Gossain

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The Hindi word Gossain (or Gosain, Gusain, or Gussain) (from Sanskrit Goswami), 'lord of senses' may refer to:

[edit] Shaivaites

• The name for the members of Dasnami order established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
• The name of a certain class of Shaivite ascetics.
• A Dasnami sannyasin title given to a disciple by one's guru after getting baptised into sanyasa tradition (e.g. Gosain or Gusain or Goswami Tulsidas).

[edit] Vashnaivites

• A title given to leaders of the Vallabhas.
• The name of a sub-community of Brahmins , the descendants of Chaitanya.

[edit] References

• H. P. Blavatsky, 1892. The Theosophical Glossary. London: The Theosophical Publishing Society
• New Illustrated Columbia Encyclopedia Vol 23, 1979. New York: Columbia University Press