Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
On the south-eastern bank of Pāvana-sarovara is the bhajana-kuṭī of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s associate Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sometimes, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī would perform bhajana here so as to remember the sweet pastimes of Nandagaon, and sometimes he would go to associate with Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī at his bhajana-kuṭī near Ṭer-kadamba. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also used to come here to meet with Sanātana Gosvāmī. Even today, many Gauḍīya bhaktas in Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī ’s disciplic succession come to this place to perform bhajana.
Once, in the forest here, Sanātana Gosvāmī was very distressed in separation from Kṛṣṇa. Restlessly crying for Kṛṣṇa’s darśana, he went without eating and drinking for three days. At that time, he had no bhajana-kuṭī here. Kṛṣṇa came to Sanātana Gosvāmī as a cowherd boy carrying some milk in a clay pot, and said, “Why are you here, hungry and thirsty? Nobody remains hungry and thirsty in this place. My mother saw you in this condition and has sent this pot of milk for you. You must drink it. I will return later and collect the pot. Listen, My mother has also said that since it distresses the Vrajavāsīs to see you here in the forest like this, you should make a hut here and live in it.” Saying this, the boy left. Sanātana Gosvāmī drank the milk and immediately became restless with kṛṣṇa-prema. He cried bitterly, calling out, “O Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, You gave me darśana but also cheated me.” Although remaining invisible to Sanātana Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇa pacified him and had a bhajana-kuṭī built for him through a Vrajavāsī. Sanātana Gosvāmī remained in this bhajana-kuṭī, and performed bhajana. Nearby is the temple of Pāvana-bihārī. The Vrajavāsīs in the village bathe in this sarovara in the morning and then take darśana of Pāvana-bihārī.
Nearby on the northern bank is a sitting-place of Śrī Vallabhācārya where he recited Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for one month. In the west of Pāvana-sarovara is a kadamba-khaṇḍī, where the beauty of the kadamba trees is extraordinary. The bumble bees drink the nectar of the kadamba flowers and buzz about intoxicated. This kadamba-grove is especially dear to Śrī Baladeva, who used to enjoy many games here with His younger brother Kṛṣṇa and the sakhās. This unique kadamba-grove reminds one of Kṛṣṇa and Dāūjī’s innumerable pastimes. Even today, many saintly persons perform bhajana here.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
Both Rupa and Sanatana spent time performing bhajana at Nandagrama. This is the spot on the banks of Pavana-sarovara where Sanatana Goswami sat while chanting japa on his beads. According to Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika, Sanatana Goswami was an incarnation of Rati-manjari, one of the intimate serving maids of Radharani in Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes. He was accepted by all the Gaudiya Vaishnava followers of Lord Chaitanya as their spiritual master and worshiped by everyone including his younger brother Rupa Goswami. He wrote a large number of books on the science of devotional service of which the Hari-bhakti-vilasa and Brihad-bhagavatamrita are the most well-known. The Vrajavasis also respected him as their own guru and wherever he traveled in Vraja, he was always enthusiastically welcomed and large crowds would assemble to have his darshana and receive his blessings.
When Sanatana Goswami first arrived at Nandagrama, he came here to this secluded spot amongst the bushes on the banks of Pavana-sarovara and engaged in penance while chanting the holy name on his beads. He was so much absorbed in ecstatic bhajana that he never even thought about eating. After a few days a little cowherd boy suddenly arrived there carrying a pot of fresh cow’s milk. He came before Sanatana Goswami and said. “Babaji, I have brought some milk for you.” Sanatana was surprised and asked the boy why he had taken so much trouble to bring a pot of milk. The boy replied that he knew Sanatana was not eating properly and therefore brought the milk for him. Sanatana then asked how the little boy knew he was not eating. The boy replied that some cowherd men who pass by Pavana-sarovara every day had seen him and noticed he was not taking any meals. Because the cowherd men are very busy, they sent me with this milk for you. Sanatana was very happy to receive the milk and thanked the boy by saying. “You are such a nice little boy and have taken so much trouble to bring me this milk.” The little boy replied. “No, no, Babaji, it is no trouble at all.” The boy then left.
When Sanatana drank the milk it tasted like nectar, suddenly tears flooded his eyes and he began to experience ecstatic symptoms like trembling within his body. Sanatana then realized that it could not have been an ordinary boy who brought the milk, but must have been Krishna Himself. He began to contemplate the fact that Krishna had taken so much trouble to bring him milk because of his severe penance and his fasting for so many days, Sanatana concluded that Krishna was not happy because of such fasting, therefore he decided to stop all severe forms of penance like fasting for long periods. He instead performed madhukari, by begging a little milk or flour from door to door. After this incident, the Vrajavasis built Sanatana a bhajana-kutira at this spot so that he would be safe from the elements, as well as from wild animals. The word ‘kutira’ or ‘kuti’ refers to a simple thatched hut used by sadhus, or holy men and ‘bhajana’ means ‘to chant’, or ‘to sing’, as a means of meditation and prayer. Nearby to Sanatana’s kutira is the samadhi of Shrila Prabhupada’s dear friend and god-brother Krishna Dasa Babaji, who was an expert mridanga player and kirtana singer who spent the last years of his life engaged in bhajana at this place on the banks of Pavana-sarovara.
