Sri Krsna Lila Stava

śrī-krsnasya kathā-sūtram yathā-bhāgavata-kramam likhyate'stottara-sata-praņāmānanda-siddhaye || The story of Krsna in summary is written according to the sequence in the Bhāgavatam for attaining the highest_bliss equivalent to a hundred and eight praņāmas.

- Śrī Krsna Līlā Stava, verse 1

etal-līlā-stavam nāma stotram śri-krsņa tārakam | praņāmāstottara-śate yo’rthāvagama-pūrvakam || kirtayet so'cirād bhakto labhatām krpayā tava /

rūpe nāmani lilāyām ākride'pi parām ratim || o Krsna! The devotee who chants this Līlā-stava-stotra, a helmsman for crossing the ocean, while understanding the meaning, after offering a hundred and eight obeisances, quickly attains supreme attraction to your form, name, pastimes and play by your mercy.

- Sri Krsna Līlā Stava, verses 431 & 432

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī was born in 1488 in Jessore, now in Bangladesh. He was the older brother of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī. They were educated in Sakurma, a village near the capital of Gauda (Bengal). The brothers were forced to work as government ministers for Nawab Hussein Shah (the ruler of Bengal) in Rāmakeli. Sanātana was known as Sakara Mallik and was as appointed private secretary. In 1514, Sanātana Gosvāmī met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Rāmakeli and was initiated by him. He eventually managed to shake off his government duties and escape from eventual imprisonment by the Nawab, to make his way to Benares where he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu enlightened Sanātana into the truths of bhakti and devotion and further instructed him to (1) write books on devotional service, (2) establish proper devotee etiquette, (3) install deities and proper deity worship and (4) to excavate the lost holy places of pilgrimage in Vrindavana.

His most important work is the Hari-Bhakti-Vilāsa, which covers the code and conduct of Vaisnavas. The Brhadbhāgavtamrta expounds on the science of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teachings. The Daśamatipanni is a commentary on the tenth canto of the Srimad-Bhāgavatam and the Daśama-carita covers Krishna's pastimes up to Mathurā.

Sanātana Gosvāmī established worship of the Madana Mohana deity. With the help of a wealthy merchant Krishna Dasa Kapoor, a lavish temple was built for Śrī Madana Mohana. This temple still stands today, and is an important place of pilgrimage for all Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

Sanātana passed away at the age of 70 in 1558.

**Contents and Sample Pages**