# Śrī Guru-paramparā by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda ### Text One > kṛṣṇa hoite catur-mukha, hoy kṛṣṇa-sevonmukha, > brahmā hoite nāradera mati > nārada hoite vyāsa, madhwa kohe vyāsa-dāsa, > pūrṇaprajña padmanābha gati **Synonyms** *kṛṣṇa hoite* — from the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; *catur-mukha* — the four-headed Brahmā; *hoy kṛṣṇa-sevonmukha* — became fixed in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa; *brahmā hoite* — from Brahmā; *nāradera mati* — Devarṣi Nārada's understanding (of this divine science was obtained); *nārada hoite* — from Nārada; *vyāsa* — Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsadeva became a disciple; *madhva* — Śrīpāda Madhvācārya; *kohe* — calls himself; *vyāsa-dāsa* — a servant of Vyāsa; *pūrṇaprajña* — Purṇaprajña Tīrtha (Madhva); *padmanābha gati* — is the guru and sole refuge of Padmanābha Tīrtha. **Translation** In the beginning of creation, four-headed Brahmā received the science of devotional service from the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā taught this divine science to Devarṣi Nārada, and Nārada imparted it to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. Śrīpāda Madhvācārya, who is also known Pūrṇaprajña Tīrtha, calls himself a servant of Vyāsa and is the guru and sole refuge of Padmanābha Tīrtha. ### Text Two > nṛhari mādhava-baṁśe, akṣobhya paramahaṁse, > śiṣya boli' aṅgīkāra kore > akṣobhyera śiṣya jaya-tīrtha nāme paricaya, > tāra dāsye jñānasindhu tore **Synonyms** *nṛhari mādhava-vaṁśe* — two other principal disciples of Madhva, Nṛhari Tīrtha and Mādhava Tīrtha; *akṣobhya paramahaṁse* — the great paramahaṁsa Akṣobhya Tīrtha; *śiṣya boli'* — was called a disciple of Mādhava Tīrtha; *aṅgīkara kore* — accepting him; *akṣobhyera śiṣya* — the principal disciple of Akṣobhya Tīrtha; *jaya-tīrtha nāme* — by the name of Jayatīrtha; *paricaya* — was known; *tāra dāsye* — in Jayatīrtha's service; *jñānasindhu tore* — his disciple Jñānasindhu was meant for. **Translation** The two other principal disciples of Madhva are Nṛhari Tīrtha and Mādhava Tīrtha. Mādhava Tīrtha accepted the great paramahaṁsa Akṣobhya Tīrtha as a disciple. The principal disciple of Akṣobhya Tīrtha was known as Jayatīrtha, serving whom was Jñānasindhu’s only purpose in life. ### Text Three > tāhā hoite dayānidhi, tāra dāsa vidyānidhi, > rājendra hoilo tāhā ha'te > tāhāra kiṅkora jaya-dharma nāme paricaya, > paramparā jāno bhālo mate **Synonyms** *tāhā hoite* — from Jñānasindhu; *dayānidhi* — Dayānidhi received the science of devotional service; *tāra dāsa* — the servant of Dayānidhi; *vidyānidhi* — was Vidyānidhi (Vidyādhirāja Tīrtha); *rājendra hoilo* — Rājendra Tīrtha became; *tāhā ha'te* — a disciple of Vidyādhiraja Tīrtha; *tāhāra kiṅkora* — Rājendra Tīrtha's servant; *jaya-dharma nāme* — by the name of Jayadharma or Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha; *paricaya* — was known; *paramparā* — this disciplic succession; *jano bhālo mate* — you should properly understand. **Translation** Jñānasindhu taught the science of devotional service to Dayānidhi, whose servant was Vidyānidhi. Vidyānidhi in turn imparted this knowledge to Rājendra Tīrtha, and he accepted Jayadharma as his servant. In this way you should properly understand this disciplic succession. ### Text Four > jayadharma-dāsye khyāti, śrī puruṣottama-jati, > tā ha'te brahmaṇya-tīrtha sūri > vyāsatīrtha tāra dāsa, lakṣmīpati vyāsa-dāsa, > tāhā ha'te mādhavendra purī **Synonyms** *jayadharma-dāsye* — in the service of his guru, Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha (Jayadharma); *khyāti* — known as; *śrī puruṣottama-yati* — the great sannyāsī Śrī Puruṣottama Tīrtha; *tā ha'te* — the principal disciple of Puruṣottama Tīrtha; *brahmaṇya-tīrtha* — was Subrahmaṇya Tīrtha; *sūri* — the great saint; *vyāsatīrtha* — Vyāsatīrtha (Vyāsa Rāya); *tāra dāsa* — Subrahmaṇya's servant; *lakṣmīpati* — Lakṣmīpati Tīrtha; *vyāsa-dāsa* — was Vyāsatīrtha's servant; *tāhā ha'te* — whose disciple was; *mādhavendra purī* — Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī. **Translation** The great sannyāsī Śrī Puruṣottama Tīrtha received the knowledge of devotional service from Jayadharma. The principal disciple of Puruṣottama Tīrtha was the saintly Subrahmaṇya Tīrtha, whose servant was the great Vyāsatīrtha. Vyāsatīrtha’s servant was Lakṣmīpati Tīrtha, and his disciple was Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī. ### Text Five > mādhavendra purī-bara, śiṣya-bara śrī-īśwara, > nityānanda, śrī-adwaita vibhu > īśwara-purīke dhanya, korilen śrī-caitanya, > jagad-guru gaura mahāprabhu **Synonyms** *mādhavendra purī-vara* — of the eminent Mādhavendra Purī; *śiṣya-vara* — the chief disciple; *śrī-īśvara* — was īśvara Purī; *nityānanda śrī-advaita* — and also Śrī Nityānanda and Advaita ācārya; *vibhu* — the renowned incarnations of Godhead; *īśvara-purīke dhanya korilen* — who made īśvara Purī greatly fortunate (by acting as his disciple); *śrī-caitanya* — Śrī Caitanya; *jagad-guru* — the spiritual preceptor of all the worlds; *gaura mahāprabhu* — Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. **Translation** The chief disciple of Mādhavendra Purī was Īśvara Purī, and two of his other disciples were the renowned incarnations of Godhead Śrī Nityānanda and Advaita Ācārya. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the spiritual preceptor of all the worlds, made Īśvara Purī greatly fortunate by accepting him as his spiritual master. ### Text Six > mahāprabhu śrī-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya, > rūpānuga janera jīvana > viśwambhara priyaṅkara, śrī-swarūpa dāmodara, > śrī-goswāmī rūpa-sanātana **Synonyms** *mahāprabhu śrī-caitanya* — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; *rādhā-kṛṣṇa nāhe anya* — is nondifferent from Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa; *rūpānuga janera* — of those Vaiṣṇavas who follow Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī; *jīvana* — the very life; *viśvambhara priyaṅkara* — the givers of great happiness to Viśvambhara (Śrī Caitanya); *śrī-swarūpa dāmodara* — Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; *śrī-goswāmī rūpa-sanātana* — Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī. **Translation** Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is none other than Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and is the very life of those Vaiṣṇavas who follow in the footsteps of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī. Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and Sanātana Gosvāmī gave great happiness to Viśvambhara [Lord Caitanya]. ### Text Seven > rūpa-priya mahājana, jīva, raghunātha hana, > tāra priya kavi kṛṣṇadāsa > kṛṣṇadāsa-priya-bara, narottama sevā-para, > jāra pada viśwanātha-āśa **Synonyms** *rūpa-priya* — very dear to Rūpa Gosvāmī; *mahājana* — the great souls; *jīva raghunātha* — Jīva Gosvāmī and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; *hana* — became; *tāra priya* — Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī's beloved student; *kavi kṛṣṇadāsa* — was Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī; *kṛṣṇadāsa-priya-bara* — very dear to Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja; *narottama* — was Narottama dāsa; *sevā-para* — always engaged in the service of his guru, Lokanātha Gosvāmī (Kṛṣṇadāsa's intimate friend); *jāra pada* — for whose feet (Narottama's); *viśvanātha-āśa* — the only aspiration of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. **Translation** The great souls Jīva Gosvāmī and Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī became very dear to Rūpa Gosvāmī. Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī’s beloved student was Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, who was an intimate friend of Lokanātha Gosvāmī. Lokanātha Gosvāmī’s single disciple was Narottama Dāsa; he always engaged in the service of his guru and was also very dear to Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja. To serve the lotus feet of Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura was the only desire of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. ### Text Eight > viśwanātha-bhakta-sātha, baladeva jagannātha, > tāra priya śrī-bhaktivinoda > mahā-bhāgavata-bara, śrī-gaurakiśora-bara, > hari-bhajanete jā'ra moda **Synonyms** *viśvanātha-bhakta-sātha* — Viśvanātha Cakravartī, along with the assembled devotees; *baladeva* — Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa; *jagannātha* — then Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī; *tāra priya* — his dear student; *śrī-bhaktivinoda* — Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; *mahā-bhāgavata-bara* — the topmost among great devotees; *srī-gaurakiśora-bara* — the eminent Śrī Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī; *hari-bhajanete* — in unalloyed worship of Lord Hari; *jā'ra moda* — whose sole joy was found. **Translation** Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura was the instructing spiritual master of Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa. Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī was a very prominent ācārya after Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa and was the beloved instructing spiritual master of Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s intimate friend and associate was the eminent mahā-bhāgavata Śrī Gaurakiśora Dāsa Bābājī, whose sole joy was found in hari-bhajana. ### Text Nine > īhārā paramahaṁsa, gaurāṅgera nija-baṁśa > tādera caraṇe mama gati > āmi sebā-udāsīna, nāmete tridaṇḍī dīna > śrī-bhaktisiddhānta saraswatī **Synonyms** *ihārā* — all these great saintly Vaiṣṇavas; *paramahaṁsa* — are devotees of the highest order; *gaurāṅgera nija-vaṁśa* — members of Lord Gaurāṅga's own spiritual family; *tāṅdera caraṇe* — for their holy feet; *mama gati* — are my refuge; *āmi sevā-udāsīna* — I have no real interest in devotional service; *nāmete* — named; *tridaṇḍī* — a tridaṇḍī sannyāsī; *dīna* — poor and lowly; *śrī-bhaktisiddhānta sarasvatī* — Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. **Translation** All these great saintly Vaiṣṇava paramahaṁsas are members of Lord Gaurāṅga’s spiritual family. Their lotus feet are my refuge. I am devoid of any real interest in devotional service and am but a poor and lowly tridaṇḍī sannyāsī named Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. ### Text Ten > śrī-vārṣabhānavī-barā, sadā sevya-sevā-parā, > tāhāra dayita-dāsa-nāma > tāra pradhān pracārako, śrī-bhaktivedānta nāmo, > patita-janete doyā-dhāma **Synonyms** *śrī-varṣabhānavī-vara* — the beloved devotee of Śrī Varṣabhānavī (Śrī Rādhikā, daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu); *sadā sevya-sevā-parā* — always engaged in the service of his worshipable spiritual master; *tāhāra* — his; *dayita-dāsa-nāma* — of he named Śrī Vārṣabhānavī-dayita dāsa (the initiated name of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī); *tāra pradhān pracārako* — his foremost disciple-preacher; *śrī-bhaktivedānta nāmo* — named Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Prabhupāda; *patita-janete* — for all fallen souls; *doyā-dhāma** — a reservoir of mercy and compassion. **Translation** The renowned Śrī Vārṣabhanavī-dayita Dāsa [the initiated name of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī] is always engaged in the service of his spiritual master, Śrīla Gaurakiśora Dāsa Bābājī. His foremost disciple-preacher is Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who has spread the message of Lord Caitanya throughout the world and is thus a reservoir of mercy and compassion for all fallen souls.