Sanatan Goswami
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sibility in the government service to his immediate assistants, and he remained at home to study  Srimad Bhagwatam .
He engaged some ten or twenty learned Brahmins, and began an intensive study of  Srimad Bhagwatam  in their company. While he was thus engaged, he submitted sick reports to the Nawab, but the ruler was very anxious for his advice in government matters, and therefore he suddenly appeared one day at Sanatan Goswami's house. The Nawab entered the assembly of Sanatan Goswami and the Brahmins, and out of respect all of them stood up to receive him and they offered him a place to sit. The Nawab said:
"You have submitted sick reports, but I sent my physician to see you, and he reported that you have no illness. I did not know why you were submitting sick reports and not attending to your service, so I have personally come to see you. And I'm much perturbed by your behavior. As you know, I completely depend on you and your responsible work in governing. I was therefore free to act in other matters because I was depending on you, but if you do not join me, your past devotion will be spoiled. Now, what is your intention? Please tell me."
On hearing this, Sanatan Goswami replied that he was unable to work anymore and it would be very kind of the Nawab if he appointed somebody else to execute the work that was entrusted to him. The Nawab became very angry at this and said, "Your elder brother lives like a hunter, and if you also retire from the administration then everything will be finished." It is said that the Nawab used to treat Sanatan Goswami as a younger brother. The Nawab was engaged in conquering different parts of the country, and he was also engaged in hunting, and therefore he depended more or less on Sanatan Goswami for administration; and so he pleaded with him: "If you also retire from the government service, how will the administration be run?" Sanatan Goswami replied very gravely: "You are the governor of Gouda, and you punish different kinds of criminals in different ways. So you are at liberty to punish anyone according to his activity." The purpose of his reply was that the governor was engaged in hunting animals and killing men to expand his kingdom; so let both of them suffer according to the acts they were performing.
The Nawab was intelligent, and he understood Sanatan Goswami's purpose and left the place in an angry mood. Shortly afterward, he went off to conquer Orissa, and ordered the arrest of Sanatan Goswami until he returned.
Rupa Goswami then learned that his elder brother Sanatan had been arrested by the Nawab. He sent information by messenger that the ten thou-