Vrindavan, 2016.01.01 (V.T): The Tirobhav Mahotsava (disappearance day celebration) of Shrila Jiva Goswami pada added fervor to the New Year Celebration. Devotees dedicated themselves in Bhajan, Kirtan, Parikrama, Glorification of Jiva Goswami, Prayers and other devotional activities for the entire day.
Radha Damodar Mandir was decorated with flowers, balloons, festoons etc. Thankful followers of Goudiya Vaishnavism paid tribute to the Great Acharya on his disappearance day.
Several events were organized in various places of Vrindavan in memory of Shrila Jiva Goswami. A grand celebration was held at Radha Damodar Mandir, where Shrila Jiva Goswami’s Samadhi is situated. Another event was held at Jiva Institute, where more than fifty students studying the ‘Bhakti Tirtha course’ offered their respect to Shrila Jiva Goswami.
Special puja was conducted at the Samadhi of Jiva Goswami, following the puja of Thakur Shri Radha Damodar ji. A great abhishek was held for the temple deities and then the deity of Shrila Jiva Goswami was offered elaborate worship in the morning.
On this occasion, there was a program of Suchak Kirtan, in which the life of Jiva was sung and devotees offered flowers to Shrila Jiva Goswami pada. Kirtan and devotional songs reverberated through the temple campus for the entire day.
Shri Radha Damodar Mandir, which is one of the seven principal temples of Vrindavan, was founded in 1542 by Shrila Jiva Goswami.
The entire temple of Radha Damodar was decorated with flowers. A ‘ Vidvat Goshthi’ was held in the evening in the temple in which several well known scholars glorified Shrila Jiva Goswami. The life, work and his entry into the Nitya Lila was commemorated by the scholars and the Acharyas. A Nagar Sankirtan was taken out through the streets of Vrindavan on the following day.
A cultural event was also held at Jiva Institute on this occasion. The dancers from the Venu Naad Kala Kendra performed Odissi dance, which was witnessed by the students of ‘Bhakti Tirtha Course’. Jiva Institute is a platform where most of the works of Jiva Goswami is translated and commentaries are written on his works.
Addressing the students of the Bhakti Tirtha course, Mahant Satyanarayan Das Baba ji, the President of Jiva Institute said, “ Sri Jiva Goswami has provided the Gaudiya Vaishnava school with a clear identity on a par with those of Shri Ramanujacharya, Shri Madvacharya, and others, through his works on the Sat Sandharbhas. He drew feely from the entire heritage of Vaishnava philosophical thought available to him. Shri Jiva wrote no important conclusion without supporting scriptural references, and yet his conclusions are not mere repetitions, but bear the mark of originality and deserve independent consideration. They are widely acknowledged within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition as Jiva Goswami’s philosophical magnum opus.”
The post Jiva Goswami’s disappearance day celebrated on New Year appeared first on Vrindavan Today.