Vrindavan, 2015.01.14 (VT): As every year, a big celebration was held at Radha Damodar temple on Tuesday at the samadhi of Srila Jiva Goswami in order to commemorate his life and entry into the nitya lila. On the occasion, there was a program of devotional songs and devotees offered flowers to Srila Jiva Prabhu. For the entire day, kirtan reverberated through the temple grounds.
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The Radha Damodar temple, which is one of the seven principal temples of Vrindavan, was founded in 1542 by Jiva Goswami. To read more about Jiva Goswami, See this lecture by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj.
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In the morning, a great abhishek was held for the temple deities and then the murti of Jiva Goswami was offered elaborate worship. Many devotees both from within India and without came to offer their respects to him. Flower decorations adorned the entire temple buildings.
Sant Sammelan
In the evening, an assembly of learned scholars came to glorify Jiva Goswami.
Acharya Nirmal Chandra Goswami said that Jiva Goswami loved the Bhagavatam from his childhood. In his adulthood, he became the central pillar of the Vaishnava bhakti world. He had the highest level of faith in the holy abode of Vrindavan, and did a great deal to promote its glories in his writing and his teaching.
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Kanika Prasad Goswami said that it was ultimately through Jiva Goswami that Mahaprabhu’s teachings were made available to the world. If anyone showed by example how to live a life of devotion to Lord Krishna, it was Jiva Goswami. In a very short time, he mastered grammar and poetry as well as the philosophical texts that are at the basis of all Indian thought, then analyzed them and presented a holistic philosophy leading to love of God, prem or priti.
Mahant Fuldol Bihari Baba said that Mahaprabhu gave the task of revealing the Holy Dham to Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis and this responsibility was passed on to Jiva. He established the Radha Damodar temple, but more than that he provided much of the energy that went into building the other great temples of Vrindavan by purchasing land and making other material arrangements.
The following day, a kirtan procession was taken to the seven great temples and was followed by a feast.
Other speakers included Dinesh Chandra Goswami, Biharilal Vasisht, Bhaktivedanta Madhusudan Maharaj, Tamal Krishna Brahmachari and many others.
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