THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG

In fifteenth-century India, a pandit (scholar) was traveling around India. Puffed up with his own erudition and knowledge of scripture he was challenging other pundits to debates His knowledge was not actual wisdom within the heart since he had no realization of the goal of scripture, love of Godhead, but instead, his head was filled with details, facts, and figures. He was an expert at defeating everyone with logic.

He approached Srila Rupa Goswami, an empowered associate of Lord Chaitanya famous as a pundit and great Vaishnava but Rupa Goswami did not see the Krishna conscious benefit of engaging in debate with the man since the man was approaching in a challenging unsubmissive way. Rupa Goswami simply signed the man's list of defeated scholars and let him go on his way.

The pundit was very proud of having the famous Rupa Goswami admit defeat, even though there had never been a debate, that he was flaunting his victory everywhere. Jiva Goswami was irate and did not like to see his spiritual master Rupa Goswami defamed in that way.

Jiva Goswami challenged the pundit to debate and defeated him very soundly sending the man away crushed and morose.

Rupa Goswami heard of this and inquired from Jiva Goswami, "Did the pundit surrender to Krishna in his defeat?"

Jiva admitted, "No."

Rupa was not at all pleased. "Then what was the purpose of defeating him?"

Jiva was mortified to see his own behavior. Why had he attacked the man like that if it was not to bring him closer to love of Godhead? He had simply destroyed him without giving him anything.

Jiva left Vrndavana to live in alone in a cave just outside Vrndavana.

After about one year Sanatana Goswami approached Rupa Goswami and inquired, "Are you not compassionate to all jivas? Why not to Jiva Goswami?"

Rupa Goswami called Jiva Goswami back into their association inside Vrndavana.