Pranam Mantra of Srila Sanatana Goswami
vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair, apayayan mam anabhipsum andham
krpambudhir yah para-duhkha-duhkhi, sanatanam tam prabhum asrayami
Appearance:
Srila Sanatana Gosvami, one of the intimate associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is a well-known personality in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Mahaprabhu taught the sequence of the advancement in bhajana through Sanatana Goswami. Sanatana Goswami is the oldest and most venerable among the six Goswamis. He propagated the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Sanatana Goswami appeared in 1488 AD and lived for 70 years. He spends 27 years in household life and 43 years in Vrindavan as a renunciate (after the meeting with Mahaprabhu and giving up administrative duties).
Identity:
Srila Kavi Karnapura Goswami described the identity of Sanatana Goswami in 181-182 verse of Goura-goddess-Deepika: “Sanatan Goswami who is non-different from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is a venerable personality. He was formerly known as Rati Manjari and was very dear to Rupa Manjari in Vrindavan. Scholars call her by the nameLavanga Manjari. The famous sage Sanatana among the Catuh sanah entered his body.”
Attainment of Srimad Bhagavatam’s study of scriptures:
From his childhood, Sanatana was very fond of Shrimad Bhagavatam. At an early age, a Brahmin gave him Srimad Bhagavatam. Sanatana was immersed in the ocean of joy after receiving the Bhagavatam. At a young age, Sanatana studied all scriptures under the guidance of Vidya Vachaspati, the topmost teacher of that time. He was fond of studying Shrimad Bhagavatam. He used to discuss the conclusions of Bhakti with scholars. Shortly after this, the then emperor of Gauda-Bengal, Hussain Shah discovered two brothers Rupa and Sanatana. For their extraordinary intelligence, foresight, and wisdom he appointed them as his ministers.
Resign from admission and escape to Vrindavan:
King Hussain Shah was very fond of Sanatana Goswami. Sanatana realized that this might be the cause of his maternal bondage. Thus he tried to displease the king. For this reason, he stopped performing his duties in the Shah’s court, pretending to be ill. Though he claimed to be seriously ill, he was in fact engaged in the intense study of the Bhagavatam with a group of Sanskrit scholars. The Shah sent the doctor to examine Sanatan, but the doctor came back and reported that Sanatan was in good health. Upon hearing this, Shah went to Sanatan himself and spoke to him very affectionately, trying to convince him to come back to work. But Sanatan refused, therefore the Shah became suspicious of Sanatan and imprisoned him.
Rupa Goswami received the news that Mahaprabhu would travel to Vrindavana through the forest. He wrote a letter to Sanatana Goswami and gave a hint of his journey. After that, he started his journey to Vrindavana with his younger brother, Anupama. Sanatana Goswami was intensely eager to go to Vrindavan and perform Krishna Bhajana. As soon as he received Rupa’s letter, he bribed the jailkeeper and freed himself from the prison to go to Vrindavan.
Journey to Vrindavan:
When the unyielding devotion of the soul is manifested, when the heart yearns for God rightly, one easily abandons his worldly pleasures. As a by-product of unconditional devotion, renunciation comes. Sanatana Goswami managed to escape from the jail. He was empty-handed. He left the main road and traveled through the villages at a fast pace. He overcame many obstacles and finally reached the residence of Chandrasekhara in Varanasi.
Meeting with Sriman Mahaprabhu:
Mahaprabhu was then staying at Chandrashekhara’s house in Varanasi. When Sanatan reached, he did not go straight to Chandrashekhara’s house, but waited on the front porch. Mahaprabhu, the indweller of all souls, knew of his devotee’s arrival and sent Chandrashekhara to the door to invite him in. As soon as Sanatana Goswami entered the house, Mahaprabhu ran and embraced him. Both Mahaprabhu and Sanatana Goswami became ecstatic in love. Mahaprabhu seated Sanatan beside Him and started patting him gently. Sanatana Goswami became ashamed and forbade Mahaprabhu to touch him. But Mahaprabhu said,
“tomā sparśi ātma pavitrite
bhakti-bale pāra tumi brahmāṇḍa śodhite”
Translation: “I am touching you just to purify Myself because, by the force of your devotional service, you can purify the whole universe”.
“tomā dekhi, tomā sparśi, gāi tomāra guṇa
sarvendriya-phala, — ei śāstra-nirūpaṇa”
Translation: “By seeing you, by touching you and by glorifying your transcendental qualities, one can perfect the purpose of all sense activity. This is the verdict of the revealed scriptures.”
Teachings to Sanatana Goswami:
When Sriman Mahaprabhu was pleased with Sanatana Goswami and infused energy into him, Sanatana asked about the real dharma. Because without the mercy of the Lord, one can neither show interest in tattva nor enquire about it.
On Sanatana’s request, Mahaprabhu taught him the knowledge of sambandha (the relationship between the living entity (cit), matter (acit), and God), Abhidheya (the means of attainment of the goal), and prayojana (the goal for which we have to adopt the process) for fifty-six days at Dashaswamedha Ghat in Varanasi.
Mahaprabhu’s instructions:
Mahaprabhu taught Sanatana Goswami on various topics and ordered him to perform the following services:
- Compilation of Bhakti literature and scriptures and propagation of the unalloyed Bhakti,
- Rediscovering the hidden sacred places of the Lord’s pastimes in Vrindavan,
- Propagation of the daily worship of the deity of Sri Krishna,
- Compiling a Vaishnava Smriti (Vaishnava rule book) and introducing Vaishnava etiquettes to establish a Vaishnava society.
“tumiha kariha bhakti-śāstrera pracāra
mathurāya lupta-tīrthera kariha uddhāra”
Translation: O Sanātana, you should broadcast the revealed scriptures on devotional service and excavate the lost places of pilgrimage in the district of Mathurā.
“vṛndāvane kṛṣṇa-sevā, vaiṣṇava-ācāra
bhakti-smṛti-śāstra kari’ kariha pracāra”
Translation: “Establish devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī in Vṛndāvana. You should also compile bhakti scriptures and preach the bhakti cult from Vṛndāvana.”
Visit to Vrindavan:
Mahaprabhu ordered Sanatana Goswami to go to Vrindavan and take the ascetic order. In the meanwhile, Mahaprabhu traveled to Puri through the forest. When Sanatana Goswami reached Mathura, he met Subuddhi Raya. At that time Subuddhi Ray was residing in Vrindavan. On the advice of Mahaprabhu, he was chanting Harinam to perform atonement for his past sins. He used to collect dry wood and sell it for a living. Even though he was barely able to make a living, he served the Vaishnavas. Srila Sanatana Goswami traveled to the twelve forests of Vrajamandal with Subuddhi Raya and Sanodiya Brahmin. They informed him that Rupa Goswami and Anupama visited the twelve forests of Vrindavan. After that, they set out for Nilachala through the bank of the Ganges.
Visit to Nilachala:
Sanatana Goswami alone started for Nilachala through the forest of Jharkhand. On the way, he had a skin disease called kandurasa (scabies) due to the bad water. Sanatan became depressed as a result of the running sores on his body and began to plan suicide, thinking that because of his low birth and now disgusting physical condition, he would not only be unable to go near the temple and see Jahannath but would also be deprived of Mahaprabhu’s darshan. He thought that if Lord Jagannath’s servants would accidentally touch him, he would commit a great offense by rendering them impure. Despite being born in a high Brahmin caste, he displayed the highest example of humility, thinking of himself to be the lowest due to his association with the Muslims. But Mahaprabhu being the supersoul, knew the heart of Sanatana Goswami. He dissuaded him from this decision in a very pleasant manner:
“sanātana, deha-tyāge kṛṣṇa yadi pāiye
koṭi-deha kṣaṇeke tabe chāḍite pāriye“
Translation: “My dear Sanātana, if I could attain Kṛṣṇa by committing suicide, I would certainly give up millions of bodies without a moment’s hesitation.
“deha-tyāge kṛṣṇa nā paī, pāiye bhajane
kṛṣṇa-prāptyera upāya kona nāhi ‘bhakti’ vine“
Translation: “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.”
In this regard Mahaprabhu taught that Krishna cannot be attained by giving up the material body. Only through the practice of pure devotion one can attain Krishna.
“prabhu kahe, — “tomāra deha mora nija-dhana
tumi more kariyācha ātma-samarpaṇa“
Translation: 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.
“parera dravya tumi kene cāha vināśite?
dharmādharma vicāra kibā nā pāra karite?“
Translation: “Why should you want to destroy another’s property? Can’t you consider what is right and wrong?
“tomāra śarīra — mora pradhāna ‘sādhana’
e śarīre sādhimu āmi bahu prayojana“
Translation: “Your body is My principal instrument for executing many necessary functions. By your body, I shall carry out many tasks.
Sanatana Goswami’s behaviour:
Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmīpada set up the standard of Vaishnava etiquette through his renunciation and humility. This made Mahaprabhu pleased. One day Mahaprabhu called Sanatana Goswami while residing at Yameswara Tota (a temple dedicated to Shiva being worshipped by Yama situated in Odisha) in Jyestha month (May-June). Instead of the main road that leads to one of the main gates of Jagannath Temple (simha dvara), Sanatana walked along the sun-heated beach. When Mahaprabhu asked him the reason, he said, “I have no right to go to the main entrance. Because the servitors of Jagannatha might come into contact. This is an offense as I belong to the low caste.” Mahaprabhu was very pleased with Sanatana.
Return to Vrindavan:
Mahaprabhu instructed Sanatana Goswami to stay in Puri that year and go to Vrindavana next year. After the Dola Yatra (swing festival), Sanatana Goswami took the permission of Mahaprabhu and reached Vrindavan through the forests. Later Rupa Goswami also came to Vrindavan. Srila Jagdananda Pandita also met Sanatana Goswami in Mathura as per the order of Mahaprabhu. Sanatana Goswami was delighted to see him. The two of them traveled the Dvadasa vana (twelve forests of Vraja) together.
One day Sanatana Goswami was going to do madhukari (begging) through the beautiful banks of the Yamuna. He was stumbling, because he was remembering the wonderful glory of Dham. He was thinking “How despicable, lowly, and vile I am! Yet Mahaprabhu is so gracious that He has granted me to reside here. Srila Sanatana Goswamipad was performing intense bhajan in Sridham Vrindavana. The deity of Sri Madana Mohana appeared before him. Rupa Goswami, Lokanatha Goswami, Bhugarbha Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, etc. came from all around. Everyone shedding tears of love. Then the deity was offered Abhisheka (offering milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, etc. to the Deity) and Bhoga (offering foodstuffs to the Deity). The Panda Brahmins came and very happily cooked for the Lord. Gopala Bhatta Goswami himself performed the Abhisheka. Immediately one devotee was sent to Puri to convey the news to Mahaprabhu.
Sanatana Goswami obtains Govardhana Shila:
When Sanatana Goswami was in Govardhana, he used to perform Govardhana Parikrama (circumambulation of the holy place) every day. As he grew older, he would get tired of going around Govardhana. One day Krishna appeared to him in the form of a cowherd boy. That cowherd boy brought him a piece of Govardhana rock that had the footprint of Lord Krishna. Then he said to Sanatana Goswami, “You are old. Why are you working so hard? I am giving you this Govardhan Shila, if you circumambulate it daily, you will get the result of the entire Govardhan parikrama.” After saying this, the boy disappeared. Sanatana Goswami started crying. This place is called Chakratirtha. Chakreshwar Mahadev is located on the northern bank of Manasi Ganga. There was an ancient neem tree in this place. In a cottage under this neem tree, Sanatana Goswami used to perform bhajan. There is a temple to its north. The deities of Gaura-Nityananda are present there. Currently, Sanatana Goswami’s Govardhana Shila resides in the Sri Radha Damodara Temple in Vrindavan.
Chakreshwar Mahadeva meets Sanatana Goswami:
The place where Sanatana Goswami used to perform bhajan was very infested with mosquitoes. Sanatana Goswami decided to go somewhere else because his chanting and writing got disturbed. That night Chakreshwar Mahadev appeared in his dream and said, “Don’t worry. From today there will be no more mosquitoes.” From the next day, there were no mosquitoes in Chakratirtha.
Composition:
Sanatana Goswami composed many devotional books and hymns. Among them, four books are particularly notable in Vaishnavism. They are Brihat Bhagavatamrita, Haribhakti Vilasa and its Digdarshini commentary, Lilastava or Dasama Charita & Vaishnavatoshini or commentary on the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
Disappearance:
Srila Sanatana Goswami concluded his pastimes on Asadhi Purnima Tithi in 1480 Sakabda (558 AD). His samadhi is located next to the old Radha Madanamohana temple.
