Folio Archives
The Six Goswamis 
A talk by Radhanatha Maharaja

Srila Sanatana Goswami

Today we are going to speak, by the request of the devotees, on Srila Sanatana Goswami. What can a conditioned neophyte devotee speak about such an exalted and worshipable Acharya? But it is our duty, for the purification of our heart, to make some feeble attempts to explain perhaps a drop from the ocean of the glories of the Lord's personal and beloved associates. In the spiritual world. Sri Sri Radha Krishna are eternally being worshiped by the Sakhis, headed by Lalita and Vishakha, and their immediate assistants are the Manjaris. The two leading Maniaris are Rupa Maniari who was Srila Rupa Goswami and Rati or Labanga Manjari who descended as Srila Sanatana Qoswami. Srila Sanatana Goswami appeared in the gotra of Bharadwaja muni. as the eldest son of Kumara Dev. Rupa Goswami was his younger brother and Ballava who was later named by Lord Chaitanya, Anupam was the youngest brother. From their very birth, the hearts of these three brothers were filled with ecstatic love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Gift of Srimad Bhagavatam

When Sanatana was young, he had a dream. In this dream a very effulgent Brahman appeared to him and offered him the Srimad Bhagavatam as a gift. Sanatana Goswami was in such ecstasy to receive this benediction. When he woke up, he looked around, and saw that he didn't have the Srimad Bhagavatam- He was in terrible lamentation. Later that morning, the same Brahman who had appeared in the dream came to his door with the gift of Srimad Bhagavatam. From that day on, Srila Sanatana Goswami was always sinking deeper and deeper and deeper in the ocean of ecstatic love. while reading the Srimad Bhagavatam. It became his very life and soul. Every aspect of his life simply revolved around hearing and chanting the glories of Srimad Bhagavatam.
Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswami were very qualified, they were illustrious scholars of the Sanskrit language. They had also mastered Bengali and Persian languages. They were so well behaved that they attracted the hearts of everyone they came in contact with and were really and truly leaders who commanded respect. Although very humble and gentle, people simply wanted to worship them and follow them because of their benevolent qualities. The expert advisers of the then King of Bengal, Nawab Hussein Shah informed him that if he could get these two first class Hindu Brahmans to be his ministers then he would have control over all of the Hindu population. Nawab Hussein Shah approached Rupa, Sanatana and Anupam and ordered them to take the post of the ministers of his kingdom. And if they did not, he would not only persecute them but he would have rampant persecution of the entire Hindu population. It was out of compassion and fear. that harm would be done to the innocent, that Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis accepted the posts of the Prime Minister and Finance and Home Minister of the kingdom of Bengal. Nawab Hussein Shah was so pleased with their incredible qualifications and how they were literally running the whole state, that he didn't concern himself very much with ruling the citizens, he was more concerned with the aspect of exploitation and conquering others. He left the rest to Rupa and Sanatana. He was so pleased with them that literally he divided his kingdom and his wealth with them. Although Nawab Hussein Shah was a cruel, merciless meat-eating killer he gave them massive treasures, built magnificent palaces for them, offered them grand estates and treated them iust like his own younger brothers. Srinivas Acharya explains, "dhira-adhira jana priyau", that the six Goswamis were so charming and kind to every living entity that even the demons would become attracted to embrace them like a brother. Nawab Hussein Shah gave them the very exalted titles of Dabir Khas to Rupa Goswami and Sakar Malik to Sanatana Goswami This is not an ordinary thing. For a Muslim king, at that time, to give a Hindu, Muslim names even though they were still practicing their Vedantic faith was a very, very great and rare honor. Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis were constantly immersed in glorifying Radha and Krishna and speaking from Srimad Bhagavatam. In fact, they created facilities so that Vaisnavas and scholars from all over the country could come to the village of Ramkeli, where they were living to glorify Radha and Krishna. They built an auditorium where musicians, poets, dancers and all sorts of artists could come to perform. Scholars came from all directions just to hear Rupa and Sanatana Goswami speak from the Holy Scriptures. In fact, if a scholar wanted to write a book on the Nyaya philosophy it would not be accepted unless it was approved by Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. When these Brahmans would come, Rupa and Sanatana would arrange housing for them. With their wealth, they built beautiful little houses on the banks of the Ganges in Ramkeli and when people would come, with great humility they would welcome them and serve them. It is explained that when Sanatana Goswami and Rupa Goswami would sit in their court they looked iust like Indra surrounded by a host of pundits. While sitting on their raised platform in a beautiful aristocratic way their beauty was so charming that it melted the hearts of anyone who saw them. They were continually smiling sweetly at everyone who came. They astonished both the citizens as well as the guests who came because although they were in the highest positions, with folded hands they would beg everyone for their blessing so that they could attain pure devotional service to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. And they would very humbly and enthusiastically accept the position of servant. They were born in Saraswat Brahman families from Karnataka and they were very much exalted in all their personal qualities, yet they considered themselves to be lower than the straw in the street. As householders they were very, very charitable. Whatever they had, they would give in charity to the Brahmans, the Vaisnavas, the poor, and the sick. It is explained that although they were in very high government positions they never caused harm to anyone and never in their lives did they ever insult anyone.
The spiritual master of Sanatana Goswami was a great learned devotee by the name Vidya Vachaspati. He would often times come to Ramkeli and spend long duration of time. Sanatana Goswami learned all the Vedas from Vidya Vachaspati. Always eager to serve his guru and always very enthusiastic to hear from him the respect and love that Sanatana Goswami had tor his spiritual master knew no bounds. In fact, Srila Sanatana Goswami in his commentary of the 10"' canto of Srimad Bhagavatam entitled the 'Casama Tipani', offers his prostrated obeisances and his surrendered devotion to his spiritual master Srila Vidya Vachaspati, Rupa and Sanatana Goswami constructed a beautiful garden in Ramkeli which they called 'Kadamba Kanana'. They tried to make this garden a replica of Vrindavan. They excavated Radhakund and Shyamakund. They planted auspicious trees of Vrindavan like Kadamba. They would spend their personal time in this garden constantly immersed in meditating on Radha and Krishna's pastimes in Vrindavan and would continuously cry in separation. They installed the deity named Madanmohana in Ramkeii. Their whole lives were centered around the worship and glorification of Sri Sri Madanmohana. Sanatana Goswami also wrote a very celebrated book, 'Sadachar Paddhati', which describes how to achieve the ultimate perfection of life through devotional service to Sri Krishna.

Lord Chaitanya appears in a dream
One night Sanatana Goswami had a very historical dream. A beautiful, effulgent renunciate appeared to him. This renunciate was none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sanatana Goswami immediately felt his heart overflow with pure unalloyed love and devotion. This renounced person told him, "Do not become too much attached or entangled in this materialistic life. You should go to Vrindavan, excavate the holy places and write Vaisnava literatures extolling the glories of pure devotional service." The dream ended. The next morning he went to his brother Rupa Goswami and told him about the dream. Rupa Goswami said to him, "Yes, I know! Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is living within this world. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should surrender to Him." From that day on, Rupa and Sanatana Goswami were eagerly awaiting that moment, when they could surrender their lives to Lord Chaitanya. They were ashamed that they were serving a violent, cruel, materialistic king, therefore they regretted the position they held. They considered themselves the most lowly and fallen of all souls. In fact, the father of Rupa and Sanatana Goswami lamented so terribly about the position of his sons, that he spent his life continuously performing yagnas and begging for atonement for the shameful position of his sons. What a Vaisnava he was! Most parents would be proud of their sons being Prime Ministers, multi-millionaires and the most influential scholars in all the world. But he was a real father - a Vaisnava father, he felt it was abominable that they were not sen/ing the Supreme Lord directly, but associating with materialistic people. This is the love of a real parent. Their ultimate desire for their children is that they may have the association of saintly people.

Rupa and Sanatana write a letter to Lord Chaitanya
Rupa and Sanatana felt so much shame and regret and wanted the shelter of Lord Chaitanya's mercy. They understood that only He couid save them. They approached their beloved mother and asked, "What should we do in our condition?" Their mother advised them, "You should write Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu a letter informing Him of your position and your desire." They wrote a letter but there was no reply. They wrote another letter, and again no reply. Again and again and again they wrote letters to the Lord, but there was no reply. Finally, a reply came. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wrote just one paragraph, that if a wife is attached to a man, other than her husband, then she should perform her duties very, very carefully, so that the husband does not suspect that she has paramour. But in her heart she should exclusively meditate on her beloved. Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis understood that the Lord wanted them to carry on with their service in the government and await the Lord's mercy.

Lord Chaitanya at Kanai Natashala
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu always longed to travel to Vrindavan. He told H's devotees, that He was going to Vrindavan. He began His journey and many of His devotees accompanied Him. In fact, as He was passing through the roadsides, there were hundreds then thousands and thousands and millions of people following Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Vrindavan. Narasinghananda brahmachari had the power of love, whereby he could meditate on offerings to the Lord and those offerings would materialize before the eyes of Lord Chaitanya. So he sat in meditation, beautifying the road going to Vrindavan. He made it very wide, paved it with gold and Jewels and covered it with stemless, soft, fragrant, undying flower petals. He constructed takes, planted auspicious trees with beautiful birds on them on both sides of the road. He was literally going one step at a time. When he came out of his meditation he told the devotees, "The Lord will not go to Vrindavan. He will go as far as Kanai Natashala, then He will return." The devotees were astounded. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has longed for years and years to go to Vrindavan and now He was on His way. What could stop the Supreme Personality of Godhead from His desire? At the same time Narasinghananda brahmachari was a very good devotee and so they were quite bewildered by this statement. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu specifically went way off the proper route to Vrindavan just to meet Rupa and Sanatana Goswami.
He came to the town of Ramkeli. There He was performing His Sankirtan with millions of people in the very capital and residence of the Nawab Hussein Shah who made very strict punishable laws against anyone who practiced any other religion but his own in public. Nawab Hussein Shah, when he was informed about this sannyasi who had come with so many followers, he was astounded. He called some of his ministers and servants, and asked what is this. They explained. Then he called Keshava Chatri. He was a very great devotee and a servant of the king. He said, "Tell me who is this sannyasi who has come to our village." Keshava Chatri understood that the Nawab Hussein Shah was demoniac and very violent. So he said, "Actually He is Just a beggar, doing Madhukari door to door and He has one or two disciples with Him. Don't worry, its not worth even thinking about Him." "Ah! What are you saying? He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I can understand this." He made a law that no one should disobey Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and if anyone interferes with His Sankirtan he will be punished. But Ftupa and Sanatana understood that the king had a very, very unstable mind. In the middle of the night they disguised themselves. Incognito, they went to the place where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was staying. To this very day in Ramkeli there is a very sacred tree where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu met with Sri Rupa and Sanatana. First they approached Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Haridas Thakur. They brought them in to the personal presence of Lord Chaitanya. In great humility both brothers took bunches of straw between their teeth and each binding a cloth around his neck they fell down like rods before the Lord. Upon seeing Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the two brothers were overwhelmed with joy and out of humility they began to cry. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked them to get up and assured them of all good fortune. The two brothers got up and again taking straw between their teeth, they humbly offered their prayers with folded hands. "All glories to Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the most merciful savior of the fallen souls. All glories to the Supreme Personality. Sir, we belong to the lowest class of men and our associates and employment are also of the lowest type. Therefore we cannot introduce ourselves to You. We feel very much ashamed standing here before You. Dear Lord let us inform You that no one is more sinful than us. Nor there is any offender like us. Even if we wanted to mention our sinful activities we would immediately become ashamed and what to speak of giving them up. Dear Lord, You have incarnated to deliver the fallen souls, You should consider that in this world there is none so fallen as us. You have delivered the two brothers, Jagai and Madhai, but to deliver them you did not have to exert Yourself very much. The brothers Jagai and Madhai belonged to the Brahman caste and their residence was in the holy place of Navadvipa. They never served low class persons, nor were they instruments to abominable activities. Jagai and Maclhai had but one fault- They were addicted to sinful activity. However volumes of sinful activity can burned to ashes simply by a dim reflection of the chanting of your Holy Name. Jagai and Madhai uttered Your Holy Name by way of blaspheming You. Fortunately that Holy Name became the cause of their deliverance. We two are millions and millions of times inferior to Jagai and Madhai- We are more degraded, fallen and sinful than they. Actually we belong -to the caste of meat-eaters because we are servants of meat-eaters. Indeed our activities are exactly like those of meat-eaters. Because we always associate with such people, we are inimical toward the cows and the Brahmans." The two brothers Sakar Malik and Dabir Khas very humbly submitted that due to the;r abominable activities they were now bound by the neck and hands and had been thrown into a ditch filled with abominable stool like objects of material sense enjoyment. "No one within the three worlds is sufficiently powerful to deliver us. You are the only Savior of the fallen souls. Therefore there is no one but You. If You simply deliver us, by Your transcendental strength then certainly Your Name will be known as the Savior of the fallen souls. Let us speak one word that is very true, plainly hear us. 0 merciful one there is no other object of mercy within the three worlds but us. We are the most fallen. Therefore by showing us Your mercy, Your mercy is most successful. Let the power of Your mercy be exhibited throughout the entire universe. Let us submit one piece of information before You, dear Lord. It is not at alt false, but is full of meaning. It is this, If You are not merciful upon us then it will be very, very difficult to find more suitable candidates for Your mercy. We are very depressed at being unfit candidates for Your mercy. Yet since we have heard of your transcendental qualities we are very much attracted to You. Indeed we are like a dwarf who wants to capture the moon. Although we are completely unfit, the desire to receive Your mercy is awakening within our minds. By serving You constantly one is freed from all material desires and is completely purified.
Hearing this prayer by Dabir Khas and Sakar Malik, Lord Chaitanya said, "My dear brothers you are My very old servants. My dear Sakar Malik from this day on, your name will be changed to Sanatana Goswami. My dear Dabir Khas your name will be Srila Rupa Goswami. Please abandon your humility, for your humility is breaking My heart. You have written Me several letters showing your humility and I can understand your transcendental behavior from those letters. Therefore, just in order to teach you a lesson I sent you that verse. I really had no business coming here to Ramkeli. 1 came just to see you two brothers. Everyone is asking Me, "Why did You go to Ramkeli?" No one knows My real intentions. It is very good that you two brothers have come to see Me. Now you can go home, you have nothing to fear. Birth after birth you are My eternal servants. I am sure that Krishna will deliver you very soon." Sanatana Goswami then made an appeal to the Lord, "You are going to Vrindavan with so many millions of people. It is better if You go alone or with one or two others, because Vrindavan is a very quiet and lonely forest and You will appreciate it much better if You go with a small group." Chaitanya Mahaprabhu bid farewell to Sri Rupa and Sanatana. He embraced them and He placed His lotus feet on their heads.
The next morning the Lord continued His journey to Vrindavan. When He came to a place called Kanai Natashala, He saw a forest, that looked just like Vrindavan, circled by the holy river Ganga. He saw that the hundreds and thousands of people following Him were trampling upon the bushes. He thought, "What Sanatana Goswami said is correct. I should not go to Vrindavan with huge groups of devotees. People will Just think I am some sort of a magician coming with all these people just to attract attention. I should follow the advice of Sanatana. Now 1 will go back to Puri." When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Puri, the devotees were very surprised to see Him. He told them, "When I was in Ramkeli, where 1 went with great difficulty, 1 met two exalted personalities, Sanatana Goswami and Rupa Goswami. They are truly the recipients of Krishna's mercy. They have such wealth, they are so learned in the scriptures, they are so powerful and influential, young, handsome and strong, and they are such great scholars that people are coming from all around just to associate with them. Yet they are so humble, that they consider themselves no better than a lowly piece of straw fallen on the street. Due to that humility, it is for certain, that Krishna will certainly empower them. And I told them that Krishna would deliver them from their abominable position." Actually the humility of Rupa and Sanatana Goswami was such an integral feature of their lives that it literally attracted the heart of the Lord to bestow upon them His complete causeless mercy. In fact, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to instruct the whole world on the importance of the principle of humility through His dearmost and favorite associates Sri Rupa and Sanatana. Humility is the only quality that attracts the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and to teach this principle the Supreme Lord Himself personally appeared as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in the role of a devotee, demonstrating unprecedented quality of humility. He taught that there is no possible way of finding real happiness except through this spirit of humility. The Bhakti Ratnakar declares that this was the message of Lord Chaitanya. But just see how M.aya deludes the world. People are trying to find happiness by boasting about, "What I have done, what I will do and just see what 1 am doing." People are trying to find happiness by competing and trying to excel over others Just for name and fame. People are trying to accumulate much wealth. What does anybody really need? A few rotis and a place to sleep. But we want so much just for prestige. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught that everything you are looking at for happiness is going to be the very cause of your suffering, fear and anxiety. Real happiness is achieved by following in the footsteps of the humble six Goswamis of Vrindavan. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu bestowed His mercy on Rupa and Sanatana. After some time they decided to resign from government service. They worshipped the deity of Madanmohana, praying to Him, "Please deliver us from this abominable position and give us the shelter of the mercy of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu." Rupa Goswami sent a message to Lord Chaitanya, telling Him that they both wanted to resign from their service and join Him in Vrindavan. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sent a message back saying, "1 am Just now leaving for Vrindavan. Resign." Sriia Rupa Goswami immediately took all of his wealth and put it in boats and sailed to a house where he distributed all his wealth. He and his younger brother Anupam left everything and went to meet Lord Chaitanya in Vrindavan.

Sanatana Goswami is arrested
Meanwhile, Sanatana Goswami due to the force of circumstances, was unable to leave at that particular time. But he totally lost all interest in serving the government. Therefore he sent a letter to the king saying that he was very sick and could not come to do his services. He stayed home studying Srimad Bhagavatam along with great Vaisnavas and scholars. Days and weeks went by. Nawab Hussein Shah's kingdom was in great difficulty without Sanatana Goswami. So he sent a doctor, "Go check him, see what's wrong with him." The doctor came back and reported "He is in perfect health. He is studying Srimad Bhagavatam in an assembly of Brahmans." Nawab Hussein Shah was infuriated. He came to the house of Sanatana Goswami and just walked right in through the door. There was Sanatana reciting Srimad Bhagavatam. "What are you doing? You have lied to me, you have cheated me. I am about to go to Orissa to conquer that state. 1 want you to come with me." Sanatana Goswami said, "1 will no longer be a part of your activities. You can count on me no longer tor any service." The Nawab Hussein Shah was very, very angry. He said, "I have treated you like my own brother. Your elder brother is busy going out murdering and killing. He needs you to stay back and take care of the state. If you do not, you will be punished." Sanatana Goswami said, "You are the king, the representative of God, you can behave with me in any way you please." The Nawab walked out in a fit of fury and ordered Sanatana Goswami to be imprisoned, and then, Nawab Hussein Shah went with his armies to conquer Orissa. Rupa Goswami heard this. He sent a letter to Sanatana Goswami along with 10000 gold coins that he deposited with a grocer and totd him, "Somehow or other get out and come meet us in Vrindavan. Lord Chaitanya will be arriving there." Sanatana Goswami, shackled in prison, spoke to the jail keeper, "Please help me. You are a very religious man and very pious in heart. I want to give up everything of this world and become a religious saint. In fact, I want to go on pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. If you facilitate me in my mission, then you will get great religious and pious benefits. Here are 5,000 gold coins. Get me out of this prison." The jail keeper said, "Yes, I am a pious and religious man and I want you to go to Mecca. But what would Nawab Hussein Shah say when he sees that you are gone, he would punish me." Sanatana Goswami told him, "No you just have to tell him the story that I had to pass stool and I went to the bank of the Ganges and jumped in with all my chains and drowned. You looked for me but I was nowhere to be seen. And here along with the original 5000 gold coins is another 2000 gold coins." This argument was very convincing, and he was released from prison.

Sanatana Goswami's dangerous journey to Varanasi
As he was travelling through the forests and the jungles he had a servant named Ishan who was assisting him. They came to a hilly tract of land in the state of Bihar, which is called Patada- That place was very infamous at the time, for the thieves and rogues who would kill anyone for anything at a moment's notice. There was a hilly track of Jungle that was very difficult to get through. Sanatana Goswami and Ishan stopped at an inn. The innkeeper was the leader of the whole band of dacoits. He had an astrologer. This astrologer told him, "These two guests have 8 gold coins." He was very eager to kill them and get the gold. So he treated them with great respect just to make them comfortable and confident. It is said, "Too much devotion is the sign of a thief." This applied to this case. Sanatana Goswami, being a government leader, he knew the spirit of diplomacy. So he thought, "Why is this man giving me so much respect and serving us so nicely? He must want to rob and kill us." "Ishan, do you have any of those gold coins left?" he asked. Ishan said, "Yes. I have 7 gold coins." Immediately he took those coins to the innkeeper and said, "I have these coins, you keep them." The innkeeper said, "What an honest and charitable person you are. Lucky you gave them to me. because I would have killed you on this very day if you hadn't. But now that I see you are so honest and so nice, you keep the coins, I don't want them." Sanatana Goswami said, "If you don't kill me for these gold coins somebody else will kill me. Take them away. But I ask only one favor. Please help me get through this mountain range." That morning, the innkeeper personally arranged for Sanatana Goswami to get through that hilly tract. Sanatana Goswami turned to Ishan and asked him, "Do you have any more gold coins." "I have one." "You take that gold coin and go home. Why have you brought this death knell with you?" Sanatana Goswami was, then, a fugitive, who had Just escaped from prison and was wearing the robes of a prisoner. He was alone and had nothing. He continued his travel till he came to a place called Hajipur. There his brother-in-law, who was a government servant, had come to visit. On the command of the local king he had come with large sums of gold to purchase first-class horses in Hajipur. Srikanta who was his brother-in-law, had seen Sanatana Goswami and had sent one of his messengers to bring him. He said, "What happened to you? Look at you! You are all unshaven and your hair is all scraggly and the prisoner's clothes you are wearing are all torn up!" Sanatana Goswami told him the whole story. He said, "You stay with me for at least two days." Sanatana Goswami said, "1 will not stay with you for even one moment. 1 am going to Vrindavan." But somehow or other, Srikanta appealed to him with much affection to at least accept a brand new woolen blanket as a gift. Sanatana Goswami left on that very day.

Finally Sanatana meets Lord Chaitanya
He went to Varan&si. There he heard that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had already visited Vrindavan and was residing at the house of Chandrashekhar Acharya, in Varanasi. Sanatana Goswami sat outside of the courtyard of Chandrashekhar. Lord Chaitanya told Chandrashekhar, "There is a very great, pure-hearted, saintly Vaisnava outside, please bring him in to Me." Chandrashekhar went out. There he saw Sanatana Goswami sitting. He went back in. He told the Lord, "There is no saintly Vaisnava out there." "Is anyone out there?" "There is a dervish, a very dirty-looking Muslim mendicant." "Bring him in immediately. That is who I am looking for." Chandrashekhar brought Sanatana in. As soon as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw him, in great ecstasy, He embraced him, bathing him with His tears of love. Sanatana Goswami fell at the feet of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and said "Please, please do not touch me, I am filthy and dirty. Not only that. 1 am utterly fallen, sinful and contaminated." Lord Chaitanya said, "I am touching you for My purification." Out of His love for His devotee Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with His Own Hands cleaned the body of Sanatana Goswami. He then ordered Sanatana Goswami to get shaved up. Chandrashekhar took Sanatana and shaved him. Srila Prabhupada in the purport to this particular section of Chaitanya Charitamrita explained that Lord Chaitanya did not like people looking like hippies. After taking his bath Chandrashekhar gave him fresh new clothes. Sanatana Goswami rejected those and said, "1 will not take new clothes." Then he came back to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and was introduced to Tapan Mishra.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would take prasad at the house of Tapan Mishra but would stay at the house ot Chandrashekhar. So Tapan Mishra, offered Sanatana Goswami brand new garments. He couldn't tolerate seeing him in such rags. Sanatana Goswami rejected it. He said, "You give me just an old dhoti." So Tapan Mishra brought him one of his old dhotis. Sanatana Goswami started ripping it into pieces and used them for loin cloth, chaddar and kaupin. Then he came and got the personal remnants of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. A Maharashtrian Brahman who was a great devotee of the Lord invited Sanatana Goswami to come and take prasad at his house everyday. Sanatana Goswami said, "No. I will do Madhukari." Each and every day, in the mood of a beggar, he would go house to house, begging for little bit of food. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very pleased to see the spirit of renunciation of Sanatana Goswami. But once he looked at the blanket of Sanatana. Sanatana Goswami understood that he doesn't like this blanket that my brother-in-law gave me. He went to the bank of the Ganges and at the bathing ghat was a mendicant who was washing an old torn quilt. Sanatana Goswami said, "1 will give you this very costly, new, woolen blanket if you give me your old, torn quilt." The mendicant said, "What are you saying? Why are you making fun of me just because 1 am so poor?" Sanatana said, "No 1 am serious, take the blanket and give me your quilt." He came back to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya asked, "Where is your blanket?" He said, "I gave it to a mendicant in exchange for this quilt." Lord Chaitanya said, "Very good. Now 1 can see that you have renounced even the last shred of material attachment. This is very good. You are going around like a mendicant Vaisnava doing Madhukari house to house, asking for alms and you are wearing such an expensive blanket. People will think you are a hypocrite. It is shameful. By the causeless mercy of Lord Sri Krishna, you have now been delivered from the last attachments to this material world." Sanatana Goswami, he replied, "I do not know who Krishna is, but 1 know one thing that, it is your causeless mercy that has saved me. And 1 have no other hope than you."

Lord Chaitanya explains the science of Krishna Consciousness
At that time Sanatana Goswami put a straw between his teeth. With folded palms, he bowed down at the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and he began to inquire, "My Lord, I am from a low family and all of my associates were of the lowest disposition. I am sinful and I am addicted to sinful activities. My whole life is abominable. But by your causeless mercy you have accepted me as your servant. Please my Lord, please, ..., please instruct me. 1 do not know, what my duty is, I do not know, what is beneficial and what is detrimental for the real purpose of life. And yet, due to the influence of illusion, people are calling me a great learned scholar. 1 am such a fool that I accept myself as such. Please tell me, what is my real duty in life? Who am I? Why am I suffering birth after birth the three-fold miseries of material existence? How can I be benefited? My Lord, I do not know how to inquire about the goal of life from You. Out of your mercy please explain these truths to me." Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu replied to Sanatana Goswami, "Your humility is breaking my heart. You know all the truths of the conclusions of the Vedas. You are fit to propagate the cult of pure devotional service all over the world. There's nothing that you do not know. But still it is the nature of a sadhu like you to enquire just tor the sake of being strict."
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began His explanations of Krishna Consciousness to Sanatana Goswami. He began by explaining that the spirit soul is constitutionally, by nature, the eternal servant of Krishna. It is the tatastha shakti or marginal energy of the Lord. The soul is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just as a single ray of the sun is non-different, in quality, from the sun planet, similarly, the spirit soul is of the same quality as the Lord - sac-cid-ananda - but is constitutionally a fragmental, insignificant, tiny part and parcel of the Lord. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught Sanatana Goswami the philosophical truth of the adr.tya bheda-abheda tattva. He described how the Lord has various energies spreading throughout all of creation. Just as the sun is in one place, diffusing its sunshine in all directions, similarly, Krishna although living in His eternal abode of Goloka Vrindavan through His multifarious energies, is pervading everything that exists. There are three primary energies. The cit-shakti or the eternal spiritual energy, Maya shakti - the illusory material energy and tatastha shakti, the Jiva soul. When the jiva soul is covered by the Maya shakti it forgets its original nature and becomes covered by the false ego and thinks that he is himself an enjoyer separate from Krishna. Since time immemorial, the spirit soul. has been suffering repeated births and deaths, ignorant of his constitutional nature and in each birth he has to suffer the three-fold miseries - adhyatmika, adidaivika and adibhautika. Due to the power of the three ropes of the modes of material nature, he is influenced to sometimes act pious and sometimes impious. Sometimes he is elevated to the higher planets and then again he is plunged into the lower planets of misery. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gives the example of when the king sees a person who is a criminal, he takes his guards and tells them what to do. They take that criminal by the hair and push his head under water in the river, and when that person is about to suffocate to death they pull his head out of the river to let him get some air. After a few seconds they push him again into the river, where he suffers terribly and when he is about to die he is brought up again to enjoy the air. And he is plunged back down! Millions and millions of births we are going through this same type of a situation. Suffering the repeated miseries of material existence and every now and then we are pulled up and we get some breath and we think, "Oh! How nice life is." Only to be plunged down again. "However", Lord Chaitanya continued, "if one gets by the mercy of Krishna the association of a sadhu. he can be delivered." "DaM hy esh guna may'i mama maya duratyaya, mam eva prapadyante mayam efam taranti te." This material existence is very, very difficult to overcome. But one, who associates with a sadhu and learns the process of surrendering to Krishna, can easily cross beyond it. Only the causeless mercy of Krishna can deliver one from ignorance. There is no other means possible. Out of His mercy, Krishna has compiled the Vedas and He saves the aspiring soul through three forms - the Vedas, the Guru and Sadhus, and the Supersoul within the heart. Through this process we can understand what Krishna is. Lord Chaitanya continued that in the Vedic literatures there are essentially three subject matters that are discussed. Sambandha - or how to re-establish our lost relationship with Krishna, Abhideya - or how to act according to that relationship, by engaging in the service of the Lord with attachment and Prayojana, - or the ultimate goal of life which is pure, unalloyed love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many different paths by which one can approach spiritual truths. However, the conclusion of ail the Vedas, is that only through bhakti or devotional service can we know Krishna as He is.

Story of an astrologer named Sarvajnya
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told the story of an astrologer named Sarvagya, who was approached by a very poor man who was suffering. The astrologer told him that, "Your father has given you as your inheritance a treasure of wealth." He asked, "Where am I to find this wealth?" The astrologer explained, "If you dig in the southern direction, you will be bitten and stung by innumerable wasps- If you dig in the western direction, you will be harassed by a ghost. If you dig in the northern direction you will be devoured by a big black serpent. But if you just dig a little bit of ground in the eastern direction, you will find the pot of treasure." Mahaprabhu explained that the path of karma kanda is like the southern direction. The wasps and bees that will sting you represent all the troubles and sufferings and miseries that come from following the process of karma kanda. By following jnana kanda our mind becomes terribly disturbed due to mental speculation, just like one is disturbed by a ghost. And following the mystic system, where one tries to achieve kaivalya or merging into the oneness of the Lord, is like having your personal identity devoured by a serpent. The eastern direction represents the path of bhakti. With just a little bit of effort, we can find the priceless treasure of Krishna consciousness within our own hearts. The Lord explained how pure devotional service is dormant in the heart of every living entity and it is awakened only by devotional service. One who takes to the path of bhakti does not want wealth or liberation, but only wants to serve and please the Lord. In the Vedas there is mention of worship of many great demigods. But Mahaprabhu said that the conclusion of all the Vedas is that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and all the demigods are subordinate to His will. He is the center of everything. Krishna is the source of all that exists. His body is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. "Isvara paramah Krishna sac-ci'd-ananda v'lgraha, anad'ir ad'ir Govinda sarva karana karanam." His abode is Goloka Vrindavan. In His eternal abode, the Lord resides with His associates, cows, gopas and gopis. From Krishna's original form in Gotoka Vrindavan all other incarnations emanate. Krishnas tu Bhagavan svayam. He is the original cause of all causes and He is the source of Vishnu and all of the other incarnations. The Brahman effulgence is nothing but the rays of light emanating from the spiritual body of Krishna and the Paramatma is the localized feature of the Lord who is the witness of one's activities. He divided the various incarnations of the Lord into three categories - Swayamrupa or the eternal form of the Lord, Tadekatmarupa, other forms of Himself directly and Avesharupa or empowered incarnations. The Lord went into great, great detail of the various categories within these categories of incarnations within this world. He described how the creation of the cosmic manifestation takes place. Beginning with the expansion of Lord Krishna, Karanodakshayi Vishnu who exhales and creates all the various universes and how by His glance He impregnates each universe with all the living entities that exist within them. He then explained, how Garbhodakshayi Vishnu appears and from Him lotus flower is born from His navel. Brahma is born, He reveals the Vedas to him and then from Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva appears. He described how Lord Shiva is not a jiva, but superior to all jivas, because he is actually a personal expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just as when milk is turned into yogurt it is simultaneously milk and not milk. Similarly, Lord Shiva is eternally Vishnu but still different from Vishnu. He is the greatest devotee of Vishnu. He is eternally accepting the role of a servant of Vishnu. Within Brahma's lifetime there are 504,000 Manus, in each Manu there are 71 rotations of yuga cycles and in each yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally incarnates to teach the recommended process of self-realization for that yuga. He is called the Yuga Avatar. In Satya yuga the Lord appears with a white complexion to teach the process of meditation. In Treta yuga He appears with a red complexion to teach the process of yagna. In Dwapara yuga He appears with His beautiful blackish complexion to teach the process of deity worship. In Kali yuga He appears with a beautiful golden complexion to teach the Yuga Dharma - the congrega-tional chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. Lord Chaitanya quoted the verse, "Kafer dosa nidhe rajan asti eka mahaan guna, kirtanad eva krishnasya mukta sangha param vrajef. This age of Kali which is an ocean of faults has only one means of deliverance - the chanting of the Holy Names - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. In fact, Mahaprabhu continued, the results that you get through thousands and thousands of years of meditation in Satya yuga, through perfectly performed yagna in Treta yuga, through the execution of devotional worship of the Lord in Dwapara yuga, can be received in Kali yuga simply by the loud congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Sanatana Qoswami then asked the Lord, "How do I know who is the Yuga Avatar for Kali yuga?" Lord Chaitanya said, "You must understand these things from the Holy Scriptures." He began citing various evidences from the scriptures about the qualities of the Yuga Avatar. Sanatana Goswami said, "Oh! It's like that! He has a beautiful golden complexion, He is always surrounded by His associates and He is dancing with His arms raised, singing the glories of the congregational chanting of the Holy Names. Is that it?" Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became embarrassed. He said "Sanatana you are playing tricks on Me." He continued by explaining in the original abode of Goloka, Krishna is eternally present and once in every day of Brahma He descends to this world, and manifests four different ages. His baby and tiny childhood age which is called Kaumara, His boyhood or Pauganda, His youthful age Kaishor and His developed youthful age or Yauvana. How Krishna is performing His transcendental pastimes in Vrindavan! For 125 years on this earth He performed His transcendental pastimes. He explains how the Vrindavan lila is the supreme most perfect. Krishna is perfect and complete. When He appears in Vaikuntha He is complete in His perfection. When He appears in Mathura and Dwaraka he is more complete in His perfection. And when he appears as Gopinath, in Vrindavan He is most complete and perfect. He explained how the Vrindavan lila is so extraordinarily exalted that even Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, was bewildered when he came to Vrindavan, to see the incredible loving relationships between Krishna and His friends. In Vaikuntha, the Lord is being worshipped by ail living entities with great majestic devotion. But when Brahma came to look down in Vrindavan after Krishna killed Aghasura, he saw Krishna sitting on the bank of the Yamuna as an ordinary cowherd boy, just eating the remnants of the cowherd boys. They would all take bites from their laddoos and other food and say "Oh! This is very nice. Try this Krishna." And Krishna would eat it. Brahma was bewildered. Who is this Krishna? Just to test Him, he stole the calves and the boys. And when he returned he saw that Krishna manifested each form perfectly and then each form of Krishna - each little cowherd boy and calf manifested the form of Vishnu. This is the Supreme glory of the position of Vrindavan. Mahaprabhu explained, how below Goloka Vrindavan are the Vaikuntha planets, below the Vaikuntha planets is Viraja, which is the border between material and spiritual existence and within material existence there are innumerable universes, like, mustard seeds in a bag of mustard seeds. Yet the illusion every living being is under, is thinking that they are the center of the universe and "if I am happy, every thing is very nice."

Krishna's greatness explained
In this regard, Lord Chaitanya told the story of when Lord Brahma came to visit Dwaraka. He said to the gatekeeper, "Please tell Krishna that Brahma has come to see Him." Krishna said, "Oh! Which Brahma?" "The four-headed Brahma!" "Tell him to come in." Krishna also called many other Brahmas. On his way in Brahma saw eight-headed Brahmas, sixteen-headed Brahmas, thirty-two-headed Brahmas, sixty-four-headed Brahmas. Some Brahmas had hundreds of heads, some thousands, he even saw a Brahma with millions of heads. He felt utterly insignificant as he had only four heads, because how many heads Brahma has depends on the size of the universe. They were all bowing down to Krishna and He said,"... I will protect you from all demons, go back to your abodes." And the little tiny Brahma was the only one left. He offered his worship to the Lord, understanding how before God we are all insignificant.
Lord Chaitanya explained the sweetness of Vrindavan. How even Laxmi Devi the Goddess of Vaikuntha performed vows to enter into the lila of Vrindavan. But she was not able to do so. The only way to achieve residence of Vrindavan is through following the 64 principles of devotional service. Of which 5 are prominent - associating with devotees, chanting the Holy Names of the Lord, hearing Srimad Bhagavatam, living in a holy place worshipping Tulasi and worshipping the deity of the Lord with great devotion. He described how there are different stages of bhakti that one progresses through - sadhana bhakti, which has two parts - Vaidhi bhakti, which means we advance by strictly following rules and regulations, then there is ragatmika bhakti, or we begin to develop spontaneous devotional service and through practicing. Through ragatmika bhakti we ultimately come to bhava bhakti, where we serve the Lord with pure unalloyed devotion and through that we gradually come to the ultimate perfection of Krishna prema. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was asked by Sanatana Goswami, "I have heard that you explained the Atmaram verse of Srimad Bhagavatam to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. Can you please explain it to me as well?" The Atmaram verse teaches that even the greatest, liberated souls are attracted to devotional service to Krishna. Lord Chaitanya explained the Atmaram verse in 61 different ways with 61 different points of view. He also told him the story of Mrigari, the hunter, being delivered by Narada muni. He taught Sanatana Goswami on the banks of the Ganges in the holy place of Kashi everyday, all day, for two months. Then He told Sanatana, "You should write books about whatever 1 have spoken, to reveal these truths to the world." Lord Chaitanya told Sanatana Goswami that He was entrusting him with this mission and that he should go to Vrindavan. He should teach - What is the behavior of a devotee? What is the duty of a devotee? What is Vaisnava etiquette? What is the behavior of one in renounced order of life? "From all the scriptures you should understand that the essence of all knowledge is pure, unalloyed devotional service to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. You should also excavate the holy places and establish temples." Sanatana Goswami then took leave ot Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. As they left there was great separation in both of their hearts.

Sanatana Goswami meets Subuddhi Raya in Vrindavan
Sanatana then went to Vrindavan where he met with Subuddhi Raya. Subuddhi Raya was a great devotee of the Lord. and his whole life was iust to serve Lord Chaitanya's associates when they came to Vrindavan. Subuddhi Raya took Sanatana Goswami through the 12 forests of Vraja. He offered Sanatana Goswami a place to live. But Sanatana Goswami was so happy living in Vrindavan that by his own free will he decided to live under a different tree each night. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had also instructed Sanatana Goswami, "In due course ot time, you should serve My devotees who come from distant places. Because My devotees are generally very poor, they don't have much, just a water-pot and some little clothes. You should give them shelter and maintain the Vaisnavas when they come." So, Sanatana lived with Subuddhi Raya for some time. He found out that Rupa Goswami had already been there and had gone to Purl

Sanatana Goswami in Puri
With Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's permission Sanatana Goswami then began his iourney to Jagannath Puri. He traveled through the Jharikhanda forest, alt alone. Sometimes he would fast, because there was just no food, sometimes he would get some little bit which he would first offer to Krishna and partake. Due to this severe fasting and drinking some contaminated water, from one of the ponds of the forest, he contracted a terribly painful skin disease. His entire body had sores that were intolerably itchy. From all those sores there was contaminated blood oozing out. Sanatana Goswami was thinking, "I am low- born, I am sinful and look at my body, it's useless. My life is useless. I am going to Puri, but I won't be allowed to enter Jagannath's temple. And because Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lives right next to the temple, and the servants of Jagannath are coming in and out of the temple, I won't even be allowed to see Lord Chaitanya. With this contaminated existence of mine I will not be able to do any practical service. What is the use of my life? Aah! When I get to Puri I will have darshan of Jagannath and at the rath yatra, in the presence of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu I will throw this wretched body under the wheel of the cart. That will be the most auspicious blessing of my life. Then perhaps I will get a better birth in my next life." With this conviction, he continued his iourney. When he arrived in Jagannath Puri he went to the bhajan kutir of  Srila Haridas Thakur, which is called Siddhabakuia. When Haridas Thakur met with Sanatana Goswami, they were both in great ecstasy to be together once again. If you remember, Haridas Thakur was the person who personally introduced Sanatana Goswami to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Ramkeli. Sanatana Goswami asked Haridas, "Where is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?" Haridas replied, "He comes here everyday. In fact, He should be here any moment now." Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared right at that time. They both offered their prostrated obeisances. Lord Chaitanya picked up Haridas and embraced him. Haridas said, "Lying here at Your lotus feet is your beloved Sanatana Goswami." Sanatana got up. Lord Chaitanya went to embrace him. Sanatana said, "No! I am the lowest of the low. Please, do no touch me. My body is contaminated." Lord Chaitanya, by force, embraced Sanatana Goswami. As He embraced Sanatana Goswami the oozing blood smeared on the beautiful golden form of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. This was terribly embarrassing to Sanatana Goswami. Lord Chaitanya enquired, "How are you Sanatana?" He replied, "Everything is auspicious, because I am seeing You, my Lord." Lord Chaitanya enquired, "Are you coming from Mathura? How are the devotees in Mathura?" That was discussed. Lord Chaitanya said, "Rupa Goswami was just here. He stayed here in Puri for 10 months, Just 10 days ago he left. He informed Me that your younger brother, Anupam, is dead." Sanatana Goswami explained how his brother Anupam was such a great devotee of Lord Sri Ramachandra. Rupa Goswami and I, would tell him the pastimes and teachings of Krishna day and night. One day we said, "Krishna's lila is the sweetest of the sweet, Krishna's beauty is unparalleled, you should join us and take the mantra of Krishna." Anupam said to us, "I cannot refuse you. You can give me the mantra." The next morning, he approached us weeping and crying. He said, "Last night I tried to chant the name of Krishna, but the only thing that I could think of was my worshipabte, Lord Sri Ramachandra. I cannot give up His devotion. Let anything happen in my life, but please do not take me away from my service to Sri Ramachandra. It is impossible for me." Sanatana said, "We embraced him and congratulated him for his chastity for his worshipable Lord." We told him, "We only said these things to test you. We are very pleased." Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Anupam has attained the Supreme abode of Lord Sri Rama. Similarly, Murari Gupta was also like that and I congratulated him." Lord Chaitanya told Sanatana, "You and Haridas Thakur are both experts in relishing the rasas of Krishna's lilas. You should remain here with Haridas Thakur and constantly hear the glories of the Lord and with Thakur Haridas chant the Holy Names - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna -Hare Hare /Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. I know that due to your humility you will not go into the Jagannath temple, but right from where you are sitting you can see the Chakra on top of the dome. That is non-different than Jagannath. You can have darshan of Jagannath Dev everyday by viewing the Chakra." Each and every day Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu after the Uppala Bhoga offering in Jagannath's temple wpufd come to see Haridas and Sanatana. Srila Prabhupada remarks that Sanatana Goswami was so humble, he did not even make an attempt to enter Jagannath's temple, he thought himself so sinful. But due to that humility, Jagannath Himself in the form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would come out everyday, bring the most succulent Mahaprasad of Jagannath and deliver it to Haridas and Sanatana with His own hands. Every day, Lord Ctiditanya would spend hours discussing Krishna's lila with Sanatana and Haridas. One day Lord Chaitanya said - "Give up this nonsense idea of committing suicide, if one could attain Krishna by committing suicide I would give up millions and millions of these bodies without a second's hesitation. You can only attain Krishna through devotional service. There is no other way. The idea of suicide is simply due to the influence of the mode of ignorance. However, sometimes devotees when they are feeling intense ecstasies of separation, they feel they cannot live without Krishna, at that time sometimes they want to end their bodies. But when you come to that stage of separation, then Krishna appears before you. Sanatana Goswami, your idea of suicide is simply nonsense. Give it up. You should spend your life hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, that is the only means of attaining Krishna." Sanatana Goswami was thinking that the Lord does not appreciate my idea of committing suicide. So I have to give it up. Then he spoke, "0 Lord, what is the value of this body, it's useless. What profit will you gain if I remain alive?" Lord Chaitanya said, "Your body is my property. You have surrendered to Me, therefore you no longer have any claim on your body or life. I am going to use your body as My principal instrument tor spreading Krishna consciousness throughout the world." Again He repeated, "I want you to go to Vrindavan and write books. Through your books and through your lifestyle I want you to establish the principles that a devotee must live by. What is devotional service? What is Krishna? What is Krishna prema? What is the etiquette of a Vaisnava and the duties they must perform? How do those in the renounced order of life live? 1 want you to excavate the holy places of pilgrimage in Vrindavan, which have been lost to the vision of humanity. And 1 want you to construct temples and preach. What I want to do in Mathura and Vrindavan, I cannot, because My mother wants Me to stay in Puri. It is my plan to do it through your body. Yet you want to destroy that body. How can 1 tolerate this? Haridas Thakur, look at this man! Do you agree with his idea? He wants to destroy another person's property." Haridas Thakur replied, "My Lord, we are all useless. It is You my Lord, who are able to utilise us for whatever purposes You desire. But unless You tell us what we are supposed to do we will never know. I can understand the good fortune of Sanatana Goswami today." Sanatana Goswami said to the Lord, "1 am just a wooden doll. You can make me dance anyway You like. But all credit and glory is Yours." Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then again forcibly embraced Sanatana Goswami and left. Haridas Thakur was weeping in ecstasy. He said, "Sanatana, you are the most fortunate person in all of creation. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has accepted your body as His own property. He wants you to do what He wants to ... His work in Mathura and Vrindavan. How fortunate you are'. But look at me, 1 am useless, 1 am sinful, I cannot do any practical service for the Lord." Sanatana Goswami said, "Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descended to expound the mission of Harinam Sankirtan, but He is not doing it Himself. He is doing it all through you, Haridas. You are most fortunate. You are chanting 300,000 names of Krishna every day and through your life Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will bring the whole world to the lotus feet of Krishna through the congregational chanting of the Hoiy Names - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Some people preach very nicely, but their behavior is not very exemplary. And other people behave very well but they do not know how to preach. But you, Haridas Thakur, simultaneously preach perfectly both by your words and your example. Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is empowering you, to deliver the whole universe."
One day Lord Chaitanya invited Sanatana Goswami to come to a garden called the Yamala gardens, to take prasad. To get there, there were two ways. One is a very nice cool walk, just by the Simhadvaram gate of the Jagannath temple. The other is along the sand of the beach. It was the month of Jyeshtha. Sanatana Goswami arrived in Puri during April-May and he was called for prasad at the Yamala gardens some time in May-June, the hottest months. It was noon and the sand was burning like fire. Sanatana Goswami walked along the sand. As he was walking his feet were being blistered and burnt. However, he was so eager to meet Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, that he didn't even feel any pain. When he arrived, Lord Chaitanya had already finished prasad and was resting. He told Qovinda to give His remnants to Sanatana. After he took prasad Lord Chaitanya met him. He saw that Sanatana's feet were scorched. He asked, "Sanatana, how did you come here?" He said, "1 came by the beach." "You came by the beach? The sand is burning. It's intolerable. Why did you not come by way of the Simhadvaram?" Sanatana said, "The pujaris of the Jagannath temple are coming in and out of the temple. If 1 go near one of them, they will be polluted and then they will go in and make aparadh(otfense) to Lord Jagannath." When Lord Chaitanya heard this, He was very pleased. He said, "Your humility is melting My heart. I am very pleased that you observe the etiquette of a Vaisnava so strictly. That etiquette is the ornament that makes a Vaisnava beautiful in the eyes of Krishna."
Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami describes in Chaitanya Charitamrita that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught the world the four principal attributes of a Vaisnava, through four of His dearest associates. In this world everyone is afflicted by the powers of Kamadeva or Cupid. He taught the world the highest level of self-control through Ramananda Raya. Ramananda Raya could be with the most beautiful young ladies, massaging their bodies, teaching them how to sing, act and dance, but because he was always immersed in his eternal lila as Vishakha Sakhi, there was absolutely not a trace of agitation in his mind. Through Damodara Pandit he taught neutrality. Damodara Pandit was so much in the mood of a servant that if any devotee transgressed Vaisnava principles, out of kindness of his heart, he would point out those transgressions. In fact he would even criticize Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, when He appeared to transgress the principles of Vaisnava behavior. In other words, a devotee should not be political. Devotee should be neutral. This was revealed through Damodara Pandit. Through Haridas Thakur, He revealed the attribute of tolerance. His forbearance was so great that even after being beaten in 22 market places he happily tolerated it, thanking the Lord for the mercy he was receiving. And through Sanatana Goswami He revealed humility. Although the most qualified person in the world, he considered himself lowly and fallen. The rath yatra came, all the devotees from Bengal arrived. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu introduced Sanatana Goswami to all of His associates and He praised Sanatana Goswami's glory as if He had five mouths. All the devotees were overjoyed to hear about the mercy Sanatana Goswami was receiving. Prabhupada explains, this is the quality of Vaisnavas. Their greatest joy is to hear other Vaisnavas glorified, and tne happiness of their heart is to see how other devotees are getting the special mercy of the Lord. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu loved Sanatana Goswami so very dearly .
One day Lord Chaitanya was visiting and Sanatana Goswami was somehow or other trying to escape His embrace. He would offer his obeisances from a distance. But Mahaprabhu would forcibly embrace him and every time His body would be smeared with infectious blood. Sanatana Goswami met with Jagadananda Pandit. He revealed his heart. There are six loving exchanges amog devotees. To reveal your heart in confidence and hear another is one of them. So he revealed, "1 came to Puri for my benefit, I am getting just the opposite. 1 came for purification, for service and what's happening? Every time the Lord embraces me, His beautiful pure, body is covered with pus and blood. 1 feel due to these offences I will be ruined." Jagadananda Pandit said, 'The Lord has already said that your home is Vrindavan. You have already spent enough time in Puri. Go to Vrindavan. There you will be happy." The next day Lord Chaitanya came. He went to embrace Sanatana, who tried to get away, but He embraced him. Sanatana Goswami sat down with the Lord and said, "I am going to leave for Vrindavan." " Who told you to leave for Vrindavan?" "Jagadananda Pandit told me. He is my well" wisher. He is a learned scholar. He gave me good advice." Lord Chaitanya became very angry. "Who is this Jaga? Impudent neophyte devotee' He thinks that he has the right to instruct you? You are fit to be his Guru. /ou are My adviser. You are fit to deliver the whole universe with Krishna consciousness. It is unbearable for Me tu think that this young boy Jagadananda is telling you what to do." Sanatana Goswami became very sad. He said, "How fortunate Jagadananda Pandit is. He is tasting the sweet nectar of your intimate words. But You are praising me, just like an outsider. How unfortunate am I." Lord Chaitanya said, "No, no Sanatana, there is no one more dear to Me than you. I am not speaking in this way. But it is true, you are a learned scholar who has all the qualities of a pure Vaisnava. Jagadananda should not be instructing you in this way." Sanalana Goswami said, "But my Lord it is a fact what he is saying. 1 came here for my benefit and my life is being ruined. You keep embracing me, look at your body, it's covered with blood and pus of my sins. I cannot bear this any longer my Lord." Lord Chaitanya then revealed His heart. He said, "Please listen Haridas and Sanatana. You two are like my own little children. A mother does not feel any hate even when she cleans the urine and stool of her child, in fact due to the affection of the mother, the stool and urine of her baby child smells just like the sacred offering 'Chatushama', which is sandalwood, musk, camphor and saffron. The first time I embraced you, your body smelled just like fresh sandalwood pulp, I take great pleasure in embracing you. In fact, I get purified when 1 embrace you. The perfection of the sight is to see a Vaisnava. The perfection of the ears is to hear a Vaisnava and the perfection of touch is to touch a Vaisnava. 1 am a sannyasi. 1 am not supposed to discriminate between what is good and what is bad. for my own enjoyment. If 1 felt the slightest bit of hatred to touch you, then I would be committing an offence to Krishna. Krishna sent you with this disease just to test Me." At that time Sanatana Goswami saw Lord Chaitanya was again coming to embrace him. Sanatana tried to get away. "My Lord, please, no, no, no, don't embrace me." Lord Chaitanya with His long arms captured Sanatana and embraced him. With that embrace Sanatana Goswami became completely purified. The disease disappeared. His form became beautiful, effulgent like gold. Haridas Thakur seeing this cried out, "This is your pastime my Lord, it was You who caused Sanatana to get this disease, just to glorify your devotee. You have now embraced him and made his body perfect."

Sanatana Goswami leaves Puri for Vrindavan
Sanatana Goswami stayed in Puri for one year. After the Dol yatra Lord Chaitanya told him that he should go to Vrindavan. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami tells us that one cannot describe what a piteous scene it was, as the Lord and His devotee were about to be separated. Sarratana Goswami got the notes of Balabhadra Bhattacharya telling exactly which places Lord Chaitanya stopped and performed His lilas on His way to Vrindavan. Sri!a Prabhupada explains in this regard, that any place the Lord performs His lila, even a place where He stops for one second, even the place He just walks through, is worshipable by devotees. Sanatana Goswami went through the Jharikhanda forest in great ecstasy, visiting the places of the Lord's pastimes- Then he arrived in Vrindavan. Finally after several years, he was reunited with Srila Rupa Goswami. Sanatana Goswami brought with him to Vrindavan, many great Vedic scriptures because his mission was to extract the essence from all of them and write his books, When devotees from Puri, or Bengal returned home after their visit to Vrindavan, everyone would ask them, "Did you see Rupa and Sanatana? What are they doing? Where are they living? What are they eating? Please tell us about them." These devotees would say that Rupa and Sanatana, left the riches of royal opulence in Ramkeli, now they have no fixed place of residence, they sleep either under a tree or under the bushes of Vraja. A different place each night. They go out and beg door to door on Madhukari. They have given up all forms of material enjoyment. The only type of food they get is some dry roti, and some times fried chickpeas. They are always chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. They are always discussing the lila of the Lord. They are always dancing in kirtan. They only carry an earthen pot and they wear just some torn, discarded clothes and in the winter a little torn quilt. They are constantly performing kirtan and they don't even sleep. They are constantly immersed in meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and carrying out His order to write books, declaring the essence of all knowledge is pure devotional service.
When Sanatana Goswami's priest from Ramkeli heard about Sanatana's life in Vrindavan, he renounced his royal services and came to take initiation from Sanatana. Everyday Sanatana Goswami would travel from one place of Vraja to another. The Brijbasis were more dear to him than his very life. When he would come to a village, the people of the village, would be very happy to see him, it was as if a poor person was receiving precious Jewels. The whole village would come to the outskirts with tears of joy in their eyes to welcome him. They loved Sanatana Goswami so dearly. The older people considered him to be just like their son. Others considered him to be just like a brother, but at the same time they respected him as their Guru. Sanatana Goswami was the Guru of all of Bra)abhumi. They would cry out to him. "0 my brother, finally you have come, where have you been? Why are you so cruel to us that you have forgotten us? Please,... please come and accept our services." The young people would touch his feet. Sanatana Goswami did not like anyone to touch his feet. But he was so affected by the love of these devotees, he could not say, "No" to them for anything. Even though he was their Guru and they were supposed to touch his feet, because of their affection for him, the older people completely forgot about touching his feet. They would sit him under a tree and they would bring him milk and yogurt and ghee and all kinds of sweets to eat. Sanatana Goswami would ask one person, "How many children do you have?" To another he would ask, "Whom did you marry?" To yet another he would ask, "How many cows do you have? Are they giving milk properly? What do you do with their milk?" He asked another person, "How is your farming? What type of farming are you doing? Are your crops growing nicely? What are you doing with them?" He would ask another Briibasi, "How is your health?" To another, "How is your mental condition?" Sanatana Qoswami loved the Brijbasis very much. Anyone who had any problem, would come to Sanatana Goswami and he would give them solace. He would spend the night with them, and the next morning as he was about to leave, all the Brijbasis of that village would be pouring their hearts out in feelings of love and separation from Sanatana Goswami. It was unbearable. As he left not only were they crying but Sanatana Goswami was also crying, everyone was crying. They would walk a little distance to the next village where everyone was crying to receive him in happiness and this was his daily life, making people cry. He loved crying in meeting, the happy crying and crying in separation.
There was a village called Baithan. When Sanatana Goswami was about to leave those devotees they were pleading with their hearts begging to Sanatana, "Please don't go, stay at least 2 or 3 more days." Due to the love of those devotees, he changed his whole regulation and stayed on with them for a few more days. Since that time that village is very famous amongst Gaudiya Vaisnavas. One time when he was travelling, he came to Nanda ghat on the bank of the holy river Yamuna. There, he found Jiva Goswami, weeping, crying out the Holy Names of the Lord, because he had been exiled by Rupa Goswami.
Vallabha Bhatta came to Vrindavan and volunteered to help Rupa Goswami to edit his Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu, correcting certain grammatical errors. But Jiva Goswami convinced Vallabha Bhatta that it was perfect. Vallabha Bhatta came back to Rupa and said, "Here is your book, there is no need for any corrections, if your disciple Jiva Goswami is so learned, then how can I correct you?" Rupa Goswami wanted to show the world the glories of Jiva. "Ah! This senior Vaisnava came to render service and you have the impudence to correct him? No one with even a trace of false pride has the right to live in Vrindavan. Go home." Jiva Goswami, accepted this chastisement for his purification, thinking, "1 am so proud, so I have been rejected." He went to Nanda ghat and there he performed severe austerities to atone for this offence. But Sanatana Goswami found him there and brought him back to Vrindavan, and .Rupa Goswami nursed him back to proper health.
Sanatana Goswami once traveled to Mahavan, where a small little temple of Madangopal was. Madangopal was the deity that was originally installed by Vajranabha, the great-grandson of Krishna. It was rediscovered by Advaita Acharya near Advaita vata in Vraja. The deity was temporarily living in a little temple in Mahavan and Sanatana Goswami would go every day for the darshan.
Sanatana Goswami begins the worship of Madan mohan
One day on the banks of the river Yamuna, Sanatana saw a very beautiful cowherd boy playing in the sand with friends and the way they were having their lilas was so charming to the heart, that he thought, "This boy is not ordinary." All day long, Sanatana iust watched the child playing. When evening came, all the children went home and Sanatana followed this little cowherd boy to his home. He saw the gopa enter the Madangopal temple. Sanatana too entered the temple. But the boy had disappeared, only the Madangopal deity was there. He understood that the child was the Lord Himself. Sanatana did not say anything to anyone. He offered his obeisances. That night the deity appeared to him in a dream and said, "I want you to take Me with you, to be worshipped." It is also said that a brahman named Purushottam Chaubey, who was a disciple of Advaita Acharya was worshipping that deity. In a dream Madangopal told Purushottam Chaubey to entrust His worship to Sri Sanatana Qoswami. Sanatana brought the deity to the Dvadasa Aditya Teel, a little mountain on the banks of the Yamuna in Vrindavan. There he began his devotional service.
He was worshipping the deity of Madanmohana in a little hut under a tree. From Madhukari, the most he would get was some dry roti without even any salt. Sanatana Qoswami was feeling so much lamentation in his heart. This is all I could offer the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a shame. Not even salt for His roti- Even He asks for it and 1 cannot give Him. While he was thinking this way, Madanmohana wanted to fulfil the desire of His devotee. And the only desire a devotee has is how to serve the Lord. There was a very wealthy merchant from the district of Multan whose name was Krishnadas Kapoor. He had a boat with many valuables that he was going to sell in Agra. But that boat got caught in the river Yamuna just below the Dvadasa Aditya Tee!. It was a helpless situation. All of his riches were at stake. It appeared that the boat might even sink. He came to the shore and climbed the hill. It is said that Madangopal in the form of a cowherd boy asked, "Do you have some salt?" "I have a whole boat of salt." He gave Him. "You need help? There is a very good Goswami on the top of the hill. He can help you." Krishnadas Kapoor climbed up the hili and surrendered at the lotus feet of Sanatana Goswami, However, Sanatana never accepted that he could do anything for anyone. He understood the only shelter is Madanmohana. This is a preacher. A real preacher doesn't think he can help, but simply tries to connect a person to Krishna and the previous acharyas, knowing that they can deliver you. He offered the head of Krishnadas Kapoor to the lotus feet of Madanmohana. He became a purified Vaisnava and by the mercy of the Lord, his boat became free. He came back and offered all his wealth to Sanatana Goswami. Sanatana said, "I require nothing, 1 am quite happy sleeping under these trees. But Madanmohana shouldn't be living in such poverty. Kindly build Him a temple." The first major temple of Vrindavan was constructed under the direction of Sanatana Goswami for Sri Madanmohana. And to this very day, almost 500 years later, that temple is the very symbol of Vrindavan.

Jagadananda Pandit meets Sanatana Goswami in Vrindavan
In Pun, there was a transcendental argument between Jagadananda Pandit and Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Jagadananda Pandit was Satyabhama in Krishna's lila. He was always trying to give comforts and enjoyments to the Lord. Sometimes he would bring very, very expensive sandalwood oil to be massaged on the Lord's body. At other times he would design and offer very nice, soft beds for the Lord to lie on. But the Lord would reject it saying, "1 am a sannyasi, 1 cannot be enjoying these things." Jagadananda would then fast, he was so upset. One day he asked Lord Chaitanya's permission to go to Vrindavan. The Lord said, "You can go to Vrindavan but you should only stay there for a short time. You should not remain in Vrindavan for long, and do not mix too freely with the Brijbasis, because they have a spontaneous, inconceivable type of devotion to Radha and Krishna and if you mix with them too freely, you will undoubtedly offend them. You should not go to Vrindavan alone. You should only be in Vrindavan with an experienced Vaisnava who can show you the Dham, and-protect you. You should associate with Srila Sanatana Goswami and not leave his association ever and come back here very soon. And give Sanatana this message that very soon I am coming to Vrindavan again, and ask him to arrange a place for Me to stay." Jagadananda Pandit went to Vrindavan and according to the instructions of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was constantly in the association of Sanatana. Sanatana Goswami took him to all the 12 forests of Brajabhumi. At the end they came to Mahavan where Jagadananda was living with Sanatana Goswami, in his cave. Sanatana Goswami would go for Madhukari and sometimes Jagadananda Pandit would cook the various things that Sanatana would bring for him in a nearby temple. In fact, Sanatana Goswami was such a loving devotee that he maintained and cared for Jagadananda Pandit day and night- One day Jagadananda Pandit invited Sanatana Goswami to come to this temple for prasad. There was a sannyasi named Mukunda Saraswati who gave Sanatana Goswami one of his red outer cloths. Sanatana came for prasad with that outer cloth wrapped around his head. When Jagadananda Pandit saw it, he was very happy. He thought, "My Prabhu is wearing my worshipable Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's outer garment on his head, how wonderful! 1 will enquire, Just to hear the glories of Lord Chaitanya. He said "0 Sanatana, who has given you this cloth?" Sanatana Goswami said that it was given by Mukunda Saraswati Maharaj. Jagadananda Pandit became so uncontrollably angry, he picked up one of the cooking pots and came to Sanatana to beat him. Sanatana Goswami was in ecstasy. Sanatana said, "Now 1 can understand why you are such a  dear devotee of the Lord. You are a great scholar and you have such faith in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Unless you exhibit it in inconceivable ways like this, how will I ever understand and learn how to have faith like this. Today you have proved to me what a glorious servant you are. I am very grateful to you. As far as this cloth goes, I have no use for it, I will give it to a stranger." Jagadananda Pandit was very embarrassed. Then they took prasad together. They cried in ecstasy, in separation from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Jagadananda Pandit remained with Sanatana Goswami for two months and then with his permission he left for Puri.

The Pilu Fruit Pastime
Sanatana Goswami gave four gifts to Jagadananda Pandit to present to Lord Chaitanya. Sand from the area of Krishna's Rasa iila, a stone from Govardhana hill, a Gunja mala and some dry Pilu fruits. Jagadananda Pandit returned to Puri and offered all of these gifts to Lord Chaitanya. Lord Chaitanya kept all of them except the Pilu fruits. He distributed those to the devotees. Those devotees who knew what is a Pilu fruit, they sucked the seeds. Please listen very carefully, this is very important - this is the instruction of Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami. Those who did not know what Pilu fruits are chewed the seeds. Hare Krishna! They were in terrible distress because the seeds of the Pilu fruit are hot like chilies and Lord Chaitanya was very happy to see this.
Sanatana Goswami was waiting for the Lord to arrive, he was given the message, "1 am coming for my second visit to Vrindavan. Please arrange a place for me to stay." On Dvadasa Aditya Teel Sanatana Goswami just made a little hut for Lord Chaitanya to stay in and cleaned the whole area very nicely. He waited eagerly, day after day after day but the Lord did not come. But one night he had a dream. He saw the beautiful golden form of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu sitting on a celestial platform right there at Dvadasa Aditya Teel. Sanatana offered his prostrated obeisances to Lord Chaitanya. Lord Chaitanya placed His feet on top of his head. Then he lifted him up and embraced him and told Sanatana Goswami, "1 have come to Vrindavan to satisfy your desires." When Sanatana Goswami woke up from his dream, he understood that the Lord had certainly come.

Gopala Bhatta Goswami arrives in Vrindavan
Afterwards Gopal Bhatta Goswami came from'South India, on the instruction of Lord Chaitanya. Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami wrote a letter to Lord Chaitanya in Puri that your dear servant Gopal Bhatta Goswami has come and we have accepted him as our own brother. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very pleased to see the congenial loving relations between His devotees. He sent the very precious gift of His own remnants to Gopal Bhatta Goswami, Sanatana Goswami and Rupa Goswami with the message, "It is My desire that you live together as brothers in loving relationships serving the mission of Vrindavan." Gopal Bhatta Goswami was dearly loved by Sanatana. Sanatana Goswami wrote 'Hari Bhakti Vilas' and published it under the name of Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Gopat Bhatta Goswami also helped him to edit that bock.
Sometimes Sanatana would live in the district of Nandagram at Paavan Sarovar. He slept under a tree in a completely secluded place. Nobody in all the world knew where he was. He was so absorbed in worshipping Krishna and Sri Radharani that for days at a time he forgot to even eat or drink. Madangopal appeared as a beautiful little cowherd boy with a very nice turban decorated with peacock feather around His head and approached Sanatana Goswami and said, "Why are you living in such a secluded place? Nobody knows where you are. But 1 happened to be herding the cows and 1 saw you here. 1 have brought this bucket of milk for you. Please drink this milk. Another thing 1 want to say to you. Your living on the ground under a tree is causing great distress to the hearts of the Brijbasis. If you want to make us happy please build a little hut for yourself and stay there. 1 will be back to get my bucket." Then the boy disappeared. Sanatana Goswami drank the milk. By the influence of that milk his heart erupted with uncontrollable ecstasy and he understood that, that little boy was his worshipable Madangopal. He was so beside himself in transcendental love that Krishna had to appear to him in an invisible way just to pacify him and reminded him, "We are very sad about your living under this tree. But we will be very happy if you have a hut, a bhajan kutir." That was the first time Sanatana Goswami accepted a bhajan kutir. And to this very day, on the banks of Paavan Sarovar we go to worship the bhajan kutir of Srila Sanatana Goswami.

Srimati Radharani serves Sanatana Goswami
Rupa Goswami had a bhajan kutir just a few minutes walk away near Ter Kadamba in Nandagaon. Rupa Goswami would come practically every day to visit Sanatana Goswami when they were both in the area, for Rupa Goswami considered Sanatana Goswami his spiritual master. He begins the Sri Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu by offering his obeisances to Sanatana Goswami, his spiritual master. One day Rupa Goswami wanted to offer some special prasad to Sanatana. At that time a very charming little gopi, cowherd girl, brought him some milk, sugar, rice, ghee, camphor and saffron -said: "Why don't you cook this for your Gurudev?" But Rupa Goswami was so busy that .the iittie girl personally cooked it. Rupa Goswami offered it to Sanatana, and they ate it together. The first taste of this kheer, brought about uncontrollable ecstatic love - tears were pouring from their eyes, their hairs were standing on end, they were perspiring, they were trembling, they were rolling on the ground. Sanatana said, "Where did you get this kheer?" "Oh! A little girl gave it to me. She cooked it with Her own hands." 'Tell' me about this girl." When he heard the description Sanatana Goswami chastised Rupa Goswami, "You have caused me to accept service from our worshipable object of service, Vrindavaneshwari, Srimati Radharani." Rupa Goswami was very ashamed. But this is the way Krishna Consciousness is - simultaneous joy and pain, meeting and separation. Though they were ashamed and with the pain in their hearts that they have accepted service from Radharani, they couldn't stop drinking the sweet rice. And that sweet rice was putting them in realms of ecstasy that will never be understood. That night Rupa Goswami was lamenting, but Srimati Radharani personally appeared in a dream to him to pacify him and tell him it was Her desire to teach the world through Her devotees, "How a devotee does not want to accept service from the Lord, but simply wants to offer service without expecting anything in return" This is the essence of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Sanatana Goswami instructs Raghunath das Goswami
One day Sanatana Goswami went to Radhakund to meet Srila Raghunath Das (Goswami. Raghunath Das was so immersed in his bhajan that he was oblivious to the external circumstances of the world. A tiger came to drink water from Radha and Shyamkund. As the tiger was drinking the water from Shyamkund, Krishna appeared with a stick in His hand to protect Raghunath Das Goswami from the tiger. Sanatana Goswami was watching. When the tiger went away, Krishna too went away. Sanatana Goswami said, "Raghunath Das, what is the purpose of bhajan? It is to serve Radha and Krishna. But your bhajan is causing Krishna to come and serve you like a chowkidar, with a stick to protect you." The next time Sanatana Goswami came, it was summer and the sun was very hot overhead. Raghunath Das Goswami was immersed in the chanting of the Holy Names in meditation on the lila of Radha and Krishna. Sanatana Goswami saw Srimati Radhikarani appear and with the veil of Her sari She was shading Raghunath Das Goswami's head. When the sun went down Srimati Radharani left. Sanatana Goswami came and told Raghunath Das, 'This is too much, now Sri Radharani is standing for hours at a time shading your head. You are in the nice cool shade of Her sari and She is under the sun perspiring, what type of bhajan is this? You should build a bhajan kutir." So Sanatana Goswami had a bhajan kutir built for Raghunath Das Goswami. To this day on the banks of Sri Radhakund, we worship Raghunath Das Goswami in this holy place.

The real Touchstone!
There was a brahman who was worshipping Lord Shiva. He was very poor and desired wealth. Lord Shiva appeared to him and told him, "If you want wealth, you should go to Vrindavan. On the banks of the river Yamuna is the Dvadasa Aditya Teel. There you will find Sanatana Goswami. He has a Sparshmani or touchstone. If you touch iron with that touchstone it will turn it into pure gold. If you ask him, he will give it to you." The brahman very enthusiastically went to Vrindavan. He climbed up the Dvadasa Aditya Teel and there was Sanatana Goswami, doing his bhajan. "Lord Shiva appeared to me and told me that you will give me a Sparshmani. Do you actually have one?" Sanatana Goswami said, "Yes I have one. Do you want it?" "Yes." "It's over there." "Where?" "There." 'There? That's a pile of rubbish/' "Yes, somewhere in that pile of dust and rubbish there is a Sparshmani. If you can find it you can have it." So he looked through the rubbish. There it was - the TOUCHSTONE!! Anything of iron he touched would turn into gold. He was very happy. He was touching and getting gold. But he was blessed by Lord Shiva, therefore he had good intelligence. He began to think, "The whole world is looking for a touchstone like this. But this Sanatana Goswami had it laying in a rubbish bin, so he must have something more valuable than this." He went back and asked Sanatana, "Do you have something more valuable?" He said, "Yes, I have something millions of times more precious. Do you want it?" "Please." "First take your touchstone and throw it into the Yamuna, because you cannot receive what 1 have until you are free from all these other attachments." He had faith in the words of a sadhu. To get the treasure of Krishna Consciousness, there has to be tt)at leap of faith in the words of a sadhu. He threw the touchstone into the Yamuna knowing that it would never be seen again. Sanatana Goswami said, "I wilt now give you a touchstone that will give you something greater than alt the gold in creation. The greatest treasure is the treasure of Krishna prema. That treasure is dormant within your heart. There is only one means of achieving it, through the touchstone of Vr\e\ sincere-chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, Sanatana Goswami initiated him in the chanting of the Holy Names and he became the possessor of the ultimate wealth.

Special Lilas!
At Govindakund, Sanatana Goswami performed a very special Ula. He -would meet Rupa Goswami and discuss their writings with each other. Rupa Goswami, in a poem, described Srimati Radharani and the Gopis' hair as long strands, going down their backs like black snakes. Sanatana Goswami disapproved of this. He said, "Rupa Goswami with all respects, how can you compare the most beautiful plaits of Srimati Radharani to a black snake?" Rupa Goswami was silent. Then he said, "Well, please Sanatanaji, give me an appropriate comparison." So Sanatana was thinking about it. Then he went to Govindaghat to take his bath. In Govindaghat, he saw these young girls taking their baths. Then he saw, on one of the young girls there was this big black snake, right on the back of her head, about to bite her. Sanatana was saying, "Get away, get away, get away", but they didn't hear. They were just laughing and joking. So Sanatana Goswami started going through the waters and they disappeared, smiling and laughing. He understood, "Actually its true, that Her hair is like a black snake. The Gopis have revealed to me that Rupa Goswami's description is perfect." So he came back to Rupa Goswami and told him this story and they were both very much in the ecstasy of this darshan.
Sanatana Goswami lived, in his old age, just on the banks of Manasi Ga'nga near Govardhana Hill in a place called Chakaleshwar Mahadev. This area is also called Chakra tirtha. Sanatana Goswami would write his books and do his bhajan there. But one night there were many mosquitoes that were tormenting him. The next morning he thought that this is not a good place to do bhajan and so he was just about to leave. Chakaleshwar Mahadev is an ancient Shiva Lingam, which was originally installed by Va)ranabha, the great-grandson of Krishna. It is one of the four principal Shiva Lingams of Vraja. Lord Shiva could not bear the thought of separation from Sanatana Goswami. He appeared in the disguise of a brahman. "0 Sanatana Goswamiji. are you going somewhere?" He said, "Yes, I must go, these mosquitoes are too much. I cannot do my seva to Lord Chaitanya." The Brahman begged him, "Please, just stay one more night, If the mosquitoes disturb you again then leave tomorrow." Sanatana Goswami's heart was so soft, he could not say no to the loving offerings, or appeals of a devotee. Lord Shiva then contacted the demigod who is in charge of insect life, and ordered that demigod, "Keep the mosquitoes away from Chakra tirtha." So Sanatana Goswami happily lived there.
He had a vow that every single day he would do the full twelve kosa Parikrama of Govardhana. If you remember, last Kartik we did the Parikrama of the small route of Giriraj Govardhana. That took us 16 hours. Of course, we were not rushing, by any means. He would do the long route, that means going by Chandra Sarovar and other distant areas everyday. Then he would come back, do his writing and meet with the other Goswamis when they would come. He was constantly immersed in his devotional service. Years went by and Sanatana became very old but still he would do his Parikrama with great strain and difficulty. Lord Gopinatn appeared in the guise of a cowherd boy and with His own Hands He lovingly wiped the perspiration from Sanatana Goswami's body, as he was doing his Parikrama. Krishna had tears flowing from His eyes. He said, "0 Goswamiji, I cannot tolerate seeing you struggling and straining so much to do this circumambulation everyday. You are old, you are practically invalid, stop doing it. There is no need." Sanatana Goswami said, "I have made my vow. I made my vow to Krishna and only if Krishna orders me wilt I give it up." The child then climbed to the top of Govardhana Hill. By His own ecstatic devotion to His devotee, He caused the hill to melt and His footprints entered into one of the stones. The Cowherd Boy then took the stone and brought it down to Sanatana Goswami. He said, 'These are Krishna's personal footprints. Now if you circumambulate this stone it will be equal to circumambulating the whole of Govardhana Hill. In your old age, please do this as your service." Then the child carried the stone all the way back to Chakra tirtha, placed it in Sanatana Goswami's bhajan kutir and disappeared. Sanatana Goswami looked everywhere for the Child, but could not find Him. Then he realised that it was Krishna, who had given him the order. Everyday after that. he would perform his Parikrama, by going four times around this Govardhana Shila.

The literary contribution of Sanatana Goswami
Sanatana Goswami wrote many books of which, Krishnadas Kavira] Goswami, explains tour are prominent. The Brihad-Bhagavatamrita, which perfectly explains what a devotee is, what is devotion, who is Krishna and what is love for Krishna. He wrote Hari Bhakti Vilas, which describes the rules and regulations and the etiquette a devotee should observe for achieving Krishna consciousness. He wrote the Dasama Tipani also known as Srimad Vaisnava Tosani which was a very elaborate and extensive commentary of the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Jiva Goswami edited this book. Jiva Goswami, later, wrote his editorial offering and named it the Laghu Tosani. Both books are still available. Sanatana Goswami also wrote the Dasama Charita.
Living at Chakra Tirtha in his old age, he became the very life and soul of all the residents of Vrindavan. When he was too old to travel from village to village to meet the Brijbasis, they would regularly come to him to receive his blessings. It was at Chakra Tirtha on Guru Pournima, that Srila Sanatana Goswami disappeared from this world. When the Brijbasis heard that Sanatana Goswami had departed, it was an unbearable thunderbolt that struck their hearts. The whole of Vraja was literally lamenting. Practically every Brijbasi came to Chakra tirtha to offer their last respects to Srila Sanatana Goswami. Because he is the Guru of all the Brijbasis they declared that his disappearance day is Guru Pournima. As an act of worship, knowing how the Parikrama of Govardhana Hill was so dear to him, they all performed Parikrama in his honour. And to this very day, the largest Parikrama of Govardhana Hill is on Guru Pournima. On the last day of Kartik, hundreds and thousands of Brijbasis do Parikrama of Govardhana, but far more than that, do it on Guru Pournima. And recently one of our Godbrothers, living near Govardhana in one of Srila Prabhupada's temples, asked a Brijbasi, just a common Brijbasi who herds cows, "Why on this day of the full moon of Guru Pournima are there so many hundreds and thousands of Brijbasis doing this Parikrama of Govardhana?" He said, "Because this is the disappearance day of our Gurudev, Sanatana Goswami. He is the Guru of all of Vraja. And this is the way we celebrate, because we know this is how we can please him." Srila Prabhupada often quoted, 2 verses from Srila Sanatana Goswami's works. They are found repeatedly in his books and in his lectures- One, which explains that one is a brahmana by quality and by initiation of a bonafide spiritual master, not by birth. This verse states that just as bellmetai is turned into gold by the chemical process of adding mercury, similarly, when one, even a person who is of the lowest caste, takes initiation from a bonafide spiritual master, he becomes the best of the brahmanas. Another verse that Prabhupada often quoted is, just as milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects, similarly, even hearing Hari-Katha or the knowledge of the sacred scriptures from a person who is not a proper devotee of the Lord can contaminate our hearts.
Due to the invasion of Aurangzeb and his armies Sanatana Goswami's worshipable deity Madanmohana, was taken to Jaipur and the disciplic descendants of the disciples of Sanatana Goswami continued the worship. By Sanatana Goswami's mercy the daughter of the king of Jaipur, worshipped that Deity as her life and sou!. When she came of marriageable age it was decided that she should marry the prince of Karoli, another kingdom, not very far from Bharatpur. She told her father, "I have given up my life to be the chaste servant of Madanmohana. I cannot go anywhere else. He is my life and soul." But the arrangements between the kings were already made and it was too late to change it. The two kings came together and decided that the king of Karoli would build a beautiful temple for Madanmohana in Karoli and the king of Jaipur would give the Deity as dowry. Usually the bride is taken in a procession to the village of the bridegroom, but this time Madanmohana was taken in procession to Karoli, on her insistence, and she just went as a maidservant. To this day Sri Madanmohana is worshipped in the village of Karoli. Krishnadas Kavira] Goswami prays, in Chaitanya Charitamrita, "1 accept Sanatana Goswami as the teacher who has given me pure devotional service. And I have accepted Rupa Goswami as the teacher who has given me the taste for the ecstatic Rasa of Vrindavan." Srila Prabhupada explains that in the Vilapa Kusumanjali, our Prayojana Guru, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami offers a verse to Sanatana Goswami, worshipping him as his teacher on the path of bhakti.
Sanatana Goswami is the Sambandha Guru of our sampradaya. It is through his life and his teachings that we can receive the proper understanding and realizations of our relationship with Krishna. Devotees, over the centuries, visit his samadhi-mandir behind Sri Madanmohana temple begging and praying for his mercy. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved Guru Maharaj has so perfectly bestowed upon us the mercy of the lotus feet of ail our great acharyas, headed by Srila Sanatana Goswami. So let us pray with our hearts and souls that we can follow in the footsteps of these dear associates of the Lord and make our only aspiration in life to be the servant of the servant of their servants. As it has been said, the special paramount characteristic of Sanatana was humility, which is the essence of all of our devotion, "trnad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna amani na manadena kirtaniyah sada Hari." Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personally chose Sanatana Goswami to reveal this opulence and to teach the world. Let us pray to Him that we can truly be genuinely humble servants of the servants of His servants, free of all pride and desire for prestige, to chant the Holy Names of Lord Krishna - Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Srila Rupa Goswami
Today I was asked to speak something on the life of Srila Rupa Goswami. Our Sampradaya is called Rupanuga Sampradaya, which means that all devotees in our Sampradaya are meant to very carefully follow the teachings of Srila Rupa Goswami. Lord Krishna appeared 5000 years ago and spoke the Gita. The teachings of Bhagavad Gita are eternal i.e. without beginning or end. However, Krishna out of His causeless mercy and great compassion performed His wonderful pastimes and reiterated His divine Message for all the suffering souls within this world. 500 years ago that same Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all Avatars appeared in His original Transcendental nature as Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is considered to be the most munificent of all incarnations. The reason is that Krishna wanted to taste the sweet ecstasy of Srimati Radharani's love. Srimati Radharani is HIadini shakti, the pleasure potency of the Lord. It is from Her alone that Krishna derives all of His transcendental pleasure. Krishna wanted to experience the love of Radharani, so He appeared as Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with the complexion and the mood of devotion of Radharani. He wanted to give the same Love to anyone and everyone without discrimination through the propagation of the Yuga Dharma, which is the con-gregational chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare-Rama Ftama Rama Hare Hare
Lord Chaitanya personally wrote only eight Verses that we know today as the Siksastakam. However, He personally entrusted and empowered Srila Rupa Goswami to very carefully propagate through the writing of transcendental literatures, the very basics of His teachings. Srila Rupa Goswami's writings and his example is the inspiring force behind our sampradaya. Therefore His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada before pursuing the fulfillment of his Guru Maharaja, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur's, mission of spreading the teachings of Lord Chaitanya all over the world in the English language, lived in Radha Damodar Temple in order to be right beside the samadhi-mandir of Srila Rupa Goswami.
In Vaisnava culture, we understand that the personality is within his samadhi. It is a very forceful presence even after His disappearance. By praying and worshipping the great acharyas at their samadhi we can be fully confident that they hear our prayers and bestow their bJessings upon us. Srila Prabhupada would pray, everyday, at Srila Rupa Goswami's samadhi-mandir in Vrindavan to give Him the necessary potency to perform the extraordinary service of spreading Krishna Consciousness all overthe world. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Sri!a Rupa Goswami and told him to compile the instructions in the form of a book and practice them in his life- Srila Prabhupada began his writings of Srimad Bhagavatam just at the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Goswami. How important the blessings of Srila Rupa Goswami are for each and every one of us! How can we describe the glorious life of such a transcendental personality, who has descended from the spiritual world?
I am quite ashamed to even make such an attempt. But at the request of Vaishnavas I beg your permission to try, according to my small capacity. We are all insignificant. For someone so small as myself to describe the Lord's and his devotees' glories is like a bird trying to reach the limits of the sky! How far can we go? What justice can we do? However for our own purification we will make some attempt. In the Adi Lila of Chaitanya Charitamrita, Sri Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami explains that on the western side of the tree of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the 43^rd, 44^th, 45^th branches were Srila Sanatana Goswami, Srila Rupa Goswami and Anupama and they are the best of them all.

The Genealogy of Srila Rupa Goswami
Srila Jiva Goswami explains the genealogical history of Srila Rupa Goswami's family. Srila Rupa Goswami was born in the Saraswat brahman community in Karnataka in the Bharadwaja Gotra - the family line of the great rishi Bharadwaja Muni. In the 12^th century Sakabda era, there was a great King of Karnataka named Sarvagya Jagadguru. He was a Yajur Vedi, a great scholar of the Vedas. He was a brahmin and he had so much influence and power that even all the other kings would respect him. He had a son named Aniruddha Deva who was said to possess the spirit of Indra and the fame of Chandra, god of the moon. He was a great devotee and a great scholar of the Vedic literatures. Anirudha Deva had two sons the elder son was named Rupeshwar. He was famous for Ms great great learning of the scriptures. The younger son was named Hari Hara and he was a master of the art and science of weapons. Just after they were married. Anirudha Deva disappeared from this world and Hari Hara, the younger son, usurped the entire kingdom and took away all power and possessions from his older brother, Rupeshwar. So Rupeshwar and his wife boarded a chariot led by eight horses and traveled out of Karnataka towards Orissa and Bengal, where they settled down. They had a son named Padmanabha, who was very beautiful and virtuous and a very pure devotee of Lord Jagannath. Padmanabha decided to settle near the Ganga in a place called Namahatta. He performed a very great yajna and as a result he received 18 daughters and 5 sons. The youngest son was named Mukunda Deva. Mukunda Deva had several children. One of them, named Kumar Deva, was a very great devotee. He had some family problems, so he moved to Bangladesh to a place called Baklachandra dvipa. He also built a house in a place called Fatiabad, because many Vaishnavas lived there and he wanted to have their association. He married a very young and chaste lady, Revati Devi. From Kumar Dasa and Ftevati Devi several children were born. Three of whom are illustrious, the greatest among all Vaishnavas and whom we know as Srila Sanatana Goswami, Srila Rupa Goswami and Anupama.
It is said, at that time Santana Goswami was named Amara, Rupa Goswami was
Santosh and Anupama was Sri Vatlabha. They had physical beauty, mental clarity. natural compassion and love for every living being and an unlimited ocean of devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They were also the greatest of all scholars. They mastered Sanskrit, Arabic and all of the local languages. At that time, Bengal was under the Moghul rule and the emperor or the King was named Nawab Hussain Shah. His ministers told him, "If you want the Hindu population to be co-operative with you, you must have Rupa and Sanatana as your ministers." So he persuaded them by pressurizing them, "If you accept the positions of my ministers, 1 will protect you and give Vaishnavas and Hindus freedom. If you do not. I will persecute you and torture'all the Vaishnavas and Hindus alike."
So with this unfortunate burden upon their hearts Sanatana, Rupa and Sri Vallabha decided, out of compassion, that they must serve the king. They were such incredible ministers that the king made SanatansrSoswami the Prime Minister of Bengal and Rupa Goswami was made the Home Minister. He was so pleased with their efficiency and good nature that he accepted them as his own younger brothers and divided the entire kingdom with them. He gave them tremendous amounts of wealth. They settled in a place called Ramkeli and there they had constructed beautiful, opulent palaces. They had so much money and treasures but they always felt so ashamed and contaminated that they were serving the king. They were always in deep separation from Krishna and Vrindavan. They did not know what to do. They heard that Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had appeared and in their heart of hearts they had understood that he was Sri Krishna Himself. They wrote several letters to Him, asking Him, "We want to surrender our lives to your mission, to you, what should we do?" But they received no reply for some time.
In their natural devotion to Radha and Krishna they constructed within their estate, what they called Gupta Vrindavan or the hidden land of Vrindavan, a replica of Vrindavan. They constructed Syama Kunda and Radha Kunda and a beautiful forest called Kadamba Kanana. They also constructed many wonderful places depicting Krishna's lilas and would spend their days just roaming through Gupta Vrindavan in separation of Krishna. Immersed in thinking of his wonderful pastimes, they would simply cry in ecstatic love. They also installed a beautiful deity by the name Madan Mohan. Day and night they were immersed in thinking of Madan Mohan and worshipping Him with great love and devotion. They built an assembly house and in that house they would invite Vaisnavas and great scholars of Vedas from all over the country.
They were so loved and known by everyone that from all parts of this great country scholars and Vaisnavas would come, but especially those from Navadwipa dham. When they would come, Rupa and Sanatana and Anupam would respect them. It is described that when they would sit in the courts with all of these professors, they looked like Indra in the heavenly planets. They had such opulence and beauty that many people gathered around them, honoring and respecting them. Yet they were so humble that just by smiling at people they would completely capture their hearts. Rupa and Sanatana Goswami would love anyone who would come in contact with them and make that person more dear than their own lives. Even though they were so wealthy with such high positions they did not have even a grain of pride within their heart. They would get off their seats and very humbly honor and worship with the most intimate hospitality any guest, no matter who they were and what their status may have been. They would arrange nice facilities and build houses for them on the banks of the Ganges. They would spend so much of their money just to serve the devotees and their minds were fixed just on humbly serving. Recently, we went to Ramkeli and we bathed in Rupa Sagar and Sanatana Sagar. These are the two beautiful bathing places that Rupa and Sanatana excavated. They live in this way and accepted Sarvananda Vidya Vacaspati who was the brother of Srila Sarvabauma Bhattacharya, a pure, unalloyed devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as their spiritual guide. Vidyavacaspati would regularly come to Ramkeli to give instructions to Rupa, Sanatana and Sri Vallabha (Anupama).
Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu during his first (or actually His second) attempt to visit Vrindavan decided to take a route which was not at all on the way to Vrindavan, specifically because he wanted to give his mercy to Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. As Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was travelling from Kuliagram in Navadvipa towards Ramkeli hundreds and thousands of people followed Him wherever He went and He would induce everyone to raise their arms very high and very loudly chant the holy names of Krishna. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Ftama Rama Hare Hare
Whoever saw the beauty of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's dancing and whoever accepted his mercy in the form of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra would find their hearts swelling with uncontrollable ecstatic love for Krishna. When He came to Ramkeli there were huge crowds of people around him, all chanting and dancing. Ramkeli was the capital city of Nawab Hussain Shah, who did not bother the Hindus as long as they did not publicly enact any of their religious ceremonies, otherwise he was very cruel. If & person of a higher caste touched his shadow or even touched wind that had touched him, they would Jump in the Ganges to become purified. He was so cruel and wicked. However, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was fearlessly dancing and chanting, with hundreds and thousands and at times millions and millions of people through the village of Ramkeli. And the Nawab Hussain Shah heard that something was happening. A policeman came to him and said, "Someone has to come to our kingdom. He is beautiful, He has a complexion like resplendent gold. He has beautiful eyes like lotus petals, His neck is like that of a lion, His limbs are like an elephant's, He has a very thin waist and His eyebrows are like the bows of Kandarpa. And by His mere glance He is intoxicating people with the love of God. How He dances! He is constantly crying. I do not know how many rivers are flowing through his beautiful eyes! And His limbs are trembling, His hairs are standing on end and sometimes He shouts so loud it sounds like thunder and when He jumps in the air and falls to the ground, all the rocks and stones are broken into pieces yet his body which appears to be softer than butter is never harmed.
 This great prophet who has come to your kingdom has completely intoxicated everyone - the Hindus, the Muslims, everyone. With their arms raised, people are dancing in ecstasy and shouting the holy names of Krishna : Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
I have seen many sannyasis, babas and saintly persons of so many different religions but no one who has the power, the beauty and the influence of this person's love. I think that we are fortunate that he has come."
So the king decided to consult with Keshav Khan. He said "I heard that a sannyasi has come to our kingdom, do you know anything about him?" Keshav Khan replied, "Actually He is just a beggar. People are exaggerating His glories, He is just roaming from here to there, begging for some alms and a few people may be following him, but He is a very ordinary person." Keshav Khan said this because he knew who Lord Chaitanya was and he did not want the king to become envious.
Just by hearing the glories of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and without even seeing him, Nawab Hussain Shah's heart became so transcendentally affected, that he said to Keshav Khan, "What are you saying? Do you not know that who the Vedas call Krishna, and who the Kuran calls Allah, that same Supreme truth, the Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the ultimate worshipable object of everyone has come to our kingdom to give the love of God and you are calling him an ordinary person! This is a great offense. On this day I proclaim a law, that this sannyasi, this great prophet be allowed to dance and chant wherever he wants and he can preach anywhere. He shall not be disturbed in any way. I will personally torture and take that man's life who disturbs him - whether he be a Kazi, a policeman, or a politician . Let Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preach to his heart's content."
Then Nawab Hussain Shah called for Srila Rupa Goswami and asked him, "Do you know about this prophet who has come to our kingdom?" Rupa Goswami replied, "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is only by His mercy that you have this kingdom. Whatever success and opulence you have received, is only by His blessings. He is very favourable towards you and by His mercy you will be victorious where ever you go. But you are the king and the representative of • God, yet why are you asking me who he is? You should understand with your own mind." The Nawab Hussain Shah replied, "With my own mind, 1 have understood that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt about it."
Then Srita Rupa Goswami returned to his residence. He, Sanatana Goswami and Sri Vallabha contemplated on how to go to meet Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the dead of the night, they went to the place that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was performing his glorious kirtans with millions of people. Lord Chaitanya was dancing and chanting in a place where there is Tamal tree and a Kadamba tree. Millions of people singing and dancing in ecstasy for days and days. The devotees were thinking, "This is not sate because Nawab Hussain Shah could at any moment change his mind and he is very cruel. He has heard good things about the Lord. But if he hears bad things it is not good." So they sent a messenger to Lord Chaitanya, "There is no need for you to stay in the town of the king." When Lord Chaitanya would perform kirtans, He would be so absorbed in the Holy Name, that He would not speak to anyone. It could be anything, it did not matter what kind of emergency had arisen, he would not consider anything but Hari Nama. This was His absorption. The messenger stood there with the message, waiting for a moment to speak to the Lord, he waited all day and all night and finally he had to go. He passed on the message to Lord Caitanya's intimate associates. Even they could not give Him the message. Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu was simply dancing in ecstatic love, so beautifully with his arms raised, inducing all the millions of people of Ramkeli to chant the Holy Names of the Lord : Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Pama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
After some time Sri Gaurasundar read the hearts of the devotees, and stopped the kirtans. He said "Why are you afraid of this king? Whose power does the king imbibe? If 1 do not give him the power to speak he cannot even speak a word to Me, If I do not give him the power to walk he cannot come here. I have descended from the spiritual world to give the Holy name of Krishna and pure love of God to everyone and anyone wtio will accept it." And it was at Ramkeli that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, spoke the famous verse that we quote all the time "In every town and every village throughout the world, My name will be chanted." Then Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in response to the desire of Vaisnavas, stopped the kirtans and rested under a tamal tree.

Rupa and Sanatana meet Lord Chaitanya
In the dead of night, Rupa, Sanatana and Anupama came to the place of Chaitanya, incognito. They first met Lord Nityananda and Srila Haridas Thakur and after offering their most humble obeisances to these great souls, they revealed their hearts to them. Nityananda Prabhu and Haridas Thakur brought them to Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and introduced them. Rupa, Sanatana and Anupama took bunches of straw and placed it between their teeth. Then they wrapped cloths around their necks and fell like sticks to the ground offering dandavats and lay on the ground weeping and crying in total humility and surrender. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personally lifted them up.
The three brothers then began to speak, "You have descended, to deliver the most fallen. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but You will net find anyone so fallen as us. We are abominable, we are addicted to the most sinful activities and we are ashamed to stand before You. And even more ashamed to try to expiain how sinful we are, all we have is shame. We are more sinful and more fallen than even Jagai and Madhai. Although Jagai and Madhai may have been addicted to all types of sinful activities, they were great brahmins from Navadvip. And in the form of blaspheming You they chanted Your Holy Names and by that chanting of Your Holy Name, they easily became purified. However, Jagai and Madhai never performed the most sinful activity ot becoming the servants of Miechchas and Yavanas, but we are addicted to that. Our company is abominable, our service is abominable, our lives are bondemned. You have descended to deliver the most fallen- Please hear the one thing we would like to tell You. It is true that You will find no one more fallen than us. If You deliver us, Your fame for being Patit Pavana would spread throughout the universe. We have no qualifications to receive Your mercy. However like a dwarf that wants to capture the moon, we have no means of reaching you, but we hope. pray and beg for Your causeless mercy. Please accept us. Please allow us to surrender ourselves at Your lotus feet."
When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard the humility of Rupa and Sanatana, He began to cry in ecstasy and He embraced them and said. "Please stop speaking in this way. Your humility is breaking My heart." Then Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu again embraced them and placed His feet upon their heads. Lord Chaitanya said, "You are My old servants", Lord Chaitanya revealed to them that they were His eternal servants, "and today 1 give you the names Rupa. Sanatana and Anupama. Please, know that Krishna has heard your prayers and He will certainly deliver you. Always remember Krishna."
At that time Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis appealed to the Lord that it was not safe. living so close to Nawab Hussain Shah. They said, "He is a very dangerous and violent man. You are going to Vrindavan with so many hundreds and thousands of people. But Vrindavan is a solitary place and You would appreciate it if You go by Yourself or with one or two of your associates. Then placing His feet on the head of Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami and Anupama with great, great love, Lord Chaitanya left Ramkeli for Kanhai natashala.
In Kanhai natshala He thought, "It is very much like Vrindavan. The beautiful trees and forests appear just like those on the bank of the holy river Ganga." When Lord Chaitanya was in Kanhai natshala, he could feet the presence of Vrindavan and He was experiencing the ecstasy of the lila of Radha and Krishna. However, all the hundreds and thousands of people were breaking trees and making so much noise that Lord Chaitanya thought, "What Rupa and Sanatana told me is correct. I should go to Vrindavan alone or with one or two others." Then Lord Chaitanya proclaimed to his devotees, "1 will go back to Jagannath Puri."
When Lord Chaitanya met with Rupa and Sanatana at Ramkeli, Nityananda Prabhu , Haridas Thakur , Srivas Pandit , Gadadhar Pandit, Vakreshwar Pandit and Murari Gupta were also present, Rupa and Sanatana, on the order of Lord Chaitanya, fell at the lotus feet of these devotees and all of them embraced Rupa and Sanatana and blessed them. Lord Chaitanya requested all the Vaisnavas to shower their blessings on these great souls. When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannath Purl, he began to explain to all his devotees in Puri, "When 1 was in Ramkeli, I met two brothers and I have bestowed my most intimate mercy upon them because of their humility and pure devotional qualities."
After Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left, Rupa, Sanatana and Anupama decided, "We cannot take it any longer. We shall go to Vrindavan, which is Lord Caitanya's desire. We will give up our government services." So they hired two brahmins and paid them lots of money to perform various ritualistic ceremonies tor the purpose of getting the blessings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to escape from all their material entanglements. They were constantly immersed in reading Srimad Bhagavatam and having beautiful kirtan of the Holy Names of Krishna. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Rupa Goswami leaves Government service
Rupa Goswami took all his treasures and wealth and loaded them into boats. He and his younger brother, Anupama, left for their ancestral home at Fatiabad, where they distributed their wealth. Srila Prabhupada explains that the way they distributed their wealth is the exemplary process by which grihasthas should also distribute their wealth. They sent two messengers to Jagannath Puri because they heard that Lord Chaitanya was going on another trip to Vrindavan and they wanted to join Him. These messengers went to Jagannath Puri to find out what Lord Caitanya's plan was. They came back and said, "Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has already left for Vrindavan." Rupa Goswami and Anupama immediately decided to go and wrote a letter to Srita Sanatana Goswami. Sanatana Goswami being the Prime Minister felt obliged to stay on for some time. Nawab Hussain Shah had much love and affection for Sanatana Goswami. The Goswamis were dear to both the gentle and the ruffians. Even the most terrible, violent, hateful demons loved Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. Rupa Goswami sent a letter that said "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has gone to Vrindavan. Anupama and I are immediately leaving to join Lord Chaitanya in Vrindavan. You should come to us as soon as you can. Meet us in Vrindavan. If you require help, 1 have left 10,000 gold coins for you."
Meanwhile, Sanatana Goswami stopped going to his office and would Just stay at home reading and chanting Srimad Bhagavatam all day with many great devotees. Nawab Hussain Shah came to his home and when he saw him, he said, "You said you were sick. You are not sick. You are just studying Srimad Bhagavatam ail day. Whal about all the duties I have given you? Your elder brother (referring to himself) is very fond of going out and killing and he needs your help."
Sanatana Goswami said, "I will not help, 1 resign. You cannot count on me for any service, you can punish me in any way you like." So Nawab Hussain Shah put him in prison. But by the arrangement of Rupa Goswami he was able to bribe the prison guard with the gold coins and he was freed from the prison.

Lord Chaitanya meets Rupa Goswami at Prayag
Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahapraohu went to Vrindavan and on His way back, stopped at the holy place. Prayag, often called Prayagraj, considered within Vedic literatures the king of holy places. This is the place where the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati converge and there is the Magha mela and Kumbha mela. When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Prayag it was month of Magh i.e. January-February and although these two big powerful rivers, Ganga &Yamuna, meet here they were never able to flood the city of Prayag. But Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, leading the masses of hundreds and thousands and millions of people in kirtan flooded Prayag with the ocean of Krishna Prema. He inundated everyone. Rupa Goswami and Anupama were travelling to Vrindavan, but when they came to Prayag all of a sudden they heard millions and millions of people very loudly chanting the Holy name of Sri Krishna: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
They went to the temple of Veni Madhava and at that temple before the beautiful deity of Shri Veni Madhava, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu with his beautiful golden form, arms extending below his knees, was dancing in ecstatic love, weeping and crying and calling out to everyone "Please chant the holy names of Krishna...." Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
There were tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, millions, countless people chanting and dancing and staring with fixed attention at the beautiful golden form of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Some were crying, some were rolling on the ground, some were lumping, some were offering obeisances to each other. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inundated everyone with Krishna Prema-
From a distance Rupa Goswami and Anupama offered their prostrated obeisances to the Lord. After some time, a Deccan Brahmana approached Lord Chaitanya and invited him to his house for prasad. Lord Chaitanya ended the kirtan and went to this brahman's house and there he sat in a secluded place. Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Anupama came and they saw him there all alone. From a little distance, they put clumps of straw in their teeth and bowed down to offer their obeisances. When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw them he called them, "Please come Rupa Goswami, please come Anupama" and again He embraced them and placed His lotus feet on their heads. He asked Rupa Goswami "Where is your brother, Sanatana Goswami? Tell me about him." Rupa Goswami replied that he had been arrested and is now in the prison of Nawab Hussain Shah. Rupa Qoswami said, "If you give him your blessings only then can he be rescued." Lord Chaitanya said, "He has already been freed from the prison by mercy of Lord Krishna and soon you will meet him agam."
Lord Chaitanya bestowed His great blessings upon them and then Balabhadra Bhattacharya, who was the servant of Lord Chaitanya, gave the remnants of Lord Caitanya's prasad to Rupa Goswami and Anupama. After taking prasad Lord Chaitanya decided to reside close to the confluence of the two rivers, Ganga and Yamuna. Rupa Goswami and Anupama decided to make their residence right beside Lord Caitanya's. One day a very great and famous devotee and scholar Vallabha Bhatta came to Lord Caitanya's residence. Understanding Lord Caitanya's supremely exalted position, he worshipped Lord Chaitanya and invited Him to his home in a village called Adaila, across on the other bank of Yamuna. Rupa Goswami and Anupama offered their prostrated obeisances to Vallabha Bhatta from a distance. When Vallabha Bhatt saw them he went to greet them and they started to run away. They said, "No, no we are sinful, we are most condemned. We are the most fallen and contaminated. You should not touch us."
When Lord Chaitanya saw the genuine humility of Rupa Goswami and Anupama, He was very pleased, and He said to Vallabha Bhat, "What they are saying is correct;
you should not touch them because you are a very high caste brahmin and an aristocrat. If you touch them, you will become polluted." Vallabha Bhatta said, "They are constantly chanting the names of Krishna, this I can see, therefore they are exalted. Even if one, who is born in the lowest family of chandalas, chants the Holy names o' Krishna, he is better than a Brahmana. He can become a guru and he can deliver the whole universe. But if one born in the Brahmin family does not chant the holy names he cannot deRver even himself." Upon seeing their incredible humility and devotior;
Vallabha Bhatt began to glorify Rupa and Anupama.
Then they decided to go across the Yamuna to Adaila. On the boat were Sr, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Balabhadra Bhattacharya, Srila Rupa Goswami and S' Anupama. When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saw the beautiful dark waters of the hoi Yamuna, he immediately became intoxicated with the thoughts of Radha and Krishna. He just made a tumultuous sound» began to just cry out and then He jumped into the river and felt unconscious. There was a great commotion. All the devotees in the boat somehow or the other jumped into the river, dragged Him and put Him back on the boat
The Lord came to consciousness and upon seeing the beautiful waters of the Yamuna - the liquid nectar of Bhakti - began to chant the Holy Names, raising his arms very high and dancing in ecstasy. When Mahaprabhu would dance, He could sometimes in ecstatic love be lighter than a cotton swab and sometimes when they would touch the ground, each ot His feet would be heavier than the universe. As Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing and dancing this little boat started rocking back and forth, back and forth and as it was rocking, more and more water was filling the boat. The boat was practically filled with water and was on the verge of sinking. The devotees did not know what to do. Finally Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, out of His causeless mercy, stopped dancing, He restrained Himself and just before the boat sank it reached the shore. There Sri Vallabha Bhatta worshipped the Lord with much puja paraphernalia and honored him and gave him nice prasad. He gave the remnants to Srila Rupa Goswami and Shri Anupama. Vallabha Bhatta decided "1 will not take Gauranga Mahaprabhu back across the Yamuna. 1 will take Him across the Ganga, where He would not be quite so ecstatic."
There were many people at the confluence of Prayag because it was the month of Magha and it was very crowded. So Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took Sri Rupa Goswami and Sri Anupama to a secluded place, Dasashwamedh Ghat. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sat down with Srila Rupa Goswami and decided to impart the essence of all transcendental knowledge into his heart. But before speaking, Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami explains, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personally entered into the heart of Srila Rupa Goswami to give him the power to fully understand and realize everything. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Rupa Goswami for 10 days at Dasashvamedha Ghat.

Lord Chaitanya instructs Rupa Goswami
He said, "My dear Rupa Goswami, devotional service to Krishna is like an unlimited ocean. And I am going to make an attempt to describe to you a portion of one drop of that ocean of bhakti. There are 8.4 millions species within the material universe. There are innumerable universes. To achieve the rare fortune of the human birth is very. very special. However, in this human life most people are uncivilized, which means that they do not follow the principles of religion. Of those of who follow the principles of religion many are just following the path of Karma Kanda, which means that they are worshipping some demigod or gods for the purpose of material benefits. It is very rare to find even one who strives for the transcendental state of consciousness. And among those who are aspiring to go beyond this material world are many impersonalists who strive for liberation. It is very rare to find even a single devotee of the Lord and only such a pure devotee can achieve real spiritual happiness. Every other state of consciousness and every other fulfillment of goals of religion is superficial or artificial. It is the nature of the soul to love Krishna because the soul's constitutional position is as the eternal servant of Krishna. After evolving through many universes and many species of life one gets the mercy of Krishna and he is most fortunate when he or she meets a bonafide spiritual master. Through the mercy of the spiritual master, the bhakti lata biia, the seed of devotion is planted within the heart. One must be very careful to protect and nourish that seed. We must nourish the seed by watering it through the process of hearing the glories, the pastimes and teachings of the Lord through his devotees and by constantly chanting the Holy Names of Krishna.
As we are watering the seed of devotion, we must be very conscientious because many weeds will grow along with that seed of bhakti. If those weeds get too much strength, they will choke the growth of the original creeper of bhakti. And what are those weeds? Desire for profit, desire for adoration, false pride, lust, envy, anger, greed. As soon as one sees these weeds we, the gardener, must be very careful to uproot them. We must build a little fence around that tender creeper of devotion by living a very pure life - no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat eating. But the greatest danger to the survival of the seed of devotion is hasti aparadh, the mad elephant offence, which is, when you offend a Vaisnava. Offence to a Vaisnava is like letting a big, mad elephant into your garden. He will leave everything in shambles. Therefore, as we are watering the seed of devotion through hearing and chanting and engaging in nine processes of devotional service, we must be very careful to always honor and respect the devotees and never offend them.
As the seed grows through the chanting of the Holy Names and service to the Vaisnavas the creeper pierces through all the layers of material existence, goes beyond this earth, beyond the heavenly planets, beyond Brahma loka and even beyond the viraja which is the border between the spiritual and material worlds. Then it enters into the Brahma jyoti, the spiritual sky. The gardener continues to offer the water of hearing and chanting and the process of devotional service and the creeper grows up to the Vaikuntha planets, and beyond all the Vaikuntha planets to Goloka Vrindavan, the topmost of all attainments in spiritual life. There that creeper approaches the beautiful lotus feet of Lord Krishna and then bears fruit - that fruit is Krishna prema, pure, unmo-tivated, uninterrupted love for the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. When Krishna accepts that fruit then the gardener drinks the ambrosia! juice and is eternally satisfied."
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began to explain to Srila Rupa Goswami, in great details, the science of devotional service, the difference between aisvarya bhava of Vaikuntha and the madhurya bhava of Goloka Vrindavan, the superior position of Krishna over all other manifestations of Godhead. He also explained the various rasas: the rasa of neutrality, dasya rasa, how to become a perfect and pure servant of Krishna. How one can elevate one's consciousness to Sakhya rasa, being the intimate loving friend of Krishna and elevated above that is Vatsalya rasa where you love Krishna just as a parent loves his child and the ultimate of all spiritual perfection is the madhurya rasa or the conjugal love of gopis.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained all of these things and then He told Srila Rupa Goswami, "Now I want you to expand them and write literatures. ! want you to go to Vrindavan" then He embraced Rupa Goswami and bathed him with His own tears. The next morning Chaitanya Mahaprabhu decided to go to Varanasi and Rupa Goswami started to follow him but Lord Chaitanya turned to him and Rupa Goswami appealed to him, "Please, I cannot bear separation from you. Let me come to Varanasi with you." But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I have given you a service. Now you go to Vrindavan search out,the holy places of Krishna's beautiful pastimes, excavate those holy places and make Vrindavan a holy place of pilgrimage. Construct temples and conduct beautiful deity worship. Discover the ancient deities that are lying hidden in Vrindavan and install them in your temples, teach the world the Vrindavan way of worship and write transcendental literatures. With the knowledge I have given you, extract the essence of pure, unalloyed devotion from all the various Vedic literatures and scriptures and expand the cult of unalloyed devotion of Vrindavan to the whole world. By your own personal behavior and through your writings establish the proper etiquette that Vaisnavas should live by."
Lord Chaitanya gave to Srila Rupa Goswami these four instructions and then sent him to Vrindavan. After giving this order to Rupa Goswami Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu boarded on a boat, which was going to Varanasi. Srila Rupa Goswami could not even conceive how he would live in separation from the Lord and fell to the ground, unconscious, A Deccan Brahmin somehow or the other picked him up and brought him to his house. Upon recovering Srila Rupa Goswami and Sri Anupama departed for Vrindavan.

Subuddhi Raya
When they arrived in Vrindavan, they met an old friend called Subuddhi Raya. Subuddhi Raya was a very powerful landowner in Bengal. He was a very generous person and also a very great devotee. He actually loved and cared for his servant just like his own son. One day the servant, on his order, was excavating a lake and he made a mistake. Servants often make mistakes. Subuddhi Raya hit him with a whip to teach him properly and thus made a scar on his body. Later on, that servant became Nawab Hussain Shah. The Muslim emperor appointed him as the King of Bengal. One day his wife saw that there was a scar on his body which was interfering with her sense gratification and asked him "What happened to you?" He explained that "Subuddhi Raya was my previous master, he was so nice to me, he was like my father, but I made a bad mistake and so he punished me." The wife became very angry, "He must die. You must kill him." He replied, "I cannot kill him. I love him. He is like my..."She interrupted, "You must kill him". He continued, "He is like my father." She persisted. "You must do what I want you to do."
What do you do when your wife is like that? You cannot live with her and you cannot live without her! This is the ongoing dilemma. Of course, the wife thinks the same thing about her husband too! Well. It was decided and agreed upon by his wife that to cause him to lose his caste is worse than death. So Nawab Hussain Shah took water that was used by a Muslim and from that pot he sprinkled some drops on Subuddhi Raya. In those days, the Hindu caste system was so strong that if water from a Muslim's pot touches you, you "become an outcaste and you are not allowed in any temples, perform any Hindu rituals, no one will touch you, or even associate with you. So he did not know what to do.
He went to Varanasi, approached many pandits and Brahmins and asked "Someone sprinkled water from a Muslim's pot on my head. What should I do?" So various brahmins came together and began to research and came to the conclusion, 'There is only one auspicious thing for you to do. You should drink burning hot ghee and then you will die. But because you died due to drinking pure cow's ghee, you will take your next birth as a Hindu." So he asked other Brahmins in Varanasi, and they said, "No, no you don't have to drink hot ghee." He kept getting different opinions. Everyone he asked gave a different opinion. While Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was in Varanasi he approached Lord Chaitanya and told Him the whole story. Lord Chaitanya said, "Just go to Vrindavan and chant the Holy names of Krishna, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Subuddhi Raya gave up everything and immediately went to Vrindavan. There he was always chanting the Holy names of Krishna and worshipping Lord Gauranga in his heart of hearts. He was such a humble devotee. He would always be in the mood of serving devotees. He would spend hours everyday in the forest collecting pieces of dry wood that were laying on the ground. Then he would sell it in Mathura and get little money. Whenever the devotees of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu from Bengal came to Vrindavan they usually had a stomach disorder. Bengalis are accustomed to eating rice, but in Vrindavan when you beg you get only rotis, no rice, so they would have bad stomachs. He would buy yogurt or dahi and help them to cure their stomach ailments. Subuddhi Raya would also buy mustard oil and give them massages. He would somehow find some nice residence for them, and serve the devotees with much humility, devotion and care. He would love to take them on parikrama to the 12 forests of Vrindavan. Srila Rupa Goswami was greeted by Subuddhi Raya. Rupa Goswami stayed for one month in Vrindavan. During that one month Subuddhi Raya took him to all 12 forests and showed him the wonderful places of Krishna's pastimes.
While Srila Rupa Goswami was in Vrindavan an idea came to his mind, "I will write a drama and in that drama I will describe the beautiful pastimes of Krishna in Vrindavan and Dwarka." Then he decided he should go to find Srila Sanatana Goswami- So he left Vrindavan and Subuddhi Raya to go to Puri to see Lord Chaitanya, Actually in Prayag Lord Chaitanya had said to Rupa Goswami, "You go to Vrindavan and see Sanatana Goswami.   Later on along with Anupama you come to Puri to meet Me."
So on Lord Caitanya's order he was going to Puri along with Anupama. And they traveled by the road along the bank of the Ganges. Meanwhile, Sriia Sanatana Goswami had met Lord Chaitanya in Varanasi. For two months Lord Chaitanya instructed Sanatana Goswami and then sent him to Vrindavan. Before coming to Varanasi, Sanatana Goswami had traveled through forests and hilly roads because he was an escaped prisoner. But after meeting Him, Lord Chaitanya said, "Go to Vrindavan you have nothing to fear." Sanatana Goswami's faith in Mahaprabhu's word was so great that he just went by the main road to Vrindavan. But Rupa Goswami went by the Ganges road, thinking that Sanatana would take that route, so they crossed each other and did not meet. When Rupa Goswami came to Varanasi he could not believe what he saw. The whole city of Varanasi, the capital of the Mayavadis, was dancing in ecstatic love with their arms raised high in the same way Lord Chaitanya taught them and all throughout Varanasi was the resonant sound vibration of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra^ Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
He stayed at the house of Chandrashekhar, who was one of the intimate associates of Lord Chaitanya, in Varanasi. There Rupa Goswami heard the news that Prakashananda Saraswati and all his thousands of disciples became Vaisnavas by Lord Caitanya's mercy. Rupa Goswami was filled with bliss. He stayed in Varanasi for 10 days. Then he traveled to Bengal.
When he reached Bengal, his beloved brother Anupama passed away from this world. Srila Rupa Goswami performed all of the necessary rituals for his brother Anupama and this caused delay in his travels. It was his desire to meet devotees of Bengal and travel to Puri with them. The devotees headed by Advaita Acarya, Srivas Thakur, Shivananda Sen, Murari Gupta and all others would come to Puri every year for Caturmasya (4 months). But when Rupa Goswami went to their place, they had already left. So he went alone. When he reached Orissa, he came to a village called Satyabhama Pur and he decided to rest at night there. As he was resting a beautiful goddess appeared in his dream and told him "You should not write Krishna's Dwarka lila and Vrindavan lila in one play. You should divide it into two plays. If you do this, your drama will be a great success by my blessings." Then Rupa Goswami woke up and he understood that this was Satyabhama, one of the principal queens of Lord Krishna, who had instructed him.

Rupa Goswami at Jagannath Puri
When Srila Rupa Goswami reached Jagannath Puri. he first went to the bhajan kutir of Srila Haridas Thakur. Srila Haridas Thakur had heard the glories of Srila Rupa Goswami from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and had already met him at Ramkeli. So they were already intimate associates. Haridas Thakur and Rupa Goswami offered obeisances to each other and embraced with great, great love. Srila Rupa Goswami asked, "Where is Lord Chaitanya?" And Just then, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to the residence of Haridas Thakur. In fact, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would go to the house of Haridas Thakur every single day. There were three very great devotees:
Haridas Thakur, Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. Whenever Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami were at Puri they would stay at Haridas Thakur's place, under the Siddha Bakula tree. Because Haridas Thakur was born in a miechcha family, and Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis were known as servants of the King of Miecchas, they considered themselves to be unqualified to enter the temple of Lord Jagannath. It is the social custom, even today, that people of this class are not allowed in the temple. Rupa, Sanatana and Haridas Thakur did not want to agitate social customs. So they refused to enter or even make an attempt to go to Jagannath's temple. But Lord Chaitanya gava them a place very close to the temple where they could see the chakra and worship it because it is not different from Jagannath Himself. Lord Jagannath would come out cf the temple in the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and personally give His blessings to Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami and Haridas Thakur everyday and bring Jagannath's prasad. When Lord Chaitanya arrived, Rupa Goswami offered his prostrated obeisances in great, great affection. Haridas Thakur said, "This is Srila Rupa Goswami. He has come."
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu embraced him with great love and placed His feet on the head of Srila Rupa Goswami and asked him, "Where is Sanatana?" Rupa Goswami replied, "1 have not yet seen him. I came by the Ganges road, but he went by the main road. So we missed each other. He has gone to Vrindavan." Rupa Goswami then told Lord Chaitanya about the disappearance of Anupama. Anupama was such a great devotee. He was a devotee of Lord Ramachandra. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu reciprocated with him in His mood of Sri Rama. In the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami, he mentions his beloved brother Anupama. Anupama was a great and pure devotee of Lord Ramachandra. He saw Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as his beloved Lord Rama Himself.
After Lord Chaitanya blessed Rupa Goswami, he went to take bath in the ocean. The next day Lord Chaitanya brought all his intimate associates and introduced Rupa Goswami to each of those devotees. Srila Rupa Goswami was so humble he just prostrated his body with sincere devotion at the feet of each devotee and worshipped them. And each devotee, their hearts melted so much by his humility, just lifted him up and embraced him. Lord Chaitanya told Rupa Goswami "to worship and take the dust of the feet of all these devotees" and then he told all the devotees "Please give your blessing to Rupa Goswami. Bless him and empower him to spread the mission of pure bhakti all over the world." When the devotees saw how much mercy Lord Chaitanya was showing Rupa Goswami they were blissful. A sincere devotee derives the greatest bliss in life when he or she sees another devotee getting special mercy of Guru. Gauranga and the Vaisnavas.
The devotees celebrated the Gundicha Marjana Festival. They cleansed the Gundicha temple and afterwards they sat in the garden. And then with no provocation, Lord Chaitanya said to Rupa Goswami, "Do not try to take Krishna out of Vrindavan. Yadukumara and Sri Nandanandana may be the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, but They are in different moods. Krishna in His original form of Shri Nandanandana, never leaves Vrindavan to go anywhere else. You should write separate dramas." When Rupa Goswami heard this, he understood that Lord Chaitanya, who was the all-pervading, all-cognizant Supersoul in everyone's heart, was confirming what Satyabhama had already said.
Some days after that, was the Ratha-yatra, where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and all His devotees from both Orissa and Bengal, gathered together to celebrate the beautiful procession of Balarama, Subhadra and Jagannatha through the main street of Puri, from Jagannatha mandir to Gundicha mandir. As the Ratha yatra was taking place, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became immersed in the ecstatic love of Srimati Radharani in separation from Krishna. The same spirit of devotional ecstasy that Srimati Radharani experienced when She met Lord Krishna in Kurukshetra after years and years of separation, was being manifested by Lord Chaitanya. Srila Knshnadas Kaviraja Goswami, in the Madhya-lila of Sri Chaitanya-caritamrta, explains in extraordinary details the intricacies of the reciprocation between Lord Chaitanya in the mood of Srimati Radharani and Lord Jagannath during the parade. During that parac'e Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was expressing his own heart in a prayer which no on.-.* except Svarupa Damodar Goswami could understand. And that prayer was, "That very personality, who stole away my heart, during my youth, is now again my master. These are the same moonlit nights in the month of Chaitra, the same fragrance of malati flowers is there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forests. In our intimate relationship I am also the same lover, yet my mind is not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the bank of the Reva under the Vetasi tree. That is my desire."
This is a prayer that appears to be the expression of an ordinary boy who is in love with an ordinary girl. And as Lord Chaitanya was singing this prayer, devotees could not understand. But, after seeing the wonderful dancing of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and contemplating the nectar of this prayer, Srila Rupa Goswami wrote a commentary on that prayer, by writing another verse explaining very clearly what Lord Caitanya's heart was experiencing.
He wrote this on a palm leaf then he put it on the roof of the thatched hut of Haridas Thakur, where he lived, and went to the ocean to take his bath. While he was away, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to visit Srila Rupa Goswami. Lord Chaitanya saw this palm leaf in the roof, so He took it and read it. The contents were as follows— This is a verse spoken by Srimati Radharani "My dear friend, now 1 have met my very old and dear friend Krishna in this field of Kurukshetra. I am the same Radharani and now we are meeting together. It is very pleasant, but still I would like to go to the bank of the Yamuna, beneath the trees of the forest there. 1 wish to hear the vibrations of His sweet flute playing the fifth note, within the forest of Vrindavan."
When Lord Chaitanya read this, He became filled with ecstasy of love of God. His ecstasy was beyond His control, and Just when He was experiencing this nectar, Srila Rupa Goswami returned, and offered his obeisances at Lord Caitanya's lotus feet. And Lord Chaitanya, in great love, picked up Rupa Goswami and mildly slapped him and said "How? How did you understand the innermost intentions of my mind?" Rupa Goswami did not speak anything.
Then Lord Chaitanya took that palm leaf and went back to His own residence, the Gambhira, and showed it to Svarupa Damodara Goswami. When Svarupa Damodara Goswami read it, he was struck with wonder. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked, "How does he know the innermost feelings of my heart?" Svarupa Damodara Goswami replied, "I can understand that You have bestowed Your causeless mercy upon him and that has empowered him to do so." Lord Chaitanya said, "Yes. When I met Rupa Goswami at Prayag and I witnessed his wonderful humble qualities, I embraced him, and upon embracing him 1 invested within him My own power of love. 1 saw him as a fit candidate to reveal to the world the transcendental mysteries of .Vrindavan, in Krishna consciousness. Now, please, instruct Srila Rupa Goswami in more and more details of Krishna consciousness."
The four months of the rainy season had passed and all the Bengali devotees had returned to their respective services, but Srila Rupa Goswami stayed in Puri, and intimately associated with Lord Chaitanya and all of the devotees.
One day, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Srita Rupa Goswami's kutir, sat down with them and asked Rupa Goswami, "What book are you writing?" Then Lord Chaitanya picked up the palm leaf that Srila Rupa Goswami had just written on and was struck with great pleasure to see the handwriting of Rupa Goswami. He said, 'The handwriting of Srila Rupa Goswami is like rows of pearls". Then He read the verse out loud, "1 do not know how much nectar, the two syllables— Krish and na have produced. When the holy name of Krishna dances on the tongue, 1 desire many tongues, and when it enters into the ears, I desire millions and millions of ears, and when that holy name enters into my heart, it conquers my life, and my senses become inert." As Lord Chaitanya read that verse. Srila Haridas Thakur—the namacarya was filled with bliss. He started screaming out, and dancing in transcendental ecstasy. He had never heard such a glorification of the holy name. Haridas was dancing and dancing and loudly crying out the holy names of Krishna— Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
After showering His blessings on Rupa Goswami, Lord Chaitanya departed. The next day the Lord met with Ramanandaraya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and other of His most intimate and most learned associates and took them all to Rupa Goswami and Haridas Thakur's residence. As He was walking with these devotees, Sri Chaitanyc Mahaprabhu was glorifying Rupa Goswami as if He had five mouths! The devotees were in so much bliss hearing the Lord glorify His devotee. When they all arrived, Rup. Goswami, Haridas Thakur fell and offered their obesiances at the lotus feet of all thesi Vaishnavas, and the devotees embraced them. They gave Lord Chaitanya and His intimate associates an elevated seat, and then they sat on a lower platform. Lord Chaitanya, Ramanandraya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya — all were saying, "Please sit with us". But Rupa and Haridas said, "No. We are too fallen- We are only your servants, we do not deserve to sit with you." Lord Chaitanya asked Srila Rupa Goswami to read, for the pleasure of all the devotees, that beautiful verse on the palm leaf that He had found on the roof that day. Rupa Goswami was too humble and embarrassed to read it, Again and again, Lord Chaitanya and the devotees said, "Please read that verse." But due to embarrassment and his natural humility, he could not read it. Then Lord Chaitanya gave it to Svampa Damodara Goswami and he read the verse of Srimati Radharani speaking to her friend, expressing her mood of separation from Vrindavan in her meeting with Lord Krishna in the field of Kurukshetra. Upon hearing this wonderful, wonderful composition of Srila Rupa Goswami, all the devotees began to celebrate his good fortune.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, on this particular day, established one of the most important historical incidents within our sampradaya. He had the most proficient, advanced and intimate of His associates, testing Rupa Goswami, in his literary works. After saying this verse, Lord Chaitanya turned to Ramanandaraya and said, "How is it that Rupa Goswami could understand what is in my heart?" And Ramanandaraya said, "It is because You have bestowed your mercy on him." He said, "You did the same thing to me. When we met on the bank of the Godavari, in Vidyanagar, You spoke so many elevated topics of the loving relations of Radha and Krishna, through my mouth."
Lord Chaitanya agreed that —"1 have given my full heart's mercy to Rupa Goswami to reveal to the world my inner desire." Then Srila Ramananda Raya began to test Rupa Goswami. He asked him, because he was a great poet, "Please read to us your introductory verse." Rupa Goswami read the beautiful verse, comparing the sweetness of, Krishna, His name and pastimes to the most ambrosial sweetmeats—'shikharani'. And he desired that, that all loving, all beautiful reservoir of all sweetness, Krishna, bestow His blessings on all. Ramananda Raya continued to ask many, many technical and intricate questions about Rupa Goswami's writings and every time Rupa Goswami would answer, the devotees would be in bliss. Then Lord Chaitanya said, "Rupa, please read that sloka, which destroys the unhappiness of all living beings when they hear the verse." But again Rupa Goswami was ashamed to read it. After being coaxed again and again, he read that verse, which Lord Chaitanya loved so dearly, "I do not know how much nectar, the two syllables—Krish-na have produced. When that name dances on the tongue, 1 desire many, many tongues, and when that name of Krishna enters my ears, I desire millions and millions of ears, when that name enters through the ears into my heart, it conquers my heart, and my senses become inert".
Upon hearing this, all the assembled devotees began to celebrate, "We have never, ever heard from all the scriptures, any verse that so sweetly describes the glories of the holy name, as what Rupa Goswami has composed."
Lord Chaitanya, after Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was the greatest of all philosophers. Ramanandaraya, the greatest of all authorities in the transcendental rasa of the loving affairs of Radha and Krishna, Svarupa Damodara Goswami. the greatest of all scholars ot proper Vaishnava composition, of what is rasa-abhasa and what is authoritative on the basis of scripture, Haridas Thakur, the namacharya—the Greatest authority of chanting ot the holy name. all these devotees were assembled. After all of them heard the writings ot Rupa Goswami. they unanimously agreed that he has received the most intimate blessings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Ramanandaraya asked, "Please read the verse of you. glorifying your worshipable deity." Rupa Goswami read the beautiful verse, of how the Supreme Lord Krishna has appeared from the womb of Saci devi, to distribute to the world the most intimate mellows of Vrindavan love of the Gopis. May that Lord bestow His mercy upon all of us. When He heard that verse Lord Chaitanya became very angry externally, although internally He was very happy. He said, "What have you done? Your composition is like. an ocean of nectar and this verse is like a drop of poisonous alkali which has ruined everything." 
Srila Ramananda Raya said, "No, my Lord, it is not like that. His verses are like highly condensed milk in an ocean of nectar and this is like a pinch of camphor, to enhance the ecstatic pleasure." Lord Chaitanya was embarrassed, but the devotees were very pleased. After hearing and examining Srila Rupa Goswami, Ramananctaraya said, "This is not poetry. This is a continuous shower of nectar". Then Lord Chaitanya asked ail the assembled devotees to bless and empower Srila Rupa Goswami to fill the world with literature, describing the pure teachings of Krishna-prema and Krishna consciousness. And all of the devotees bestowed their mercy on Srila Rupa Goswami. Srila Rupa Goswami was often called the Rasacarya. On that day it was proclaimed that Srila Rupa Goswami was the very embodiment, the personification of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's love and mercy. And therefore we are called — ' Rupanugas '.
Srila Rupa Goswami remained in Jagannatha Puri with Lord Chaitanya for ten months. After the Dola-yatra festival, Lord Chaitanya sent him to perform his four important missions in Vrindavan. He embraced Rupa Goswami and told him to receive the mercy of all the devotees. After worshipping each and every Vaishnava and worshipping Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Rupa Goswami returned to Vrindavan. On his way he stopped in Bengal for twelve months. Travelling through the Jharikhanda forests, Sanatana Goswami arrived in Puri ten days after Rupa Goswami left. Lord Chaitanya told Sanatana Goswami, "Rupa Goswami just left." They were always trying to meet, but by the mercy of the Lord, somehow or the other they were always on different roads.

Activities of Srila Rupa Goswami in Vrindavan
After some years when Srila Rupa Goswami finally returned to Vrindavan, he met with Sanatana Goswami. Both Rupa and Sanatana Goswami brought many scriptures to Vrindavan with them, because their service to Lord Chaitanya was to extract the nectar of devotion from each of those scriptures. The way they lived in Vrindavan was perfect and exemplary. When the devotees of Bengal would go to Vrindavan, or On'ssa, and when they would return, everybody would ask, "Did you see Rupa and Sanatana? How are they living? Where are they sleeping? What are they eating? Please tell us. What are their activities?" And these devotees would become filled with bliss just thinking of Rupa and Sanatana. 'They are living in Vrindavan with no fixed residence, they have left the huge beautiful palaces of the Prime-Minister, with many servants, much treasure, and the many luxuries of life. They sleep under one tree one niyht and under a different tree another night, on the hard, cold ground of Vrindavan. They go begging for their food from door to door of the Brahmins. Sometimes they get some dry bread and sometimes some fried chick-peas. They have no other possessions except a water pot. And as far as their clothes go, they have given up all their luxurious garments and only wear torn, discarded quilts. Practically twenty-four hours a day, they are chanting the Holy Names and they are dancing in ecstasy. In fact, they are so immersed in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, that at the most they sleep one and a half hours a day. And on some days they are so engrossed in chanting the t^are Krishna maha-mantra, they don't even find time to sleep. They are absorbed in writing transcendental literatures expounding the pure teachings of Lord Chaitanya and their hearts are always absorbed in the remembrance of the Lord and discussing the mercy of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is how Rupa and Sanatana are living in Vrindavan." Upon hearing about these activities, which are beyond human capabilities, everyone would become filled with bliss, honoring and worshipping the feet of Sri Rupa and Sanatana within the cores of their hearts.
Srila Rupa Goswami was so completely committed to fulfilling the orders Lord Chaitanya had given him that he and Sanatana roamed throughout Vrindavan to reveal and excavate the holy places of Krishna's important pastimes. But still Rupa Goswami was not happy. One day he sat on the banks of the Yamuna in an ocean of lamentation because he could not find Sri Govindadeva, the prominent deity of Vrindavan. The scriptures revealed that this deity was installed by Vajranabh, the great-grandson of Lord Krishna and it was somewhere in Vrindavan. He was hidden. Rupa Goswami searched everywhere, he studied many books, he was desperately looking for the Govinda deity, because he knew it was Lord Caitanya's desire. He went here and there, he even went to the houses of practically all the Vrajavasi's to see if Govinda-deva was being worshipped in any of them. But despite all his attempts Govinda-deva did not reveal Himselt. Rupa Goswami would sit day after day on the bank of the Yamuna in lamentation, praying to the Lord, "Please reveal to me where you are hiding".
One day a Vrajavasi came and sat beside Srila Rupa Goswami. This Vrajavasi was a beautiful cowherd boy. He asked Rupa Goswami, "Why do you look so sad?" Rupa Goswami was attracted by the beauty and the charm of this child, his heart was filled with ecstasy. He began to explain," I have searched everywhere, but 1 cannot fulfil my Lord's desire, to establish the worship of Govinda-deva.". The little cowherd boy replied, "Do not be in distress. There is a very spiritual place, called 'Gomatill' and everyday a beautiful cow comes to that place and lets down her milk on the ground. Under the spot where the cow is making the offering, is the deity of Govinda-deva. Previously, Moslem conquerors came to this place and so the deity was hidden under the ground. Come, I will show you that place".
And the beautiful little cowherd boy took Srila Rupa Goswami to 'Gomatill' and then he disappeared. Rupa Goswami understood who this cowherd boy was, and in great ecstasy of love he fell unconscious. After a long time, he came back to his consciousness and began to cry. Then he understood his mission, and he told several Vrajavasis, "Let us carefully dig in this place, Govinda-deva is here". They began to dig in the ground, carefully. After sometime they unearthed the beautiful deity of Govinda, whose beauty was more charming than millions and millions of Kandarpas (Cupids). The news spread and hundreds and thousands of people, mostly Vrajavasis, gathered there to celebrate the appearance of Sri Govinda-deva. When the news spread, Srila Rupa Goswami became much admired, loved and worshipped by all the Vraiavasis of Sri Vrajadham.
On another evening, or night, Srila Ftupa Goswami had a dream. In this dream, Vrindadevi, who is an expansion of Srimati Radharani and who is the transcendental co-ordinator of all of the wonderful arrangements for the pastimes of Shri Shri Radha and Krishna, appeared to Rupa Goswami and told him, "My deity form is under the ground at Radhakunda." Rupa Goswami understood that Lord Chaitanya was instructing him to excavate that place. He approached the Vrajavasis, and on the banks of Radhakunda, the murti of Vrindadevi, whose beauty was indescribable, was revealed. Srila Rupa Goswami installed the deity of Vrindadevi in the same temple as Govinda-deva. He was very satisfied. He sent a letter to Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, explaining how Govinda-deva had revealed Himself to him.
When Lord Chaitanya heard" that Sri Sri Radha Govinda-deva had appeared again, He was in ecstasy. He confidentially spoke to all of his devotees about this, and told Kashishwar Pandit about the discovery of Govindadeva and instructed him, "1 want you to go to Vrindavan and assist Rupa Goswami in the service of Govinda-deva." Kashishwar Pandit was, previously, a personal servant of Lord Caitanya's own guru, Ishwarapuri, When he heard the order, his heart was broken with the thought of separation from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He said, "My Lord, I cannot bear leaving Puri and going anywhere else." Then Lord Chaitawya, just to satisfy His devotee, gave Kashishwar Pandit a beautiful, small deity of Himself. This was the first deity of Lord Chaitanya ever to be revealed in this world, besides the deity of Vishnupriya. It was the deity of Krishna and Lord Chaitanya together in one Torm and Lord Chaitanya carefully explained how Kashishwara Pandit should worship it. Lord Chaitanya personally gave Him the name— 'Gaur-Govinda'. Kashishwara Pandit took that deity to Vrindavan and installed Him on the right hand side of Sri Govinda-deva.
When Rupa and Sanatana Goswami came to Vrindavan, two of the very, very confidential associates of Lord Chaitanya were already living there -Srila Lokanatha Goswami and Srila Bhugarbha Goswami. Srila Lokanatha Goswami was a resident of Navadvipa and a very loving friend of Lord Chaitanya. Lord Chaitanya understood that when He took sannyasa, Lokanatha Goswami will not be able to bear the pain of seeing Him with His hair cut and in the garb of a sannyasi. So He ordered Lokanatha Goswami to go to Vrindavan saying "Soon I am going to take sannyasa. You will not be able to bear seeing it. But after taking sannyasa, 1 will go to Vrindavan and you can make nice arrangements for me over there". So falling at the feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and all the devotees, Lokanatha Goswami, with tears of the ecstasy of separation filling his heart, went to Vrindavan. But as you know, after he took sannyasa Lord Chaitanya had every intention of going to Vrindavan. But Shn Nityananda, knowing that Mahaprabhu's heart was always to please His devotee, played a trick and brought Him to Shantipur instead. And then Saci Devi prayed, "Please do not go to Vrindavan, because I will never hear anything of your pastimes or your welfare. The same Krishna of Vrindavan is living in the Puri of Jagannath. Please make that your home."
On the request of the intimate love of Saci Devi. Lord Chaitanya went to Jagannath Puri. After delivering Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, He decided to go on a tour of south India. Lokanatha Goswami was waiting for Lord Chaitanya in Vrindavan. When he heard all these stories, he became mad. "I have to find my Lord. If He's not going to Vrindavan, I will go to the south". So from Vrindavan, he walked all the way to the southernmost provinces of India. And then he found out that Lord Chaitanya had returned to Puri. He completed his two-year trip of South India. Then he began his return journey to Puri. But then he heard that from Puri Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had gone to Vrindavan. So, in great anticipation he went to Vrindavan. He was supposed to be waiting there for Lord Chaitanya. When he arrived in Vrindavan, he learnt that Lord Chaitanya had stayed there for two months. He traveled through all the twelve forests, he sat to chant under the Imlitala tree on the bank of the Ganges every day. He was reunited with alt of His intimate associates - the deer, parrots and peacocks, the trees and creepers and the cows of Vrindavan. He then left and went to Prayag. It was night and Lokanatha Goswami decided, 'Tomorrow morning. I will go to Prayag". That night Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to him and told him, "You should remain in Vrindavan, because I am sending My own personal associates Rupa and Sanatana there. You should become intimate friends with them."
After wandering through the groves of Vrindavan Lokanatha Goswami came to a place called Kishori-kund, which is in the area of Khadiravana, and there he lived in seclusion. One day a Brahmin came to him, gave him a little bag and went away. Lokanatha Goswami opened the bag and in it was a beautiful deity of Radha and Krishna. He was so struck with wonder and love because he always wanted to worship the deity of Krishna. He began to worship the Lord, but he was bewildered and then the deity spoke to him, "My name is Radha-Vinoda. I incarnated as that Brahmin just to give the gift of Myself to you. Now i am hungry, so please prepare some bhoga for Me". So Lokanatha Goswami immediately began to collect whatever he could get and cooked very nice food and offered it to the deity. He bathed the deity. He would make a beautiful, little bed, for the deity, out of flowers and he would lay the deity down and massage His feet and fan Him. His life and soul was the worship of Radha-Vinoda in Kishori-kunda.
When Rupa and Sanatana Goswami came to Vrindavan, they called Lokanatha Goswami, "Please come and live with us in Vrindavan. Let us live here together and chant the glories of Radha and Krishna and their most munificent of all manifestations—Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu." So Lokanatha Goswami came to Vrindavan, and would daily, intimately associate with Srila Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami.
The next Goswami that came to meet with Srila Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami was Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami. When Lord Chaitanya was performing His south Indian tour, and He came to the holy place of Srirangam, He stayed at the house of Venkata Bhatta, for the four months of the rainy season. When He arrived, Venkata Bhatta bathed the Lord's feet and gave the water to his family members to drink. The son of Venkata Bhatta was Gopala Bhatta. When he drank that water, his heart filled with the ecstasy of love for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Gopal Bhatta Goswami intimately served Lord Chaitanya during those four months and before Lord Chaitanya continued His tour, He instructed Gopal Bhatta Goswami, "You stay here and serve your parents who are my pure devotees, and after they leave this world you should go to Vrindavan and join Rupa and Sanatana Goswami."
He was initiated by his uncle, Sri Prabhodananda Sarasvati. He became a great scholar and devotee. Venkata Bhatta and his wife told Gopala Bhatta, "Go to Vrindavan and always worship Lord Chaitanya." And chanting the names of Gauranga Mahaprabhu they both departed from this world. Gopal Bhatta Goswami went to Vrindavan. The Goswamis, Rupa and Sanatana, Lokanath Goswami and Bhugarbha Goswami were happy to receive this great soul.
One day Lord Chaitanya was at the Tota-Gopinath temple of Gadadhar Pandit, and he told the devotees there, "I have not heard any news from the devotees in Vrindavan for a long time". Just at that moment a messenger came from Vrindavan with a letter from Rupa Goswami, and it said—"Your beloved devotee Gopal Bhatta Goswami has come, and we are very happy to have his most divine association." Lord Chaitanya was so pleased, He wrote a letter back to Rupa and Sanatana which said, "Please accept Gopal Bhatta as your own dear brother." And He sent many wonderful gifts, of His own remnants, to be distributed to the Goswamis.
When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was in Varanasi, he met the son of Tapana Mishra named Raghunatha Bhatta. He was such a small boy, but when Lord Chaitanya was living in Varanasi for two months, Raghunatha Bhatta would massage His lotus feet everyday and do all menial services for Lord Chaitanya. He became such a dear servant of the Lord.
After sometime Raghunatha Bhatta could not bear the separation and he went to Puri, alongwith Ramdas Vishvas- When he arrived in Puri, Lord Chaitanya very affectionately embraced him at His Gambhira, asked after the welfare of Tapana Mishra and He allowed Raghunatha Bhatta to personally serve Him for eight months. Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami was an expert cook. The Chaitanya-caritamrta says that everything he prepared tasted sweeter than nectar. He would cook for the Lord, massage the feet of the Lord and intimately hear the wonderful instructions of the Lord. After eight months Lord Chaitanya asked him to go back home. He said. "Do not marry. Go home and serve your father and mother who are pure devotees. Constantly chant the holy names of Lord Krishna, constantly read the Srimad Bhagavatam and study the teachings of the Bhagavat under a pure devotee of the Lord."
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami returned to Varanasi and he lived there for two years. During those two years, he was constantly chanting the holy names, always studying Bhagavatam from a pure devotee, and humbly serving his parents. Then his parents gave up their life-breath and returned back home—back to Godhead,
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami in great anticipation for the mercy of Mahaprabhu Shri Chaitanya returned to Puri. There he served the Lord, very intimately, for eight months again. Then Lord Chaitanya told him, "Go to Vrindavan and under the care of Sri Rupa and Sanatana serve me. Constantly chant the holy names, read the Bhagavatam and serve these great devotees' mission."
When Raghunath Bhatta Goswami arrived in Vrindavan, Rupa, Sanatana, Gopala Bhatta, Lokanatha, Bhugarbha and Kashishwar Pandit — were-in great ecstasy to receive him.
It is explained that Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami would cook for Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami and give them great pleasure. He personally served, as his life and soul, the deity of Rupa Goswami — Sri Sri Radha-Govinda. Day and night he would be in the association of Rupa and Sanatana, reciting the beautiful verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In fact, his voice was sweet like the cuckoo bird and he -would recite each verse in three or four different melodies. They lived together in transcendental happiness,
Raghunath Das Goswami was the heir of multimillionaires, Govardhan and Hiranya Majumdar - his father and uncle. Somehow or the other he escaped and leaving behind his beautiful wife, his inconceivable fortune and all his fame and fortune to become Ihe very king of renunciation amongst alt the devotees of Lord Chaitanya. He lived in Puri, eating only what the cows would spit out in the garbage. Later on, he would only have a little buttermilk, and after drinking that he would condemn himself for wasting so much time for sense gratification! He was chanting at least two-lakh Holy Names everyday, he would bow down as a regulation to thousands of Vaishnavas everyday. He would also bow down thousands of times to the deity everyday. It is explainedthat his following of the regulative principles were like the lines in stone — so strict.
Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personally put Raghunath das Goswami as the assistant of Svarupa Damodar Goswami, His own secretary. So-Raghunath Das Goswami was intimately connected to all the intimate pastimes of Lord Chaitanya, during those years of separation. He remained in Jagannatha Puri for sixteen years and then Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left the world by entering the Tota-Gopinatha temple at the residence of Sri Gadadhara Pandit. Soon after that, Svarupa Damodar Goswami, unable to bear the separation from his Lord, also disappeared from this world. Raghunath das Goswami was plunged in an ocean of grief. "What to do? How will 1 live? 1 just cannot live." He decided to take his life, in the most auspicious way, by going to Vrindavan and by jumping from the top of Govardhan hill. He went to Vrindavan with this intention.
When he arrived at Vrindavan, he first wanted to meet Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami. But when he met them, he thought, "1 was engrossed in a hopeless state, due to separation from my Svarupa Damodar and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. But now, I see that Lord Chaitanya has appeared in His full mercy and glory in the form of these two devotees—Rupa and Sanatana Goswami." Rupa and Sanatana told him, "You cannot jump from the Govardhan Hill. We would rather you live with us and constantly sing the glories of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes for our purification." So Raghunath Das Goswami became the intimate servant of Rupa and Sanatana. They personally arranged a place for him to stay on the beautiful banks of Sri Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda, which Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had discovered during His visit to Vrindavan.
Anupama, their youngest brother, had a son, called Srila Jiva Goswami. When Rupa and Sanatana Goswami along with Anupam met Lord Chaitanya at Ramakeli, Jiva was very small so he was not permitted -to go along. However, he wanted to see what his father and uncles were so eager to do, so he followed them. and as Rupa and Sanatana Goswami and Anupama met with Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Ramakeli and offered beautiful prayers and surrendered their lives, Jiva Goswami, from a little distance away, was watching and listening to everything. From that moment, his heart was filled with love and surrender to Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
After Anupama disappeared from this world and his uncles—Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami had gone to Vrindavan, Jiva Goswami was like a madman. He would, in great ecstasy, serve his deities of Krishna and Balarama. Gaur-Nitai revealed in a dream that they were non-different from the deities of Krishna and Balarama. When he got Just old enough, he somehow or the other found an excuse to get away from his mother. He said that he was going to visit his ancestral home in Fatiabad but actually went to Navadvipa. There he met Lord Nityananda, who took him on the whole parikrama of Navadvipa-mandala and then told him to go to Varanasi, study the shastras under the great devoteenamed Madhusudana Vacaspati and then go to Vrindavan to join his uncles Rupa and Sanatana. Lord Nityananda said, "Lord Chaitanya has given Vrindavan to your family."
Jiva Goswami went to Varanasi and became famous as the greatest of all the scholars. Then he came to Vrindavan and fell at the feet of Srila Sanatana Goswami and begged him for initiation. Sanatana Goswami, in his natural humility, considered Rupa Goswami to be more qualified. So, he told Jiva Goswami that he should take initiation from Srila Rupa Goswami. Srila Rupa Goswami wanted to train Jiva Goswami very well, so he had him doing very simple, menial types of service. Jiva Goswami was already celebrated as one of the greatest scholars and preachers in all the world. However, Rupa Goswami had him cleaning utensils, washing pots, preparing the paraphernalia for puja, collecting and preparing the palm leaves for Rupa Goswami to write on, massage Rupa Goswami's feet, fan him and in this way render very simple service, After sometime, seeing the real quality of humility and the desire to serve, Rupa Goswami initiated him as Srila Jiva Goswami.
It is explained that one day Srila Jiva Goswami was fanning his Guru Maharaja Srila Rupa Goswami and a very senior Vaishnava, Vallabha Bhatta, came to meet with Rupa Goswami. As you know Rupa Goswami knew Vallabha Bhatta from Prayag. And Rupa Goswami, humble that he was, seeing that a very senior Vaishnava had come, offered him all respect and honor. Vallabha Bhatta wanted to see what type of writing Rupa Goswami was engaged in. He saw the 'Introduction to Bhakti-Rasaamrta-Sindhu' and in a mood of concern, Sri Vallabha Bhatta explained that there was some incorrect usage of words. So Rupa Goswami, very grateful for his willingness to help, gave Vallabha Bhatta the literature that he was writing and said, "Please make any corrections you feel are required" and went to take bath in the Yamuna.
Vallabha Bhatta asked the boy Jiva, "Who are you?" He said, "I am Rupa Goswami's disciple—Jiva Goswami. Please tell me what is it that you thought was not right about my guru maharaja's introduction?" So Vallabha Bhatta explained and Jiva Goswami, very nicely, explained how actually what his guru said was correct. He said it in such a proficient, philosophical way that Vallabhacarya was very impressed. And when Rupa Goswami came back Vallabhacarya gave him the draft of the Bhakti-Rasaamrta-Sindhu back and said, "How can 1 correct this? When your disciple is so learned, how much must you be? So exalted!" Then Vallabhacarya left and Rupa Goswami became externally very angry. He said, "Jiva, why you have done like this? He's a senior Vaishnava; he had come to do some seva. Why are you so proud that you had to correct him? Pride cannot remain in the heart of one who desires to live in Vrindavan properly. Therefore, you must leave."
So Jiva Goswami went to a place called Nanda-ghat. There he lived in a hole, where crocodiles used to live. He was always immersed in a repentant mood, trying to atone for the offence he had committed to his Guru Maharaj, loudly chanting the holy names of the Lord and hardly eating anything. One day when Sanatana Goswami was travelling through Vrajabhumi, he came to the village close to Nanda-ghat. And the villagers told him of a very, very supernaturally renounced person living in a hole. When Sanatana Goswami went there, he personally carried Jiva Goswami out and brought him back to Vrindavan. Because Sanatana was older brother, he told Rupa Goswami, "It is Lord Caitanya's cardinal principle to be compassionate to all jivas: So you should forgive your disciple Jiva".
There was a great Digvijay pandit named Rupa Narayana. He traveled all over the provinces of India and he defeated everyone in debate. He had a certificate where everyone he had defeated had to sign—'l have been defeated by Rupa Narayana." it was called the 'Vijay patra'. When he came to Vrindavan, he went to Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami and said, "I challenge you to a debate". Rupa and Sanatana were very humble. They said, "You are such a big scholar. We are just living in the forest. How can we debate with you? Why should we even waste your time with us? We admit defeat". "If you admit defeat, sign this document" Rupa Narayana said. Without any hesitation they immediately signed—"We have been defeated by Rupa Narayana", signed by Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami. He was very. very proud. He understood that Jiva Goswami, their nephew, was also a great scholar, and should be defeated too. So Rupa Narayana went to Jiva Goswami and said. "1 have defeated your uncles in debate. See. They have signed 'Defeat'." Jiva Goswami considered, "My uncles are such humble devotees. They didn't even argue with him, they didn't want to waste their time with this rascal, but he's now propagating all over the world that he has defeated them, he must be silenced." So Jiva Goswami said, "Yes. I accept your challenge." They sat on the banks of the Yamuna debating for many days and in the end Jiva Goswami completely defeated Rupa Narayana, who left in shame, never to come back to Vrindavan. When Jiva Goswami told this news to Srila Rupa Goswami, once again Srila Rupa Goswami became very angry. "Why have you wasted your time arguing with this mundane scholar? Just for your own prestige and victory? Vrindavan has no place for a person who wants respect and adoration. You are not fit to stay here with us. Therefore you must leave. "
So Jiva Goswami went to Mathura and lived in a little kutir. In his heart he was thinking, "1 am so proud. I am so puffed up. My guru is so displeased. How can I atone? What kind of disciple am I?" Actually he made no offence on either occasion. Jiva Goswami, in great humility, was just trying to defend the prestige and the glory of his guru maharaj and the respectability of our whole sampradaya. Therefore what he did was perfect and Sri Rupa Goswami knew that. But Rupa Goswami wanted to reveal to the world the glories of Jiva Goswami. Even though he was hundred per cent right, when his guru said he was proud, he considered, "Yes. 1 am proud and 1 am condemned," He did not make excuses, "0 guru maharaj, you are wrong, you don't understand. 1 did it for you, not for myself." His guru maharaj said, "You are proud". Jiva Goswami to the core of his heart, he felt, "I am proud. I am not fit to stay in Vrindavan. 'trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina mana dena kirtaniya sada hari'. I am not following the principles of Mahaprabhu. Therefore my life is ruined." And he went to Mathura to perform tapasya, crying out the holy name of Krishna constantly, crying out the names of Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, begging for their mercy.
When Sanatana came to Mathura and found him, he brought him back and told Srila Rupa Goswami, "I would like you to know that you are not following one of the important teachings of Lord Chaitanya," Now Rupa Goswami was also an ocean of humility. He did not say, "What do you mean? I'm following." Rupa Goswami said, "Oh, please tell me which one 1 am not following." Sanatana Goswami said, "Please tell me what the principle teachings are." "Developing a taste for chanting of the holy names of Krishna, always aspiring to be the servant of the servant of the Vaishnavas and being compassionate to all jivas". When Rupa Goswami said "Being compassionate to all jivas" he understood what Sanatana was saying. Sanatana brought Jiva back and Rupa Goswami embraced him very affectionately. Actually through all these pastimes, Rupa Goswami was showing his most infinite love to Jiva Goswami. Rupa Goswami loved Srila Jiva Goswami so much that he with his own hands carved the deity of Sri Radha Damodara, worshipped that deity and then entrusted it to Srila Jiva Goswami, to worship as his life and soul.
When Sri Jiva Goswami would worship Sri Radha Damodara, his mind was always constantly immersed in the deepest love and gratitude to Srila Rupa Goswami. It is explained that Srila Jiva Goswami's heart was always meditating on serving and pleasing Srila Rupa Goswami, his guru maharaj. And by the mercy of Rupa Goswami, when he would worship Radha Damodara, sometimes he would see the deity performing His Vrindavan pastimes right before his eyes. He would hear Him playing on the flute.
On his way back from Govardhana hill, one day Srila Sanatana Goswami came to "neet Srila Rupa Goswami. The Goswamis would always discuss their beautiful writings, oUhe pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Rupa Goswami, upon Sanatana's request, began to explain one of his dramas, in this drama, Rupa Goswami compared the beautiful braids of the luxurious black hair of Srimati Radharani and the gopis to black serpents. Sanatana Goswami said, "This is not a perfect explanation and you should change it to some other analogy."
Then Sanatana Goswami went to take bath in one of the holy places of Vrindavan, a small lake. There he saw some beautiful young girls taking their bath in the lake and they had long, black braids and these braids looked just like snakes. In fact, Sanatana Goswami thought they were snakes and he started calling out to the girls, "Watch out! Watch out! There are snakes about to bite your heads. Watch out!" Then Sanatana Goswami began to move very quickly through the waters, to rescue the girls from the snakes. When he just approached the girls, they began to laugh and smile and they disappeared. Sanatana Goswami understood that Rupa Goswami's explanation was correct. And he came back to Rupa Goswami and said, "Please do not change. What you have said is perfect."
Once Srila Rupa Goswami desired to make a nice feast for Sanatana Goswami, but they were just doing madhukari. That means just like a bee goes flower to flower to get little nectar, similarly traditionally those in the renounced order of life, go from house to house and beg from each house for their sustenance. So Rupa Goswami was thinking "Let me make something nice as a feast for my brother Sanatana Goswami, after offering it to Radha Govinda." A beautiful, beautiful little cowherd girl approached Rupa Goswami with a wonderful pot of kheer and said, "1 would like to present this to you Swamiji". He was very surprised. He took it to Sanatana Goswami and Sanatana Goswami began to eat it. As soon as he tasted it, he just went into uncontrollable ecstasy, and Rupa Goswami was also eating it went into uncontrollable ecstasy too. Everytime they would taste the sweet rice, there were just tears pouring from their eyes, their hairs were standing on end, they were trembling, they were just roaring in ecstatic love. Sanatana Goswami said, "Where did you get this from?" Rupa Goswami said, "There was a beautiful little cowherd girl who gave it to me as a donation." "Describe this cowherd girl." As he described, Sanatana Goswami understood that it was Srimati Radharani. He became very ashamed and said. "You have accepted service from our supremely worshipable Srimati Radharani, It is our eternal position to be the servant, of the servant of Her servants. You  have accepted service from Her and caused me too, to accept service from Her. This is against the principles of our Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu." And they both felt very bad. They wanted to teach us that the mood of the followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is always to be the servant. They don't even want the ecstatic bliss of the spiritual world as much as they want the service of the Lord and His devotees. Of course, although they felt very ashamed, the taste of the sweet rice was so ecstatic, that they could not stop eating it!

The literary contribution of Srila Rupa Goswami
Srila Rupa Goswami had just written the first draft of Lalita-Madhava. Lalita-Madhava describes the intense separation between Radharani and Knshna, and it describes the separation of the gopis for Krishna, especially. So Raghunatha Das Goswami, who was living at Sri Radha Kunda, received that manuscript of Lalita-Madhava. He is the prayojana acarya, teaching by his writings and his example the highest principles of love in separation as an associate of Radharani. When he read Lalita-Madhava, he was so engrossed in the feeling of separation that Srila Rupa Goswami had so beautifully described that he went mad. There were tears pouring out of his eyes, and he just held the Lalita-Madhava to his heart, and was just crying and crying. He could not even communicate with anyone. The devotees informed Rupa Goswami of what happened to Raghunatha Das Goswami. So Srila Rupa Goswami quickly wrote another book called the 'Danakeli Kaumudi' which describes the ecstatic meeting of Radha and Krishna. He went directly to Sri Radha kunda and said to Sri Raghunatha Das Goswami, "I want you to read this nice book I have written. And as far as that Lalita-Madhava goes, some corrections are necessary, so give it back to me." Raghunatha das Goswami read 'Danakeli kaumud! describing the beautiful re-union, or sambhoga, of Radha and Krishna, and his heart became completely pacified and filled with joy.
Rupa Goswami would perform his bhajan in various places of Vraja. He had a bhajan kutir just outside the precincts of Nandagaon, and there was a Kadambatree under which he would often do his bhajan and his writings. Today it is called 'Tera-kadamba'. That tree was very much affected by the bhakti of Rupa Goswami. Actually the pure love of a devotee could melt the hearts of both the animate and inanimate living beings, because the love of such a pure soul directly influences the spirit soul. Of course, the trees in Vrindavan are kalpa vnksha. They are intimate associates of Lord Krishna and very blessed. Srila Rupa Goswami would sometimes sit under this tree and under the order of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he would compose various literatures.
When he was composing a section describing the ecstatic lamentation of the separation of Radharani and Krishna from each other, he would be so engrossed that it would infiiience the tree to also be completely engrossed in that same feeling of separation. And all the leaves of that tree would fall like tears. When Srila Rupa Goswami would write about the blissful re-union of Radha and Krishna, the tree, sharing the experience of Rupa Goswami's ecstatic love, would immediately blossom with fruits and flowers in every direction.
One time, Srila Rupa Goswami was sitting in his bhajan kutir and he began to meditate on the transcendental pastimes of Radha and Krishna. To such a pure-hearted soul, Radha and Krishna would reveal Their pastimes within their hearts. This cannot be imitated. This was not something Rupa Goswami was artificially concentrating or meditating on. it was something that was just being awakened due to his pure love.
So in this particular pastime, he saw that the Sakhis were arranging Srimati Radharani to meet Krishna. They were decorating her in so many beautiful garments and jewelry. The Sakhis noticed that Krishna was right behind them, watching everything. But Srimati Radharani did not know. so they wanted to inform Her. They just finished decorating Her hair and they placed a mirror in front of Her face. As She looked into the mirror, She saw the reflection of Her beloved Shyamasundara behind Her. Being surprised, she became embarrassed and began to cover Herself and when the Sakhis saw Radharani so embarrassed to see Krishna watching Her, they all began to laugh. When they laughed, Sri Rupa Goswami also began to laugh, uncontrollably. At that time a Vaishnava came to visit Rupa Goswami. He came in and offered his obeisances, but Rupa Goswami iust laughed. This Vaishnava was very embarrassed. "He's not saying anything, he's not acknowledging anything, he's just laughing." He did not know what to think.
He immediately went to Sanatana Goswami and said. "I don't know what's happening. 1 went to see your brother Sri Rupa Goswami and as soon as he saw me, he started laughing. Please tell me what is the truth." Sanatana Goswami knew the heart of Rupa Goswami and explained everything, and then this Vaishnava felt doubly embarrassed. "Why am 1 such a degraded, inconsiderate fallen soul, I'm so unfortunate that I went to Rupa Goswami at that time." He lamented. Meanwhile back at the bhajan kutir, Rupa Goswami came out of his ecstatic absorption in Krishna's lila. He looked around in his house and noticed that a guest had come and he had neglected to do anything to serve that guest. So in his heart he felt terrible distress that he had made an offence. He immediately went to Sanatana Goswami to ask what he should do. At Sanatana Qoswami's house, this particular guest fell at his feet and said, "1 am sorry, 1 am sorry." Rupa Goswami said, "Why?" He said, "1 came to your house and you were engrossed in laughing due to the pastimes of Krishna and Sri Radharani. 1 did not understand you and I made an aparadha. Please forgive me, Please forgive me." And Rupa Goswami started repeatedly offering his obeisances to that Vaishnava. He said, "I neglected you. You were a guest. 1 am a criminal. 1 am an offender. Please forgive me". This was the humility of Sri Rupa Goswami. This story appears in the Bhakti-ratnakara by Narahari Das. Here it is explained that we must be very cautious and careful in our dealings with devotees and we should never neglect them. And if somehow or the other we make a mistake in our dealings with another Vaishnava, we should become completely humble like Rupa Goswami and beg forgiveness, All the desires of Rupa Goswami were being transcendentally fulfilled by the mercy of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Radha Govindadeva was the life and soul of Rupa Goswami. One of the disciples of Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Raja Mansingh of Rajasthan, who was also a close associate of Emperor Akbar, built a seven-storeyed temple for Sri Radha Govinda. In fact, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami loved Srila Rupa Goswami so much, not only did he build that temple for the deity, he also offered beautiful clothing and ornaments for Radha Govinda, which included a flute and eamngs shaped like sharks. Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami would never hear the fault of a devotee. If anyone for any reason was criticizing a devotee, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami would say, "I cannot hear. The fact that he's serving Krishna is all I know."
After Sanatana Goswami's departure, Sri Rupa Goswami was living with the other Goswamis. They always wanted to see the deity of Gopal. Gopal was the murti, originally installed by Vajranabh on Govardhana hill, which was re-discovered by Madhavendra Puri. But Lord Chaitanya would never touch His foot to Govardhana hill, because He considered Govardhana hill to be non-different than the body of Krishna. So Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would not go on the top of the hill to visit Gopal, but Gopal was longing to see Lord Chaitanya, just as Lord Chaitanya was longing to see Gopal. So by His own yoga-maya potency he had people run to the village and say, "The Moslems are coming" and thus they could take darshan of the deity.
He worshiped Gopal by dancing in transcendental kirtan chanting the Holy Names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
When they found out there were no Muslims, that it was all a rumor, they organized a procession to bring Gopal back to Govardhan hill and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing and chanting in that procession. As soon as they reached the hill, Lord Chaitanya stopped and offered his prostrated obeisances. So Rupa Goswami also would never ever go on Govardhan Hill because he followed the same principles that Lord Chaitanya lived by. However, just as Rupa Goswami was longing to see Gopal, Gopal was also longing to see Rupa Goswami. So He played the same pastime. The Muslims are coming." So they took Gopal down from Govardhan hill and they brought Him to Mathura where they hid him in the house of the youngest son of Vallabhacharya whose name was Mithileshwar. When Rupa Goswami and his associates found out about this, they all went to Mathura. Lokanath Goswami, Bhugarba Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatt Goswami, Raghunath Das Goswami, Jiva Goswami, Gopal Bhatt Goswami and Kashishwar together with Rupa Goswami worshipped Sri Gopal by having wonderful kirtan, dancing and chanting the Holy Names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
For one month, in the intimacy of each other's association the devotees worshiped Gopal. Then they realized that there were no Muslims, but that it was just another rumor. They brought Gopal back to Govardhan Hill. This was the pastime of the Lord to reciprocate the love of Sri Rupa Goswami.
After Srila Rupa Goswami disappeared from this world, Srila Jiva Goswami was naturally accepted as the leader of all the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. He along with the'o'ftier associates of Lord Chaitanya arranged the beautiful, samadhi in the courtyard of Sri Radha Damodar Temple. In fact Srila Prabhupada considered this place SQ^mportant, that in 1972 he called his devotees from all over the world to come to Vnnetevan during the month of Kartik. Each day, he personally delivered lectures from the Bhakti Hasamrita Ssndhu or Nectar of Devotion right at the samadhi mandir of Sri Rupa Goswami in the courtyard of Radha Damodar. Who can imagine the ecstatic bliss that Srila Prabhupada must have experienced when he brought devotees from all over the world to sit at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa Goswami and hear from his most blessed merciful book 'Nectar of Devotion'?
Srinivas Acn<a<ya longing to meet Lord Chaitanya and His associates went to Puri only to find that Lord Chaitanya and His associates had already disappeared. But in a dream Gada^har Pandit told him to go to Vrindavan and take shelter of Rupa and Sanatana. When he was bathing in the Yamuna in Mathura at Vishram Ghat, he heard the news, from some brahmins speaking amongst themselves, that Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis had both disappeared from the world. Srinivas Acharya was plunged in grief. He decided that he would simply take his life. But then Rupa and Sanatana Goswami appeared in a dream and told him, "You should go to Vrindavan, take shells^1' of Sri Jiva Goswami and learn from him the scriptures and take initiation from Gopal Bhatta Goswami because we are living in them."
Simultaneously, Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami appeared to both Jiva Goswami and Gopal Bhatta Goswami and told Gopal Bhatt Goswami, " You should initiate Srinivas Acharya he is a very dear devotee.'*** When Srinivas Acharya came to Vrindavan he understood it was the mercy of Sri Rupa and Sanatana and he also cried in ecstatic love of gratitude, when he came to the samadhi mandir of Sri Rupa Goswami.
Srila Rupa Goswami wrote many books of which 16 books are very prominent. Amongst them Srita Prabhupada has translated Bhakti Rasamnta S'mdhu, Upadeshamrta. There is a/so LaUta Madhava and Vidaghda Madhava. These books are great treasure houses, which describe from the most beginning stages to the most elevated stages how to progress in Krishna Consciousness.

Adhau sraddha thatha sadhu sango' thata bhajana kriya
Rupa Goswami has composed this beautiful verse that at the very beginning there 13 little faith. Krishna reciprocates with that faith and from within our heart directs us to associate with devotees. In that association, we learn the science of bhakti. Then we approach a spiritual master who initiates us and puts us in the category of 'Vaidhi bhakti', where we follow the regulative principles of Sadhana. It is called bhajana kriya - chanting a fixed number of rounds everyday, following the regulative principles and always being engaged in devotional service. Gradually our hearts become cleansed (anartha nivritti) and all the unwanted material desires and misconceptions are removed from our hearts and then through that gradual purification we achieve 'nishta' or very deep and strong faith in Krishna and the path of bhakti- By continuing in our spiritual advancement by the mercy of Guru and Gauranga 'ruchi' or the higher taste of the sweetness of devotional service awakens in our heart. Then we develop very strong attachment to Krishna, 'asakti', such attachment that all other attachments become utterly insignificant. When we continue to cultivate devotional service under the guidance of Guru and Gauranga in the association of Vaishnavas, gradually that asakti becomes 'bhava* the preliminary state of love of God and by the gradual cultivation of hearing and chanting, bhava becomes 'prema'. tn Prema bhakti, ecstatic love of God and the revelation of our eternal nature in the spiritual world is gradually revealed -serving the Lord in Vrindavan in dasya rasa, sakhya rasa, vatsalya rasa or madhutya rasa.
Srila Rupa Goswami has brought us from the most preliminary state to the ultimate achievement of all spiritual quests ~ the treasure of prema bhakti in the mood of the residents of Vrindavan. Srila Rupa Goswami composed over one hundred thousand verses.
In the tila of Vrindavan, Srila Rupa Goswami is Sri Rupa Manjari. Our great acharyas have given us the explanation that the only means by which we could truly find the real spiritual satisfaction of the heart is to become the servant of the servant of the servant of the pleasure potency of Sri Krishna, Sri Radharani. Of Sri Radharani's expanded counterparts, the sakhis are her most intimate servants. The leader of the sakhis is Lalita Sakhi. The direct intimate assistants of the sakhis are the manjaris and the leader of all the manjaris is Sri Rupa Maniari. The acharyas of our line are the servants of the servants of the servants of Sri Rupa Manjari, It is through the mercy of Sri Rupa Manjari that we can achieve purification; first of all of our gross material state now and ultimately given a place as her own servant and assistant in the spiritual world of Goloka Vrindavan,
Srila Prabhupada has often told us that we are to never forget the glory of this great sampradaya that he has given us, the Gaudiya sampradaya or the Rupanuga sampradaya- So today, we are making a small attempt to speak a partial portion of a drop of the glories of Sri Rupa Goswami and we should very carefully and sincerely aspire to be the servant of the servant of the servant of Sri Rupa Goswami. How do we do this? By simply accepting the guru parampara, hearing submissively, carrying out the instructions:
Tad viddh'i prampatena pan prashnena sevaya (B.G. 4.34) His Divine Grace Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in his most profound mature realizations of the very essence of the heart of his Guru Maharaj, Rupa Goswami and Lord Chaitanya has presented us Krishna Consciousness. He has presented the perfect and pure process by which we can achieve the loving mercy of all the previous acharyas - chanting the Holy Names and serving this great mission by distributing the books, which are so inspired by the teachings of Rupa Goswami. We can assist Srila Prabhupada in spreading Krishna consciousness, by performing our sadhana with great attention and sincerity, hearing the glories of the Lord and chanting His Names, carefully following the teachings of Prabhupada to be more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, give all respect to others and expecting none in return and to constantly chant the Holy Names and to surrender our lives to the mission of guru and Gauranga. Srila Prabhupada's teachings are very simple, but very complete and totally profound. By simply pleasing Srila Prabhupada and being the servant of the servant of his servants, we are being given access to the complete unlimited all merciful compassionate blessings of Srila Rupa Goswami and all our acharyas. Sri Rupa Goswami Ki Jai. Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai. Sri GauraBhakta Vrinda 

Srila Raghunath das Goswami

Appearance and early childhood
Even the great author Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami considers himself unable and practically speechless to explain the glories of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami.
He was born in a village named Sri Krishna Pur. His father Govardhan Majumdar and uncle Hiranya Majumdar were big landholders and tax collectors and had such fabulous wealth that it was compared to that of Indra. the king of heaven. Srila Prabhupada describes that the family of Raghunath Das compared to today's standards would be multi millionaires, practically billionaires. And of the two brothers Hiranya and Govardhan, there was only one son Raghunath Das who was the heir to everything. His father and unc'e were Vaishnavas, they were very sincere devotees of the Lord. They were disciples of the great Yadunandana Thakur, who was initiated by Srila Advaita Acarya and was an intimate student of the great and most compassionate soul, Srila Vasudeva Datta. A dear friend of Yadunandana Acarya, Balarama Acarya also lived in that area. These were two very devoted servants of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Yadunandana Acarya and Balarama Acarya had great affection for Raghunath Das. He was an ocean of transcendental qualities. Anyone who met Raghunath Das would find that his or her heart became completely satisfied, he had so much natural bhakti. When you love someone you naturally want to give him or her the best possible things that you can. So Balarama Acarya took Raghunath Das to meet Srila Haridas Thakur, who at that time was living close by. So, with Balarama and Yadunandana, Raghunath Das would regularly meet with Srila Haridas Thakur, who used to live very simply. Sometimes Haridas woufd live under a cave or sometimes under a tree. But he was-always absorbed in very strict renunciation, constantly chanting the Holy Names of Krishna. In fact, Srila Haridas Thakur would not eat or sleep or drink water before he would complete the chanting of three hundred thousand names of Krishna every day - more than 190 rounds of the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
He would preach by his words and his living example how to perfect one's life by constantiy chanting the Holy Names in the spirit of Lord Chaitanya's most important teaching :

Trnad api sumcena taror api sahisnuna Amanina mana dena kirtaniya sada harih 

Because Haridas Thakur was genuinely more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, he offered all respects to others and would never expect any respect in return. Therefore, he could chant the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra constantly day and night.
Raghunath Das, although a small child was very influenced by the example of Haridas Thakur and so much by the teachings of his guru, that he had no attachment or affection for any of the materialistic things of this world. This posed a big problem for his parents because they wanted him to take over everything. So they married Raghunath Das to a beautiful, chaste young woman who was endowed with all good qualities, and were gradually training him to take over everything. They gave him a beautiful home, much wealth and much prestige. But Raghunath Das was not concerned.

First meeting with Lord Chaitanya
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyas in Katwa and afterwards He decided to go to Vrindavan. He was in ecstasy. Dancing and chanting through forests, towns and villages in great expectation of reaching Vraja Bhumi. But Nityananda Prabhu knowing about the pain of separation in the hearts of the devotees whom He had left behind in Nawadvipa and meditating on the condition of Saci Devi and others like Advaita and Srivas, tricked Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by giving Him different information by which He came to Santipur, by way of Ganga. There, in Santipur, He met His mother for the first time with shaved head and the saffron robes of a sanyasi. Raghunalh Das came to meet Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for the first time on that occasion. Ot the six Goswamis, Raghunath Das Goswami was the first to meet with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personally. He stayed for 10 days with Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Then Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on His mother's instruction decided to go to Puri, instead of Vrindavan. to worship Lord Jagannath.
When Raghunath Das went home, he no longer had any interest in any of the things of the world. He simply wanted to go to Jagannath Puri to meet with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu- That was his constant meditation. So it became a daily affair, that Raghunath Das would run away from home and his parents would find him at a distant place and they would forcibly bring him back home. And as soon as the next opportunity came he would again, somehow, escape. But again he would be caught. Raghunalh Das Goswami, would not even enter'into the interior compound of his house, but rather sleep and stay in the courtyard called the Durga Mandapa. which is in the exterior of the housing complex of the wealthy people at that time. Anyway, many endeavors were made.
"Do not become a monkey renunciate"
Once again Lord Chaitanya arrived in Shantipur. He was on his next trip to Vrindavan. Raghunath Das was again given permission by his father to see Him, but he was surrounded by many guards.  There Raghunath Das prost-ated his body and offered his life at the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and told Lord Chaitanya of his very deep desire to be relieved from the entanglements and bondage of household Itie and to serve Him cent-percent. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Raghunath in a very wonderful way. He said, "You should not be a markata vairagi - You should not be a monkey renunciant. Monkeys appear to be very renounced. They live in trees. They do not wear clothes. They only eat what grows on trees. However, they always have so many thoughts about how to enioy with female monkeys whenever the opportunity comes. You should pretend in an external way to be completely attached to pounds, shillings and pence. You should perform your duties as a first class business manager, but in your heart you should always be meditating on Krishna. And very soon, Krishna will show His mercy to you,"

Raghunath Das and the Turkish Chowdhury
So Raghunath Das went home. He appeared to his parents to be completely settled in his materialistic life. Once, his parents almost got into big trouble. They were collecting taxes from people and were collecting 2 million gold coins per month. Now, they were supposed to give 1 million 500 thousand to the government and keep 500 thousand for themselves. But when a Turkish Chowdhury, who was an assistant tax collector checked the records, he found they were only giving 1 million 200 thousand gold coins. That means there was 300 thousand gold coins which were unaccounted. He was very envious of them. This tax collector along with some soldiers came to arrest Hiranya and Govardhan Maiumdar. But they were not home, only Raghunath Das was home so they arrested Raghunath Das and put him in prison.
The Turkish Chowdhury would try to torture Raghunath Das everyday. He wanted to beat him to get the information, "Where is your father and uncle? Tell me, where are they?" But every time he would go to beat Raghunath Das iust by seeing his beauty, gentleness and compassionate nature, his heart would melt. He would not be able to beat him. So Raghunath Das decided to play a good trick. One day he told the Chowdhury, "Actually my uncle and my father and you are just like brothers. You have such an intimate relationship. Sometimes brothers will naturally argue and fight. But then tomorrow the brothers will sit together very peacefully with great love for each other. Because you are in that relationship, you are like my father. This is how I respect you and have affection for you. And you should not hurt your own son. You should be kind and compassionate to your own son. After all you are a Muslim and you are a great saint. You know the scriptures and you are a compassionate merciful being."
He spoke with such sincerity and love that the Turkish Chowdhury started to cry and tears began to glide through his beard and he embraced Raghunath Das and said, "Yes. Yes. What you are saying is true. You are like my own son. How much love he had developed for Raghunath Das. How can 1 hurt you. You should go. You should be free. And as far as your father and uncle are concerned when you happen to see them you can give them this message, that whatever extra profits they are making they shoulddivide with me. Ultimately they can do whatever they want. But give this message. And arrange for me to meet with them peacefully." Raghunath Das arranged a meeting and Govardhan, Hiranya and the Turkish Chowdhury settled the matter and all of them were very happy.

Panihati chida-dahi festival
In this way Raghunath Das, following Lord Chaitanya's instruction, appeared to be completely attached to his worldly environment. But then he heard that Lord Nityananda Prabhu along with His most confidential associates were at the house of Raghava Pandit at Panihati. So he begged permission from his father to go there. His father knew that he could not keep him away from Lord Nityananda Prabhu's mercy. Sc he sent Raghunath Das with some servants and guards. At the time Lord Nityananda Prabhu was sitting under a sacred banyan tree on the bank of the Holy river Ganges, He was effulgent like thousands and thousands of suns. Raghunath Das offered his obeisances from a distance feeling that he was too contaminated and materialistic to go . close to such a great personality. One of Lord Nityananda Prabhu's servants said, 'There is Raghunath Das." Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, "Raghunath, why are you offering obeisances from such a distant place. You are a thief. Thieves keep their distance." Then Lord Nityananda Prabhu personally came towards Raghunath Da'. and placed His feet on Raghunath Das' head. Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, "Because you have been captured by Me, as a thief you must be punished. You are a wealthy man's son- So you must feed chida and dahi to all My associates."                 
Raghunath Das was very happy. Immediately, he went to the town and the villages and made arrangements. He got all varieties of clay pots. Then they got hot milk I and soaked all the rice. Half the rice that was soaked in the hot milk was then soaked in | yogurt, sugar and bananas. The other half was soaked in big pots with condensed milk, ^!' camphor, ghee, and a special variety of bananas and sugar. Lord Nityananda Prabhu was very happily sitting with His very close associates such as Gauridas Pandit, Gadadhar Das, Sundarananda, Murari Chaitanya, Uddharana ThaKur, Paramananda, many such great personalities. And each of the devotees got two clay pots with each preparation.
Soon the word spread, and many people from various towns and villages wanted to come to participate in this wonderful feast conducted by Lord Nityananda Prabhu Himself. Soon there were so many people, that the whole raised platform was full and then the bank of the Ganges was completely crowded and full, so much so that some people were standing in the Ganges, and each one had 2 clay pots : one with yogurt, sugar and bananas soaking the chida and the other was chida soaked in condensed milk, camphor, ghee and special bananas in sugar.
Lord Nityananda Prabhu was so happy with this feast that in His mind He called for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu immediately appeared in His transcendental form, but no one could see Him except Lord Nityananda Prabhuand a few very special, confidential devotees. By this time there were so many people sitting on the ground with their claypots. Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu were so happy that they went to each and every one of the claypots. Lord Nityananda Prabhu would take one morsel from each and every pot of chipped rice and put it directly in the mouth of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and in great happiness Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would take one morsel from each clay pot and placed it in the mouth of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Such a loving reciprocation they had!

The nectarean cooking of Raghava Pandit and Damayanti
And then Lord Nityananda Prabhu was sitting and Raghava Pandit arrived. Raghava Pandit had a wonderful house Just near this tree in PanihatL When Iw^would cook, along with his sister Damayanti, every preparation was ecstatically sweet like nectar. In fact, it was a known fact that whenever anything was cooked in the house of Raghava Pandit, Srimati Radharani would personally appear to perform the cooking through the hands of Her devotees. Srimati Radharani had received a benediction from Durvasa Muni that anything She prepared would be sweeter than nectar.
Whenever they would cook Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would personally appear in the house of Raghava Pandit to eat that food. So Raghava Pandit came with all nice items cooked in ghee and said to Lord Nityananda Prabhu, "You are supposed to come to my house for prasad today." Lord Nityananda Prabhu replied, "I am a cowherd boy and 1 like taking prasad with My cowherd boy associates on the bank of the sandy river. So I will come to your house tonight." Meanwhile a wonderful feast was arranged. And after everyone was served and everyone enjoyed to their full satisfaction, Lord Nityananda Prabhu personally offered all the devotees a garland and sandalwood with His own loving hands. Then He went to rest-Lord Nityananda Prabhu personally gave Raghunath Das Goswami the plates and the clay pots which were directly used by Him as well as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu . That evening, in the house of Raghava Pandit, Lord Nityananda Prabhu induced everyone to start dancing and chanting in kirtan. It was such a beautiful kirtan. Lord Nityananda Prabhu began to dance. Wherever He was in the world, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would always appear to watch the dancing of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Seeing the presence of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu danced together in ecstatic love and everyone was chanting and dancing for many hours. After the kirtan, Raghava Pandit served delicious, ambrosial prasad to Lord Chaitanya, Lord Nityananda Prabhu and all the devotees. Raghava Pandit worshipped each devotee by offering a garland, sandalwood and other gifts. Then they took rest. Raghava Pandit gave Raghunath Das, the plates directly used by Gaur-Nitai as Maha Maha Prasad.

Lord Nityananda blesses Raghunath
The next morning Lord Nityananda Prabhu was sitting under that same sacred banyan tree when Raghunath Das approached Him. He grasped His feet. placed it on his head and he began to pray, "I am the most sinful, the lowest, and the most condemned of all living entities. Who can I approach other than You? 1 am not fit, however, You are all merciful. Like a dwarf who desires to catch the moon, 1 am seeking Your great mercy. 1 am entangled in the great bondage of materialistic life. No one can approach Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu without Your mercy. Please give me the benediction that I may renqunce completely all the entanglements of materialistic life and family encumbrances and let me seek shelter whole-heartedly in the service of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Let this one desire of my heart be fulfilled by Your causeless mercy."
Lord Nityananda Prabhu was very pleased to see the determination and humility of Raghunath Das. He began to speak to the other devotees, "Raghunath Das is living in opulence equal to Indra, the king of heaven. He has so much wealth, so much aristocracy, yet he is not the slightest bit attached to any of it. He simply wants to serve Gauranga Mahaprabhu in the renounced order of life. Please give your blessings to Raghunath Das."
All the Vaisnavas began to shower their blessings on Raghunath Das. And then Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, "Very soon you will be released from all the bondages of your household life. You will go to Jagannath Puri and you will be one of the most intimate, confidential and personal associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In fact, He will put you under the care of His own personal secretary, Svaroopa Damodar Goswami and you will be famous as one of the greatest renunciates in the service of the Lord."
When Raghunath Das heard this, he was filled with happiness. He went to each and every devotee and worshipped their lotus feet and he worshipped the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Then he gave a large sum of money to Raghava Pandit. He told him, "Please give this to Nityananda Prabhu after I leave." And then he made a detailed list of donations for each and every one of the devotees, according to their requirements.
Then Raghunath Das went home. His mother and father were very worried, because he was trying to escape many times. One time his mother said to his father, "This Raghunath has gone crazy. He won't stay home. You should tie him with ropes." Govandhan Maiumdar replied, "He is already bound by the wealth of Indra - so much opulence, so many fine clothes, such beautiful living conditions! His wife is more beautiful than an angel, ti these things cannot keep him home, how can we expect to keep him with ropes. Our son has received the mercy of Lord Gaurachandra. Who can keep such a mad man from the service of the Lord?"
Raghunath Das Goswami was pretending very nicely, but still day and night there were guards all around him. And Raghunath Das was immersed in meditation of how to spscaoe and how to achieve the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga. 

Raghunath escapes to Jagannath Puri
Once towards the end of night - only 4 dandas of time were left, the guru of the family Yadunandanacarya, was having some problem. One of his disciples, a brahmin priest, who worshipped his deities had left his service. Yadunandanacarya knew that Raghunath Das was an expert in all dealings on all levels. So he came to the Durga-mandapa, he approached Raghunath Das and said, "Can you go to the house of this pujari and convince him to continue his service to the deity? I will go with you." Raghunath Das said, "Of course, 1 will go." As it was so late at night, all the guards were fast asleep. Raghunath Das left and as he was walking along the road with Yadunandanacarya he said, "Actually 1 can do it myself, you can go home. I will go to the house of your pujari disciple and'convince him." Yadunandanacarya said, "Yes" and went home. Raghunath Das understood, "Yes, this is the time!"
Perhaps, he preached to the pujari first but then he immediately fled to the forest. He understood that his parents would immediately send many guards and investigators to tind him. So he did not go in the direction of Puri. First he went east. He traveled deep east all day long, and the whole of the next day. When night came there was a shed of a milk man and he slept in the place where the cows sleep. In the morning the milk man understood that he had not eaten, so he gave him a little bit of milk.
Then Raghunath Das went in the southern direction. But he did not go by the main road, but rather went through the jungles, which no one will take. Every year Sivananda Sen, would take a whole group of Bengali Vaishnavas to meet Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Govardhan sent some messengers, guards and servants, "You go to Sivananda Sen, because Raghunath Das must be going to Puri with them. Tell them to give me my son back." So his messengers went to Sivananda Sen, but he said, "Your son is not here. 1 do not know where he may be."
Meanwhile, Raghunath Das was travelling through the jungles and the forests. It took him twelve days to arrive at Jagannath Puri and only on three occasions did he get anything to eat - sometimes he got little milk, sometimes he cooked something and sometimes he chewed on some fried grains. Although often it was very cold, or very-hot and he had to undergo many inconveniences Raghunath Das was not affected because he was completely immersed in the thought that soon he would see the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He was full of py. After 12 days he arrived in Jagannath Puri. In Kashi Mishra Bhavan, there is a room called the 'Gambhira', That was the personal residence of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Raghunath Das went to that place.

Raghunath Meets Lord Chaitanya In Puri
When Lord Chaitanya saw Raghunath Das , He became filled with happiness. He said to Raghunath Das, "You have received the mercy of Lord Krishna. To become disentangled from the attachments of this material world is very difficult, in fact it is impossible. It is only by the mercy of Lord Krishna that one can achieve such liberation." Raghunath Das with great humility, with such a grateful heart replied, "I do not know who Krishna is. 1 only know that Your causeless mercy has saved me." In groat humility Raghunath Das offered prayers to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Lord Chaitanya replied that. "Material life is tike a deep ditch where people go to pass stool. Because your father and uncle are friends of my father and grandfather w° are related, and 1 can say some joking words about them. Your father and uncle are like worms living in the stool of that ditch. Although they are Vaishnavas, they are not pure Vaishnavas. They have many material attachments. They give so much charity and donation to other devotees, but still they have material attachments. But Krishna has rescued you and brought you here."
Then Lord Chaitanya turned to Svarupa Damodar Goswami, His most personal associate and said, "I want you to take care of Raghunath Das - I am personally placing him in your loving care." Then Lord Chaitanya took the hands of Raghunath Das and Svarupa Damodar Goswami and put them together. "Now," he said, "there are three Raghus. There is Vaidya Raghunath, there is Bhatta Raghunath and this Raghunath who will be known as the Raghunath of Svarupa Damodar Goswami."
Svarupa Damodar Goswami very happily accepted the charge of Raghunath Das as his personal servant. Lord Chaitanya turned to Govinda, "Raghunath Das is very skinny because he hasn't eaten properly for the last 12 days and his body is dirty from travelling in the forest and all his clothes were torn." He said to Raghunath Das, "You go to bathe in the sea and then come back to Govinda after you see Jagannath and he will give you some nice prasad." So Raghunath Das went to bathe in the sea and when he came back, Govinda gave him Lord Chaitanya's own personal remnants of Mahaprasad.
After some days of eating Lord Chaitanya's remnants from the hands of Govinda, he began to sit outside the Simhadvaram, the main gate of Jagannath temple, like a beggar and that is how he would survive. It is explained that it was the tradition that the pujaris and the sen/ants of Jagannath after they finish their services they would come out. There is usually lines of beggars in front of the Simhadvaram and they would arrange for some prasad to be given to them. Raghunath Das was sitting like a beggar. Lord Chaitanya was very pleased to see this. How humble and how simple he was! Dedicating his life! Constantly immersed in chanting Hari Nama and serving the Vaishnavas!
But one day Raghunath Das spoke, through Svarupa Damodar Goswami, to Lord Chaitanya. Raghunath Das was so humble that generally he would not directly speak to Lord Chaitanya. If he had anything to say or any question to ask, he would do it through either Svarupa Damodar Goswami or Govinda, the servant of the Lord. So one day, Svarupa Damodar Goswami and Raghunath Das came before Lord Chaitanya and Svarupa Damodar Goswami said, "Raghunath Das has a question. He says that he has given up all the wonderful luxuries of his family life and his worldly existence. But he does not know why? He does not know what duty he has to perform. What are the services of one in the renounced order of life?"

Lord Chaitanya instructs Raghunath das Goswami
Lord Chaitanya turned to Raghunath Das Goswami and He said, "Actually he can answer your questions. But since you are asking Me, 1 will give you the reply. Do not speak mundane topics like people, in general, of this world and do not hear what they say. Do not eat luxurious foods and do not dress very nicely. You should always offer all respect to others but you must expect no respect in return. In this way you should constantly chant the holy names of the Lord and in your mind you should always meditate upon serving Radha and Krishna in the forests of Vrindavan. These are the duties of one in the renounced order of life. Now. for all further instructions you can get them from Svarupa Damodar Goswami. But one more instruction I must give you:
Trnad api sunicena taror api sah'isnuna Amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih
To be more humble than a blade of grass, to be more tolerant than a tree, ready to offer all respects to others and expect none in return. In this way one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."
For those who are pursuing the true path of renunciation Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given these three verses as the basis of real renunciation.
Raghunath das was so renounced and he was so simple in his lifestyle that he became dear to all the devotees. Later that year, after the four months of the rainy season ended, Shivananda Sen and his group came back to Bengal. Raghunath Das's father came to meet with Shivananda Sen and he asked "Have you seen Raghunath Das ? Is he in Puri living in the renounced order of life ?" And Shivananda Sen replied "Of course. Raghunath Das is famous. He is living as a member of the renounced order of life . He sits in front of the Simhadvaram and he begs for whatever little food may come. Sometimes he does not get any food and he gladly fasts. He only wears torn discarded clothes and an old quilt. He constantly chants the holy names of the Lord. He is dearly loved by all the Vaishnavas. Everyone knows Raghunath Das. He is under the care of Swarup Damodar Goswami. And he is one of the most confidential devotees of Lord Chaitanya." Shivananda Sen was thus glorifying him. When Govardhan and Hiranya heard him they became very broken-hearted and unhappy. What to do? There is no possible way they could bring him home now. So they decided to send lots of money and lot of cooks. Shivananda Sen said, "Next year when 1 go you can come."
Next year when Shivananda Sen and the Vaishnavas went they took Qovardhan's servant. When they arrived, they came to Raghunath Das and offered him a large sum of money. There were two Brahmins and a servant to cook. Raghunath Das told them, "I don't want any of this but you stay here in Puri." Then after some time he decided that he would use the money in preparing a feast for Lord Chaitanya and His associates, twice a month. So twice every month Lord Chaitanya and His associates would come to the residence of Raghunath Das Goswami and there would be a wonderful feast. Meanwhile. Raghunath Das stayed at the Simhadvaram and continued his begging.
This went on for two years. Another two months went by and Lord Chaitanya was not being invited. He asked Swarup Damodar Goswami, "Why is Raghunath Das not inviting me for prasad ?" Swarup Damodar replied, "He is thinking like this: I am accepting this money from materialistic people, and I'm inviting Lord Chaitanya only for my prestige. But Lord Chaitanya is not accepting it, He is only taking it to make me happy because I'm inviting Him." Lord Chaitanya said, "Yes this is very good. I'm very pleased, One should not take money from materialistic people for one's own purposes." Lord Chaitanya saw that he was increasing his spirit of renunciation. After sometime Lord Chaitanya asked his servant, "Why I do not see Raghunath Das any more sitting in front of Simhadvaram to beg?" "Because he was thinking, 'Now 1 am sitting here and I am evaluating everybody who comes out of the temple. How much will he give me? He gave something yesterday. Why is he not giving me anything? 1 am evaluating people according to my own needs. Therefore at this time Raghunath Das is begging at the free prasadam booths."
Lord Chaitanya was very pleased with Raghunath Das. H^'w humble he was and how dear to all the Vaishnavas! How he would not waste a second but was constantly immersed in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord and serving the Lord. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami describes that once a sannyasi, his name was Shankarananda, came from Vrindavan and he personally gave Lord Chaitanya a stone from the Govardhan Hill and a beautiful Gunjamala.   Lord Chaitanya accepted these gifts with gratitude and love. He would wear that Govardhana Shila around his neck. Lord Chaitanya in the spirit of the tove of Srimati Radharani would see that Govardhan Shila as the very body of Lord Krishna and sometimes in the ecstasy of love Lord Chaitanya would place the Shila on His forehead. Sometimes he would smell it with his nose, sometimes he would push it to his eyes. At all times that Govardhana Shila was moistened by the tears of the love of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and sometimes when Lord Chaitanya was in great ecstasy he would put on that Gunjamala and worship it. Lord Chaitanya kept that Shila personally for 2 years and worshipped the gunjamala and the Shila with unlimited love and devotion. Because Raghunath Das was so dear to Lord Chaitanya he wanted to give the most precious things to him. He told Raghunath Das, "Today t will give you this Govardhan Shila which is non-different than the body of Krishna, and the gunjamala of Vrindavan. To this Shila you should offer worship everyday. Bathe it with water and th^n offer Tulasi leaves each with one Manjari or flower on each side. And by doing this you will very soon achieve the ultimate treasure of Krishna's mercy." Raghunath Das Goswami was thinking within his heart, "By giving me this Govardhan Shila Lord Chaitanya has given me a permanent place at Govardhan hill. And by giving me the gunjamata he has given me shelter at the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani.” 

The extreme renunciation of Raghunath das Goswami
After some time Swaroop Damodar Goswami personally arranged very opulent sweetmeats for Raghunath Das to offer his Govardhan Shila. Meanwhile Raghunath Das Goswami continued to increase the nectar of renunciation in his life.  After some time Lord Chaitanya noticed he wasn't even going to the free booths to eat. Where is he eating now? He wondered the food sold in Puri is the Mahaprasad of Lord Jagannath. Whatever lies unsold becomes rotten and decomposed as time goes by. it would no longer be sold or eaten by human beings. The food that is not sold and getting old was put in a pile and the Tailanga(a breed of cow) cows would come to eat it. But some of the prasad was so rotten, the smell was so terrible, it was so decomposed and unpalatable that even the cows would not eat it. Or if they did they would spit it out. At the end of the day that was all that was left in that pile. At night, when no one would see him Raghunath Das would carefully go there and pick up the old decomposed rotten pieces of Jagannath's rice that the cows had rejected. He would take it home and carefully wash it. He would take the inner part, add salt and eat it. That is all he would eat.
One day Swaroop Damodar Goswami saw him eating this and he said "What kind of nectar are you eating Raghunath Das?" He forcibly took some of it, and became so pleased, he said "Such nectar I have never tasted." Then Swaroop Damodar Goswami reported the renunciation of Raghunath Das Goswami to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. One day Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came just at the time when Raghunath Das Goswami was about to take his prasad. When Lord Chaitanya came in, Raghunath hid it so Lord Chaitanya would not see it. Some people perform renunciation for fame and glory. But Raghunath Das did not want people to see how renounced he was. He hid it from every one's view. Only the Lord in His heart could see what kind of renunciation he was really performing. Lord Chaitanya said, "Oh, Raghunath Das 1 heard you are eating very palatable prasad. Please give me some." Then Lord Chaitanya knowing exactly where the prasad was grabbed it, and ate it. Swaroop Damodar Goswami stopped Him, "You shouid not take any more." Lord Chaitanya was filled with bliss, "I have tasted so many preparations of Jagannath's mahaprasad - many sabjis, many sweetmeats and many grains. But never have 1 ever experienced such nectarean prasad as what Raghunath Das Goswami is eating each day."

"Mahaprabhurer bhakta gana vairagya pradhan"
Renunciation is the basic principle, which sustains the lives of the associates of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Seeing that renunciation Lord Gaurachandra is extremely pleased.
Sn this way, Raghunath Das Goswami lived in Jagannath Puri as the personal associate of Lord Chaitanya for sixteen years. How he lived, no one can possibly imitate! He was the life and soul of all the Vaishnavas. When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu disappeared from His pastimes in this world, soon afterwards Swaroop Damodar Goswami also left this world. In the pangs of separation Raghunath Das Goswami was feeling that there was no reason to live, his two Lords had left him. He decided to see the Holy Land of Vrindavan, and to Jump from the highest peak of Govardhan Hill and commit suicide. With this determination in his heart he walked to Vrindavan.
There he met with Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami. Upon seeing them he felt a revival in his heart " I was dying. I was withering up in separation of Lord Chaitanya and Swaroop Damodar Goswami, but now 1 see that in the form of Rupa and Sanatana, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is present. He is living in this world. The same mercy, the same teaching, the same spirit of compassion of Lord Chaitanya is residing always in the lives of Rupa and Sanatana Goswami." When Rupa and Sanatana heard Raghunath Das Goswami's desire to commit suicide, they said, "No. You be one of our brothers. You be our third brother and live with us here in Vrindavan and always tell us the glorious pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu."

Residence at Radhakunda
Raghunath "Das Goswami was given residence on the banks of the holiest of alt holy places, Sri Radhakund. There he was constantly immersed in the ecstasy of love and devotion to Lord Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. All the Vrijbasis worshiped and loved Raghunath Das Goswami. He was the very embodiment of complete dedication in the spirit of vairagya. Raghunath Das Goswami would bow down to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, minimum one thousand times every day. He would chant the holy names of the Lord, minimum 100,000 times everyday, 200,000 times at other times it is said. He would bow down to Vaisnavas, minimum 2,000 times every day. He was constantly chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, 22 Vz hours a day he would be immersed in kirtan and meditation on the Lord. Three hours every day he would narrate the beautiful pastimes of Lord Sri Chailanya Mahaprabhu as he witnessed them and heard them from his beloved Swaroop Damodar Goswami.
One of the persons who would daily attend the three-hour class of Raghunath Das Goswami, about Lord Chaitanya's pastimes and teachings, was Srila Krishnadas Kavirai Goswami.- It was on the basis of what he heard from Raghunath Das Goswami that he was empowered to write the most important of all scriptures for Gaudiya Vaishnavas - the very postgraduate study of Srimad Bhagavatam, the most venerable of all of our literatures, Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita. After each chapter Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami surrenders his life by taking the dust from the feet of Sri Rupa Goswami and Raghunath Das Goswami. giving all mercy and credit to them for the literature that he had composed. The kind of life exhibited by Ragnunath Das Goswami at Radhakund is the very pinnacle of what all renunciates must strive to follow. He would just sit and chant all day long.
This story is described in Bhakti Ratnakar by Narahari Chakravarti. One day Sanatana Goswami was coming to meet Raghunath Das. And as Sanatana was approaching, he saw there were tigers drinking water from Radhakund just beside Raghunath Das, who was sitting there completely absorbed with his eyes closed and was loudly chanting the holy names.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Hama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Sanatana Goswami saw Sri Shyamsunder appearing personally with a stick in His hand guarding Raghunath Das Goswami from the tigers. On another occasion it is explained Sanatana Goswami came and it was summertime. It was at noon- The sun was blazing like fire and Sanatana Goswami saw the most worshippable Vrindavanesvari, Srimati Radharani standing over Raghunath Das Goswami and giving him shade with her sari and while he was in the coolness of the shade of Sri Radharani's causeless mercy, She was standing in the sun perspiring profusely.
Sanatana Goswami approached Raghunath Das Goswami, "We are supposed to be rendering service to Radha and Krishna, the purpose of our bhajan is to give seva or pleasure to Radha and Krishna. We should not expect Radha and Krishna to serve us. But because of the nature of your bhajan, They are coming from their own Lila just to protect you, to serve you. This is not the spirit of Gauranga Mahaprabhu's teachings." So, on Sanatana Goswami's request a small kutir was built and Raghunath Das would perform his sacred bhajan in that Bhajan Kutir. That was the beginning of the Bhajan Kutir system in Vrindavan.
There, he could completely immerse himself in giving pleasure and service to Radha and Krishna through his bhajan without them having to come and serve him. Raghunath Das Goswami's following of the regulative principles were like lines on stone. Under no circumstances could they ever be erased or changed. Raghunath Das Goswami saw Sri Radhakund to be the sacred bathing place of Srimati Radharani, the favorite place for Radha Shayamsunder to perform Their most intimate confidential pastimes. He saw that the water of Sri Radhakund was filled with none other than the ambrosia! nectar of Sri Radharani's love for Shyamsundar. Therefore, he would never wash any kind of utensils or any thing like that in Radhakund. He would take a bath in Sri Radhakund three times everyday. He saw that sometimes people were washing utensils and everything like that, and he felt very bad. He decided there should be another source of water for this purpose, so they began to dig a well. As they were digging they hit a piece of stone, and that stone began to bleed profusely. When this information was given to Raghunath Das, he told them "Stop this well-digging."
That night on the banks of Sri Radhakund, as Raghunath Das Goswami was resting Krishna appeared to him in a dream and told him, "Govardhan hill is my body and each of the limbs of My body are various parts of Govardhan Hill. That stone which began to bleed when you cut it is the tongue of Govardhan. Now take that stone out, install it and make a small temple for my devotees to come and worship." Raghunath Das Goswami personally arranged for that stone to be taken out of the ground and Raghunath Das, who was sitting there completely absorbed with his eyes closed and; was loudly chanting the holy names.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Sanatana Goswami saw Sri Shyamsunder appearing personally with a stick in His hand guarding Raghunath Das Goswami from the tigers. On another occasion it is explained Sanatana Goswami came and it was summertime. It was at noon. The sun was blazing like fire and Sanatana Goswami saw the most worshippable Vrindavanesvari, Srimati Radharani standing over Raghunath Das Goswami and giving him shade with_: her sari and while he was in the coolness of the shade of Sri Radharani's causeless mercy, She was standing in the sun perspiring profusely.
Sanatana Goswami approached Raghunath Das Goswami, "We are supposed to be rendering service to Radha and Krishna, the purpose of our bhajan is to give seva or pleasure to Radha and Krishna. We should not expect Radha and Krishna to serve us. But because of the nature of your bhajan, They are coming from their own Lila just to protect you, to serve you. This is not the spirit of Gauranga Mahaprabhu's teachings." So, on Sanatana Goswami's request a small kutir was built and Raghunath Das would perform his sacred bhajan in that Bhajan Kutir. That was the beginning of the Bhajan Kutir system in Vrindavan.
There, he could completely immerse himself in giving pleasure and service to Radha and Krishna through his bhajan without them having to come and serve him. Raghunath Das Goswami^1 s following of the regulative principles were like lines on stone. Under no circumstances could they ever be erased or changed. Raghunath Das Goswami saw Sri Radhakund to be the sacred bathing place of Srimati Radharani, the favorite place for Radha Shayamsunder to perform Their most intimate confidential pastimes. He saw that the water of Sri Radhakund was filled with none other than the ambrosia! nectar of Sri Radharani's love for Shyamsundar. Therefore, he would never wash any kind of utensils or any thing like that in Radhakund. He would take a bath in Sri Radhakund three times everyday. He saw that sometimes people were washing utensils and everything like that, and he felt very bad. He decided there should be another source of water for this purpose, so they began to dig a well. As they were digging they hit a piece of stone, and that stone began to bleed profusely. When this information was given to Raghunath Das, he told them "Stop this well-digging"

That night on the banks of Sri Radhakund, as Raghunath Das Goswami was resting Krishna appeared to him in a dream and told him, "Govardhan hill is my body and each of the limbs of My body are various parts of Govardhan Hill. That stone which began to bleed when you cut it is the tongue of Govardhan. Now take that stone out, install it and make a small temple for my devotees to come and worship." Raghunath Das Goswami personally arranged for that stone to be taken out of the ground and installed in a little temple. Today, the tongue of Govardhan is still worshipped by so many fortunate Vaishnavas who visit Sri Radhakund.
Raghunath Das Goswami was thinking that perhaps Radhakund should be excavated because at that time it was just like a pond of water in the middle of a paddy field. You know how Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was so eager to find Radhakund when He went to Vrindavan. In Padma Purana and in other great scriptures it is described, Radhakund is the pinnacle, the ultimate culmination of all holy places. But no one in Vrindavan knew where Radhakund and Shyamakund were. But when Lord Chaitanya, who is Sri Krishna and Sri Radharani in one form, was doing His Govardhan parikrama He came to a place and saw two tiny little ponds of water and understood that this is the sacred Radhakund and Shyamakund.
Raghunath Das Goswami was thinking, "Perhaps it should be excavated," but then in his mind he also thought, "Why should 1 go and try to collect money and get involved in ail these types of activities? Lord Chaitanya would want me to do bhajan." But Lord Chaitanya is in the heart of His devotee. He understood Raghunath Das Goswami's desire to perform this service. A very wealthy man went on a pilgrimage to the high peaks of the Himalayas to that holy place Badrikasram. He brought lots of money, as he wanted to renovate and build the temple of Badrinath. But he had a dream where Badrivishal, Lord Narayan, appeared to him and said, "You go to Vrindavan. There you find Srila Raghunath Das Goswami. Give him all your money and help him to renovate Shyamakund and Radhakund."
So this wealthy man came down and went to Vrindavan and told Raghunath Das Goswami the story and the message he was bringing. Raghunath Das was very happy. So they excavated and renovated, Sri Radhakund. As they were excavating, Sri Shyamakund, Maharaja Yudhisthira appeared to Raghunath Das Goswami in a dream and told him, "My four brothers and I are living in the form of trees on the banks of Shyamakund, always meditating on the wonderful pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Please do not cut us down and disturb our meditation." Raghunath das Goswami engineered the excavation of that area while giving due respect to the five Pandavas. Thus Shyama Kund is not a square like Radhakund but it is irregularly shaped in various places.
Srila Prabhupada told us that Raghunath Das Goswami was so austere that he would just have a little buttermilk everyday, sometimes every few days. And as he was about to have that buttermilk he would be ashamed of himself. "That if one has love and devotion to Lord Krishna that love is so satisfying that one should not be concerned with maintaining this physical body." He considered himself a supreme enjoyer when he would have a little bit of butter or buttermilk every few days. This was the standard of his renunciation. Srila Prabhupada explains he became very skinny, so thin that he would just wear torn discarded clothes that would be thrown in the street as garbage. And then it was just a kaupin, a small chadar and a patched torn quilt, perhaps, in the winter. 
One day Raghunath Das Goswami had terrible pains in his stomach from indigestion, and devotees did not know what to do. He was really inconvenienced so they brought a Kaviraj, an Ayurvedic doctor. The doctor examined Raghunath Das Goswami and tofd the devotees, "He has overeaten. He has eaten sweet rice. Milk. rice and sugar cooked together and he ate too much." The devotees were thinking, "What is this nonsense? He never eats sweet rice. How can Raghunath Das Goswami overeat?" They thought the doctor was in illusion or he was blasphemous or something- But actually Raghunath Das revealed that in his internal transcendental loving meditation on Radha and Krishna, Sri Radharani gave him Her own remnants of sweet rice and in his transcendental meditation he ate it, and that is what gave him the indigestion. So he was given some medicine and then he recovered.

Meeting with Jahnava Devi
Raghunath Das Goswami remained at Radhakund and lived a very long life. When Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami left this planet, Sri Jiva Goswami was made the prominent leader of the Vaishnavas. Jiva Goswami would always be happy to go to Radhakund to worship Srila Raghunath Das Goswami. When Srinivas Acharya, Narottama Das Thakur and Shyamananda Goswami came to Vrindavan they would often times go to Radhakund just to surrender their lives in great humility and devotion before Raghunath Das Goswami. He would embrace them with such love and literally bathe them with the tears of his affection. He was the embodiment of mercy. Then one time Jahnava Devi, the eternal consort of Lord Nityananda Prabhu came with Her entourage to Vrindavan. She went to visit Sri Jiva Goswami and others and they told Her the condition of Raghunath Das Goswami. It was pitiable - what type of love and separation he was ecstatically suffering! He was not even eating or sleeping. He was just crying in the ecstasy of love for Sri Radha and Krishna, weeping in separation from Rupa, Sanatana, Swaroop Damodar and Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Jahnava Devi traveled to Radhakund just for the purpose of meeting Srila Raghunath Das Goswami. It is explained even though Jahnava Devi saw the beautiful Radhakund and Shyamakund -the ultimate holy-places worshipped by all Gaudiya Vaishnavas, still She found even more happiness getting the darshan of Srila Raghunath Das Goswami who was just weeping and crying in great separation, while chanting the holy names
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami came to Raghunath Das and said, "Jahnava Devi has come." When Raghunath Das heard Jahnava Devi has come all the way from Kardaha in Bengal he became very ecstatic. He got up and as quickly as he possibly could he began to approach Jahnava Devi. When She saw him She began to weep in ecstatic love and as he saw Her this pure transcendental exchange was something wonderful. Raghunath Das fell at the feet of Jahnava Devi and worshipped Her. In this way Jahnava Devi tried to somehow pacify him and give him happiness from his separation.
On an earlier occasion Rupa Goswami wrote the book Lalita Madhava and gave the manuscript to Raghunath Das to read. When Raghunath Das Goswami read the stories of the separation of Sri Radharani and the gopis from Lord Krishna he became so immersed in that separation, in his own heart, that he was like a mad man simply weeping and crying constantly. He would just cry and cry holding the book, Laiita Madhava to his chest and his associates at Sri Radhakund could do nothing to pacify him. They informed Srila Rupa Goswami in Vrindavan, who immediately wrote another book Danakeli Kaumudi, which describes the wonderful, wonderful, loving reunion of Radha and Krishna. Srila Rupa Goswami came to Radhakund and gave this book to Raghunath Das Goswami. "As far as Lalita Madhava is concerned some corrections have to be made, so give it back." When Raghunath Das Goswami read the ecstatic verses of Srila Rupa Goswami's love describing sambhog, the meeting of Radha and Krishna all his anxieties disappeared. He became filled with joy.
Raghunath Das Goswami is declared by the acharyas to be the Prayojana guru for our sampradaya. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us that there are three subject maters in the Vedas,

Sambandha,
To establish our relationship with Krishna, as His eternal servant. Sri!a Sanatana Goswami through his writings established Sambandha jnana, therefore he is worshipped as our Sambandha acharya. Madanmohana is the Sambandha murti. The next subject is

Abhideya,
To act in accordance with our eternal relationship with Krishna, by engaging in the path of pure bhakti. Govinda is the Abhideya Murti and Srila Rupa Goswami through his writings he has explained very nicely how to engage in the service of Radha and Krishna to achieve the ultimate perfection of life. The third subject is

Prayojana,
The ultimate goal of pure unmotivated love for Krishna and Sri Radharani, as the servant of the servant of their servants. In the mood of the gopis, the residents of Vrindavan, to love Krishna in ecstatic prema, that is Prayojana. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, through his writings and his living example, is the Prayojana acharya worshipped by all of us.
He wrote a beautiful verse describing the very essence of Gaudiya Vaishnava Siddhanta, to be the servant of the servant of the servant of Srimati Radharani, the dear most beloved of Lord Krishna. In this. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami is praying to Srimati Radharani in separation begging Her to award him the ultimate benediction of Her service. He is praying, "Through all my life I have waited for Your mercy and I am growing impatient, old and tired. I cannot wait any longer without Your love. Sri Radharani, without Your mercy. I will give up my life. 1 cannot tolerate the separation any more. Without Your mercy 1 do not even care to live in Vrindavan. Even Vrindavan has no appeal or charm to me without connection to Your loving service. I do not even care for Krishna, the all-attractive Supreme Lord. I have no desire even for Krishna without service to You." In this prayer of separation, Sri Raghunath Das Goswami revealed the perfection of Prayojana. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught that the supreme of all devotees is gopis and service in separation to Lord Krishna, through the mercy and grace of Sri Radharani, is the ultimate perfection of our life. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami did not want Vrindavan or even Krishna. He just wanted to please the associates of Srimati Radharani and assist them in their service to Krishna. 

Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami
Today is the disappearance day of Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami. Hearing of the lives of great saintly persons is to practically hear the Bhagavad Gita's highest teachings in action. So, I would like to speak for a few minutes tonight about this great-exalted soul and the many wonderful and important lessons we can learn from a brief sketch of his life.

Birth and childhood
Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was born of a great devotee of the name Tapan Mishra. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is none other than the Yuga avatar, the divine prophesied incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna, who appeared to spread the yuga dharma of chanting the holy name of God in this age of Kali Yuga. While He was living as a student in Navadvipa Dhama, in Bengal, He took a pilgrimage to Bangladesh or East Bengal. There, He was demonstrating such inconceivable scholarship in the way He was teaching Sanskrit grammar that He was getting hundreds and thousands of people coming to be his students. Just when He was about to leave, a very sincere seeker of Ihe truth by the name Tapan Mishra approached Him. For years and years this man was searching through various religious scriptures and philosophical doctrines for the highest goaf of life and the way to attain it. He was dissatisfied with aff material pursuits. He was dissatisfied with mundane education. Unless he understood what is the goal of life he considered his life was a useless waste. He was so sincere and he was praying to the Lord with such deep intensity that one evening the Lord appeared before him in a dream and told him "I have incarnated in this world and I am just now waiting for you" and He told him where to meet Him. So Tapan Mishra came to the place where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting with His students and he fell at the lotus feet of the Lord and told Him that "There is no meaning, purpose or satisfaction in my life, unless (understand the goal, please instruct me" and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in a simple but clear manner told him that the goal of life is to love Krishna and to serve Krishna with body, mind, words and soul and the means of developing that love in this age is to chant His Holy Name and then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu specifically and directly told him "You chant this sixteen word mantra that is given in the Kali Santarana Upanlshad. It is the Maha-mantra and it is the Greatest and the most powerful of all mantras :
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
And then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave him a very mysterious instruction. He told him, "You go and live in Varanasi." Now, in those days there were no devotees of God in Varanasi, there were only impersonal philosophers. But he accepted that strange order as his life and soul and moved to Varanasi. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told him "I will be coming to Varanasi in the near future and at that time 1 will explain in more detail about this chanting of Harinam and the goal of life." So he moved to Varanasi and there was another Vaisnava who was living there at that time. His name was Chandrashekhar Vaidya.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Sri Vrindavan Dhama after he had accepted sannyasa and on his return journey he stopped and stayed in Varanasi for two months. During that time, he stayed at the house of Chandrashekhar and would take his prasadam at the home of Tapan Mishra, By that time. Tapan Mishra had a young son, whose name was Raghunath Bhattacharya. This young boy was very attached to Lord Chaitanya - how much love he had for Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and how attentive he was to hear every word! He would take great pleasure in massaging the legs of the Lord, after the Lord had danced for hours and hours a day while chanting in the kirtan of the holy name! And he would accept the most menial and humble services. Although Raghunath Bhattacharya was very learned and a brahmin, he would take great pleasure in washing the dishes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and doing simple, little services. But through this he became very intimately favored by the Lord.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannath Puri, his residence. Soon after this Raghunath Bhatta Goswami decided, while he was a young man, that he was going to give up everything of the world and simply surrender his life to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and be His servant. So, with the blessings of his family members he left Varanasi and began the long walk to Sri Purushottam Kshetra, Jagannath Puri Dhama.

Raghunath Bhatta and Ramdas Viswas
An interesting event took place on the way . He met a very learned scholar who was also famous in that area of Bengal as one of the greatest devotees of Lord Sri Ramachandra. His name was Ramdas Viswas. It is said that Ramdas Viswas would chant the names and glories of Sri Ramachandra twenty four hours a day. When he niet Raghunath Bhatta Goswami he said "Please let me carry your bags and Set me sen/e you." Raghunath Bhatta Goswami said "You are of a Kayastha caste that is a very respectable caste. Besides that you are a very learned scholar, you are a very famous devotee of Lord Rama and you are always chanting his names and glories. There is no need to carry my bags on your head. Let us go together to Jagannath Puri, in great happiness," Ramdas said "1 have already renounced everything in this v-ond to live in Puridhama. But 1 will find the greatest joy and happiness in carrying your bags on my head, and being your menial servant." So just to satisfy Ramdas, Raghunath Bhaita Goswami really had no choice, they began to travel to Jagannath Puri togc ther and the whole time Ramdas Viswas was chanting the glories and the names of S-1 Rama. Finally they came to Jagannath Puri. Raghunath Bhatta Goswami with great love and anticipation, went to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's home and there he fell, like a stick, offering his prostrated dandavat, obeisances at the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recognizing him as a dear eternal servant lifted him up and with great love and affection embraced him. Raghunath Bhatta Goswami on behalf of his father and on behalf of Chandrashekhar, offered his obeisances. In this way Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and he exchanged so many loving words and then Lord Gauranga said to Govinda, his servant. "You kindly arrange some nice facility for Raghunath to stay, bring him some prasadam and bring him to see Lord Jagannath." Although Ramdas Viswas was such a famous and learned personality, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu showed him no special attention. He gave him no special mercy at all. Why is this? That is one of the most important things to understand .
Ramdas Viswas was chanting the Holy name of Rama and discussing Ramayana lila throughout the day, everyday, and was famous as being a great saint amongst almost everybody. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is none other that Krishna, who resides within the heart of all living beings and who Knows our innermost desires. Krishna does not see the external appearance of our devotion but sees what is in our heart, what is our motivating factor, our dedication, humility, sincerity and He will judge everything on that basis. You can make a show of being a saintly person or of being a very great devotee of God, but Krishna cares nothing for your show. Krishna is only concerned with your heart. Ramdas Viswas was chanting the name of Ram throughout the day and discussing his glories and rendering service in such a menial way as to carry a devotee's bags on his head, but his motivation was by performing these activities," 1 will become one with Ram." He was not in the mood of an eternal servant. He was an impersonalist that means his ultimate desire was not to serve Ram but to be Ram. This is the transgression of the pure, true principle of love.
Jivera svarupa haye krishnera nitya dasa
We are eternally the servants of Lord Krishna, of Lord Sri Rama. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained to us through his Shikshastakam prayers what should be the true heart of a real devotee of the Lord
na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam vam jagadisha kamaye mama janmani janmanishvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
My Lord, I do not want to approach you and to serve you with ambition of attaining any amount of wealth, material prosperity, nor do I care to achieve beautiful relationship with women nor do I care to achieve fame, followers and prestige in this world, even disciples nor do I care anything for liberation or mukti. My desire is fixed for only one purpose that I may be your causeless servant birth after birth. If we want to be God, what type of service is it? That 1 serve you ......and then I take your position? In the truest, purest and highest sense of Sanatana Dharma, we must understand that we are eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. We are qualitatively one with God, we are sac-cid-ananda - eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss, but we are qualitatively insignificant particle of God and God is the Supreme Complete Whole. Just as the sunshine is an insignificant part of the Sun, but it radiates the same qualities as the Sun. As the part, it is the nature of a jivatma, or the Soul, to eternally be immersed in the loving service of the complete whole, Krishna, and it is that humility and that form of devotion and eagerness to serve. Krishna is explaining here, that is most dear to him. It is the highest knowledge because it is realization of the Truth.
Ramdas Viswas became very dear and very attractive to the world but not to God, Similarly we see in many places of the world people who can speak very nicely, who have an incredible memory, who have charisma or the power to attract people. Sometimes when they speak tens and thousands of people come to hear them or sometimes millions come to become their disciples. Sometimes it is because they can perform some magic tricks. Sometimes it is because they are very learned. But a true devotee of the Lord judges things the way the Lord judges. What is this person's humility, is this person's motivation just to be the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord? That is the only characteristic that impresses Krishna. He is not impressed by our magic tricks. He can create planets, can we? He is not impressed by our ability to speak because whatever we speak, the language, the words, and the power to speak is coming from Him. Krishna is only impressed by humble devotion, by the mood of eternal servitude.
Raghunath Bhatta had this mood and therefore he was most dear to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Raghunath Bhatta lived in Jagannath Puri with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for eight months. During those eight months, he would often invite Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to his home to take prasad. Raghunath Bhatta Goswami used to cook for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and he was an excellent cook. In fact, it is explained by Kaviraj Goswami that, whatever he cooked tasted like nectar. He was a mastercook, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would take pleasure to honor his prasad, of course we must know that from the point of view of God, what does it mean to be a master cook. It means to know how to spice each preparation with pure love, with bhakti. Because Krishna tastes not the external form of food, but our devotion. If we cook for the Lord in an agitated state of mind, if we cook for the Lord because we feel we have to - that's what our food tastes like to Krishna. But if we cook because we want to please Him, we want to please His devotees, that food will taste like nectar to the Lord. So Raghurath Bhatta Goswami would prepare this food with such great affection and love because he had such affection and love, the Lord did empower him, even on the external level, that whatever he made tasted like nectar. He would also massage the legs of the Lord and he would have nice kirtans after that.
In this way Raghunath Bhatta Goswami became such a dear servant and one day Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told him, "Your parents, are both my very dear devotees. They are pure Vaisnavas but now they are very old. You should serve your parents." This is a very interesting instruction. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was not just telling Raghunath Bhatta Goswami to serve his parents but he was telling him to be the servant of pure Vaisnavas. We must know that there is no greater way of pleasing the Lord than pleasing his devotees. Krishna explains to Uddhava in the 11th canto that, "The highest worship to Me is the worship of my devotees. The most intimate service to Me is the service of my devotes." And then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave another instruction to Raghunath Bhatta Goswami . He told him "Do not marry." Because He saw that Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was already a young man, he was unmarried, unattached and unentangled by all the affairs of family life and he was making tremendous spiritual advancement and was very detached. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told him, "You are already doing so well as a brahmachari, you should remain a brahmachari." For one who is already entangled and attached by family life, they must perform their duties in Krishna consciousness. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not want Raghunath Bhatta Goswami to get involved in all these complications so He told him not to marry. He told him, "You can do so much service and you can be so free to make positive spiritual advancement in a fife of renunciation and detachment. When you go back to Varanasi, serve your parents and you should make sure that each day and every day you hear the Srimad Bhagavatam from a self-realized soul." He didn't just tell him to hear Bhagavatam. He said "You must hear it from a self realized soul." These days there are so many professional reciters of Bhagavatam, but the true spirit and the essence of the Bhagavatam cannot come through the words of professional reciters. They can only come through those humble servants of the Lord, who have dedicated their lives in His loving service.
Nasta prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata sevaya bhagavati uttama sloke bhaktir bhavaty naistiki
The Bhagavatam itself says "You must hear Bhagavatam each day, but you must hear from a person Bhagavatam and you must serve that person." What is a person Bhagavatam? A person whose very life embodies the principles of Bhagavatam. It is not a question of having a good memory and speaking nicely, it is being exactly an example of what the Bhagavatam teaches, being detached from material sense gratification, being truly a humble dedicated servant of the Lord, who is repeating the teachings of the Bhagavatam. A real spiritual teacher is one who repeats what he has heard from his guru. No one can approach the Bhagavatam directly. It is only those great souls who have served previous great souls, who have the key to unlock the true secret meaning of the Bhagavatam to us.
"tasmat gurum prapadyeta jljnasur sreya uttamam"
Bhagavatam says "You must hear transcendental knowledge from a genuine spiritual master, one who is a humble servant of a previous spiritual master. Through this process of disciplic succession, the true essence of the Bhagavatam is revealed to us. We must hear submissively and render service to such a qualified self-realized soul."
These were the three instructions, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave to Raghunath Bhatta Qoswami. Do not marry and entangle yourself in all materialistic affairs, serve your aged parents throughout their lives and hear the Bhagavatam each day from a self-realized soul.
When Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was feeling imminent separation from the Lord after eight months in his intimate association, he began to weep and cry and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu out of intense affection for his devotee, took off His own neck beads and put them on the neck of "Raghunath Bhatta Goswami and then Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami returned to Varanasi.
For next four years he was immersed in hearing Bhagavatam and in serving his parents. Then both his parents were taken away by Krishna back home, back to Godhead. After they left this world Raghunath Bhatta Goswami completely detached himself from all worldly affairs and he returned to Jagannath Puri. There he again remained with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for eight months, rendering him loving service. At the end of these eight months, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave him another instruction. He told Raghunath Bhatta Goswami "I want you to go to Vrindavana and take shelter of my two intimate associates Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis. You live under their care and serve with them. My instruction to you is that you chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
throughout the day, chant the Maha-Mantra twenty four hours a day and 1 want you to hear and recite the Srimad Bhagavatam. You become the servant of Rupa and Sanatana Goswami."
At that time Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave two beautiful gifts. Prasadam of Jagannath which He Himself received in a festival, a garland of tulasi leaves that was 14 cubits long and some betel-nuts which were also the Maha-Prasadam of Jagannath, He gave them to Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, who kept them in a very special place and then proceeded to Vrindavan.

Raghunath Bhatta Goswami arrives in Vrindavan
When he arrived in Vrindavan, he was joyously greeted by Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. In fact. he became one of the great and famous six Goswamis of Vrindavan. While he was in Vrindavan, he became an intimate associate of Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis and in their company, he was constantly immersed in chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and throughout the day he would recite the Bhagavatam. He had such a beautiful voice it was just like a cuckoo bird and he would sing the Srimad Bhagavatam verses, he would sing each sloka in three to four different melodies and it was very pleasing to hear. He would also cook wonderful delicious preparations for the Goswamis and for the Govinda murti. He dedicated, surrendered his life to Rupa Goswami's deity of Radha Govinda. It was Raghunath Bhatta Goswami who instructed one of his disciples to build a beautiful temple of Radha Govindaji, which is the most famous temple and most magnificent structure in all of North India. The Radha Govindaji temple was so magnificent that the Moghul ruler Aurangzeb specifically came to Vrindavana to tear down the top four of the seven storeys of that temple because he considered them too beautiful. Hindu temples cannot be so beautiful he felt and so he defaced it in many ways. But it was Raghunath Bhatta Goswami's devotion and his feeling that he was a servant of Srila Rupa Goswami that encouraged him to inspire one of his disciples to build that temple. Raghunath Bhatta Goswami also arranged many      beautiful decorations for Radha Govindaji, he offered Him a wonderful flute and earrings that were shaped like sharks.
Here is another example of the nature of a devotee. Raghunath Bhatta Goswami had no home when he was living in Vrindavana. He was sleeping under a different tree every night and he would just do Madhukari, he would either fast or beg for some fried grains or roti and eat whatever would be given. He lived such a simple life, he wore only a tattered discarded loin cloth and yet he was arranging such beautiful jewelry and magnificent temples for Krishna to live in and for devotees to come and worship Krishna. How can we understand such a consciousness? In this life we find that people are so anxious to build beautiful houses for themselves and get beautiful jewelry to decorate and make themselves beautiful and arrange wonderful prasadam for themselves. Raghunath Bhatta Goswami would arrange the most beautiful jewelry, most beautiful temples, and the most beautiful prasadam for Radha Govinda, for Krishna. But he himself was wearing a coarse, old, tattered loin cloth , sleeping on the hard ground through winter and summer, in the forests or in the jungles, either fasting or eating the simplest foods, but always immersed in transcendental ecstasy because he was always pleasing Krishna.
Rupa Goswami explains that whatever you give Krishna, you are not the loser, you gain millions of times over. How do we decorate our hearts? By decorating Krishna. How do we feed our sout? By feeding Krishna. How do we put our bodies and souls in poverty? By egoistically trying to serve this body and the senses, and forgetting Krishna-
Raghunath Bhatta Goswami had such a spirit of humility and gentleness that he would never criticize another Vaisnava devotee of the Lord and he would never even hear the criticism of such a person. Even if there was faults or mistakes in the life of a Vaisnava, he didn't care to hear about it. As far he was concerned "The fact that he is a devotee uf Krishna is all that I need to know." He was always seeing the good in others, he refused to see any bad in others.
In this connection our Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupada, explains sometimes in preaching Krishna consciousness, it is the preacher's duty to point out the faults in others so that people will not be misled or he must point out the faults in others to correct them. That is also perfect, but it is never in the mood of criticism it is in the mood of service and compassion. But Raghunath Bhatta Goswami was the type of preacher who would not even do that. He just could not see anything but Krishna in people's hearts. Such a great devotee of the Lord! As he would recite Bhagavatam, remember the beautiful qualities of Krishna and chant his Holy Names, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami's eyes would always be filled with tears, his limbs would tremble, his voice would get choked up in transcendental ecstasy and in this way by simply following these principles which Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave him, he manifested the highest perfection of life, ecstatic love for Krishna. In this way Raghunath Bhatta Goswami lived as one of the celebrated six Goswamis of Vrindavana throughout the rest of his life manifesting through his actions and through his words an example which none of us can imitate but should strive to humbly follow.
It is such devotees, Krishna explains in the Bhagavad Gita that are most dear to Him. By following the footsteps of such devotees and by becoming the servant of the servant of the servant of such devotees is the practical method of becoming most dear to Krishna. What else do we want?  Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, was actually an incarnation of Ragamanjiri, one of the intimate gopi associates of Krishna in Goloka Vrindavana, who descended into this world in the form of a devotee just to show by example, how to love Krishna. And what is the mood of the gopis of Vrindavana? What is the mood of all these great acaryas?
sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva papebyho moksaisyami ma sucah
"We do not want anything else, except to please Krishna." What does it mean to surrender to Krishna? Krishna just says "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender to Me." To surrender does not mean to do some great supernatural works. It means to humbly try to please the Lord in everything we say, do and think. In your own life do you want someone to put on a magnificent display of false ego before you or do you want that someone to in a gentle and simple way express their love to you? What will please your heart most? It is commonsense. Krishna explains what pleases him most.
Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayachati
"Offer Me a little leaf, flower, fruit or water. If you offer it with sincere devotion you will capture My heart"
Krishna is Madanamohana, He attracts our hearts and our minds away from illusions of this material world. But He will only do it when we attract His heart through devotional service, through sincere, simple and genuine bhakti. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed Tapan Mishra and He instructed his son Raghunath Bhatta Goswami and He instructed ail of us, all of humanity for all time to come, on how this principle of pure bhakti could be awakened in our hearts by sincerely chanting the holy name of Krishna in the association of sincere devotees.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Knshna Krishna Hare Hare

Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami
Today is the appearance of Gopala Bhatta Goswami. Recently, we went on a tour of South India and we went to Srirangam. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stopped at Srirangam during his travels to South India. This is the main place of worship for the Ramanuja or Sri Sampradaya and was the headquarters of Yamunacharya, Ramanujacharya and all of the great gurus in the fine since them. It is the largest temple in all of India. Beautiful, magnificent and wonderful worship of the beautiful form of Sri Ranganath has been going on here since time immemorial so Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to this place and was dancing and chanting before the beautiful form of Lord Ranganath.

Childhood of Gopala Bhatta Goswami
At that time, a great brahman named Vyenkata Bhatt saw Him and begged, pleaded with the Lord to come to his home. He explained that it was now the beginning of the rainy season and it is the tradition that sannyasis do not travel during the caturmasya but stay in one place. Therefore, he begged the Lord to please remain with them. He brought Him to his home and he washed the lotus feet of Lord Chaitanya and then he drank the water and also distributed it to all his family members. He had a son. It is said, at that time he was approximately seven years old and his name was Gopal Bhatta. That child upon his first meeting with Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu witnessed his father washing His lotus feet. Gopal Bhatta was given that water to drink and immediately upon drinking that water he began to weep in ecstatic love and fell to the ground and just from the foot wash of the Lord's lotus feet he became so transcendentally infatuated with love for Krishna that he just could not give up the association of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Day and night he remained with the Lord and his father Vyenkata Bhatta was very happy to see that his son had become attached to this great Sannyasi. It was the joy of his heart. This should be the greatest pleasure of all spiritually-cultured parents. When they see their child becoming attached to the great devotees of the Lord it should give them more happiness than all the nice grades they get or the nice marriage arrangements that are made, because these things are all temporary and material. They have their value in life no doubt, but the perfection of life comes about when we become attached to great personalities. So Vyenkata Bhatta was very happy and he simply encouraged his son to serve the Lord. Gopal Bhatta served the Lord in the most wonderful and menial way day and night. But one day he began to feel very despondent. He was thinking that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself, Vrajendranandana, Lord of Srimati Radharani. Why? Why has He taken the vow of Sannyas? Why is he living the life of an ascetic, performing so many severe austerities? Why is it that I am so sinful and so unfortunate that 1 did not see the Lord when He was in his Navadvipa Lila? When He was married to the Goddess of Fortune, when He had beautiful, long, blackish hair. wonderful golden dhoti and He was enjoying so much with all of His associates, chanting and dancing. Why did the Lord have to become a Sannyasi? Such a harsh and lonely life! So, he was thinking like this and day after day after day in this mood he would weep. Such mercy the Lord bestowed upon him that these feelings of such intimate love awakened in his heart.

Vision of Lord Chaitanya
But one day weeping he fell asleep and in his sleep Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared as Sri Navadvipa Chandra - the moon of Navadvipa. Gopala Bhatta saw the whole of Navadvipa before his eyes. And there was Lord Chaitanya in His beautiful form walking down the street with His associates. Advaitacharya, Nityananda Prabhu and Gopala Bhatta was walking right alongside the Lord and then Nityananda and Advaita embraced him and was about to tell him something very confidential when he woke up. As soon as he woke up he was feeling so much transcendental anticipation that he immediately ran to the place where Lord Sri Gauranga was sitting and he fell at His lotus feet. When he looked up, Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had transformed His beautiful body into the eternal rupa of Shyamsunder Sri Krishna. Gopal Bhatta saw the Lord manifest His three-fold bending form - beautiful, blackish tike a monsoon rain cloud, playing upon His flute with His beautiful lotus eyes gazing upon His devotee. The little child Gopal Bhatta was stricken with ecstatic love and before his eyes that beautiful form of Sri Krishna manifested again in the form of Navadvipa Chandra - Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as He appeared in Navadvipa in His household life, the enjoyer of the Goddess of fortune, beautiful, black, curling hair cascading down his broad shoulders, beautiful golden complexion, bedecked with precious jewelry and garlands and wearing a beautiful golden dhoti. The Lord was glancing upon him with such transcendental compassion that Gopal Bhatta fell at the lotus feet of Lord Gaurachandra. But when he lifted his head the Lord had again resumed the form of a sannyasi, as He had come to Sri Rangam. The Lord lifted little Gopal on his lap and began to soak him with his tears of love and Gopal Bhatta in reciprocation began to soak the Lord with his tears of love. Lord Chaitanya gave him an instruction. He told him, "You should go to Vrindavan, and there you should become the intimate brother and associate of my two eternal associates Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana. They will write the most precious Vaishnava literatures along with their associates and you Gopal Bhatta, you will have disciples who are coming from all over the world to surrender to you. Through your disciples you will distribute these books throughout the whole world. But at this time you must stay with your parents as they are great Vaishnavas and you must humbly and faithfully serve them. And after they leave this world then you may go to Vrindavan and all of your desires will be fulfilled." 

Discussion between Lord Chaitanya & Vyenkata Bhatta
So in this way, the four months passed. Vyenkata Bhatta had two brothers, Trimala Bhatta and Prabodhanand Saraswati. For the three brothers as well as Gopal Bhatta their life and soul was only Gaurachandra. They were great devotees of Lord Lakshmi Narayan, They would have many philosophical discussions with the Lord and Gopal Bhatta would hear them. One day Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu said to Vyenkata Bhatta, "You are a worshipper of Lakshmi Narayan, the Lord of Lakshmi, the Lord of Vaikuntha. But please tell me, why is it that Lakshmi left the service of Narayan in order to seek the association of Krishna in Vrindavan?" And Vyenkata Bhatta replied that there was no offense on Lakshmi's part, she is the most perfect and chaste woman because Krishna and Narayan are identical. They are just different manifestations of the same person. He said the only difference between Krishna and Narayan is that Krishna reveals the sweetness of Madhurya Rasa whereas Narayan is worshipped with great reverence. But they are the same person. Lord Chaitanya said, "Yes. But please tell me this Vyenkata Bhatta, if they are so much the same person then why is it that Lakshmi, even though performing great austerities to enter into the rasa-mandala of Vraja was not allowed to enter? She is the supreme goddess of fortune, why then coutd she not enter Vrindavan and enjoy that relationship with Krishna? And Vyenkata Bhatta replied that, "1 am just an ordinary human being, I cannot answer these questions. You are the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna that 1 know, so You kindly answer this question." And Lord Chaitanya explained the difference between Madhurya rasa and Aishwarya rasa. Lakshmi Devi's eternal nature is to be the queen, the consort, the wife of the Lord and to worship Him with great reverence and great opulence. Lakshmi has such tremendous power - She is the Goddess of Fortune. She understands with complete realization that her husband is the Absolute Truth, the Lord of all Lords, the object of devotion of all the great saints, the sages and the rishis and the object of all the knowledge of the Vedas. With this awareness, she eternally serves the Lord with unalloyed devotion. The residents of Vrindavan have all of these qualities of understanding the Aishwarya of the Lord, but Krishna reveals Himself to these devotees in such a sweet, personal, loving way that, that sweetness or Madhurya, completely covers all conceptions of Aishwarya or opulence. In this way the residents of Vrindavan cannot fathom that Krishna is God. That understanding is included but far surpassed by their devotion.  They simply love Him so dearly as a friend or as a parent or as a lover and the relationship is so personal that they simply think that Krishna is our life and soul. They don't worship Krishna with the condition that He is God. They simply worship Him because He is Krishna. He is all attractive. He is our best friend. He is our lover. He is our most adorable child. Just like Yashodamayi - when she saw the universe in Krishna's mouth she became struck with Aishwarya bhava. As soon as He closed His mouth and she saw His charming smile her parental affection completely drowned and washed away all of these feelings of Aishwarya bhava and she was just captivated by the sweetness of Krishna as her son, as her beloved child helplessly depending on her in every way. And the gopis love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is most unparalleled in its quality. Even the dearest friend of Dwarka, Uddhava, was not envied, but he was very much recognized as dearmost even by Krishna's queens because he had constant association with the Lord. The Brihad Bhagavatam explains Uddhava's unparalleled position in Dwarka as an intimate associate. Uddhava knew that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is Dwarkadhish. When he went to Vrindavan and saw the simplicity of the love of the Gopis who just couldn't care less whether He was God or not and how they wept and cried in love for Him, Uddhava thought that the perfection of his existence is to get the dust from their feet. But he did not want to embarrass them because Uddhava was a great kshatriya prince and,the Gopis were just simple village girls. If a great prince comes to your village to take the dust from their feet, the girls would feel very much ashamed. So Uddhava performed great tapasya near Govardhan at Uddhavakund, with one goal in his life in mind. He was willing to give up his position as the best friend of Krishna in Dwarka so that he could become a blade of grass in Vraja with the hope that the gopis would step upon his head with their lotus feet and thus he would receive the dust from their lotus feet. So these are just brief glimpses of the supreme excellence of Vrindavan. in fact, in Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu's lila in Jagannath Puri once there was a debate between Srila Swarup Damodar Goswami and Srivas Pandit in this regard. Srivas challenged, "Why you are worshipping this Lord of Vrindavan? My Lord of Vaikuntha is worshipped with so many jewels, everything is chintamani, beautiful palaces, all elegance and opulence and what is in Vrindwan? Just some trees and some grass and some cows! But Swarup Damodar explained, "What is the nature of these trees and this grass and these cows? Every aspect of Vrindavan, every molecule, every atomic particle is utterly endowed and saturated with Madhurya rasa, to fulfill all the most intimate desires of the Lord and His devotees. So we should understand that God is one, but at the same time Krishna is the fountainhead of all incarnations. He is the special form of the Supreme Absolute Truth from whom all others emanate. And only in his Vrajehdranandana lita of Vrindavsn does He reveal the sweetness of the great treasure of Madhurya rasa. There is a place in Vraja named Srivan where Lakshmi Devi was performing tapasya for a long time but she was not allowed to cross the Yamuna to enter the rasa mandala. There was a condition put to her, 'If you want to come, you have to follow in the footsteps of the Gopis. You have to give up your form of Lakshmi. You have to give up your conception of being the wife of the Lord. You have to give the conception of worshipping Him as the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You have to become the servant of the servant of the Gopis.' Lakshmi was simply unable to do that. Therefore she was given a vision of the rasa lila, but she was not allowed to enter." Lord Chaitanya was explaining all these things to Vyenkata Bhatta, Trimala Bhatta and Prabhodhananda Saraswati and the Lord concluded, "Only when you follow in the footsteps of the residents of Vrindavan can you approach Krishna as He is." So Vyenkata Bhatta said, "You are Krishna and whatever you say I will do", and he surrendered to the principle of Krishna Bhakti.
When we talk about 'following in the footsteps of the residents of Vrindavan' we should understand that this consists of various stages. We should know that the great acaryas in our disciplic line are all residents of Vrindavan. Their specific relationships and services in Goloka Vrindavan were also revealed. So simply by following their teachings - by obeying their instructions, by chanting the Holy Names under their direction, by reading their purports - like Srila Prabhupada's purports which are the culmination of the realizations of the previous great acaryas and by serving their devotees we are following in the footsteps of the residents of Vrindavan and gradually we attain higher and higher levels of purification on the path of bhakti of Vrindavan. Once it is actually revealed, it awakens in our heart what our eternal line of service in the spiritual world is and how to serve and meditate accordingly. Our spiritual master teaches us the systematic and proper way of gradually approaching such high levels of purification. So Vyenkata Bhatta and all his brothers became devotees of Radha and Krishna and joyfully in the association of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu were constantly engaged in the kirtan of the Holy Name :
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Hama Hare Hare
And when the four months was about to expire Prabhodananda, Trimala Bhatta. Vyenkata Bhatta and Gopal Bhatta were simply weeping and crying, 'The Lord is going to leave us, the days, the moments, the seconds of His departure are coming closer. What will we do? With whom will we go to the river Kaveri to bathe? Whom will we joke with? Whom will we go to the temple with and have congregational chanting?" And as the Lord was about to leave they all fell at His lotus feet and surrendered their lives to Him and then He continued on His tour of South India. Meanwhile, Gopala Bhatta remained at home and very faithfully and obediently served his mother and father. Prabhodananda who was a great scholar became his guru. Gopal Bhatta studied the scriptures, Vedanta and Bhakti Sastras from him and soon became a famous scholar throughout the entire land of India. In each and every one of his discourses, he simply glorified the glory and the mercy of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And he explained how devotion to Him "was the conclusion of all scriptural knowledge because He was non-different than Radha and Krishna. The years passed and Gopal Bhatta's- parents gave him their blessings. They said, "Now according to the order of Sri Gaurachandra, who is our life and soul, you go to Vrindavan and take shelter in the association of Rupa and Sanatana." After giving this instruction, together they gave up their life airs, never to return to this material world again, because they achieved the Supreme abode of Lord Gaurasundara. Gopala Bhatta went to Vrindavan. When he arrived in Vrindavan all the Vaisnavas were so happy and anxious to greet him. Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, Lokanath Goswami, Bhugarba Goswami and Kashiswar, were all there and they were so happy. Immediately upon arriving Gopala Bhatta accepted the garb of an ascetic in the renounced order of life and made Rupa and Sanatana his very life and soul. See how these great Vaishnavas are, however exalted and learned they are, they always aspire to humble themselves and take shelter of another Vaisnava. Great devotees of the Lord never want to be autonomous in their own position. They always want to be subordinate to great devotees of the Lord. Rupa Goswami, who is the leader of our whole sampradaya humbles himself in the Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu and says," I am simply surrendered at the lotus feet of Sanatana Goswami, who is my guru." So this is the nature of Vaisnavas. We should not be bewildered when We see great souis humbling themselves and trying to take a position subordinate to other Vaisnavas. Amongst the Mayavadis everyone is competing for the highest position of being God. They don't want to be second to anyone, but the Vaishnava wants to be second to everyone. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri was wondering, "Did Gopala Bhatta arrive in Vrindavan?" Of course the Lord knows everything past, present and future. He is within everyone's heart. But for the sake of His lila, to create a wonderful experiece of loving exchange, sometimes He actually becomes like this "Where is My devotee?" It's not that He is just faking or pretending; He becomes like that by His own sweet will just to increase the loving excitement and anticipation of His devotee's love. It is explained that one day, He went to the home of Gadhadhar Pandit in Jagannath Puri. Gadadhar Pandit was loved by all the devotees. The Bhaktiratnakar explains how Gadhadhar Pandit had a loving relationship with Lord Chaitanya and a deep loving relationship with Lord Nityananda, Advaita acarya, Haridas Thakur and everyone. How the devotees loved each other! How the devotees worshipped each other! This is the greatest opulence of the spiritual world, and this is what gives the greatest pleasure to the Lord seeing such loving exchanges amongst His devotees. So Lord Chaitanya went to Gadadhar's house and just then someone came with a letter from Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. The letter explained that Gopala Bhatt has Just arrived from South India. "What a jewel! What a wonderful devotee he is! We have accepted him as our own brother." Lord Chaitanya was so happy, He began to extol the glories of Gopala Bhatta to all the devotees and then He wanted to send gifts. So He sent a letter to Rupa and Sanatana and his own personal loin cloth, prasad and a little wooden seat that He would especially sit on while doing His worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Gopal Bhatta received these two gifts from the Lord He worshipped these gifts as non-different from the Lord Himself and treasured them throughout his entire life. In fact in the temple which Gopal Bhatta Goswami established, just close to the deity, that loincloth and that wooden seat are still present. And after the pujaris of Sri Radha Ramana temple perform their offerings to Sri Radha Ramana, they bring the food to that little seat. to Lord Chaitanya and they also offer it to Gopala Bhatta Goswami. When Gopala Bhatta was in Vrindavan he narrated to all the devotees the wonderful pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Srirangam and South India and the devotees were just enraptured in ecstatic love because they had no knowledge of Lord Chaitanya's South Indian tour except what they had heard from Gopala Bhatta.
At that time Rupa Goswami was worshipping Radha Govinda and Sanatana Goswami was worshipping Madan Mohan and one very wealthy devotee came to Vrindavan and he gave jewels and crowns and flutes to ail the Goswamis to worship the deities. Now at that time Gopala Bhatta Goswami had twelve shaligram shilas which he used to put in a piece of cloth and wear around his neck. He kept them with him always and he worshipped them with great love. But he now had all these nice deity paraphernalia but the shaligram is not a form where you can offer all of these nice offerings. So he prayed to the Lord that if He so desired, to please allow him to serve Him in His beautiful three-fold bending form. It was actually on Narasimha Chaturdasi that Gopala Bhatta Goswami was in this mood and he prayed to his shaligram shilas, "On this very day Lord Narasimhadev appeared in a beautiful form of stone so you can also do the same thing." The next morning when he came to do his seva for the shaligrams he saw that one of his shila, the Damodar Shila, had transformed to a beautiful form of Sri Krishna - only about 12 inches high, but so enchanting, standing curved in three places, tribhanga, playing His flute. When Gopala Bhatta Goswami saw this wonderful mercy, how the Damodar Shila had manifested this beautiful form of Sri Krishna, he bowed down and began to offer wonderful, wonderful prayers. When Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatana Goswami and the other great Gaudiya Vaisnavas heard this news, they came to the place where Gopala Bhatta Goswami was offering his prayers and when they saw the beautiful form of Radha Raman they were struck with wonder.
In fact, it is said that there are three prominent deities of Vrindavan. Sri Govinda, Gopinath, Madan Mohan and it is explained by the Gaudiya Vaishnavas that Krishna's lotus feet are fully manifested in the most extraordinary way in Madan Mohan who is the Sambandh murti. We establish our relationship with Krishna by first approaching His feet and then the Abhideya murti, that is Govindaji. After establishing our relationship with the Lord then we act according to that relationship which is by rendering humble loving service and it is explained that the hands playing the flute and the chest of the Lord is perfectly manifested in its most super excellent way in the deity of Govinda. And through serving the Lord of Abhidheya jnana, gradually we become utterly purified and attain the state of Prayojana bhakti. That means the ultimate goal of unalloyed love of God in the mood of the residents of Vrindavan. Lord Gopinath is the Prayojana murti. When he comes before the deity, it is not proper for a devotee to look directly at the face of the Lord. We must first look below His feet, surrender ourselves and take shelter of His lotus feet. And then gradually we may go up the various limbs and then see the beautiful smiling face of the Lord. The lotus face of Krishna is perfectly and in the most super excellent way manifested in Gopinathji who is the worshippable deity of Madhu Pandit. When the Goswamis saw Radha Raman they all acclaimed that Radha Raman had the feet of MadanMohan, the flute playing mid section of Govinda and the face of Gopinath. All the three murtis have appeared in one beautiful divine form! Sri Radha Raman ki Jai!!!
Of the six Goswamis' original murtis, this Radha Ramana is the only one that never left Vrindavan. Govindaji and others had to be taken to Rajasthan and other places when Aurangzeb and his armies came to defy the Hindus and destroy temples and muilis- But as Radha Ramana appeared in a very small size he was easily concealed and nobody ever found him. He just never wanted to leave Vrindavan. Gopal Bhatta Goswami named him on that day Radha Ramana - one who gives the greatest pleasure to Srimati Radharani. And Rupa and Sanatana and all the devotees had a wonderful, wonderful festival to celebrate the appearance of Sri Radha Ramana. And in Vrindavan today, the day after Narasimha Chaturdashi is a grand festival at the Radha Ramana temple to celebrate His most auspicious and extraordinary appearance in the world. But one day as Gopala Bhatta Goswami was worshipping Him, he began to feet very sad. In fact, he felt quite guilty.
In the transcendental form of bhakti, feelings like guilt and sadness are forms of ecstasy. Some people who follow various yogic principles think that when you become perfectly self-realized you do not have such feelings - you are just equipoised under every circumstance. But when devotees see others suffering they cry, but that crying out of compassion is a form of ecstasy. They have all emotions in the most intensified form. As you become purified in bhakti all these emotions become intensified beyond toleration. But they are always situated in pure devotion to the Lord and therefore they are ecstatic. So Gopal Bhatta Goswami was thinking that before my father Vyenkata Bhatta left his body, he told me that I should spend my life worshipping SRI CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and I am spending all my days worshipping this beautiful form of Krishna as Radha Ramana, I feel that 1 am neglecting my father's order, because 1 am not worshipping SRI CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU directly. So as he was thinking like this Sri Radha Ramana very smilingly was watching him, listening to his thoughts and right before his eyes Sri Radha Ramana revealed Himself as Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. His beautiful, beautiful, golden form, Gaurasundar dancing and chanting the Holy Names
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Pama Rama Rama Hare Hare
And then right before his eyes Lord Gaurasundara again transformed Himself back to Sri Radha Ramana. Gopal Bhatta Goswami was very happy, he understood that he was worshipping Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu directly,

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Radha Krishna Nahi anya

that Radha and Krishna have appeared in the divine form of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When Gopal Bhatta had this wonderful, wonderful vision, he went and he started telling all Vrajavasis and the Gaudiya Vaishnavas about this wonderful mercy of the Lord and they began to rejoice. This is the nature of real Vaishnavas - the more they see another devotee getting the mercy of the Lord the more happy they become, they never think "Why not me? Why am 1 not getting this special mercy?" They are always praying for the welfare and advancement of all other Vaishnavas. This is the mood that is cultivated in a real Vaishnava society. Gopal Bhatta Goswami lived in the association of the Vrindavan Gaudiya Vaishnavas for many long years and assisted in the writings of Hari Bhakti Vilas, Krishna caritamrata commentary and many others. He wrote introductions to the sandharbas by Jiva Goswami. In this way he was always assisting the devotees in their wonderful service in writing books, deity worship and by building temples for them. And many years later by the will of Lord Gaurasundar one of his eternal associates appeared in this world and came to Vrindavan. His name was Srinivas Acarya.
 Srinivas Acarya was the son of a great devotee named Chaitanya Das. His father happened to be present when Lord Chaitanya was getting His hair cut before taking sanyaas and when he heard the name being initiated Sri Krishna Chaitanya, he Just was constantly immersed in the thought of the Lord taking sanyaas. Such a terrible thing - leaving his mother, wife and such loving associates to chase after the most fallen degraded souls of this world. Such mercy, this world has never seen. So he was constantly immersed in chanting 'Chaitanya' 'Chaitanya' and so he became known as Chaitanya Das. He wanted a child and so he went to Jagannath Puri. He and his wife had never wanted a child. They were married for many years but they just never had the desire for children. But all of a sudden, one day in their hearts they both longed to have a child. They could not understand. So they went to see Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannath Puri and find out His desire. They met Him in the Jagannath temple. Lord Chaitanya told him, "You must have a child. My devotee wants to come through you." So this child was Srinivas Acarya. Srinivas was constantly hearing from his father and from all others around him the glories of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and from his very infancy he was just longing for the beautiful darsnan and service of Lord Gaurasundar- When he finally became a little older he left his home in Jajigram and began to walk to Jagannath Puri and just when he was approaching the outskirts of Jagannath Puri some people were coming in the opposite direction, weeping and crying. Srinivas asked, "What has happened?" They replied, "You have not heard, Lord Gaurasundar has left the world. He disappeared at the Tota Gopinath temple." Srinivas was thinking, "How unfortunate I am! All my life I have simply been preparing myself to meet the Lord and he's left. He has gone back to the spiritual world." He fell unconscious and when he got up he was weeping, he was crying and he decided, "There is no reason to live. 1 will commit suicide. I will drown myself in the river Ganges." And again he fell unconscious. But then the Lord appeared to him and said, "You must go to Puri and you take shelter of Gadadhar Pandit." Srinivas got to see Lord Chaitanya in that vision. So he went to Gadadhar Pandit. The Lord told him to study Srimad-Bhagavatam from him. So Gadadhar was very happy to see Srinivas. "Yes, I will teach you Bhagavatam. But when I read Bhagavatam, especially since Mahaprabhu's disappearance, I weep so much that all the ink of the pages is soaked with my tears and no one can read it. You have to go back to Navadvipa and bring me another Bhagavatam. So Srinivas walked all the way back to Bengal. It takes many, many months for a new Bhagavatam to be written. Srinivas Acarya he was so anxious to get that Srimad Bhagavatam, he walked hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of miles and then he had to find someone to copy the whole thing letter by letter. It takes over a year to copy all 18.000 slokas of the Bhagavatam. So finally, Srinivas had a Srimad Bhagavatam and he went back to Jagannath Puri. But when he arrived there he found out that Qadadhar Pandit could not bear the separation from Mahaprabhu and so he went to join Him in the spiritual world. Srinivas fell unconscious, and he vowed to drown himself in the Ganges. But then Gadadhar Pandit appeared to him, and he said, "Srinivas, Lord Chaitanya's and my desire is that you go to Vrindavan and study Bhagavatam under Rupa and Sanatana Goswami" So he had to do many other things on the way, by the will of the Lord, and ultimately he came to Vrindavan. He was at Viswamghat taking his bath when he saw people weeping and crying. He asked, "What's happened?" They said, "You have not heard that Rupa and Sanatana have left the world?" And again he fell unconscious. Rupa, Sanatana appeared to him. Lord Chaitanya also appeared to him. They told him, "You should take initiation from Gopala Bhatta Goswami and you should study Bhagavatam from Jiva Goswami." So he went to Vrindavan. He went to the Govind)i temple and there he met Jiva Goswami, who took him to Radha Raman temple and there Srinivas surrendered to the lotus feet of Gopala Bhatta Goswami. The first thing Gopala Bhatta Goswami did is, he brought him before the beautiful deity of Sri Radha Raman and offered his disciple's life to the deity. This is the principle of the humility of Vaishnavas. Even the greatest acaryas never think that this is my disciple because nothing is ours. Whatever the Vaishnavas do is on behalf of Krishna. And the only ambition of the great acharyas like Gopala Bhatta Goswami, is simply to offer body, word, mind and life of his followers at the lotus feet of Sri Radha Raman. Our devotion never stops at our Guru. The Guru is the transparent medium who simply takes our worship and gives 4. all to the lotus feet of Sri ShyamSundar and Radharani through disciplic succession. So Gopala Bhatta Goswami brought Srinivas Acharya and said, "Radha Raman, he is yours unconditionally and 1 will take care of him. 1 will train him to be your perfect servant." So they set an auspicious date and the initiation took place and then Gopala Bhatta Goswami told Srinivas Acharya, under my order you should study all the literatures of Rupa and Sanatana from Jiva Goswami." Such was the love amongst Vaishnavas. So Gopala Bhatta Goswami entrusted his disciple, his foremost disciple, to Jiva Goswami. Srinivas Acharya along with Syamanand Prabhu and Narottam Das Thakur Mahashay studied together and became the best of friends, the most intimate friends and associates. In fact, there was no question of "My guru your guru". Because the gurus loved each other, the disciples loved each other. It is natural. They were all serving the mission of Lord Gauranga. And then Gopala Bhatta Goswami ordered Srinivas Acharya alongwith Jiva Goswami to leave Vrindavan and distribute the literatures of the Vaishnavas all over Bengal. And from there they would spread throughout the world. So this disciple of Gopala Bhatta Goswami was the first who reprinted and distributed the Gaudiya Vaishnava literatures, especially Sri Chaitanya Caritamrta by Krishnadas Kaviraj. So interesting that the best friend of Narottam Das Thakur was Ramachandra Kaviraj, whose appearace day is also today. Ramachandra Kavira], I believe, was a disciple of Srinivas Acharya. So try to understand how beautiful these relationships were. Srinivas Acharya was the disciple of Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Narottam Das Thakur was the disciple of Loknath Goswami. They were classmates and best friends in the school of Jiva Goswami. And the best friend of Narottam was the disciple of his best friend and classmate Srinivas Acharya, who was the disciple of Gopala Bhatta GoswamiS And in many of the songs of Narottam, he sings about his loving friendship with Ramachandra. So these Vaishnava exchanges, when they are actually based on the real principle of keeping Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the centre, transcend all sectarian boundaries because our hearts become one in spreading the mission of Lord Chaitanya, which is to propagate the congregational chanting of the Hoiy Names of Radha and Krishna

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Gopala Bhatta Goswami was a deeply learned scholar and he literally did have so many of the most qualified disciples. One of his disciples was Gopinath Pujari. And this Gopinath Pujari was such a wonderful devotee he surrendered his life and soul to Gopala Bhatta and he was in the renounced order. He had no desire for marriage or offspring. He simply wanted to serve Radha Raman and his Guru Maharaj unconditionally. Gopala Bhatta Goswami had a plan that in order to preserve the sanctity and dignity of the deity worship he wanted a line of the descendants of his disciples to preserve that worship over the centuries. Gopinath Pujari had no intention to marry nor did Gopala Bhatta have any intention to tell him to marry. So, the younger brother of Gopinath Pujari whose name was Damodar Das was also initiated by Gopala Bhatta Goswami and to this very day the descendants of Damodar Das do all the puja for Radha Ramana. Gopala Bhatta Goswami was such a simple, humble devotee but he was such a master mind that he organized the rules and regulations of how the deity should be worshipped and how everything should happen. To this day, over four hundred and fifty years after he departed from this world, Radha Ramana has never missed an offering. And of all the precious jewels, gold and everthing that has been offered to that deity by great kings over the centuries, not a single thing has ever been lost. In order to get into the storage where the jewellery and the crowns are kept the pujaris need three keys from three different families of Damodar and his children. And then I think Damodar had two children and half the worship went to his children half to the other and the other had five children the other had three children and in this way it is all divided up. Now there are hundreds and hundreds of children who are worshipping the deity. But three different families each have keys that are needed to get in. Anyone who goes in has to write down exactly what jewellery he is going to take and there's a person who is appointed to check it is on the deity and that it is brought back. It is a very good system and Srila Prabhupada told us that in alt of Vrindavan, the Radha Ramana temple has the best and most devotional worship of the deity.
I'll tell one another little story. Once one of Prabhupada's disciples, from the west, heard that Prabhupada said that they had the best worship. So he went to the Radha Ramana temple and he was Just with a very devotional glance beholding the beautiful form of Sri Radha Ramana and one of the devotees of the temple came up to him and gave him a benediction. He said, "You are so fortunate, you have come from such a distant foreign land to worship the beautiful form of Radha Ramana and because you have so much devotion for Radha Ramana, in your next fife you will be born in the family where you will be able to personally worship Radha Ramana-" That devotee was very, very happy. He ran back and told Prabhupada, "I got such a nice blessing" and Prabhupada told the devotee, "You go to the Radha Ramana temple and tell that person that if you worship Radha Ramana throughout your whole life with great devotion, then you will get the blessing of being born in America, so that you can spread the glories of the Holy Name all over the world." 
So as we have explained in class this morning there are different varieties of rasa amongst great Vaisnavas. But, although Gopala Bhatta was such a great personality in every possible way, he was so humble he never wanted any credit. He always just wanted to be seen as someone behind those persons who were behind the great devotees. Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami was ordered by the Vaishnavas of Vrindavan to write Sri Chaitanya Caritamrta. But he understood that although he had the order, unless he got the blessings of all the senior Vaishnavas, he had no qualification to even attempt to write such a literature of the life and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The most important and greatest literature of all times and he was being asked to write it! So he went to each and every devotee and asked for their blessings and each of them gave blessings and then he approached Gopaia Bhatta Goswami. Amongst all the Goswami's he had much influence, and many disciples who had great abilities, powers, shakti, devotion. Gopal Bhatta Goswami said, "I certainly give you all my blessings to write Chaitanya Caritamrta, but under the condition that you do not mention my name in any of the writings." In fact anyone who asked Gopaia Bhatta for such blessings he gave them all blessings and prayers, but he did not want his name to be written. So Krishnadas Kaviraj- Goswami very, very carefully avoided describing the unlimited glories of Gopaia Bhatta Goswami. He expanded wonderfully on the glories of Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Raghunath das Goswami, Raghunath Bhatt Goswami. Something about Jiva Goswami, who, at the time of writing the Chaitanya Charitamrta had just come to Vrindavan, but Gopaia Bhatta Goswami he only very, very discreetly mentions his name Just keeps it in a few places. But there is nothing written about Gopaia Bhatta Goswami by his own desire. But the great devotee Narahari a descendant of Gopaia Bhatta Goswami's disciplic line in his Bhakti Ratnakar, beautifully wrote the glories of Gopaia Bhatta Goswami for all the world to hear and to chant and to remember and be inspired by, forever.

Srila Jiva Goswami

Childhood pastimes of Jiva Goswami
Sri Jiva Goswami was the nephew of Sri Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. Rupa and Sanatana were working as government officials under Nawab Hussein Shah in the capital of Bengal, which at that time was Pamkeli. From there they wrote many letters to Gauranga Mahaprabhu. They were pure Vaisnavas from birth. They were forced by social pressures to take service under a miechcha king. But they couid understand by the pure intuition of their heart that Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, the eternal Lord and His Consort had appeared as Gauranga Mahaprabhu. So they were writing letters asking "What should we do? We want to join you. We want to serve you. But we are under this most lamentable and degraded condition of life." Anyway, Mahaprabhu didn't answer their letters many times. The parents of Rupa, Sanatana and Anupam .were great devotees. They were pure Vaisnavas who encouraged them to continue writing to Mahaprabhu. In fact their parents were very embarrassed. They very much wanted them to give up this government service and take exclusively to the path of bhakti, unlike most of the parents these days.
Finally Mahaprabhu answered their letter in a very mysterious way- But because of their sincere devotion they could understand what He was writing. He had written that, "Just as a wife who is attached to another man will perform her worldly duties to her husband very nicely so he doesn't suspect, but in her mind she will always be thinking of the other man waiting for the chance to meet him." And they could understand that very soon they would be receiving the mercy of Mahaprabhu and they would be liberated from all this government service but for now they have to just pretend to be ordinary civil workers.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was on His first attempted journey to Vrindavan Dham. As He was travelling, many of His followers were coming with Him to go on a yatra to Vrindavan. This was something they very much wanted to do. Throughout the path and in Vrajabhumi He was performing Sankirtan with His devotees and His beautiful dancing, His supremely gorgeous form, and His merciful glance, what to speak of the bhakti of all His associates like Nityananda Prabhu, Haridas Thakur and others were attracting people to Just leave their homes and their families, without any regard of past. present or future. Tens and hundreds followed and soon there were literally thousands and thousands of people having kirtan with Mahaprabhu. He was walking and every step that He would take, people would just pick up the dust from the place wrsere His foot touched, worship that dust and placed it on their heads. 
Inconceivable to the minds of all others Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took a detour which was actually quite out of the way, and reached Ramkeli and there He had beautiful kirtan. Nawab Hussein Shah heard from the people that a great prophet had arrived and perhaps He is the Supreme God because He is attracting so many people, with His beauty, love and His devotion. So he enquired from Rupa and Sanatana. They could understand that Gauranga Mahaprabhu had come. They told 'No'. The Nawab should not take Him seriously. He was just some Hindu sadhu chanting. But anyway at night when no one would suspect what they were doing Rupa, Sanatana and Anupam very secretly went to the residence of Sriman Mahaprabhu. They first went to Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Haridas Thakur, and by the mercy of these two intimate associates of the Lord, they were brought to the lotus feet of Lord Gaurasundar and there they surrendered their lives. They took cloth and wrapped it around their necks and put grass in their teeth and fell down with such humility that they didn't even feel themselves qualified to stand up in the presence of the Lord. The Lord had to pick them up. He embraced them and they began to offer beautiful prayers, very humble prayers considering themselves the most fallen, the most wretched, lower than Jagai and Madhai with no hope of any salvation, so they accepted the causeless infinite mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who was Patita Pavan avatar. They said, "We have no right to even ask for your mercy. We are so fallen souls. But what other hope we have than You?" Chaitanya Mahaprabhu placed His Lotus Feet on their head and He gave them these names - Rupa, Sanatana, Anupam.
The son of Anupam, little Jiva who was a tiny child, was watching from a little distance away and listening to this beautiful exchange between His father and uncles and Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Just by that brief darshan and hearing the ambrosial words of the Lord, seeing the example of the utter surrender of his father and uncles, he became completely saturated with the thoughts of Gaurasundar. He could think of nothing else. Soon after this, his father Anupam was travelling with Srila Rupa Goswami to Jagannath Puri to meet Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Enroute to Jagannath Purl, Anupam departed from this world on the banks of the Ganges in Bengal and gained entrance to the spiritual world.
When Jiva Goswami, who was a young child, heard this news it was utter devastation in his mind. He loved his father very dearly, not as a father but as a great Vaishnava. And then Rupa and Sanatana on the order of Gauranga Mahaprabhu settled in Vrindavan Dham. They were given these instructions - to establish by their example proper Vaisnava behavior, to establish the proper etiquette the Vaisnavas should follow to extract the essence of all the Vedic scriptures, to establish that pure bhakti is the ultimate siddhanta, the goal of life, to excavate the holy places of pilgrimage where Lord Sri Knshna had performed His wonderful pastimes and to establish temples and demonstrate the proper form of deity worship. So while they were there in Vrindavan, little Jiva was always thinking. 'When will I go to Vrindavan to meet with Rupa and Sanatana? When will 1 go? When will I go? When will that day be mine?'
Because of his long deep burning desire to be amongst Rupa and Sanatana Goswami he had absolutely no interest in any material things. Their family was very wealthy. He was given beautiful ornaments, wonderful clothes, all sorts of nice facilities, But he cared nothing for any of them. In fact his friends, the young children around, they would naturally study and play games, but he had no interest in any of that. He was only considering one thing in life from his earliest childhood and that was bhakti to Krishna Balaram. Because he had that darshan in his very childhood of Lord Gauranga and Lord Nityananda, somehow it had awakened in his heart, a spontaneous love for Krishna and Balaram- So he would spend his day making little deities of Krishna Balaram and then serving them. He would get nice food and offer it to them as Bhoga. He would be constantly bowing down, offering dandavats before them, make garlands for them, make jewelry for them, clothe them with beautiful nice garments and sing and dance. He would always be praying, "0 Krishna and Balaram, when would that day be when I would meet Rupa and Sanatana in Vrindavan Dham." He was feeling such intense separation.

Jiva Goswami meets Lord Chaitanya in a wonderful dream
One day it is explained he spent the whole day in this way in the loving service of the Lord and night fell. He was feeling so much separation from Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu and His associates that he was trying to compose himself. In fact people around were very much impressed and concerned about him. People would say, "Look at this Jiva, ever since his father has left, he just weeps and cries", and he incessantly with tears of love in his eyes would be serving these little murtis of Krishna and Balaram. Sometimes in ecstatic love he couldn't control his emotions but he would try to conceal them. But on this night he just broke down and began to pray from the core of his heart. " 0 Lord Sri Gaurachandra, 0 Nityananda Prabhu, 0 Advaita Prabhu be kind upon me." He was up throughout the night, sleepless, just weeping and crying due to the separation from the Lord and towards the end of the night he fell asleep. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to him in a beautiful dream. This was a dream which he had seen before. Mahaprabhu appeared with Nityananda, Advaita, Srivas, Haridas, all of His associates and they were having beautiful sankirtan of holy names. And when he was seeing Mahaprabhu, His beautiful golden form dancing and trembling in ecstasy brought ecstasy to his heart. And as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was singing and dancing, there were hundreds and thousands of people all around Him tumultuously resounding the holy names
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
And then his dream broke, he woke up and since the vision of Mahaprabhu disappeared, it broke his heart. He just fell to the ground in the ecstasy of separation. "My Lord, where are You? Where are You? Where have You gone?" And then he fell asleep again by the grace of the Lord and this time, Krishna and Balaram, his worshipable deities, appeared in their original forms to him. Shyamasundar had a beautiful bluish complexion, beautiful golden gowns, eyes blooming like lotus flower, wonderful jewelry and garlands, head bedecked with peacock feathers and Balaramji with His beautiful complexion like the spring cloud, wearing beautiful bright blue garments with fresh flowers and jewels. They looked upon Jiva as a child, with such love and Jiva Goswami upon seeing them, just absorbed the causeless mercy. Lord Balaramji transformed into the form of Sri.Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Sri Krishna transformed before his eyes in to the beautiful form of Lord Gaurasundar- Jiva offered his prostrated obeisances, dandavats at Their lotus feet and took Their beautiful lotus feet and placed them upon his head. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said to Jiva Goswami - "1 am entrusting you under the care of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. You are His property." Nityananda Prabhu said to Jiva - "You always worship Lord Gauranga as the Lord of your life."

Lord Nityananda personally guides Jiva on a Parikrrama of Navadvipa
After receiving this most blessed darshan the dream came to an end and at that time, Srila Jiva Goswami had an inspiration to leave behind all of his attachments to family and simply run to Vrindavan Dham. Soon after this the Lord in His heart inspired him to go to Navadvipa to see the beautiful place of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu's birth, and Adi lila pastimes and he also knew that Lord Nityananda Prabhu was residing there at that time. Jiva Goswami at that time made some excuse about going to visit some relative in some native place and when he got on the boat, he told the boatman "You take me to Navadvipa instead." When he arrived, in the ecstasy of love to be in holy land of Mahaprabhu's lila, he immediately began inquiring from everyone, 'Where is Lord Nityananda?' He was given directions to the place where Srivas Thakur was residing. Lord Nityananda Prabhu could feel within His heart, Jiva was coming- Srivas Thakur went with all other devotees to greet him. He brought him to the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu. Jiva fell at His lotus feet and Nityananda Prabhu placed His sacred lotus Feet, which are the ultimate goal of all the fortunate bhaktas, on the head of Jiva Goswami. In order to fulfil Sri Jiva's intimate desire Lord Nityananda Prabhu decided to take him on a Parikrama of all of Navadvipa Dham. Nityananda, Jiva and Srivas went to the home of Lord Gauranga, the Yogapitha which Bhaktivinod Thakur discovered later. When Thakur Bhaktivinod was excavating the place they found murtis of Laxmi Narayan. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur later made a beautiful temple at the actual place where those original deities were worshipped by Jagannath Mishra and Lord Gauranga. They were greeted by Sachi Devi and Vishnupriya, the mother and the widow of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and also the servant of Sachi Devi whose name was Vamsivadan. Sachi and Vishnupriya, although they were just utterly engrossed and lamenting in ecstasy of divine separation from the Lord, their Gaurasundar, they became jubilant to see such effulgent young beautiful devotees and immediately began to cook nice prasad with their own hands and brought it to offer to Nityananda, Jiva and Srivas. Sachi Devi and Vishnupriya put their feet on little Jiva's head and bestowed their blessings upon him to begin his Navadvipa Parikrama. Bhaktivinod Thakur with his divine vision, has revealed many of the details of this Navadvipa Parlkrama in his book Navadvipa Dham Parikrama. Through the nine islands of Navadvipa they travelled and from time to time in ecstasy of love. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and all of His associates actually appeared before them in their physical forms to allow them to take part in beautiful sankirtan pastimes.

Jiva Goswami in Varanasi
Nityananda Prabhu then ordered Jiva Goswami to go to Vrindavan and take shelter of Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. In fact, Nityananda Prabhu said to Jiva that Vrindavan Dham has been given by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to your family, that is the place you should go. But en route to Vrindavan you should go to Varanasi or Sri Kashi Dham. There you should find one very great disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya whose name is Madhusudan Vachaspati and you should learn the shastras from him. So Jiva went to Varanasi and became the student of Madhusudan Vachaspati. He was so great that Madhusudan Vachaspati was just chanting the glories of his student throughout all of Varanasi.
Within a very short time he became famous not only throughout Varanasi but throughout India as a deeply learned and realized scholar of Vedic literatures and a profound philosopher. After his studies he proceeded to that great goal that he was always longing to achieve, the holy land of Vrindavan and there he met with his beloved uncles. It is described in Bhakti Ratnakar that when Jiva Goswami appeared, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami, Raghunath das Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, Lokanath Goswami, Bhugarbha Goswami, Kashishwar they were all there to greet him, to welcome him to Vrajabhumi. And since Sanatana was the seniormost of all of them, Jiva Goswami surrendered to Sanatana and begged him to accept him as disciple and give him initiation.

Jiva serves Rupa Goswami
But Sanatana entrusted him to take initiation from Srila Rupa Goswami, which he did. In fact he became so dear to Rupa Goswami that he didn't immediately initiate him. He wanted to properly train him on how to be a disciple and although Jiva Goswami was a pure devotee of the Lord, a brilliant scholar of all the Vedas, and utterly renounced from any material attachment whatsoever, still Rupa Goswami wanted to train him in menial service. So sometimes he would have him prepare the deity paraphernalia of Radha Govindaji, sometimes he would have him make garlands, sometimes he would have him do menial service like cleaning. Sometimes he would prepare pencils for Rupa Goswami for his writing. In those days the Goswamis did not have computers or typewriters or even pencil, pen, paper. They would do all their writings by carving on palm Seaves and the palm leaves had to be specially prepared so that the writing would be permanent. So this was one of the special services of Jiva Goswami. He would prepare palm leaves and pencils for the writings of Rupa Goswami. And sometimes he would massage the lotus feet of Rupa Goswami. Because of his menial service Rupa was very pleased with him and he gave him initiation into the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya.

Jiva Goswami defeats Roop Narayan
There are several beautiful stories of the reciprocation of love between Rupa and Jiva Goswami. One time it is explained that a pundit named Roop Narayan, came to Vrindavan. He was known as 'Digvijayi' because he had traveled throughout all the places of India. He was a great philosopher and he would challenge all other scholars to debates and defeat them. When defeated they would give something called the Vijaya patra, the certificate that they have been defeated by Roop Narayan. So he approached Rupa and Sanatana. He said, "I am a great scholar. You are nothing before me. 1 challenge you to a debate." Rupa and Sanatana were so humble they didn't care anything about the prestige of this world. They said "Why should you waste your time. You are indeed a great scholar. We are nothing. We hardly know anything. Why should you waste time trying to defeat someone who is really not up to your status. We admit defeat." Roop Narayan demanded "Then you sign this certificate." And they actually signed. He was very happy and exclaimed " I have defeated them"! He didn't consider that they were just being humble. But he heard about Jiva Goswami, that he was an upcoming, very great scholar. So he thought "I should defeat him also," So he went to Jiva and said, "You see, you should sign this paper, your uncles already did." He became very mad, "What nonsense, you are blaspheming them. I will accept your challenge." For seven days they sat on the bank of the Yamuna and on the seventh day it was unanimously agreed that Roop Narayan was defeated by Jiva Goswami. He didn't do it for the sake of defeating some mundane scholar, which is a total waste of time for a Vaishnava. He did it only for one reason - out of his great love for his Gurus, He wanted to preserve the dignity of their names. The people in general will not be illusioned to think that they could be defeated by anyone, especially a mundane scholar.
So Jiva Goswami very happily went to announce to Rupa and Sanatana that the dignity of their good names has been preserved. When Rupa heard - "You defeated him? What nonsense is this? He is a mundane scholar. We don't waste our time with mundane scholars. Why you wasted your time arguing with him for seven days? It means you wanted to establish yourself, which is a sign of pride and no one with even a drop of pride can live in Vrindavan Dham. Therefore you must leave this place."
Jiva Goswami's heart was broken, thinking that he had offended his Guru Rupa Goswami. He bowed down and with tears of love and shame, he left Vrindavan and went to Mathura. Many days he was fasting, trying to atone for his offense and at that time it is explained that Sanatana felt very sorry for him so he went to Rupa. He said "Rupa, 1 believe there is something about Mahaprabhu's philosophy that you do not understand." Rupa Goswami asked in extreme humility, "Oh please tell me which part of Mahaprabhu's philosophy I do not understand. Please explain it to me." Then he never leave the hole. They would just give him some raw flour and he would mix that raw flour with little Yamuna water everyday, or sometimes every three days he would just eat some of that. On account of the darkness, dampness and this type of diet, he became very sickly and there was an ulcer in his stomach. But he was just lying there crying in separation from the Lord. Of all the Goswamis, Sanatana Goswamis was very popular among Brijbasis, because he had such love for Brijbasis that he would go from village to village in Brajabhumi and he would just stay at some Brijwasi's house and he would just talk all things with them. "How is your dada? How is your wife? How are your crops growing this year?" He considered that any thing a Brijbasi speaks is Krishna Katha, it doesn't matter what it is.
In fact Sri Raghunath das Goswami in his Braja lila stava - he says like this - "I am simply longing to hear the utter gossip of Brijbasis, because that is all Krishna Katha. It is like nectar to my ears." Sanatana Goswami knew everyone and everyone knew him throughout all of Brajabhumi, if there was any problem they went to Sanatana Goswami. They all trusted him so much that whatever he said, they would just do that and their problems would get solved. Even if husbands and wives did not get along the husband would ask - "Sanatana, she said this. I said this. What are we supposed to do?" Sanatana said - "Do like this" and their problems got solved. They would just do it every step. This is the stature he had, very loving and very gentle and very caring for everybody. Sanatana would come in the guise of doing Madhukari, begging some roti and take it back to Madanmohana. When he went to the village, people said - 'There is a very, very saintly person here, so renounced that he is living in a crocodile hole and he drinks little Yamuna water and eats raw flour." Srila Sanatana was thinking - 'No one knew where Jiva Goswami was. Everybody knew he had left with a broken heart, crying in agony that he had offended his Guru and transgressed Vaishnava etiquette. Though we should know, he did not transgress any etiquette. He was establishing the highest, most perfect etiquette because he didn't do it out of pride. He did it to defend the dignity of his spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada explains that this incident of Jiva Goswami is often criticized by mundane scholars and even Vaishnavas who do not understand the real conclusions of the shastras. They said that by this act of pride he transgressed Vaishnava etiquette. We should understand, it wasn't like that. It is like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Jagai and Madhai. He could bear any insult to himself but he could not bear the insult of exalted Vaishnavas especially his Gurus, Rupa and Sanatana. So when Sanatana Goswami heard about the unparalleled tapasya of this person he understood that this must be Jiva Goswami. So he came there and Jiva Goswami could not even come out of the crocodile hole because he had been crouched in there for so long. Sanatana had to go into the hole himself and personally carry him out. He was emaciated, he was physically very deteriorated and Sanatana Goswami brought him back to Vrindavan. He brought Jiva Goswami to Rupa Goswami and again told Rupa Goswami - 'There is a principle called 'Jiva Daya' - you know, kindness to Jiva. There is Jiva, be kind to him please." When Rupa Goswami saw him, he embraced him with tears of love in his eyes, gave him nice prasad and nursed him back to health. So we may think we have explained why Rupa Goswami did like this. Jiva Goswami was perfectly situated in the highest platform of devotion by defending his Guru.
There are a couple of reasons. One, to establish the principle of how important it is to be totally humble to live in Vrindavan for all the world to follow. But the second, which is most important, is that he wanted to show the world the unlimited glories of the humility and devotion of Jiva Goswami by putting him through this predicament.

Jiva Goswami worships Radha Damodar
Rupa Goswami personally worshipped a set of beautiful deities called Radha Damodara which he had himself carved. As a gift of love, he presented them to Jiva Goswami, who made the worship of Radha Damodara his life and soul. It is believed that Emperor Akbar, once when he came to Vrindavan Dham, had the darshan of Jiva Goswami and the darshan of Jiva Goswami transformed his heart. He was given such a vision of appreciation of Vrindavan, that under Jiva Goswami's instruction, he as well as his many generals and ministers became very active in developing Vrindavan as a very great holy place. They helped with the construction of Radha Govindji Mandir, Radha Damodara mandir, Jugalkishor Mandir and others, Radha Gopinath Mandir I believe. So Jiva Goswami was living in this temple of Radha Damodara.

Jiva Goswami’s literary contribution
One of his great contributions is that he wanted a very safe and prominent place to store all the Goswamis' literature. So he built a library and there all the writings of Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunath das, Krishnadas Kavira], Gopal Bhatta were kept safely. Jiva Goswami's library was in the Radha Damodara temple and of course Jiva Goswami's major contribution were his own philosophical writings. It has been approximated that he has written more than 400,000 Sanskrit shiokas and over 25 beautiful books like the Satsandarbha, Gopal Champu and others. Under the instruction of Rupa and Sanatana, Jiva Goswami took the principles of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy and like no one had ever done before, he established those principles on the basis of such undefeatable sound philosophy and such strong evidences from authorized vedic scriptures that he was actually the one that really established the philosophic base for this movement.
The Gaudiya Vaishnava acharyas claim that the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy is the greatest of all the philosophies of the world and in all histories of mankind - Jiva Goswami is first and foremost. After Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami departed from their earthly lila to return to the eternal abode of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Sri Sri Radha Krishna approved Jiva Goswami to be their successor. Although there were many Gurus in Bengal, many acharyas in Vrindavan, Jiva Goswami was accepted by all to be the most prominent. He was the leader of all Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Jiva Goswami becomes the most eminent shiksha guru of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas
At that time, one great acharya of the name Hrdaya Chaitanya who lived in a village called Kama which is very close to Navadvipa, sent his foremost disciple, whose name was Krishnadas to study under Jiva Goswami. Gopal Bhatta Goswami initiated Srinivas Acharya and sent his foremost disciple Srinivas to study under Jiva Goswami. Lokanath Goswami sent his only initiated disciple Narottama das Thakur to study under Jiva Goswami. So he became the Shiksha Guru for three most exalted Vaishnavas, Narottama das, Srinivas and Shyamananda. In fact he gave him the name Shyamananda under the instruction of Srimati Radharani, which later became a controversy but it was settled very nicely by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. So these three devotees took shelter of Srila Jiva Goswami.
At one time Jhanava devi sent a message to Sri Jiva Goswami that, "You are the leader of all the Vaishnavas. Ever since the disappearance of Nityananda Prabhu, my eternal consort, and Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu most of the intimate associates of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu have left their bodies due to separation and those who are left are immersed in such a feeling of separation that, they can hardly preach. Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunath das and Krishnadas Kaviraj have written all the most important spiritual literatures which establish the profound teachings of Mahaprabhu. They are very much required here in Bengal and Orissa. Please send some preachers and send those books for us to copy." The idea was, they would copy the books there and then send them back to Vrindavan, because there was no one to copy in Vrindavan since there were few of them living in jungles, which was what Vrindavan was in those days. So Jiva Goswami arranged ox carts with beautiful boxes to carry all the books of the Goswamis of Vrindavan and he appointed Narottama das, Srinivas Acharya and Shyamananda Prabhu to take those books to Jhanava devi in Bengal, to print those books, to distribute them and to preach widely and deliver the great mercy of Mahaprabhu. So it was Jiva Goswami who began this divine book distribution program which was so dear to great souls like Bhaktivinod Thakur. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila Prabhupada. This was the service that he established in our parampara.
In fact it is very important to remember that our Gurudev Om Vishnupada Paramhansa Bhaktivedanta Swam! Prabhupada went to Vrindavan to prepare himself to fulfill the order of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur which was to take the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and spread them throughout the world in the English language. Srila Prabhupada knew that Radha Damodara temple established by Jiva Goswami was the special place where Srila Rupa Goswami. Sanatana Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami, Raghunath das Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami and other intimate associates like Bhugarbha Goswami, Lokanath Goswami would meet on a regular basis. That was their meeting place, their headquarters. They would take prasam there together, they would study the books together and they would also discuss the writings and beautiful kirtans and so on.
At the disappearance of Srila Rupa Goswami, arranged by Jiva Goswami they made Rupa Goswami's samadhi in the courtyard just behind Radha Damodara temple. Sanatana Goswami's disciples made his samadhi just behind the temple of Sri Radha Madanmohana. So in many ways Srila Prabhupada was thinking, 'What more holy place is there in all of creation, to be inspired, to prepare myself for this great preaching mission than at the temple of Radha Damodara. He was thinking that 'Rupa Goswami's samadhi is here and we are all Rupanugas, followers of Rupa Goswami. If 1 pray at his samadhi and receive his blessings. 1 will be empowered to do this great mission of my Gurudev and Jiva Goswami was the most prominent of all writers of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. So by receiving his mercy and besides residing at the place of his samadhi, bhajan kutir, by receiving his blessings, he will empower me to translate and give purports of Srimad Bhagavatam in the English language.' Especially Prabhupada lived in Jiva Goswami's temple for six full years. It was his bhajan kutir. He lived his simple life chanting the holy names associating with bri|basis absorbed always in prayers. He would regularly attend the arti of Sri Sri Radha Damodara each day. In fact, just the last year 1 met two Goswamis. one was the senior most Goswami of the Radha Vallabha sampradaya which is very prominent in Vrindavan, another was one of the very senior Goswamis of Radha Raman sampradaya, Radha Raman Mandir and 1 met them at separate times but they both told me the same exact experience they had with Prabhupada-
When Prabhupada was there in Vrindavan from about 1960-61 upto 1965, he was immersed in translating St.mad Bhagavatam and giving his Bhaktivedanta purports. At that time these men were not old, they were children and they explained that they used to play - one of their favorite places being the courtyard of Radha Damodara temple, because the Goswamis were not very strict for the children to play there. Even the head Goswami of Radha Damodara, he used to play in those days too. He was a young boy and all these different Goswami children of different families they would all come together often and play and play with balls and whatever they do. They used to always remember this great sadhu who would be sitting in that room, always sitting translating Srimad Bhagavatam and they said - when everyday they would go and play there Prabhupada-used to come out and distribute to these children prasad, cooked with his own hands and offered to the lord. He said we loved him so much because he would always come and give us niceiy cooked prasad like halwa, ladoos and nice sweet balls. In this way Srila Prabhupada took shelter and inspiration of Sri Jiva Goswami and Srila Rupa Goswami at Radha Damodara temple and when he got the blessings of Sri Rupa and Srila Jiva he left Vrindavan to come here to Bombay. Then he was trying to make his arrangements for going to America and beginning this great International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Vande  Rupa Sanatana Raghuyagau Sri Jiva Gopalakau!