Sri Swarup Damodar is the eternal associate of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. His previous name was Sri Purusottam acarya and he
resided at Navadwip. He was always present with Mahaprabhu. When
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His pastimes of accepting
sannyasa, Swarup Damodara became like a madman and, journeying to
Baranasi he also accepted sannyasa from one sannyasi named
Caitanyananda. His sannyasa guru ordered him that, "You should
yourself study the Vedanta and also teach it to others." Sri
Purusottama acarya didn't accept the garments of sannyasa, but
simply gave up his sikha and brahmana thread. Therefore his name
became Swarup (a brahmacari name). Thereafter, by the order of his
guru, he came to Sri Nilacal, where he again met Mahaprabhu. Then
one day, Swarup Damodar, who was very intimate with Mahaprabhu, and
an ocean of the mellows of devotion, came to Sri Jagannath Puri.
His previous name was Purusottam acarya and he resided at Navadwip,
at the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu. Seeing that Mahaprabhu had
accepted sannyasa, he became like a madman and also accepted
sannyasa at Varanasi. [C. C.
Mad. 10.102]. Though his scholarship was practically unlimited, he spoke
very little with others and preferred to remain alone. Thus very
few were aware of his actual position. He was completely conversant
with the understanding of the mellows of devotion to Sri Krsna and
his body was fully imbued with love for Him. He was as though a
second Mahaprabhu. Whenever
anyone wanted to present to Mahaprabhu some book, verse or song
that they had composed, Swarup Damodar would first hear what they
had written before it could be presented to Mahaprabhu. If these
compositions contained any points which were in contradiction to
the superior position of bhakti, as concluded in scriptures, then
hearing these writings would not be a source of transcendental
pleasure for Mahaprabhu. Therefore Swarup Gosai would first examine
what had been composed and if it was untainted then it could be
presented to Mahaprabhu. Usually he would recite Sri Gita Govinda,
and the writings of Candidas and Vidyapati, for the transcendental
happiness of Mahaprabhu. In music and singing he was like a
Gandharva and in knowledge of the shastras he was like Brhaspati.
There was no one to compare
with him in talent and intelligence. He was extremely dear to Sri Advaita
and Nityananda Prabhu and was the life and soul of devotees like
Srivas and others. When Sri Swarup Damodar arrived in Puri from
Kasi (Baranasi) he recited this sloka in praise of Mahaprabhu: "Oh
You, who are the personification of mercy - Sri Caitanya. That
which very easily causes grief to retreat far away, and which is
spotlessly pure; which causes the appearance of the highest
happiness, and by whose appearance disputation over the intricacies
of scriptural statements ceases; that which causes the spirit to
become extremely agitated in ecstatic love, by a shower of grace
and beauty; may that extremely expansive and auspicious mercy by
its sweetness and dignity shine its rays upon me." (Sri Caitanya Candrodoy
Natak.) Seeing that Swarup Damodar was offering his dandavats to
Him, Mahaprabhu picked him up and as He embraced him he said, "I
saw in a dream this morning that you had come. Just as a blind man
finds unlimited happiness by regaining his eyesight, so I am
feeling by regaining your association." Swarup Damodar replied:
"Prabhu, please forgive me. By leaving You and running off to
Baranasi, I made a great mistake. I don't have even a hint of
attachment to your lotus feet, and I have actually become a great
sinner by leaving you and going to a distant country. I gave up
your association, but You didn't give me up. Binding the rope of
mercy around my neck You
brought me again to Your
lotus feet." [C. C. Mad 10] Hearing these words of Swarup Damodar,
spoken in such humility, Mahaprabhu again embraced him and said:
"Krsna is very kind. He has very mercifully brought us together
again." Mahaprabhu kept Swarup Damodar close to Him. Whenever
Mahaprabhu became immersed in a particular ecstatic emotion, Swarup
Damodar would perform a kirtan in that particular mood. During this
period Sri Ray Ramananda also arrived from Vidyanagar in South
India. Thus the two of them, Swarup Damodar and Ramananda Ray would
enhance the ecstatic moods of Mahaprabhu by singing different songs
and reciting various poetic verses.
During the day, Mahaprabhu would engage in his pastimes of
sankirtan with His devotees, and at night He would taste the
mellows of the ecstatic love of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna in the company
of these two. As Lalita and Visakha were very intimate with Srimati
Radharani, Ray Ramananda and Swarup Damodar were similarly intimate
with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Swarup Damodar's place of residence in
Puri was the "Satasan Math". This is located near Bhaktivinode
Thakur's "bhakti kutir", near the ocean at Svarga Dwar. Mahaprabhu
entrusted him to look after and instruct Raghunath Das Goswami.
Swarup Damodar Goswami disappeared on the second day of the bright
fortnight in the month of Asar.
