Swarupa Damodara

Article: Swarupa Damodara

Śrī Swarupa Damodara is the eternal associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. His previous name was Śrī Purusottam Acarya, and he resided at Navadwip. He was always present with Mahāprabhu. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His pastimes of accepting sannyasa, Swarupa Damodara became like a madman and, journeying to Baranasi, 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.” Śrī Purusottama Acarya didn’t accept the garments of sannyasa, but simply gave up his sikha and brahmana thread. Therefore his name became Swarupa (a brahmacari name). Thereafter, by the order of his guru, he came to Śrī Nilacal, where he again met Mahāprabhu.

Then one day, Swarupa Damodara, who was very intimate with Mahāprabhu and an ocean of the mellows of devotion, came to Śrī Jagannath Puri. His previous name was Purusottam Acarya, and he resided at Navadwip, at the lotus feet of Mahāprabhu. Seeing that Mahāprabhu 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 Śrī Krsna, and his body was fully imbued with love for Him. He was as though a second Mahāprabhu. Whenever anyone wanted to present to Mahāprabhu some book, verse, or song that they had composed, Swarupa Damodara would first hear what they had written before it could be presented to Mahāprabhu.

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 Mahāprabhu. Therefore Swarupa Gosai would first examine what had been composed, and if it was untainted then it could be presented to Mahāprabhu.

Usually he would recite Śrī Gita Govinda and the writings of Candidas and Vidyapati, for the transcendental happiness of Mahāprabhu. 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 Śrī Advaita and Nityananda Prabhu and was the life and soul of devotees like Srivas and others.

When Śrī Swarupa Damodara arrived in Puri from Kasi (Baranasi) he recited this sloka in praise of Mahāprabhu: “Oh You, who are the personification of mercy – Śrī 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.” (Śrī Caitanya Candrodoy Natak.)

Seeing that Swarupa Damodara was offering his dandavats to Him, Mahāprabhu 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.”

Swarupa Damodara replied: “Prabhu, please forgive me. By leaving You and running off to Baranasi, 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 Swarupa Damodara, spoken in such humility, Mahāprabhu again embraced him and said: “Krsna is very kind. He has very mercifully brought us together again.”

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

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

Swarupa Damodara’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. Mahāprabhu entrusted him to look after and instruct Raghunath Das Goswami.

Swarupa Damodara Goswami disappeared on the second day of the bright fortnight in the month of Asar.