goswami / swami definition

So gosvami is not a hereditary title. It is a qualification, under the direction of spiritual master. One who attains perfection in controlling the senses, he is called svami or gosvami. So one has to become svami, gosvami; then he can become spiritual master. Without being svami or master of the senses, to become a spiritual master is bogus. That is also defined by Rūpa Gosvami. He says,    (More...)

The demands of the body: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense-this is the demands of the body. But if I am situated in self-realization, then these demands will not bother me. There are many persons who are not agitated by hunger, who are not agitated not having opportunity of sleeping. They don't sleep. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. About the Gosvamis 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 gosvami or svami? Because they are not affected by these demands. That is gosvami; that is svami. Svami means master. Gosvami means master of the senses. So if I am servant of the senses, how I can become gosvami, how I can become svami? That is false, hypocrisy. If you are servant of the senses, then you are go-dasa. Dasa means servant, and go means senses. And if you are master of the senses, then you are gosvami. Every word has meaning. So without being fit, we should not use this word as personal designation. That is not good.    (More...)

This is called abhyasa. Mind is going out of my control. I want to think of Krsna, but mind is thinking something else. This is called yoga practice. So we have to catch again mind: "Why you are going there? Come here. Think of Krsna." Then that is practice. That is called yoga. You cannot allow the mind. And when you can control the mind... Generally, we are controlled by the mind. That is the position of our conditional life. Baddha-jiva, mukta-jiva. Liberated soul and conditioned soul. What is the difference? Conditioned soul means who is becoming conditioned by the mind or controlled by the mind, he is conditioned soul. And liberated soul means who is not conditioned by the mind. Mind says, "Why not smoke one cigarette?" And when you'll be able to say, "No cigarette!" then you've controlled the mind. Mind will say always for some sense gratification. But when you control the mind, then you are liberated person. Therefore the svami, svami means controller, or gosvami. Svami does not mean you simply stamp over your name "Svami." No. Svami means the controller of the mind. He is not controlled by the mind; he controls the mind. Then he is svami. Gosvami. Go means "senses," and svami means "master." When you are able to control your senses, then you are a gosvami or svami, the same thing. Otherwise, godasa. Dasa means "servant." Everyone in this material world, he's godasa. Godasa means servant of the mind, servant of the senses. Everyone, servant of the senses. He may be very big man, but he's servant of the senses.    (More...)

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-dasa and gosvami. The bhagavad-dūtas are gosvami, and the servants of the senses are go-dasa. Unfortunately, the go-dasas are claiming to be gosvamis. That is the cause of falldown of Indian Vedic civilization. One has to become gosvami. Gosvami means refuse to follow the dictation of the senses. Simply he has to follow the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.    (More...)

So satya saucam and sama, equilibrium of the mind, not to become disturbed in any circumstances. That is called sama. 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 brahmana. That is svami. Svami or gosvami 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.    (More...)