Sanātana Gosvāmī, although he was a minister in Muhammadan government, Nawab Hussain Shah's, but in touch with Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he has come to his knowledge that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita (CC Madhya 20.100): "Actually, I am not paṇḍita. But in village, in ordinary common sense, because I happen to be a brāhmaṇa, they call me paṇḍita. I also accept as paṇḍita. But my real position is that I am such a paṇḍita, such a learned man, that I do not know what is good for me. This is my position." He is submitting to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his guru. Why guru is necessary? Tad vijñānārtham (MU 1.2.12). When we are perplexed, that "I do not know what is my actually goal of life, what is benefit here for me . . ." Just like Arjuna did. When he was talking with Kṛṣṇa on equal terms, two friends . . . But when he saw that the actual solution is not coming, then he submitted himself to Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, now we are not friends. We are friends, but treat me as Your disciple." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So "Make me paṇḍita. I am talking all foolishly. I am kṣatriya, it is my duty to fight, and I am denying it. I know that I am deviating from my duties. So how it has happened? What is the cause? So kindly, śiṣyas te, I am submitting myself before You as Your student." Śādhi māṁ prapannam, "I am surrendering."
So one has to learn the philosophy of life from the person superior, spiritual master. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Do not remain puffed-up, that "I am all-learned, I know everything." That is false. One has to submit. In order to know the solution of life, we have to submit to the proper spiritual master. That is essential. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. This is Vedic injunction. This abhigacchet, this word is used when it is meant "must." There is no escape. We have seen big, big personalities . . . Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu; He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He accepted Īśvara Purī as His guru. Kṛṣṇa, He also accepted His guru as Sāndīpani Muni. Lord Rāmacandra, He accepted His guru as Vasiṣṭha. So it is necessary. Kṛṣṇa or Rāma, They are Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are the supreme instructor, full of knowledge, everything. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). There is nothing short, but still, to show us example, They accepted guru. That is essential.
So here Sanātana Gosvāmī, he is also born in a very well-to-do brāhmaṇa family. He was well situated as minister in charge of the government of Hussain Shah. So everything was quite all right, and still, he thought himself as nīca jāti. Nīca jāti nīca-saṅgī . . . What is it?
Yes:
- nīca jāti nīca-saṅgī patita adhāma
- kuviṣaya-kūpe paḍi' goṅāinu janama
- (CC Madhya 20.99)
If we remain puffed-up, that "I am born in such and such family. I am educated such and such, and I am posted in such and such post, so now my life is successful," that is false. Life is successful when we understand that . . . Here it is said, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni (CC Madhya 20.100). When we understand what is the goal of life, then life is successful. Not the temporary position, "I am getting good salary, I am very nicely posted, I have got good family," and so on, so on. No. One must know the goal of life. The goal of life is that . . . We are fallen in this material world somehow or other. As Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, anādi karma-phale pori' bhavārṇava-jale. Now when a man is fallen in the ocean or in the water, he's asking help, you cannot say that "How did you fall? What was the cause?" That we shall discuss later on. First of all, save him. So that is the immediate necessity. There is no . . . Sometimes we are questioned that "How a living entity fallen in this material world?" Yes, that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). Icchā-dveṣa. Actually, we are servant of God. That is our real position. But we sometimes become envious, that "Why shall I become servant of God? This is slave mentality." Sometimes we are accused, the Vaiṣṇavas are, of slave mentality because they want to serve God. And the Māyāvādīs, they think that "We are so exalted that I am as good as God. I am God." That is their position.
But actually, nobody is God here. Everyone is servant. He's simply falsely thinking that he's God, he's master, he's this or that. You have got very nice example in the life of Mr. Nixon. He was thinking that he's everything: "I am the President." But now what is his position, you can understand. So similarly everyone. Nobody is master. The master is Kṛṣṇa only. That is stated in the Śrīmad . . . Caitanya-caritāmṛta, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). The master is there, that is Kṛṣṇa, and everyone is servant. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). We living entities, we are eternally servant of God. Kṛṣṇa means God. One who attracts everyone, that is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is God, accepted by everyone.