TEXT 13
'bhakta-avatara' tanra acarya-gosani
ei tina tattva sabe prabhu kari' gai
SYNONYMS
bhakta-avataraincarnation as a devotee; tanraHis; acarya-gosanithe supreme teacher, Advaita Acarya Prabhu; eiall these; tinathree; tattvatruths; sabeall; prabhuthe predominator; kari'-by such understanding; gaiwe sing.
TRANSLATION
Sri Advaita Acarya is Lord Caitanya's incarnation as a devotee. Therefore these three tattvas [Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Gosani] are the predominators, or masters.
PURPORT
Gosani means gosvami. A person who has full control over the senses and mind is called a gosvami or gosani. One who does not have such control is called godasa, or a servant of the senses, and cannot become a spiritual master. A spiritual master who actually has control over the mind and senses is called gosvami. Although the gosvami title has become a hereditary designation for unscrupulous men, actually the title gosani, or gosvami, began from Sri Rupa Gosvami, who presented himself as an ordinary grhastha and minister in government service but became gosvami when he was actually elevated by the instruction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore gosvami is not a hereditary title but refers to one's qualifications. When one is highly elevated in spiritual advancement, regardless of wherefrom he comes, he may be called gosvami. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Advaita Gosani Prabhu are natural gosvamis because They belong to the visnu-tattva category. As such, all of Them are prabhus ("predominators" or "masters"), and They are sometimes called Caitanya Gosani, Nityananda Gosani and Advaita Gosani. Unfortunately Their so-called descendants who do not have the qualifications of gosvamis have accepted this title as a hereditary designation or a professional degree. That is not in accord with the sastric injunctions.

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