Glories of Srila Sukhadeva Goswami Canto 1 Chapter 4 Text 5-8

d ṛṣṭ vānuyāntam ṛṣ im ātmajam apy anagna ṁ devyo hriyā paridadhur na sutasya citram tad vīk ṣ ya p ṛ cchati munau jagadus tavāsti strī-pum-bhidā na tu sutasya vivikta-d ṛṣṭ e ḥ While Śrī Vyāsadeva was following his son, beautiful young damsels who were bathing naked covered their bodies with cloth, although Śrī Vyāsadeva himself was not naked. But they had not done so when his son had passed. The sage inquired about this, and the young ladies replied that his son was purified and when looking at them made no distinction between male and female. But the sage made such distinctions. TEXT 5

In the Bhagavad-gītā (5.18) it is said that a learned sage looks equally on a learned and gentle brāhma ṇ a, a ca ṇḍ āla (dog-eater), a dog or a cow due to his spiritual vision. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained that stage. A householder has to distinguish between a male and female; otherwise he cannot be a householder. One should therefore attempt to know the distinction between body and soul without any attachment for male and female. As long as such distinction is there, one should not try to become a sannyāsī like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. At least theoretically one must be convinced that a living entity is neither male nor female. The outward dress is made of matter by material nature to attract the opposite sex and thus keep one entangled in material existence. A liberated soul is above this perverted distinction. The perfection of this spiritual vision is the liberated stage, and Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained that stage. Śrīla Vyāsadeva was also in the transcendental stage, but because he was in the householder’s life, he did not pretend to be a liberated soul, as a matter of custom. SPIRITUAL VISION AND MATERIAL VISION

katham ālak ṣ ita ḥ paurai ḥ samprāpta ḥ kuru-jā ṅ galān unmatta-mūka-ja ḍ avad vicaran gaja-sāhvaye katha ṁ vā pā ṇḍ aveyasya rājar ṣ er muninā saha sa ṁ vāda ḥ samabhūt tāta yatrai ṣ ā sātvatī śruti ḥ How was he [Śrīla Śukadeva, the son of Vyāsa] recognized by the citizens when he entered the city of Hastināpura [now Delhi], after wandering in the provinces of Kuru and Jā ṅ gala, appearing like a madman, dumb and retarded? How did it so happen that King Parīk ṣ it met this great sage, making it possible for this great transcendental essence of the Vedas [Bhāgavatam] to be sung to him? TEXT 6 - 7

Gosvāmī Śukadeva, after leaving his paternal home, was roaming like a madman, and therefore it was very difficult for the citizens to recognize him in his exalted position. A sage is not, therefore, recognized by sight, but by hearing. One should approach a sādhu or great sage not to see but to hear him. If one is not prepared to hear the words of a sādhu, there is no profit. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a sādhu who could speak on the transcendental activities of the Lord. He did not satisfy the whims of ordinary citizens. He was recognized when he spoke on the subject of Bhāgavatam, and he never attempted jugglery like a magician. Outwardly he appeared to be a retarded, dumb madman, but in fact he was the most elevated transcendental personality. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is stated here as the essence of the Vedas. It is not an imaginary story as it is sometimes considered by unauthorized men. It is also called Śuka- sa ṁ hitā, or the Vedic hymn spoken by Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the great liberated sage. HOW TO RECOGNIZE A SADHU (SAGE)

sa go-dohana-mātra ṁ hi g ṛ he ṣ u g ṛ ha-medhinām avek ṣ ate mahā-bhāgas tīrthī-kurva ṁ s tad āśramam He [Śukadeva Gosvāmī] was accustomed to stay at the door of a householder only long enough for a cow to be milked. And he did this just to sanctify the residence. TEXT 8

Śukadeva Gosvāmī met Emperor Parīk ṣ it and explained the text of Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam. He was not accustomed to stay at any householder’s residence for more than half an hour (at the time of milking the cow), and he would just take alms from the fortunate householder. That was to sanctify the residence by his auspicious presence. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī is an ideal preacher established in the transcendental position. Those who are in the renounced order of life and dedicated to the mission of preaching the message of Godhead should learn that they have no business with householders except to enlighten them in transcendental knowledge. Asking for alms from the householder should be for the purpose of sanctifying his home. One who is in the renounced order of life should not be allured by the glamor of the householder’s worldly possessions and become subservient to worldly men. For one who is in the renounced order of life, this is much more dangerous than drinking poison and committing suicide. AN IDEAL PREACHER