Sri Jiva Gosvami

Childhood

Appearing as the nephew of Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, he gradually

developed all of the bodily symptoms of a Mahapurush, or an empowered divinity.
Scriptural descriptions of such souls include elongated lotus-like eyes, high nose
and forehead, large shoulders and chest, hands reaching to his knees, an effulgence
that appears like molten gold, and other specific features.

Shri Chaitanya had first met Rupa and Anupama in Ramakeli and had had a
second encounter that took place soon thereafter in Allahabad. This was to be the
last time that Anupama would see the Master in this incarnation, for the very next
year, in 1514, while traveling through Bengal on the way to Puri, Anupama passed
away on the banks of the Ganges. This devastating event had a tremendous effect
on Jiva Goswami who, although only a child at the time, resolved to renounce the
world and its cruelties. Thus, with a burning passion for spiritual enlightenment,
Shri Jiva studied the scriptures as he grew into his teens. At this time he began the
worship of Krishna-Balaram, the Deity forms of Krishna and His elder brother. Shri
Jiva saw Krishna and Balaram as nondifferent from Shri Chaitanya and
Nityananda Prabhu.

Interesting details of Jiva Goswami's trip to Navadvip are found in Bhaktivinode

Thakur's Nava-dvip Dham Mahatmya. From the earliest age, Jiva desired to visit
Shri Chaitanya's birthplace. Jiva's mother did not want her only son to travel and
lead the austere life of a renunciant. Nonetheless, Jiva conceived of a ruse by which
he proposed that he would go on a short trip to his ancestral home of Fatehabad.
His mother agreed and Jiva arranged for the boatman, who was supposed to take
him to Fatehabad, to take him instead to Navadvip.

Arrival in Vrindavan:

Soon after arriving in Krishna's holy land, Shri Jiva approached Sanatan, his eldest
uncle, for initiation into the Chaitanyite Vaishnava line. But out of humility
Sanatan deferred the responsibility of initiating Jiva to Rupa Goswami. Before
Rupa initiated Shri Jiva, however, he decided to test his mettle. To this end, Rupa
gave Jiva menial service to perform. He had Jiva prepare articles for Deity worship;
beg alms; prepare food; research texts; massage his feet; and prepare palm leaves for
his writing. Highly pleased with Jiva Goswami's sense of selfless service, Shri Rupa
formally initiated him.

Radha-Damodara

Jiva Goswami's fame spread all over India. As a result, Emperor Akbar, most
tolerant of the Moghul rulers, travelled to Vrindavan in the year 1570, just to have
an exclusive audience with the Goswami. It is said that Akbar was moved beyond
words, and that he began to patronize the work of the Goswamis. When land was
purchased by a wealthy servant of Akbar named Alisha Chaudhari (for the express
purpose of assisting Shri Jiva in the spreading of Vaishnavism), the Goswami
naturally took this as an opportunity to properly worship a set of Radha-Krishna
Deities that were given to him by Rupa Goswami. And so Jiva supervised the
building of the Radha Damodar Mandir, one of the classic temples of Vrindavan.

Literary contribution

Jiva Goswami composed and edited at least twenty-five books. These are all
considered important classics in the line of Shri Chaitanya, and they are listed as
follows: (1) Hari-namamrita-vyakarana, (2) Sutra-malika, (3) Dhatu-sangraha, (4)
Krishnarcha-dipika, (5) Gopal-virudavali, (6) Rasamrita-shesha, (7) Shri
Madhava-mahotsav, (8) Shri Sankalpa-kalpabriksha, (9) Bhavartha-suchaka-
champu, (10) Gopal-tapani-tika, (11) Brahma-sanghita-tika, also known as
Dikdarshani [commentary on Brahma-sanghita], (12) Bhakti-rasamrita-sesha
[commentary on the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu], (13) Lochana-rochani [a
commentary on Shri Rupa's Ujjvala-nilamani], (14) Yogasara-stava-tika [a
commentary on the Padma Purana], (15) Gayatri-bhashya [an explanation of the
Gayatri mantra as referred to in Agni Purana], (16) An elaborate description of
Krishna's lotus feet, particularly as they are depicted in Padma Purana, (17) A
description of Shrimati Radharani's lotus feet, (18) Gopal-champu [in two parts],
and (19-25) seven Sandarbhas: the Krama, Tattva, Bhagavat, Paramatma, Krishna,
Bhakti, and Priti Sandarbhas.