Disappearance Day of Srila Jiva Gosvami

What is the disappearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami?

On Srila Jiva Gosvami's disappearance day devotees honour his departure from this world into the Lord's eternal pastimes. After Srila Rupa Gosvami, his spiritual master (and uncle), and Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami carried the work of Vrindavana forward. In 2027 the day falls on Sunday, 10 January, together with the disappearance of Sri Jagadisa Pandita.

Significance

As a baby, Jiva Gosvami was blessed with the sight of Lord Caitanya at Ramakeli, and the Lord is said to have marked him as the future acarya of the Gaudiya sampradaya. As a young man he met Lord Nityananda Prabhu in Navadvipa and studied in Kashi. In Vrindavana Srila Rupa Gosvami initiated him and engaged him in the service of Sri Sri Radha-Damodara.

He proofread the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, and on the order of Srila Sanatana Gosvami he wrote the Laghu-vaisnava-tosani. His greatest gift is the Sat-sandarbha, whose six theses set out the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. The Caitanya-caritamrta says of one of them:

In Śrī Bhāgavata-sandarbha, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has written conclusively about the ultimate end of devotional service.

Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 1.43

How to observe it

A disappearance day is a time to remember the acarya and to study what he gave. Read about his life, or a few pages of Srila Prabhupada's Caitanya-caritamrta where the Sandarbhas are cited. Chant extra rounds, and pray for the same service he rendered: worshipping Radha-Damodara and helping others understand Sri Caitanya's teaching.