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 Sukla Dvadasi, his disappearance day is Paush Sukla 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-kutira is preserved in Radha Kund, near Lalita Kund.
Sri Sri Yugalastakam
Author: Srila Jiva Goswami
1) Radha is made of pure love for Krsna and Hari is made of pure love of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
2) Radha is the treasure of Krsna and Hari is the treasure of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
3) Radha pervades the life-force of Krsna and Hari pervades the life-force of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
4) Radha is totally melted with Krsna and Hari is totally melted with Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
5) Radha is situated in the body of Krsna and Hari is situated in the body of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
6) Radha is fixed in the heart of Krsna and Hari is fixed in the heart of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
7) Radha wears cloth of blue color and Hari wears cloth of yellow color. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
8) Radha is the Mistress of Vrndavana and Krsna is the Master of Vrndavana. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
