So monarchy or dictatorship is welcome. Now the Communists, they want dictatorship. That is welcome, provided that particular dictator is trained like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Not that simply by votes of some rascal population one becomes dictatorship, another rascal comes. Another big rascal comes. Just like in the Communist country the Stalin was their dictator. And in the historical record it is said that he is the greatest criminal in the history of the world. Greatest criminal. He would not tolerate anyone going against him. As soon as he finds that "This man is going against me," immediately call him, "Now here is poison and here is resignation." Or kill him. "You take poison or I shall kill you." This was his policy. In this way he killed so many enemies. He not only killed the Czar family. So his business was killing. Not that kind of dictatorship wanted. Dictatorship wanted that by his direction the citizens will be so happy that even they will not have any anxiety. Adhayo vyadhayaḥ (?).
Resign (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Kṛṣṇa said to the sun-god Vivasvān. And so He said, "The sun-god transferred the teaching to his son Manu, and Manu transferred the teaching to Mahārāja Ikṣvāku." Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). In this way, the point is that the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā was especially taught to the royal order because they would know. They should know. Because a king is supposed to be representative of God, nara-deva. King is addressed as nara-deva. Even in 500 years ago when Sanātana Gosvāmī was minister of Nawab Hussein Shah... Sanātana Gosvāmī wanted to resign. He wanted to join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So when the Nawab understood that Sanātana Gosvāmī... His name was Dabir Khas. He changed his name. So he said, "No, you cannot resign. Then my whole kingdom will be topsy-turvied. I completely depend, dependent on you." So Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "My, Your Majesty, I am no more able to serve you. Kindly excuse me." Then the Nawab said that "Then I shall punish you. I am Nawab. I am king." So Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "Yes, you can punish me because you are representative of God."
So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth. And He is person. But we cannot understand Him unless we go through a kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Therefore to understand Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has come down as a bhakta, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa through Lord Caitanya. Because Kṛṣṇa Himself has come... kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. Rūpa Gosvāmī, when he met first Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Not first, for the second time. First time he met when he, while he was minister in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah. And then, after meeting, Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted them to fulfill His mission. So they decided to resign from the government service and join Caitanya Mahāprabhu to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
You will find at Vṛndāvana, oh, so many great devotees. Just like these Gosvāmīs, about whom we pray daily. Now, about them it is stated, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. Now, these people were very aristocratic. Maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders of great society. So they gave up. When they joined Lord Caitanya's movement they gave up everything. They resigned from ministership. The Nawab Shah was very much sorry. He was interned, that "You cannot resign from this post. Then whole thing will be, whole, my plan, whole, my kingdom will be lost. I cannot allow you to resign." But they decided that, "No. No more." Then the Nawab Shah told him, "Then I put you into, under internment." So they were put into jail. So anyway, they came out. So this fact is narrated.
So actually we are all servants of our senses. The whole activities of the material world means everyone is acting as the servant of his senses, that's all. This is the material world. Everyone is working. Everyone is working so hard. So when one becomes intelligent, then he understands that "What I am doing? I am thinking that I am master, I am proprietor, I am the head of the family, but what I am doing actually? I am acting as servant of my senses, my son's senses, my wife's senses, my daughter's senses, my servant's senses. That's all." If you speak something wrong even to your servant, the servant will resign, and you will be in trouble. Therefore you have to serve his senses so that he may not be angry. This is our position. So we are simply serving senses, but we are thinking, "I am master." This is called illusion.
The summary is I am servant of my senses. Because I want sense enjoyment, therefore I become servant of my wife. Actually, this is the position. I accept one woman as my wife—the real meaning is that I accept to become her servant. If I cannot satisfy her nicely then she'll rebel. So I want to satisfy her senses. Then my sons, my daughters, even my servants. Nowadays, servants, you keep, you pay, but if he's dissatisfied, he immediately resigns. So you have to flatter him so he may not go away.
One who understands what is the constitution of this material world, how it is working, what we are, why we have come here, why we are so struggling hard for existence, what is our duty, how to get out of this entanglement... That is Vedic knowledge. Not only to get out of this material entanglement, but to be engaged. Because simply to get out is not the final business. Suppose you are being employed in a place you do not like. You want to change. Simply if you resign your post, that is not good. You must take another nice post. Then it is good.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī were ministers in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah, most opulent. So naturally the minister must have association with big, big zamindars, lords, aristocratic family. But about them it is said, when they joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement, resigning from their ministership, so that is described by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ. Maṇḍala-pati means big, big zamindars, aristocrats. So tyaktvā, gave up their association.
Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was the greatest scholar, politician. He was prime minister of Mahārāja Emperor Candragupta, under whose name the Cāṇakya Purī is going on. He was living in a cottage, not accepting any salary. And as soon as Mahārāja Candragupta wanted some explanation, (he) immediately resigned. This is the standard of persons who are born in India.
Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. He was minister, a very big post, government minister, chief man. Not only minister-Nawab Hussain Shah entrusted the whole kingdom in his hand: "You manage, whatever you like." Because he knew that "Here is a trustworthy man. He'll do very nicely." And he was a Muhammadan Nawab, so he was engaged in hunting and dancing with girls. But he was confident that "Sanātana is there." His name was changed, Sākara Mallika... Dabira Khāsa. His name was Dabira Khāsa, and his brother Rūpa Gosvāmī's name was Sākara Mallika. They almost became Muhammadan. Very responsible officer. When they wanted to resign, oh, Nawab Hussain Shah became topsy-turvied: "Oh, what do you say? I am depending on you. The whole thing is depending on you. And you want to resign? Oh, you have gone crazy. I cannot allow you." So actually... But he was thinking... Since he met Lord Caitanya, he was thinking that "I am diseased. What is the value of my this education and this post? I am diseased."
So at the present moment, people are becoming more and more poor, and they are simply educated to gratify senses. So the whole world becoming chaotic, diseased condition. Even in the topmost level, the President of United States, he was also caught dealing very unfavorably, and he was forced to resign. And what to speak of others? He is not a poor man, he is not uneducated, the topmost man, elected President of USA, but there is cheating even there, just see. And what to speak of others?
Even during the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, emperor, he had a brāhmaṇa minister, prime minister, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was not taking a single farthing as salary. When once explanation was called for from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita by Candragupta, immediately he resigned. "You cannot call any explanation. Then I resign." And he was living in a cottage, not that palatial building. He was living in a cottage. That was the system.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's renouncement is unique. Nobody can give up such happy home, his honor, his position, his affection from mother, wife, friends, students, everywhere. Advaita Prabhu, although He was His father's age, He was honoring Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So still He gave up everything. Why? Just to teach us. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikṣāya. He is teaching the whole world how one has to become detached. That is His personal teaching. How, how one can become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, He's personally teaching. That, that was detected by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Therefore when he first saw Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Not first, second time. After resigning his post as minister, when he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Prayāga, so he offered his obeisances, falling flat: namo mahā-vadānyāya. He first addressed, "Most magnanimous," most magnanimous.
So Kuntī is woman, she has got relationship with two families. A man may have so many relationship, but woman, she has not, she has no facility for making more relations. That is not allowed. But at least she has got two relationships with two families. And that is her attachment. So she prays to Kṛṣṇa, "Please cut off this relationship. Let me be free." Now after becoming free, then what are you going to do? That is the question. Suppose one is employed in a firm. He feels inconvenience: "This service is not very good. Let me resign it." You resign. But if you get a better service, then that resignation is all right. And if by resigning you become unemployed, no engagement, then what is the value of such resignation? What is the value of such resignation? Similarly, those who are frustrated, confused, they don't want this material world. Just like in your country, the hippies, they are frustrated, confused. You don't want... This is don't, but what you want? That is, that they do not know. That point is missing. You say, "I don't want this." But what you want? That you do not know. That want, what you want actually, that is explained by Kuntī.
If the leaders are perfect, then the citizens will be perfect. If the leaders are rascals... Just like in your country, now your president is caught up. Just see. Such an exalted post is occupied by a person who is subjected to so many criticisms. Why? "The Caesar's wife must be above suspicion." There is a... The king or the president, why he should be under suspicion? And if he is under suspicion, then immediately he should resign, "Oh, people are now suspecting." But this these rascals will not resign. You see? Just see how much our leaders are polluted. He has been charged with so many things. Why he? Everyone is. He is weak; therefore he has been caught up. That's all. He is not so perfect diplomat. Otherwise he would have not been caught up.
Nitāi: "Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, after placing Mahārāja Parīkṣit on the imperial throne of Hastināpura, and after posting Vajra, the grandson of Lord Kṛṣṇa, as the king of Mathurā, accepted the renounced order of life."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This was the system, that one must retire. Just like at the present moment, although people are asking the president that "You retire, you resign," he is not resigning, obstinate. Because he knows, "This is the first and last chance. I am not going to be elected again. So stick to the post and take as much money as possible." That's all. But formerly, they voluntarily retired, the kings.
So after getting the chance, if we do not utilize the chance as human being, then I remain a dog. This is the philosophy. Therefore these books are meant for sober human being, not for the so-called human being: he is a dog, but he has got two hands and two legs. That's all. Not like that. Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Now you are fighting against your president that he must resign because he is just like animal. The charge is. But he is animal undoubtedly. But who has selected the animal? Other animals. You are also animal. Otherwise how you can select one animal?
And if we accept a material body, then all the miserable conditions that we are undergoing with this body, we have to accept it. This is not pessimistic view of life, but this is a fact. Only responsible persons, they can understand. Sanātana Gosvāmī was minister of government. His society was very aristocratic. Very rich men they were. So rich society, aristocratic society, could not satisfy him. He... They resigned the post and joined Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu for ultimate solution of life. These examples are many.
Recently, Indira Gandhi's party became powerful. So all other men, giving resignation from other party, they took into the party of Indira Gandhi. So it is like that, merging into the existence of the powerful. So the frustrated karmīs, frustrated karmīs, when they do not find any happiness even by becoming the greatest or the topmost person, he wants to become one with God.
This knowledge begins, inquisitiveness, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was minister, very big minister of Bengal, Nawab Hussein Shah's government. He left everything. He resigned from the post and became follower of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So when he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Vārāṇasī, at that time, he placed this question that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. This is the inquisitiveness, knowledge.
Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, one of the chief disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was the chief minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, and he was born in a very high-class brāhmaṇa family, sārasvata family, and he was very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Urdu and Arabic, very learned scholar. So when he submitted himself after resigning his post as minister, submitted to Lord Caitanya, he put this question, that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni.
To accept guru means to be inquisitive. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu that, "I was minister. I was implicated in material activities. You have relieved me from this implication. Now please tell me what I have to do." Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī was given instruction for two months continually, what to do now. So that is called sad-dharma-pṛcchā. Not that a fashion, I have made guru, I have accepted guru, my business is finished. No, sad-dharma-pṛcchā, the disciple must be ready to ask. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was a minister, he resigned the post. That does not mean he was silent, stopped all work. He was asking, "What I have to do?" This is sad-dharma-pṛcchā and Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered him to come to Vṛndāvana and renovate the vṛndāvana-līlā.
To accept guru means to give up all material desires and be ready to ask from guru, "What shall I do?" Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he asked this question, that "By Your grace I am now released from my responsible activities." He was a minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, so he had many responsible activities, but he resigned from the post. And when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu he asked, "Now, by Your grace, I am now relieved from all material activities. Now kindly tell me what shall I do." So doing, it is not stopped.
Unless we become ātmārāma, there is no possibility of happiness. Just like these Gosvāmīs. They were very opulent ministers, but they were not happy. They resigned from the post. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. Because there was no happiness. And what they adopted? They adopted the life of a mendicant.
I know so many cases. The judges are bribed and they give favorable judgment. You bribe any judge, then he accepts. One big judge and a big man's brother, P.R. Das. He was a very famous judge in high-court and, in Patna high-court, and he is the brother of a great pleader, C.R. Das. So he was taking bribe. He was taking bribe. And this was known to the other judges and the chief justice also. Complaint was there by other judges that "He takes bribe." So in one case... Because there are rivals in everywhere. You see? So in one case he was to just deliver the judgment and everyone knew that he has taken already bribe, some thousands of rupees. So chief justice called him in his room, that "Mr. Das, I have heard that you do this business, and you have done this also today. All reports are with me. You immediately resign and go. Otherwise I shall take action. You immediately resign and go away. Otherwise I'll take action. I have got all evidence." So when he saw that "There is now no way out." So he resigned that "On consideration on health. I am feeling very weak. My heart is palpatating." In this way wrote and resigned and immediately he left high-court, and the judgment was saved, and it was announced, "Mr. Das is very ill, sick, so today's court is closed. It will return tomorrow."
To become Bhagavān, not Bhagavān but on the level, means highest stage, two things required. One thing is jñāna and one thing is vairāgya. Jñāna and vairāgya. Because we are in this material world, miserable condition, but we have no knowledge that we are in a very miserable condition. That is ajñāna. As soon as one understands that this is miserable condition of life... That was presented by Sanātana Gosvāmī before Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said... He was minister and very opulent position, very good associates. Because he was minister, so his associates were also very big men. But he resigned. He resigned. That is vairāgya. So why? To understand what is the aim of life.
So there is a practical example in Patna high-court. I do not wish to name, but there was a big high-court judge. He was taking bribe, and he was detected one day. When he was just to deliver one judgment, the chief judge called him and he asked him that "You immediately resign on health condition and go away." But when his friends asked him that "Why you were doing so?" he replied that "I have got expenditure, ten thousand rupees per month, and I get only four thousand. What can I do?"
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to establish this science. Our real mission is how the human society will be happy. That is the duty of all saintly persons. The, according to our paramparā system... Just like the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were very exalted personalities, minister in government. Still, they resigned from the service and joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. That is the history.
The mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām, this is, means, that spiritual activities. Spiritual activity... Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Anuśīlanam. Anuśīlanam is activity, culivating. Anything you cultivate, that is not inactivity. There is activity. Rūpa Gosvāmī, he resigned from his ministership and came to Vṛndāvana under the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu not to become an inactive person. No. Nānā-śāstra-vicaraṇaika-nipuṇau. After giving up his ministership he did not come here to eat and sleep. No. Then he began to study various Vedic literatures.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Pradyumna: "The Lord particularly instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī on the science of Kṛṣṇa conscious..."
Prabhupāda: So here, here the point is that Sanātana Gosvāmī, Dabira Khāsa, he was so mad after meeting Caitanya Mahāprabhu that he, whatever money he had with the banker, village banker, and even it was sinful to bribe, he didn't care for it. He wanted... He re..., resigned his service as minister, Therefore he was imprisoned. Now to get out of the imprison, prison house, he bribed. He was so much ecstatic.
In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, svādu svādu pade pade. The more you serve, the more you relish taste. Without relishing taste, nobody can render devotional service. It is practical. Svādu svādu pade pade. In every step... Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He was minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. So materially, he was getting honor, money, and therefore he was attached. This is also crude example. So he resigned from the government post and he joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So unless he tasted something better, how could he give up his government service? There must be some taste. So that is being explained here.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was approached by Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were ministers in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, in Bengal. In those times there was a Pathan government, and they were responsible ministers. One was chief minister, one was finance minister. Very responsible post, Rūpa Gosvāmī. And they almost became Muhammadans. Because formerly the brahminical society was very strict. If any brāhmaṇa accepts service of another person... Generally kṣatriyas. And he, they were Muslims. So they were, I mean to say, rejected from brāhmaṇa society, and they changed their name also. Almost they became Muhammadans. Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa—both the brothers, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. And they met Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then they decided to resign from the government post and join this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not new. It, it, it is continuing, it is going on since Kṛṣṇa appeared. And later on, five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu revived it, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). So when they met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, both the brothers decided that "Now we shall join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. It is very nice movement." So, after resigning their posts, Rūpa Gosvāmī stealthily left the country and Sanātana Gosvāmī was situated. He formally wanted to resign the post, but the Nawab would not allow him to resign; therefore he was arrested. And somehow or other, he managed to come out of the prison and then join Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
There is a very nice story in this connection. There was a physician and his servant. So one day the physician was called by some person to treat his horse. So when the physician came, he asked, "What is the matter?" He says that "The horse has suddenly swollen his throat. So please treat." Then the physician took a hammer and strongly struck the swollen portion, and it was at once cured. The servant saw, "So this is the process of curing swollen parts of the body." So on that very day, he resigned his service and he thought that "Now I have learned how to cure swollen parts of the body," and whenever he was called to treat such disease, he used to hammer over that swollen part and the patient died.
He said, "Caitanya Mahāprabhu, You are Kṛṣṇa. Now, this time, You have appeared as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya in order to give everyone Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa made some condition, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but here now, as devotee of Kṛṣṇa, You are distributing Kṛṣṇa without any condition. Therefore mahā-vadānyāya: You are the most munificent incarnation." So somehow or other, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he became attracted to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He resigned his ministerial post, and he has come to surrender to Caitanya Mahāprabhu while he was at Benares. Therefore it is said, tabe sanātana prabhura caraṇe dhariyā.
So this evening I shall speak to you about Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he resigned from his ministership in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah in Bengal and joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.So there is a long history how he resigned. He was the trustee of the government. Formerly, although the government was Muhammadan, the best Hindu personality was engaged to take charge of the ministership. Even in Akbar's time the same principle was done. Mahārāja Jayasingh. Even Aurangzeb, he was a very rigid Muhammadan, still, his principal minister was Mahārāja Jayasingh. Similarly, Sanātana Gosvāmī and his brother Rūpa Gosvāmī, they accepted the government service coming from a very respectable brāhmaṇa family.
Go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. So the ass is also thinking like that, a cow is also thinking like that. If you are thinking like that, then you are... So one has to learn what he is.Then Sanātana Gosvāmī said,
- kṛpā-kari' yadi more kariyācha uddhāra
- āpana-kṛpāte kaha 'kartavya' āmāra
"My Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, very kindly You went to my place and You have delivered me so that after Your visit I decided to resign from the government service, and I have come to You. So You have delivered me from the pitfalls of this materialistic way of life. Now tell me what is my duty." This is student.
So, last Sunday we were discussing about Sanātana Gosvāmī's meeting with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the finance minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Pathan government of Bengal. So he resigned his office. The Nawab was reluctant to give him release. He was arrested, but somehow or other he released himself by bribing the superintendent of jail and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, or Vārāṇasī. And for two months He gave him instruction how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said the same thing, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He does not say, "I have manufactured something, you take it." No. He said you take up seriously what Kṛṣṇa has said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. So every ācārya... Sanātana Gosvāmī is ācārya, direct disciple of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is taking shelter. He has already taken; therefore he said, kṛpā kari' yadi more kariyācha uddhāra. He's already, he knows. Because he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he was minister and he got the inspiration that "I must resign from this post, my ministership. I must join Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement," then that determination, he is already liberated.
Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati, maṇḍala-pati, big, big leaders, big, big merchants, big, big industrialists or something like that, very, very big men. They are called maṇḍala-pati. One who has control over many people, he is called maṇḍala-pati. So who will have control unless he is a very big man? So about these Gosvāmīs it is said, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. They gave up such position, exalted position, tucchavat, "Eh. Insignificant. What is this?" There is no meaning of this. He was not madman, but he gave up. He understood that these exalted posts... They are hankering after, they are trying to capture the big, big post, materialistic persons, laboring so hard, spending so much money. And he already possessed that position, and out of his own, or the inspiration by Kṛṣṇa, he resigned it. The master, the Nawab Shah, was unwilling to give him release. He became very, very sorry, that "If Sanātana Gosvāmī resigns, then my empire will be ruined. I was so confident that he is managing. Now he's going to resign, the whole responsibility will be mine." So he became very much disturbed. He arrested him, "No, you cannot resign, then I'll keep you arrested." So many things happened. But still he resigned and he came to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
So this Sanātana Gosvāmī retired. First of all Rūpa Gosvāmī retired from the government service, and then Sanātana Gosvāmī also retired. With great difficulty he got rid of the responsibility of government. The Nawab arrested him because he was declining to obey his order. The Nawab wanted him to stay in his post, but he declined. So when the Nawab said that "You are declining my order and you are resigning from your post. This is illegal. I shall arrest you," so Sanātana Gosvāmī, he replied that "You are the king, so according to our Vedic civilization a king is supposed to be the representative of God. So I cannot disobey you. But now it is my duty to retire and join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Therefore I must do it." So he arrested him. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī, with great difficulty he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Vārāṇasī.
Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "As you have decided to relinquish, to resign your so exalted post, and you have come to Me for spiritual enlightenment, that means you are already liberated from the three material conditions of life."
Anyone extraordinary. You'll be, I mean to..., pleased to learn that in India, the king is considered vibhūtimat sattvam. King. He is also considered as the incarnation of God, king. Because when Sanātana, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he resigned from government service... So, when the King, Nawab Shah, Nawab Hussain Shah, came to his house—"What is the matter that my minister Sanātana is not joining office? And he's taking leave under so many pretexts?" So when he personally came to the house of Sanātana Gosvāmī... He was not at that time Gosvāmī. His name was Dabira Khāsa. Khāsa shah. So he was received very well, and when the Nawab Shah said... There was some topics, conversation with the minister and the Nawab. The minister wanted to resign, and Nawab Shah did not like that idea. So at last it was... Nawab Shah said that "If you whimsically, whimsically resign your responsible post, then I shall arrest you." At this order, Sanātana Gosvāmī replied that "If you think I shall be punished, I shall accept it, because you are God's representative. You are God's representative." So this was the idea of king and Nawab.
Sometimes we do something which is not to be done, but being carried away by lust we do so many nonsense things. So we are servant of this lust and anger. So one who is in sense, he says like this, that "I have served this kāma, krodha, but the result is that they are not satisfied." This material world, if you go on serving anyone and if you ask the master, "Are you well served?" he'll never say that "I am." Rather, even a master is satisfied, he will not frankly say, "No, I am satisfied." This is the nature. So the devotee says, "Now, because I see that I have to serve only, so I have given up the service of this māyā. I have given up the service of māyā." Utsṛjyaitān. "Utsṛjya, the service of māyā I have now given up." Then what you want to do? Utsṛjyaitān atha yadu-pate sāmprataṁ labdha-buddhiḥ. "Now, just presently I am little bit intelligent." "What is that? You are resigning your service?" "Yes." "Oh, that is not very good intelligence. How you'll provide yourself? No." "Yes." Tvām āyā: "I have come to You, my Lord." Tvām āyātaḥ: "I have approached You because You are śaraṇam abhayam, You are a perfect master. There is no fear of my being dismissed."
Festival Lectures
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu dealt with Sanātana Gosvāmī because he was to write one book for direction, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. You know—his famous book. This is a book giving directions especially to the householders, how to keep oneself on the proper standard of Vaiṣṇava behavior. Later on, Sanātana Gosvāmī wrote the book Hari-bhakti-vilāsa for giving direction, and Rūpa Gosvāmī wrote the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, "The Science of Devotion." Now, these two brothers met Caitanya Mahāprabhu when they were on their ministerial posts at Maldah, a district in Bengal. So after meeting Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they decided to join with Him fully for propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and they resigned from their posts. Rūpa Gosvāmī first resigned..., not officially resigned, because he was very much eager to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so he first of all retired. And then Sanātana Gosvāmī, later on, he wanted to resign in a tactful way, but the Nawab did not like the idea. So he was imprisoned at his house. No, he was actually imprisoned. And later on, Sanātana Gosvāmī bribed ten thousand gold coins to the jail superintendent and got out of the prison house and went to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares.
Just like Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given us Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu to understand what is bhakti. We have tried to translate it into English, the Nectar of Devotion. So, why? Rūpa Gosvāmī was the minister in the government of Hussain Shah. Very opulent position. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. They resigned the high post of ministership and joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for pushing on and on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
General Lectures
"I am learned." Now, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was formerly known as Dabira Khāsa. He was born in a high aristocratic family, brāhmaṇa family, and he was finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Bengal governor of Bengal. It is about five hundred years ago India was governed by the Pathans, Muslims, and in Bengal the governor was known as Nawab Hussain Shah. Under his government this Dabira Khāsa was minister of finance, and his brother also, Sākara Mallika, he was also a departmental minister. So both the brothers were in very high position. They were great scholar in Sanskrit and Parsi, Urdu. Parsi, Urdu, you know the language spoken in Arabia, in that part of the world. So they were very good scholar and born in very aristocratic family and associated with rich men, aristocratic persons. Because they were ministers, no ordinary person could mix with them. So that was their position. And when they met Lord Caitanya, they decided to retire from the service and propagate the movement of Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So he resigned from the service. The Nawab was very much sorry. He did not like that he should resign from the service because the Nawab was so much dependent on his good service. But he decided that "I must resign." So some way or other he got rid of the service and approached Lord Caitanya in a very humble way.
Now he, he was a minister. Now he thinks that after resigning this service he's feeling liberated. Because he hasn't got to obey somebody who is a materialistic person, therefore he's thinking liberated. And he's asking Caitanya Mahāprabhu, whom he has accepted as his master, "Now You have liberated me. Now You can say what is my duty."
There is a very nice incidence in this connection. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was the prime minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then governor of Bengal, Pathan government. So when Sanātana Gosvāmī met Lord Caitanya, he decided to resign the government responsible post and take to this preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Nawab, his most confidential representative was Hussain Shah. He was known as Sākara Mallika. Formerly the brāhmaṇa community was very strict. Because Sanātana Gosvāmī, although he was born in a Sarasvata brāhmaṇa family, he accepted the service of a Muhammadan king, he was rejected from the brāhmaṇa society, so practically he became Muhammadan. His name was Sākara Mallika, name was also changed. But this Sākara Mallika later on decided that he would propagate the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement started by Lord Caitanya. So when he wanted to resign, the Nawab was very much sorry, because he was right-hand man. He frankly said that "I am engaged with sporting and so many other proclivities, and you are my only representative to rule over the country. If you resign, then I shall be in great danger. I cannot accept your resignation." Then he said, "Your majesty, I am sorry. I cannot proceed any more. I shall retire from the service." Then Nawab said that "Then I shall punish you. I shall immediately arrest you. I cannot let you go." The answer of Sanātana Gosvāmī was that "You are king, representative of Nārāyaṇa, so whatever punishment you give, I shall accept." So that was the Hindu culture, that in spite of being punished by the king, he accepts the king as the representative of Nārāyaṇa.
Gradually, with the progress of the Kali-yuga, Mahārāja Parīkṣit was the last kṣatriya king to give protection all over the world. And when he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy, his father regretted that "My dear boy, you have brought a scar amongst the brāhmaṇa society by cursing a king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit." So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was protected by Kṛṣṇa. He could counteract it, but still, he tolerated that punishment or the curse given by a brāhmaṇa boy. He immediately resigned from his royal throne, handing over the charge to his son. And he retired on the bank of the Ganges although he had only seven days' time to live. And during those seven days the whole Bhāgavata was recited.
There are many sat-saṅga society, but in Europe and America, western countries, this is the only, and they have very kindly joined us. So to serve them is our first business. So, we are talking of teachings of Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was one of the very responsible minister in the (indistinct) government of Bengal. And as minister, he was a learned scholar both in Sanskrit and Arabic. So, he resigned his post as minister and wanted to join Lord Caitanya in his saṅkīrtana movement. He had some difficulties to get out of the responsible position.
So the six Gosvāmīs were, some of them were very prominent government officers. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were two important ministers in the (indistinct) Muhammadan government, Nawab Hussein Shah, his government. They resigned their ministerial post and joined Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu for propagating His mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
They engaged themselves. They were ministers. Rūpa Goswāmī and Sanātana Goswāmī, they were two great ministers in the government of Pathan kingdom in Bengal. And they resigned the post just for the benefit of the mass of people. They became mendicants, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ. So this is the mission of all who is born in India. That is the statement by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu,
- bhārata bhumite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
- janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for para-upakāra, for doing good to others—the best welfare activities in the world.
| Page Title: | Resign (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Sureshwardas |
| Created: | 16 of May, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=52, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 52 |