Srila Rupa Gosvami was extremely dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Through him and his elder brother, Sri Sanatan, Mahaprabhu
disseminated His own teachings, the essential conclusions of all
the scriptures. Amongst the devotees of Mahaprabhu these two were
known as His generals. In the Gaura - ganoddesa - dipika, Kavi
Karnapura has written that Sri Rupa Gosvami was known as Sri Rupa
Manjari during Krsna lila. There is an anecdote as to how they came
to be the ministers of the king of Gaudadesa, Hussain Shah Badsa.
Even at a very young age they had become quite learned in all of
the scriptures. The guru (moulabi) of Hussain Shah was supposedly
capable of seeing into the future. Hussain Shah inquired him about
the prosperity of his kingdom. The moulabi replied, "There are two
extremely learned brahmana boys who are endowed with all good
qualities. If you appoint them as your ministers then you will
attain a very opulent kingdom." Having heard of the glories of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Rupa had written a letter to Him praying
for His darshan. In His reply Mahaprabhu explained to him, "As a
woman who is attached to another man makes a show of being devoted
to her husband, so you should, while being internally attached to
the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, externally make a show of being
engaged in your worldly duties. Krsna will bestow His mercy on you
very soon." While residing at Ramakeli, Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana
were visited by many brahmanas and panditas from Navadwipa,
Karnataka and various other parts of India. They were always
careful to receive these guests and serve them in a befitting
manner.
They lived in a very opulent surroundings at Ramakeli. Their court,
which rivalled that of Lord Indra, was always attended by
brahmanas, pandits from many lands as well as poets, singers,
musicians and dancers. At great expense they maintained these
guests and were always very careful that no one was disrespected in
any way. They were always engaged in studying the sastras and could
establish and defeat the same philosophical arguments
alternatively. Near their house were solitary gardens of Kadamba
and other trees in the middle of which were Radha-kunda and
Syama-kunda. There they would meditate on the Vrndavana pastimes of
Sri Sri Radha-Syama and thus, losing their patience, a constant
stream of tears would flow from their eyes. They were always
absorbed in the service of Sri Madana Mohana and constantly
assuaged their grief by praying for His mercy. Hearing of the
pastimes of Sri Gaurasundara at Nadia they were always meditating
when they might get His darsan. [B.R. 1/585].
Rupa Gosvami's worshipable Deity in Vrndavana was Sri Govinda Deva.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had instructed the Gosvamis to re-discover
the holy places of Krsna's pastimes in Braja and to establish
worship of His Sri vigraha. One day Sri Rupa was sitting on the
banks of the Jamuna, lamenting that they hadn't been able to
properly carry out His instructions. It was known to them that Sri
Krsna's grandson Vajranabha had installed a number of Deities in
Braja, among them Hari Deva, Madana Mohana Deva, Gopinath Deva and
Sri Govinda Deva. Sri Rupa had tried to locate these Deities, but
to no avail. As he was sitting and thinking in this way a very
beautiful cowherd boy came along and asked him, "He Swamin! Why do
you look so sad?" Hearing the boy's cheerful voice, Sri Rupa's
melancholy reverie was broken and his heart felt engladdened. He
replied that he was feeling sad because he hadn't been able to
follow Mahaprabhu's instructions properly. The cowherd boy told
him, "Swamin! Please come with me. I know where what you are
looking for is." Then the boy brought him to Gomatila and
explained, "Everyday a cow comes on top of this hill and pours down
her milk here. There is a good chance you will find what you are
looking for inside.
Now I have to go." Sri Rupa turned to see the cowherd boy off, but
found no one present. He began to reflect, "Who was that cowherd
boy and where did he run off so suddenly?" His body thrilled with
ecstatic symptoms as he intently gazed at the Mahayoga Pith
(Gomatila), and then went back to his kutir. The next morning he
again came to Gomatila and quietly waited. After a little while an
exquisitely beautiful Surabhi cow came there and poured milk down
on top of the hill which immediately disappeared inside the earth.
Then she sauntered on into the woods.
Now Sri Rupa was positive that Sri Govinda Deva must be within the
earth here. He came very quickly to the village of cowherds nearby
and excitedly told them everything that had happened. The cowherd
men hurriedly gathered up some spades and hatchets and came running
to Gomatila. Digging where Sri Rupa indicated they saw, after
removing a small amount of earth, the all enchanting form of Sri
Govinda. They all erupted in shouts of ecstasy, "Hari! Hari! Sri
Govinda has again manifested Himself." Sri Rupa with tears flowing
from his eyes fell down at the lotus feet of Sri Govinda deva to
offer his obeisances, all the while reciting prayers and hymns.
Very quickly the news spread and the other Gosvamis, floating in an
ocean of joy, came there also. Soon an incessant flow of people
from all quarters began to arrive, carried by waves of joy. Lord
Brahma and the other demigods, having assumed mortal appearances,
mixed in with the other people and gazed upon the body of Sri
Govinda. There was not a lull in the crowd for even a moment as
people continued to pour in from places unknown. Sri Rupa Gosvami
immediately sent word to Mahaprabhu in Puri concerning this
auspicious event. Sri Gaurasundara along with His associates
couldn't contain their ecstasy on receiving this happy news.
Meanwhile the brahmanas performed the abhiseka of the Deity and
began to prepare offerings of bhoga from the milk, yogurt, rice,
flour and vegetables which the villagers were bringing. Mahaprabhu
sent Kasisvar Pandit from Puri to assist in worshiping the
Deity.
Sri Govinda Deva is presently being worshiped in Jaipur, Rajasthan,
which is easily reached by bus from Vrindavana. One has to proceed
by rickshaw to Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Mandir from the bus stand.
Overjoyed that Sri Govindaji and Madan Mohan had re-appeared and
thus the responsibilities which Mahaprabhu had given them were
gradually being carried out, Sri Rupa and Sanatan began to compose
the Bhakti-sastras, in compliance with Mahaprabhu's further
instructions. After completing Vidagdha - madhava, Lalita-madhava,
and various other books, Sri Rupa began to work on Bhakti -
rasamrta - sindhu. One day Sri Vallabhacarya (of the Visnuswami
sampradaya) came to visit Rupa Gosvami. After offering him a seat
the two of them began to discuss Krsna-katha. In the house of their
conversation, Sri Rupa presented the opening verse of
Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu to Vallabhacarya to read. After studying
this verse for some time Vallabha commented that there were a few
mistakes. At this time Sri Jiva, who had arrived from Bengal a few
days before, was fanning his uncle Sri Rupa. He was extremely
learned in all the sastras and was unsatisfied with Vallabha's
remark. When Vallabhacarya went to the Jamuna to take his bath, Sri
Jiva also came there on the pretext of fetching some water. He
inquired from the acarya as to what actually were the mistakes in
that verse. Vallabhacarya, after discussing some points with him,
was amazed at the boy's scholarship. After a few days Vallabha
again came to Sri Rupa. After inquiring about the boy scholar, he
greatly praised his learning. After Vallabha had gone to his
residence, Sri Rupa Dalled Jiva and spoke to him, "Those whom we
respect as our Guru and to whom we offer our obeisances you are
ready to debate with on an equal level. This is not at all polite.
What he spoke was for my benefit but you couldn't tolerate that.
You should return home and when you can control your mind then you
can come back to Vrindavana." [B.R. 5.1643] Hearing this decision
of his uncle Sri Jiva left that place and decided to proceed
eastwards. When he came to an old dilapidated temple at Nanda-ghat,
he sat down and began to cry. Soon the villagers began to worry:
"Such a handsome young man, but he sits there crying for so long
without taking food." After a while, Sri Sanatana Gosvami came by
and the villagers informed Sanatana of the boy's presence at the
old temple.
Sanatana went there and saw his nephew, who looked very pale from
not eating. Sanatana picked him up from the ground and
affectionately asked him what was the matter. Sri Jiva explained
everything that had happened. Sanatana Gosvami pacified him and,
taking his nephew with him, went to see his brother. At first
Sanatana spoke with Rupa alone. When Sri Rupa happened to mention
Jiva, Sanatana explained everything. Sri Rupa immediately called
Jiva. Seeing his forlorn and pale appearance, he gradually nursed
him back to health and a happy state of mind.
Then he entrusted him with proof reading and various litratures
which he had composed. Just as he was very strict with his young
nephew, so also he was very affectionate and loving. Their
relationship was an ideal example of how the guru and sisya behave
together. When Sri Rupa had finished writing Lalita-madhava, he
gave it to Raghunatha dasa Gosvami to read. Lalita-madhava is a
description of Krsna's pastimes after he left Vrindavana and is
thus full with sentiments in the mood of separation. By reading
this book Dasa Gosvami began to cry day and night, having become
completely absorbed in love in separation to the point of being
ready to leave his body. [B.R.5.768] He became as though deranged
in mind from sadness, and he compeletely lost all patience. When
Sri Rupa requested Sri Dasa Goswami to return the manuscript so
that he could correct it, Raghunatha dasa held on to it very
tightly, not saying anything, refusing to part with it. After
considering what to do, Sri Rupa composed Dana-keli-kaumudi. He
managed to exhange this manuscript with Lalita-madhava.
By reading Dana-keli-kaumudi, full of narrations of Krsna's
Vrindavana pastimes, Raghunatha dasa Goswami now became totally
absorbed in the ecstacy of happiness. On another occasion the
Goswamis were having a discussion about the ecstatic feelings of
separation of Radha-Krsna and Their associates. Some of the
Vaisnavas were fainting to the ground, while Sri Rupa Goswami began
to breath very heavily. His heart felt as though it was burning. At
one point as he sighed his breath happened to fall on the body of
one devotee present there.
Shortly thereafter a boil developed on that devotee's body where
Sri Rupa's breath had touched it. [B.R. 5.1326] After the
re-appearance of Sri Govinda, Madana Mohana and the Yoga Pith, Sri
Rupa began to contemplate where Vrindadevi might be. One night she
came to him in a dream and said, "I am on the banks of
Brahma-kunda. You can have my darsan there." The next morning,
after finishing his bath and puja, he came to Brahma-kunda and
began to look everywhere. Suddenly he saw a heavenly damsel whose
bodily effulgence defeated the luster of gold. All the directions
were illuminated by this glow and the atmosphere created by her
presence was very sweet and cooling. Sri Rupa offered his dandavats
and various prayers and hymns. In this way, Vrindadevi reappeared
in Vrajabhumi. Sri Gaurasundara established the glories of Sri
Vrajadhama through His two generals Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatan
Goswamis. Within their hearts He awakened, through oral
transmission, the knowledge of what was in His own heart. "Sri Rupa
Goswami has established in this world the mission to fullfill the
desire of Lord Caitanya. When will he give me the shelter at his
lotus feet?" [Srila Narottama dasa Thakura in his Sri Rupa
Pranama]. Sri Rupa Goswami completed many literatures, among them:
Sri Hamsaduta Kavya, Sri Uddhava-sandesh, Sri
Krsna-janma-tithi-vidhi, Brhat Radha-Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, Laghu
Radha-Krsnaªganoddesa-dipika, Stavamala, Vidagha-madhava,
Lalita-madhava, Dana-keli-kaumudi, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
Ujjvala-nilamani, Prayuktakhyata-manjari, Mathura-mahima,
Padyavali, Nataka candrika, Laghu-Bhagavatamrta, among others.
.
Birth: 1493 (Christian calendar), 1415 (Sakabda) Disapearance: 1564
(Christian calendar), 1486 (Sakabda) Appearance day? Disappearance
day: 12th day of the bright fortnight of Sravan.
Householder life: 22 yrs. Braja: 51 yrs. Age: 73
