Sanathana Goswami meet Lord Chaithanya
CC
"My dear Lord, people say that I am very learned, but actually I do not know what I am, wherefrom I have come, why I am suffering."
BHAKTI VEDANTA
Founder Acharya of the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness
Anyone who makes
a gift of this great work on a full moon
day attains to the highest perfection of life by returning to Godhead.
The Basis of The Krishna Conscious Movement
Giving us the
essence of all the previous acaryas’ books in his books.
ശ്രീമദ് ഭഗവദ് ഗീത 
ശ്രീമദ് ഭാഗവതം 
ശ്രീ കൃഷ്ണ 
ഭക്തിരസാമൃത സിന്ധു
Bhagavad Gita is also known as Gitopaniṣad. It is the essence of Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upanisads in Vedic literature.
It is a narrative of Krishna’s life and activities with all the deep, profound philosophy of the Vedas woven ever so charmingly into the stories.
The Nectar of Devotion is complete, step-by-step handbook for attaining perfection in bhakti-yoga of the highest love.
A compact guidebook of essential spiritual teachings: How to choose a guru, how to practice yoga, even where to live.
Sri Isopanisad is the foremost of the 108 Upanisads. Contained within is the essence of all Vedic knowledge.
This book thoroughly describes Vaishnava philosophy and how to personally practice it.
Queen Kunti; yet through all her sufferings, found an inner wisdom and strength that carried her people through the time of crisis.
the authoritative biography of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī explained by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
An intriguing compilation of interviews, lectures and essays by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on varying topics
The amazing narrative of Ajamila’s transforming near-death experience is chronicled in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
A collection of essays, transcribed conversations, and transcribed lectures by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on a wide variety of subjects
He is the
world’s foremost Vedic scholar and teacher, and he is also the current representative of an unbroken chain of fully self-realized spiritual masters beginning with Lord Krishna Himself
Today,
millions around
the globe express their gratitude to Srila Prabhupada for revealing the timeless wisdom of bhakti to this world.
His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is widely regarded as the foremost Vedic scholar, translator, and teacher of the modern era.
Srila Prabhupada, as he's known to his followers, translated
and commented on over eighty volumes of the Vedas' most important sacred bhakti texts, including the Bhagavad-gita, which are highly respected by scholars for theirauthority, depth, fidelity to the tradition, and clarity.
Several of his works are used as textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into more than 87 languages.
He appeared as the son of Srila Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura and preached convincingly against casteism and philosophical deviations from Gaudiya Vaisnavism. He tried to unite the four Vaisnava sampradayas by publishing
their teachings.
By all historical accounts, he was extremely intelligent and excelled in math, astronomy, Sanskrit, and other languages.
He was Gaura Kishora
Das’s only disciple.
Srila Sarasvati
Thakura earned the title Nrisimha Guru for his fearless and powerful delivery of the Vaisnava siddhanta.
He established 64 temples, known as Gaudiya Maths, in India and centers in Burma, England, Germany.
During his lifetime Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji became famous for his teachings on the process of Bhakti Yoga and for his unorthodox avadhuta like behaviour as a sadhu, or babaji in Vrindavan.
In 1849, Shrila Gaura
Kishora Dasa Babaji left grihasta life after the death of his wife. He moved to Vrindavana and took initiation from Shri Bhagavata Dasa Babaji, a
disciple of Shri Jagannatha Dasa, Babaji. For over thirty
years Gaura Kishora
Dasa stayed in Vrindavana performing bhajana under the trees at Giri Govardhana, Nandagrama, Varshana, Radha-Kunda, Surya-kunda, Raval, Gokula
Sri Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in 1838 in a wealthy family in the Nadia district, West Bengal.
"He had a responsible government position as the District Magistrate (high court judge), maintained
a Krishna conscious family, and wrote almost one hundred books on Krishna consciousness. At the same time, he served the Supreme Lord in so many ways. That is the beauty of his life. After a full day of government service he would
sleep four hours, get up at midnight and write until morning. That was his daily program." (Srila Prabhupada)
Shrila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja lived for one hundred forty-four years and did bhajana for many year at Surya Kunda in Vrindavana.
Shri Jagannatha Das Babaji
revealed many lost holy places in Mayapura, including
the Yogapith, Shrivasa Angana, and others.
At theage of one hundred forty-two he couldn't see or walk. Intoxicated with Gauranga prema, Jagannatha Dasa Babaji lept high in the air and began chanting and
dancing at the discovery of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Yogapitha.
He was known as
"the crest jewel of the Vaisnavas" because of his pure devotion, scholarship, and realized perception of Radha Gokulananda's intimate conjugal
pastimes. In Krishna lila he
serves Srimati Radhika as Vinoda-manjari.
His samadhi is in the Radha
Gokulananda temple courtyard.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura wrote over forty Sanskrit books on the science of pure devotion to Radha-Giridhari. He also made the sweetest, most highly realized
rasika
tikas (commentaries) on Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, the works of
Srila Rupa Goswami, Kavi Karnapura, and Narottama Dasa Thakura.
Narottama Thakur was Champaka Manjari in Krishna-lila. Eternally assisting Rupa Manjari in her service to Radha and Krishna, Champaka Manjari had mercy on the conditioned souls of this earth and appeared as Narottama in
the village of Kheturi, about twelve miles from Rampur Bowaliya in the Gopalpur subdivision of Rajshahi district.
His father was king Krishnananda Datta and his mother Sri Narayani devi.
Narottama Das was Lokanatha’s
one and only disciple.
Narottama Dasa is best known for his devotional poetry wherein he describes emotionally intense feelings towards Radha and Krishna.
Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami is the author of Chaitanya-charitamrita, the most authoritative book on Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s philosophy and later life. He lived a renounced life at Syama-kunda near Manasa Pavana Ghat, Radharani's midday
bathing place.
In composing the Charitamrita, Krishna Dasa used the diaries of Murari Gupta and Swarupa Damodara, both of whom were intimate associates of Chaitanya. Krishna Dasa was given a great deal of information by his
guru, Raghunatha Dasa also, who had served Swarupa Damodara when the latter was Chaitanya's personal secretary.
His samadhi tomb is on the grounds of the Radha-Damodar Temple.
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami is one of the six Goswamis of Vrindavana, leading disciples of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Raghunath Bhatta to go to Vrindavan and constantly chant the Hare Krishna mantra and read Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Every
day, Raghunath Bhatta would sing the verses of the Bhagavatam to the Vrindavan residents, and his tears of spiritual emotion would wet the pages of the Bhagavatam as he sang. Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami never criticized anyone. He believed
that all Vaishnavas are sincerely serving Krishna according to their realization and therefore one should overlook their faults. Under his inspiration, a wealthy disciple built the temple for the Radha-Govinda Deities in Vrindavan.
Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu was the nephew of Srila Rupa Goswami, the son of his younger brother Sri Vallabha (Anupama). In his infancy he had the great fortune of seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Mahaprabhu placed His lotus
feet upon the child's head exclaiming that the boy would grow up to be a great preceptor in the Gaudiya sampradaya.
He wrote an astounding half million Sanskrit verses (about 25 books). His books prove that
Shri Chaitanya's philosophy gives the essence of Vedic wisdom and the perfection of religion.
After the disappearance of Shri Rupa and Shri Sanatana Goswamis, Shri Jiva Goswami became the Gaudiya sampradayacharya
to guide all Vaishnavas in Navadwipa, Vrindavana, Jagannatha Puri.
The topmost maidservant of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna is Sri Rupa Manjari who appeared as the head of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, Srila Rupa Goswami.
Sri Caitanya Maha Prabhu ordered Rupa Goswami to
go Vrindavana with a fourfold mission: (1) to uncover the lost sites of Lord Krishna's pastimes, (2) to install Deities of the Lord and arrange for Their worship, (3) to write books on Krsna consciousness, and (4) to teach
the rules of devotional life.
RupaGoswami had a magnificent temple of the deity of Govinda constructed under the patronage of Emperor Akbar and Maharaja Man Singh of Amber, Rajasthan.
Rupa Goswami fulfilled all four parts of the mission given to him by Lord Caitanya. His samadhi, or memorial tomb, is in the courtyard of the Radha-Damodaratemple in Vrindavana.
Sanatan Goswami was the elder brother of Shri Rupa and Shri Anupama.
The Radha-Madana Mohana mandir established by Sanatana Goswami was the first one opened in Vrindavana by the six Goswamis. Described as "the personal
extension of the body of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu," Shri Sanatana is the ideal spiritual master because he gives one shelter at the lotus feet of Madana Mohana. The three Vrindavana Deities (Madana Mohana, Govindaji and Gopinatha)
are the life and soul of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. The Deity of Madana Mohana has the specific quality of helping the neophyte Devotees understand their eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Shri
Krishna.
"Entering Lord Chaitanya's service, they resolutely gave up power, riches, and position to live in Vrindavana as humble beggars absorbed in bhajana. One cannot properly perform Krishna bhajana until one renounces
all attachments both internally and externally, and adopts a life of simplicity and humility." (Shri Vraja Mandala Parikrama).
Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami was the personal secretary of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
He is said to have been like a second Mahaprabhu because he deeply understood the Lord's conclusions on Krsna
bhakti, devotional service to Krsna. He was a great scholar as well as an expert musician. In the company of Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami at Jagannatha Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would taste the deepest emotions of devotional
service.
Svarupa Damodara would sing for Mahaprabhu the songs of Vidyapati, Chandidasa, and Gita-Govinda, and this gave the Lord much pleasure. Svarupa Damodara could sing like a Gandharva, and he knew the scriptures
like Brihaspati, the guru of the gods. No one was a greater soul than he. He was most dear to Advaita and Nityananda and the life and soul of the devotees headed by Shrivasa Thakura.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Mayarpur in the town of Nadia, just after sunset on the evening of the 23rd Falgun, 1407 Advent of Sakabda answering to the 18th Februrary, 1486 of the Christian era.
Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, the pioneer of the modern Hare Krishna movement, appeared in Mayapur, West Bengal over 500 years ago. He is Krishna Himself, who appeared to inaugurate the yuga-dharma – the Harinama Sankirtana (congregational chanting
of the holy names of the Lord). He never disclosed Himself as the incarnation of the Lord and exemplified the life of a perfect devotee, so that others can follow in His footsteps.
Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32) In the
age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the holy name of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied
by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.
Shri Ishvara Puri appeared in this world on the full moon day of the month of Jyestha. Receiving the seed of Krishna prema from Madhavendra Puri, Shri Ishvara Puri became the spiritual master of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Madhavendra Puri couldn't move at the end of his life. So doing all humble services, Ishvara Puri even cleaned up his stool and urine. Ishvara Puri helped his guru to remember Shri Krishna by always chanting Hare Krishna and
telling Radha-Krishna's pastimes. Pleasing Madhavendra Puri by these menial acts, Ishvara Puri received the treasure of Krishna-prema from his spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta points out in his commentary
on this verse, "It is by the mercy of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here. A Vaishnava is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if he appears to be an invlaid, this
gives a chance to his disciples to serve him. Ishvara Puri pleaed his piritual master by service, and by the blessings of his spiritual master he became such a great personality that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted him as
his spiritual master. "
Sri Nityananda was born on Shukia Trayodashi, in the month of Magha, in the year 1473, 12th of February (Shakabda Era - 1395).
Nityananda Prabhu met Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in 1506, when He was 32 years old and the Lord 20 years.
Nityananda Prabhu in His role as the original spiritual master, was instrumental in spreading the yuga dharma of sankritana all over the Gaudia desh (Bengal, Orrisa). His mercy knew no bounds, and people fortunate to come
in contact with Him were inundated with the love of Godhead. It was by His mercy that Raghunatha dasa, one of the six Goswamis started the famous Danda Mahotsava festival of Panihatti, a tradition that continues to this day,
and was thus able to serve Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Vaishanava acharyas emphatically state that people who try to understand Chaitanya Mahaprabhu without getting the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu will never succeed. One must
pray very sincerely to Lord Nityananda Prabhu as the adi-guru (original spiritual master) to be delivered to the Lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Advaita Acharya was the first among Mahaprabhu's associates to appear within the material world. Some sixty years prior to Mahaprabhu's own advent, Advaita Acharya had already begun chanting Krishna's names in the
streets with devotees and discussing scriptures on devotional service to Krishna.
When Sri Advaita Acharya made his appearance in this world, Srila Madhavendra Puri, Sri Ishvar Puri, Sri Sachi Mata and Sri
Jagannatha Mishra also made their advent.
Sri Advaita Acharya is one of the chief figures amongst the Panchatattva – Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhar Pandit and Srivasa.
He is known
as an incarnation of Sadashiva and Maha-Vishnu
Madhavendra Puri's disciples included Ishvara Puri, Advaita Acharya, Paramananda Puri (a Brahmin from the Tirhu area), Brahmananda Puri, Shri Ranga Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Raghupati Upadhyaya, and others. Nityananda Prabhu
is said by some to be Madhavendra Puri's disciple, others say that Lakshmipati was his guru, while the Prema-vilasa states that he was Ishvara Puri's disciple.
In one way or another, all the Vaisnavas in Bengal and Kshetra
mandala (Jagannatha Puri) were connected with Shri Madhavendra Puri.
Madhavendra Puri introduced the conception of madhurya bhava (conjugal love) in the Madhvacarya sampradaya.
“Madhavendra Puri was a well known
sannyasi of the Madhva sampradaya. His grand-disciple was Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Prior to his appearance, there was no evidence of prema bhakti in the Madhva line. In his verse, ayi dinia-dayardra-natha (Chaitanya Charitamrita
2.4.197), the seed of the religious doctrines of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can be found.” – Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Once Lord Balarama (Krishna's elder brother) appeared to Lakshmipati Tirtha to break the ground for a change in the regular line of the Madhva Sampradaya. Big changes were to take place that would eventuate in a revolution
in thought and deed. Lord Shri Krishna and His brother Lord Balarama were about to appear in the dress of Devotees within the Madhwa 'sampradaya'.
brajendra nandana jei-saci-suta hoilo sei
balarama hoilo nitai
Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura sings in his "Ishta Deve Vijnapti", in simple Bengali language that "Lord Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, the King of Vraja, became the son of Sachi (Lord Chaitanya) and Balarama became Nitai
(Nityananda)."
He is considered one of the three founders of Dvaita Vedanta, along with Madhvacharya, and Jayatirtha.
Vyasatirtha was extremely influential in the Vijayanagar Empire. He headed the Tirupati temple
from 1486-1498 C.E., before moving, at the behest of the king and ministers, to Vijayanagara, where he spent the rest of his life. Vyasatirtha reached the height of his influence as the Rajguru of King Krishnadevaraya.
During his life Vyasatirtha established 732 temples of Hanuman all over South India and composed poems and songs based on the Srimad Bhagavatam, Mahabharata and Ramayana.
It was under his guidance that
Carnatic music revolution started in southern India. Both Purandaradasa, the father of Carnatic music, and Kanakadasa, a musician-saint belonging to the non-Brahmin Kuruba caste, were his students.
Sri Brahmanya was born in Nrihari kshethra on the banks of the Cauvery and was named Narasimha. The boy was sent to Sri Purushotthama Tirtha at the young age of 7 after his Upanayana samskara. Sri Purushotthama was
next in line to Sri Jayadhwaja whose name is preserved for posterity for his founding of the Dvaita school in the north, specially in Navadvipa (modern Bengal). ISKON followers call his name as Jayadharma.
Narasimha
was a precocious pupil with great intelligence, devotion to God and disinterest in the affairs of the world. Sri Purushotthama had already received some indications in dreams about his pupil. The education of Narasimha was
completed in a short while and he was also given the oaths of Asceticism and called Brahmanya Tirtha by his Guru. Very soon the latter entered a cave near Abbur and did penance for a long time.During his Life time he did many
miracles.
Sri Brahmanya Tirtharu was born as Narasimha to parents who hailed from Kumbhakonam, in Tamilnadu. . He was sent by his father Poogavanam Ramacharya to Abbooru, on the outskrits of CHannapatna, in Karnataka, for learning where
Sri Purushottama Tirtha of Sri Vidyadhiraja line (Purvaadi Matha) was meditating in a nearby cave.
Young Narsimha was given Upanayana Deeksha by the Swamiji and later was ordained as successor under the name of Sri Brahmanya
Tirtha. He was a child prodigy who learnt Shastras very fast.
Between Shripad Rajendra Tirtha and Shripad Vyasa Tirtha we have Shripad Vijayadhvaja Tirtha, alias Jayadhvaja Tirtha, alias Jayadharma Tirtha. He is listed in the Mutt genealogical tables as being a member of the Pejawara Mutt
coming from Shripad Aksobhya Tirtha. He became the seventh heir to the pontificial seat, 'Pitha Adipatya' (1434-48.).
His commentary of Shrimad Bhagavatam went under the title "Bhakti-ratnavali" and is said to have greatly
influenced his disciple, Vishnu Puri. In this commentary there are many references to the original compiler, the great Shridhar Swami of the Bhagavat School. Shridhar Swami lived in a very dangerous time to be a Vaishnava,
and so kept his meanings covered, or hidden in codes.
Being of seniority in his years, as well as learning and devotional understandings, Rajendra Tirtha also became the successor on the Pitha (1388-1412. AD.).
The 'guru parampara' divided at that time.
Some say that Vijayadhiraja
Tirtha called Kavindra due to a need for the preaching to spread due to his talents in that direction, but one cannot guess the reasons why – a pure Vaisnava acts. We do know, that it is only to satisfy the Lord, that much
we can ascertain. The line coming from Rajendra Tirtha is now represented by Shripad Vyasa Tirtha (Vyasaraya Mutt) and Sosale Mutt, and those lines still continue.
It is important to point out that this Vishnudasacharya
(1390-1440.) is different from Vishnu Puri who was the disciple of Rajendra Tirtha's disciple Jayadharma Tirtha (Vijayadhwaj Tirtha), and who received glorification for compiling a commentary on Shrimad Bhagavatam that in his
olde age he presented to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu called Bhakti Ratnavali.
The only written works accredited to him was a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, and a commentary on Vishnusahasranama, which incidently was the first recorded Dvaita commentary upon it.
The devotional writer Shrila Kavikarnapur's
"Shri Gaura-Ganoddesa Dipika", (Text 22.) mentions, "Akshobhya's disciple was Jaya Tirtha. Jaya Tirtha's disciple was Jnanasindhu. Jnanasindhu's disciple was Mahanidhi. Mahanidhi's disciple was Vidyanidhi. Vidyanidhi's disciple
was Rajendra" However, in Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's song "Guru Parampara" he says, "Madhava Tirtha accepted the great paramahamsa Aksobhya Tirtha as his disciple. The principle disciple of Aksobhya Tirtha was known
as Jaya Tirtha. Jaya Tirtha's service was for his disciple Jnanasindhu. Dayanidhi received the science of devotional service from Jnanasindhu and the servant of Dayanidhi was Vidyanidhi (Vidyadhiraja Tirtha). Rajendra became
the disciple of Vidyadhiraja Tirtha."
Jayatirtha renounced the world and took sannyasa at twenty years of age. By this time no one could philosophically touch him. He was a genius, seeing through the foolishness of Mayavada, and even making commentaries on Ramanuja's
works. He wrote about twenty books, eclipsing those of his forerunners like Trivikrama Panditacarya, Padmanabha Tirtha and Narahari Tirtha, but he was always humble, giving all credit to Aksobhya Tirtha, the servant of Madhvacarya.
Aksobhya Tirtha was the last of Madhva's direct disciples to sit on the Pitha. He did so from 1350 AD - 1365 AD. Previously his name was Govinda Sastri and he came from Uttara-Karnataka. Madhvacarya gave him the Deity of Aja-Vitthal.
(Krsna standing with His hands of His hips, accompanied by Sri Devi and Bhudevi, though some say this is Krsna with Rukmini and Satyabhama.)
His main "claim to fame" was the way he refuted the philosophy of "tat tvam asi"
- "you are the same as". There is an historic incident which is understood to have taken place at Mulbagal near Kolar. His victim was Vidyaranya, the big, big scholar and guru descendant of the Advaita line of Sankara. Aksobhya
Tirtha smashed Vidyaranya so badly that in history this was considered the turning point in the new Madhva faith of Dvaitavada. To this day the philosophy of Dvaita (dualism) has not been defeated; even the Advaita Mayavadis,
knowing they are wrong, with stubborn determination they have yearly been coming back to get smashed.
Previously known as Visnu Sastri, Madhava Tirtha was the third acarya to reside on the Pitha after Madhvacarya. Madhava Tirtha was quite often confused with, or known as Madhvacarya or Madhva, due to the similarity in name. He was the son of Mayana and Srimati and the elder brother of Sayana and at one time a minister of King Bukka of Vijayanagar.
Narahari was a leading minister in Kalinga, Orissa, and was performing this task for around thirty years.
At the time of dividing the Mutts at Kanya Tirtha, Madhvacarya gave Narahari the Deity of Kaliyamardana Krsna with four
arms. This Deity of Krsna is dancing on the head of the Kaliya serpent, with one leg lifted up dancing, one hand in a balancing, dancing pose, and the other holding his tail up. Two other hands hold a conch and cakra.
He was a native of Uttara-Karnataka which in those days stretched to the area known as Andhra Pradesh. He was a renowned and distinguished scholar of the day, but his proficiency in fourteen branches of learning were silenced in
fourteen seconds by Acarya Madhva in 1265 AD. Soon he became one of the most trusted disciples of Madhva. Madhva always praised him, being the senior-most disciple among those outside the Tulu area, and his learning, preaching
and seniority enabled Madhva to make him the first to sit on the Pitha after Madhva's disappearance pastime.
Padmanabha Tirtha left this world at Navavrindavanas, near Hampi, on the sacred Tungabhadra River in 1324 AD.
His samadhi tomb remains there to this day.
The Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya originates with the Madhvas. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers thoroughly studied Madhva's works before compiling their philosophy. For the Sat Sandarbhas Shri Jiva Goswami drew heavily
from Madhva's writings. Jiva Goswami found 'the Gaudiya philosophy of acintya-bheda-abheda tattva in Madhva's Bhagavat-parya. Shri Chaitanya Himself visited Udupi, the seat of Madhva's sect. The Lord introduced Hari Nama sankirtana
into their sect.
With a hope of meeting Shrila Vyasadeva himself Madhvacharya walked up the Himalayas. Vyasadeva gave him a Shalagrama sila called Ashtamurti, approved his Bhagavad-gita commentary, and blessed Madhvacharya
with deeper realizations of the sastras.
It is described in the lists of the main avataras of the Lord as found in the Bhagavata Purana, that the seventeenth incarnation was Srila Vyasadeva who appeared as the son of Parashara Muni and his wife Satyavati. His mission
was to divide the one Veda into various branches and sub-branches so the people who are less intelligent can more easily understand them. (Bhag.1.3.21 & 2.7.36)
At the end of the millennium, when the Personality of Godhead Lord Nārāyaṇa lay down within the water of devastation, Brahmā began to enter into Him along with all creative elements, and I also entered through His breathing. Nārada
is known as the son of Brahmā, as Lord Kṛṣṇa is known as the son of Vasudeva. The Personality of Godhead and His liberated devotees like Nārada appear in the material world by the same process.
Brahma is the original spiritual mentor of everyone within the universe. Krishna entrusts him with the sum total of all knowledge—the Vedas—by which everyone can attain success in life and ultimately return to the spiritual world. Brahma, in turn, sees to it that Vedic knowledge is spread everywhere by his representatives. This mission is known as the Brahma-sampradaya, or school of theistic thought originating from Brahma.
CC
"My dear Lord, people say that I am very learned, but actually I do not know what I am, wherefrom I have come, why I am suffering."
Abhideya
Abhideya means to engage in the nine processes of devotional service with knowledge and detachment. Radha Govinda is the abhideya murti and Rupa Goswami is our abhideya guru.
Only one descendent, Sri Jiva.
We know that Jiva Goswami was the son of Vallabha. His ancestry was South Indian. Hailing from Karnataka, they were Sarasvata brahmanas. He was born in Ramakeli, West Bengal in 1513 c.e. Muslims ruled West Bengal
at the time of Sri Jiva’s appearance, and it came to pass that his father and two uncles were employed by the governor, Nawab Hussain Shah. They held positions with influence similar to that of cabinet members of a president.
Well-educated, cultured, pious, and wealthy, they led comfortable lives.
He was a scholar in all subjects, although he didn't write any books like the other Goswamis. Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami learned everything simply by hearing shastras. Fearing that Muslims might desecrate Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami's sacred form, Shri Jiva Goswami had his body burned. The ashes were placed in two samadhis, one in Radha-kunda, another in the 64 Samadhis Area. In Radha-Govindaji's nitya-lila he serves as Rasa or Raga manjari, one of Shri Radha's asta manjaris.
Lord Chaitanya once stayed four months in his home, and converted the family to Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
Appreciating his renunciation and devotion, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave him His personal Shila from Govardhana Hill and a string of gunja mala. These were incalculably precious items, since they were personally with the Lord for more than three years.