Sanātana Gosvāmī Visits the Lord at Jagannātha Purī

When Sanātana Gosvāmī returned from Vṛndāvana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu affectionately saved him from his determination to commit suicide. Then, after testing him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu purified his body.

All glories to Lord Caitanya! All glories to Lord Nityānanda! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!

When Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī returned from Jagannātha Purī to Bengal, Sanātana Gosvāmī went from Mathurā to Jagannātha Purī to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Sanātana Gosvāmī walked alone on the path through the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest in central India. Sometimes he fasted, and sometimes he would eat.

Because of bad water in the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest and because of fasting, Sanātana Gosvāmī contracted a disease that made his body itch. Thus he was afflicted with itching sores from which fluid oozed.

In disappointment, Sanātana Gosvāmī considered, “I am of a low caste, and my body is useless for devotional service.

“When I go to Jagannātha Purī, I shall not be able to see Lord Jagannātha, nor shall I always be able to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

“I have heard that the residential quarters of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are near the temple of Jagannātha. But I shall not have the power to go near the temple.

“The servants of Lord Jagannātha generally move about tending to their duties, but if they touch me I shall be an offender.

“Therefore if I sacrifice this body in a good place, my unhappiness will be mitigated and I shall attain an exalted destination.

“During the Ratha-yātrā festival, when Lord Jagannātha comes out of the temple, I shall give up this body under the wheel of His car.

“After seeing Lord Jagannātha, I shall give up my body under the wheel of the car in the presence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This will be the highest benediction of my life.”

Having made this resolution, Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Nīlācala, where he asked directions from people and approached the residence of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

He offered his respects to the lotus feet of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who knew him and thus embraced him.

Sanātana Gosvāmī was very eager to see the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “The Lord is coming here very soon.”

At that very moment, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after visiting the temple of Jagannātha to see the offering of upala-bhoga [morning refreshments], came with His other devotees to see Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, both Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Sanātana Gosvāmī immediately fell flat like rods to offer obeisances. The Lord then lifted Haridāsa and embraced him.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura said to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Here is Sanātana Gosvāmī offering his obeisances.” Seeing Sanātana Gosvāmī, the Lord was greatly surprised.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came forward to embrace him, Sanātana backed away and spoke as follows.

“My Lord, please do not touch me. I fall at Your lotus feet. I am the lowest of men, having been born of a low caste. Besides that, I have infections on my body.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, embraced Sanātana Gosvāmī by force. Thus the moisture oozing from the itching sores touched the transcendental body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

The Lord introduced all the devotees to Sanātana Gosvāmī, who offered his respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of them all.

The Lord and His devotees sat on a raised platform, and below that sat Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from Sanātana about news of his well-being. Sanātana replied, “Everything is auspicious because I have seen Your lotus feet.”

When the Lord asked about all the Vaiṣṇavas at Mathurā, Sanātana Gosvāmī informed Him of their good health and fortune.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu informed Sanātana Gosvāmī, “Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī was here for ten months. He left for Bengal just ten days ago.

“Your brother Anupama is now dead. He was a very good devotee who had firm conviction in Raghunātha [Lord Rāmacandra].”

Sanātana Gosvāmī said, “I was born in a low family, for my family commits all kinds of irreligious acts that violate the scriptural injunctions.

“My Lord, without hatred for my family You have accepted me as Your servant. Only by Your mercy is there good fortune in my family.

“From the very beginning of his childhood, my younger brother Anupama was a great devotee of Raghunātha [Lord Rāmacandra], and he worshiped Him with great determination.

“He always chanted the holy name of Raghunātha and meditated upon Him. He continuously heard about the activities of the Lord from the Rāmāyaṇa and chanted about them.

“Rūpa and I are his elder brothers. He stayed with us continuously.

“He heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and talks about Lord Kṛṣṇa with us, and both of us examined him.

“ ‘Dear Vallabha,’ we said, ‘please hear from us. Lord Kṛṣṇa is supremely attractive. His beauty, sweetness and pastimes of love are without limit.

“ ‘Engage yourself in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa with the two of us. We three brothers shall stay together and enjoy discussing the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.’

“In this way we spoke to him again and again, and because of this persuasion and his respect for us, his mind turned somewhat toward our instructions.

“Vallabha replied, ‘My dear brothers, how can I disobey your orders? Initiate me into the Kṛṣṇa mantra so that I may perform devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.’

“After saying this, at night he began to think, ‘How shall I give up the lotus feet of Lord Raghunātha?’

“He stayed up all night and cried. In the morning, he came to us and submitted the following plea.

“ ‘I have sold my head at the lotus feet of Lord Rāmacandra. I cannot take it away. That would be too painful for me.

“ ‘The two of you please be merciful to me and order me in such a way that life after life I may serve the lotus feet of Lord Raghunātha.

“ ‘It is impossible for me to give up the lotus feet of Lord Raghunātha. When I even think of giving them up, my heart breaks.’

“Upon hearing this, we each embraced him and encouraged him by saying, ‘You are a great saintly devotee, for your determination in devotional service is fixed.’ In this way we praised him.

“My dear Lord, the family upon which You bestow even a little mercy is always fortunate, for such mercy makes all miseries disappear.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “There was a similar incident concerning Murāri Gupta. Formerly I examined him, and his determination was similar.

“Glorious is that devotee who does not give up the shelter of his Lord, and glorious is that Lord who does not abandon His servant.

“If by chance a servant falls down and goes somewhere else, glorious is that master who captures him and brings him back by the hair.

“It is very good that you have arrived here. Now stay in this room with Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

“Both of you are expert in understanding the mellows of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service. Therefore you should both continue relishing the taste for such activities and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.”

Having said this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up and left, and through Govinda He sent prasādam for them to eat.

In this way, Sanātana Gosvāmī stayed under the care of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He would see the wheel on the pinnacle of the Jagannātha temple and offer respectful obeisances.

Every day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would go there to meet these two stalwart devotees and discuss topics of Kṛṣṇa with them for some time.

The offerings of prasādam in the temple of Lord Jagannātha were of the highest quality. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would bring this prasādam and deliver it to the two devotees.

One day when the Lord came to meet them, He suddenly began speaking to Sanātana Gosvāmī.

“My dear Sanātana,” He said, “if I could attain Kṛṣṇa by committing suicide, I would certainly give up millions of bodies without a moment’s hesitation.

“You should know that one cannot attain Kṛṣṇa simply by giving up the body. Kṛṣṇa is attainable by devotional service. There is no other means for attaining Him.

“Acts such as suicide are influenced by the mode of ignorance, and in ignorance and passion one cannot understand who Kṛṣṇa is.

“Unless one discharges devotional service, one cannot awaken one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, and there is no means for attaining Him other than awakening that dormant love.

“[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, said:] ‘My dear Uddhava, neither through aṣṭāṅga-yoga [the mystic yoga system for controlling the senses], nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through austerities, charity or acceptance of sannyāsa can one satisfy Me as much as by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me.’

“Measures like suicide are causes for sin. A devotee never achieves shelter at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet by such actions.

“Because of feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa, an exalted devotee sometimes wants to give up his life. By such ecstatic love, however, one attains the audience of Kṛṣṇa, and at that time he cannot give up his body.

“One who is deeply in love with Kṛṣṇa cannot tolerate separation from the Lord. Therefore such a devotee always desires his own death.

“ ‘O lotus-eyed one, great personalities like Lord Śiva desire to bathe in the dust of Your lotus feet to drive away ignorance. If I do not get the mercy of Your Lordship, I shall observe vows to reduce the duration of my life, and thus I shall give up bodies for hundreds of births if it is possible to get Your mercy in that way.’

“ ‘O dear Kṛṣṇa, by Your smiling glances and melodious talk, You have awakened a fire of lusty desire in our hearts. Now You should extinguish that fire with a stream of nectar from Your lips by kissing us. Kindly do this. Otherwise, dear friend, the fire within our hearts will burn our bodies to ashes because of separation from You. Thus by meditation we shall claim shelter at Your lotus feet.’”

Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Sanātana Gosvāmī, “Give up all your nonsensical desires, for they are unfavorable for getting shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Engage yourself in chanting and hearing. Then you will soon achieve the shelter of Kṛṣṇa without a doubt.

“A person born in a low family is not unfit for discharging devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, nor is one fit for devotional service simply because he is born in an aristocratic family of brāhmaṇas.

“Anyone who takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a nondevotee is always condemned and abominable. Therefore in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one’s family.

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is always favorable to the humble and meek, but aristocrats, learned scholars and the wealthy are always proud of their positions.

“ ‘One may be born in a brāhmaṇa family and have all twelve brahminical qualities, but if in spite of being thus qualified he is not devoted to the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who has a navel shaped like a lotus, he is not as good as a caṇḍāla who has dedicated his mind, words, activities, wealth and life to the service of the Lord. Simply to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family or to have brahminical qualities is not sufficient. One must be a pure devotee of the Lord. Thus if a śva-paca, or caṇḍāla, is a devotee, he delivers not only himself but his entire family as well, whereas a brāhmaṇa who is not a devotee but simply has brahminical qualifications cannot even purify himself, what to speak of his family.’

“Among the ways of executing devotional service, the nine prescribed methods are the best, for these processes have great potency to deliver Kṛṣṇa and ecstatic love for Him.

“Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.”

After hearing this, Sanātana Gosvāmī was exceedingly astonished. He could understand, “My decision to commit suicide has not been greatly appreciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

Sanātana Gosvāmī concluded, “Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who knows everything — past, present and future — has forbidden me to commit suicide.” He then fell down, touching the lotus feet of the Lord, and spoke to Him as follows.

“My Lord, You are the omniscient, merciful, independent Supreme Lord. Exactly like an instrument of wood, I dance as You make me do so.

“I am lowborn. Indeed, I am the lowest. I am condemned, for I have all the characteristics of a sinful man. If You keep me alive, what will be the profit?”

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Your body is My property. You have already surrendered unto Me. Therefore you no longer have any claim to your body.

“Why should you want to destroy another’s property? Can’t you consider what is right and wrong?

“Your body is My principal instrument for executing many necessary functions. By your body I shall carry out many tasks.

“You shall have to ascertain the basic principles of a devotee, devotional service, love of Godhead, Vaiṣṇava duties and Vaiṣṇava characteristics.

“You will also have to explain Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service, establish centers for cultivation of love of Kṛṣṇa, excavate lost places of pilgrimage and teach people how to adopt the renounced order.

“Mathurā-Vṛndāvana is My own very dear abode. I want to do many things there to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

“By the order of My mother I am sitting here in Jagannātha Purī; therefore, I cannot go to Mathurā-Vṛndāvana to teach people how to live there according to religious principles.

“I have to do all this work through your body, but you want to give it up. How can I tolerate this?”

At that time Sanātana Gosvāmī said to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. No one can understand the deep ideas You plan within Your heart.

“A wooden doll chants and dances according to the direction of a magician but does not know how he is dancing and singing.

“My dear Lord, as You cause one to dance, he dances accordingly, but how he dances and who is causing him to dance he does not know.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, “My dear Haridāsa, please hear Me. This gentleman wants to destroy another’s property.

“One who is entrusted with another’s property does not distribute it or use it for his own purposes. Therefore, tell him not to do such an unlawful thing.”

Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “We are falsely proud of our capabilities. Actually we cannot understand Your deep intentions.

“Unless You inform us, we cannot understand what Your purpose is or what You want to do through whom.

“My dear Sir, since You, a great personality, have accepted Sanātana Gosvāmī, he is greatly fortunate; no one can be as fortunate as he.”

Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced both Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Sanātana Gosvāmī and then got up and left to perform His noon duties.

“My dear Sanātana,” Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, embracing him, “no one can find the limits of your good fortune.

“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has accepted your body as His own property. Therefore no one can equal you in good fortune.

“What Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu cannot do with His personal body He wants to do through you, and He wants to do it in Mathurā.

“Whatever the Supreme Personality of Godhead wants us to do will successfully be accomplished. This is your great fortune. That is my mature opinion.

“I can understand from the words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that He wants you to write books about the conclusive decision of devotional service and about the regulative principles ascertained from the revealed scriptures.

“My body could not be used in the service of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore although it took birth in the land of India, this body has been useless.”

Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “O Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who is equal to you? You are one of the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore you are the most fortunate.

“The mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for which He has descended as an incarnation, is to spread the importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord. Now instead of personally doing so, He is spreading it through you.

“My dear sir, you are chanting the holy name 300,000 times daily and informing everyone of the importance of such chanting.

“Some behave very well but do not preach the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whereas others preach but do not behave properly.

“You simultaneously perform both duties in relation to the holy name by your personal behavior and by your preaching. Therefore you are the spiritual master of the entire world, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world.”

In this way the two of them passed their time discussing subjects concerning Kṛṣṇa. Thus they enjoyed life together.

During the time of Ratha-yātrā, all the devotees arrived from Bengal to visit the car festival as they had done previously.

During the Ratha-yātrā festival, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu again danced before the car of Jagannātha. When Sanātana Gosvāmī saw this, his mind was astonished.

The Lord’s devotees from Bengal stayed at Jagannātha Purī during the four months of the rainy season, and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced Sanātana Gosvāmī to them all.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced Sanātana Gosvāmī to these and other selected devotees: Advaita Ācārya, Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, Vāsudeva Datta, Murāri Gupta, Rāghava Paṇḍita, Dāmodara Paṇḍita, Paramānanda Purī, Brahmānanda Bhāratī, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Rāmānanda Rāya, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, Śaṅkara Paṇḍita, Kāśīśvara and Govinda.

The Lord asked Sanātana Gosvāmī to offer obeisances to all the devotees in a way that befitted each one. Thus He introduced Sanātana Gosvāmī to them all, just to make him an object of their mercy.

Sanātana Gosvāmī was dear to everyone because of his exalted qualities and learning. Suitably, therefore, they bestowed upon him mercy, friendship and honor.

When all the other devotees returned to Bengal after the Ratha-yātrā festival, Sanātana Gosvāmī stayed under the care of the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Sanātana Gosvāmī observed the Dola-yātrā ceremony with Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In this way, his pleasure increased in the company of the Lord.

Sanātana Gosvāmī had come to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī during the month of April-May, and during the month of May-June Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu tested him.

In that month of May-June, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to the garden of Yameśvara [Lord Śiva] and accepted prasādam there at the request of the devotees.

At noon, when it was time for lunch, the Lord called for Sanātana Gosvāmī, whose happiness increased because of the call.

At noon the sand on the beach was as hot as fire, but Sanātana Gosvāmī came by that path.

Overwhelmed by joy at being called by the Lord, Sanātana Gosvāmī did not feel that his feet were burning in the hot sand.

Although the soles of his feet were blistered because of the heat, he nevertheless went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There he found that the Lord, having taken His lunch, was resting.

Govinda gave Sanātana Gosvāmī the plate with the remnants of Lord Caitanya’s food. After taking the prasādam, Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

When the Lord inquired, “By which path have you come?” Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “I have come on the path along the beach.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “How did you come along the beach, where the sand is so hot? Why didn’t you come by the path in front of the Siṁha-dvāra gate? It is very cool.

“The hot sand must have blistered your soles. Now you cannot walk. How did you tolerate it?”

Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “I did not feel much pain, nor did I know that there were blisters because of the heat.

“I have no right to pass by the Siṁha-dvāra, for the servants of Jagannātha are always coming and going there.

“The servants are always coming and going without interval. If I touch them, I shall be ruined.”

Having heard all these details, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, greatly pleased, spoke as follows.

“My dear Sanātana, although you are the deliverer of the entire universe and although even the demigods and great saints are purified by touching you, it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaiṣṇava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaiṣṇava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee.

“If one transgresses the laws of etiquette, people make fun of him, and thus he is vanquished in both this world and the next.

“By observing the etiquette, you have satisfied My mind. Who else but you could show this example?”

After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced Sanātana Gosvāmī, and the moisture oozing from the itching sores on Sanātana’s body smeared the body of the Lord.

Although Sanātana Gosvāmī repeatedly forbade Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to embrace him, the Lord still did so. Thus His body was smeared with the moisture from Sanātana’s body, and Sanātana became greatly distressed.

Thus both servant and master departed for their respective homes. The next day, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita went to meet Sanātana Gosvāmī.

When Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Sanātana Gosvāmī sat together and began to discuss topics about Kṛṣṇa, Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted to Jagadānanda Paṇḍita the cause of his distress.

“I came here to diminish my unhappiness by seeing Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but the Lord did not allow me to execute what was in my mind.

“Although I forbid Him to do so, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu nevertheless embraces me, and therefore His body becomes smeared with the discharges from my itching sores.

“In this way I am committing offenses at His lotus feet, and from these offenses I shall certainly not be delivered. At the same time, I cannot see Lord Jagannātha. This is my great unhappiness.

“I came here for my benefit, but now I see that I am getting just the opposite. I do not know, nor can I ascertain, how there will be benefit for me.”

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita said, “The most suitable place for you to reside is Vṛndāvana. After seeing the Ratha-yātrā festival, you can return there.

“The Lord has already ordered both of you brothers to situate yourselves in Vṛndāvana. There you will achieve all happiness.

“Your purpose in coming has been fulfilled, for you have seen the lotus feet of the Lord. Therefore, after seeing Lord Jagannātha on the Ratha-yātrā car, you can leave.”

Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “You have given me very good advice. I shall certainly go there, for that is the place the Lord has given me for my residence.”

After talking in this way, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Jagadānanda Paṇḍita returned to their respective duties. The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to see Haridāsa and Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura offered obeisances to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord embraced him in ecstatic love.

Sanātana Gosvāmī offered his obeisances and daṇḍavats from a distant place, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu called him again and again to embrace him.

Out of fear of committing offenses, Sanātana Gosvāmī did not come forward to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord, however, went forward to meet him.

Sanātana Gosvāmī backed away, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu caught him by force and embraced him.

The Lord took them both with Him and sat down in a sacred place. Then Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was advanced in renunciation, began to speak.

“I came here for my benefit,” he said, “but I see that I am getting just the opposite. I am unfit to render service. I simply commit offenses day after day.

“By nature I am lowborn. I am a contaminated reservoir of sinful activities. If You touch me, Sir, that will be a great offense on my part.

“Moreover, blood is running from infected itching sores on my body, smearing Your body with moisture, but still You touch me by force.

“My dear Sir, You do not have even a pinch of aversion to touching my body, which is in a horrible condition. Because of this offense, everything auspicious will be vanquished for me.

“Therefore I see that I will get nothing auspicious by staying here. Kindly give me orders allowing me to return to Vṛndāvana after the Ratha-yātrā festival.

“I have consulted Jagadānanda Paṇḍita for his opinion, and he has also advised me to return to Vṛndāvana.”

Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in an angry mood, began to chastise Jagadānanda Paṇḍita.

“Jagā [Jagadānanda Paṇḍita] is only a new boy, but he has become so proud that he thinks himself competent to advise a person like you.

“In affairs of spiritual advancement and even in ordinary dealings, you are on the level of his spiritual master. Yet not knowing his own value, he dares to advise you.

“My dear Sanātana, you are on the level of My advisor, for you are an authorized person. But Jagā wants to advise you. This is but the impudence of a naughty boy.”

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was thus chastising Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, Sanātana Gosvāmī fell at the Lord’s feet and said, “I can now understand the fortunate position of Jagadānanda.

“I can also understand my misfortune. No one in this world is as fortunate as Jagadānanda.

“Sir, You are making Jagadānanda drink the nectar of affectionate relationships, whereas by offering me honorable prayers, You are making me drink the bitter juice of nimba and niśindā.

“It is my misfortune that You have not accepted me as one of Your intimate relations. But You are the completely independent Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was somewhat ashamed. Just to satisfy Sanātana Gosvāmī, He spoke the following words.

“My dear Sanātana, please do not think that Jagadānanda is more dear to Me than you. However, I cannot tolerate transgressions of the standard etiquette.

“You are an experienced authority in the śāstras, whereas Jagā is just a young boy.

“You have the power to convince even Me. In many places you have already convinced Me about ordinary behavior and devotional service.

“Jagā’s advising you is intolerable for Me. Therefore I am chastising him.

“I offer you praise not because I think of you as being outside an intimate relationship with Me but because you are actually so qualified that one is forced to praise your qualities.

“Although one has affection for many persons, different types of ecstatic love awaken according to the nature of one’s personal relationships.

“You consider your body dangerous and awful, but I think that your body is like nectar.

“Actually your body is transcendental, never material. You are thinking of it, however, in terms of a material conception.

“Even if your body were material, I still could not neglect it, for the material body should be considered neither good nor bad.

“ ‘Anything not conceived in relationship to Kṛṣṇa should be understood to be illusion [māyā]. None of the illusions uttered by words or conceived in the mind are factual. Because illusion is not factual, there is no distinction between what we think is good and what we think is bad. When we speak of the Absolute Truth, such speculations do not apply.’

“In the material world, conceptions of good and bad are all mental speculations. Therefore, saying ‘This is good’ and ‘This is bad’ is all a mistake.

“ ‘The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater.’

“ ‘One who is fully satisfied in knowledge obtained and practically applied in life, who is always determined and fixed in his spiritual position, who completely controls his senses, and who sees pebbles, stones and gold on the same level is understood to be a perfect yogī.’

“Since I am in the renounced order, My duty is to make no distinctions and be equipoised. My knowledge must be equally disposed toward sandalwood pulp and dirty mud.

“For this reason, I cannot reject you. If I hated you, I would deviate from My occupational duty.”

Haridāsa said, “My dear Lord, what You have spoken deals with external formalities. I do not accept it.

“My Lord, we are all fallen, but You have accepted us due to Your attribute of being merciful to the fallen. This is well known all over the world.”

Lord Caitanya smiled and said, “Listen, Haridāsa and Sanātana. Now I am speaking the truth about how My mind is attached to you.

“My dear Haridāsa and Sanātana, I think of you as My little boys, to be maintained by Me. The maintainer never takes seriously any faults of the maintained.

“I always think of Myself as deserving no respect, but because of affection I always consider you to be like My little children.

“When a child passes stool and urine that touch the body of the mother, the mother never hates the child. On the contrary, she takes much pleasure in cleansing him.

“The stool and urine of the maintained child appear like sandalwood pulp to the mother. Similarly, when the foul moisture oozing from the sores of Sanātana touches My body, I have no hatred for him.”

Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “My dear Sir, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are most merciful toward us. No one can understand what is within Your deeply affectionate heart.

“You embraced the leper Vāsudeva, whose body was fully infected by worms. You are so kind that in spite of his condition You embraced him.

“By embracing him You made his body as beautiful as that of Cupid. We cannot understand the waves of Your mercy.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “The body of a devotee is never material. It is considered to be transcendental, full of spiritual bliss.

“At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa accepts him to be as good as Himself.

“When the devotee’s body is thus transformed into spiritual existence, the devotee, in that transcendental body, renders service to the lotus feet of the Lord.

“ ‘The living entity who is subjected to birth and death attains immortality when he gives up all material activities, dedicates his life to the execution of My order, and acts according to My directions. In this way he becomes fit to enjoy the spiritual bliss derived from exchanging loving mellows with Me.’

“Kṛṣṇa somehow or other manifested these itching sores on the body of Sanātana Gosvāmī and sent him here to test Me.

“If I had hated Sanātana Gosvāmī and had not embraced him, I would certainly have been chastised for offenses to Kṛṣṇa.

“Sanātana Gosvāmī is one of the associates of Kṛṣṇa. There could not be any bad odor from his body. On the first day I embraced him, I smelled the aroma of catuḥsama [a mixture of sandalwood pulp, camphor, aguru and musk].”

In fact, however, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced the body of Sanātana Gosvāmī, by the Lord’s touch alone there was manifested a fragrance exactly like that of sandalwood pulp.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “My dear Sanātana, do not be aggrieved, for when I embrace you I actually get great pleasure.

“Stay with Me at Jagannātha Purī for one year, and after that I shall send you to Vṛndāvana.”

After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu again embraced Sanātana Gosvāmī. Thus immediately Sanātana’s sores disappeared, and his entire body resembled the color of gold.

Seeing the change, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, greatly astonished, told the Lord, “This is Your pastime.

“My dear Lord, You made Sanātana Gosvāmī drink the water of Jhārikhaṇḍa, and You actually generated the consequent itching sores on his body.

“After thus causing these itching sores, You examined Sanātana Gosvāmī. No one can understand Your transcendental pastimes.”

After embracing both Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to His residence. Then Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Sanātana Gosvāmī, in great ecstatic love, began to describe the Lord’s transcendental attributes.

In this way Sanātana Gosvāmī stayed under the care of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and discussed the transcendental qualities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

After they saw the Dola-yātrā festival, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī fully about what to do in Vṛndāvana and bade him farewell.

The scene of separation that took place when Sanātana Gosvāmī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took leave of each other is so piteous that it cannot be described herein.

Sanātana Gosvāmī decided to go to Vṛndāvana by the very forest path Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had traversed.

Sanātana Gosvāmī noted from Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya all the villages, rivers and hills where Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had performed His pastimes.

Sanātana Gosvāmī met all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and then, traveling by that same path, visited the places through which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had passed.

As soon as Sanātana Gosvāmī visited a place where Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had performed His pastimes on the way, he was immediately filled with ecstatic love.

In this way Sanātana Gosvāmī reached Vṛndāvana. Later Rūpa Gosvāmī came and met him.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī had been delayed in Bengal for a year because he was dividing his money among his relatives to situate them in their proper positions.

He collected whatever money he had accumulated in Bengal and divided it among his relatives, the brāhmaṇas and the temples.

Thus after finishing all the tasks he had on his mind, he returned to Vṛndāvana fully satisfied.

The brothers met at Vṛndāvana, where they stayed to execute the will of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī collected many revealed scriptures, and from the evidence in those scriptures they excavated all the lost sites of pilgrimage. Thus they established temples for the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī compiled the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta. From this book one can understand who is a devotee, what is the process of devotional service, and who is Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth.

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī wrote a commentary on the Tenth Canto known as Daśama-ṭippanī, from which we can understand the transcendental pastimes and ecstatic love of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

He also compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, from which we can understand the standard behavior of a devotee and the full extent of a Vaiṣṇava’s duty.

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī also compiled many other books. Who can enumerate them? The basic principle of all these books is to show us how to love Madana-mohana and Govindajī.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also wrote many books, the most famous of which is the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. From that book one can understand the essence of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa and the transcendental mellows one can derive from such service.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also compiled the book named Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, from which one can understand, to the fullest limits, the loving affairs of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also compiled two important dramas named Vidagdha-mādhava and Lalita-mādhava, from which one can understand all the mellows derived from the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī compiled 100,000 verses, beginning with the book Dāna-keli-kaumudī. In all these scriptures he elaborately explained the transcendental mellows of the activities of Vṛndāvana.

The son of Śrī Vallabha, or Anupama, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s younger brother, was the great learned scholar named Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī.

After renouncing everything, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana. Later he also wrote many books on devotional service and expanded the work of preaching.

In particular, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī compiled the book named Bhāgavata-sandarbha, or Ṣaṭ-sandarbha, which is the essence of all scriptures. From this book one can obtain a conclusive understanding of devotional service and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

He also compiled the book named Gopāla-campū, which is the essence of all Vedic literature. In this book he has exhibited the ecstatic loving transactions and pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana.

In the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī set forth the truths about transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa. In this way he expanded 400,000 verses in all his books.

When Jīva Gosvāmī wanted to go to Mathurā from Bengal, he requested permission from Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu.

Because of Jīva Gosvāmī’s relationship with Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, who were greatly favored by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu placed His feet on the head of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī and embraced him.

Lord Nityānanda Prabhu ordered, “Yes, go soon to Vṛndāvana. That place has been awarded to your family, to your father and uncles, by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and therefore you must go there immediately.”

By the order of Nityānanda Prabhu, he went to Vṛndāvana and actually achieved the result of His order, for he compiled many books for a long time and preached the cult of bhakti from there.

These three — Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Jīva Gosvāmī — are my spiritual masters, and so also is Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. I therefore offer prayers at their lotus feet, for I am their servant.

Thus I have described how the Lord again met with Sanātana Gosvāmī. By hearing this I can understand the Lord’s desire.

These characteristics of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are like sugar cane that one can chew to relish transcendental juice.

Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.