Caitanya Caritamrta Compact
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  • Welcome to Caitanya Caritamrta Compact Online!
  • The Flow Of Nectar
  • Copyright
  • Dedication
  • Contents
  • Introduction
    • The God who Dances
    • Postgraduate Spirituality
    • A Humble Offering
  • Overview
    • Breakdown of Sri Chaitanya's Life
    • Layout of Book
  • ADI-LILA
    • Invocation
      • Auspicious Prayers
      • A Safe God
      • The Golden Opportunity
      • Five Stars
      • Writing Chaitanya-Charitamrita
      • The Desire Tree
    • Incarnation
      • The Rising Sun
      • Greatness and Sweetness
    • Education
      • Life Lessons
      • The Greatest Scholar
    • Transformation
      • The Turning Point
      • Birth of Kirtan
      • Exhibitions of Divinity
      • Overcoming the Opposition
      • The World is My Family
  • MADHYA-LILA
    • Renunciation
      • Snapshot
      • An Emotional Meeting
      • Lessons on the Road to Puri
      • Sarvabhauma’s Salvation
    • Propagation
      • The South Indian Tour
      • Returning to HQ
      • Preparations for Rathayatra
      • The Ecstatic Festival of Chariots
      • King Prataparudra’s Strong Desire
      • Expanding the Mercy
    • Aspiration
      • An Unfulfilled Aspiration
      • The Journey Home
      • Vraja Mandala Parikrama
    • Organisation
      • Systematic Documentation
      • Rupa and Sanatana’s Escape
      • Teachings to Rupa Goswami
      • Teachings to Sanatana Goswami
      • Essential Instructions to the Goswamis
      • Prakashananda and the Mayavada Sannyasis
  • ANTYA-LILA
    • Appreciation
      • Humility and Empowerment – Rupa Goswami
      • Devotion – Pradyumna Brahmachari
      • Pure Chanting – Haridas Thakur
      • Surrender and Vaishnava Etiquette – Sanatana Goswami
      • Renunciation – Raghunath das Goswami
      • Remembrance of Krishna – Gopinath & Vaninath
      • Service Attitude – Govinda
      • Spontaneous Love - Jagadananda Pandita
      • Following instructions – Raghunath Bhatta Goswami
    • Correction
      • Inappropriate Association - Chota Haridas
      • Dangers of Mayavada Philosophy – Bhagavan Acharya & Bengali poet
      • Criticism and Faultfinding – Damodara Pandita & Ramachandra Puri
      • Superficial Discrimination – Pradyumna Mishra
      • Respecting Teachers – Vallabha Bhatta
    • Intoxication
      • Feelings of Separation
      • Lessons in Eagerness
      • Instances of Ecstacy
    • Instruction
      • Shikshastakam
      • Closing Pastimes
      • Concluding Words
  • APPENDIX
    • Cover
    • Mangalacharana Breakdown
    • Ramananda-Samvada
    • CC Family Tree
    • Shikshastakam Breakdown
    • References & Extra Reading
    • End Notes
    • Shri Chaitanya's Travels
    • The Author
    • Wisdom That Breathes
    • Support this work
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  1. MADHYA-LILA
  2. Organisation

Rupa and Sanatana’s Escape

[Madhya 19 & 20]

PreviousSystematic DocumentationNextTeachings to Rupa Goswami

Last updated 1 year ago

After their initial meeting with Shri Chaitanya, Rupa and Sanatana began planning their escape from Ramakeli in order to fully dedicate themselves to the sankirtan movement. Rupa Goswami made the first move, dividing his accumulated wealth between his relatives and the saintly persons, carefully keeping aside an emergency fund for the future. Freeing himself from all social ties, Rupa joyfully set out to meet Shri Chaitanya. Travelling with his younger brother Vallabha, they eventually met the Lord in Prayag. Feeling deep gratitude and appreciation, they humbly prostrated themselves before Shri Chaitanya and offered heartfelt prayers of glorification. For the next ten days, Shri Chaitanya instructed Rupa at Dasashvamedha Ghat, freely revealing the most profound spiritual insights to him.

[- / ]

Sanatana Goswami, however, could not escape as easily. Losing all interest in governmental affairs, he feigned sickness and stayed home to discuss the Shrimad-Bhagavatam with brahmana scholars. One day, when the Nawab unexpectedly appeared, he was shocked and infuriated by the scene, questioning Sanatana as to his intentions. When Sanatana made clear he wanted to leave, the Nawab ruthlessly arrested and imprisoned him. Rupa heard of his brother’s plight and secretly informed him of the emergency fund he had kept, suggesting a plan to bribe the jailer. Sanatana Goswami did just that. Using his expert diplomatic skills, he gained release from the prison cell and began a gruelling journey towards Varanasi. In a dishevelled state he arrived at Chandrasekhar’s home and humbly submitted himself before his Lord, much to Shri Chaitanya’s delight. For the next two months, Shri Chaitanya personally instructed Sanatana Goswami in the science of devotion.

[-]

During this period, Vallabha Bhatta and Raghupati Upadhyaya also came to meet Shri Chaitanya. They witnessed the ecstatic mood of Shri Chaitanya and the endearing character of Rupa Goswami.

A sage was once asked to describe the nature of illusion. He ran out into the courtyard, slung his arms around a tree, and began shouting “Let me go! Let me go!” It was a graphic response. We desire freedom from the material world, yet we maintain so many attachments. The escape of Rupa and Sanatana depicts the soul’s disentanglement from material affairs and subsequent dedication to spiritual life. For most, the complete abandonment of family and society may neither be possible nor recommended. The principle of renunciation, however, is universal for all aspiring spiritualists: “Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Shri Chaitanya’s devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Shri Chaitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.”

Worldly life entails awkward dealings with money, possessions, people and career to name but a few. One may understandably develop the notion that such a lifestyle is incompatible with spiritual goals. True renunciation, however, does not entail a mere abandonment of such dealings and activities. One must renounce the mentality that one is the ‘controller’ and ‘enjoyer’ of all his deeds. By offering the results of one’s daily work (money, knowledge, influence, and other such benefits) in service to God, knowing God to be the ultimate enjoyer and controller, one achieves the same state of renunciation as those who physically leave everything behind.

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