Bhugarbha Goswami
Bhugarbha Goswami
Just as there is very little mentioned in the scriptures about the life of Srila Lokanatha Goswami, in the same way, there is little written about his dear friend Srila Bhugarbha Goswami. Srila Lokanatha and Sri Bhugarbha Goswami were of one heart and mind. On the order of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu they went to live in Vrindavana. Bhugarbha Goswami was a disciple of Gadadhara Pandita. Among his disciples were Sri Govindadeva's pujari Chaitanya Dasa, as well as Mukundananda Chakravarti, Premi Krishnadasa and others.
Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami writes: "The eleventh branch of Gadadhara Goswami was Bhugarbha Goswami and the twelfth was Bhagavata Dasa. Both of them went to Vrindavana and resided there for life."
Sri Kavikarnapura writes in his Gaura-ganodesa-dipika that Bhugarbha Goswami was formerly the gopi named Prema Manjari in Vrindavana. While in Vrindavana, Bhugarbha Goswami passed away and entered into the unmanifest pastimes of the Lord on the fourteenth day of the full moon in the month of Kartika.
Lokanatha Goswami and Bhugarbha Goswami lived together in Vrindavana as one. Srila Narahari Cakravarti Thakura writes about them in his Bhakti-ratnakara: "Bhugarbha Goswami and Lokanatha Goswami were world-preachers; they were so close and affectionate to one another that they were like one body."
Krishnadasa Kaviraja is among the most exalted rasika-bhaktas, Devotees whose sole interest is in relishing the mellows of devotion to Radha-Govinda and Mahaprabhu. He compiled the Chaitanya-Charitamrita which describes the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya and the Govinda-lilamrita, describing the pastimes of Radha-Krishna. Hearing the pastimes of Gaura-Govinda would melt even stone, but it had no effect on my consciousness. Not only have I failed to take advantage of the association of all these great souls, but I have also neglected their associates and followers. What a sad story my life has become. My life and birth are all useless. Shame on me. Alas, alas. Thus laments Narottama Dasa."