7.47
sanatana gosani asi’ tanhai milila
tanra siksa lagi’ prabhu du-masa rahila
SYNONYMS
sanatana—of the name Sanatana; gosani—a great devotee; asi’-coming there; tanhai—there at Varanasi; milila—visited Him; tanra—His; siksa—in struction; lagi’-for the matter of; prabhu—Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; du-masa—two months; rahila—remained there.
When Sanatana Gosvami came from Bengal, he met Lord Caitanya at the house of Tapana Misra, where Lord Caitanya remained continuously for two months to teach him devotional service.
PURPORT
Lord Caitanya taught Sanatana Gosvami in the line of disciplic succession.
Sanatana Gosvami was a very learned scholar in Sanskrit and other languages, but until instructed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu he did not write anything about Vaisnava behavior.
His very famous book Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which gives directions for Vaisnava candidates, was written completely in compliance with the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
In this Hari-bhakti-vilasa Sri Sanatana Gosvami gives definite instructions that by proper initiation by a bona fide spiritual master one can immediately become a brahmana.
In this connection he says:
yatha kancanatam yati kamsyam rasa-vidhanatah
tatha diksa-vidhanena dvijatvam jayate nrnam “As bell metal is turned to gold when mixed with mercury in an alchemical process, so one who is properly trained and initiated by a bona fide spiritual master immediately becomes a brahmana.” Sometimes those born in brahmana families protest this, but they have no strong arguments against this principle.
By the grace of Krsna and His devotee, one’s life can change.
This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam by the words jahati bandham and sudhyanti.
Jahati bandham indicates that a living entity is conditioned by a particular type of body.
The body is certainly an impediment, but one who associates with a pure devotee and follows his instructions can avoid this impediment and become a regular brahmana by initiation under his strict guidance.
Srila Jiva Gosvami states how a non-brahmana can be turned into a brahmana by the association of a pure devotee.
Prabhavisnave namah: Lord Visnu is so powerful that He can do anything He likes.
Therefore it is not difficult for Visnu to change the body of a devotee who is under the guidance of a pure devotee of the Lord.