(Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis)
"There is a nice story about Sanātana Gosvāmī, of whom we are now studying. Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, two brothers, they went to Vṛndāvana for devotional service. So their all business was... Rūpa Gosvāmī, especially, he was always engaged in writing books. And when he was hungry, he went to some householder: 'Give me a piece of bread.' And everyone at Vṛndāvana... They were leaders. All the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, they took... Even their household quarrels, they used to represent, 'Swamijī, this is our position. Please settle up.' So whatever decision he would give to the villagers, they will accept. Their court was Swamijī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. So he was so lovable.
So one day Rūpa Gosvāmī was thinking that 'If I could get some, I mean to say, commodities for cooking, then I would have invited Sanātana Gosvāmī to take some prasādam.' He thought like that. And, and after, say, one hour, one young girl came with sufficient quantity of rice, flour, ghee, and vegetables, so many things: 'Bābājī...' They were called... They call in the India, especially in Vṛndāvana quarters, they call all these transcendentalist swamis 'Bābājī.' 'Bābājī, please accept these commodities. There is some ceremony at our house. So My mother has sent you all these things.' 'Oh, very good.' He was thinking that 'If I could get some commodity and I could prepare something and invite Sanātana Gosvāmī.' So the things were there. So Rūpa Gosvāmī inquired, 'Where do you live? Oh, you are very nice girl. Where do you live?' 'Oh, I live in this village. You do not know?' 'No, I have never seen you. All right. Thank you very much.' Then she went away. And invited Sanātana Gosvāmī, 'My dear brother, please come and take your prasādam here. I have got some food.' 'All right.'
So Sanātana Gosvāmī came during prasādam time, and Rūpa Gosvāmī has prepared so many nice dishes. They were also expert in cooking, expert. You know, all devotees, they are expert. That is his qualification. So then Sanātana Gosvāmī was inquiring, 'Where did you get all these things, so nice things, you have prepared in this jungle? How did you get?' So he narrated the story, 'Yes, in the morning I thought that if somebody sends me something... So by Kṛṣṇa's grace, somebody, a nice girl, a very beautiful girl, and she brought all these things.' 'Who?' He began to state about the girl's beauty. Then Sanātana Gosvāmī said, 'Oh, I have never seen such beautiful girl. How...?' 'Yes, I have also never seen.' 'Ohhh. Then she must be Rādhārāṇī. She must be Rādhā. You have taken service from Rādhārāṇī? Ohhh. You have murdered me. We don't want to take any service from Kṛṣṇa, and He has taken the opportunity, sent us... We want to simply give our service, not any exchange. Oh, you have done a great mistake. Rādhārāṇī has taken this opportunity.' So he began to cry that 'We have taken service from Kṛṣṇa. We have given Her trouble.' This is pure devotee. They were very sorry that 'Kṛṣṇa was troubled to send me all these goods.'
So this is the process. Kṛṣṇa is also finding always opportunity, 'How to serve My pure devotee?' And pure devotee's so clever that he won't accept any service from Kṛṣṇa. Just like the Arjuna, he never said, 'Kṛṣṇa, You are God. Why You are putting me to war indirectly? You can give me everything.' Kṛṣṇa said, 'No.' He never said that, Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa said, niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ: 'You are kṣatriya. You have to fight.' He never said. So we should not take God as order-supplier. That is not devotion. That is mercantile business. Kṛṣṇa is not going to be a lover by mercantile mentality. You are, you must give Him service. Ābhajet tam. This is the process of devotion."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, New York, November 23, 1966)
.
.
