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Gosvami means

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Instruction

Svāmī means master, and gosvāmī means master of the go, or senses.
Nectar of Instruction 1: The conclusion is that one who can control these six items—speech, mind, anger, tongue, belly and genitals—is to be called a svāmī or gosvāmī. Svāmī means master, and gosvāmī means master of the go, or senses. When one accepts the renounced order of life, he automatically assumes the title of svāmī.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī means master of the senses.
Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975: About the Gosvāmīs it is said that these things, material demands of the body, sleeping, eating, sex and defense... They are the demands of the body. But how they became gosvāmī or svāmī? Because they were not affected by these demands. That is gosvāmī; that is svāmī. Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī means master of the senses. So if I am servant of the senses, how I can become gosvāmī, how I can become svāmī?

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Gosvāmī means controlling the senses, who has completely controlled the senses.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972: So when you come to the position of controlling the senses, then you'll be gosvāmī. That is gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means controlling the senses, who has completely controlled the senses. Svāmī or gosvāmī. Svāmī also means that and gosvāmī also means the same thing. Generally adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamiśram. Uncontrolled senses, they are going. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is sending them. He is making his own path clear, either back to home, back to Godhead, or glide down to the darkest region of hell. Two things are there, and that opportunity is in the human form of life. You can select. Kṛṣṇa, as He inquired from Arjuna, whether "Your illusion has been dissipated now, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, now you can do whatever you like." So that "You can do whatever you like," that facility is always given to living entity by God. You can do whatever you like. It is not that we are, we are given no facilities to select, to make choice. We are given facilities and choice, everything to do. So to select the path of hell and to select the path of back to home, back to Godhead, depends upon us. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ, yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam, tamo-dvāram, tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam [SB 5.5.2]. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes, vimuktes. People, the modern educated society, they do not know what is vimukti. They do not know. They know, but they do not know what is the ultimate vimukti.
Gosvāmī means fully controlled in full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He can become guru.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972: This is the injunction of the śāstra. In spite of his good qualification, expert in six occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa, if he's an avaiṣṇava, if he has not understood Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he cannot become guru. Therefore, according to Vedic system, not a brāhmaṇa is accepted as guru, but when he becomes gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means fully controlled in full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He can become guru. The... Rūpa Gosvāmī's... That six kinds of control. One who has controlled over his speeches, over his anger, over his tongue, over his mind, over his genital, over his belly, when one has full control over these six things, he's a gosvāmī. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. He can make disciples all over the world. That is the injunction of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī. He was himself a gosvāmī. In the beginning, when he was a minister, he was not a gosvāmī, but later on, when he became completely educated by Śrī, Śrīla Mahāprabhu, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, both the brothers, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they became gosvāmīs. And other gosvāmīs, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, they became their assistants. This Vṛndāvana, the present Vṛndāvana is the excavation of the Six Gosvāmīs. This place where we are sitting, here the Six Gosvāmīs used to assemble daily for discussing on Bhāgavata. Especially it, it is the place of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī's nephew.
You must be gosvāmī, means you must be master of the senses.
Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974: Just like the Gosvāmīs did. Only one and a half hour or utmost two hours. That also sometimes not. Actually, we should reduce this. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. This is gosvāmī. Gosvāmīs does not mean go-dāsa. Go means senses and dāsa means servant. If we keep the title gosvāmī and become servant of the senses, it is cheating. You must be gosvāmī, means you must be master of the senses. Self-control. So what the Gosvāmīs did? Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau. Very humble and... Nidrā means sleeping, āhāra means eating, and vihāra means sense enjoyment, vijitau, they conquered over. So our process is to follow the Gosvāmīs. Ei chay gosāi yāṅr tāṅr mui dās. So we should try to follow the Gosvāmīs. We should keep in view what they did. They used to, I mean to say, pass their time in kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. Dhīrādhīra. There are two classes of men in the world, dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means saintly persons, sober, those who have controlled their senses, gosvāmīs. And adhīra: just the opposite. So these Gosvāmīs, six Gosvāmīs, they were popular to the both classes of men, dhīra and adhīra. Their character was so sublime, nice, that even in this Vṛndāvana when Sanātana Gosvāmī was there, the village men, they would accept Sanātana Gosvāmī as the leader of the village. Actually, they were leader. But to pose himself as leader, but cannot control others, (Bengali) gaya mane mora āpni moro(?). Not like that. He must able be to lead them. So although Sanātana Gosvāmī was interested kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau, he was not disinterested with others who were not devotees. They were also interested. Not interested, but sympathetic. They were not interested with the materialists, but the ordinary householders, they would fight, husband and wife, and come to Sanātana Gosvāmī for settlement. And whatever Sanātana Gosvāmī would give judgment, they will accept. They will accept. He was, they were very popular, (the) Gosvāmīs. And they were staying sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes Rādhā-kuṇḍa, sometimes... They were not staying in one place.
Actually gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Svāmī means the control over the senses. That is required. We have to control over the senses and identify ourself that "I do not belong to anything of this material infection, but I am eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa."
Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975: Actually gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Svāmī means the control over the senses. That is required. We have to control over the senses and identify ourself that "I do not belong to anything of this material infection, but I am eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa." Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya... [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. This is called svarūpa-upalabdhi. This is called self-realization. This is called mukti. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the definition of mukti has been given that muktir hitvā anyathā rūpam. Anyathā rūpam. I am identifying now myself as this and that. "I am American; I am Indian; I am brāhmaṇa; I am gosvāmī; I am this, that..." No. This is all anarthas, unwanted. So therefore hitvā anyathā rūpam. We are living under the impression of something else. Hitvā means when we give up this wrong impression. And sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ, when you are situated in your original position, that is called mukti. Mukti does not mean anything else. This is the definition of mukti. You keep yourself in your original position. So our original position is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are part and parcel of the body of Kṛṣṇa.
That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Whole world, whomever you meet, you speak of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. That is gosvāmī.
Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974: That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whole world, whomever you meet, you speak of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. That is gosvāmī. Not that gosvāmī profession means that I make a means of my livelihood, and I bring money from outside and engage in my son's marriage and daughter's marriage. That is not gosvāmī. One who is engaged in loka-hitam, spreading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world, that is gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means... Go means indriya. Svāmī means... Indriya means senses, and svāmī means the master. One has to control. If one is busy only family matters... What is this family? It is simply sense gratification, sexual intercourse. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. So if one is engaged in these family affairs only, sexual affairs, he's not a gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means who has, one who has... Wherefrom this gosvāmī comes? Rūpa Gosvāmī. Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva... They, they were not family men. They were not in sense gratification. They were in the service of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Kṛṣṇa. That is gosvāmī. We must know what is gosvāmī. Loka-hitaṁ ratam. Everyone who is on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is engaged to preach Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, throughout the whole world... Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. A gosvāmī means he must have disciples all over the world. That is gosvāmī. Not that within some area. These are the things.
Real gosvāmī means the six Gosvāmīs.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974: So that, our aim is how to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. And to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, the examples are the Gosvāmīs. Just like śrī-rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa-raghunātha, śrī-jīva gopāla-bhaṭṭa dāsa-raghunātha gosvāmīs. We are followers of the Gosvāmīs. But these Gosvāmīs are not these titular gosvāmīs. You should understand. The titular gosvāmīs are different. They are making a profession of gosvāmī. Real gosvāmī means the six Gosvāmīs. How one can become interested in ātma-tattva, that example is given by the six Gosvāmīs, śrī-rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa-raghunātha, śrī-jīva gopāla-bhaṭṭa dāsa-raghunātha. When we speak that these gosvāmīs, who are indulging in all sinful activities, that does not mean the Gosvāmīs... Gosvāmīs cannot take in sinful activities, take part in sin... That is not possible. But still, there are so many so-called gosvāmīs who are taking in sinful activities; still, they are being passed as gosvāmī. So we do not mean... When we speak of gosvāmī, we mean the six Gosvāmīs and their followers. So Vṛndāvana, in Vṛndāvana, those who will remain here to..., especially to guide this temple, they must be followers of the six Gosvāmīs.
But a gosvāmī means one who has control over these six urges of the senses.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974: So these six Gosvāmīs, we have to follow. Now, this is... Not śrotavyādīni rājendra... [SB 2.1.2]. We are not interested with this bodily concept of life and... Although we have got this body, but we, we do not think that body is all in all, mind is the..., mental speculative... No. The Gosvāmīs, they are described, how the Gosvāmīs, six Gosvāmīs. First gosvāmī, the first qualification is sense control. Vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam udara-vegam upastha-vegam manasa-vegam. In this way, six kinds of vega, urge. Urge for talking, vāco vegam; krodha, or anger; mind, and that belly, stomach, and then genital. They are forcing. They are forcing. Material life means these six senses are forcing us to remain in the material... But a gosvāmī means one who has control over these six urges of the senses. Etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ [NoI 1]. As soon as one is practiced to control the urges of the senses, then he becomes a gosvāmī. That is the first definition of gosvāmī. Etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ. Being forced by the urges of these six senses... And there are so many people. They are being criminally charged, police inquiries, and still, they are gosvāmīs. So this is not good. Gosvāmī should be very ideal. We have given title "Gosvāmī." So you must be very ideal. Ideal is there—six Gosvāmīs. So we should be distinct from the so-called gosvāmīs. Those who will remain in Vṛndāvana, esp... Everywhere. Everywhere is Vṛndāvana. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa's temple, Kṛṣṇa's saṅkīrtana, that is Vṛndāvana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "My mind is always Vṛndāvana." Because He's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there—He's Kṛṣṇa Himself—just to teach us. So similarly, anywhere you live, if you are actually follower of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], then that is Vṛndāvana. Wherever you live. Do not think that "Because in Melbourne we have got a temple, the Melbourne Deities are here, so that is not Vṛndāvana." That is also Vṛndāvana. If you worship the Deity very rigidly, follow the rules and regulations, so wherever you do, that is Vṛndāvana. Especially this Vṛndāvana dhāma, where Kṛṣṇa actually appeared. So this is Vṛndāvana, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Here, those who will manage this institution, they must be first-class gosvāmīs. This is my proposition.
Gosvāmī means twenty-four hours engaged in kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, in this way or that way.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974: Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. This is the business of the Gosvāmīs, the symptoms. The first symptom is, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. They were always busy-Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana means... Just like we perform kīrtana with khol, karatāla, this is also kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. And to write books, that is also kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. And to read books, that is also kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Not that simply this kīrtana is kīrtana. If you write books about Kṛṣṇa, if you read books about Kṛṣṇa, if you talk about Kṛṣṇa, you think of Kṛṣṇa, you worship Kṛṣṇa, you cook for Kṛṣṇa, you eat for Kṛṣṇa—so that is kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Therefore gosvāmī means twenty-four hours engaged in kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, in this way or that way. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. How? Premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. Because they were merged into the ocean of kṛṣṇa-prema. Unless we have got kṛṣṇa-prema, love for Kṛṣṇa, how we can remain satisfied simply in the business of Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. Those who have not developed love for Kṛṣṇa, they cannot be engaged twenty-four hours in the business of Kṛṣṇa. We should consider that... We should save time always to be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa business. The period we sleep, that is wasted. That is wasted. So we shall try to save time. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. Ādi 17.31]. Hari is another name of Kṛṣṇa. Sadā, twenty-four hours. Actually, the Gosvāmīs used to do. They are our examples. They were sleeping not more that two hours or utmost, three hours. So nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. They conquered over. This is gosvāmī. They conquered over these things. What is that? Nidrāhāra, nidrā, āhāra, vihāra. Vihāra means sense enjoyment, and āhāra means eating or collecting. Generally, eating. And nidrā. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. Conquered. That is Vaiṣṇava. Not that out of twenty-four hours, thirty-six hours sleeping. (laughter) And at the same time, passing on as gosvāmī. What is this go...? Go-dāsa. They are go-dāsa. Go means senses, and dāsa means servant.
Gosvāmī means this controller of the senses.
Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975: That is the position of svāmī. Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means this controller of the senses. Go means senses. So svāmī or gosvāmī means one who has control over the senses or one who has control over the mind. The mind is very restless. The whole yogic process is meant for controlling the mind because unless you control the mind, the mind will volumes and volumes of desires, hundreds, thousands, millions. And you have to satisfy them. Then where is śānti? You have to satisfy the master. Who has become your master? Mind. Then you are disturbed. There cannot be any peace. And mind has got many millions of desires. Therefore, when you can control over the mind, that mind desires something and you have to control, "No, you cannot do it," then you become a svāmī. Svāmī, these sannyāsīs, they are given the title "svāmī" or "gosvāmī" because the sannyāsīs are supposed to control over the mind, over the senses. Therefore they are called svāmī. Otherwise, not svāmī but servant. If you are controlled by the mind, then you are servant, and if you are controller of the mind, then you are svāmī, the same person.
Gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Go means senses and svāmī means master. Those who are servant of the senses, they cannot become gosvāmī.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975: Their names were changed: Dabira Khāsa, Sākara Mallika. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made them gosvāmī. This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They were rejected by the brāhmaṇa community, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made them Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. The gosvāmī is not a caste title. Gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Go means senses and svāmī means master. Those who are servant of the senses, they cannot become gosvāmī. That is not gosvāmī. Servant of senses, that is go-dāsa, not gosvāmī. So the Gosvāmī... Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau, the six Gosvāmīs, six Gosvāmīs, and if we follow their footprints, rūpānuga-varāya te, then he also becomes gosvāmī. This is the process.
Gosvāmī means who has control over the function of the mind, of the words, and of the activities of the senses.
Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967: We can commit sins in three ways: mind and words and karma, by action. Thinking, feeling and willing and acting. Therefore a svāmī or gosvāmī means who has control over the function of the mind, of the words, and of the activities of the senses. There is definition. "One who can control the tongue, one who can control the mind, one who can control the words, one who can control the belly, one who can control the generative organ, he is svāmī." And pṛthiviṁ sa śiṣyāt: "He is allowed to create disciples all over the world."

So unless one has control over these things, over the tongue... Over the tongue means tongue is not allowed to eat anything except Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Tongue is not allowed to vibrate anything except Hare Kṛṣṇa or topics in the Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is controlling. Controlling the tongue does not mean that you lock up your tongue. Sometimes in India if you go... There are so many bogus things. One has cut the tongue and has locked it. But tongue cannot be locked. Tongue, any sense, you cannot stop its activities. Simply you have to divert it. Just like my eyes. My eyes want to see very beautiful thing, very beautiful girl, very beautiful dress. So you practice, you decorate the Deity in the temple very beautifully with dress, with ornaments, with flowers, and see. That means your propensity for seeing beautiful things will be satisfied; at the same time, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Your tongue wants to eat very nice things. All right, you get it Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Kṛṣṇa is offered the nicest cooked foodstuff. So you satisfy your tongue; at the same time, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So, Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is so nice, that there is no forceful prohibition of the senses. Even the sense organ, generative organ, that can be used also for Kṛṣṇa. How? If you can beget children who will be Kṛṣṇa conscious, then produce hundred, one hundred children. Otherwise stop producing cats and dogs.

So no sense is stopped, but you have to utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. You can walk to Kṛṣṇa's temple, you can dance to the tune of Kṛṣṇa's song, you can eat nice foodstuff, you can see very beautiful Deities, you can hear very beautiful sound, you can talk on Kṛṣṇa philosophically from Bhāgavata and Bhagavad-gītā. So everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no stoppage. And devotional service means that purifying the senses and engage them in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170].
Gosvāmī means refuse to follow the dictation of the senses. Simply he has to follow the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971: So bhagavad-dūta. The bhagavad-dūta means they are in right constitutional position. So you all become bhagavad-dūta, bhagavad-dūta, messenger of God. That is perfection of life. Otherwise you shall be obliged to become the servant of the senses. Go-dāsa and gosvāmī. The bhagavad-dūtas are gosvāmī, and the servants of the senses are go-dāsa. Unfortunately the go-dāsas are claiming to be gosvāmīs. That is the cause of falldown of Indian Vedic civilization. One has to become gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means refuse to follow the dictation of the senses. Simply he has to follow the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That dictation comes through the paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa dictated Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If you follow Arjuna, then you (are) in directly contact with Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. The dictation comes through disciplic succession.
Gosvāmī means who is controller of the senses.
Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968: So satya śaucam and śama, equilibrium of the mind, not to become disturbed in any circumstances. That is called śama. Dama. Dama means controlling the senses. Every one of us, we are all controlled by the senses. But one has to become the controller of the senses. That is brāhmaṇa. That is svāmī. Svāmī or gosvāmī means who is controller of the senses. My tongue wants to eat something, and if I say, "No, you cannot eat this," then... My eyes see something. I say, "No, you cannot see this." My hand wants to touch something. I say, "No, you cannot do this." My legs want to go somewhere. I say, "No, you cannot do this." When one is in full control of the senses, he is called svāmī. Svāmī is not a title; it is a qualification. It is a qualification, and it is attained by a brāhmaṇa, one who is already advanced in brahminical qualification by cleansing. Then... And truthfulness. Then this qualification also is there, controller. And when one is completely controller of the senses, or when one is actually svāmī or gosvāmī... There is no difference between these two words. Svāmī means controller, and gosvāmī is still clearer. Go means senses, controller of the senses.

General Lectures

Gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Generally, people, they are servant of the senses.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968: So of all the senses, the tongue is considered to be the most powerful sense. The Vaiṣṇava, they therefore try to control the tongue. They do not allow the tongue to eat everything and anything. No. Svāmī or gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Generally, people, they are servant of the senses. When people, when a man becomes, instead of becoming servant of the senses, when he becomes master of the senses, then he is called svāmī. Svāmī is not this dress. This dress is superfluous, just to... As in everywhere there is some uniform dress to understand that "He is, he..." Actually, svāmī means who has control over the senses. And that is brahminical culture. Satya śama dama titikṣa ārjavam, jñānam vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42]. Brahman, Brahman means brāhmaṇa, brahminical culture. Truthfulness, cleanliness, and controlling the senses, controlling the mind, and simplicity and tolerance, full of knowledge, practical application in life, faith in God—these qualifications are brahminical culture. Anywhere we practice these qualifications, he'll revive brahminical culture. It is not that in a particular country or particular society or particular class of men they are brāhmaṇas. No. Bhagavad-gītā does not say that. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. Svabhāva-jam, natural activities. So truthfulness, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, and simplicity, and cleanliness, and tolerance, and knowledge, and practical application of knowledge in life. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for training brahmacārīs.
Gosvāmīns means... Go means senses. There are three meanings of go. Go means land; go means cow; go means senses.
Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969: Gosvāmīns means... Go means senses. There are three meanings of go. Go means land; go means cow; go means senses. So gosvāmī... They were gosvāmī means they were master of the senses. Svāmī or gosvāmī, the same category. Gosvāmī is more explained. Svāmī means master. So when one becomes master of the senses, gosvāmī, he can make progress in the spiritual life. That is the meaning of svāmī. Svāmī does not mean that he is servant of the senses. Svāmī means master of the senses, gosvāmī. So they were all gosvāmīs, and one of the gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was the head.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Gosvāmī means master of the senses.
Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles: Prabhupāda: Actually, everyone is servant of the senses at the present moment. So one has to become the master of the senses. That is called svāmī. Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī means master of the senses, the same thing. So everyone is servant of the senses. Everyone is acting being dictated by the senses. "Oh, it is very nice. Let me see." The eyes dictate what we see.
Gosvāmī means one who has full control over the senses. That is gosvāmī.
Room Conversation -- October 27, 1972, Vrndavana: Prabhupāda: Yes, this is... They are showing that "We are gosvāmī," but doing all nonsense. This is cheating. Like this man, he is thinking that "Somehow or other I will get his money through Dāmodara, and I shall drink and everything (indistinct)." It is not cheating? Gosvāmī means one who has full control over the senses. That is gosvāmī. But he is taking the title of gosvāmī but he has no control over his senses. That is cheating. So you cannot cheat that way, Kṛṣṇa or māyā. Whatever little success I have got, I have tried always not to cheat Kṛṣṇa or māyā. That's all.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Gosvāmī means one who has conquered over the dictation of the senses. My sense dictates to do something, but when I am able to dictate the sense, "No, you cannot do it," that is called gosvāmī.
Morning Walk -- April 18, 1974, Bombay: Prabhupāda: Then what is this? He's... Give him dress. [break] Give him lesson how to make tilaka. He has come to your shelter. You teach him. [break] Just like a diseased person, if he is a little careless, he is not very strict in following the..., it will take some time. It is exactly like that. He, because of his material opulences, he thinks that "Oh, where is the disease? This is all right. I am happy." That is the defect. We have to reduce. That is called tapasya. Not that "Because my tongue is asking me to eat something, therefore I must eat." Not that. That is the difference between ordinary man and gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means one who has conquered over the dictation of the senses. My sense dictates to do something, but when I am able to dictate the sense, "No, you cannot do it," that is called gosvāmī. Hare Kṛṣṇa. [break]
Gosvāmī means vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegaṁ viṣaheta.
Room Conversation -- May 20, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, I told you Friday, you write, I shall sign it. And why they are agitating and stopped such a function? And that is very regrettable. Gosvāmī means vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegaṁ viṣaheta. If there is some krodha, you should tolerate. Now here is a Vaiṣṇava, he has done so much for Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the reception was there, and he stopped. How he is gosvāmī? He expressed his krodha in that very moment, just to take retaliation. It is not gosvāmī. What do you think? Krodha-vegam. It is a krodha, but he could not tolerate that krodha-vegam. He retaliated at the right moment and to a person, fit person who was to be honored. Just see. And he claims to be gosvāmī. The first business is vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam. The Vaikuṇṭha mentality is that if one is serving—I have read it in Bhāgavata—Kṛṣṇa better than somebody else, he would simply appreciate that "Kṛṣṇa has so much favored him. Oh, how fortunate he is. When I shall be able?" That is Vaikuṇṭha mentality. And the material mentality is, "Oh, he has advanced so much. How to come down him?" That is material. This is the difference between Vaikuṇṭha mentality. So his business is how to come down. So he is not a gosvāmī. At least I will not accept. What do you think? Am I right or wrong?

Indian man (2): (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Indian man (2): What shall I say? (chuckles)

Prabhupāda: This is the definition of gosvāmī. Vāco vegam krodha-vegam udaro-vegam pastha-vegam etān manasaḥ vegam, etān vegān viṣaheta dhīraḥ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. So he has not proved to be very dhīra. Dhīrādhīra-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau. So that is my regret, that these people cannot appreciate the service of a Vaiṣṇava. They are simply personally interested. Personally interested is materialistic way of life. Everybody is personally interested.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

But really goswami means one who is master of the influence of different senses, namely the influence of tongue, the influence of mind, the influence of anger, the influence of belly, the influence of genital, and the influence of talking.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 3 July, 1968: Jatigosain means the caste spiritual master. All over India, especially in Bengal, this jatigosain spiritual mastership is very prevalent. But really goswami means one who is master of the influence of different senses, namely the influence of tongue, the influence of mind, the influence of anger, the influence of belly, the influence of genital, and the influence of talking. So one who is master of these influential webs of sense gratification, he is called goswami. Goswami is not by hereditary chart. So Sukaracharya posed himself as such goswami spiritual master. He had many mystic powers, therefore he was considered to be very influential spiritual master of the demons.

1974 Correspondence

Goswami means controlling the senses and always glorifying Krsna by varieties of engagement in devotional service 24 hours a day.
Letter to Murti -- Bombay 23 March, 1974: Our Vrindaban temple is perhaps our nicest building in the whole movement and I want at least 25 good men here at all times. Because it is Vrindaban, those who come should be exemplary so that all the people of Vrindaban, even those who would be prone to criticize, will see that we are actually following the six Goswamis headed by Rupa Goswami. I want that those who come here, whether grhasthas or sannyasis, behave on the level of real goswamis. Goswami means controlling the senses and always glorifying Krsna by varieties of engagement in devotional service 24 hours a day.
Page Title:Gosvami means
Compiler:Jai, Namrata
Created:22 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=17, Con=4, Let=2
No. of Quotes:24