By Lord Caitanya's mercy, even the lowest can become the highest preacher of devotional service.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Devotee: Next lecture delivered in the morning of January 26th. Prabhupāda: vande 'nantādbhutaiśvaryaṁ śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhum nīco 'pi yat-prasādāt syād bhakti-śāstra-pravartakaḥ [Cc Madhya 20.1] [Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who has unlimited, wonderful opulences. By His mercy, even a person born as the lowest of men can spread the science of devotional service.] Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Is in the beginning of the 20th chapter—Madhya-līlā. Caitanya-caritāmṛta is divided into three līlās. Ādi-līlā, Madhya-līlā and Antya-līlā.
The first part it describes about Lord Caitanya's birth and His youthhood activities in Navadvīpa. That comprises the Ādi-līlā. And His preaching and teaching comprises the Madhya-līlā. And His remaining in Jagannātha Purī for 18 years in ecstasy that is called Antya-līlā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared 485 years ago in Navadvīpa and He remained in this mortal world for 48 years only.
At the age of 24 years although He was very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa and very respected in Navadvīpa circles. A still for preaching work He gave up his family life at a very early age, 24 years only. And He took sannyāsa and travelled all over India preaching this cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So He had many thousands and thousands of disciples out of which six Gosvāmīs were principal and one of them is Sanātana Gosvāmī. We shall discuss today about Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī how he was elevated to the position of Gosvāmī, although he was considered as the lowest.
Here in this verse it is said: nīco 'pi, nīco, nīco means—lowest. Nīco 'pi, although he was in the lowest position of the society, nīco 'pi yat-prasādāt—but by the mercy of Lord Caitanya. Syād bhakti-śāstra-pravartakaḥ. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the principal Gosvāmī amongst the chief Gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana. Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau [Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka].
The six go for[?], the modern Vṛndāvana city was developed by the six Gosvāmīs. Before them it was a field only. Everyone forgot where Kṛṣṇa's līlā was there. Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He visited this Vṛndāvana area He indicated Rādhākuṇḍa and then He sent His disciples, these Gosvāmīs.
Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they excavated the different parts of this Vṛndāvana. The present Vṛndāvana city is due to their hard labor and then other four Gosvāmīs also joined and Vṛndāvana became a holy place. Vṛndāvana is always holy place but nobody knew where was Vṛndāvana, after 5,000 years of Kṛṣṇa's departure. So these Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas guided by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu this Vṛndāvana was [indistinct]. Kavirāja Gosvāmī says that—I offered, vande aham ananta adbhuta aiśvaryam. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this is an indication of God or God's incarnation.
[indistinct] unlimited opulences which is not possible for ordinary man. We cannot accept anyone as so called incarnation without exhibiting extraordinary power which is impossible for an ordinary. That is the science. vande 'nantādbhutaiśvaryaṁ śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhum nīco 'pi yat-prasādāt syād [Cc Madhya 20.1] Nīco, nīcaḥ means—life. But by the mercy of Lord Caitanya the Sanātana Gosvāmī became the leader of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava's society.