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CC Antya 4.197

Text

pāriṣada-deha ei, nā haya durgandha
prathama divase pāiluṅ catuḥsama-gandha”

Synonyms

pāriṣada-deha — the body of Kṛṣṇa’s associate; ei — this; haya — is not; durgandha — having a bad smell; prathama divase — on the first day; pāiluṅ — I got; catuḥsama-gandha — the smell of catuḥsama, a mixture of sandalwood pulp, camphor, aguru and musk.

Translation

“Sanātana Gosvāmī is one of the associates of Kṛṣṇa. There could not be any bad odor from his body. On the first day I embraced him, I smelled the aroma of catuḥsama [a mixture of sandalwood pulp, camphor, aguru and musk].”

Purport

An associate of the Lord is one whose body is fully engaged in the service of the Lord. A materialist might see Sanātana Gosvāmī’s body as being full of itching sores that exuded foul moisture and a bad smell. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, said that actually the aroma of his body was the excellent scent of a mixture of sandalwood pulp, camphor, musk and aguru. In the Garuḍa Purāṇa this mixture, which is called catuḥsama, is described as follows:

kastūrikāyā dvau bhāgaucatvāraś candanasya tu
kuṅkumasya trayaś caikaḥ
śaśinaḥ syāt catuḥ-samam

“Two parts of musk, four parts of sandalwood, three parts of aguru or saffron and one part of camphor, when mixed together, form catuḥsama.” The aroma of catuḥsama is very pleasing. It is also mentioned in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (sixth vilāsa).