Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who has unlimited, wonderful opulences. By His mercy, even a person born as the lowest of men can spread the science of devotional service. (1) All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! (2) While Sanātana Gosvāmī was imprisoned in Bengal, a letter arrived from Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. (3)
When Sanātana Gosvāmī received this note from Rūpa Gosvāmī, he became very pleased. He immediately went to the jail superintendent, who was a meat- eater, and spoke as follows. (4) Sanātana Gosvāmī told the Muslim jailkeeper, “Dear sir, you are a saintly person and are very fortunate. You have full knowledge of the revealed scriptures such as the Koran and similar books. (5) “If one releases a conditioned soul or imprisoned person according to religious principles, he himself is also released from material bondage by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (6) Sanātana Gosvāmī continued, “Previously I have done much for you. Now I am in difficulty. Please return my goodwill by releasing me. (7)
“Here are five thousand gold coins. Please accept them. By releasing me, you will receive the results of pious activities and gain material profit as well. Thus you will profit in two ways simultaneously.” (8) In this way Sanātana Gosvāmī convinced the jailkeeper, who replied, “Please hear me, my dear sir. I am willing to release you, but I am afraid of the government.” (9) Sanātana replied, “There is no danger. The Nawab has gone to the south. If he returns, tell him that Sanātana went to pass stool near the bank of the Ganges and that as soon as he saw the Ganges, he jumped in. (10-11) “Tell him, ‘I looked for him a long time, but I could not find any trace of him. He jumped in with his shackles, and therefore he was drowned and washed away by the waves.’ (12) “There is no reason for you to be afraid, for I shall not remain in this country. I shall become a mendicant and go to the holy city of Mecca.” (13) Sanātana Gosvāmī could see that the mind of the meat- eater was still not satisfied. He then stacked seven thousand gold coins before him. (14)
When the meat- eater saw the coins, he was attracted to them. He then agreed, and that night he cut Sanātana’s shackles and let him cross the Ganges. (15) In this way, Sanātana Gosvāmī was released. However, he was not able to walk along the path of the fortress. Walking day and night, he finally arrived at the hilly tract of land known as Pātaḍā. (16) After reaching Pātaḍā, he met a landholder and submissively requested him to get him across that hilly tract of land. (17) A man who was expert in palmistry was at that time staying with the landlord. Knowing about Sanātana, he whispered the following in the landlord’s ear. (18) The palmist said, “This man Sanātana possesses eight gold coins.” Hearing this, the landlord was very pleased and spoke the following to Sanātana Gosvāmī. (19) The landlord said, “I shall get you across that hilly tract at night with my own men. Now just cook for yourself and take your lunch.” (20)
Saying this, the landlord offered Sanātana grain to cook. Sanātana then went to the riverside and took his bath. (21) Because Sanātana had been fasting for two days, he cooked the food and ate it. However, having formerly been a minister of the Nawab, he began to contemplate the situation. (22) As a former minister for the Nawab, Sanātana could certainly understand diplomacy. He therefore thought, “Why is this landlord offering me such respect?” Thinking in this way, he questioned his servant, whose name was Īśāna. (23) Sanātana asked his servant, “Īśāna, I think you have some valuable things with you.” Īśāna replied, “Yes, I have seven gold coins.” (24) Hearing this, Sanātana Gosvāmī chastised his servant, saying, “Why have you brought this death knell with you?” (25)
Thereupon, Sanātana Gosvāmī took the seven gold coins in his hands and went to the landlord. Holding the gold coins before him, he spoke as follows. (26) “I have these seven gold coins with me. Please accept them, and from a religious point of view please get me across that hilly tract of land. (27) “I am a prisoner of the government, and I cannot go along the way of the ramparts. It will be very pious of you to take this money and kindly get me across this hilly tract of land.” (28) Smiling, the landlord said, “Before you offered them, I already knew that there were eight gold coins in your servant’s possession. (29) “On this very night I would have killed you and taken your coins. It is very good that you have voluntarily offered them to me. I am now relieved from such a sinful activity. (30)
“I am very satisfied with your behavior. I shall not accept these gold coins, but I shall get you across that hilly tract of land simply to perform a pious activity.” (31) Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “If you do not accept these coins, someone else will kill me for them. It is better that you save me from the danger by accepting the coins.” (32) After this settlement was made, the landlord gave Sanātana Gosvāmī four watchmen to accompany him. They went through the forest path for the whole night and thus brought him over the hilly tract of land. (33) After crossing the hills, Sanātana Gosvāmī told his servant, “Īśāna, I think you still have some balance left from the gold coins.” (34) Īśāna replied, “I still have one gold coin in my possession.” Sanātana Gosvāmī then said, “Take the coin and return to your home.” (35)
After departing from Īśāna, Sanātana Gosvāmī began traveling alone with a waterpot in his hand. Simply covered with a torn quilt, he thus lost all his anxiety. (36) Walking and walking, Sanātana Gosvāmī finally arrived at a place called Hājipura. That evening he sat down within a garden. (37) In Hājipura there was a gentlemen named Śrīkānta, who happened to be the husband of Sanātana Gosvāmī’s sister. He was engaged there in government service. (38) Śrīkānta had 300,000 gold coins with him, which had been given to him by the emperor for the purchase of horses. Thus Śrīkānta was buying horses and dispatching them to the emperor. (39) When Śrīkānta was sitting in an elevated place, he could see Sanātana Gosvāmī. That night he took a servant and went to see Sanātana Gosvāmī. (40) When they met, they had many conversations. Sanātana Gosvāmī told him in detail about his arrest and release. (41)
Śrīkānta then told Sanātana Gosvāmī, “Stay here for at least two days and dress up like a gentleman. Abandon these dirty garments.” (42) Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “I shall not stay here even for a moment. Please help me cross the Ganges. I shall leave immediately.” (43) With great care, Śrīkānta gave him a woolen blanket and helped him cross the Ganges. Thus Sanātana Gosvāmī departed again. (44) After a few days, Sanātana Gosvāmī arrived at Vārāṇasī. He was very pleased to hear about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s arrival there. (45) Sanātana Gosvāmī then went to the house of Candraśekhara and sat down by the door. Understanding what was happening, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke to Candraśekhara. (46) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “There is a devotee at your door. Please call him in.” Going outside, Candraśekhara could not see a Vaiṣṇava at his door. (47)
When Candraśekhara informed the Lord that no Vaiṣṇava was at his door, the Lord asked him, “Is there anyone at all at your door?” (48) Candraśekhara replied, “There is a Muslim mendicant.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately said, “Please bring him here.” Candraśekhara then spoke to Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was still sitting beside the door. (49) “O Muslim mendicant, please come in. The Lord is calling you.” Sanātana Gosvāmī was very pleased to hear this order, and he entered Candraśekhara’s house. (50) As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Sanātana Gosvāmī in the courtyard, He immediately went up to him with great haste. After embracing him, the Lord was overwhelmed with ecstatic love. (51) As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu touched Sanātana Gosvāmī, Sanātana was also overwhelmed with ecstatic love. In a faltering voice, he said, “O my Lord, do not touch me.” (52)
Shoulder to shoulder, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Sanātana Gosvāmī began to cry unlimitedly. Candraśekhara was very much astonished to see this. (53) Catching his hand, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took Sanātana Gosvāmī inside and made him sit on an elevated place next to Him. (54) When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began cleansing Sanātana Gosvāmī’s body with His own transcendental hand, Sanātana Gosvāmī said, “O my Lord, please do not touch me.” (55) The Lord replied, “I am touching you just to purify Myself, because by the force of your devotional service you can purify the whole universe. (56) “‘Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage.’ (57)
“[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] ‘Even though a person is a very learned scholar of the Sanskrit Vedic literatures, he is not accepted as My devotee unless he is pure in devotional service. However, even though a person is born in a family of dog- eaters, he is very dear to Me if he is a pure devotee who has no motive to enjoy fruitive activity or mental speculation. Indeed, all respects should be given to him, and whatever he offers should be accepted. Such devotees are as worshipable as I am.’ (58)
“‘One may be born in a brāhmaṇa family and have all twelve brahminical qualities, but if he is not devoted to the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who has a navel shaped like a lotus, he is not as good as a caṇḍāla who has dedicated his mind, words, activities, wealth and life to the service of the Lord. Simply to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family or to have brahminical qualities is not sufficient. One must become a pure devotee of the Lord. If a śva- paca or caṇḍāla is a devotee, he delivers not only himself but his whole family, whereas a brāhmaṇa who is not a devotee but simply has brahminical qualifications cannot even purify himself, what to speak of his family.’” (59) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “By seeing you, by touching you and by glorifying your transcendental qualities, one can perfect the purpose of all sense activity. This is the verdict of the revealed scriptures. (60) “‘My dear Vaiṣṇava, seeing a person like you is the perfection of one’s eyesight, touching your lotus feet is the perfection of the sense of touch, and glorifying your good qualities is the tongue’s real activity, for in the material world it is very difficult to find a pure devotee of the Lord.’” (61)
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