The Devotee’s Background
Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, the elder brother of Rūpa Gosvāmī, was one of the chief disciples of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and among the six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana.
Like his brother, Sanātana had been forced to serve under the Muslim ruler, Nawab Hussain Shah, in Bengal. Despite his high office, wealth, and prestige, his heart longed only for the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
He spent his nights studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and writing notes on devotion, longing for the day when he could renounce worldly duties and join Śrī Caitanya.
When the Lord visited Rāmakeli, both Rūpa and Sanātana met Him secretly. Falling flat like sticks before Him, they prayed, “We are fallen souls trapped in worldly bondage. Please deliver us from this darkness.”
Mahāprabhu lifted them up with compassion and said, “The time will come when you both shall go to Vṛndāvana and reveal Kṛṣṇa’s eternal home to the world.”
The Escape from Captivity
After some time, Rūpa left his post and distributed his wealth among the brāhmaṇas and devotees, but Sanātana was placed under house arrest by the Nawab.
The king said, “Without your guidance, I cannot govern.”
Sanātana replied, “My duty is no longer to you but to the Supreme Lord. Please release me.”
When the Nawab refused, Sanātana bribed his jailer with gold coins and escaped in the night, disguised in torn clothes, barefoot, and carrying only a small Bhāgavatam in his hand.
On his way to Jagannātha Purī, he endured great hardship — walking through jungles, starving, and sleeping under trees. When he reached Vārāṇasī, he found Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu residing there at the house of Candraśekhara Ācārya.
The Lord’s Compassion
When Sanātana saw the Lord, he fell at His feet in tears. Mahāprabhu lifted him and embraced him warmly, though Sanātana’s body was covered with dust and sores from the journey.
The Lord said, “You have abandoned wealth, honor, and position to find Me. Your love is priceless. From this day forward, your body belongs to Me — it is no longer yours.”
The Lord personally arranged for his bath, gave him fresh clothes, and nursed him until he regained strength. Every morning, Sanātana sat before the Lord, and for two months Mahāprabhu instructed him in the science of devotion — the nature of the soul, the process of bhakti, the qualities of a pure devotee, and the glories of Kṛṣṇa’s holy name.
The Teachings of the Lord
Mahāprabhu told him:
“The soul’s natural position is to serve Kṛṣṇa. Forgetting this, the jīva wanders through the material world, suffering birth after birth. But when he meets a devotee, he awakens and cries, ‘O Kṛṣṇa, I am Yours!’ This awakening is the beginning of bhakti.”
He explained the progressive stages of devotion — śraddhā (faith), sādhu-saṅga (association with devotees), bhajana-kriyā (regulated practice), anartha-nivṛtti (purification), and prema (pure love).
Sanātana listened with folded hands and tears in his eyes. “O Lord,” he said, “You have come to rescue the lost souls like me. Please instruct me how I can serve You eternally.”
Mahāprabhu replied, “Go to Vṛndāvana. There you will uncover the holy places of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, write books on bhakti, and teach others by your example.”
The Lord’s Grace and the Servant’s Humility
Before leaving, Sanātana asked, “My Lord, I am fallen and impure. How can I approach the purest abode of Kṛṣṇa?”
The Lord touched his head and said, “Do not speak so. You are pure because you desire only to serve. I reside in the heart of one who humbly thinks himself fallen but never ceases to glorify Kṛṣṇa.”
Following Mahāprabhu’s command, Sanātana went to Vṛndāvana. There he lived as a wandering mendicant, sleeping under trees, begging a little food, and writing sacred works like Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta and Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.
The Reflection of Perfect Renunciation
Sanātana Gosvāmī’s renunciation was not born of disgust but of love. He gave up the world not to escape suffering, but because the joy of serving Kṛṣṇa surpassed all pleasures.
Even when his body became weak and diseased, he never complained. Once, seeing Mahāprabhu approaching to embrace him, he ran away to avoid contact, fearing his sores would stain the Lord’s robes. But Mahāprabhu caught him and embraced him tightly, saying, “This body of yours belongs to Me. Its touch purifies even Me.”
Such was the Lord’s affection for His devotee.
Reflection
This story reveals the heart of true renunciation and divine instruction.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not ask Sanātana to flee the world in despair, but to transform his life into service.
The Lord’s embrace teaches that spiritual purity lies not in the condition of the body but in the direction of the heart.
Through humility, surrender, and devotion, a human being can rise from bondage to divine intimacy.
As Mahāprabhu told him:
“One who feels lower than the grass and tolerates like a tree, who gives respect to all and desires none for himself — he alone can chant My name constantly.”
Source
Source: “Experiences in Bhakti: The Science Celestial,” by O. B. L. Kapoor — Chapter Six: Verification of the Law of Reciprocation (place: Vārāṇasī and Vṛndāvana, India).
