Vaisnava Saints: 

Sanatana Goswami

Srila Sanatana Goswami was the eldest of the six Goswamis in Vrindavan. Along with his younger brother Rupa, he is considered one of the authorative scholar-devotees entrusted by Sri Chaitanya to formulate the theology of pure bhakti. He applied himself to the task of collecting the old bhakti-shastras and compiling new ones; several of his works on bhakti are of classical importance.

Sanatana was born in 1488. As Rupa and Sanatana were brothers, Sanatana’s lineage, educational background, and first encounter with Sri Chaitanya are described in the chapter on Rupa Gosvami.

In the course of his education, Sanatana took initiation from Madhusudana Vidyavacaspati, the brother of the famous logician Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya.

Years later, his younger brothers Rupa and Vallabha sneaked out of their political service for the Muslim government of Bengal soon after their first encounter with Sri Chaitanya; Sanatana, however, as the prime minister of the nawab, could not immediately extricate himself from his wordly responsibilities. But as the nawab was launching an attack against Orissa and intended to demolish temples and deities there, Sanatana’s last ounce of loyalty to the ruler finally vanished. On the pretext of being unwell, he stayed at home in Ramakeli and studied the Srimad Bhagavatam. After some time, the suspicious nawab sent the royal physician to examine Sanatana, but the physician could not find any signs of sickness. So the next day, the nawab himself went to Ramakeli to see that not only was his prime minister not at all ill but was surrounded by pandits and sadhus with whom he was happily conversing about religious subjects.

Red with anger, the nawab reprimanded him and ordered Sanatana to return to his political duties. But Sanatana fearlessly refused to do so: “Your highness! I am now surrendered at the feet of my Lord. I am His servant and no one else`s. I shall serve Him and take orders from Him and no one else. Kindly excuse me.” As a consequence, Sanatana was jailed for insubordination.

Using a great part of the ten thousand gold coins that his brother Rupa had deposited for emergency cases when he declined his political mandate, Sanatana bribed his jailkeeper and managed to escape. Informed by a letter from Rupa that Lord Chaitanya was on His way to Vrindavan, he hurried there to meet Him. Together with his servant, Ishan, Sanatana arrived in a hotel in Patada (Bihar) one night. The innkeeper made plans to assassinate his two guests when he heard from his astrologer that Ishan was secretly carrying eight gold coins.

To prevent the lethal attack that he suspected, Sanatana voluntarily gave the money to the innkeeper, who was so moved that he even helped Sanatana get through the jungle and over the Hazaribag mountains. After parting company with Ishan because of his dishonest character, Sanatana finally arrived at the home of his brother-in-law, Sri Kanta. As Sanatana had now become a fugitive and a penniless mendicant, Sri Kanta asked him to stay at his home, but Sanatana declined, only accepting a new fine wool blanket to protect him against the cold as he continued his journey.

After a few days Sanatana reached Kashi (present Varanasi), where he learned, that Sri Chaitanya, already on his way back from Vrindavan, was there and staying in the house of Chandreshekhara. When Sanatana was asked to enter the house, Sri Chaitanya embraced him lovingly and both swayed in ecstacy with love for Krishna. Ordered by Sri Chaitanya, Sanatana shaved his beard and long hair. In his humble mood, he accepted only some old cloth from Tapan Mishra to wear. Sensing that Sri Chaitanya disapproved of the luxurious wool blanket that  he had received from his brother-in-law, Sanatana gave it to a mendicant at the Ganges in exchange for a torn quilt.

Sri Chaitanya was very pleased by Sanatana’s final renunciation and submission as an ideal of Vaisnava-sannyasa. In a following series of questions and answers, Lord Chaitanya instructed Sanatana in the philosophy of achintya-bhedabheda-tattva (simultaneous oneness with, and difference from, God), analyzed the three primary conceptions of the Absolute Truth (Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan as the highest feature), the methodology of Lord Krishna’s descent, explained how Lord Krisna expands into Radharani by the three primary aspects of his potency (sandhini, sangvit, and hladini), explained the two divisions of sadhana-bhakti, and, finally, described the nature of one’s relationship to God, how to develop that relationship, and the ultimate goal of life (sambandha, abidheya, and prayojana).

After two months of instruction and a final kirtan festival in Kashi, Sanatana was sent by Sri Chaitanya to visit Vrindavan and join him again later in Puri.

When Sanatana arrived in Vrindavan, he learned that his brothers Rupa and Vallabha had already departed for  Puri. He visited the devotees there, who had been sent by Sri Chaitanya earlier, as well as holy places connected with the pastimes of Lord Krishna, the twelve forests in Vrindavan and Mathura. After one year he left for Puri, trying to retrace the path once traveled on by his master Sri Chaitanya. Due to his austerity, irregularity and unwholesomeness of food and bathing and drinking in stagnant waters, he developed eczema of a virulent type, exuding blood and pus.

Having arrived in Puri, he associated with Haridas Thakur, the “master of the holy names” who lived in a thatched hut in a secluded corner of the city. Being of Muslim lineage, Haridas Thakur regarded himself as low and untouchable. Fearing he might touch someone on his way, he did not go to the Jagannath temple or to Sri Chaitanya. But Sri Chaitanya came to the kutir of Haridas Thakur daily, and when he saw his dear devotee Sanatana, he rushed to him and embraced him in great affection. Sanatana could not prevent Lord Chaitanya from doing so and was thus forcibly embraced by Sri Chaitanya daily. Sanatana felt himself unbearable because of his disgusting bodily condition and decided to commit suicide under the wheels of the Ratha-yatra cart of the next Ratha-yatra festival. Sri Chaitanya knew Sanatana’s heart and convinced him not to do so: Sanatana’s body was the Lord’s property and so he had no right to misuse this body and end his life. In fact, in future there would be a lot of work to be done through Sanatana’s body and mind.

Once, Sri Chaitanya tested Sanatana’s surrender. He asked him to come to him at midday to eat the remnants of his food. Sanatana was very happy to have this opportunity. In order not to spoil the purity of the pujaris of Lord Jagannath on their way to temple by touching them with his abominable body, he went along the sea-shore through the broiling hot sand, where his feet got burnt and blistered. Sanatana did not even notice it but Sri Chaitanya was so much pleased by his humility that he again embraced him with affectionate love. Seeing his Lord again smeared with pus and blood from his body, Sanatana could not tolerate this anymore and decided to leave Puri. Next day, when Lord Chaitanya visited Haridas Thakur as usual, Sanatana finally was completely healed from his eczema by again being forcibly embraced by Sri Chaitanya who said: “... You know that at the time of diksha, when the disciple surrenders himself to the guru and Krsna, Krsna makes his body cinmaya (spiritual) like His own. It is with that cinmaya body that he practices sadhana. Therefore I cannot describe the happiness I feel in embracing you. You need not think that you commit any offence when your body touches mine. You remain here this year with a mind free from anxiety and give me the happiness I feel in your company. After the end of the year I shall send you to Vrndavan.” (Cc Antya, 4, 199–200)

Having returned to Vrndavan, Sanatana, as his brother Rupa Gosvami, lived a life with a serious spirit of renunciation, ate scarce food and slept only a couple of hours in the night. He spent his time chanting and, according to Sri Chaitanya’s instruction, engaged himself in searching out the forgotten holy spots there and establishing the service of the deity of Krsna.

One day, when Sanatana Gosvami went for madhukari (begging for alms from house to house), he saw through the open door of Damodara Chaube the beautiful image of Sri Madana Gopal (Madana Mohan) in the courtyard. In his heart arose the irresistible desire of the serving the Deity with all his love, but simultaneously he could see, that the wife of Damodara Chaube, a great devotee named Vallabha-devi, was worshipping the Deity in spontaneous and pure devotion in the mood of parental affection. The Deity lived there as a member of the family and played happily with the son of Vallabha-devi and Damodara Chaube. The fulfilling of his desire seemed out of reach.

One night, Sanatana Gosvami and Vallabha-devi both simultaneously had a dream in which Madana Gopala requested to be able to come and live with Sanatana Gosvami. Complying with the wishes of Madana Gopal, the family entrusted the Deity to Sanatana Gosvami who established the worship of Madana Gopala in a little hut next to his own. The food offered lovingly by Sanatana to the Deity was simple, mostly only chapatis without salt, oil or ghee, sometimes some vegetable or roots. As the Lord loves to tease and tickle his devotees to watch and relish their reaction, He refused to eat and asked for salt one day. Living on the alms of other people, Sanatana Gosvami could not fulfill His request, so Madana Gopal had to make His own arrangements for service. Soon after, the boat of a rich merchant named Rama- das Kapoor got stuck in a sand bar of the Yamuna near where Sanatana Gosvami had his hut. The boat carried a heavy load with valuable materials and as it was getting dark, the merchant feared that it would get robbed, so he desperately was looking for some help. When he saw the thin flame of the lamp of Sanatana’s hermitage, he hurried there. The merchant asked for Sanatana’s blessing, who in turn asked him to pray to Madana Gopal to solve his problem. When the merchant returned to his boat, he saw that a new current had come and the boat was floating off the sand bar. Feeling indepted to Sri Madana Gopala, Rama-das returned later with the whole profit of the goods of the boat, purchased land and constructed a magnificient temple for the royal execution of Sri Madana Gopal’s worship. Seeing this arrangement, Sanatana was very happy and after some time he initiated Rama-das and his wife.

The original Deity of Madana Gopal is presently worshiped as Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohan in Karoli, near Jaipur.

Many episodes are told of how Lord Krishna or Radharani appeared to Sanatana Gosvami.

Once, Rupa and Sanatana were discussing Krsna. Rupa had compiled a stotra called Chatu-pushpanjali (“Offering of Four Flowers”). In the first sloka he compared the braided hair of Radharani to a black serpent.

Not understanding the logic or reason of this metaphor, Sanatana did not approve of this sloka.

The same afternoon he went to Radha Kund to take his bath. In the distance he could see some cowherd boys and girls playing under the trees. He was shocked when it appeared to him that right behind the head of one of the girls not a long, black braid of hair, but a black snake swayed back and forth. Trying to warn the girl of the deadly black snake he shrieked and ran towards her to remove the snake. There he realized, that the girl was none other than Radharani Herself. The gopis and gopas kept on laughing for a long time. Through this, he could understand the logic of Rupa Gosvami’s metaphor and expressed to him his regret for his mistake.

With the arrival of many devotees from Bengal and Orissa in 1533 after the disappearance of Sri Chaitanya, Sanatana Gosvami started the annual practice of circumambulation Vraja with the main purpose to preach bhakti in the villages of Vraja. The arrival of Sanatana Gosvami in every village was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the locals. He won their hearts with his attractiving personality, behaviour and sweet words.

“Sanatana Gosvami was dear to everyone because of his exalted qualities and learning. Suitably, therefore, they bestowed upon him mercy, friendship and honour” (Cc Antya 4, 112)

Even today, the practice of circumambulation and preaching started by Sanatana Gosvami is continued in the Gaudiya Vaishnava society.

It is also due to Sanatana’s instruction, that in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya the sannyasis wear saffron colour.

As entrusted by Sri Chaitanya, Sanatana Gosvami also wrote books teaching pure devotion to Lord Krsna.

From his childhood on, he felt very much attracted to the Srimad Bhagavatam and this attachment ran through his life like a thread. When he was still young, he dreamt that a brahmana was presenting the Srimad Bhagavatam to him, which filled him with ecstasy. But when he woke up at a sudden, he could see no one around. That same day, after he returned from his morning bath and performance of puja, one brahmana came to his house, gave him the Srimad Bhagavatam and instructed him to study it constantly, which he blissfully did from that time on. Years later in his political life, when Sanatana tried to extricate himself from his service under the Nawab, the ruler of Bengal, on the plea of illness, he invited the pandits of Ramakeli to his mansion to study with him together the Bhagavatam. Scholars and devotees from miles around arrived to hear Sanatana’s recitation of this scripture. His affection to the Srimad Bhagavatam culminated in his Vrndavan years, when he composed the

• Brihad-Bhagavatamrita (“Great Nectar of the Lord’s Devotees”) and the
• Brihad Vaisnava Toshani Tika (“That which brings Great Joy to the Devotees of Krsna”), a commentary of the 10^th chapter of the Srimad Bhagavatam. Another name for that book is dashama-tipani.

In his

• Krsna-lila-stava (“Glorification of the Pastimes of Krsna”)

one chapter, the Srimad Bhagavat Mahatmya (verses 412–16), is dedicated to the glorification of the Srimad Bhagavatam:

paramananda-patnaya 


prema-varsy-aksaraya te 

sarvanda sarva-sevyaya 

sarvanda sarva-sevyaya

sri-krsnaya namo ‘stu te (414)

mad-eka-bandho mat-sangin

mad-guro man-maha-dhana

man-nistaraka mad-bhagya

mad-ananda namo ‘stu te (415)

“One attains happiness by studying You, and each of Your letters showers ecstatic love. O non-different from Krsna, You are eternally worshipable by all. I offer my obeisances to you.

You are my only friend, companion, spiritual master, coveted treasury, protector, good fortune and source of happiness. I bow down unto you.”

Specificially directed by Lord Chaitanya, Sanatana wrote the book

• Hari-bhakti-vilasa (“Performance of Devotion to Hari”), (edited by Gopal Bhatta Gosvami) elaborating on the proper behaviour for devotees of Krsna

Besides Rupa Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, with his above mentioned literary works, is one of the most prolific writers in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya.

The transcendental position of Sanatana Gosvami in Krsna lila is glorified in the Ganoddesha-dipika (181):

sa rupa-manjari-presihas

purasid rati-manjari

socyate nama-bhedana

lavanga-manjari budhaih

“Rupa Manjari’s closest friend, who was known by the names Rati-Manjari and Lavanga-Manjari, appeared in the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as Sri Sanatana Gosvami, who was considered to be the personal extension of the body of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu”

Sanatana’s practice was to daily circumambulate Govardhan. Imposed by himself, he observed it strictly as a rule of spiritual discipline, and he even did do so when he became old, tottering and staggering. Not bearing to see Sanatana’s exertion anymore, Krsna appeared to him and convinced him to give up Govardhan parikrama. He gave a Giriraja-shila bearing His foot prints to Sanatana and asked him to do parikram around the shila.

There are several places throughout the Vraia area where Sanatana Gosvami performed his bhajana, but the last of his days he spent at Govardhana Hill. He departed on Guru Purnima in 1558. His body was brought to Vrindavan and placed in a samadhi behind the Radha-Madanamohan temple. Just behind his samadhi is a grantha samadhi, were some of the original manuscripts of the Gosvamis are stored.