Bhakti Vikasa Swami: The Six Goswamis were all assistants of the gopis [ 2010-07-30 ]
The Gaudiya Vaisnava, generally, following the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they aspire to become one of the assistants of the gopis. There are others also who like to be the assistants of the cowherd boys. So our Gosvamis, Rupa Gosvami, sri rupa sanatana bhatta raghunatha, they were all the assistants of the gopis. Gopi-bhava-rasamrtabdhi-lahari-kallola-magnau muhur vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. These six Gosvamis, rupa sanatana bhatta raghunatha sri jiva gopala bhatta dasa raghunatha, they were all very, very big men, not ordinary men -- ministers, zamindars, learned scholars. They were not ordinary men. And they gave up everything. Tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Just like Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, he was, they were ministers in the government of Hussain Shah. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was the only son of his father and uncle, very, very big zamindar, landholder. Twelve lakhs of rupees' income. Five hundred years twelve lakhs -- twelve crores now. He was so rich man. Similarly, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Srila Jiva Gosvami, they were very, very learned. Jiva Gosvami was the nephew of Rupa Gosvami, very learned scholar. So either scholar, rich men, big politician -- all of them gave up their occupational, material occupational duty and joined Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His sankirtana movement. So they were always absorbed in the gopis' activities, always thinking. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always thinking of Srimati Radharani's activities, and the Gosvamis, they were also thinking of the gopis' activities. Gopis' activities means to assist Srimad-Radharani how to serve Krsna.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975

(Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami's Disappearance anniversary is upcoming)