SRI SWARUP DAMODAR GOSWAMI

Sri Swarup Damodar is the eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His
previous name was Sri Purusottam Acarya and he resided at Navadwip.

He was always present with Mahaprabhu. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited
His pastimes of accepting sannyasa, Swarup Damodar became like a madman and,
journeying to Varanasi he also accepted sannyasa from one sannyasi named
Caitanyananda. His sannyasa guru ordered him that, "You should yourself study
the Vedanta and also teach it to others." Sri Purusottama Acarya didn't accept
the garments of sannyasa, but simply gave up his sikha and brahmana thread.
Therefore his name became Swarup (a brahmacari name). Thereafter, by the order
of his guru, he came to Sri Nilacal, where he again met Mahaprabhu.

Then one day, Swarup Damodar, who was very intimate with Mahaprabhu, and an
ocean of the mellows of devotion, came to Sri Jagannath Puri. His previous name
was Purusottam Acarya and he resided at Navadwip, at the lotus feet of
Mahaprabhu. Seeing that Mahaprabhu had accepted sannyasa, he became like a
madman and also accepted sannyasa at Varanasi. [C. C. Mad. 10.102].

Though his scholarship was practically unlimited, he spoke very little with
others and preferred to remain alone. Thus very few were aware of his actual
position. He was completely conversant with the understanding of the mellows of
devotion to Sri Krsna and his body was fully imbued with love for Him. He was
as though a second Mahaprabhu. Whenever anyone wanted to present to Mahaprabhu
some book, verse or song that they had composed, Swarup Damodar would first
hear what they had written before it could be presented to Mahaprabhu. If these
compositions contained any points which were in contradiction to the superior
position of bhakti, as concluded in scriptures, then hearing these writings
would not be a source of transcendental pleasure for Mahaprabhu. Therefore
Swarup Gosai would first examine what had been composed and if it was untainted
then it could be presented to Mahaprabhu.

Usually he would recite Sri Gita Govinda, and the writings of Candidas and
Vidyapati, for the transcendental happiness of Mahaprabhu. In music and singing
he was like a Gandharva and in knowledge of the sastras he was like Brhaspati.
There was no one to compare with him in talent and intelligence. He was
extremely dear to Sri Advaita and Nityananda Prabhu and was the life and soul
of devotees like Srivas and others.

When Sri Swarup Damodar arrived in Puri from Kasi (Varanasi) he recited this
sloka in praise of Mahaprabhu: "Oh You, who are the personification of mercy -
Sri Caitanya. That which very easily causes grief to retreat far away, and
which is spotlessly pure; which causes the appearance of the highest happiness,
and by whose appearance disputation over the intricacies of scriptural
statements ceases; that which causes the spirit to become extremely agitated in
ecstatic love, by a shower of grace and beauty; may that extremely expansive
and auspicious mercy by its sweetness and dignity shine its rays upon me." (Sri
Caitanya Candrodoy Natak.)

Seeing that Swarup Damodar was offering his dandavats to Him, Mahaprabhu picked
him up and as He embraced him he said, "I saw in a dream this morning that you
had come. Just as a blind man finds unlimited happiness by regaining his
eyesight, so I am feeling by regaining your association."

Swarup Damodar replied: "Prabhu, please forgive me. By leaving You and running
off to Varanasi, I made a great mistake. I don't have even a hint of attachment
to your lotus feet, and I have actually become a great sinner by leaving you
and going to a distant country. I gave up your association, but You didn't give
me up. Binding the rope of mercy around my neck You brought me again to Your
lotus feet." [C. C. Mad 10]

Hearing these words of Swarup Damodar, spoken in such humility, Mahaprabhu
again embraced him and said: "Krsna is very kind. He has very mercifully
brought us together again."?

Mahaprabhu kept Swarup Damodar close to Him. Whenever Mahaprabhu became
immersed in a particular ecstatic emotion, Swarup Damodar would perform a
kirtan in that particular mood. During this period Sri Ray Ramananda also
arrived from Vidyanagar in South India. Thus the two of them, Swarup Damodar
and Ramananda Ray would enhance the ecstatic moods of Mahaprabhu by singing
different songs and reciting various poetic verses.

During the day, Mahaprabhu would engage in his pastimes of sankirtan with His
devotees, and at night He would taste the mellows of the ecstatic love of Sri
Sri Radha-Krsna in the company of these two. As Lalita and Visakha were very
intimate with Srimati Radharani, Ray Ramananda and Swarup Damodar were
similarly intimate with Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Swarup Damodar's place of residence in Puri was the "Satasan Math". This is
located near Bhaktivinode Thakur's "Bhakti kutir", near the ocean at Svarga
Dwar.

Mahaprabhu entrusted him to look after and instruct Raghunath Das Goswami.

Swarup Damodar Goswami disappeared on the second day of the bright fortnight in
the month of Asar.