Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Year 2012

When Srila Jiva Goswami was about ten-eleven years old, he went to search for his Guru, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and when he came to the house of Sachi Mata, he finally met Him.

As soon as Jiva Goswami saw Him, tears streamed from his eyes and he fell on the ground, taking Nityananda Prabhu's feet on his head. Nityananda Prabhu, tall and strong, picked Jiva Goswami in His hands and started dancing with him!

Nityananda Prabhu knew that he was a nephew of Rupa and Sanatan (the son of their brother Anupam), that is why He was so happy to see that boy.

When his father had passed away, Jiva Goswami knew he had no burden left, so he wanted to go to Vrndavan and always asked Nityananda Prabhu for permission to go there. (Although he was so young, he did not go there on his own, he kept on asking for permission to go.) Finally, Nityananda Prabhu said to him, "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has already given His permission—He personally gave this special place to all your family. All your family is already in Vrindavan, and your place is there too. Go there at once."

He started his journey. With both hands raised, he would sometimes chant "Sri Krsna Chaitanya" and sometimes "Rupa Sanatan." He was a little boy, but he walked without stopping, chanting and thinking of Vrndavan, "When will I see Radha-Govinda? When will my heart and eyes find their fulfilment? When will I see the Pastimes of Radha-Krsna?"

He did not take anything with him—no food, no money. He did not think about the future, did not think what he would eat; he only kept walking, thinking about the Lord, about Krsna, and some food automatically came to him. He thought of the Lord and never shared his sadness or feelings with anybody.

First he reached Mathura—he saw Madhu-puri, the birth place of the Lord. After that, he went to bathe in the Yamuna, and from there he could see Vrndavan. Seeing Vrndavan ahead, tears came to his eyes.

When he entered Vrndavan, he was so happy. He immediately went to see Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami: he prayed to them and paid dandavat at their feet. When he asked Sanatan Goswami for his order, Sanatan Goswami told him to serve Rupa Goswami, and he told Rupa Goswami, "Take this boy." This is how Jiva Goswami started his service to Rupa Goswami.

I have no power to tell you what kind of devotion to his Guru Jiva Goswami had. He always thought of the service to his Guru—his mind and body were always engaged in service. Jiva Goswami's service cannot be compared to anyone's service. Whatever order he got, he would place it on his head and do it all the time—his mind never went to any other place. He only did what he was told to do, and whatever he did, he would be so happy; it was always fruitful, always successful.

Gradually, he became a very big scholar. He was only about ten years old, but he wrote first Harinam-amrta-vyakaran and later so many other grantha, scriptures! He did not go to Oxford, he did not go to Cambridge. How is it possible? Only by mercy (he got direct mercy from Nityananda Prabhu, then from Sanatan Goswami and Rupa Goswami), and only through service— through continuous service.

He would sweep the Radha Damodar temple (our Vrndavan temple is right next to it), then wash it with the water that he would bring from the Yamuna; then he would massage Rupa Goswami's body with oil, bathe him; then he would cook, offer the bhog, do the puja, write the books, and so on. Sanatan Goswami cried seeing Jiva Goswami's renunciation, but at the same time both he and Rupa Goswami were very happy with his service and character. Also, Krsna-prema always came to his body.

When Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami left, Jiva Goswami always cried, rolling on the ground... He always thought of Rupa and Sanatan and was very sad alone.

Once Rupa Goswami came to him in a dream and said, "Do not be sad, do not cry. Do your service, preach. Do not worry, I will send somebody to help you." The next day Acharya Srinivas came, and the day after Narottam Das Thakur. Jiva Goswami was very happy to get their association to preach Krsna consciousness. He talked to Acharya Srinivas and Narottam Das Thakur about Krsna-lila, they read together, and he taught them everything—how to serve Radha-Govinda, how to preach...

The above is an interpretation of Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhura Sochaka by Narahari Thakur, verses 3-25, that can also be heard chanted in the audio recording.

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