Srila Sanatana Gosvami, one of the intimate associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is a well-known personality in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Mahaprabhu taught the sequence of advancement in devotional service through Sanatana Goswami.
Sanatana Goswami was the oldest and most venerable among the six Goswamis. He propagated the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Sanatana Goswami appeared in 1488 AD and lived for 70 years. He spent 27 years in household life and 43 years in Vrindavan as a renunciate
Srila Kavi Karnapura Goswami described the identity of Sanatana Goswami in Gaura-ganodesa-dipika: “Sanatana Goswami who is non-different from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is a venerable personality. He was formerly known as Rati Manjari and was very dear to Rupa Manjari in Vrindavan. Scholars call her by the name Lavanga Manjari. The famous sage Sanatana among the Catuh sanah entered his body.”
From his childhood, Sanatana was very fond of Shrimad Bhagavatam. At an early age, a Brahmin gave him Srimad Bhagavatam. Sanatana was immersed in an ocean of joy after receiving the Bhagavatam. At a young age, Sanatana studied all scriptures under the guidance of Vidya Vachaspati, the topmost teacher of that time. He was fond of studying Shrimad Bhagavatam. He used to discuss the conclusions of Bhakti with scholars.
Rupa Goswami received the news that Mahaprabhu would travel to Vrindavana through the forest. He wrote a letter to Sanatana Goswami and gave a hint of his journey. After that, he started his journey to Vrindavana with his younger brother, Anupama. Sanatana Goswami was intensely eager to go to Vrindavan and perform Krishna Bhajana.
As soon as he received Rupa’s letter, he bribed the jail keeper, freed himself from imprisonment by Nawab Hussein Shah and started for Vrindavan. Along the way he stopped at Varanasi where Lord Chaitanya was staying.
Mahaprabhu taught Sanatana Goswami on various topics and ordered him to perform the following services:
- Compilation of Bhakti literature and scriptures and propagation of the unalloyed Bhakti,
- Rediscovering the hidden sacred places of the Lord’s pastimes in Vrindavan,
- Propagation of the daily worship of the deity of Sri Krishna,
- Compiling a Vaishnava Smriti (Vaishnava rule book) and introducing Vaishnava etiquettes to establish a Vaishnava society.
One day Sanatana Goswami was going to do madhukari (begging) through the beautiful banks of the Yamuna. He was stumbling, because he was remembering the wonderful glory of the holy Dham. He was thinking “How despicable, lowly, and vile I am! Yet Mahaprabhu is so gracious that He has granted me to reside here.”
Srila Sanatana Goswami was performing intense bhajan in Vrindavana. The deity of Sri Madana Mohana appeared before him. Rupa Goswami, Lokanatha Goswami, Bhugarbha Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami came from all around. Everyone shed tears of love.
Then the deity was offered Abhisheka (offering milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, etc. to the Deity) and Bhoga (offering foodstuffs to the Deity). The Panda Brahmins came and very happily cooked for the Lord. Gopala Bhatta Goswami himself performed the Abhisheka. Immediately one devotee was sent to Puri to convey the news to Mahaprabhu.
When Sanatana Goswami was in Govardhana, he used to perform Govardhana Parikrama (circumambulation of the holy place) every day. As he grew older, he would get tired going around Govardhana. One day Krishna appeared to him in the form of a cowherd boy.
That cowherd boy brought him a piece of Govardhana rock that had the footprint of Lord Krishna. Then he said to Sanatana Goswami, “You are old. Why are you working so hard? I am giving you this Govardhan Shila, if you circumambulate it daily, you will get the result of the entire Govardhan parikrama.” After saying this, the boy disappeared.
Sanatana Goswami composed many devotional books and hymns. Among them, four books are particularly notable in Vaishnavism. They are Brihat Bhagavatamrita, Haribhakti Vilasa and its Digdarshini commentary, Lilastava or Dasama Charita & Vaishnavatoshini or commentary on the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
Srila Sanatana Goswami concluded his pastimes on Asadhi Purnima Tithi in 1480 Sakabda (558 AD). His samadhi is located next to the old Radha Madana Mohana temple.
Source: https://www.ramaiswami.com/sanatana-goswami-disappearance-5/
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