CONTENTS:
- RUPA GOSWAMI AND SANATANA GOSWAMI
- SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
- GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
1. RUPA GOSWAMI AND SANATANA GOSWAMI
After the Ratha Yatra festival the devotees stayed in Jagannatha Puri till the end of Chaturmas and had to go although they did not want to go but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told them, “Now you go.” This time Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to leave to Vrindavan. Sarva Bhauma Bhattacharya and others tried to stop Him but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not want to hear anything, “For last two years you didn’t want to let Me go.” So, Mahaprabhu decided to go and Mahaprabhu came to Orrisa on 
His way to Vrindavan and then He travelled to North Bengal. In North Bengal there was a Muslim King Hussain Sha who had two main ministers who were actually Brahmanas.
They were brilliant individuals and they are our Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami. Sanatana Goswami was the Chief Minister and Rupa Goswami was the Finance Minister. Although they were from exalted Brahmanical families because they had association with the Muslims, they were ostracized by the Brahmanas. They wrote to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu about their condition and requested Him to deliver them. Because of them Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu actually came to this place. Thousands of people were following Him and the security in charge of the King was also a Hindu and became worried that the King would question this person coming with so many followers.
When the King asked about this saintly person came with so many followers this person told the King, “No there are just a few people following Him.” Hussain Sha said, “Oh I know that thousands have come so He must be a very exalted person.” Because of that fear that the King may become antagonistic to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami did not go to meet Him there. In disguise at night, they went to meet Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Three brothers Rupa, Sanatana and also a little child with them and that child was Srila Jiva Goswami. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu blessed Him by placing His lotus feet on his head announcing him to be the
Acharya for the entire Vaishnava community in future. So, this is how they met. They were asking Mahaprabhu what they should do? Mahaprabhu told them just chant the holy name. The Brahmanical community at that time was so cruel in their dealings, there were some instances where they would give injunctions like somebody had some dealings with the Muslims they would ostracize, they would give some impossible means to become free from their apparent sinful action.
Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis did not want to depend on their suggestions. For example, there was a very wealthy landlord Budimanta Khan and Hussain Sha was his employee and eventually Hussain Sha became the King and one day his queen noticed that he had some marks on his back. When someone is whipped there are marks remaining, when the whip cuts through the flesh then there are marks remaining. She asked what happened. Hussain Sha said he made some mistake and that landlord punished him. The queen said that he should kill him for doing that. The king said that it was his own mistake.
The queen insisted that the king kills him. The king said instead of killing him I will try to take away his religion and force him to become a Muslim for him that will be as good as dying. I will force him to drink contaminated water then he will lose his religion and that was what was done. Budimanta Khan went to the Brahmanas and they gave him advise like you have to drink molten lead and gave all kinds of impractical suggestions. You can see how the Brahmanical community was at that time but when he went to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu then the Lord said, “Just chant the holy name.” He started to chant the holy name and went to Vrindavan and settled down.
Vrindavan in those days Bengalis used to go and they are fond of eating rice and in North India there was no rice they used to grow wheat. He had no other means of collecting money so he used to collect wood in the forest and sell the wood and the money he collected he used to buy rice and feed the Bengalis. Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami also lost their religion because they associated with the Muslims so Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told them to chant the holy name. Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami decided to give up their royal responsibilities and go to Vrindavan. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu after meeting them while going to Vrindavan He saw thousands of people were following Him and He felt this is not the way to go to Vrindavan. One should not go to Vrindavan with such a big crowd following in order to appreciate the visit to Vrindavan and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu decided not to go further.
There is a place on the bank of the Ganges and from there Chaitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannatha Puri. From Jagannatha Puri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left to Vrindavan through the forest of Jarikanda. He wanted to go alone and devotees requested Him to take at least one companion and finally Chaitanya Mahaprabhu agreed to take one devotee Balabadra Bhattacharya. Balabadra Bhattacharya later described what happened when they were in the forest, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was chanting the holy name and upon hearing this chanting the wild animals started to chant the holy name. Mahaprabhu made the wild animals chant the holy name and dance in ecstasy. There were so many different animals like tigers, lions, elephants, hyenas, snakes and they all were chanting the holy name.
This is the potency that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu displayed the effect of the chanting even the animals were affected. Ultimately everyone is a spirit soul so the holy name actually awakened their spiritual awareness even though they were in very covered bodies of animals. Animal bodies are bodies in ignorance very covered. Passion and that is why animals cannot display such advancement of consciousness because it is covered. Even penetrating their coverings, the holy name awakened their spiritual consciousness. Rupa Goswami in the meantime sent two men to Jagannatha Puri to find out when did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu leave for Vrindavan. When he got the news that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left for Vrindavan he also packed up and left.
He carried his wealth he had so much of wealth and he carried it in three boats. What was the wealth it was gold coins? He was not carrying his furniture or colour tv not he was carrying real wealth gold and it filled up three boats. We can see how wealthy they were that is why the prayer goes very neglectfully they have given up their very very wealthy situation. The wealth of that like of many many kings. They accepted a kind of a quilt made by stitching a few layers of cloth, poor man’s quilt. That is the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu makes the kings give up everything and accept the life of a mendicant. Rupa Goswami upon hearing this left and decided to meet Chaitanya Mahaprabhu there at their ancestral home. There also he established a standard for householders’ way of living. He gave half of his wealth to the Brahmanas and Vaishnavas for promoting Krishna Consciousness, he gave one quarter to his family and the other quarter he kept for future use. Rupa Goswami left and, in the meantime, Sanatana Goswami also decided to go.
The King was so fond of Sanatana Goswami that he did not let him go and told him that he could not resign. What happened is Sanatana Goswami stopped going to the court and when the king sent a message why he is not going to the court, Sanatana Goswami said he is sick so he cannot come. The king sent the royal physician to check Sanatana Goswami and he reported to the king that Sanatana Goswami was ok nothing was wrong with him. The king came himself and at that time Sanatana Goswami was sitting with thirty Brahmanas and he was discussing Srimad Bhagavatam.
The king said you said you sick and can’t come to work but this is how you spending your time. Sanatana Goswami said I am not physically sick I am feeling mentally sick, I don’t have any inclination to carry on with royal responsibilities. The king said your elder brother is a plunderer, all that he knows is to loot people, kill peoples and plunder. You are the one who maintains everything and if you go away and don’t execute that responsibility what is going to happen? Sanatana Goswami said please let me go. The king said he is going to Orissa and fight with King Patraparudra.
He said you are going to the land of the Lord and give trouble to the Lord. The king was so upset with him and he arrested him and left for Orissa until he was defeated. This is how Sanatana Goswami was arrested. Then Rupa Goswami sent a message to Sanatana Goswami that he is leaving home and he should also try to escape. He has deposited 10 000 gold coins with such and such a person and he should bribe that guy and escape. Sanatana Goswami was a minister so he knew everyone so he told the jailer, “Look you are a very pious person and I also want to dedicate my life for pious activity and decided to go to Mecca, please let me go.” He replied, “I can let you go but the king will kill me.” Sanatana Goswami said, “I will give you 7000 gold coins” He replied what’s the use of gold coins if I will be killed?” Sanatana Goswami said, “Look, I will give you 10 000 gold coins and don’t worry about the king.
When the king asks you just tell him that I went to the bank of river with my hands and feet in chains to evacuate and then I accidentally fell into the river.” He liked that and let Sanatana Goswami go. So, this is how both Sanatana Goswami and Rupa Goswami left home along with their younger brother. This is how these two very intimate associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Srimati Radharani and who are Her most intimate associates? Lalita and Vishaka. Lalita is actually Svarupa Damodara who was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s constant companion and Ramananda Raya was Vishaka. Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami are manjaris. The manjaris are the assistants to the Gopis the younger girls who assist the sakhis. Grown up means 15 years so they are sakhis and those who are younger 12/13years old they become the assistants. Lalita and Vishaka are the sakhis and their assistants are manjaris. Rupa Goswami is Rupa Manjari and Sanatana Goswami is Ananga Manjari. These two personalities played very important roles in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes.
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
The more we recognize and appreciate the glory of Srila Prabhupada the more we will be able to appreciate of the activities of Supreme Personality of Godhead, because Srila Prabhupada came to give the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mercy of the Lord flows through Srila Prabhupada, the most bona fide representative of the Lord.
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
Depend upon Krishna and you will see Krishna takes care. By chanting and depending on Krishna and constantly telling: “Krishna, I can’t control my mind, please help me out.” Then Krishna comes and helps us to control the mind; and yes, chanting has to be attentive. Attentive means hearing.
(The content of this E-Magazine was based on a Lecture given by HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja on 5 October 2017 at ISKCON Juhu)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)