Renowned Disciples of Sri Jiva Gosvami

What did Jiva Goswami do? He used to respect to everyone, he taught about Vaishnava seva, service of Vaishnavas to Narottama das Thakur, Shyamananda Prabhu and Srinivas Acharya. All three of them, their gurudevs had the power to liberate a whole universe. Mahaprabhu hid in the heart of Hridayananda due to fear of Gauridas pandit, so his name was not Hridaya Caitainya, his name became Hridayananda, he is not less than anyone. Lokanath Goswami is also not less. All are associates of Radha Krishna. Just for siksa, just to teach other people, they were sent here. All of them came here, three of them – Narottama Das Thakur, Shyamananda Prabhu, Srinivas Acharya came here, Shri Birhambir stole their scriptures, many things happened I will not go into details.

 

At that time, there were no aeroplanes – no trains, no buses, no cars, no taxis, nothing, on foot everything. That time, there were not many privileges to write. Everything used to be written on Taal leaves and in big suitcases they were bringing scriptures. There is a place Bakuda. There was a whole gang of dacoits and the leader of the gang was Brihambir. He was dacoit, his guru was also a dacoit, his ministers and soldiers – all were dacoits. What they did? What happened? In their gang, there was an astrologer. He said, “Three people are coming in a bullock cart and they are having lots of riches.” The manuscripts were in big boxes so the dacoits came at night and stole them. When they woke up in the morning, they saw nothing was there. Now where has it gone? What to do? Amulya actually means whose value cannot be known. They have reached Bengal already and they are thinking, “Just at this last point, this happened. Now what to do?”Narottama Das Thakur and Shyamananda Prabhu were sent somewhere else. They were little aged also, compared to them. Now what happened? Srinivas Acharya stayed there. They were all sent in different directions. Srinivas Acharya went to the dacoits’ place and he used to listen Harikatha there. Srinivas Acharya found a mistake in the lecture and he explained it, respectfully he was called. They thought, “Nobody had found mistake of our Gurudev, how can he find the errors?” He spoke and it was very beautiful; everybody got interested in taking initiation. Now he became guru of all dacoits. So the dacoit king said, “If you want my life, I will give you. So please tell me, Gurudev, what to do.” So he replied, “Oh one day we were coming with many manuscripts. Somebody looted it.” He clapped three times and the dacoits brought the trunk back and gave it back to Srinivas Acharya and gave it back to Srinivas acharya, he said they only stole it, they themselves are dacoits, we believe in Thakur ji, we help people. Dacoits told, “Our Gurudev said there is a lot of riches in here.” Dacoits, “please tell us what’s in this.”

Srinivas acharya said it is invaluable, whose value cannot be known, so it is priceless, you cannot know how valuable it is. Because these are “scriptures”.

Dacoits were Maratha warriors they went to Bishnupur looting everything, they used to kill many people doing so they reached bishnupur.The life of Bishnupur is Madanmohan at night when they were looting, so Madanmohan came to the rescue of Bishnupur and brought two canals and fired and made all those dacoits flee away. Everyone was fearing what was happening, now what to do, when in the next morning came for Mangalarati to Thakur ji’s temple, one canon is there outside and one inside. Thakur ji’s clothes were torn and there were signs of blisters in his body. One bracelet(Kangan ) was missing too. A man came and said that last night I saw a young boy he asked me some cold items to drink because he was shooting cannon , and he gave one bracelet and to everybodys surprise it was same thakurji’s bracelet that was lost.

{Sachidanandan has gone there, temple is not of cement, it is made up of terracotta on upper side with very beautiful intricate carvings, there is a conch shell made of mud, one small, one big, it is very first class. They got a national price for making these conch shells}

Now it was said about vaishnav seva, when Shyamanand prabhu went to Orissa, he told about vaishnav seva, everyone is thinking why guruji is saying about vaishnav seva so much, two of his disciples asked Jiva Goswami, I heard from gurudev that you speak a lot on vaishnav seva, but why? Jiva Goswami replied that if you haven’t served vaishnav it is impossible for you to stay on the path of devotion. He asked, “oh please give me some examples”, Srila Jiva Goswami replied you go to Kheturi, “Narottam Das thakur place”, a festival takes place there, like a fair. There are too many pujari, they will go to offer bhog to mahaprabhu, if in front of them, if someone comes who is very hungry and ask to give me some prasad they will say no wait, first we will offer bhog to Shriman Mahaprabhu, but they do not believe, you may do such a drama there, their heart should melt, so from vrindavan he came to kheturi, they go to the pujari and said ,”oh we are very very hungry we need this prasad right now please give us.” Pujari replied wait for 15 minutes let me offer bhog to Shriman mahaprabhu ,but they kept asking for prasad.one Nearby was Narottam Das thakur. He went and asked what happened, pujari told, “oh they have come for prasad, but they are very stubborn. I am telling them that in 15 minutes I will give you prasad.” They are still crying. Narottam Das thakur said, “Ok give it to them and then cook something else and offer it to Sriman Mahaprabhu”. At night when narottam das thakur was sleeping, mahaprabhu came in his dream and said, “Narottam, O Narottam”, he woke up. Mahaprabhu told, “you wrote in kirtan, vaishnav hriday sada govind vishram, govind kahen mora vaishnavera pran”.Mahaprabhu asked is this correct or not , Narottam Das thakur said yes prabhu, Mahaprabhu asked, “govind resides in the heart of Vaishnav”, Narottam Das thakur replied, “yes prabhu”.

 

Mahaprabhu asked again, “Does govind reside in the heart of Vaishnav?”.

Narottam Das Thakur replied, “Yes Prabhu”.

Mahaprabhu asked, “So those vaishnav who were asking for prasad, Am I not in their heart?”

Narottam replied, “yes you are”.

Mahaprabhu enquired, “then why did you ask pujari to cook again, if they ate means, I ate”, “why did you ask pujari to cook again, why did you ask him to do so much work?”

Narottam Das thakur’s sleep broke and he suddenly woke up but Mahaprabhu had vanished then.

Mahaprabhu himself came to talk about them. Next morning they called Son, come here those 2 vaishnav whom you gave prasad before offering bhog..are they there? Or have they left? Guruji I’ll have to ask.

Okay quickly go run and ask! Whether they are there or not. Now they were found , Oh! Send them to me. Narottam das thakur after meeting them asked them , “Where you have come from, the two of you who is your Gurudev? “

They said we have come from Orissa, our Gurudev is Shyamananda prabhu who is your dear Godbrother because they have both learnt from Jiva Goswami.

Narottam Das thakur said the way Shyamananda prabhu is your guru I am also your guru. All of us read/studied together from Jiva Goswami.Yesterday were you really hungry dying from hunger? Or he told you to do drama? Narottam Das thakur is also not less (he knows everything) .They replied no we were not hungry at all, we were doing drama. What was your drama? Who asked you to do that? Jiva Goswami Prabhupad asked us to do..we asked give us an example of vaishnav serving. He said practically I will tell you so Srila Jiva Goswami told us to do this drama..then you will understand the essence of vaishnav serving.

Narottam Das thakur was smiling at heart and said oh! Pujyapad Jiva Goswami Prabhupad has sent you..Ohh.. okay ,See what is there ..such kushal nistha (dedication) is there but we , not respecting the matha vasis, those are coming to ..not done this..not done that..this is not the way of bhajan.

 

Dhakad Makad means a big monkey on BengalliThat Vaishnav asked if there is some Prasad left over, they answered “No, there isn’t”. Okay so he said, “I have puffed rice, I will have it and get to sleep.

Srila Trivikram Maharaj ordered, “Go, get everything done for the vaishnav who is coming”, in terms of Prasadam.the other person replied, “Maharaj Ji, there isn’t anything left, it is already around 10, he will reach around 10:30 and eat a bit of puffed rice and sleep post that.But then Maharaj himself went to the kitchen and starting preparing for thakurji’s Bhog so that the vaishnav reaching the Mathh in a while can have prasadam. The other person started feeling miserable about himself, Maharaj told, “you came to Matth to learn Vaishnav Seva, is this Vaishnav seva of any kind??”, “Has that Vaishnav not taken shelter until the Lotus feet of GuruDev?”. Everyone got stunned hearing this from Trivikram Maharaj and they cooked and offered Prasadam to the incoming devotee.

chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā…., it didn’t say anywhere chāḍiyā Guru-sevā…,because Serving the Spiritual Master, they will do only (it is a natural propensity of the Jiv to serve their Gurudev), but Jiva doesn’t want to serve the Vaishnavas easily, thinking, “Oh why should I serve that Vaishnav, am I any lesser Vaishnav than you”, this is not the etiquette of Hari Bhajan. You do not have to step back when it comes to serving Vaishnavas, you have to serve them.

Srila JIva Goswami had 2 great creations, first one Shad Sandarbh and second is Gopal Champu.

{Earlier there was a wall here, from this pillar up to behind my back, when we joined in Matth. Between the place of their sitting “Shachinandan Prabhuji and Ramanand Prabhuji”, the fire sacrifice took place for the renunciation of Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, and also there was a straight wall close to the Vigraha, and on the other side there used to be a Room and a Bathroom for Param Gurudev, and over here there were 2 rooms. When Srila Swami Maharaj came, he stayed in one of those rooms, those rooms were kept for guests, and then after some days, where Srila Vana Maharaj stays currently, he stayed over there.

Gurudev(Srila Narayan Maharaj) was sent to Mathura by Param Gurudev(Srila Keshav Maharaj), Gurudev felt really sad and asked him, “You are asking me to go away from your lotus feet?” Param Gurudev replied, “oh Son, Only you know Hindi language amongst us in Gaudiya Matth, no one else knows. That’s why, I am not separating you from myself, I am giving you the bonus of a big service (responsibility).

Gurudev was no less, Gurudev said, “whatever you will say, I will do that. But you have to come every year and stay in Mathura with us for at least for a month.”

Param Gurudev replied, “Oh that is my so good fortune, this way I will get 1 month of Vrajwas (staying in Braja)”. ANd this way Param Gurudev stayed like this in Mathura every year.

 

Now similarly it happened in Treta Yuga, Shatrughna one day asked Lord Rama, “O Brother, you don’t feel I am qualified enough to perform any service for you. “Brother, Lakshman served you continuously for 14 years in exile and here you sometimes ask Bharat for some service, but never gave me any orders to serve you”

Lord Rama said, “Okay, when time will come, I will grant to some service.”2-3 days passed, some Brahmins from Mathura went to Ayodhya to meet Lord Rama. They informed him that there is a big Demon in Mathura named, Lavanasur, son of Madhu Daitya.

{What is the Achaman Mantra when you go to Madhuvana? – Om Madhupanadipaye Madhavay Namah}

He is such a cruel demon, he kills Brahmins and eats them. Please kill this demon and help us, you have incarnated for this purpose only.But he has the Trident of Lord Shiva, which cannot be defeated because of that. But Bhagwan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can do anything. Also whenever he goes to Forest to hunt, he doesn’t carry that Trident with him, so you can kill him that time.Instantly, Lord Rama called on Shatrughana, and told him to go with these Bramins to Mathura, kill the demon Lavanasura and then come back.

Shatrughana asked “Oh Brother, you are sending me away from your Lotus Feet?” Lord Rama said, “No you only told me to give you some service.”

Shatrughana said, “I will go for sure as per your order.” “But you got a Vigraha after defeating Lanka (kingdom), the idol of Varaha Deva, you will have to give it to me. Lord Rama obliged and gave his the idol of Sri Varaha Deva.

Same way Gurudev asked Param Gurudev to come to Mathura.

One day, Srila Param Gurudev(Srila Keshav Maharaj) came out of his room into the Natya Mandir, and Gurudev(Srila Narayan Maharaj) said, “Gurudev, I thought Srila Jiv Goswami is very serious in nature, but he is so much emotional as well, I never knew.”

Param Gurdev asked, “what happened?”

He said, “Mother Yashoda, after tying Krsna(for breaking the curd-butter pot, all the Sakhas(friends) were scared, and the elder Bother Balaram (Dau ji) was not there as Upanand, Abhinand and Sunand used to take Dau with them for various activities, sometimes here, sometimes there. So Dau was not there, if Dau would have been here then the Damodar Lila wouldn’t have taken place. Now once mother Yashoda left for a bit the friends came close to Krsna, and they started enjoing, clapping and teasing Krsna.

Sakhas : “Oh it is so awesome, you are tied now, Oh Krsna how nice it feels like to be tied(in a mocking sense).”

 

A moment later Dau came back and seeing Krsna tied, his eyes got red in wrath and yelled, “WHO TIED MY BROTHER?”. Everyone quietly said, “Mother Yashoda”, hearing which even Dau became frightened and Dau said to Krsna, “You would have done something very notorious otherwise Mother will never tie you.”The sakhas surrounded Krsna and kept saying, “I will untie, I will untie, I will untie.” No one was able to open the knot and they started mocking each other, you can’t do it, let me do it and so on.

What is the Siddhant here? Our Guruvarga have said that this knot (Daam Bandhan) is in Vatsalya ras, and Shant Ras, Dasya Ras or Sakhya Ras can’t open the knot. Only either Vatsalya Ras directly or Madhur ras can open it.

Now Yamalaarjun, when the 2 Arjuna trees fell over, 2 divine personalities came out of it, the demigods circumambulated Krsna and went away. The sakhas(friends) saw it, someone is 2 years old, some 2.5 years old, and they became very surprised upon seeing the demigods pay obesiences to Krsna.When there was such a loud noise, everyone came running, Nand Baba saw that Krsna was stuck in between the trees(and was tied), quickly untied him.

Mother Yashoda saw it from far away and was extremely stunned.

If he would have died then? I only have one son, that too after crossing half age what would have happened, had the trees fallen over him, Mother Yashoda felt too low and quiet.

Nand Baba untied Krsna, and gave him Gurdhani to eat (Gurudev asking what’s gurdhani, someone asking is it something to eat, then Gurudev requesting someone to tell them if it is a thing to eat or not, Gurudev said he had eaten a lot of it in his early days here in Matth, but nowadays it is not so much in market and after some time people won’t even know what gurdhani is).

Now while eating Gurdhani, Krsna is crying, sobbing and crying, then Nand Baba took both Krsna and Balaram to Brahmand Ghat, bathed them. After bathing them, he took them to Nand Khirak (Cow shed) and gave mishri(sugar candy) in their mouths and fed them with lots of cow milk to full stomach. Then Nand Baba took both the brothers in his shoulders(either side). Now it is morning time, no one has eaten anything, no food has been cooked yet, who will prepare and who will eat? everyone is sad.

Yashoda Maiyya is scared, Rohini Maiyya is scared, all the household workers/servants are scared. No one is saying anything, no one is talking to anyone. Nand Baba is somewhat furious, now what to do!! Upanand, Tungi (Upanand’s wife), Pivari(Abhinand’s wife), etc. all came over there.

 

They asked Krsna come back,

Krsna replied : Nope!!, (umm hmm, negating gesture)All : Who will you play with?

Krsna : Baba and Dau!!

All : Will you not come at all?

Krsna : Nope, (umm hmm, negating gesture)

Tungi : “Go Baladeva, Go catch hold of Kanha and get him here”.

(Baladeva Prabhu is more powerful than Krsna himself)

Baladeva tried to pull Krsna but Krsna just moved his hand and Baladeva fell far away, stood up and folded his arms and thought, “Oh Krsna is more powerful than me!!”

All : Will you not come back?

Krsna : Nope, (umm hmm)

All : What will you eat?

Krsna : Nand Baba will give me food to eat.

All : Who will you sleep with?

Krsna : I will sleep with Nand Baba.

Dau : So should I hit Mother Yashoda? Krsna held Dau’s hand, gesturing “NO”.

All : Will you never come back again?

Krsna : Nope, (umm hmm)

So, if your mother dies then? Krsna started crying, seeing him cry, Nand Baba started crying and Tungi and Rohini took Krsna and gave it to Yashoda Maiyya and put him on her lap(Mother Yashoda was not doing anything, Yashoda Maiya, Tungi etc all are crying profoundly).

 

{Someone came and offered Gurudev some Pranami and Gurudev asked them to put Tulasi kanthi and asked them about their occupation, they said they are neighbours to Ramanand Prabhuji and Gurudev smiled and said that Prabhuji is Gurudev’s neighbour too . Gurudev put kanthi mala in thier neck and said that kanthi doesn’t get impure in any condition, if it breaks put on a new one and wear it. Gurudev asked them to chant “HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE” , ”HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE”, and said when they will again come to Matth, he will give them Chanting bead and blessed them.}

The whole Braj started crying, Listening to all this from Gurudev(Srila Narayan Maharaj), Param Gurudev(Srila Keshav Maharaj) started crying loudly and Gurudev thought, “Oh my Guru Maharaj is also so serious, I never knew it. Gurudev was thinking Srila Jiv Goswami is so emotional, even my Guru Maharaj is very emotional”. So all this Srila Jiv Goswami described in Gopal Champu, that’s all till here.