Sri Rupa Goswami Prabhupada tirobhava

[Joseph Langevin]

Rupa Goswami (1489-1564) is considered the chief among the six Goswamis of Vrindavan. A direct follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

priya-svarūpe dayita-svarūpe

prema-svarūpe sahajābhirūpe
nijānurūpe prabhur eka-rūpe
tatāna rūpe svavilāsa-rūpe

Indeed, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, whose dear friend was Svarūpa Dāmodara, was the exact replica of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he was very, very dear to the Lord. Being the embodiment of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's ecstatic love, Rūpa Gosvāmī was naturally very beautiful. He very carefully followed the principles enunciated by the Lord, and he was a competent person to explain properly the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expanded His mercy to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī just so he could render service by writing transcendental literatures Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 19: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Instructs Srila Rupa Gosvami : Madhya 19.121

Sri chaitanya mano-abhistam sthapitam yena bhutale I Svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam II

When will Sri Rupa Goswami give me the shelter ofhis lotus feet? Because he understood the innermost desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he was able to establish His mission in this world and is very dear to the Lord.

Adadanas trnam dantair idam yache punah punah I Srimad-rupa padambhoja-dhulih syam janma-janmani II

Clasping a straw between my teeth, I repeatedly beg to attain the dust of the lotus feet of Srimad Rupa Goswami birth after birth.

(Shri Mukta-carita, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami)