Bhugarbha Goswami
Just as there is very little mentioned in the scriptures about the life of Ûrila Lokanatha Gosvami, in the same way, there is little written about his dear friend Srila Bhugarbha Gosvami. Srila Lokanatha and Sri Bhugarbha Gosvami were of one heart and mind. On the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu they went to live in Vrndavana. Bhugarbha Gosvami was a disciple of Gadadhara Pandita. Among his disciples were Sri Govindadev’s pujari Caitanya dasa, as well as Mukundananda Cakravarti, Premi Krsnadasa and others.
Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami writes: The eleventh branch of Gadadhara Gosvami was Bhugarbha Gosvami and the twelfth was Bhagavata dasa. Both of them went to Vrndavana and resided there for life.” Sri Kavikarõapura writes in his Gaura-ganodesa-dipika that Bhugarbha Gosvami was formerly the gopi named Prema Manjari in Vrndavana. While in Vrndavana, Bhugarbha Gosvami passed away and entered into the unmanifest pastimes of the Lord on the fourteenth day of the full moon in the month of Kartika.
Lokanatha Gosvami and Bhugarbha Gosvami lived together in Vrndavana as one. Srila Narahari Cakravarti Thakura writes about them in his Bhakti-ratnakara: Bhugarbha Gosvami and Lokanatha Gosvami were world-preachers; they were so close and affectionate to one another that they were like one body.”
In Vrndavana, Bhugarbha Gosvami and Lokanatha Gosvami were regarded as among the principle Gosvamis, as they were senior by age and experience to many. The foremost among the subsequent followers of Rupa Gosvami, Narottama dasa Thakura, writes about Bhugarbha Gosvami, with whom he had much affectionate association: O Hari! Why am I addicted to this abominable path of karma? I didn’t worship Radha-Krsna in Vraja even one iota, nor could I understand the position of spontaneous devotion—raga-marga. Svarupa Damodara, Sanatana Gosvami, Raghunatha Bhatta, Raghunatha dasa, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Bhugarbha Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, and Lokanatha Gosvami—I never offered a drop of service to their lotus feet. How then shall I attain the goal of life? Krsnadasa Kaviraja is among the most exalted rasika-bhaktas, devotees whose sole interest is in relishing the mellows of devotion to Radha-Govinda and Mahaprabhu. He compiled the Caitanya-caritamrta which describes the pastimes of Ûri Caitanya and the Govinda-lilamrta, describing the pastimes of Radha-Krsna. Hearing the pastimes of Gaura-Govinda would melt even stone, but it had no effect on my consciousness. Not only have I failed to take advantage of the association of all these great souls, but I have also neglected their associates and followers. What a sad story my life has become. My life and birth are all useless. Shame on me. Alas, alas. Thus laments Narottama das.
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