gītā grammar. On the Bhagavad-gītā teach them grammar. Just like Jīva Gosvāmī compiled Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa, similarly, you write. You have got both the knowledge, Sanskrit, and through English, Bhagavad-gītā grammar. People will take it. I have no time; otherwise I have done it. Simply nominative case, objective case, śabda-rūpa.
Indian man: Is there any other bhāṣya other than Baladeva-bhāṣya?
Prabhupāda: No, many others.
Indian man: Gauḍīya, Śaṅkara...
Prabhupāda: No, other ācāryas. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and Vallabhācārya. Then our Gauḍīya-bhāṣya, this Jīva Gosvāmī, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. And Rādhāramaṇa Gosvāmī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī's descendant.
Indian man: Is there any plan to translate into English? Is there any plan to translate Jīva Gosvāmī's Jīva-bhāṣya?
Prabhupāda: No, no. I am taking help from all these Gosvāmīs and giving a summary. Where is that book? That green book? (probably referring to Prabhupāda's green Bhāgavatam with eight commentaries) (break) First comment I find, Viśvanātha Cakravartī and Vīra-rāghavācārya, the Rāmānujācārya sampradāya. Vīra-rāghavācārya.
Dr. Sukla: I think you should maybe some day in the future also put out a grammar, Sanskrit grammar, whether yourself you write or somebody.
Prabhupāda: Grammar?
Dr. Sukla: :Grammar of Sanskrit language published by the Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: We have got grammar, Jīva Gosvāmī, Harināmāmṛta-vyakāraṇa.
Dr. Sukla: Is it in English, available in translation?
Prabhupāda: No, not here.
Dr. Sukla: Well, I mean for the foreigners.
Prabhupāda: But here is grammar. Harināmāmṛta, all examples, words are harināmāmṛta. Yes, these are the list of, apart from European, America. "Cc" means Caitanya-caritāmṛta, "SB" means Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, standing order.
Guest: Also this, another aspect was answered, the Vedic literature, all that we have today, is not a complete literature. We assume that perhaps some part of the literature has never been copied and was probably lost. So if His name doesn't occur in certain portion of Vedas, it doesn't mean that the name didn't occur in the Vedas. This is something that people have...
Prabhupāda: No, Kṛṣṇa's name is very confidential. In the Atharva Veda, there is name, there is.... Jīva Gosvāmī has quoted from Atharva Veda. There is Kṛṣṇa's name. And this, the best scholar of Vedas, (indistinct) he says, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa, Śaṅkarācārya. Then other ācāryas they have supported Kṛṣṇa's teachings, just like Rāmānujācārya, and (indistinct) he has quoted Vedic quotation, every śloka. So one has to learn the real Vedas, then he'll find, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is mentioned," (Sanskrit). Everywhere is Kṛṣṇa's name. But one must be actually scholar in Vedas, then he'll find, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is mentioned in the beginning, in the middle, and at the end."
Indian man: Prabhupāda? Jīva Gosvāmī was the guru of Mira?
Prabhupāda: No. I do not know who is the guru of Mirabhai. But Mirabhai, from the childhood, she was a devotee. But I do not hear anyone as her guru.
Indian man: No, but who was living in Vṛndāvana. Was Jīva Gosvāmī living in Vṛndāvana?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Six Gosvāmīs. Rūpa, Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, Dāsa Raghunātha. Six Gosvāmīs, they were immediate disciples of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They were entrusted to develop Vṛndāvana. And they did it. Modern Vṛndāvana means, this is the contribution of the Six Gosvāmīs. (break)
Yaśomatīnandana: There are two other versions of Bhāgavatam. There also, Śrīdhara Svāmī has been considered the best commentator.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepts. Svāmī nā māne yei jana veśyāra bhitare. Everyone has given. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, iti svāmī caraṇa kahe.(?) Jīva Gosvāmī, all authorities, they accept. And why they are criticizing Śrīdhara Svāmī?
Girirāja: That is the main point.
Prabhupāda: That is the main point. If you can criticize Śrīdhara Svāmī, then your criticism, why you take the criticism. Then others, you must be judged.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Ādi-keśava: In the temples we should always recommend the gṛhasthas to worship the Deity.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Just like our Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, it was established... This temple was established by Jīva Gosvāmī. He was brahmacārī. So how these gosvāmīs, they are worshiping? He had no sons. It was... The temple was established by him, but the worship was transferred to the gṛhasthas bhakta. So they are doing by generation. All these Vṛndāvana temples, Govindajī temple, Rādhā-Ramaṇa temple, Rādhā-Dāmodara. Rādhā-Ramaṇa temple, he was also brahmacārī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa. He did not marry. Jīva Gosvāmī was brahmacārī. Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, they sannyāsīs. So how these gṛhasthas got this sevā? They were disciples, gṛhasthas. So gṛhastha disciples were meant for worshiping Deity. And others, they are meant for preaching. This is the primary principle. So if you are engaged in preaching... Deity worship, it must be done in scheduled time, this time, this time, this time. Then that is very difficult for you. Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not do that. He was traveling alone, preaching, preaching. So it will be great burden to carry Deity. But in preaching work, when you are many, you are carrying Deity in the bus. That is good, there are others, some nice engage, that is temple life. But personally if you carry some Deity, it will be troublesome. It will be hampering your preaching work.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You always said that we were so trained that we would even live on the roadside.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That you are trained. (laughs) You don't care for this palace or underneath a tree.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Formerly we were living like that as hippies, and now we live like that to serve you.
Prabhupāda: I was living in Rādhā-Dāmodara temple. It was not a palace. But before that, I was living in a palace. That is Keśī-ghāṭa. But this Gosāi called me that "You live here?" And "All right." Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī's, er, yes, Jīva Gosvāmī's place. "Let me go there." Now organize. Make very good plan that our Bombay temple will be always crowded with thousands of men and some program must go on.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They should learn the real meaning of Bhaktivedanta. They take it wrongly, but we should teach them what is the real meaning, that it is scientific. You always point out that sometimes people say that bhakti is sentimental, but where is there more scientific person than Jīva Gosvāmī, more philosophical?
Prabhupāda: Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param. It is the last stage of knowledge. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When you surpass all the stages... Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param. It is the last word of knowledge. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. So unless you understand the supreme cause, Kṛṣṇa, there is no knowledge. And if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you understand everything. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. Kṛṣṇa also says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). If you understand Kṛṣṇa, then everything.... And how Kṛṣṇa can be understood? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). No other way. You cannot understand by any other way. Therefore bhakti-vedanta is last knowledge. There is.... Argument there is.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Just like that Madan Mohan is thinking...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...to do. He says it's his property.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Imagine that. Whew! Boy!
Prabhupāda: He is maintaining it for his sons', daughters' marriage. That is...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: After all, Tīrtha Mahārāja did that too.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "My son is the next in line." Whew.
Prabhupāda: The interest will go to the family, not to the Deity.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's not good.
Prabhupāda: Jīva Gosvāmī was brahmacārī. So he gave to a gṛhastha śiṣya to maintain Rādhā-Dāmodara. But what is the position now? Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was also a brahmacārī. Everything depends on training and mentality. If the attention is diverted otherwise, then it is lost.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
In the midst of his multifarious duties, Gandhiji never missed to attend to his randhun kirtana meeting. This is one of the soundest method for the culture of devotion to God. In the opinion of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one who is imbibed with the devotion of Godhead is also endowed with all the good qualities of the gods. But one who is not a devotee of Godhead, has not any value for his good qualities because he utilizes his so called good qualities for ulterior purposes. As such the easy way to raise the moral standard of people in general, is to make this sankirtana movement more popular all over the world by philosophical discourses based on reasoning and moral and ethical codes. The Vaisnava acaryas especially Lord Caitanya and his six Gosvami disciples give us ample opportunity and scope for this work. Lord Caitanya first inaugurated the sankirtana or randhun movement and the later Gosvamis supported it by scholarly philosophical synthesis. The six sandarbhas by Srila Jiva Goswami are marvelous in this respect.
1966 Correspondence
Now one thing I beg to draw your attention is the Rupanuga Para Vidya Pitha which I wanted to start in Vrindaban within the vicinity of Radha Damodara Mandir. If it is possible to get some vacant land for constructing the building. My American students are ready to spend for this and I think if you give some land on lease terms, then I can immediately begin the work. Perhaps you may remember that when I first came to your temple, this was my proposal and both yourself and Gauracandra Goswami agreed to this. Later on when I wanted to do the work your brother indirectly declined. So I did not attempt any thing. Now I am serious about this building and if you so desire you can give me some land on lease terms. Of course there is ample land in Vrindaban to start this institution, but my aim is to start it in the land of Sri Sri Radha Damodara Temple which I think is very good for every one concerned. I want to start a nice International Institute at the place of Srila __ Goswami is silent on this point and therefore I am writing to you. The idea is very good and I hope you will appreciate it. Any way it is up to you to accept the proposal or reject it but I shall be glad to hear from you about your honest opinion on this. My mission is develop the glories of Srila Jiva Goswami all over the world and I think you should cooperate with my honest endeavour.
1967 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your kind letter of March 11, 1967 and have noted the contents very carefully. I am very sorry to learn that things in the Temple Srila Jiva Goswami has deteriorated so much. Please therefore immediately go to Vrindaban and make things alright. Stay in the temple for sometime as co-servant and do things as already planned by you. I am very much surprised to note that indulgence in liquor within the temple is going on. Of course I had personal experience that indulgence in Ganja was freely going on and now it has deteriorated to the utmost degree. Please do the needful immediately otherwise things will deteriorate to many more things. I think Governor Visvanatha Das is already aware of the condition of the temple. Many people at Vrindaban has complained against the Gosain of Radha Damodara Temple and consequently the Governor withdrew his promise to pay yearly Rs 500/- for Kirtana in the Temple on Janmastami day. He publicly promised this in the temple while meeting was going on Janmastami day organized by me.
Any way please try to save temple of Jiva Goswami because in very near future many people all parts of the world will come to see the Temple and Samadhi of Jiva Goswami and Rupa Goswami. If you get court permission to sell the land there will be no objection for purchasing __ so far I know that your maternal uncle and cousin brother are also ___ in the temple. Sunderlalla son (the Vakil at Mathura) told me like that when negotiation was going on for lease. But I think if court sanction is obtained it will be quite alright.
You have sought my advice and I beg to submit humbly that you must stay in the temple for some time till things are not out of order. If you feel inconvenient to stay with Gauracandra Gosain, you can stay in my rooms but I think you should remain in the rooms set aside for your staying. You must keep your claim intact. As you are going to restore order in the temple I am always with you because Srila Jiva Goswami's temple is my heart and soul. I think with your cooperation I shall be able to render some genuine service to the Gosvamis Who are staying in the temple. I shall be glad to hear from you now and then specially when you reach Vrindaban during the Holi festivals. My American students are all glad to have your good blessings for them. If Radha Damodara desires many Americans will go to see the holy place of Jiva Goswami in the very near future.
I am in due receipt of your letter of the 22nd instant and have carefully noted the contents. The substance of the letter is that Gauracandra has sufficiently exploited his temporary position with power of Attorney and this process is going on since very long time even prior to the arrival of Gauracandra at the cost of the temple property. Amalgamation of all the deities namely the deity of Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami, Deity of Bhugarbha Goswami, the Deity of Jayadeva Goswami and the Deity of Jiva Goswami Prabhupada at one place by your maternal uncle is the beginning of this mismanagement culminating at last by selling the properties of the respective deities by Gauracandra for his personal sense gratification—is clear case of misappropriation and it is clear case of criminal breach of trust. But I think criminal case of breach of trust or misappropriation or similar criminal charges cannot be brought against Gauracandra because he will present himself as a co-sebait or a partner in the trust.
I think you should adopt this policy and you will be successful. Other cases will be simply dragging and will have no immediate effect. Besides that as I have already informed you in my previous letter that your presence or your son's presence as the co-sebait in the temple is very essential. Otherwise you shall not be able to protect the state and I think for the sake of Radhadamodarji and Srila Jiva Goswami you must adopt this principle and stay in the temple as co-sebait and if Gauracandra does not allow you to stay either you can stay at my rooms or you can ask the court to claim your room which Gauracandra has forcibly occupied. Any way if you or your representative does not live you cannot give any protection.
So far the land is concerned my society desires to construct a nice American house on the land for study and promulgation of the Goswami literatures all over the world. We shall start a fine press for publication both in Sanskrit and English language and we can appoint your son as the Press manager if he can manage. I wish I would have gone immediately to India but if I go just now the work here will suffer. So please be with me in this project as you have promised for the service of Srila Jiva Goswami. I think simply the land in Lotankunja will not be sufficient. I want other lands also on the northern side of my room as well as on the western side of the Temple.
1968 Correspondence
Question 3, answer: Why Bali Maharaja is considered a Mahajana: Bali Maharaja is Mahajana because he wanted to serve Visnu by disobeying his non-bona fide spiritual master. As explained above, Sukracarya was hereditary spiritual master by seminic succession. But Bali Maharaja first revolted against this stereotyped seminic succession spiritual master, and therefore he is Mahajana. Srila Jiva Goswami has described in his Karamasandharvha that one should be anxious to accept a spiritual master who is bona fide in spiritual knowledge. And if need be one should relinquish the connection of hereditary spiritual master and accept a real bona fide spiritual master. So when Sukaracharya advised him contrary to his previous instructions, specifically, he checked Bali Maharaja in the matter of worshiping Visnu, and thus Sukaracharya became at once fallen down from the position of becoming a spiritual master. Nobody can become a spiritual master who is not a devotee of Visnu.
I beg to inform you that many of my American disciples have become seriously interested in the philosophy of Krishna Conscious. They want to come to Vrindaban to study the Krishna philosophy as authorized by explained by the Gosvamis and specifically by Jiva Goswami in his six Sandarbha. Some of them are U. s of U.S.A. and Canadian universities. I beg to inquire what facilities you can offer them if they come in India for such studies. I may also inform you that my disciples are not from rich community of America. Most of them are whole time worker in my society. But they have sincerely developed Krishna Conscious by the recommended process of Lord Caitanya. You will be glad to know that they have been able to draw the attention of the Ambassador of India and Consul General in N.Y. by their Krishna Conscious activities. I hope you will cooperate for their further advancement in their search of Krishna Conscious philosophy.
According to Asian sanskṛt scholars vidya bhāgavatabadhi. I wish therefore to request you to introduce in your department of Asian language and literature the study of Srimad Bhāgavatam, the summit of Sanskṛt literature as accepted by great Sanskṛt scholars like Sridharsvami, Virraghavacharya, Jiva Gosvami, Visvanāth Chakravarty and above all Lord Chaitanya who was known as Nimāi Pandit the greatest sanskrit scholar in the 15th century. As you are teacher in a great visvavidyalaya you may introduce the study of Srimad Bhagavatam in your department because it is said in the Bhāgavatam koumāra acaret prājno dharmān bhāgavatāniha dūrlabham mānusam janma tadapyadhruvamarthadam. I am sorry I cannot reply in Sanskṛt because our process of study is not academic but by sruti.
1969 Correspondence
So far as my taking botheration in coming to your country, I must take this so-called botheration for Krishna. But what botheration I have taken? You know that the Goswamis were ministers in the government's service and they left their posts for going to Vrindaban and living there just like paupers. They produced such great literature like Sandarbhas, by Jiva Goswami, and Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, by Rupa Goswami. Apparently they took so much botheration but they preferred to accept it because they were compassionate for the suffering humanity. Similarly, Lord Caitanya is Narayana Himself, and His wife, Visnupriya, is the Goddess of Fortune. Lord Caitanya was a very learned scholar, a very beautiful young brahmana, and He had a very affectionate mother, but Lord Caitanya Himself accepted the botheration voluntarily for the good of the human society and all living entities.
1975 Correspondence
I have to translate all the Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and many other theistic literatures left by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas headed by the six Goswamis like Rupa, Sanatana, Jiva, etc. I have already translated about 50 big books of 400 pages each, and my books are selling all over the world in universities, libraries, learned professors, and the public also is receiving my books with great respect. Of course they are not my books, since I have simply translated; but my purports for each and every verse from the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam do very much appeal to the people in general as well as learned circles. They are very much appreciating and we are selling to the extent of 30-40 hundred thousands of Rupees per month. Out of this we spend 50% for the maintenance of our different temples all over the world and 50% we spend for reprinting my books.
Page Title: | Jiva Gosvami (Conv and Letters) |
Compiler: | Alakananda |
Created: | 21 of Jan, 2011 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=36, Let=27 |
No. of Quotes: | 63 |