Special Poetry: Srila-Sanatana-Gosvami-Prabhur Sochaka | Sri Gaudiya Gitanjali

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SRI GAUDIYA GITANJALI : SPECIAL POETRY

Srila-Sanatana-Gosvami-Prabhur Sochaka
(Lament for Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu)

(1)

rupera vairagya-kale, sanatana vandisale,
visada bhavaye mane mane
sri-rupe karuna kari’, trana kaila gaura-hari,
mo adhame nahila smarane [1]

When Sri Rupa Goswami renounced his former life, Sri Sanatan Goswami was in prison. He felt dejected, thinking, ‘Bestowing His mercy upon Sri Rupa, Gaura-hari has rescued him, but He did not remember about me.

mora karma-dadi-phande, mora hate gale bandhe,
rakhiyachhe karagare pheli’
apana karuna-phamse, drdha bandhi’ mora kese,
charana-nikate laha tuli’ [2]

‘I am bound by the ropes of my own actions, thrown into prison with my hands and neck tied. Please tie me firmly by the hair with the rope of Your mercy and pull me out to Your feet.

paschate agadha-jala, dui pase davanala,
sammukhe yudila vyadha vana
katare harini dake, padiya visama pake,
tumi natha more kara trana [3]

‘Behind me, there is an unfathomable ocean; next to me on both sides, there is a blazing forest fire; and in front of me, there is an arrow shot by a hunter flying towards me. This doe is crying in distress having got into big trouble. You are my Master – please save me!

jagai madhai hele, vasudeve ajamile,
anayase karile uddhara
karuna-abhasa kari’, sanatane pada-tari,
deha yena ghosaye samsara [4]

‘You dismissed Jagai and Madhai but easily rescued Vasudev and Ajamil. Please give Sanatan just a shadow hint of Your mercy – take him into the boat of Your holy feet. Proclaim Your glory to the whole world.

e duhkha-samudra-ghore, nistara karaha more,
toma bina nahi anya-jana
hena-kale anya-jane, alaksite sanatane,
patra dila rupera likhana [5]

‘Please save me from this terrible ocean of misery – I do not have anybody except You.’ At this time, somebody secretly passed him a letter from Rupa.

rupera likhana peye, mane anandita ha’ye,
sada kare gauranga dheyana
sri-radha-vallabha-dasa, mane kare abhilasa,
patra peye karila payana [6]

Receiving Rupa’s letter, Sanatan became excited and all the time meditated on Sri Gauranga – Sri Radha-Vallabha Das hankers for such mercy. After Sanatan got that letter, he set out on his journey.

(2)

sri-rupera bada bhai, sri-sanatana gosai,
patsara ujira haiya chhila
sri-rupera patra peye, vandi haite palaiye,
kasipure gauranga bhetila [1]

Sri Rupa’s elder brother, Sri Sanatan Gosai, used to be a king’s minister; but having got Sri Rupa’s letter, he ran away from prison and arrived in Kasi to meet with Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

chhinda kantha ange mali, hate nakha mathe chuli,
nikate yaite anga hele
dui guchchha trna kare, eka-guchchha dante dhare,
padila chaitanya pada-tale [2]

Wrapped into a torn woollen blanket, with long nails and hair, he hesitated to come close to the Lord. He picked up two bunches of grass and, holding one bunch between his teeth, he fell flat at Lord Chaitanya’s holy feet.

daravesa-rupa dekhi’, prabhura sajala ankhi,
bahu pasariya aise dheye
sanatane kari’ kole, katare gosai bale,
adhamere sparsa ki lagiye [3]

Seeing his appearance resembling a darves (dervish), Prabhu spread His arms and rushed to hug him, His eyes brimming with tears. As the Lord pressed Sanatan to His chest, Gosai spoke with much pain, ‘Why are You touching this wretch?

asprsya pamara dina, durachara buddhi-hina,
nicha-kule nicha vyavahara
ehena pamara-jane, sparsa prabhu ki karane,
yogya nahe toma sparsabara [4]

‘I am untouchable, vile, poor, wicked, bereft of any intelligence, lowly born and of lowly behaviour – my Lord, why do You come to touch such a vile person? I do not deserve to be touched by You.’

prabhu kahe sanatana, dainya kara ki karana,
tava dainye phate mora hiya
krsnera karuna achhe, bhala manda nahi bachhe,
toma sparsi pavitra lagiya [5]

The Lord said, ‘Sanatan, why are you being so humble? Your humility pierces My heart. When Lord Krishna bestows His mercy, He does not see who is good or who is bad. I have actually become purified by touching you.’

bhota-kambala dekhi’ gaya, prabhu punah punah chaya,
lajjita haiya sanatana
gaudiyare bhota diya, chhinda eka kantha laiya,
prabhu-pase punar-agamana [6]

Noticing the woollen blanket that Sanatan covered his body with, the Lord kept glancing at it, and Sanatan became shy. He gave his quilt to a Gaudiya Vaishnav in exchange for a torn quilt, and then came to the Lord again.

ajna dila rupa sane, dekha ha’be vrndavane,
prabhu ajnaya karila gamane
gauranga karuna kari’, radha-krsna-nama-madhuri,
siksa karaila sanatane [7]

The Lord ordered him to meet Rupa in Vrindavan, and on the order of the Lord, Sanatan left. Lord Gauranga mercifully taught Sanatan about the sweetness of Radha-Krishna’s Holy Names.

chheda kantha neda matha, mukhe krsna-guna-gatha,
paridhane chheda bahirvasa
kabhu kande kabhu hase, kabhu premanande bhase,
kabhu bhiksa kabhu upavasa [8]

He set off wrapped in his torn quilt, with a shaved head, wearing torn clothes and chanting about Lord Krishna’s glories. He walked sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, sometimes floating in the joy of divine love. Sometimes he begged some alms, sometimes he fasted.

atahpara sanatana, pravesila vrndavana,
rupa sange haila milana
preme asru netre bhari’, sanatanera gale dhari’,
kande rupa gadgada-vachana [9]

Finally, Sanatan entered Vrindavan and met with Rupa. His eyes brimming with tears of divine love, Rupa embraced Sanatan’s neck and cried, his voice breaking.

vraja-pure ghare ghare, madhukari bhiksa kare,
e-rupe goyaya sanatana!
kata-dine taha chhadi’, kunje kunje rahe padi’,
phala mula karaye bhaksana [10]

In Vrindavan, he would go house to house collecting alms – this is how Sanatan passed his days! After a while, he left that, too: instead, he walked in forests and groves and subsisted on whatever fruit and roots he could find.

uchchaihsvare artanade, radha-krsna bali kande,
ha natha ha natha bali’ dake
gaurangera yata guna, kahe rupa sanatana,
ei-rupe kata-dina thake [11]

He cried and wailed in a heart-rending way, calling out, ‘Radha-Krishna! O Lord! O Master!’ And he talked with Rupa about Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s glories. This is how they spent their days.

kata-dina antarmana, chhappanna danda bhavana,
chari-danda nidra vrksa-tale
krsna-nama-gane thake, svapne radha-krsna dekhe,
avasara nahe eka-tile [12]

He spent fifty-six dandas (22 hours 15 minutes) meditating in his mind and slept for four dandas (1 hour 36 minutes) under a tree. He always chanted the Holy Name of Krishna and even when he slept he saw Radha-Krishna in his dreams. He did not take even a drop of rest.

chhadi’ bhoga-abhilasa, taru-tale kare vasa,
dui chari dina upavasa
kakhana-o vanera saka, alavane kari paka,
mukhe deya dui eka grasa [13]

He left all hankering for enjoyment and food and lived simply beneath a tree: sometimes, he fasted for two–four days in a row, and sometimes, he cooked some forest herbs without salt and took only one–two handfuls at a time.

suksma vastra baje gaya, dhulaya dhusara kaya,
kantakete viddha haya pasa
e radha-vallabha-dasa, mane kare abhilasa,
kata-dine ha’ba ta’ra dasa [14]

He wore thin threadbare clothes, his body was grey from dust, and his sides were pierced with thorns. This Radha Vallabha Das yearns, ‘How long will I have to wait to become his servant?’

SRI GAUDIYA GITANJALI (English)
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