BY: SUN STAFF
Nov 25, CANADA (SUN) — Introduction to the Sad Sandarbhas by Srila Jiva Goswami.
Srila Jiva Goswami's Sad Sandarbhas (Six Sandarbhas) are comprised of the supremely perfect philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Jiva Goswami has explained that Gopala Bhatta Goswami had already done the preliminary work on these books, but was unable to complete them. Srila Jiva took on the work of Gopala Bhatta, and expanded his writings into six books. In the Sad Sandarbhas, Srila Jiva Goswami has systematically presented the philosophy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu with complete scriptural evidences. He also wrote an extensive commentary to the Sandarbhas, known as the Sarva-samvadini
The six Sandarbhas are as follows:
Tattva-sandarbha
Bhagavata-sandarbha
Paramatma-sandarbha
Krishna-sandarbha
Bhakti-sandarbha
Priti-sandarbha
Tattva-sandarbha is a treatise on the various types of evidences (pramanas) used in Vedic philosophy. Srila Jiva Goswami's conclusion is that sabda (divine sound in the form of the Vedic scriptures) is the highest, and of all the scriptures, the Bhagavata Purana is the highest.
Bhagavata-sandarbha is Srila Jiva Goswami's presentation of the distinction between the impersonal aspect of Godhead (Brahman), the localized form of God within the heart of each living entity (Paramatma, or Supersoul) and the highest personal aspect of Godhead (Krsna). Also described is Lord Krsna's spiritual realm of Krishna, the modes of material nature, the mode of pure goodness (visuddha-sattva), the importance of worshipping the Deity of Ksna, and the nature and qualities of the Deity.
Paramatma-sandarbha provides a description of Paramatma and how the Supersoul resides in the hearts of all living entities. The differences between various incarnations is described, along with the nature of the conditioned living entity, the illusory potency (Maya), the temporal world, the theory of transformation, the various avataras of Krishna and how they respond to the desires of the Vaisnava, and how the Supreme Personality is characterized by six particular opulences.
Krishna-sandarbha is Srila Jiva Goswami's presentation of numerous sastric quotes proving that Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also discusses the pastimes and qualities of the Lord and His avatars, and His functionary expansions. There is a description of Goloka, the Lord's planet, and how it relates to Vrindavan in the material sphere. Also discussed are the associates of Krsna and their expansions, and particularly Srimati Radharani and the gopis.
Bhakti-sandarbha provides a detailed explanation of how devotion to Lord Krsna is to be executed. Srila Jiva Goswami also presents a discourse on Varnasrama-dharma, the superexcellent position of devotion to Krsna compared to other conceptions such as yoga, and how the worship of the minor deities and demigods is futile in comparison to worship of the Lord's devotees. There is also an explanation of the liberation of the soul, Lord Siva's position as a great devotee of Krsna, how unmotivated devotion to the Lord promotes the devotee to the highest spiritual position, and various other aspects of devotional service..
Priti-sandarbha is an exposition on divine love for Krsna. Srila Jiva Goswami explains that prema is the highest form of liberation, and he compares this to various other types of liberation, proving that prema is the topmost. Instructions are given on how to awaken and attain prema, and the symptoms of one who has successfully done so. There is also a discussion of the distinctions between mundane lust and divine love, the various mellows relished by the associates of the Lord, the super-excellence of Madhurya-rasa, how the different rasas overlap, and the glories of Sri Radha.
Krama-sandarbha is a commentary on the 10th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
We begin this new Sun series with a brief biography of Srila Jiva Goswami, followed by a lecture by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur entitled "Re-establishment of the Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha in 1919". Our thanks go to Payonidhi dasa, who encouraged this presentation of the Sad Sandarbhas.
Srila Jiva Goswami
Srila Jiva Gosvami made his appearance in 1455, Sakabdha (1533 A.D.), on the 12th day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadra. He disappeared from view at the age of 85 in 1540 A.D., (Sakabdha, 3rd day of bright fortnight, Pausa).
According to the Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika (195), Srila Jiva Goswami was Vilasa Manjari in his previous incarnation in Vraja. In verse 203 of the same book, it is stated that he was the son of Vallabha and a scholar of exemplary character (sushilah panditah shriman jivah shri-vallabhatmajah). According to the Gaudiya Vaishnava Abhidhana, Jiva was present in this world from 1433 to 1518 of the Shaka era (1511-1596). Other sources propose that Jiva’s dates are from 1533 to 1618.
Jiva’s early life
Srila Jiva Goswami appeared in the village of Ramakeli in the district of Maldah as the son of Anupama Mallik (Vallabha) who had made his residence there in order to serve in the government. The name of Jiva’s mother is not known. Narahari Chakravarti has given Jiva’s genealogy going back seven generations. This list has been explained by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur. Jiva Goswami’s father’s original name was Vallabha, but Mahaprabhu gave him the name Anupama.
When Mahaprabhu came to Ramakeli, he met Anupama for the first time. By his desire, a spirit of renunciation took root in Rupa and Sanatan upon meeting the Lord on that occasion. This led to their abandonment of their worldly duties and possessions not long thereafter and they set off in an effort to be reunited with Mahaprabhu in Vrindavan. The same spirit of renunciation took hold in Jiva Goswami’s heart at this time also, as has been vividly described by Narahari in Bhakti-ratnakara as follows:
As a child, Sri Jiva took up the worship of Sri-Sri Rama-Krsna Deities. Carefully decorating Them, and offering bhoga and arati, he served Them attentively. Even when playing, Jivas games were often connected with Lord Krsna's pastimes.
Sri Jiva studied under the local pandits, becoming proficient in grammar, poetry and rhetoric. Watching the expression of his great intellect, his teachers predicted that he would be a very saintly person. Later in his life, he composed a grammar in Sanskrit for the pleasure of the Lord. This composition described the rules of grammar, which was explained with examples that used the holy names of the Lord. Known as Hari-namamrta-vyakarana, this grammar is still current and is prescribed in the syllabus of schools in Bengal.
Jiva’s mind became distracted from the time that his two uncles went to Vrindavan. He abandoned his jewels and fine dress, his comfortable bed and his various amusements. It was as though nothing interested him any more. He could not bear hearing news of political and other material affairs.
(Bhakti-ratnakara 1.686-8)
Once in a dream, Sri Jiva saw that Sri Rama-Krsna had taken the forms of Nitai-Gauranga, and they were dancing. Giving him the dust of Their lotus feet, the Two Lords then disappeared. This wonderful dream greatly consoled Sri Jiva, who was anxious to leave behind his family life and become absorbed full time in serving Nitai-Gauranga. But, being the only son of the family, and in the absence of his father, Jiva was responsible for the care of his mother. When he learned that his father had left his body on the banks of the Ganges, Sri Jiva became extremely saddened. Friends suggested that he go to Navadwipa to bathe himself in the coolness emanating from the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, so that burning grief in his mind and body might be refreshed. As Sri Jiva headed for Navadwipa with a group of pilgrims, Nityananda Prabhu also set out for Navadwipa, from Khardaha. Arriving in Navadwipa, at the home of Srivasa Pandita, Sri Jiva met and fell down at the feet of Nityananada Prabhu.
Narahari summarizes Jiva’s early life story as follows: In a dream, Jiva had a vision of Mahaprabhu dancing in the midst of sankirtan. He was overwhelmed by feelings of divine love and soon thereafter left his home in Bakla Candradvipa. He had some companions who went with him as far as Fateyabad, but from there he continued alone to Nabadwip. There he met Nityananda Prabhu in the home of Srivasa Pandit and received his blessings. Nityananda Prabhu told him at that time that he should go to Vrindavan:
Sri Jiva enjoyed various pastimes with Nityananda Prabhu, touring the nine islands of Navadwipa and taking darsana of the holy places of the Lord's pastimes. Jiva then traveled to Kasi (Varanasi), where he studied Vedanta under the instruction of Sri Madhusudana Vacaspati, a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. The conclusions of Vedanta contained in Srimad-Bhagavatam, as they were given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya in Puri, had in turn been taught by the Bhattacarya to Madhusudana Vacaspati. Sri Jvia mastered these same conclusions from him.
With fatherly affection, Nityananda touched Jiva’s head with his feet. He showed incomparable mercy toward Jiva, lifting him from the ground and embracing him tightly. Transported by divine ecstasy, Nityananda Prabhu said, “I rushed here from Khardaha for your sake alone.” He said other things like this to pacify Jiva and then made Srivasa Pandit and the other devotees give their blessings to Jiva. After keeping Jiva there for some time with him, Nityananda Prabhu sent him off to the West... He said, “Hurry off now to Vraja. That is the place the Lord has given over to your family.”
(Bhakti-ratnakara 1.765-9, 772)
It is not clear whether Jiva ever met Mahaprabhu directly even though there is a hint in the Bhakti-ratnakara that Jiva was a baby when the Lord came to Ramakeli. Thus, Jiva demonstrated an interest in devotion to the Supreme Lord from his early childhood. Even when playing with his friends, he was only interested in games that were connected to the worship of Krishna.
When Jiva was a little boy, he refused to play any game with the other boys that had no relation to Krishna. He made images of Krishna and Balaram and would worship them with flowers and sandalwood paste and dress and decorate them. He would gaze upon them with unblinking eyes, looking for all the world like a golden doll himself, sitting motionless on the floor. When he paid obeisance to the deities, his eyes filled with tears. He would offer their Lordships sweets and then take the prasad and distribute it to his friends.
(Bhakti-ratnakara 1.719-23)
Jiva goes to Vraja
By Nityananda’s grace, Jiva was able to visit all the sacred sites in Nabadwip Dhama. After completing the tour of the dham, he traveled to Benares where he studied all the scriptures with Madhusudana Vacaspati. Then he went on to Vrindavan where he remained under the tutelage of Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has written the following about Srila Jiva Goswami in his Anubhashya to the Caitanya-caritamrita: “After the disappearance of Rupa and Sanatan, Jiva was established as the topmost teacher of doctrine in the sampradaya. He engaged everyone in the worship of Krishna through teaching the truths given by Mahaprabhu himself. On occasion, he would sometimes do the Vraja Dham parikrama with the other devotees and sometimes would go to visit Vitthaladeva in Mathura. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami wrote the Caitanya-caritamrita while Jiva was still alive. Not long thereafter, when Srinivas, Narottama and Dukhi Krishna Das came from Bengal, he taught them and gave them the titles Acharya, Thakur and Shyamananda. He then sent them back to Bengal with all the scriptures that had been written by the Goswamis, with instructions to preach the religion of the Holy Names and love of Krishna. He received the news of the loss of the scriptures and later of their retrieval. He gave the title Kaviraj to both Ramachandra Sena and his brother Govinda. During his lifetime, Jahnava Devi and other devotees came to Vrindavan. When Bengali devotees came to Vraja, he arranged for their victuals and lodgings during their stay.”
(Anubhashya 1.10.85)
The loss of the scriptures refered to in the above paragraph took place when agents of the king Vira Hambira of Vana Vishnupura stole them. Later, when the king heard Srinivas Acharya speak on the Bhagavat, he was converted to Vaishnavism and took initiation from him. The books were thus recovered by Srinivas. All this is described in full in this volume in chapter 17 on Srinivas Acharya.
Jiva’s writings and controversies
In the Bhakti-ratnakara, a list has been given of twenty-five works ascribed to Jiva:
(1) Harinamamrita-vyakarana
(2) Sutramalika
(3) Dhatusangraha
(4) Krishnarcana-dipika
(5) Gopal-virudavali
(6) Rasamrita-shesha
(7) Madhava-mahotsava
(8) Sankalpa-kalpa-vriksha
(9) Bhavartha-sucaka-campu
(10) Gopal-tapani-tika
(11) Brahma-samhita-tika
(12) Rasamrita-tika
(13) Ujjvala-tika
(14) Yogasara-stavaka tika
(15) Agnipurana-stha-Gayatri-bhashya
(16) Padma-puranokta Krishna-padapadma-cihna
(17) Shri Radhika-kara-pada-sthita-cihna
(18) Gopal-campu, Purva and Uttara divisions
(19) Krama-sandarbha
(20) Tattva-sandarbha
(21) Bhagavat-sandarbha
(22) Paramatma-sandarbha
(23) Krishna-sandarbha
(24) Bhakti-sandarbha
(25) Priti-sandarbha
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has given the following warning in his Anubhashya to those inexperienced persons who might be deprived of Krishna-prema through the influence of ignorant and offensive sahajiya teachings: “Three slanderous ideas about Jiva Goswami are current amongst the ignorant Prakrita Sahajiyas. Anyone who becomes influenced by these calumnies will increase his offenses and will end up losing his taste for service to the Supreme Lord because they are, at their very root, inimical to Krishna, the guru and the Vaishnavas.
“(1) It is said that a certain dig-vijayi scholar, eager to amass mundane prestige, came to Rupa and Sanatan to get their signature as an admission of defeat in debate. Jiva’s gurus conceded defeat without any argument and the arrogant scholar proclaimed them to be nothing but ignorant fools. He then asked Jiva to also sign such an admission of defeat. Jiva, however, decided to take on the puffed-up Brahmin in debate in order to silence his scurrilous tongue. In this way, he preserved the integrity of his spiritual master’s reputation and demonstrated the ideal behavior of one who is guru-devatatma, i.e., one who recognizes his spiritual master to be his worshipable deity and source of life. The ignorant Sahajiyas, however, say that Sri Jiva’s behavior goes contrary to Mahaprabhu’s teaching of being humbler than a blade of grass and of giving respect to others while demanding none for oneself. Indeed, Rupa Goswami chastised Jiva for this very reason and ostracized him for some time, but later Sanatan interceded on Jiva’s behalf and had Rupa accept him again into his association.
“Only when these enemies of the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas receive Krishna’s mercy and begin to see themselves as their eternal servant, then will they also receive Jiva’s blessings and be able to understand what it really means to be ‘humbler than a blade of grass’ and ‘a giver of respect to all’. Only then will they be eligible to chant the holy names in the proper way.
“(2) Some other ignorant Sahajiyas say that when he saw the manuscript of Caitanya-caritamrita with its clear language and brilliant explanation of the divine devotional sentiments of Vraja, Jiva was afraid that it would hamper his own scholarly reputation and therefore threw it down a well in a spirit of mean-mindedness. Upon hearing of Jiva’s action, Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami was greatly shocked and immediately gave up his body. Krishnadas’s disciple Mukunda had fortunately made a copy of the original manuscript and thus it was preserved and later published. Had he not done so, the Chaitanya-caritamrita would have been lost forever. This is another contemptible bit of invention based on an inimical attitude to the guru and Vaisnava. It has no basis in reality and there is no possibility of its being true.
“(3) According to other sense-obsessed fornicators, Srila Jiva Goswami should not be accepted as an exemplar because in his treatises, he opposed the idea that the gopis of Vrindavan were married to other men (the parakiya-vada), but rather supported the svakiya-vada. They say that he cannot be accepted as a rasika-bhakta, or a devotee who is knowledgeable in the divine sentiments.
“The fact is that during Jiva’s lifetime, some of his followers demonstrated a preference for the sviya-vada. Jiva recognized their limitations and so, for their benefit and for the benefit of those in the future who would be unable to comprehend the transcendental nature of the parakiya-vada and would try to practice adulterous relationships themselves in imitation of Krishna, he accepted the svakiya doctrine. This is a sign of his acting as an acharya. One should not take this as evidence of his being opposed to the transcendental parakiya-vada, however, for he is the topmost of Rupa Goswami’s followers and one of Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami’s spiritual teachers.”
(Anubhashya, 1.10.85)
Rupa’s mercy to Jiva
Narahari has shown how Rupa Goswami instructed Jiva, punished him and then blessed him, in a story told in Bhakti-ratnakara:
One hot summer’s day, while Rupa was writing Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu and Jiva fanning his perspiring body, Vallabha Bhatta came by to see Rupa Goswami. After reading some of Rupa’s introductory verses, he offered to make corrections. When Vallabha went to the Yamuna to take a bath, Jiva followed him on the pretext of going to fetch water. In fact, he was angry because he considered Vallabha’s proposal to be arrogant. He asked him what fault he had found in Rupa’s verse. Vallabha told him and Jiva immediately showed him the flaws in his argument. A debate ensued in which Jiva countered every one of Vallabha’s objections. When he came back to Rupa’s hut, Vallabha told him how impressed he was with Jiva’s scholarship, recounting the entire episode. Rupa gently rebuked Jiva, telling him to return to Bengal and to come back to Vrindavan only when he was sufficiently calm. Thus banished from his presence, Jiva left Rupa Goswami’s dwelling, but rather than going back to the family home as he had been told, went to Nanda Ghat, a nearby village. Hoping to regain his guru’s favor, he began to practice rigorous austerities, worshiping Krishna intensely while fasting or eating only a bare minimum. As a result of such severe practices, his body became weak and sickly. One day, Sanatan Goswami came by there and was moved when he saw his condition. He took Jiva with him back to Rupa and interceded on his behalf with his brother. Thus Rupa and Jiva were reconciled and Jiva once again won Rupa’s affectionate blessings.
Jiva Goswami’s appearance day is on Bhadra Shukla Dvadashi, his disappearance day is Paush Shukla Tritiya. His deity, Radha Damodar, is still being worshiped in the Radha Damodar temple in Vrindavan. His samadhi tomb is on the grounds of the Radha Damodar temple and his bhajana-kutir is preserved in Radha Kund, near Lalita Kund.
Excerpted from "Sri Chaitanya: His Life & Associates" by Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj and the Appearance Day of Srila Jiva Goswami.
Re-establishment of the
Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha in 1919
By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur
On the 5th of February, 1919, at the Appearance Day celebration of Sri Vishnupriya, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura re-established the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha and gave a talk on the history of the sabha.
At the end of each of Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhupada's Sat-sandarbhas the name of the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha is inscribed. He wrote that the Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha refers to the society which is composed of those Vaisnavas who are the kings (the foremost) of all the Vaisnavas present in this world. These foremost Vaisnavas are the followers of the feet of Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu Who is the saviour of Kali-yuga (the Bestower of knowledge about spiritual relationships), the Bestower of His own method of worship (the Bestower of the means) and Who is the incarnation of krsna-prema, even though He is Sri Krishna Himself, the Embodiment of krsna-prema.
The objects of respect for this Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha are Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami, who are the associates of Mahaprabhu. Their teachings are the Bhagavata-dharma. These teachings constitute the Bhagavat-sandarbhas or the Sat-sandarbhas. Therefore, the members of the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha are those people whose hearts have been illuminated by the light of the Sat-sandarbhas.
Srila Sarasvati Thakura explained that when the world suffers misfortune and when there was apathy to such pure knowledge, the sabha conceals itself. After the dissappearance of Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana, the sabha was self-concealed for some time.
The famous Calcutta paper Amrita Bazar Patrika reported the event in this way in 1919:
"On Wednesday last (5th instant) was celebrated with great eclat the Advent ceremony of Sree Sree Vishnupriya Devi at the Sree Asana (1, Ultadanga Junction Road). The occasion was solemnised by the re-institution of Visva-vaisnava raja-sabha as inaugurated by no less a personage than Sree Jiva Goswami himself, eleven years after the passing of Sree Sree Mahaprabhu and as given a fresh impetus by Sree Bhaktivinoda Thakura 33 years ago."
The Sajjana-Tosani carried an essay based on Srila Sarasvati Thakura's talk, which was published that same year, a portion of which follows:
"On the recent birthday of Sri Vishnupriya many pure devotees joined together at the Calcutta Sri Bhaktivinoda Asana and re-established the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha. Even though this sabha (society) is eternally established, it has descended into the world three times. Eleven years after the dissappearance of Sriman Mahaprabhu, when the world was beginning to darken, six wonderfully bright stars arose in Sri Vraja-mandala and were engaged in the service of Gaurachandra. Apart from these six brilliant stars, there were several other great souls who beautified Sri Gaurachandra's Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha. They were headed by Srila Lokanatha Gosvami, Srila Bhugarbha Gosvami, and Srila Kasisvara Gosvami. Sixty-four dear associates of Sri Gaurasundara increased the beauty of this Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha. The twelve friends of Srila Nityananda Prabhu's Nama-Hatta was a main branch of this Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha.
"Sri Sri Bhagavat Krishna Chaitanyadeva is the saviour-incarnation for the age of Kali. He is the Instructor of His own bhajana and of the knowledge of relationship (sambandha-jnana). He is the Delineator of devotion which is the means (abhidheya) and He is the Embodiment of Krishna-prema which is the final goal (prayojana). Another name for the devotees of Sri Gaura is 'Chaitanyadeva-charana-anuchara'. Sri Chaitanyadeva is Krishnachandra Himself-the King of all the Vaisnavas in the world (Visva-vaisnava-raja). The gathering of His devotees is the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha; the foremost ministers amongst the members of the society are Sri Rupa Gosvami and his honoured Sri Sanatana Gosvami. Those who consider themselves to be the followers of Sri Rupa are the members of this Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha. The leaders amongst them are Sri Sri Prabhupada Srimad Raghunath Dasa Gosvami and Sri Sri Prabhupada Srimad Jiva Gosvami. During the period of misfortune for the world's inhabitants, after Sri Gaurachandra displayed the play of His disappearance, Srimad Jiva Prabhu preached the Sri Bhagavata dharma by the command of Sri Sri Rupa-Sanatana. The people who were accepted as disciples by Sri Rupa-Sanatana-the leaders of the sabha, later became the directors of the sabha. Sri Jiva Prabhupada, upon becoming the director of the sabha, termed the teachings which Sri Rupa had propagated in the sabha as the 'Bhagavata-sandarbhas' or 'Sat-sandarbhas'.
The members of the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha know these Sat-sandarbhas to be the teachings of Sri Rupa-Sanatana and thus engage themselves in Sri Hari-bhajana. The pure and transcendental method of worship which has been given by Srimad Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami (one of the leaders of the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha) by bearing the commands of Sri Rupa on his head, is the only thing adorable by the devotees of Sri Gaura. By taking shelter at the pure feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, Sripada Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami Prabhu-the king of the family of rasika devotees (those devotees who are able to comprehend the inner significance), became one of the directors of the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha. Again, Sri Narottama Thakura Mathodaya-the crest jewel of transcendental devotees, decorated the crown of this Vaisnava-raja-sabha in the post of its director. Later, such kings of devotees as Sri Sripada Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura spread their moon-like rays upon the sabha. The darkness of night cannot always predominate over the three-worlds which are covered by ignorance, therefore we sometimes behold shining stars in the spiritual firmament which is bathed in the moon-lika rays of Sri Gaurachandra.
"In 399 Gaura Era (1885 A.D.), a brilliant star of the universal Vaisnava firmament re-illuminated the Sri Visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha. During that period many people in the great city of Calcutta received light from this sabha. As a result of that light, the sight of the cooling rays of Sri Gaurachandra reflected in loving eyes is nowadays visible in this world. Just as autumnal clouds suddenly spread in the sky and cover the moon's rays, so materialistic, non-Vaisnavas in the dress of Vaisnavas cause hindrances to that transcendental light in society. Today, it is four years since the servant of the King of universal Vaisnavas and the leader of the followers of Sri Rupa departed from this world, and sometimes his light is becoming covered by mist; seeing this, the group of people sheltered at the feet of the followers of Sri Rupa have become firmly resolved to protect the light of discourses on Hari from the strong gale.
"The transcendental flower of Krishna-prema that was budded forth by the Acharyas headed by Sri Rupa, Raghunatha and Jiva was shown to the world as a blossom by Srimad Bhaktivinoda Thakura and after his dissappearance it has begun to fully bloom. The followers of Sri Rupa have protected that beautiful and fragrant flower from the attack of depraved people and have thus given aid to the olfactory function of the bees swarming at Sri Gaura's feet. In this connection we request everybody to read the Adi-lila, ninth chapter of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita composed by the king of rasika devotees about the divine loving activities of the Gardener Sri Chaitanya."
Go to Introduction and Preface
