Maharaj's Taking of Sannyasa

Date: 2002-05-22 Author: Devakinandana das Hare Prabhujis and Matajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev!

When Sanatana met Mahaprabhu and Haridas Thakur in , he had made a long and austere travel from Mathura. Because of bathing in bad water and not getting enough food every day through Jarikhanda forest, he developed a disease that made his body itch and produced wet sores on his body. When Sanatana Goswami met Mahaprabhu, he resolved not to be touched by Him because of his dirty condition. But Maharaprabhu embraced very tightly and proceeded to have nice conversation with him in Antya lila Chapter 4. Mahaprabhu said very nicely in the course of his conversation:

4.46-47

sei bhakta dhanya, ye na chade prabhura carana sei prabhu dhanya, ye na chade nija-jana durdaive sevaka yadi yaya anya sthane sei thakura dhanya tare cule dhari' ane

"Glorious is that devotee who does not give up the shelter of His Lord, and glorious is that Lord who does not abandon His servant. If by chance a servant falls down and goes somewhere else, glorious is that master who captures him and brings him back by the hair."

This verse is very deep because besides giving us a glimpse into the sweet transcendental exchange that exists of faith and transcendental love between the Lord and His devotee, more important for us is the causeless mercy of the spiritual master. Maharaj took sannyasa not for himself, for he was already exalted devotee of Krsna and never gave up His shelter, but Maharaj took sannyasa because of fallen entities like me, who tried for years to elude his mercy many times, but at each turn of my life, he grabbed me by my hair and pulled me back to Krsna consciousness.

Many times we subtly avoid the spiritual master and his instructions, content to have a show bottle relationship at an arm's length, but we do not realise that we are subtly drifting - the spiritual master is so kind that he captures such an errant disciple.Despite all the sores of material lust and desires on our bodies, unlike the transcendental nature of Sanatana Goswami, the spiritual master still embraces us to encourage our devotional service .

Jai Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Jai Srila Gurudev patita pavana ki jai! Your servant, Devakinandana Das