Detailed Biography of Srila Sanatana Gosvami
A Comprehensive Guide to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma
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Early Pastimes
He belonged to the sakha of Lord Caitanya. In his past incarnation he was Ratimanjari, or Ragamanjari, or Lavanga manjari. He was born around 1410 Saka (1488 A.D.) At a fairly young age he studied under the foremost teacher of the time, Vidyavacaspati, and acquired a sound command over all branches of theology. Sanatana had an immense fascination for Srimad Bhagavatam.
Mukunda, the paternal grandfather of Sanatana, joined the royal government service at Gauda during the rule of Sultan Barbak Shah (1460-1470 A.D.). Barbak's son died after reigning for seven years and was succeeded by Fateh Shah. In order to ensure the security of his kingdom and his palace, Barbak Shah brought a large number of slaves from Abyssima who were called "Habsi." These slaves soon mobilized and killed Fateh Shah in the capital. Some amongst these slaves ruled for six or seven years and brought about their own ruin. The minister of the last slave ruler, named Hussain Shah, finally ascended the throne of Gauda.
During the rule of Fateh Shah, Mukunda died and Sanatana was appointed to Mukunda's post. In this way Sanatana saved himself during the interval of slave rule by occupying the high position of Dabir Khas (private secretary). Sanatana took charge of defence activities and Hussain Shah ruled as advised by Sanatana. At that time Rupa was given the responsibility of governing the boundary areas.
Rupa and Sanatana received land for their personal use from the royal government, consisting of Yusafpur and Cengutia pargana in Fatehabad. There, on the bank of the river Bhairai they built a huge palace (See the book Jasohar Khulnar Itihas 1.349-358 for details on this). They also arranged to build several mansions with lakes, etc. at Ramakeli.
One night when Sri Sanatana Gosvami was very young he had a dream in which a brahmana came to him and offered him a Srimad Bhagavatam. Sanatana was extremely happy, until the dream faded away. In the morning after completing his bath and worship he sat down in his usual spot. At that time a brahmana approached him and handed him the Bhagavatam saying, "Take this Bhagavata and read it everyday. In this way all your desires will be fulfilled." The brahmana then went away. Sanatana was overwhelmed with joy and from that day he regarded Srimad Bhagavatam as the only scripture and read it daily without fail. In his Sri Krsnalila stava Sri Sanatana Gosvami praises the Srimad Bhagavatam as follows: "My only companion, my only friend, guru, my deliverer, my fortune and my source of pleasure, I pay my tribute to you."
Meeting Lord Caitanya
It was at Ramakeli that Rupa and Sanatana first met Lord Caitanya. Later Sri Rupa and Anupama departed with all their riches to Fateyavada, Sri Sanatana then began to think of giving up the service to the state. The Badshah had already invested full responsibility for the management of the state to Sri Sanatana and Rupa and could not think of running the state without them. Sri Sanatana sent a message of his illness to the Badshah and stopped attending the court. On hearing of this illness, the Badshah sent a Vaidya to see Sanatana. When the Vaidya arrived at his house he found Sanatana discussing scriptures with 15-20 scholars.
Upon examining Sanatana he found no illness and thus reported it to the Badshah. The Badshah then paid a visit to Sanatana's house where he was respectfully received by Sanatana and the Panditas and offered a beautiful seat. The Badshah asked Sanatana, "The doctor I sent to examine you has reported that you have no disease. The state administration is dependent upon you, yet you are not coming to court. Already your brother has left, and my state activities have come to a stand still. I cannot understand what you are thinking." Sri Sanatana replied, "It is useless to depend on me. Please appoint another person for this task." The Yavana king angrily said, "You have spoiled my activities." Sri Sanatana replied, "You are the King of Gauda and can do anything you like, now you can punish me for neglecting my duties." The King was furious and ordered the Kazi to imprison Sanatana.
At that time the King was at war with Orissa. Prior to his leaving for the war, Hussain Shah paid a second visit to Sanatana and asked him to accompany him. However, Sanatana replied, "You are going to give trouble to the Deities and to virtuous men, I will not go with you." Thus the Badshah left without him and Sanatana remained in prison.While Sanatana was imprisoned, a letter arrived from Srila Rupa Gosvami stating, "Somehow try to get freed from the prison. I left eight hundred mohars with a grocer-man. I am leaving for Vrndavana with Anupama." Sanatana was very happy to receive this news.
Sanatana Gosvami then told the Mohammedan jailkeeper, "Dear sir you are a saintly person and are very fortunate. You have full knowledge of the revealed scriptures such as the Koran and similar books. If one releases a conditioned soul or imprisoned person according to religious principles, he himself is also released from material bondage by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Previously I have done much for you. Now I am in difficulty. Please return my goodwill be releasing me. Here are five thousand gold coins. Please accept them.
In this way Sanatana convinced the jailkeeper, who replied, "I am willing to release you, but I am afraid of the government." Sanatana replied, "There is no danger. The Nawab has gone to the south. If he returns tell him that Sanatana went to pass stool near the bank of the Ganges and that as soon as he saw the Ganges, he jumped in. Tell him, `I looked for him a long time, but I could not find any trace of him. He jumped in with his shackles, and therefore he was drowned and washed away by the waves.' There is no reason for you to be afraid, for I shall not remain in this country. I shall become a mendicant and go to the holy city of Mecca." Sanatana then stacked seven thousand gold coins before the jailkeeper. He then agreed, and that night he cut Sanatana's shackles and let him cross the Ganges.
In this way Sanatana was released. However, he was not able to walk along the path of the fortress. Walking day and night, he finally arrived at the hilly tract of land known as Patada. There he met a landholder and submissively requested him to get him across that hilly tract of land. A man who was expert in palmistry was at that time staying with the landlord. Knowing about Sanatana, he whispered to the landlord, "This man possesses eight gold coins." Hearing this the landlord was very pleased and said to Sanatana, "I shall get you across that hilly tract at night with my own men. Now just take these grains and cook lunch for yourself." Sanatana then went to the riverside and took his bath. After having fasted for two days, he cooked the grains given by the landlord and ate.
However, having formerly been a minister of the Nawab, he began to contemplate the situation. He wondered why the landlord was offering him such respect. Thus he questioned his servant, Isana, who revealed that he was carrying seven gold coins. Sanatana then took the gold coins and handed them over to the landlord saying, "I have these seven gold coins with me. Please accept them, and from a religious point of view please get me across the hilly tract of land. Smiling, the landlord said, "Before you offered them, I already knew that there were eight gold coins in your servant's possession. On this very night I would have killed you and taken your coins. I am very satisfied with your behavior. I shall not accept these gold coins, but I shall get you across that hilly tract of land simply to perform a pious activity."
Sanatana replied, "If you do not accept the coins, someone else will kill me for them. It is better that you save me from the danger by accepting the coins." After this settlement was made, the landlord gave Sanatana four watchmen to accompany him. They went through the forest path for the whole night and thus brought him over the hilly tract of land. After crossing the hills, Sanatana Gosvami told his servant, "Isana, I think you still have some balance left from the gold coins." Isana replied, "I still have one gold coin in my possession." Sanatana Gosvami then said, "Take the coin and return to you home."
After departing from Isana, Sanatana began traveling alone with a waterpot in his hand. Simply covered with a torn quilt, he thus lost all his anxiety. Walking and walking, he finally arrived at a place called Hajipura. That evening he sat down within a garden.
In Hajipura there was a gentleman named Srikanta, who happened to be the husband of Sanatana Gosvami's sister, who was engaged in government service. Srikanta had 300,000 gold cons with him, which had been given to him by the emperor for the purchase of horses. Thus Srikanta was buying horses and dispatching them to the emperor. When Srikanta was sitting in an elevated place, he could see Sanatana Gosvami. That night he took a servant and went to see Sanatana. When they met, they had many conversations, Sanatana told him in detail about his arrest and release. Srikanta then told Sanatana, "Stay here for at least two days and dress up like a gentleman. Abandon these dirty garments. Sanatana Gosvami replied, "I shall not stay here even for a moment. Please help me cross the Ganges. I shall leave immediately." With great care, Srikanta gave him a woolen blanket and helped him cross the Ganges. Thus Sanatana Gosvami departed again.
After a few days, Sanatana Gosvami arrived at Varanasi. He was very pleased to hear about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's arrival there. He then went to the house of Candrasekhar and sat down by the door. Understanding what was happening, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Candrasekhar, "There is a devotee at your door. Please call him in." Going outside, Candrasekhar could not see a Vaisnava at his door. When he informed the Lord, He said, "Is there anyone at your door at all?" Candrasekhar replied, "There is a Muslim mendicant." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately said, "Please bring him here." Candrasekhar then spoke to Sanatana Gosvami, who was still sitting beside the door. "O Muslim mendicant, please come in. The Lord is calling you." Sanatana was very pleased to hear this order, and he entered Candrasekhar's house.
As soon as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw Sanatana Gosvami in the courtyard, He immediately went up to him with great haste. After embracing him, the Lord was overwhelmed with ecstatic love. Sanatana was also filled with love, yet in a faltering voice, he said, "Oh my Lord, do not touch me." Shoulder to shoulder, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sanatana Gosvami began to cry unlimitedly, much to Candrasekhar's astonishment. Catching his hand Mahaprabhu took Sanatana Gosvami inside and made him sit in an elevated place next to Him. When the Lord began cleansing Sanatana Gosvami's body with His own hand, Sanatana said, "Oh my Lord, please do not touch me." The Lord replied, "I am touching you just to purify Myself because by the force of your devotional service you can purify the whole universe. Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage." He then introduced Sanatana to Candrasekhar, Tapana Misra and the other devotees.
Taking Shelter of Lord Caitanya
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called Candrasekhar and asked him to take Sanatana Gosvami with him and to take away Sanatana's present dress. Candrasekhar then took Sanatana Gosvami to bathe in the Ganges, and afterwards brought him a new set of clothes, but Sanatana did not accept them. When the Lord heard about this He was very happy. At noon Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took Sanatana Gosvami to the house of Tapana Misra for lunch.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu felt unlimited happiness to observe Sanatana Gosvami's strict following of the principles of sannyasa. However, He repeatedly glanced at the woolen blanket Sanatana Gosvami was wearing. Thus Sanatana could understand that the Lord did not approve of it. He then began to consider to give it up. Sanatana then went to the bank of the Ganges to bathe. While there, he saw that a mendicant from Bengal had washed his quilt and had spread it out to dry.
Sanatana Gosvami told the Bengali mendicant, "My dear brother, please do me a favor. Trade me your quilt for this woolen blanket."
Saying this Sanatana exchanged the blanket for the quilt and returned to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Lord then asked, "Where is your woolen blanket?" Sanatana Gosvami then narrated the whole story. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,
"I have already deliberately considered this matter. Since Lord Krsna is very merciful, He has nullified your attachment for material things. Why should Krsna allow you to maintain a last bit of material attachment? After vanquishing a disease, a good physician does not allow any of the disease to remain."
Sanatana Gosvami replied, "The Supreme Personality of Godhead has saved me from the sinful life of material existence. By His desire, my last piece of material attraction is now gone."
Sanatana then clasped the feet of the Lord and said, "I was born in a low family, and my associates are all low-class men. I myself am fallen and am the lowest of men. Indeed , I have passed my whole life in the well of sinful materialism. I do not know what is beneficial for me and what is detrimental, Nonetheless, in ordinary dealings people consider me a learned scholar, and I am also thinking of myself as such. Out of Your causeless mercy, You have delivered me from the materialistic path. Now, by the same causeless mercy, please tell me what my duty is. Who am I? Why do the threefold miseries always give me trouble? If I do not know this, how can I be benefited? Actually I do not know how to inquire about the goal of life and the process for obtaining it. Being merciful upon me, please explain all these truths."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Lord Krsna has bestowed His full mercy upon you so that all these things are known to you. For you, the threefold miseries certainly do not exist. Since you possess Lord Krsna's potency, you certainly know these things. However, it is the nature of a sadhu to inquire. Although he knows these things, the sadhu inquires for the sake of strictness. Those who are anxious to awaken their spiritual consciousness, who have unflinching intelligence and who are not deviated, certainly attain the desired goal. You are fit to propagate the cult of devotional service. Therefore gradually hear all the truths about it from Me. I shall tell you about them."
Sent to Vrndavana Dham
Thus for two months the Lord instructed Sanatana Gosvami on the science of devotional service. The Lord then requested him to write books describing this science. Mahaprabhu said, "Your two brothers Rupa and Anupama have already gone to Vrndavana. You should also go there, and I shall return to Nilacala. You will also come there to see Me in due course of time." Mahaprabhu then took his leave from the devotees, who all cried helplessly. Sri Sanatana bid farewell to the Kasi devotees and started for Vrndavana.
In Vrndavana Sanatana met Subuddhi Raya, but he missed Rupa Gosvami, who had already left. Rupa and Sanatana had followed two different paths, thus they did not meet along the way. After some time Sanatana Gosvami came alone from Mathura to Jagannatha Puri to see Lord Caitanya. Because of bathing in bad water and not getting enough food every day while traveling on the path through Jharakhanda Forest, he developed a disease that made his body itch. Suffering greatly from this itching, he resolved that in the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he would throw himself under the wheel of Jagannatha's car and in this way commit suicide.
Travels to Jagannatha Puri
When Sanatana Gosvami came to Jagannatha Puri, he stayed under the care of Haridasa Thakura for some time and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very happy to see him. The Lord informed Sanatana about the death of his younger brother Anupama, who had great faith in the lotus feet of Lord Ramacandra. One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Sanatana Gosvami, "Your decision to commit suicide is the result of the mode of ignorance. One cannot get love of God simply by committing suicide. You have already dedicated your life and body to My service; therefore your body does not belong to you, nor do you have any right to commit suicide. I have to execute many devotional services through your body. I want you to preach the cult of devotional service and go to Vrndavana to excavate the lost holy places." After having thus spoken, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left, and Haridasa Thakura and Sanatana Gosvami had many talks about this subject.
One day Sanatana Gosvami was summoned by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who wanted him to come to Yamesvara-tota. Sanatana reached the Lord through the path along the beach by the sea. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Sanatana Gosvami which way he had come, Sanatana replied, "Many servitors of Lord Jagannatha come and go on the path by the Simha-dvara gate of the Jagannatha temple. Therefore, I did not go by that path, but instead went by the beach." Sanatana Gosvami did not realize that there were burning blisters on his feet because of the heat of the sand. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was pleased to hear about Sanatana Gosvami's great respect for the temple of Lord Sri Jagannatha.
Returns to Vrndavan
Because his disease produced wet sores on his body, Sanatana Gosvami used to avoid embracing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but nevertheless the Lord would embrace him by force. This made Sanatana Gosvami very unhappy, and therefore he consulted Jagadananda Pandita about what he should do. Jagadananda advised him to return to Vrndavana after the cart festival of Jagannatha, but when the Lord heard about this instruction, He chastised Jagadananda Pandita and reminded him that Sanatana Gosvami was senior to him and also more learned. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed Sanatana Gosvami that because Sanatana was a pure devotee, the Lord was never inconvenienced by his bodily condition. Because the Lord was a sannyasi, He did not consider one body better than another. The Lord also informed him that He was maintaining Sanatana and the other devotees just like a father. Therefore the moisture oozing from Sanatana's itching skin did not affect the Lord at all. After speaking with Sanatana Gosvami in this way, the Lord again embraced him, and after this embrace, Sanatana Gosvami became free from the disease. The Lord ordered Sanatana Gosvami to stay with Him for that year, and the next year, after seeing the Ratha-yatra festival, he left PurusottamaA ksetra and returned to Vrndavana. (Vrndavana pastimes)
Sanatana was born in 1410 Saka (1544 calender year--1488 A.D.). He lived 27 years in his house and 43 years in Vraja-A his duration of life was 70 years. He died in 1480 Saka (1615 calender year, 1558 A.D., on the day of the full moon in the month of Asadha (June-July).