W hen Sri Gaurasundara came to Ramakeli, Sri Jiva was blessed by having darshana of His worshipable lord, though he was just a baby at the time. Placing the dust of His lotus feet on the child’s head, Mahaprabhu indicated him to be the future sovereign preceptor of the Gaudiya sampradaya.
As he got a little older, Sri Jiva took up the worship of the Deities of Sri-Sri Rama-Krsna. He would carefully decorate Them and offer bhoga and arati, serving Them with his full attention. Even in his play, whatever games he played were connected with Sri krsna’s pastimes.
While studying under the local panditas he became proficent in grammar, poetry and rhetoric. Someone suggested to Jiva to go to Navadwipa, thus Sri Jiva set our for Navadwipa with a group of pilgrims and there Sri Jiva met with Nityananda Prabhu. Sri Jiva spent some days with Nityananda Prabhu, touring the nine islands of Navadwipa. Then, as ordered by Nityananda Prabhu, he set out for Kasi (Varanasi) where he studied Vedanta under Sri Madhusudana Vacaspati, a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
From here Sri Jiva set out for Sri Vrindavana where he received shelter at the lotus feet of his two uncles. Sri Rupa and Sanatana. Sri Rupa began to teach him Srimad Bhagavatam. After initiating him with the divine mantra, Rupa engaged him in the service of Sri Sri Radha-Damodara, fashioned by Rupa Gosvami’s own hand.
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