Svarupa Damodara Goswami

Svarupa Damodara Goswami

One of the closest associates of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Purushottama Acharya (Svarupa) knew exactly the heart of Shri Krishna Chaitanya. Glorifying him as "the storehouse of all devotional mellows," Lord Chaitanya added the word Damodara to his name.

   Svarupa Damodara revealed to the world the innermost emotions of Shri Chaitanya's mood of Radharani feeling separation from Krishna. Sensing Lord Gauranga's moods, Svarupa Damodara would perform kirtana to enhance the Lord's internal sentiments. To soothe Lord Chaitanya's love pangs in viraha bhava he would sing songs from Gita-Govinda, Krishna Karnamrta, and the love poems of Chandidasa and Vidyapati.

   Throughout the day and night Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya stayed near Shri Chaitanya in order to nourish His pastimes. "He is one of the three and one-half most intimate Devotees of Lord Chaitanya (Ramananda Raya, Sikhi Mahiti, Madhavi Devi)." Just as Lalita and Vishakha are Radharani's dearest gopis, Svarupa Damodara (Vishakha-sakhi) and Ramananda Raya (Lalita-sakhi) are Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's most confidential associates.

   Svarupa Damodara was the "guardian of the Gaudiya Devotees." So whenever a Devotee misbehaved Lord Gaurasundara would say, "Svarupa, your Gaudiya did such and such." Svarupa Damodara would personally check for grammatical or philosophical flaws in any newly written verse, song, or book before giving it to Lord Chaitanya for approval.

   Krishna Dasa Kaviraja used Svarupa Damodara's Karcha (memoirs of Shri Chaitanya's life) to compile the Chaitanya-charitamrta. Svarupa Damodara Goswami also wrote Sangita-Damodara, a book of music. His samadhi is in the 64 Samadhis Area.