Protecting the Vedas: The role of Gaudiyas?

[Guest guest]

It is clear that there is a great need for protecting the Vedas, and the Vedic

dharma in general. What exactly is the role of ISKCON and Gaudiyas in this? The

reason I'm asking is this,

In general, in ISKCON and maybe, in Gaudiya circles, the emphasis is on

Bhagavata Purana, CC, Gita and Bhakti-rasmrta Sindhu - not much attention is

paid to the Vedas, why vedas, even to the prasthana traya, except Gita and a

couple of upanishads. Ofcourse, we do have sastric quotes in SP's books from

various upanishads in his purports, but except for isopanishad we don't have a

detailed commentary on other principal upanishads, like the other schools

(Maybe, my understanding is limited - please correct me if I'm wrong). To put

it in short, we are generally very conservative (in the way we pay importance

to essential scriptures). This is not bad and actually has some advantages,

 

For example, there is tremendous focus on understanding and giving the essence -

rather than getting engrossed in the vedic ritualistic injunctions (although one

should not underestimate the importance of performing samskaras), or spending

too much time on philosophical speculation, we are clear on what is the goal -

that is very nice, although some people question it - saying it's too

simplistic or deceiving (some

believe one has to know the vedas in detail and use one's intellect to

understand, in order to get moksha - the advaitins in particular take this

approach) - but, that's another issue!

 

I believe it is important to protect the Vedas, the vedic dharma and culture and

the prasthana traya in particular. The Vedas originate from the Supreme Lord and

as such cannot be ignored. They have been the basis of a glorious civilization

from time immemorial. So, what exactly should be the role of Gaudiyas in

safeguarding the vedic scriptures (not just the Gaudiya scriptures)? Is there

an initiative that's already taken to address this? Does ISKCON teach vedas to

gurukula boys in Mayapur and Vrindavan? Are there efforts to write commentaries

on the upanishads other than isavasya (I believe Sumeet wrote a very nice email

on this sometime back) - I believe the ISKCON leaders should take a leading

role in protecting the vedic scriptures and in this way the society will also

gain the much-deserved respect of the masses. This initiative need not involve

all the members of the society, but a responsible few, as most people are happy

reading SP's books and chanting. I would like to

hear from learned members on this.

 

in your service,Aravind.

 

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[Guest guest]

Aravind

 

Hare Krishna,

 

Given the circumstances you are in and you are still so actively

participating in KC discussions definately makes me prostate before

you. Please accept my humble obesiance.

 

As far Srutis goes acarya Baladeva wrote commentaries on all major

upanisads and Gopal Tapani. However, due to influence of time those

books seem to have been lost with exception of his commentary on Isa

Upanisad. That is why we have SP commentary on Isa. And we have

commentaries available on Gopal Tapani.

 

Other than that Govinda Bhasya is still kept in its original form.

The two main thinkers of our school are Jiva Goswami and Baladeva.

Srila Jiva took care of bhagavata through his Sandarbha while

Baladeva wrote on Vedanta Sutra and Upanisads. And there are many

Gaudiya commentaries on Gita. So there is no dearth of Vedic support

in our tradition.

 

At present in my knowledge there is no effort on writing a bhasya on

upanisad or either on showing bhagavatam to be natural commentary on

VS. However, as time goes by who knows we will have one for our

sampradya. Others who are better informed please contribute. And i

know Aravind these doubts are springing because of your conversations

with advaitins on thier list and how they ridicule Gaudiya siddhanta

as one based on certain puranic texts and having no basis in Sruti

vyakyas.

 

For such people answer is Govinda bhashya, we have that on VS by

acarya baladeva. In VS he has commented on all the major upanisad

vakyas and has given consistent picture of what the the various

upanisads means. So i will suggest don't worry about what others

ignorant of our siddhanta and what all we have say to you. Study Gita

and Bhagavata and procure a copy of GB. Wait until the Sandarbha are

translated into english and then i am sure you will have plenty to

learn from all this. In Sandarbha jiva goswami uses bhagavata, gita,

upanisads and brahma sutra and the works of ramanuja and madhva and

his grand disciples. So we have abundant of support. Its matter of

time before things get translated properly into english and made

available for common day Gaudiya followers and i am sure by that time

a lot of awareness through books like gita would have been created

amongst us that it will be easy to relish those higher books.

 

 

Your Servant Always,

Sumeet.

 

achintya, Aravind Mohanram <psuaravind>

wrote:

Does ISKCON teach vedas to gurukula boys in Mayapur and Vrindavan?

Are there efforts to write commentaries on the upanishads other than

isavasya (I believe Sumeet wrote a very nice email on this sometime

back) - I believe the ISKCON leaders should take a leading role in

protecting the vedic scriptures and in this way the society will also

gain the much-deserved respect of the masses. This initiative need

not involve all the members of the society, but a responsible few, as

most people are happy reading SP's books and chanting. I would like

to hear

> from learned members on this.

>

> in your service,

> Aravind.

>

>

>

>

> SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it!

[Guest guest]

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004, sumeet1981 wrote:

> Wait until the Sandarbha are

> translated into english and then i am sure you will have plenty to

> learn from all this.

 

A Bhaktivedanta Book Trust translation of all the Sat-sandarbhas is already well

underway (the completed Tattva-sandarbha is being edited now). This project is

led by the BBT's senior Sanskrit editor, Gopiparanadhana prabhu, who is not only

an experienced, exacting, and sensitive scholar, but also a perfect gentleman

and an exemplary Vaisnava. For a sense of the professional academic

appreciation of his work, see Dr. Joseph O'Connell's strikingly positive

assessment in the foreword of Gopiparanadhana prabhu's previous book, the

Brhad-Bhagavatamrtam of Sanatana Gosvami. That volume is available from:

 

http://www.thekrishnastore.com/Detail.bok?no=856

 

 

 

 

> Its matter of

> time before things get translated properly into english and made

> available for common day Gaudiya followers and i am sure by that time

> a lot of awareness through books like gita would have been created

> amongst us that it will be easy to relish those higher books.

 

This general effort (both in terms of preservation as well as outreach) is a

major and current focus of the BBT, which is now inviting every sort of

assistance/partipication from all interested parties--especially from

Sanskritists and editors.

 

Moreover, because such an endeavor is necessarily based on the mature

assimilation and holistic application of Vedic teachings in general,

Gopiparanadhana prabhu plans to establish a school in which devotee scholars

(including children) can be trained properly (largely for the same purpose),

according to the traditional norms of panditic education. This too, requires

much input, help, and diverse involvement.

 

So it's a golden opportunity for anyone iterested in turning this vision into

reality.

 

I hope this is helpful.

 

MDd