
LESSON 2 - THE BRAHMA MADHVA GAUDIYA SAMPRADAYA

A summary of the Chapter Nine has been given as follows by Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura in his Amrta Pravaha bhasya. In the Ninth Chapter the author of
Caitanya Caritamrta has devised a figurative example by describing the "plant
of bhakti." He considers Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Visvambhara,
to be the gardener of this plant because He is the main personality who has
taken charge of it. As the Supreme enjoyer, He enjoyed the flowers Himself and
distributed them as well. The seed of the plant was first sown in Navadvipa,
the birthsite of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and then the plant was brought to
Purusottama ksetra (Jagannath Puri) and then to Vrndavana. The seed fructified
first in Srila Madhavendra Puri and then his disciple Sri Isvara Puri. It is
figuratively described that both the tree itself and the trunk of the tree are
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The devotees headed by Paramananda Puri and eight other
great sannyasis, are like the spreading roots of the tree. From the main trunk
there extended two special branches, Advaita Prabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu,
and from those branches grow other branches and twigs. The tree surrounds
the entire world, and the flowers of the tree are to be distributed to everyone.
In this way the tree of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu intoxicates the entire world.
It should be noted that this is a figurative example meant to explain
the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (CC Adi 9, Introduction)

On the western side were the forty third, forty fourth and forty fifth branches
Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa and Anupama. They were the best of all. (CC Adi 10.84)

Among these branches, Rupa and Sanatana were principal. Anupama, Jiva Goswami
and others, headed by Rajendra were their subbranches. (CC Adi 10.85)

Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami, the forty sixth branch of the tree, was one
of the most dear servants of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He left all his material
possessions to surrender completely unto the Lord and live at His lotus feet.
(CC Adi 10.91)

Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami, the forty seventh branch, was one of the great
and exalted branches of the tree. He always engaged in discourses about love of
Godhead in the company of Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami.(CC Adi 10.105)

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at the house of Tapana Misra, Raghunatha
Bhatta who was then a boy, washed His dishes and massaged His legs.
While he stayed with Srila Rupa Goswami, his engagement was to recite Srimad
Bhagavatam for him to hear. As a result of this Bhagavatam recitation, he
attained perfectional love of Krsna, by which he remained always maddened.
(CC Adi 10.155,158)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is none other then the combined form of Sri Radha
and Krsna. He is the life of all those devotees who strictly follow in the
footsteps of Srila Rupa Goswami. Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami
are the two principle followers of Srila Swarupa Damodara Goswami, who acted as
the most confidential servitor of Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, known as
Visvambhara in His early life. The author of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Srila
Krsna das Kaviraj Goswami, is a direct disciple of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila
Raghunatha dasa Goswami.
The direct disciple of Srila Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami was Srila Narottama
dasa Thakura, who accepted Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti as his servitor. Srila
Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura accepted Sri Jagannatha dasa Babaji, who
initiated Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who in turn initiated Srila Gaurakisora
das Babaji, the spiritual master of Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Goswami Maharaja, the divine master of our humble self. (CC Adi 1, Introduction)

Rupa Goswami: Bhakti rasamrta sindhu

Sanatana Goswami: Hari Bhakti Vilasa

Jiva Goswami: Hari namamrta Vyakarana, Gopala champu, Krama, Tattva, Bhagavat,
Paramatma, Krsna, Bhakti & Priti-sandarbhas

Gopala Bhatta Goswami: Sat kriya sara dipika

