The passage of time appears to have obscured the existence and importance of the Gadādhara parivāra. The word parivāra means family. This parivāra was started by Śrīla Gadādhara Paṇḍit Gosvāmī, who out of respect, is simply known as Paṇḍit Gosvāmī.

Śrī Babaji writes:

“At one time, only Paṇḍit Gosvāmī’s parivāra was prominent in Vṛndāvana. Śrī Narottama dasa Thakur writes in one song that the Gosvāmī of Vrindavan are followers of Paṇḍit Gosvāmī. He also writes that he himself belongs to the family of Paṇḍit Gosvāmī. This period lasted for about two generations. Then things changed and Paṇḍit Gosvāmī’s importance was forgotten.”

Based on my experience, the parivāra’s emphasis is on faith in and study of the scriptures, and performing bhakti accordingly. The specialty of the parivāra is that members do not run after money, preaching or cheating others. Being part of the parivāra and learning in it transports one back to the time of the Gosvāmīs. The foundational books of the parivāra are the books of the Gosvāmīs, in particular, Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. The paramparā has (thankfully) preserved traditional understanding of the Sandarbhas meticulously, which is now available in Śrī Babaji‘s English translations.

The line of Paṇḍit Goswami

Here is what Śrī Maharrajji said about the parivāra:

“When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu started his movement, he specifically appointed Paṇdit Goswami to give dikṣā. Mahāprabhu personally gave him the deity to worship and the responsibility to teach Bhāgavata purāṇa. Mahāprabhu used to hear Bhāgavatam from Paṇḍit Goswami to set an example for others. Therefore, originally, Paṇḍit Goswami initiated all the Goswamis and even other devotees. The temples in Vṛndāvana as well as Rādha Kuṇda were made by the Goswamis, and they were all disciples of Paṇḍit Goswami. Rādha Kuṇda originally belonged to Raghunāth das Goswami, who came in the line of Paṇḍit Goswami.”  — Śrīla  Haridasa Śāstrī Māhārajji

The lineage of the parivāra that Śrī Babaji is part of is as follows: