Srila Rupa Goswami
Sri Rupa Pranama
sri-caitanya-mano 'bhutam sthapitam yena bhu-tale
svayam rupah kadamahyam dadati sva-padantikamWhen will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet.
A Brief Biography
In the year 1489, Rupa Goswami appeared in a dynasty of bharadvaja-gotra yajur vedi brahmanas, from Karanataka, South India. Impelled by special circumstances, his great-grandfather Sri Padmannbha left his ancestral home and settled in a village named Naihati on the banks of the Bhagirathi Ganga in Bengal. Padmanabha's grandson Sri Kumaradeva had three sons: Amara, Santosa and Vallabha. Later they became famous as Sri Sanatana Goswami Sri Rupa Goswami and Sri Anupama.
Impressed with their extraordinary scholarship, qualifications and virtuous conduct, the Muslim ruler of Bengal at that time, Hussain Shah, gave Rupa and Sanatana the titles Sakara Mallika and Dabira Mallika and made them his prime minister and personal Secretary.
Coming into contact with the savior of Kali-yuga, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they renounced their colossal wealth and all worldly relationships, fully dedicating themselves to Him. On Mahaprabhu's order they restored the forgotten holy places of Vraja-mandala, re-established the proper methods for deity worship, composed authoritative scriptures on bhakti and established the codes of good conduct for devotional life.
Again manifesting the famous Sri Govindaji deity in Vrndavana, constructing a massive and beautiful temple and establishing an opulent standard of worship for the deity is all accredited to Sri Rupa Goswami alone. His disappearance was in the year 1564.
In Sri Jiva Goswami's Laghu-vaisnava-tosani Srimad-Bhagavatam commentary, we find the following authoritative list of literatures Srila Rupa Goswami composed:
(1) Sri Hamsaduta, (2) Sri Uddhava Sandesa, (3) Sri Krsna-janma-tithi-vidhi, (published by Bhaktivedanta Academy) (4) Sri Brhad-krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, (5) Sri Laghu-krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, (6) Sri Stava-mala, (7) Sri Vidagdha-madhava-nataka, (8) Sri Lalita-madhava-nataka, (9) Sri Dana-keli-kaumudi, (10) Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, (11) Sri Ujjvala-nila-mani, (12) Sri Prayuktakhya-candrika, (13) Sri Mathura-Mahatmya, (14) Sri Padyavali, (15) Sri Nataka-candrika, (16) Sri Laghu-bhagavatamrta, (17) Sri Samanya-virudavali-laksana and (18) Sri Upadesamrta.
Srila Prabhupada's quotes on "Rupanuga"
"We are called rupanuga, "strictly following the footstep of Rupa Gosvami." Rupanuga-varaya te. And our Guru Maharaja was... rupanuga-viruddhapasiddhanta-dhvanta-harine: "Anything against the plan of Rupa Gosvami, not accepted."
(Room Conversation, Los Angeles, June 27, 1975)
"In the Adi Purasa the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself says:
na tatha me priyatamo brahma rudraç ca parthiva
na ca laksmir na catma ca yatha gopi-jano mama"Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the goddess of fortune and even My own self are not as dear to Me as the gopis." Of all the gopis, Srimati Radharani is the topmost. Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami are the most exalted servitors of iSrimati Radharani and Lord iSri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Those who adhere to their service are known as rupanuga devotees."
(Purport, Cc. Madya 8.246)
"By thus following in the footsteps of iSrila Rupa Gosvami, one can become a rupanuga devotee."
(Purport, Cc. Madhya 19.132)
"Don't deviate from the instruction. Then you will stand as strong as the Himalayan mountain. Very simple thing. Anyone can do. We are asking, following the footsteps of predecessor, Rupa Gosvami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction to Rupa Gosvami. Rupanuga. Therefore we are called rupanuga. Anuga. Anuga means following. Going, following the footsteps of Rupa Gosvami. So as the, Rupa Gosvami is following his predecessor, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so we have to follow our predecessor. Then we will be successful. There is no doubt about it. Nobody can do any harm."
(Lecture, Bombay, January 8, 1973)
"One has to follow the principles of Rupa Gosvami. Then he's called rupanuga. Unless you become rupanuga, you cannot understand the Gaudiya philosophy."
(Lecture, Vrndavana, October 18, 1972)