Sanatana Goswamis Escape from Prison

Dadi: "Guddu, what would you give up for something you believe in with all your heart?"

Guddu: "I don't know... it depends on how important it is."

Dadi: "Tonight I'll tell you about Sanatana Goswami - a man who was Prime Minister of Bengal, who gave up everything - his wealth, his position, his freedom - to follow his spiritual path."

Guddu: "A Prime Minister became spiritual?"

Dadi: "He was already spiritual at heart. Sanatana served the Nawab of Bengal, one of the most powerful rulers in India. But then he met Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - a saint whose love for Krishna transformed everyone who met him."

Guddu: "What happened after they met?"

Dadi: "Sanatana lost all interest in politics and power. He stopped going to work! He stayed home, pretending to be sick, while actually studying scriptures and discussing devotion with scholars."

Guddu: "Did the Nawab find out?"

Dadi: "He did. One day, the Nawab visited Sanatana's home unexpectedly and found him in deep religious discussions instead of running the government!"

Guddu: "Was the Nawab angry?"

Dadi: "Not at first. But then the Nawab announced he was going to attack Orissa, where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lived. He ordered Sanatana to come with him."

Guddu: "What did Sanatana say?"

Dadi: "Sanatana refused! He said, "You are going to give pain to the Supreme Lord. I cannot be part of this." The Nawab was furious. He had Sanatana thrown into prison with iron chains on his hands and feet."

Guddu: "That's terrible! What did Sanatana do?"

Dadi: "In prison, Sanatana received a letter from his brother Rupa, who had already escaped. The letter said that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was traveling to Vrindavan, and that Rupa had left ten thousand gold coins with a merchant for Sanatana to use for his escape."

Guddu: "Ten thousand gold coins!"

Dadi: "Sanatana went to the jail keeper, a man he knew from his days as Prime Minister. He spoke carefully: "You are a learned man. The scriptures say that releasing an imprisoned person is a holy act - it frees you from bondage too.""

Guddu: "Was the keeper convinced?"

Dadi: "Not yet! So Sanatana offered five thousand gold coins. The keeper was tempted but afraid of the Nawab's wrath."

Guddu: "What did Sanatana say?"

Dadi: "He said, "The Nawab is away in the south. Tell him I went to the Ganges, jumped in the river, and drowned. Say you searched but couldn't find me. I will become a wandering monk - you'll never see me again. There is no danger.""

Guddu: "Did that work?"

Dadi: "Sanatana had to raise the offer to seven thousand gold coins! Finally, that night, the keeper broke his chains and set him free."

Guddu: "He was free!"

Dadi: "But not safe. Sanatana traveled with his servant through dangerous territory. At one inn, he sensed the innkeeper was planning to murder them for the gold coins his servant carried."

Guddu: "What did he do?"

Dadi: "Using his wits, Sanatana had his servant give the remaining gold to the innkeeper directly. Grateful, the innkeeper - who was actually a robber chief - guided them safely through the jungle!"

Guddu: "He turned enemies into helpers!"

Dadi: "At every step, Sanatana shed worldly attachments. When his brother-in-law offered him fine clothes and shelter, he refused everything except a simple woolen blanket."

Guddu: "Did he finally reach Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?"

Dadi: "After months of traveling, Sanatana arrived in Varanasi - thin, with overgrown hair and beard from his prison time. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recognized his spiritual depth immediately and embraced him warmly."

Guddu: "What happened then?"

Dadi: "For two months, the saint personally taught Sanatana the science of devotion. Sanatana later became one of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan and wrote foundational texts on Vaishnava philosophy that people still study today."

Guddu: "So he went from Prime Minister to prisoner to saint?"

Dadi: "Yes, beta. And at each step, he gave up something worldly - power, wealth, comfort, dignity - and gained something spiritual. The prison chains that bound his body couldn't chain his soul."

Guddu: "He was free even in prison!"

Dadi: "That's the deepest lesson. True freedom isn't about where your body is - it's about where your heart is. Sanatana's heart was always free, always devoted. The physical chains were just temporary obstacles on his journey home."

Guddu: "I want to have that kind of determination."

Dadi: "Start with small things, beta. Stay true to what you believe even when it's hard. Sanatana's great escape began with the simple decision to prioritize his spiritual life over his worldly position. Everything else followed from that one brave choice."