Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
18 August 2013 and 9 August 2003

Today is the disappearance day of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu and Srila Gauri Das Pandit...

Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami were engaged to assist Mahaprabhu's Pastimes. Rupa Goswami's former name was Dabir Khas, and Sanatan Goswami's—Sarkar Mallik. Their younger brother, Anupam, was also with them. When Mahaprabhu first came to their area, the emperor, Hussain Shah, stopped Mahaprabhu's kirtan (he could not understand who Mahaprabhu was at first, but later he understood). At that time Rupa and Sanatan went to meet with Him. That meeting place was about 1 km away, and when they saw Mahaprabhu, they fell at His feet with a blade of grass between their teeth (dante trna kori'). 'With a blade of grass between their teeth' means a position like that of a cow. At that time, Mahaprabhu said to them, "When I go to Vrindavan, you can come there."

Later when Mahaprabhu was going to Vrindavan, He stayed in Kashi, at Chandrasekhara's house, and at Tapan Mishra's house. He stayed in one house and took prasadam in the other house.

Rupa Goswami was the finance minister of the king, and he made some accounts with some mistakes so that the king would discharge him from his job. In this way he came to join Mahaprabhu.

During his life in Vrindavan, he stayed in Radha Damodar temple. It is near our temple in Vrindavan, next door to it. His samadhi is also there. This is where he did his service to Radha Govinda. There are three main Deities in the Gaudiya line: Govinda, Gopinath, and Madan Mohan. Rupa Goswami did the service of Radha Govinda there, Sanatan Goswami did the service of Madan Mohan, and Madhu Pandit—of Gopinath. Also, at that time, all places of Krishna's and Radha-Krishna's Pastimes had been lost, and Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami rediscovered all of them.

Rupa Goswami Prabhu wrote many scriptures, many slokas. For example,

অন্যাভিলাষিতা-শূন্যং জ্ঞান-কর্ম্মাদ্যনাবৃতম্ ।
আনুকূল্যেন কৃষ্ণানুশীলনং ভক্তিরুত্তমা ॥

anyabhilasita sunyam, jnana-karmady anavrtam
anukulyena krsnausilanam bhaktir uttama

The highest devotion is that which satisfies Lord Krishna, free from the coverings of any pursuits such as action and knowledge.

It is a very beautiful sloka. He also composed Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and many other scriptures. Also Chaitanya-charitamrita describes Mahaprabhu's teachings to Rupa Goswami Prabhu, Rupa sikha.

One day Rupa Goswami Prabhu was writing one sloka, and Mahaprabhu wanted to see what he was writing. Rupa Goswami got shy and hid that paper somewhere, but Mahaprabhu found it. When Mahaprabhu read that sloka, He was surprised and told Svarup Damodar and Ray Ramananda, "How is it that this boy, Rupa, knows everything?" Svarup Damodar and Ray Ramananda said, "Prabhu, it is only possible by Your mercy, otherwise not! You have already given him so much mercy." At that time Mahaprabhu agreed, He actually admitted it, "Yes, I have given so much mercy to him, but it is not sufficient. You all together give some mercy to him."

This is what we know about Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu. Mahaprabhu Himself made him the acharya, the Rupanuga Acharya. And today is his disappearance day.

He is actually a parsad, an associate of Mahaprabhu. Before that, in Dvapara yuga, he was an associate of Krishna, and Krishna Himself sent him to teach us, the fallen souls. On his disappearance day we can ask him for some mercy so that we can continue our service to the Lord...

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