Six Goswamis[38]

SRILA RUPA GOSWAMI

Krsna lila Rupa manjri
Birth: 1493 (Christian calendar), 1415 (Sakabda)
Hoseholder life: 22 yrs. - Braja: 51 yrs
Disapearance: 1564 (Christian calendar), 1486 (Sakabda) 12th day of the bright fortnight of Sravan Age:
73 Diksa guru: Sanatana gosvami Previous name: santosh dev
Srila Rupa Gosvami is known as bhakti-rasacarya, the expert in the tastes of pure devotional service and
was extremely dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana were accomplished scholars
having been trained by Vidyavachaspati, the brother of the great Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. They made
their headquarters at Ramakeli. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Ramakeli He met the two brothers
and said "My dear Dabhir Khas and Sakara Mallika, you two are my old servants. From this day on your
names will be Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami. Have no fear of anything; birth after birth you have been my
eternal servants. I am sure that Krsna shall soon deliver you."
Sri Caitanya ordered Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Gosvami to move to Vrndavana and perform four
services.
Contribution:- Sri Rupa Goswami completed many literatures, some being:
Sri Hamsaduta Kavya, Sri Uddhava-sandesh, Sri Krsna-janma-tithi-vidhi, Brhat Radha-Krsna-
ganoddesa-dipika, Laghu Radha-Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, Stavamala, Vidagdha-madhava, Lalita-
madhava, Dana-keli-kaumudi, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (Nectar of Devotion), Upadesamrta (The
Nectar of Instruction), Ujjvala-nilamani, Prayuktakhyata-manjari, Mathura-mahima, Padyavali,
Nataka-candrika, Laghu-Bhagavatamrta
(See also Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.84, Madhya-lila 1.36- 41, Madhya-lila chapter 19, and
Antya-lila chapter 1.)
Deities and Temples:- Sri rupa goswami found sri sri RadhaGovind dev ji under gomatila with the help of
brajwasis. Raghunath bhatt goswami ordered his disciples to construct a temple for Govinda. He prepared
various ornaments for Govinda, including a flute and shark-shaped earrings. (Cc Antya 13.132) in this way
we found the great temple of sri RadhaGovind dev ji in vrindavan which was famous for his architect.
Teachings:- sri rupa goswami is acharaya of abhideya gyan i.e- process to achieve the goal. Some of the
main teachings are as follow:
In order to get krsna prem one should perform the process of bhakti i.e-srvan,kirtan and abandon
the different types of offences.
krsna bhakti is the rarest of rare in this world and one get seed of bhakti by Guru and krsnas mercy
not by ones own endeavour.
One must come to the platform of raganuga bhakti i.e- spontaneous affinity to please Radha-
Shyam sunder.

SRI SANATAN GOSWAMI
Krsna Lila - Rati/Lavanga-manjari
Diksa guru: Madhusudana Vacaspati
Birth: 1488 (Christian) 1410 (Sakabda)
At the age of 27 he came to live at Braja where he remained for 43 years.
Disappearance: full moon day of Asar in the year 1558 (Christian calendar) Age: 70 years.
Previous name: amar dev
Srila Sanatana was the senior most among the six Gosvamis of Vrndavana. At Varanasi, Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu instructed him in detail about the science of devotional service. Lord Caitanya sent Sanatana

Gosvami to Vrndavana and gave him a fourfold mission: 1) to uncover the lost sites of Krsna's pastimes;
2)to install Deities of the Lord and arrange for Their worship; 3)to write books on Krsna consciousness;
4)to teach the rules of devotional life.
Along with his younger brother Srila Rupa Goswami, he fulfilled all four parts of this mission.
Contribution :- Sri Sanatana Gosvami compiled many scriptures including
Sri Brihad-bhagavatmrita, Sri Hari-bhakti-vilas and its Dig-darsani-tika, Sri Krsna-lilastava
(dasam carit), Sri Bhagavata-tipani, (commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam), Brihat-vaisnava-
tosani.(See also Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi- lila 10.84, Madhya-lila 1.35, Madhya-lila chapters
20-24, and Antya-lila chapter 4.)
Temples and deities:- sri sri RadhaMadanmohan temple of vrindavan was gifted to Madangopal of sanatan
goswami by a merchant Sri Krsna dasa Kapoor where madangopal was served by vrajvasis. Also
madangopal gifted sanatan goswami a govardhan shila imprint of His foot, a calf's foot print and the
impressions of a stick and flute in it. Now days this shila is in Sri RadhaDamodar temple.
Teachings :- Sri sanatana goswami is acharaya of sambadha gayan that is relationship of jiva with lord.
The main teachings as described by sanatan goswami in his books are
In original form krsna forgets his supremacy and behaves like a sweet vrajbasi boy. i.e- exhibition
of madhuraya rasa is inversely proportional to the exhibition aishraya rasa.
Krsna is bhakta vatsal and he is always anxious for us even if one does not do any bhajan.
Goal is krsna prem, not five types of liberation or krsna.

RAGHUNATH BHATT GOSWAMI
Krsna lila - Raga manjari
Diksha guru- sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Ascension Sakabda. 1501 (A. D. 1505), Duration of manifest Career 74 Years, Duration of Household
Career 28 Years, Duration of Residence at Puri 16 month(8+8 2 times he went to puri from banaras),
Duration at Vrindaban 45 Years.
Raghunath bhatt goswamis father was from east Bengal but they shifted to banaras before the appearance
of raghunath bhatt goswami. First time he met Mahaprabhu in banaras itself at that time he was 9 year old.
In this twentieth year he went to meet Mahaprabhu and mahaprabhu instructed him to go back banaras and
not to marry but serve your parents and learn srimad bhagvatam from devotee(uknown) and come again to
puri. Next time when raghunath bhatt went to puri Mahaprabhu give final instruction to raghunath that go
to vrindavan and chant hare krsna mahamantra and study bhagvtama.
Contribution- Books- not contributed literally because he is always busy in krsna katha and harinam kirtan.
Temples and deities:- his disciples built the temple of GaurGobind near radha kund. Every evening he use
to take bhagwat katha in Sri RadhaGovind dev ji temple and all goswamis use to listen bhagwatam from
raghunath bhatt goswami. He used to sing slokas in different types of melodies.
Teachings- Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was known as the "kirtan acarya". While living briefly in
Jagannatha Puri he satisfied Lord Caitanya with his nectarean cooking, humble service attitude and his
excellent kirtan performance. Essences of the teachings of raghunath bhatt goswamis life are as follows-
He never talked nonsense or worldly matters, but always engaged in hearing about Krsna twenty-
four hours a day.(cc antya 13.132 gramya varta no sunbe..)
Never cared to hear blasphemy of a vaisnava. Even when there were points to be criticized, he used
to say that since all the vaisnavas were engaged in the service of the lord as per there
understanding, he did not mind their faults." (CC Adi 10.158.)

RAGHUNATHA DAS GOSVAMI
Krsna lila - Rasa manjari / Bhanumati
Diksha guru: Yadunandana Acarya
Appearance -1495, Nitya lila pravisti-1571

Raghunatha das Gosvami, one of the six Gosvamis, he was prince of saptgram a district of gauddesha. By
mercy of nityanand prabhu at a young age he renounced his beautiful wife and opulent home to join Lord
Caitanya and His sankirtana movement. For sixteen years, he was the personal assistant of Lord Caitanya's
secretary, Svarupa Damodara. Lord Gauranga gave His personal Govardhana sila (now at gokulanand
temple,vrindavan) and gunja mala to Raghunatha Dasa Goswami.Along with Svarupa Damodara, he
witnessed Lord Caitanya's last days on earth. After the Lord's disappearance he went to Vrndavana, where
he lived austerely, absorbed in devotion, in the company of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana
Gosvami.
(See Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 10.91- 103 and Antya-lila, chapter 6.)
Contribution- Books-Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami wrote three books;
Stavavalli (contains Manah Siksa, Vilapa-kusumanjali and more), Mukta carita, Dana Keli
Cintamani.
Temples and deities- radha kund and shyam kund were relocated and renovated by raghunath das goswami.
Teachings- he was known as the prayojana acarya, the teacher who reveals the highest fulfillment in life.
Raghunatha Dasa Goswami clearly established the supremacy of Srimati Radharani. In Vilapa-
kusumanjali, a collection of intimate prayers, he states that Sri Radha's service is the highest attainment.
Feeling extreme impatience and hopelessness, due to separation from the "Queen of his life," he
desperately prays for Radharani's service.

SRI GOPAL BHATT GOSWAMI
Krsna lila - Ananga manjari / Guna manjari
Uncle and Diksha Guru : Prabodhnanda Saraswati
Appearance-1503, Nityalila pravsiti-1578, Father venkat bhatt, birth place sri rangam
Sri Gopal Bhatt Goswami was the son of Vyenkatta Bhatt, a brahmana resident of Sri Rangam in south
India, who was initiated in the Sri Sampradaya tradition, in the disciplic succession of Sri
Ramanujacharya.Sri Vyenkatta Bhatts had a famous brother named Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati. The son
of Vyenkatta Bhatt was later known in the Gaudiya Sampradaya as Gopal Bhatt Goswami In 1511, Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at the house of Vyenkatta Bhatt. Vyenkatta had a son named Gopal. At the
time of Mahaprabhu's visit, he was only a child. When the little boy offered his respects at the feet of Sri
Chaitanya, the Lord picked him up and held him on his lap and affectionately embraced the boy. Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to call the child and give him the remnants of His prasad. By giving him His
prasad in this manner, He blessed Gopal Bhatt Acharya to become a great devotee in the future. Eventually
his aged mother and father called Gopal Bhatt to their side and said, "Boy, after we pass away, you must go
to Vrindavan and take shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu." Mahaprabhu was happy to
hear that Gopal Bhatt had gone to Vrindavan. He sent the messenger back to Rupa Goswami with his
kaupin and outer garments of the babaji order, to be given to Sri Gopal Bhatt Goswami as symbols of his
renunciation.
Contribution-
Books-
Sat-sandarbha karika, Sri Krsna-vallabha (Krsna karnamrtatika), Sat kriya sara dipika (a brilliant
work on Vaishnava samskara viddhi), and Laghu Hari-bhakti vilasa with Dig darshini tika.
Temples and deities- On pilgrimage he obtained twelve Salagrama silas. Later the Damodara sila
manifested Himself as the beautiful Radha Ramana Deity. Since 1542, Radha Ramanaji has been
worshiped with pure devotion following precise sastric rituals.

SRILA JIVA GOSWAMI
Krsna Lila - Vilasa Manjari, Father: r Vallabha (Anupama)
Birth: 1533 (Christian calendar), 1455 (Sakabdha), 12th day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadra.
Disappearance : 1540 (Sakabdha), 3rd day of bright fortnight, Pausa Age: 85 years

Srila Jiva Goswami was the nephew of Srila Rupa Goswami, the son of his brother Sri Vallabha
(Anupama). In his infancy he had the great fortune of seeing Sri Caitanya and Mahaprabhu placed His
lotus feet upon the child's head exclaiming that the boy would grow up to be a great preceptor in the
Gaudiya sampradaya. In his studies the young Jiva excelled in all subjects, especially Sanskrit grammar,
poetry and rhetoric. When he learned that his two uncles had taken to the path of renunciation and that his
father had passed away, Sri Jiva journeyed to Navadvipa in order to get the mercy of Lord Nityananda.
When he arrived in Navadvipa Lord Nityanananda introduced Jiva to all the associates of Mahaprabhu
including Saci-devi and Srivasa Thakura and proceeded to take him on parikrama of Navadvipa-dhama.
On the order of Nityananda, Sri Jiva went on to Varanasi to study Vedanta from Madhusudana Vacaspati, a
disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya who had heard from his guru the divine explanations of Srimad
Bhagavatam that he had received from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Jiva mastered the same conclusions and
then set out for Vrndavana to join his uncles Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana. Contribution:
Sat-sandarbhas, Harinamarta-vyakharana, Sri Madhava-mahotsava,Brahma-samhita Tika,
Goplala-campu,Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu Tika,Ujjvala-nilamani Tika, Laghu-vaisnava Tosani,
Srimad Bhagavata Tika,Sarva-samvadina Tika,Gopala-tapani Tika, Gayatri-vyakhya Vivrtti,
Padma Puranastha-yogasara-stotra Tika,Radha-Krsna Arcana-candrika,Dhatu-samgraha,
Govinda-virudhavali,Sankalpa-kalpadhruma,Bhavarthasucaka-campu,Sri Radha-Krsna
karapada.
Temple and deities- The Deities of Sri Sri Radha Damodar were given to Srila Jiva Goswami by his
guru, Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada and have been worshipped here since then.