sanatana's expensive blanket

By this behavior of Sanatan Lord Chaitanya was very much pleased; but He noticed the valuable blanket that was given to Sanatan by his brother-in-law while on route to Benares. Although Lord Chaitanya was overlooking the blanket, Sanatan understood that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not approve of such a valuable garment on his body, and he planned to get rid of it. He immediately went to the bank of the Ganges and there saw a mendicant washing an old quilt. Sanatan asked him to trade the old quilt for the valuable blanket. The poor medicant thought that Sanatan was joking with him, so he said, "How is that? You appeared to be a very nice gentleman, but you are mocking me in this unmannerly way."    (More...)

Sanatan informed Him about the exchange at the Ganges of the blanket for the torn quilt. The Lord then loved him for this and He thanked Sanatan: "You are intelligent enough and you have now finished all your attraction for material wealth." In other words, the Lord accepts a person for devotional service only when he is completely free from all materialistic possessions. The Lord said to Sanatan, "It would not look well to become a mendicant and go begging from door to door while at the same time you have such a valuable blanket on your body; it is contradictory, and people would look at it with abhorrence." Sanatan replied to the Lord, "Whatever I am doing to become free from material attachment, it is all Your mercy." The Lord was very much pleased with him, and both of Them discussed spiritual advancement.    (More...)