Shivanand Goswami| Shiromani Bhatt (Hindi/ Sanskrit : शिवानन्द गोस्वामी | शिरोमणि भट्ट ).(estimated period: Samvat 1710–1797) was a poet and a scholar of Literature, Poetics, Ayurveda, Orientology, Veda-Vedang, Ritualism, Theology, Astronomy, Astrology (Hora Shastra), Sanskrit Grammar and a practitioner of Tantra-Mantra etc.
Born in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, his ancestors were originally Tamil and Telugu-speaking Panchadravida Vellanadu Brahmins, who later settled in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and other provinces of North India upon the request and invitation of some North Indian kings. His father was Shri Jaganniwas Bhatt who was invited by Bundelkhand king Devi Singh to act as his Rajguru. Later, Amber King Bishan Singh, father of Sawai Jai Singh II, invited his son Goswami to his capital town to perform a Vajpeya-Yagna and accepted him as Rajguru of the Kachchawa-clan.
Birth
Goswami's exact birth year and location are unknown. Researchers such as Prakash Parimal have recorded the birth year of Goswami as Vikram Samvat 1710 (year 1575 AD). Some researchers think he may have been born in Orchha, as Shivanandji's father Shri Jaganniwas Bhatt was invited by the King of Orchha as his Rajguru to settle there or at Kanchipuram - which was the native town of all his forefathers.
Family
According to historical sources, the family tree up to Goswami is available as follows - similar information is published in "UttarBharteeya Andhra-Tailang-Bhatta-Goswami Vanshvriksha" compiled by Balkrishna Raw (2012). Goswami Harikrishna Shastry in his book "Vansha-Prashasti" (Mahapura-Shakha) (published in 1967(?)) has also narrated that the predecessors of Goswami had originally hailed from Shivakanchi-Vishnukanchi town situated near Penna river in Panampatta-Tamilnadu. Out of these Brahmin-scholars Samarpungava Dikshitar was one of the well known pundits of his times in India. He penned many books out of which "yatra-Prabandh" and Adwaita-Vidyatilakam are well known. He was also a specialist of conducting various traditional VAIDIK-Yagnas like Ashwamedha Yagna and Vajpeya-Yagna.
Surname
Most likely Shriwas Bhatt I, the grandfather of Shivanandji Maharaj, may be the first one of his family to have migrated from Tamilnadu to north India. In his youth, Bhatt I had practised tantra-shastra under the guidance of respected sage Deshikendra Satchidananda Sundaracharya of Jallandhar-Peeth, and obtained formal "deeksha" as his disciple. Shriniwas Bhatt was bestowed the title of "Goswami" on completion of his training in tantra by his guru Satchidananda Sundaracharya in samvat 1660 (year 1525 AD) and renamed as Goswami Vidyanand Nath. Since he was a worshiper of Godless Tripura Sundari or ([Lalita] | [Lalitha]), another name he was given was Goswami Lalitananda. It is thus clear that "Goswami" is not associated with the caste to which these migrated south indian Aatreya-gotra brahmins belong by birth, but a title or honorific denoting their mastery of ancient scriptures and Tantric-practices.
Shivananda Goswami was a devoted worshiper of Goddess Tripura Sundari. Many incidents describe him having occult-powers as a psychic and tantra-exponent. After Shrimad Bhagwat, the credit of writing the text Singh-Siddhant-Sindhu goes to Shivananda Goswami. Singh-Siddhant-Sindhu VS.173 (1674 AD) has 35,130 Sanskrit verses, much more than the total number of verses contained in the Srimad Bhagavatam. (To be precise, Srimad Bhagavatam has 18 thousand verses, 335 chapters and 12 skandhas.) Singh-siddhanta-Sindhu is probably the largest book of its kind, consisting of much reference material from numerous scriptures.
Death
It is widely believed that in spite of being respected and patronized by many of the Indian kings and noblemen, Goswami spent his last days in Bikaner with Anup Singh, the Maharaja, where he died - somewhere in South India, or in Bikaner - it is also a matter of research.