History of the Goswami
Goswamis are renounced teachers in the religious traditions of India. The title "goswami" comes from two words: "go," meaning senses, and "swami," meaning master. Thus goswamis are meant to be masters of the senses, those who have conquered the material world and can safely lead others to liberation. Those who can use the title "goswami" are usually those who have taken the sannyasa vows, belonging to the order of Hindu life in which they renounce all family, material and social ties, take a vow of celibacy and live only to teach the ways of God.
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Use
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Goswamis can come from many religious orders, particularly Shivaite and Vaisnavite. Shivaites worship Shiva as the ultimate form of God, while Vaisnavas worship Vishnu as supreme. Shivaite goswamis are also sometimes called gosains. The title Goswami can also be used for people in the Brahmin caste, and is a common family name in India. Sannyasis, renounced males, in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) also use the title of Goswami.
The Six Goswamis
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The most famous goswamis in history are the Six Goswamis of Vrndavan, followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a gifted religious scholar and teacher born in the 15th century. Also called Lord Gauranga, he is thought to be an incarnation of God within the Vaisnava tradition. The Six Goswamis were brothers Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, Jiva Goswami, Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and Gopala Bhatta Goswami. The Six Goswamis were devoted disciples of Mahaprabhu, teaching his philosophy and spreading his writings all over India.
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Types
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The title of Goswami is usually only given or used by men in what is called sannyasa, the renounced order of life, the last stage of the yoga ashrams. Sannyasa is not something to be entered into lightly or at too early an age, as it entails never again being a part of family or business life, and taking a vow of celibacy. The duty of a sannyasi is to travel and preach. Sannyasis classically do not handle money and have a tradition of being declared legally dead under their old family names, to show they have cut all ties with their pasts. Some teachers simply assign themselves the title of Goswami without ever having become a sannyasi, taking vows or mastering their senses, but this is an unauthorized use of the title "Goswami."
Time Frame
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The order of sannyasa, and hence the subsequent title of goswami, is only given by a spiritual master. Sannyasis should ideally have many years of dedication and learning, move through the stages of single life, married life and retired life, and show great maturity and depth of knowledge before being given the order of sannyasa.
Geography
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Traditionally, goswamis are from India. As Hindu religions and practices emerged from India in the past century, more and more goswamis began to come from countries other than India. Many, if not most, of the sannyasis who use the title of goswami in ISKCON are westerners.
Identification
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Goswamis usually wear the standard dress of the sannyasa order, thin saffron tunics and dhotis, a type of Indian wrap which serves as trousers. All the clothes sannyasis wear must be saffron colored. Goswamis also commonly carry the danda stick, a long, thin stick wrapped in saffron cloth, as a sign of renunication.
Scandals
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Though goswamis are supposed to be masters of the senses, celibate and devoted to bringing others to enlightenment, some who use the title of goswami show themselves as not worthy of the name. In 1987, convicted American murderer Thomas Drescher was awarded sannyasa and the title of Goswami in prison, something he subsequently gave up. In 2007, Satsvarupa Das Goswami, an author and initiating guru, was ordered to retire, stop all initiating and have all articles for publication reviewed, after it was revealed that not only was he not fulfilling his basic religious vows, he engaged in a sexual relationship with a female disciple.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Swami Gaurangapada: Flickr
