Guest guest Posted July 8, 2002 Report Share Posted July 8, 2002 >"Krsna Talk" <options ><vedic108 >Krsna Talk Issue 29: Nityananda Avadhuta - Prabhu >Sun, 7 Jul 2002 18:11:24 -0400 > >Nityananda Avadhuta > >by > >Sripada Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Maharaja > > _____ > > Devotee: It has been stated by some persons who claim to follow the >pure line of devotion presented by Srila Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura, >that Sri Nityananda Prabhu was a sannyasi who later gave up His sannyasa >and married the two daughters of Surya Vipra. Is this a fact? > >Narasingha Maharaja: No, this is not a fact. This is an idea that is >commonly put forth by the sahajiya and babaji communities, but it is not >so. This concocted idea has not been accepted by Srila Sarasvati Thakura >or his followers. One who says that Sri Nityananda Prabhu gave up >sannyasa is an offender to the Supreme Lord. At least it must be >concluded that such a person is a victim of a poor fund of knowledge. > >An attempt has been made to substantiate that Sri Nityananda Prabhu was >formerly a sannyasi by quoting from Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura's Sri >Caitanya-bhagavata, wherein the following verses are found. > >kothaya thakila danda kotha kamandalu >kotha va vasana gela nahi adi-mula > >Where was His danda, where was His water-pot, and where were His >clothes? Nothing remained with Him. >(CB. Madhya 5.62) > >katho ratre nityananda hunkara kariya >nija-danda-kamandalu phelila bhangiya > > In the dead of night, Nityananda suddenly roared >loudly and broke His danda and water-pot. > (CB. Madhya 5.67) > >The references here to danda and kamandalu are enough to convince the >sahajiyas that Sri Nityananda Prabhu was previously an initiated >sannyasi. Some sahajiyas are even of the opinion that Sri Nityananda >Prabhu was a sannyasi-disciple of Sri Laksmipati Tirtha, but there is no >evidence for this whatsoever. In this regard, Srila Sarasvati Thakura >has stated in his purports to the above verses that the danda and >kamandalu are not only symbols of the sannyasa-asrama, they are also >used by brahmacaris. The brahmacari danda is made from either khadira, >palasa or bamboo and when an upakurvana-brahmacari decides toÊ enter >householder life, he discards the danda. This is exactly what Lord >Nityananda did. > >Some persons are of the opinion that Sri Nityananda Prabhu held the >sannyasa title Ananda, but according to the Sattvata-samhita, Ananda is >not one of the 108 names of a sannyasi. Ananda is sometimes used by the >Advaitin section as a name (such as Prakasananda, Svarupananda, >Brahmananda etc), but their actual sannyasa title is one of the >dasa-nami; Tirtha, Asrama, Vana, Aranya, Parvata, Giri, Sagara, >Sarasvati, Bharati and Puri. > >Further evidence to suggest that Sri Nityananda Prabhu was a brahmacari >and not a sannyasi is given in Srila Sarasvati Thakura's commentary to >verse 9 of the fifth chapter in the Madhya-khanda of Caitanya-bhagavata >as follows: > > Jagad-guru Sri Nityananda Prabhu was a brahmcari >disciple of Parivrajakacarya Sri Laksmipati Tirtha, who enacted the >pastimes of subordination to the Sri Madhva sampradaya. We find His >brahmacari name was Sri Nityananda Svarupa. From ancient times >brahmacari disciples of Tirtha and Asrama sannyasis have been addressed >as Svarupa. > >Again, Srila Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura writes: > > The brahmacari name of Nityananda Prabhu was Svarupa. >Since Svarupa is the brahmacari name of a Tirtha sannyasi'sÊ disciple, >some people consider Him to be a follower of Laksmipati Tirtha rather >than a follower of Madhavendra Puri. (Purport to CB. Madhya 5.67) > >The revered Guardian of Devotion Om Visnupada Srimad Bhakti Raksaka >Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja has commented on this topic thus. > > ÊNityananda was not a sannyasi, he was a brahmacari. He >performed Vyasa-puja in Srivasa Angana. There some say that He was a >sannyasi, but there He had no special garment either for sannyasi or >brahmacari. He was a very independent spirit. (SSM 81.09.23) > >That Nityananda was a sannyasi, it is not a proven fact. The Nityananda, >this is Ananda, this indicates the affix added to brahmacari. Ananda, >Svarupa, Prakasa, all these types of brahmacari. Ananda, a name also in >the sannyasi we find, but no other title. Ananda is a part of the name >but title, no title of Nityananda. And also no mention who was the >sannyasa-guru of Nityananda. But diksa-guru of Nityananda is Madhavendra >Puri, it is known. Avadhuta does not mean who is sannyasi. Avadhuta >means who is not very particular of his external practices and sometimes >commits something wrong which should not be committed, should not be >practiced. When lower practices are seen in connection with the >high-leveled person then they are considered as avadhuta. He is above >that but his practices are of lower nature. Ava means lower; dhuta - >that also he can either remove or he can purify. (SSM 82.02.06) > >Furthermore, Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura himself is of the opinion that >Nityananda was not a sannyasi and has written: > >kiba yati nityananda kiba bhakta jnani >ya'ra yena mata iccha na bolaye keni > > Some may consider Nityananda to be a sannyasi. Others >may consider Him to be a devotee or a jnani. They may say whatever they >like. (CB. Adi 9.223) > >Another so-called evidence that the sahajiyas present to establish their >concocted idea that Sri Nityananda Prabhu took sannyasa is found in >Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 13.15. 19: > >ajna sire kari nityananda-haridasa >tataksane calilena pathe asi hasa >dohana sannyasi-vesa-yana yara ghare >athevyathe asi bhiksa-nimatrana kare > > Taking the order of Sri Caitanya upon their heads, >Nityananda and Haridasa immediately went out, laughing together in a >happy mood. Wherever they went to beg, the householders would extend >invitations to them as they were both dressed in the robes of sannyasis. > >If we are to take it that the above verse proves that Nitai was a >sannyasi, then following such logic we must also believe that Thakura >Haridasa was a sannyasi! Actually neither were sannyasis. > >Due to the social etiquette of that time, it would have been unthinkable >for a Muslim such as Haridasa to take the vows of sannyasa since only >those born in brahmanaÊ families could formally take to the formal >renounced order of life. Simply because they were dressed as mendicants >does not necessarily mean that they had actually accepted sannyasa. This >type of unorthodox behavior was common with Sri Nityananda Avadhuta and >on that day he had dragged Haridasa Thakura into His plot. > >If indeed Sri Nityananda Prabhu had formally taken sannyasa, why is >there no mention of such an important event in any Gaudiya literature? >Why is there no mention of his sannyasa-guru? > >Apart from the fact that the idea for the sannyasa of Sri Nityananda >Prabhu is not supported by any bona-fide acarya in the Gaudiya >sampradaya, it is also not in line with the divine character of Sri >Caitanya Mahaprabhu that He would have permitted Sri Nityananda Prabhu >to give up his sannyasa or associated with Him if He had done so. > >It is well known that Sri Caitanyadeva strictly adhered to the >principles of sannyasa-dharma. His strictness as a sannyasi was >exhibited in the pastime of His chastisement of Chota Haridasa who thus >committed suicide because of a small breach of sannyasa-dharma. So why >then would Mahaprabhu turn around and associate with Sri Nityananda >Prabhu if he was a fallen sannyasi? Mahaprabhu Himself has stated the >following: > >prabhuÊ kahe- vairagi kare prakrt i sambhasana >dekhite na paron ami taharaÊ vadana > > The Lord said, I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a >person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks >intimately with a woman. (Cc. Antya 2.117) > >ksudra-jivaÊ saba markata-vairagyaÊ kariya >indriyaÊ caranaÊ buleÊ prakrt i sambhasiya > > There are many persons with little in their possession >who accept the renounced order of life like monkeys. They go here and >there engaging in sense gratification and speaking intimately with >women. (Cc. Antya 2.120) > >prabhuÊ kahe mora vasa nahe moraÊ mana >prakrti-sambhasiÊ vairagiÊ na kare darsana > > The Lord said, My mind is not under My control. It does >not like to see anyone in the renounced order who talks intimately with >women. > (Cc. Antya 2.124) > >Claiming to be a follower of Sri Caitanyadeva or a follower of Srila >Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and in the same breath, claim that >Sri Nityananda Prabhu was a fallen sannyasi is totally absurd. > >Srila Sarasvati Thakura came to re-establish the system of >daivi-varnasrama, in particular to re-introduce tridandi-sannyasa in the >Gaudiya line for the purpose of preaching love of God. But those persons >who oppose Saraswati Thakura have tried to minimize his contribution by >creating false stories to show that even Sri Nityananda Prabhu gave up >His sannyasa. One important point that the sahajiyas conveniently >overlook is that in order to preach love of God, Sri Caitanyadeva >Himself accepted sannyasa. > >In order to attain the mercy of Sri Caitanyadeva, one must first beg for >the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. If one's crippled mind, however, >concocts imaginary proofs that simply degrade the position of the Sri >Nityananda Prabhu then such a person is truly most unfortunate. > > _____ > >Krsna Talk Questions & Answers: > >SWAMI B. G. NARASINGHA ><http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/saranagati/html/nmj_articles/indexna.htm >l> > >KRSNA TALK INDEX <http://www.gosai.com/krishnatalk_fs.html> > >SUBSCRIBE KRSNA TALK <http://www.gosai.com/krishnatalk_fs.html> > >Tape Archives: > >Audio Recordings of Swami Narasingha available here ><http://www.gosai.com/audio_fs.html> > > > >If you would like to change your HTML Preference or Contact Information, >please visit : >http://www.optinpro.com/scripts/i.asp?id=3107141&e=vedic108 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com ><http://www.optinpro.com/scripts/i.asp?id=3107141&e=vedic108 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com > > > >To be removed from this mailing visit: >http://www.optinpro.com/scripts/remove.asp?u=339&i=3107141 ><http://www.optinpro.com/scripts/remove.asp?u=339&i=3107141> _______________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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