Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati on Vaisnava brahmanas

[Guest guest]

To those who remonstrated that for a Vaisnava to accept a brahmana's thread

violated the spirit of trnad api sunicena, or "utter humility" as taught by

Lord Caitanya, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati replied that to not accept a thread

shows contempt toward the process of brahminical initiation.

 

 

 

 

I haven't been able to find a reference to support the above statement. Does

anyone know of one?

[Guest guest]

achintya, "Bhakti Vikasa Swami"

<Bhakti.Vikasa.Swami@p...> wrote:

> To those who remonstrated that for a Vaisnava to accept a

brahmana's thread

> violated the spirit of trnad api sunicena, or "utter humility" as

taught by

> Lord Caitanya, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati replied that to not accept

a thread

> shows contempt toward the process of brahminical initiation.

>

> I haven't been able to find a reference to support the above

statement. Does

> anyone know of one?

 

I remember seeing such a statement in _Ray of Vishnu_. Perhaps Rupa

Vilasa Prabhu can give an exact source for it.

 

yours,

 

- K

[Guest guest]

> > To those who remonstrated that for a Vaisnava to accept a

> brahmana's thread

> > violated the spirit of trnad api sunicena, or "utter humility" as

> taught by

> > Lord Caitanya, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati replied that to not accept

> a thread

> > shows contempt toward the process of brahminical initiation.

> >

> > I haven't been able to find a reference to support the above

> statement. Does

> > anyone know of one?

>

> I remember seeing such a statement in _Ray of Vishnu_. Perhaps Rupa

> Vilasa Prabhu can give an exact source for it.

>

> yours,

>

> - K

 

By all means, please ask him. This goes to the heart of an earlier

discussion regarding the validity of the sampradaya. The question is raised

that if there was a general disdain for brahminical initiation (and other

varnasrama institutions ?) within the general Gaudiya body in the late 19th

and early 20th century, then by what argument can they claim validity? In

other words, how can one claim to be the authorized representatives while at

the same time holding (certain) vedic standards in contempt. It would seem

that there must be more to it.

ys, Santiparayana

[Guest guest]

The statement cited is found in the 19th chapter of Bhaktikusum Sraman

Maharaja's biography of BSST called "Prabhupada Srila Sarasvati Thakura." It is

not a direct quote from Srila Sarasvati Thakura, but it is a paraphrase of his

statements supporting the rationale of wearing a brahmana thread and taking

sannyasa as symbols of remaining within the confines of varnasrama dharma out

of respect for Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivinoda

Thakura, his gurus. The 19th chapter of that book discusses at length the

rationale for wearing a thread and accepting sannyasa.

 

Rupa-vilasa dasa

 

-

krishna_susarla

achintya

Friday, July 04, 2003 7:42 AM

Re: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati on Vaisnava brahmanas

achintya, "Bhakti Vikasa Swami" < wrote:> To those who

remonstrated that for a Vaisnava to accept a brahmana's thread> violated the

spirit of trnad api sunicena, or "utter humility" as taught by> Lord Caitanya,

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati replied that to not accept a thread> shows contempt

toward the process of brahminical initiation.> > I haven't been able to find a

reference to support the above statement. Does> anyone know of one?I remember

seeing such a statement in _Ray of Vishnu_. Perhaps Rupa Vilasa Prabhu can give

an exact source for it.

[Edited by moderator for length]

[Guest guest]

"The most intimate devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, namely Gadadhara Pandita,

accepted the tridandi-sannyasa adn also accepted Madhava Upadhyaya as his

tridandi-sannyasi disciple. It is said that from this Madhvacarya, the

sampradaya know in western India as the Vallabhacarya-sampradaya has begun.

Srila Gopala Bhatta Bose, who is known as a smrtya-acarya in the Gaudiya

Vaisnava sampradaya, later accept the tridanda-sannyasa order from Tridandipada

Prabodhananda Sarasvati." --HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada CC Madhya

3.6 commentary.

-

Eric Bott

achintya

Friday, July 04, 2003 12:14 PM

Re: Re: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati on Vaisnava brahmanas

By all means, please ask him.  This goes to the heart of an earlierdiscussion

regarding the validity of the sampradaya.  The question is raisedthat if there

was a general disdain for brahminical initiation (and othervarnasrama

institutions ?) within the general Gaudiya body in the late 19thand early 20th

century, then by what argument can they claim validity?  Inother words, how can

one claim to be the authorized representatives while atthe same time holding

(certain) vedic standards in contempt.  It would seemthat there must be more to

it.ys, Santiparayana

[Edited for length]

[Guest guest]

Regarding there being "disdain" for taking the sannyasa order, I am unaware of

any such sentiment by pure Vaisnavas, since Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura

took sannyasa, who authored Sri Caitanya-candramrta and so many admired

Vaisnava works. There was solid precent for it in the Gaudiya line.

[Guest guest]

achintya, "rupavi" <rupavi@n...> wrote:

> Regarding there being "disdain" for taking the sannyasa order, I am

unaware of any such sentiment by pure Vaisnavas, since Prabhodananda

Sarasvati Thakura took sannyasa, who authored Sri Caitanya-candramrta

and so many admired Vaisnava works. There was solid precent for it in

the Gaudiya line.

>

> Rupa-vilasa dasa

 

I think he was referring to disdain by other "Gaudiiya Vaishnavas,"

i.e. those who had managed to create an incorrect impression of

Gaudiiya Vaishnavas as being somehow averse to varnaashrama

practices. If Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati was "reintroducing"

varnaashrama practices like wearing of sacred thread and taking of

sannyaasa, then there must have been others in the Gaudiiya camp who

were under the impression that such things are taboo.

 

- K