Even Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna quote from sastra

[Guest guest]

Even Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna quote from sastra to support their points.

 

"You have to accept anything from the authorized source. So according to

Vedic civilization, all knowledge is received from the Vedas, perfect

authorized source. Sruti-pramana, evidence from the sruti, from the Vedas,

that is perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, if you want to

establish something you have to quote the section or the injunction from the

Vedas, Then it is perfect. In learned circle you cannot say anything

hodge-podge. That will not be accepted. If you support your statement from

the evidence of the Vedas, then you are accepted as authority. Therefore our

principle is... Not only our, this is the Vedic principle. You'll find

Caitanya Mahaprabhu giving instruction to Sanatana Gosvami, to Rupa Gosvami,

or He was talking with Ramananda Raya-in Caitanya-caritamrta you'll find-and

quoting support from the Vedas. Although Caitanya Mahaprabhu is God Himself,

Krsna, Krsna-Caitanya, but He is not, what is called, autocratic or, what is

called, dictator. No. You'll never find Him. Whatever He'll say, immediately

He supported by Vedic evidence. He can say anything. He can manufacture

anything. No, that He does not do. He does not violate the principle. In the

Bhagavad-gita also... Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He's also

quoting from Vedas. He does not say, "I say." He says, but He says on the

Vedic authority. He doesn't say anything superfluous, no.

Brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [bg. 13.5]. He said,

 

 

 

yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya

 

vartate kama-karatah

 

na sa siddhim avapnoti

 

na sukham na param gatim

 

 

 

"He says, sastra, evidence, Vedic evidence, must be accepted. The Vedic

evidence is very chronologized in the Vedanta-sutra. He especially

mentioned, brahma-sutra-padaih. Brahma-sutra means Vedanta-sutra.

Vedanta-sutra means the summary of all Vedic knowledge. The Vedic knowledge

is given in codes. That is called Brahma-sutra. Sutra means code, and

Brahman means the Supreme Absolute Truth. Understanding of the absolute

truth in code words, and the explanation... A code word requires

explanation.

 

Just like in business circle there is Bentley's code. So for business

facility, for saving expenditure, the telegraphic codes are there. So one

who does not know what is this code, but he can refer to the book. The

explanation is there: "This code means this wording." Similarly,

Brahma-sutra means the whole Vedic knowledge is given in codes.

Brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhih. It is called nyaya-prasthana. Nyaya

means logic. Nyaya means... There are three kinds of authorities:

sruti-prasthana, smrti-prasthana, and nyaya-prasthana. So the Brahma-sutra

is nyaya-prasthana, very logically, very logically given."

 

 

 

Bhagavad-gita 16.9 Hawaii, February 5, 1975

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004, Bhakti Vikasa Swami wrote:

> You'll find

> Caitanya Mahaprabhu giving instruction to Sanatana Gosvami, to Rupa Gosvami,

> or He was talking with Ramananda Raya-in Caitanya-caritamrta you'll find-and

> quoting support from the Vedas.

 

Judging by the way Srila Rupa Gosvami compiled his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, he

took Lord Caitanya's good example very seriously, for he too cites sastra to

support his interpretations of sastra itself. Wherever Rupa asserts what must

have appeared (to his contemporaries and peers) to be his own ideas regarding

the science of bhakti, he also cites examples and corroborating evidence from

various sastras in support of his arguments. Similarly, even when Srila

Prabhupada reiterates widely recognized and basic principles of Vaisnava

philosophy, he nonetheless often quotes the relevant verses in full--as if

merely to register thereby the auspicious sound vibration that is always

appreciated by the truly wise.

 

Srila Prabhupada asked us to known his books as well as lawyers know theirs

(which is traditionally also the established norm among Vaisnavas), and often

criticized his disciples for not reading his books enough--so neglecting this

norm seems fairly unauthorized. Such neglect probably also contributes much to

the whole spectrum of sahajiya tendencies now highly visible all around the

world.

 

MDd