Rupa Goswami

Rupa Goswami Biography

Rupa Goswami was a great philosopher, poet and guru Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition who lived during the period - 1489–1564. He is one among the six most senior Goswamis of Vrindavan associated with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He has authored numerous books in Sanskrit on philosophy, poems and plays. Vidagdhamadhava, Upadesamrta, Lalitamadhava, Stavamala, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Sri Radha-krishna-ganoddesa-dipika, Hamsa-dutam, Nataka-candrika, Vidagdhamadhava and Mathura-mahatmya are among his credited works. Another principal disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sanatana Goswami was his brother. Jiva Goswami was his nephew.

His lineage can be dated back to Karnataka where Saraswata Brahmana had held influential positions. He met Chaitanya for the first time in 1915 which changed his life forever. He was serving as Sultan`s chief secretary while he met Chaitanya. He decided to leave the happiness of physical world and take up a life of renunciation in the association of Chaitanya and his followers. He visited Vrindavan and halted at Prayaga. He met Chaitanya for the second time at this occasion who told him the true doctrine of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Chaitanya instructed him a few things. It included the retention of remaining holy places of Vrindavan and to write and preach Gaudiya Vaishnava theology.

Bhakti-rasamrta Sindhu and Upadeshamrtam are his best known works which tell readers how to become a pure devotee of the Lord. Rupa Goswami also wrote books on raga bhakti. As instructed by his guru, he wrote books and elaborated his teachings with profound knowledge of revealed scriptures. He also discovered holy places associated with the amusements of Lord Krishna. Rupa Goswami is considered by Vaishnavas as the foremost follower of Chaitanya. He died in 1564 in Vrindavana.

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Updated: March 25, 2014