Proposal for discussion of Prasthaana Traya and Gaudiya Vedanta

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna

 

First we all should understand the place of Brahma Sutra in the huge

collection of Vedic literature.

 

Upsanisads are called Vedanta meaning the end of Veda[Knowledge]

because they teach the highest knowledge - Absolute Person.

 

Bhagavad Gita is also an upanisad. So it is also Vedanta.

 

Now this entire list of books called upanisads which contain pinnacle

of knowledge about Absolute, have verses which seemingly contradict

each other or sometimes appears to propound different theories or

views. Hence there arose a need to write a book that explains the

meaning of vedanta conclusively removing all doubts and

contradictions. Srila Vyasdeva, achieved this feat by compiling

Vedanta Sutra, in which he, through infallible logic and argument has

conclusively established the teachings of Vedanta - Upanisads.

 

"Vedanta represents philosophy of Vedic Religion - Sanatan Dharma"

and hence Vedanta Sutra which expounds the philosophy conclusively

is "most important revelation". It is due to this only, that any

philosopher who wants to establish his school as a school of Vedanta

has to show that his own philosophy is "contained" in the sutras of

Vyasdeva.

 

Therefore we have Sri bhashya from Ramanuja, Poorna Prajna Bhashya

from Madhva, Sariraka Bhashya from Sankara and so on and so

forth.......

 

All those who wished to establish their school of Vedanta had to

write a commentary on Vedanta Sutra. Sri Chaitanya on authority of

Garuda Purana already accepted Srimad bhagavatam as a perfect

commentary on vyasa's sutras written by Vyasa himself. He said His

philosophy is that which is contained in Bhagavata. So, there was no

need to write a seperate commentary on Vedanta Sutra.

 

However, there is a need for understanding Bhagavata as a commentary

on Vedanta Sutra. Vyasa in his sutra is commenting on upanisad

vyakyas. Since, bhagavata is commentary on Vyasa own sutras, verses

of bhagavata should comment on corresponding text/(s) of upanisads

lending them a conclusive meanings as vyasa intended to accomplish

through that sutra. If this can be conclusively shown then verily

this forms the book called Gaudiya Vedanta which in turn forms

the "centre" of the Gaudiya Vedanta Philosophy. And to achieve this

task we have Srila Prabhupada bhagavata bhashya and Srila Baladeva

Govinda bhashya available.

 

In short Bhagavata verses with complete understanding from SPs

commentary and Vedanta Sutra sutras with complete understaning from

Govinda Bhashya[which has relevant upanisad quotes] should be

interlinked to obtain the above mentioned goal. An exhaustive

presentation on this should be made available in Iskcon mandirs

throughout the world.

 

Also, Srila Prabhupada started writing commentary on Sri Isopanisad.

This trend should be continued to encompass all major upanisads

namely:

 

Aitareya Upanishad, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chandogya Upanishad,

Katha Upanishad, Kaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad, Kena Upanishad,

Maitreya Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad[With Karikas], Mundaka

Upanishad, Prasna Upanishad, Svetasvatara Upanishad, Taittiriya

Upanishad.

 

Commentary on upanisads and Vedanta sutra[like above] will help us

discuss and preach our philosophy in the environment of higly learned

pandits from different schools. Also, then less number of people

initially initiated as GVs will convert themselves to SVs or MVs due

to lack of systematic presentation of intellectually stimulating

philosophy in our school.

 

Other than this, Sat Sandarbhas of Sri Jiva Goswami should be

translated into english and be made available to common GVs.

 

Remember Sriman Mahaprabhu understood how SB is commentary on VS and

now its duty of his followers to understand the same.

 

Its my humble opinion that all this should be seriously undertaken

and accomplished.

 

 

Your Servant Always,

Sumeet.

[Guest guest]

>However, there is a need for understanding Bhagavata as a commentary >on

Vedanta Sutra. Vyasa in his sutra is commenting on upanisad >vyakyas. Since,

bhagavata is commentary on Vyasa own sutras, verses >of bhagavata should

comment on corresponding text/(s) of upanisads >lending them a conclusive

meanings as vyasa intended to accomplish >through that sutra. If this can be

conclusively shown then verily >this forms the book called Gaudiya Vedanta

which in turn forms >the "centre" of the Gaudiya Vedanta Philosophy. And to

achieve this >task we have Srila Prabhupada bhagavata bhashya and Srila

Baladeva >Govinda bhashya available. >In short Bhagavata verses with complete

understanding from SPs >commentary and Vedanta Sutra sutras with complete

understaning from >Govinda Bhashya[which has relevant upanisad quotes] should

be >interlinked to obtain the above mentioned goal. An exhaustive

>presentation on this should be made available in Iskcon mandirs >throughout the world.

Dear Prabhu,Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. All Glories to Sri

Guru and Gauranga. what you desire is very nice. But, I have a proposition. Why

not take up sutra by Sutra of Sri Baladeva's Govinda Bhashya. Then bring out the

relevant Bhagavatham Verse and analyse Srila Prabhupada's purports to them?

These can be done in a systematic way on this achintya forum itself. By

Krishna's mercy we have people on this forum who are well qualified to shed

light on these.While we do these all the relevant upanishadic vakyas are also

dealt with.

Sri Ramanuja too did not write specific commentaries to any of the

upanishads but he quoted those verses which needed to be explained using

Visistadvaita. The same has been done by Srila Baladeva too.Any

suggestions?>Also, Srila Prabhupada started writing commentary on Sri

Isopanisad. >This trend should be continued to encompass all major upanisads

>namely:Aitareya Upanishad, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chandogya Upanishad,

Katha Upanishad, Kaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad, Kena Upanishad, Maitreya

Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad[With Karikas], Mundaka Upanishad, Prasna

Upanishad, Svetasvatara Upanishad, Taittiriya Upanishad.>Commentary on

upanisads and Vedanta sutra[like above] will help us >discuss and preach our

philosophy in the environment of higly learned >pandits from different schools.

Also, then less number of people >initially

initiated as GVs will convert themselves to SVs or MVs due >to lack of

systematic presentation of intellectually stimulating >philosophy in our

school.>Other than this, Sat Sandarbhas of Sri Jiva Goswami should be

>translated into english and be made available to common GVs.>Remember Sriman

Mahaprabhu understood how SB is commentary on VS >and now its duty of his

followers to understand the same.>Its my humble opinion that all this should be

seriously undertaken >and accomplished.A thorough sastric study on the

Upanishads and Vedanta through an impersonal medium like the net is not very

fruitful.We will have to follow pariprasna & seva.Else, it will just be dry

philosophical knowledge.

The Sat sandarbhas in english are available for sale from Krishna

institute. Devotees can purchase them & get benefitted.But, exposing to sat

sandarbhas directly is of absolutely no use.Hence one has to go through all the

books of Srila Prabhupada scrutinisingly ( and that would mean multiple indepth

readings) in addition to the devotional service process, before coming to the

Sandarbhas or for that matter any purvacharya books.Approaching on one's own is

contrary to the principle of satisfaction of one's spiritual master which is the

secret of success(in all departments including sastric knowledge).

Dasan

Narasimhan.

 

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[Guest guest]

>Other than this, Sat Sandarbhas of Sri Jiva Goswami should be >translated into

english and be made available to common GVs.

Dear Prabhu,

Hare Krishna!. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada! All

Glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!!

This is not rceommended as Srila Jiva Goswami swears by

oath that the Sandarbhas must only be read by someone whose only desire is to

become a pure devotee of Krishna.Hence keeping this book out in the open will

only result in commoners & newcomers committing aparadha against the words of

Srila Jiva.

Not only that, Srila Jiva's words will be dragged into the

public for debate from all sorts of quarters by persons who least have faith in

Him or Krishna. He even could be made an object of ridicule. Hence it is best

kept a secret.

Srila Prabhupada exposed us to what we need to be exposed as

neophytes or even senior devotees.Everything is in his books to make one

Krishna concious. At the same time he also mentioned about the existence of

these great literatures. Only one who is serious is expected to go through

these. Hence we should understand that it is by plan & not by lack of time or

something else that He didn't translate them.

Those interested in philosophy can go through the works of Baladeva

which are open for scrutiny by everyone else. We, as devotees can understand

these using the Srimad Bhagavatham & the Govinda Bhashya etc.

One very important thing is that in our system, the devotional process, the

philosophy & the experience are very deeply intertwined that one cannot

seperate one from the other.Hence without understanding the inconceivable

simultaneous oneness and difference between Krishna & His name one cannot even

continue chanting, between krishna & the Sri Vigraha one cannot perform deity

worship, between Krishna & the bhakthi sastras perform sravanam or Kirtanam,

Between Krishna & the Guru surrender to the Spiritual Master.

Hence every person in this parampara however neophyte he may be, has an idea &

faith in the achintya bheda-abheda philosophy. Never does the inconceivable

become conceivable at any stage but only the inconceivaility is understood

better as one progresses in devotion and knowledge.

Dasan

Hare Krishna.

 

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