Śrīdhara’s Worship of Mother Ganges

There was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya known as Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, who was a very poor man. He was doing a small business selling cups made from the leaves of plantain trees, and his income was almost nothing. Still, he was spending fifty percent of his small income on the worship of the Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he was somehow living. Lord Caitanya once revealed Himself to this confidential devotee, Kholāvecā Śrīdhara, and offered him any opulence he liked. But Śrīdhara informed the Lord that he did not want any material opulence. He was quite happy in his present position and wanted only to gain unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. That is the position of pure devotees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devotional service they do not want anything else, not even the happiness of liberation or of becoming one with the Supreme.
(Nectar of Devotion Chapter 1)

In the Caitanya-bhāgavata it is said:
kholāvecā sevakera dekha bhāgya-sīmā
brahmā śiva kāṅde yāra dekhiyā mahimā
dhane jane pāṇḍitye kṛṣere nāhi pāi
kevala bhaktira vaśa caitanya-gosāñi
“Behold the great fortune of the devotee Kholāvecā. Lord Brahmā and Śiva shed tears upon seeing his greatness. One cannot attain Lord Kṛṣṇa by any amount of wealth, followers, or learning. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is controlled only by pure devotion. “Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had a very sincere devotee whose name was Kholāvecā Śrīdhara and whose only business was to sell pots made of the skin of banana trees. Whatever income he had, he used fifty percent for the worship of mother Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he provided for his necessities. On the whole, he was so very poor that he lived in a cottage that had a broken roof with many holes in it. He could not afford brass utensils, and therefore he drank water from an iron pot. Nevertheless, he was a great devotee of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is a typical example of how a poor man with no material possessions can become a most exalted devotee of the Lord. The conclusion is that one cannot attain shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa or Śrī Caitanya Gosāñi through material opulence; that shelter is attainable only by pure devotional service.
(SB 5.19.7 purport)

Prabhupāda: Actually devotee’s never in distress. People may see that he is in distress. Just like there is a very good example—you are going to Māyāpur, you’ll find—his name was Śrīdhara, Kolaveca Śrīdhara. His income was very poor. At night he would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very loudly: “Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa . . .” His neighboring friends would say, “This man has no income, and because he is hungry now he is chanting ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.’ He’s hungry.” So one day Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to take away his possession, flowers. He was selling, making business, making some donā, donā. What is called, donā?
Devotee: Cups.
Prabhupāda: Cup, yes, that was his business. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu take away some of his fruits and donā, as a friend. So one day Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that, “Śrīdhara, you take benediction from Me.” So he said, “What benediction, Sir?” “Well, you are so poor that your house is not even properly repaired. There are so many holes in the roof.” He, “Still, I have got a nice house, because it is better than the bird’s nest. They have no roof. (laughter) They have no roof, and they live on the tree. I have got a shelter. What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty.” In this way Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to offer him so many thing, and he said that, “No, I have no trouble for this. If You want to benedict me, please give me pure devotion on Your lotus feet.”
Guest: Bhakti.
Prabhupāda: Bhakti. So that is pure devotion. That we should hanker after, how to fix up our mind always in the service of the Lord. That we are trying to teach, that’s all.
(720223 – Lecture SB 01.02.06 – Calcutta)