Srila Rupa Goswami descended in a family of Bharadwaja Brahmins and his father used to follow regulative brahminical principles right from childhood. Both he and his brother used to work as high officials under Hussain Shah Badshah and Rupa was called ‘Dabir Khas’ and Sanatan Goswami was called ‘Sakara Mallik’ by the Badshah. Sanatan Goswami was appointed as the Prime minister by the Badshah. Both brothers were appointed in those high posts on the basis of their efficiency. The names Rupa and Sanatana has been given by Mahaprabhu. Sri Jiva Goswami was the son of their younger brother called Anupama or Vallabha. Sri Vallabha used to stay in the village called Ramakeli along with his two elder brothers Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami for job purpose. Sri Jiva Goswami was born there. Since all the three of them used to work under the Navab, they received the title ‘Mallik’.

Sri Rupa and Sanatan met Sriman Mahaprabhu for the first time under Sri Keli Kadamba and Tamal trees (a dark colored tree) at Ramkeli village. A big lake called Rupa Sagar was established at that place by Sri Rupa Goswami which exists even today. When Mahaprabhu met with Rupa and Sanatan at Ramakeli village, He was followed by many lakhs and crores of devotees all of whom would accompany Him to Vrindavan. On seeing so many Hindus together, Hussain Shah Badshah began to worry and inquired about the identity of Mahaprabhu from the Rupa Goswami. The Badshah became assured when Rupa Goswami tactfully explained the glories of Mahaprabhu to him. A Kshatriya Bhakta of Mahaprabhu named Keshava explained to the Badshah – “A mendicant sannyasi (Mahaprabhu) is going for pilgrimage. There is nothing much to worry about this.” The two brothers Rupa and Sanatan wanted to meet with Mahaprabhu in private. So with this desire they met with Nityananda Prabhu and Haridas Thakur at midnight. When they brought the brothers to Mahaprabhu, Rupa and Sanatana both held straw between their teeth and a cloth around their necks and came before Mahaprabhu. In that state they offered obeisances at the Lotus feet of Mahaprabhu and started crying with humility.

Though the two brothers were born in high caste brahmana family and were not only highly learned and qualified but held high ranks like Prime minister in the kingdom of Hussain Shah Badshah, still they considered themselves to be lower than the lowest out of their humility. They said, “Jagai-madhai haite koti koti gun adham patit papi ami duijan—both of us are crores of times more sinful and degraded than Jagai and Madhai.”

After hearing the humble words spoken by Rupa and Sanatan, Mahaprabhu spoke some words about them with His heart overflowing with mercy for them. From the words spoken by Mahaprabhu it becomes evident that Rupa and Sanatana are not conditioned souls but eternal associates of the Lord.

Sanatan Goswami pleaded to Mahaprabhu not to go to Vrindavan with millions of people and hearing his plea Mahaprabhu stopped his journey for Vrindavan and returned back from Kanair Natshala.

When the news of Mahaprabhu going to Vrindavan by walking through the forest, reached Rupa Goswami, he left his house and family and started his journey towards Mahaprabhu, being accompanied by his brother Anupam Mallik. He also sent the news of his going to his brother Sanatan Goswami, who was imprisoned at that time, by means of a letter. He gave an indication in the letter to Sanatan Goswami to release himself from the prison by any means and come to Vrindavan. When Rupa reached Prayag, he learnt that Mahaprabhu too was present there. After getting the audience of Mahaprabhu in the house of a South Indian Brahmin, Rupa became immersed in divine love for Him. When both he and Anupam took straw between their teeth and repeatedly paid obeisances to the Mahaprabhu by uttering many verses, Mahaprabhu became compassionate upon them and said, “The mercy of Krishna cannot be described. He had rescued both of you from the pit of material existence.” A pure devotee of the Lord is more dearer to Him than a non-devotee, Chaturvedi Brahmin (one who is well-versed in the knowledge of the four Vedas). As the Lord is worshipable so His devotee is also worshipable to the same degree. In this way Mahaprabhu sung the glories of His devotees in front of them and then graced them by hugging them and placing His feet on their heads. Mahaprabhu then went to a village called ‘Adail-gram’ located on the other side of the banks of river Yamuna. All the inhabitants of the village became Krishna Bhaktas after getting audience of the Lord. Vallabh Bhatta carried the Lord back to Prayaga in a boat. Due to fear from crowds of people following Him, Mahaprabhu stayed ten days at Prayaga and during this time He imparted His own power to Rupa Goswami and through him He revealed the knowledge of Krishna-tattva, Bhakti-tattva, Rasa-tattva and also the knowledge of the blissful divine mellows in Vrindavan which had faded away with time . This knowledge is famously known as ‘Sri Rupa Siksha’.

To get transcendental knowledge (Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojan) we need to surrender to the Lord. We only say something but practically we do something else. This is not actual dedication to the Lord and His devotees. Even Brahma, who is the creator of our universe couldn’t obtain transcendental knowledge by means of his own intellect. Only when he surrendered to the Lord was this knowledge revealed to him. No one can become equal to the Lord or be greater than Him. However big a person maybe in worldly sense, he will never get any knowledge of the Supreme without submission. If we have any sort of vanity in our hearts, we will be totally deprived from obtaining any sort of devotional amelioration.

Through Rupa Goswami, Mahaprabhu revealed all the knowledge about Sambandha, Abhidheya, Prayojan and all the sweet divine pastimes filled with loving exchanges that happened in Vrindavan but had got lost with the passage of time. Mahaprabhu taught through him,

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya-lila 19.151)

There are countless jivas, who are divided into two categories—those which are mobile and those which are stationary. Those who have mobility are again divided into three: those which move on the land, in the air or in the water. Amongst those who live on the land, a small number are human beings, of which only a minority accept the Vedic principles. Outcastes such as Pulindas, Mlecchas, Savaras and Buddhists are in the majority. Of those who accept the Vedas, some do so in name only and engage in sinful activity. Those who practice the Vedic principles are in the minority. Those who are engaged in religious practices toward some fruitive end form the majority in this group.

Amongst crores of such karma-nistha followers of the Veda, one person may perhaps attain the level of spiritual knowledge; yet only one of many millions of such jnanis will be an actual liberated soul. And out of crores of liberated souls, it will still be difficult to find a devotee of Krishna. Devotion to Krishna, which is thus so rare, can take birth when a certain merit is attained through great good fortune.

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
mālī hayiā kare sei bīja āropaṇa
śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana
upajiyā bāḍe latā ‘brahmāṇḍa’ bhedi’ yāya
‘virajā’, ‘brahma-loka’ bhedi’ ‘para-vyoma’ pāya
tabe yāya tad-upari ‘goloka-vṛndāvana’
‘kṛṣṇa-caraṇa’-kalpa-vṛkṣe kare ārohaṇa
tāhāṅ vistārita hayiā phale prema-phala
ihāṅ mālī sece nitya śravaṇādi jala
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya-lila 19.151-155)

In this context Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada says, “When the neophyte waters the main creeper of devotion by means of Sravan and Kirtan (hearing and chanting) then weeds also grow in his heart which impedes and ultimately stops the growth of the main creeper of devotion.”

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

“After wandering through this material universe for many life times a fortunate soul gets the seed of devotion by the grace of Guru and Krishna Himself.”

Here the term Guru is indicating Sad-Guru, a bonafide Guru who is a representative of the Lord. Only by the grace of Krishna can one obtain a bonafide Guru and by the grace of such a Guru one can obtain the Lord. Tulasi Dasa says, “binu hari krpa milahin nahin santa”—without the mercy of the Lord one cannot come in contact with a Saint. And the other side of this is, "bina santa krpa milahin nahin hari"—without the mercy of Guru who will establish connection with the Lord, one cannot get the Lord.

To plant this seed of devotion, the heart of the votary must have firm faith that by serving the Supreme Lord he performs service to all. Just like a seed when planted can only survive in soft fertilized soil and not in hard soil, such sort of belief must be there in the heart of the votary. So a person who lacks faith cannot be given the seed of devotion. Firm belief should be there in his heart that by serving the Supreme Lord all his worldly duties and responsibilities are accomplished automatically. Also one cannot get the desired fruit if he plants a dead seed which will yield no plant. The seed should have life. Here, it means that the one can get a life full seed only from a Sad-Guru or a Shuddha Bhakta. Just like a gardener looks after the plants and trees in a garden, the Sadhaka should take care of the seed of devotional creeper planted in his heart by Sad-Guru and regularly water it by means of performing sravan-kirtan (hearing and singing) in the company of Sadhus (pure devotees). Being nourished by the water of sravan-kirtan the devotional creeper sprouts and makes its way towards Viraja by piercing the covering of this material universe. After Viraja it still further grows and makes its way to Brahmaloka and then Paravyoma. Next, from Paravyoma, the creeper further advances and reaches Goloka Vrindavan where it climbs up to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna which are like wish–fulfilling trees. On reaching there, it gives the fruit of love for Sri Krishna. But the gardener (Sadhaka) keeps on watering the creeper with the water of sravan-kirtan eternally.

The greatest hurdle in performing Hari-bhajan is committing offense at the lotus feet of the Vaishnavas (Vaishnava-aparadha). We are always keen to find defects in others. Instead of finding faults in others, we should find faults in ourselves and rectify them.

yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā
upāḍe vā chiṇḍe, tāra śukhi’ yāya pātā
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya-lila 19.156)

Offense at the lotus feet of Vaishnavas will uproot the creeper of devotion and make it dried up. So devotional life will get destroyed by committing offense to Vaishnavas. We speak anything that comes to our mouth. Even people who live in family lives do not behave like this. Such behaviour will disturb anybody, even in his household life. What is the benefit of speaking about the defects in others? Why so encouragement in speaking ill about others? You see your own defects and speak the qualities of others. Any moment you may die. Any moment death might happen, then what will go with you? Everything will be destroyed. You should think about this very seriously. So, do not commit offenses. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur had written that committing violence to any living entity is an offense, what to speak of committing offense to Vaishnavas. So, what is the use of speaking about the ills and the shortcomings of others? Time will say. We should only use our time for performing bhajan. Why you are spoiling your time for all these?

However big a person maybe, if he commits Vaishnava aparadh he will be ruined. If we keep on committing Vaishnava offense our spiritual life will be destroyed. So Vaishnava offense has been compared here with a mad elephant which uproots the creeper of devotion.

So when a devotee commits offense then his creeper of devotion stops growing. Afterwards when he freed from that offense the growth of the creeper rejuvenates.

tāte mālī yatna kari’ kare āvaraṇa
aparādha-hastīra yaiche nā haya udgama
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya-lila 19.157)

“The gardener must defend the creeper by fencing it all around so that the powerful elephant of offenses may not enter.”

kintu yadi latāra saṅge uṭhe ‘upaśākhā’
bhukti-mukti-vāṣchā, yata asaṅkhya tāra lekhā
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya-lila 19.158)

“It is the duty of the gardener to take care that the growth of unwanted creepers (material desires) doesn’t impede the growth of the primary devotional creeper.”

Some unnecessary creepers growing with the bhakti creeper are the creepers of behavior unacceptable for those trying to attain perfection, diplomatic behaviour, animal-killing, mundane profiteering, mundane adoration and mundane importance. All these are unwanted creepers.

seka-jala pāyiā upaśākhā bāḍi’ yāya
stabdha hayiā mūla-śākhā bāḍite nā pāya
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya-lila 19.159)

“So, it is the primary duty of the gardener to be very cautious that while watering the main creeper by means of sravan-kirtan other weeds in the form of material desires (like enjoyment, liberation, anti-devotional activities, desire for name and fame etc.) does not curtail the growth of the main creeper.”

prathamei upaśākhāra karaye chedana
tabe mūla-śākhā bāḍi’ yāya vṛndāvana
(Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya-lila 19.161)

“The gardener (Sadhaka) has to himself uproot such anti-devotional desires which are like weeds from his heart and only then his creeper of devotion will grow and finally reach Vrindavan.”