Srila Sanatana Goswami ki jai jai!!!!

[Guest guest]

Srila Sanatana Goswami

Disappearance Day 2nd July

 

 

 

Srila Sanatana Goswami appeared in 1488, five years before Sri Rupa Goswami, in

a Sarasvata brahmana family in Bengal. Sanatana and his two brothers, Rupa and

Anupama, were always absorbed in bhava bhakti from early childhood. Remembering

Vrndavana, they named the forests in which they played after Vraja's twelve

forests

 

( Talavana, Kamyavana, Mahavana ). They called their favourite bathing ponds

Radha-Kunda and Shyam-Kunda.

 

 

 

In his youth, Srila Sanatana dreamt that a beautiful brahmana boy gave him

Srimad Bhagavatam. Feeling ecstatic he awoke. But seeing neither the boy nor

the Bhagavatam he felt sad. When Sanatana began his puja that morning, however

Krishna Himself, disguised as a beautiful brahmana boy, came and said " Take

this Srimad Bhagavatam from Me, always study it and you will attain

perfection."

 

 

 

In Krishna lila stava, Srila Sanatana Goswami glorifies the Srimad Bhagavatam:

" O holy Bhagavata, you are my only company, personal saviour. You are my

greatest treasure and my personal saviour. You are the emblem of my highest

fortune and the very form of ecstasy. I offer my obeisances unto you."

 

 

 

Forced to submit to the ruling Muslim government, Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana

became ministers and lived at Ramakeli. But their real engagement was teaching

sastras, which they learned from Vidyavacaspati, brother of Sarvabhauma

Bhattacarya. Pandits and brahmanas from all over India came to study under the

two brothers. Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana were acclaimed as the "crest jewels

of the Gaudiya Vaisnava scholars". After the Lord visited Ramakeli and freed

them, they renounced everything for Lord Gauranga's service. Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu ordered Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswami to move to Vrndavana and

perform four services:

 

 

 

1.. Uncover Sri Krishna's pastime places.

2.. Install Deities, arrange for their puja.

3.. Compile bhakti scriptures.

4.. Propagate the rules of devotional life.

" Entering Lord Caitanya's service, they resolutely gave up power, riches and

position to live in Vrndavana as humble beggars absorbed in bhajana until one

renounces all attachments both internally and externally, and adopts a life of

simplicity and humility."

 

(Sri Vraja Mandala Prikrama).

 

 

 

They travelled extensively through Vraja mandala discovering many lila sthans

of Radha-Madhava. Having no fixed residence, they would catch a few winks of

sleep (no more than one and a-half hours per day) under a tree or bush. Srila

Rupa and Srila Sanatana Goswami spent all their time writing, discussing

Krishna's holy names.

 

 

 

 

To maintain himself Sanatana would beg some wheat flour, roll it into a ball by

adding a touch of Yamuna water, and drop it in smouldering coals to cook. He

would offer this bati (salt free, baked bread ball) to his Deity of Madana

Mohan. Giving up all kinds of material enjoyment, the Goswami accepted the

poorest way of life as mendicants. They ate just enough to maintain their

bodies. The Radha Madana Mohan mandir established by Sanatana Goswami was the

first one opened in Vrndavana by six Goswamis. Described as personal "extension

of the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu," Srila Sanatana is ideal spiritual

master because he gives one shelter at the lotus feet of Madana Mohan. The

three Vrndavana Deities (Madana Mohan, Govindaji and Gopinatha) are the life

and soul of Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The Deity of Madana Mohan has specific quality

of helping the neophyte devotees understand their eternal relationship with the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.

 

 

 

Madana Mohan means Krishna who is so indescribably beautiful that He even

attracts Cupid, Kamadeva. Sanatana Goswami is the sambandha Acarya who gives us

knowledge of our proper relationship with Krishna, and his deity, Madana Mohan,

helps us overcome our attraction for material sense gratification (Cupid) and

fix our mind on devotional service.

 

 

 

Srila Sanatana Goswami spent forty-three years wandering from village in

Vrndavana. The Vrajavasis would affectionately care for treating him like their

father. With patience and concern he listened to their problems. Then he would

please all the villagers by his preaching and practical advice on everything

from increasing crop yields to solving family quarrels.

 

 

 

"Renouncing all worldly pleasures, Sanatana Goswami was humble, detached,

always absorbed in study. Mahaprabhu often said that Sanatana Goswami was His

favourite devotee. As an ocean of love and mercy, Sanatana excelled all other

devotees in his compassion toward the suffering souls". (Bhakti-ratnakar)

 

 

 

In his last years, he left his beloved Deity of Madana Mohan with Krishna Dasa

bramacari, his disciple. He did bhajana on the banks of Manasi Ganga next to

Caklesvara Mahadeva at Govardhana Hill. When Sanatana Goswami first stayed

here, there were so many mosquitoes, he decided to move elsewhere. Just at that

moment as he was packing up his few belongings, Cakalesvara Mahadeva (Lord

Siva) appeared before him in the guise of a brahmana and asked him why he was

going away. Sanatana explained that the mosquitoes were a constant source of

disturbance and found it very difficult when he was writing his books. The

brahmana informed Sanatana that from now on mosquitoes would no longer disturb

him and he could continue staying here at Cakra-tritha. Sanatana stayed and

found that he was no longer bothered by the mosquitoes. Local people still say

that even today no mosquitoes can be found at Citra-tritha.

 

 

 

Daily he walked the twenty-four mile parikrama of Govardhana Hill. Although he

was sixty-five years old, he kept his daily vow of offering 1,008 obeisances to

Govardhana Hill and to any Vaisnava whom he met. Understanding the difficulty

of His pure devotee, Sri Madana Mohana appeared one day and said, 'Baba! You

are too old. Don't take so much trouble to walk around Govardhana Hill

everyday.' Sanatana replied, 'this is one of the daily activates of my bhajana;

I must maintain it.'

 

'Since you are old,' said Madana Mohana, 'you may now give up this vow.'

 

Starting to walk again, Sanatana replied, 'I will never give up my religious

prilciples.'

 

 

 

Sanatana Goswami's firm determination to complete his daily devotional vow

pleased Sri Madana Mohana, but in the loving dealings between the Lord and His

pure devotee, Krishna's desire to please His devotee often defeat the devotee's

desire to please Him. So out of loving compassion for His devotee, Sri Krishna

stood on a large flat stone (Goverdhana sila) taken from Giriraja. He played

His irresistible flute. The Goverdhana sila melted in ecstasy, capturing the

impression of Krishna's lotus feet.

 

 

 

Presenting this to Sanatana, Krishna said, 'if you circumambulate this sila

everyday it will be the same as going around Goverdhana Hill everyday. You will

keep your vow intact and not compromise your religious principles.' Seeing that

Giriraja Himself (Krishna) had given the sila, Sanatana Goswami gratefully

accepted. One can still see that Goverdhana sila in the Radha Damodara temple.

 

 

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura said in Jiva Dharama, 'Sanatana Goswami was

empowered to explain the esoteric aspects of Krishna's manifest and un-manifest

Vraja lilas.' Sanatana Goswami made significant literary contribution to

Gauidya sampradaya with his Hari Bhakti vilas, Brhad Bhagavatamrta and Brhad

Vaisnava tosani.

 

 

 

In the form of Labanaga Manjari Sanatana Goswami serves Srimati Visakha sakhi

in Radha Madhava's nitya nikunja lila. Sanatana Goswami's samadhi is behind

Radha Madana Mohana temple in Vrandavana.

 

 

 

Srila Sanatana Goswami ki jai jai!!!!