Devotees Vaishnavas: Ärîla Jîva Gosvâmî

jueves, 17 de junio de 2010

Ärîla Jîva Gosvâmî

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Ärîla Jîva Gosvâmî

Ärî Sanâtana, Ärî Rûpa and Ärî Vallabha were three brothers, all employed in the service of the Badsa Hussain Shah. Amongst the three, there was only one descendent, Ärî Jîva. Having been rewarded richly by the Badsa for their sevices, their household life was very opulent. There was nothing lacking in whatever was necessary for the upbringing of the only son. The house was illuminated by the effulgence of the child's golden complexion; his eyes were like the expanded petals of the lotus; every part of his body was graced with a lusterous, radiant splendor.

When Ärî Gaurasundara came to Ramakeli, Ärî Jîva was blessed by having darsana of His worshippable Lord, though he was just a baby at the time. Placing the dust of His lotus feet on the child's head, Mahâprabhu indicated him to be the future sovereign preceptor of the Gaudiya sampradaya. Though he was only a child, Ärî Jîva kept the form of the Lord, which fascinates all the world, within his heart. As he grew up, while eating, lying down, in his dreams, while he was awake, at all times, he would meditate on that form.

Later on, when his father and uncles renounced their family life in order to be with Mahâprabhu, the only child, Ärî Jîva, was left with his mother in the family palace at Fateyabad. Lying in her lap, which was wet with tears of separation, he gradually began to grow as the waxing moon. Seeing that the mother and the child's face were always wet with tears, their friends also fell under the shadow of sadness and only with great difficulty managed to assuage their grief. Whenever Ärî Jîva would remember his father and uncles, or the lotus feet of Ärî Gaura Hari, he would lose consiousness and fall to the ground.

As he got a little older, Ärî Jîva took up the worship of the Deities of Ärî-Ärî Rama-Kèëòa. He would carefully decorate Them and offer bhoga and aroti, serving Them with his full attention. Even in his play, whatever games he played were connected with Ärî Kèëòa's pastimes.

While studying under the local Paòàitas he became proficent in grammar, poetry and rhetoric. Noting his great intellect, his teachers commented, "Such brilliance is not often found in a child so young as this. No doubt he will be a very high-souled, saintly person."

Even while engaged in his studies Jîva always thought of Ärî Ärî Nitai-Gaurâôga. Once he saw in a dream that Ärî Rama-Kèëòa had taken the forms of Nitai-Gaurâôga and were dancing. (B.R.1.732) Giving him the dust of Their lotus feet, the Two Lords then disappeared. Having seen such a wonderful dream, Ärî Jîva was consoled somewhat. Then he began to think, "When will I be able to crawl out of this well of family life and devote my full time and energy, my very self, to serving these two most magnanimous Lords?" But he was the only son of the family. Only in his company could his mother forget somewhat the pangs of separation in her heart. When Ärî Jîva learned that his father had given up his life on the banks of the Gaôgâ, he was compeletely unsettled. After that his eyes were never dry. The family members and friends tried to console him but to little avail. Family life had become the source of his utter sadness.

Someone suggested to Jîva to go to Navadwipa and bathe himself in the coolness emanating from the lotus feet of Lord Nityânanda Prabhu so that his mind and body, burning with with grief, could be refreshed. Thus Ärî Jîva set our for Navadwipa with a group of pilgrims. (B.R.1/741)

Nityânanda Prabhu, the omniscient Lord, could understand that Ärî Jîva was on his way to Navadwipa. Therefore He also left for there from Khardaha. After a few days, Jîva arrived at Navadwipa. Seeing the beauty of that place he was charmed. Falling down on the ground, he offered his dandavats to Mother Ganges. Inquiring from the villagers the directions to Mayapura, he learned that Nityânanda Prabhu was residing at Ärîvasa Paòàita's house. At last arriving there, he fell down at the door to offer his dandavats. Nityânanda Prabhu came out with Ärîvasa Paòàita and picked him up and embraced him, asking, "Are you the nephew of Ärî Rûpa and Ärî Sanâtana?"

As an answer, Jîva again fell down on the ground at the lotus feet of Nityânanda Prabhu. This time Nityânanda Prabhu brought him in the house and began to inquire after the welfare of his family at Fateyabad. Then Ärî Jîva was introduced to the devotees present in Navadwipa; he offered his salutations at their lotus feet. Everyone was very happy to meet the nephew of Ärî Rûpa and Sanâtana. That day Ärî Jîva received the remnants of Nityânanda Prabhu's prasadam.

The next day, the two of them came to Saci Mata'a house. Seeing the birthplace of Ärî Gaurasundara, which was filled with such splendor, Ärî Jîva was greatly pacified and fell down on the ground to roll in the dust. In the large courtyard the devotees were singing songs praising the glories of Ärî Kèëòa Caitanya Mahâprabhu. Seeing Nityânanda Prabhu, everyone stood up and then fell down, offering their dandavats at His lotus feet. Then Jîva saw Saci Mata sitting on the veranda.

Dressed in white with silk chadder around her shoulders she looked radiant, the white of her hair blending with her white sari. Though her body trembled with old age and was very thin, still the courtyard was illuminated by her divine effulgence. Forgetting herself in remembrance of Ärî Gaurasundara, she was sitting with her eyes closed. Becoming aware that Nityânanda Prabhu had arrived, she covered her head with her sari and called her servant. "Isana! Ärîpada has arrived. Please wash His feet."

After this was done, Nityânanda offered namaskar to the mother of the Supreme Lord and took His seat. He then introduced Ärî Jîva to her. Saci Mata placed her hand on his head to bless him, and Ärî Jîva floated in the ocean of happiness. Saci Mata then requested the two of them to honor the Lord's prasada. "Take prasada here at your mother's house today, my children. I offered there preparations in secret to Ärî Gauracandra."

Ärî Jîva spent some days with Nityânanda Prabhu, touring the nine islands of Navadwipa, in order to have darsana of the holy places of the Lord's pastimes there. Then, as ordered by Nityânanda Prabhu, he set out for Kasi (Varanasi) . At Kasi he studied Vedanta under Ärî Madhusudana Vacaspati, a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. The conclusions of Vedanta contained in Ärîmad-Bhâgavatam that were expounded by Ärî Caitanya Mahâprabhu to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya in Puri had been in turn taught by the Bhattacarya to Madhusudana Vacaspati, who established a tol at Kasi. From him, Ärî Jîva mastered the same conclusions.

From here Ärî Jîva set out for Ärî Vrindavana where he received shelter at the lotus feet of his two uncles, Ärî Rûpa and Sanâtana. They were very pleased to see him and received from him all the news. Jîva stayed with Ärî Rûpa, who began to teach him Ärîmad-Bhâgavatam. After initiating him with the divine mantra, Rûpa engaged him in the service of Ärî Ärî Radha-Damodara. According to Sadhana-dipika, this Deity of Damodara was fashioned by Rûpa Gosvâmî's own hand for his dear disciple Ärî Jîva. Ärî Ärî Radha-Damodara are presently being worshipped in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Seeing that Jîva had quickly become conversant with the conclusion of the Ärîmad-Bhâgavatam, Ärî Rûpa engaged him in proofreading his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. At this time Ärî Jîva compiled a commentary on Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu called Durgama-sangamani. In the year 1476 (Sakabda) Ärî Sanâtana Gosvâmî compiled Ärî Vaisnava-tosani, a commentary on the tenth canto of Ärîmad-Bhâgavatam, which he gave to Ärî Jîva for proofreading. Under the order of Ärî Sanâtana, Ärî Jîva compiled a commentary on that, named Laghu Vaisnava-tosani, in the year 1500 (Sakabda). His writings, along with those of Ärî Rûpa and Ärî Sanâtana, Ärî Gopâla Bhaùùa, Ärî Raghunâtha Bhatta, Ärî Raghunath das, Ärî Kèëòa das, Ärî Kasisvar Pandit, and Ärî Madhu Pandit, completely captivated the learned men of that time. It was the beginning of a golden age at Ärî Vraja-dhama.

Ärî Jîva regularly brought water for Ärî Rûpa and Sanâtana's bath. He massaged their heads with oil, cleaned their ashram, worship the Deity, cooked and corrected manuscripts.

After the disappearance of Ärî Rûpa and Sanâtana, Ärî Jîva continued the tradition that they had inaugurated. Once Ärî Jîva travelled to Agra to debate with the Rajputs concerning the glories of Jamuna and Gaôgâ rivers. He established that the Jamuna is more glorious than the Gaôgâ as the Gaôgâ emananates from Kèëòa's lotus feet whereas the Jamuna is His own consort. At this the Moghul emperor was very much satisfied and wanted to present him something. Ärî Jîva replied that he would accept some blank papers. So the emperor presented Jîva some stained paper. (At that time paper was very rare and most manuscripts were usually composed on leaves.) There is also a legend that once, when a Moghul emperor (possibly Akbar) wanted to confer something on the Gosvâmîs of Vrindavana, they requested a ferman (emperor's order) that no living beings would be killed within Vraja. As a result of this no king would come to hunt there anymore. The disciple of Lokanatha Gosvâmî, Narottama dâsa Ùhâkura Mahasaya, Ärî Gopâla Bhaùùa Gosvâmî's disciple Ärînivâsa Âcârya Prabhu, and the disciple of Hrdaya Caitanya Prabhu, Ärî Syamananda Prabhu, were greatly favored by Ärîla Jîva Goswami. Under his tutelage they studied all the literatures of the Gosvâmîs. Later he sent them to preach this knowledge in Bengal.

Ärîla Jîva Gosvâmî composed many literatures, amongst them:

Harinamamrta-vyakarana, Sutra-malika, Rasamrta-sesa, Gopala-virudavali, Ärî-Madhava-mahotsava, Ärî-Sankalpa-kalpavrksa, Brahma-Samhita-tika, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-tika (Durgama-sangamani), Ujjvala-nilamani-tika (Locana-rocani), Gopala-campu, Sat-sandharbha (Tattva-sandarbha, Bhâgavata-sandarbha, Paramatma-sandarbha, Kèëòa-sandarbha, Bhakti-sandharbha, Priti-sandarbha), Ärîmad-Bhâgavata-tika (Krama-sandarbha), Laghu-vaisnava-tosani (Tenth Canto Bhâgavatam commentary), Sarva-sambadina (commentary on Sat-sandarbha), Gopala-tapani-tika (Ärî-Suhkha-bodhini), Padma-puranastha-yogasara-stotra-tika, Gayatri-vyakhya-vivrti (a commentary on the Gayatri mantra as described in the Agni Purana, chapters 216-217) Radha-Kèëòarcana-candrika, Dhatu-sangraha, Bhavartha-sucaka-campu.

Birth: 1533 (Christian calendar), 1455 (Sakabda), 12th day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadra. Disappearance : 1540 (Sakabda), 3rd day of bright fortnight, Pausa. Age: 85 years

PERSONAJES VAISHNAVAS