Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.66–96 – November 27, 1966, New York

661127CC-New York [29:48 Minutes]

Prabhupada:

So Lord Caitanya informed Sanatana Gosvami that "Your two other brothers, I met them at Prayaga, and they have started for Vrndavana." Lord Caitanya deputed the Sanatana Gosvami and Rūpa Gosvami to excavate the glories of Vrndavana. Before Lord Caitanya, the Vrndavana city was not there. The present Vrndavana city was not there. It was all forgotten practically. But when Lord Caitanya visited this land He first of all pointed out Radha-kunda and then He made a survey, and His assistants, these Gosvamis, they went there, and this present Vrndavana was constructed by the disciples of Lord Caitanya. So He said that "I have instructed your two brothers, Rūpa Gosvami, to go to Vrndavana, and I have met them."

And He was guest in the house of Tapana Misra. So He introduced Tapana Misra with Sanatana Gosvami.

The Tapana Misra invited him that "Please accept your bhiksa at my place." It is the system when a sannyasi, or renounced order of life, is in the village or in the vicinity of a... So it is the Hindu system that somebody will invite. So Tapana Misra invited him to take..., accept prasadam at his place, and Lord Caitanya said that "First of all you get him to a barber and have him cleansed of, of his beard and hairs which has grown for so many days. Let him become a gentleman." The Lord said that "Let him become a gentleman."

"Just get him to a barber and clean, clean-shaving." According to the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sampradaya, they keep themself clean-shaving. And only single instance is there, Advaita Prabhu. He had His beard. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu never asked Him to cleanse. Because one reason is that Advaita Prabhu was just contemporary to His father, so He did not like to dictate. But otherwise, all His disciples, they were clean-shaved.

Then, after getting him washed in the Ganges and cleansed by a barber, Candrasekhara offered him a new pair of clothing and...

And Sanatana Gosvami did not accept that new clothing. Suniya prabhura mane ananda apara. And when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard it that Sanatana Gosvami, after renouncement, he's not going to accept any new clothing...

So for a really renounced person is that whatever clothing is thrown in the street, he'll collect and he'll wear it. He would not purchase any new clothing. That is the order of strictly one who follows... Cirani. Sanatana... Svarūpa... Sukadeva Gosvami, in the Bhagavata, he said that "Whether old clothings and torn clothings cannot be had on the street? Whether trees are not giving fruits? Whether the rivers are dried up? Whether the caves in the mountain, they are closed? Then why the renounced order of persons go to the visayi?" Visayi means those, those who are materialistic.

Sometimes the renounced order of life, sannyasi, they go to the householders... Of course, that is their duty. But still... So Sukadeva Gosvami, a great personality in the renounced order of life, he would live naked. He would not go even to the human society. So those who are following strictly, they don't make themselves dependent on the householders or on the worldly people. So Sanatana Gosvami did not accept that new clothing, and when it was heard by Lord Caitanya, He was very glad.

Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu... There were two gentlemen, Candrasekhara Acarya and Tapana Misra. So Candrasekhara Acarya took care of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Tapana Misra took Sanatana Gosvami at his place to give him prasadam.

Again Misra offered him that new clothing, but he refused.

"If you like to give me some clothing, please give me some old clothing which you have used. That will suffice me."

Then he offered him one dhoti. Dhoti, in India, they use dhoti, about five yards, one dhoti. So he offered that dhoti, old clothing, and he divided into bahirvasa and kaupina, underwear and outward clothing.

Then again one Maharashtrian brahmana also met him. He also invited him that "Next day, you please come to my place."

That Maharashtriya brahmana, he invited him, Sanatana Gosvami, "So long you shall stay at Benares, kindly accept my invitation. You come to my place and take your prasadam."

Just see. He said, "No, no. I cannot accept sumptuous foodstuff from a brahmana's place. That is not my duty. I shall accept madhukari." Madhukari is a principle introduced by these Gosvamis. Madh..., madhu. Madhu means honey. And the bees who collect honey from flower-a drop from this flower, a drop from that flower, a drop from that flower-in this way, he subsists.

So this madhukari system means a renounced order of sannyasi or a vairagi, he should not accept in one place sumptuously. He should go to every householder and take a bit of capati from this house, a bit of capati from that house, a bit of capati from that house, so that the householders also may not be disturbed and they may be benefited. When a real sannyasi or vairagi accepts something from the householder, it is a great benefit for him. Therefore to accept little from this house, to accept little from that house, that is also another mercy of the renounced sannyasi or devotee of the Lord. Yes.

So he did not accept that invitation, that "I shall go somewhere and take sumptuously." No. "I shall beg from door to door, and collect my capati and live on that way."

Sanatana, he was so strict in renounced order of life, so that gave Caitanya Mahaprabhu too much pleasure: "Oh, it is very nice." But while he was coming, his brother-in-law gave him a nice blanket. That was on the body of Sanatana. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu several times overlooked about that blanket.

Sanatana Gosvami, he was very intelligent; he was minister. He could understand that "Lord is observing my blanket. That means He doesn't like that I should have such valuable blanket on my body." So he thought that "I should give up this blanket."

Thinking this, he went to the bank of the Ganges and he saw one, another vairagi. He had a torn clothing, and he, after washing it, he gave it for drying. So Sanatana Gosvami went there and asked him, "Please take this blanket and kindly give me your that torn clothing."

So that man thought that he's cutting jokes with him, that he wants to exchange such a nice blanket. So he said, "Sir, you appear to be very good gentleman. You should not cut joke with me in this..." Then Sanatana Gosvami, "No, I am not cutting joke with you. I am really serious. Please exchange this. You take my this valuable blanket and give me that torn clothing." And after taking that torn clothing, when he appeared before Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very much pleased. Yes.

He inquired again, "Oh, where is that your blanket, that valuable blanket I saw? Where you left it?" Then he described that "I could understand Your opinion. So I have exchanged that valuable blanket with this torn clothing." Yes.

"Yes, I was just thinking of you. Now you are complete in renounced order. Now you are completely independent. You don't depend on anything. So it is giving Me much pleasure." Yes.

"By grace of Krsna, your last attachment also now taken up. It is a great mercy of Krsna upon you."

Then this is a hint by Lord Caitanya that a sannyasi who has renounced everything, if he lives very gorgeously, with good dress and good house and apartment... No. This is not approved by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then what is that? What does it mean? A sannyasi living like a first-class gentleman, smoking, and very nice apartment, and some, I mean to say, lady assistant, secretary... What is this? Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not approve.

He must be, as far as possible... Whatever is absolutely necessity he should accept, not more. Yes. That is renounced order, not that in the name of renounced order of life he should live at the expense of the householders, very gorgeously. No. This is not sannyasa. It is not accepted by Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sampradaya.

So He said that "You live by begging from door to door, and you have a valuable blanket on your body. This is contradictory. Now I am very glad that you have done this."

"Now, You wanted me to be in renounced order of life. I first met You when I was at, in Bengal, in the capital of Gaudadesa. And You desired me that I should be in renounced order of life. So I came, and my last attachment to that kambala is also now finished by You."

Now, Sanatana Gosvami and Caitanya Mahaprabhu is sitting together for discussion. This is called "Instruction to Sanatana Gosvami." Caitanya Mahaprabhu had discussion with some of His principal disciples. One was Ramananda Raya. Raya Ramananda. He was Governor of Madras, and later on he retired from that governorship and became a constant companion of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Although he was a householder-he never accepted renouncement-but still, he was con..., he was the most confidential devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although he was a householder. Because he was highly advanced in the science of Krsna.

So there was some discussion with this Ramananda Raya, and there was some discussion with this Sanatana Gosvami, and some discussion with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, and some discussion with Rūpa Gosvami. So He had no other discussion with anyone, and the rest of His life was spent by simply chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. And these disciples, under the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they have made volumes of books on the basis of the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not write any book in His own hand. He wrote only eight verses, which is called Siksastaka. That was His only writing. Otherwise, all the books, valuable books that you have got in His sampradaya, they are written by His disciples, especially by Rūpa Gosvami. He's famous. Rūpa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and that boy, the nephew of Rūpa Gosvami who left home at ten years old and later on, after becoming a very great Sanskrit scholar, he approached their uncles-that Jiva Gosvami-oh, he has written many valuable volumes of books. So the asset of this Caitanya-sampradaya about this devotional service is very great. Very great. This Caitanya-caritamrta is also one of them. Yes.

So,

Now, after Caitanya Mahaprabhu's approval of renouncement of Sanatana Gosvami, He instructed him for two months at Benares. In the formerly... Here it is referred. In the formerly, as He instructed Ramananda Raya at..., in Kovur-Kovur is a place in the Madras, South India-similarly, in that occasion the Lord was questioning Ramananda Raya, and Ramananda Raya was replying. And here, in the similar way, the Sanatana Gosvami will question and Lord Caitanya will reply.

So sometimes the disciple and the spiritual master, the relationship is like that. Sometimes the teacher questions to the student, and student replies, and sometimes the student questions to the teacher, and teacher replies. This is called istagosthi. To develop knowledge, these questions and answers are required. According to system of accepting a spiritual master, it is said that just after acceptance... Adau gurvasrayam [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.74].

One must have to accept a spiritual master. Then the next position is sad-dharma-prcchat: then he should be very much inquisitive. A student... Not finishing, that "Now I am initiated. Everything finished." No. He should be very inquisitive.

Unless one is very inquisitive, there is no necessity of accepting a spiritual master. That is the instruction in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuḥ sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. One has the necessity of accepting a spiritual master who is very much inquisitive about transcendental matter. Otherwise, there is no necessity. Simply, "Oh, because so many people accept a spiritual master, so I'll have to accept somebody as spiritual master. My business finished"-no. One should be very much inquisitive. Yes. He must be very much eager to understand what is transcendental subject. Then his, this business of accepting a spiritual master will be fulfilled.

So here also... And when the questions and answers were going on between Ramananda Raya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramananda Raya was not even a brahmana. Because in those days, the brahmanas were very respectable community, and they were learned scholars, so... And he was a kayastha. Kayastha. Kayastha, in... Of course, now..., not now; in some hundreds or two hundred years before, these kayastha were considered very lower caste. So Ramananda Raya belonged to that kayastha community. But he was very much learned. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He belonged to the brahmana community, and He was vastly learned. At the same time, He was in renounced order of life.

So when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was asking question from Ramananda Raya, he felt himself shy, that "I am a householder, and I belong to the kayastha community, and Lord, You belong to the..., You come from the brahmana community, and You are so vast learned. At the same time, You have accepted renounced order. So You are in all respect my master. How is that, You are trying to understand from me?" Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed this example by His life's activity. So he was hesitating, that "I should rather put question to You as teacher, and You should answer me."

But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "No, no, no. There is no such differentiation between master..."

"It doesn't matter whether you are a householder or you are a brahmana or you are a renounced order of... If you know the science of Krsna-you are fully in Krsna consciousness-you are My guru. You are my spiritual master."

So that is the relation between spiritual master and the student, not that the spiritual master, because he has officially accepted the post as spiritual master, he should remain as... He should accept the students also as his spiritual master. This is the reciprocation. Prabhu. Everyone would address the other as prabhu. But officially one may be a spiritual master. But in spiritual platform there is no such difference. But officially, custom is that spiritual master is considered in the place of Supreme Lord, and therefore he is given the such respect.

But the spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, he thinks that "I am your disciple. I am your disciple." And practical example I have seen: our Guru Maharaja, when we offered obeisances, he used to return, daso 'smi: "I am your servant." He used to return me this way, "I am your servant."

So these are the things we have to learn from the behavior, practical demonstration, of Caitanya's Mahaprabhu's life. So tomorrow we shall discuss the questions and answers of Sanatana Gosvami.

Thank you very much.

[break] ...You see? So similarly, a material qualification, that is not bad, provided they are engaged in Krsna consciousness. Otherwise it has no value. Material qualification, if they are engaged... nirbandhaḥ krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255]. If one is able to dovetail his material qualities in the service of the Lord, then that becomes a great qualification. Viprad dvi-saḍ-guna-yutad aravinda-nabha [SB 7.9.10].

Aravinda-nabha. Aravinda means lotus flower, and nabha means this navel. So Visnu... Krsna is Visnu; therefore His another name is Aravinda-nabha. He has got a lotus flower. On that lotus flower, Brahma is born. This is omnipotency, omnipotency of God. You have seen that picture in the cover of Srimad-Bhagavatam. That Garbhodakasayi Visnu is lying, and there is a lotus flower from His navel, and upon the lotus flower, Brahma is born, and Laksmiji is engaged in serving His lotus feet.

But just see. Krsna was to beget a son. His wife, Laksmi, or Visnu's wife, was sitting. But He did not take...

[break] ...He begot a child, Brahma, from His own navel. This is called omnipotency. He can do anything and everything. Now, when we conceive of begetting a child, oh, we must have a..., we must have to secure a wife first of all. Then I have must sex intercourse with her, then she should be pregnant, then I... Then there will be child. Otherwise there is no child. Because we are..., we are not omnipotent, we cannot produce child in that way. This is called omnipotency. And He did not require the help of the wife, neither there was necessity.

So Krsna's wife or Krsna's girlfriends, they are not Krsna's necessities. Krsna is without any necessity, without any want. But if somebody wants "Krsna should be my friend," "Krsna should be my husband," He accepts. That's it. He is not in want. He is full in Himself. One who knows this fact, he is pure devotee.

You are a... You are offering capati. Don't think that Krsna is in want of your capati. But if you offer Krsna and take the capati, you are benefited. Krsna bada dayamaya, karibare jihva jaya [Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura].

I sing this-perhaps you do not know the meaning-that Krsna is very merciful. Because my tongue is always hankering after some good, tasty food, this or that, this or that, but if I eat Krsna's prasada, then my tongue will be controlled. And as soon as your tongue is controlled, your all other senses will be controlled. These are the philosophy.

So don't think that Krsna is in want or Krsna is in need, He needs your third-class service. No. He's full Himself. But if you can offer your service some way or other, then you are benefited; you are elevated to the transcendental position. That is Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. [end]