First draft translation Prameya-ratnavali -- Introduction, part 1

[Guest guest]

Dear Prabhus,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his

followers!

 

Here is the beginning of my first attempt to translate the Prameya-ratnavali

with Kanti-mala tika. Now that I had some time, I had done it this much. I

will do more as I get time.

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has given a preface and

verse-by-verse explanation in Bengali of the Prameya-ratnavali. In this

first draft translation, I haven't noted the points that he has made (in

addition to what were made in the Kanti-mala tika).

 

Here follows what I have done. In some places, I don't know how to translate

into English. Kindly peruse, complete the translation and correct wherever

there are mistakes.

 

Your servant,

Vidvan-Gauranga Das

 

TRANSLITERATION SCHEME

/a /i /u /ri /r/i l/ri /m /h

/ng ch chh /nj /t /d /n /s /sh /jn

 

---

/Sr/i Prameya-ratn/aval/i

"A Necklace of Truths"

Of Gau/d/iya-Ved/ant/ach/arya /Sr/i Baladeva Vidy/abh/u/shana

 

With commentary entitled K/anti-m/al/a

by /Sr/i K/ri/sh/nadeva S/arvabhauma Ved/anta-v/ag/i/sa

 

[introduction]

 

Sanskrit Text 1.1

 

jayati /sr/i-govindo gop/in/atha/h sa madana-gop/ala/h

vak/shy/ami yasya k/ripay/a prameya-ratn/aval/i/m s/uk/shm/am

 

Sanskrit Commentary 1.1

 

gau/dodayam upay/atas tama/h-samasta/m nihanti yo yugapat;

jyoti/s cha yo 'ti/s/ita/h p/itas tam up/asmahe k/rit/a/njjalaya/h.

 

vidy/abh/u/sha/n/apara-n/amn/a baladevena /sr/i-govindaik/antin/a,

brahma-s/utre/su govinda-bh/a/shy/abhidh/ana/m vy/akhy/ana/m virachitam.

atha kai/schich chhi/shyair bh/a/shya-pramey/a/ni parip/ri/sh/ta/h sa t/ani

sa/ngk/shep/ad vak/shyan nirvighn/ayai tat-p/urtaye ma/nggalam /acharati

jayat/iti. k/id/ri/sa/h? /sr/i-govinda/h ity /aha. gop/in/atho

ballavi-k/anta/h, madayati man/a/msi bhakt/an/am iti madana/h, g/a/h

p/alayat/iti gop/ala/h, tata/h karmadh/araya/h. sphu/t/artham anyat.

/sle/she/na v/rind/a/tav/im adhi/sh/thit/an/a/m

/sr/i-govind/adi-sa/m/jn/an/a/m nikhila-chaitanya-bhakt/abh/i/sh/t/an/a/m

tray/an/am arch/avat/ar/an/a/m jay/a/sa/msanam. ubhayata/h

pra/nati-lak/sha/na-ma/nggala/m k/rita/m jayatin/a tasy/ak/sep/at.

 

Translated Text 1.1

 

"Victorious is /Sr/i Govinda, who is Gop/in/atha and Madana Gop/ala, by

whose mercy I shall narrate the subtle Necklace of Truths

(Prameya-ratn/aval/i)."

 

Translated Commentary 1.1

 

With our palms folded, we worship that yellow effulgent person, who has

simultaneously arisen in Gau/da and destroyed all ignorance, and who is very

cooling. [1]

 

/Sr/ila Baladeva, who also possesses the name "Vidy/abh/u/sha/na", is an

exclusive devotee of /Sr/i Govinda. He has composed an explanation of the

Brahma-s/utras known as Govinda-bh/a/shya. Now, having been asked by some

disciples about the truths contained in the Bh/a/shya, the author,

summarizing the topics, in order to finish the work without any obstacles,

invokes auspiciousness with verse 1.

 

What is /Sr/i Govinda's nature? He is "Gop/in/atha", that is, "the beloved

of the cowherd damsels". He is "Madana", that is, He delights the minds of

the devotees, "Gop/ala", that is, He protects the cows.

 

"Madana-gop/ala" is a Sanskrit compound word of the "karmadh/araya" type.

The meaning of the rest of the words is clear. [2]

 

Indirectly, the author desires the victory of the three archa-avat/aras

situated in V/rind/avana known as /Sr/i Govinda and others, who are the

worshippable Deities of all devotees of /Sr/i Chaitanya. [3]

 

In both senses, by the word "jayati" ("Victorious is"), he offers auspicious

invocation characterized by offering obeisances. [4]

 

Notes:

1. This verse (gau/dodayam upay/ata/h...) also occurs in Bh/a/shya-p/i/thaka

or Siddh/anta-ratna. I have to check whether it appears in the text or in

the author's own commentary on the text.

2. This is the first sense of the verse.

3. This is the second sense of the verse. It is similar to the statements

made by /Sr/ila K/ri/shnad/asa Kavir/aja Gosv/am/i in Adi-l/il/a, Chapter

One of Chaitanya-charit/am/rita.

4. Don't know how to translate "tasya aak/shepaat" in this context.

---

 

Sanskrit Text 1.2

 

bhakty/abh/asen/api to/sha/m dadh/ane

dharm/adhyak/she vi/sva-nist/ari-n/amni

nity/anand/advaita-chaitanya-r/upe

tattve tasmin nityam /ast/a/m ratir na/h

 

Sanskrit Commentary 1.2

 

punar api tatra rati-pr/arthana/m ma/nggalam /aha bhaktyeti. tattve

param/atmani k/ri/sh/ne "tattvam v/akya-prabhede sy/at svar/upe

param/atmani" iti vi/sva/h. k/id/ri/s/ity /aha bhakty/abh/asen/ap/iti yath/a

putrodde/sena n/amochch/araty aj/amile tu/sh/tir d/ri/sh/t/a dharm/an/am

adhyak/she pravartake; nitya /anando yasya tan nity/ananda/m cha, n/asti

dvaitam deha-dehi-bhedo yasya tad advaita/m cha, chaitanya/m vi/jn/ana/m

cheti karmadh/araya/h, tad-r/upe tad-/atmake.

 

pak/she, kal/av asmin /sr/i-k/ri/sh/na/h baladevena mah/a-vi/sh/nor

avat/arena cha sahito jan/an uddhartum avatat/ara. tatra /sr/i-k/ri/sh/nasya

chaitanya iti, baladevasya nity/ananda iti, mah/a-vi/sh/nor avat/arasya

advaita iti, n/am/abh/ut, tasmin tri-r/upe tattve no ratir nityam /ast/am.

anyat pr/agvat pram/a/nam tv atr/akara-granth/ad gr/ahyam.

 

Translated Text 1.2

 

"May we be eternally attached to Him, the Absolute Truth. He has a form of

the nature of eternal bliss, nonduality, and consciousness. He is satisfied

even with a reflection of bhakti. He supervises religious principles and His

name delivers the entire cosmos."

 

Translated Commentary 1.2

 

And again, he invokes auspiciousness by praying for attachment to Him in

verse 2.

 

[May we be eternally attached] to the Absolute Truth, that is, to the

Supreme Soul, K/ri/sh/na. The dictionary Vi/sva states, "The word 'tattva'

means [1] nature or the Supreme Soul."

 

What is His nature? He says, "even with a reflection of bhakti" [He is

satisfied], as He was satisfied with Aj/amila, who pronounced the holy name

intending to call his son.

 

He supervises, that is, propagates, religious principles.

 

And He is Nity/ananda, that is, He possesses eternal bliss. He is also

Advaita, that is, there is no duality, that is, difference between body and

soul in Him. He is also Chaitanya, that is, conscious. The word

"nity/anand/advaita-chaitanya" is a Sanskrit compound word of the

"karmadh/araya" type. He has a form of, that is, He is of the nature of.

 

In another sense, in this Kali-yuga /Sr/i K/ri/sh/na along with Baladeva and

the incarnation of Mah/a-vi/sh/nu has descended to deliver the people.

Accordingly, /Sr/i K/ri/sh/na assumed the name "Chaitanya", Baladeva assumed

the name "Nity/ananda", the incarnation of Mah/a-vi/sh/nu assumed the name

"Advaita". May we be eternally attached to Him, the Absolute Truth, who has

assumed these three forms. The rest of the words are to be understood as

before. [2]

 

Notes:

1. Don't know how to translate "v/akya-prabhede" in this context.

2. Don't know how to translate "pram/a/nam tv atr/akara-granth/ad gr/ahyam"

in this context.

---

 

Sanskrit Text 1.3

 

/anandat/irtha-muni-n/am/a sukha-maya-dh/am/a yatir j/iy/at

sa/ms/ar/ar/nava-tara/ni/m yam iha jan/a/h k/irtayanti budh/a/h

 

Sanskrit Commentary 1.3

 

atha p/urv/ach/arya/m pra/namaty /anandeti. /ananda-t/irtha iti

/sr/i-madhv/ach/aryasya n/am/antaram yati/h parivr/a/t tara/ni/m nauk/am.

 

Translated Text 1.3

 

"May the Yati named /Anandat/irtha Muni be victorious. He is the abode full

of bliss. Learned people in this world glorify him as the boat to cross over

the ocean of material existence."

 

Translated Commentary 1.3

 

Now, he offers obeisances to his previous /ach/arya with the verse 3.

"/Anandat/irtha" is another name of /Sr/i Madhv/ach/arya. Yati, that is, a

wandering mendicant. The Sanskrit word tara/n/i means "a boat".

---

 

Sanskrit Text 1.4

 

bhavati vichinty/a vidu/sh/a niravakar/a guru-parampar/a nityam

ek/antitva/m siddhyati yayodayati yena hari-to/sha/h

 

Sanskrit Commentary 1.4

 

bh/a/shya-pramey/a/ni yato labdh/ani, s/a guru-parampar/a dhyeyety /aha

bhavat/iti. guru-parampar/a de/sika-va/m/sa/h

/si/shya-pra/si/shy/adi-dh/ar/a "parampar/a par/ip/a/ty/am" iti vi/sva/h.

niravakar/a nirdo/sh/a, tasy/a dhy/anena ki/m sy/ad ity atr/aha, yay/a

paramparay/a dhy/atay/a dhy/atur ek/antitva/m siddhyati

hary-eka-ni/sh/thatva/m bhavati, yenaik/antitvena hari-to/sha udayati.

te/sh/a/m /jn/an/i nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir vi/si/shyate, priyo hi /jn/anino

'tyartham aha/m sa cha mama priya ity/adi-sm/rite/h.

 

Translated Text 1.4

 

"By constant contemplation on the spotless succession of spiritual masters,

a learned person attains singlemindedness, by which Lord Hari's pleasure

arises."

 

Translated Commentary 1.4

 

The succession of spiritual masters, which is the source of the truths

contained in the Bh/a/shya, should be meditated upon. In order to convey

this, he states verse 4.

 

The "succession of spiritual masters", that is, the lineage of spiritual

teachers, the line of disciples, granddisciples, etc [1]. According to the

Vi/sva dictionary, parampar/a means "a sequence" [2].

 

The Sanskrit word niravakar/a means "spotless".

 

What will happen by such meditation? He says: by meditating on the

succession of spiritual masters, the meditator attains singlemindedness,

that is, he becomes solely attached to Lord Hari. By which singlemindedness,

Lord Hari's pleasure arises. As stated in the Sm/riti, such as:

 

te/sh/a/m /jn/an/i nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir vi/si/shyate

priyo hi /jn/anino 'tyartham aha/m sa ca mama priya/h

 

"Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in

pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is

dear to Me." (G/it/a 7.17)

 

Notes:

1. Literally /si/shya-pra/si/shy/adi-dh/a/r/a means "the flow (or stream) of

disciples, granddisciples, etc."

2. I have to confirm that par/ip/a/t/i means "a sequence" in a larger

Sanskrit dictionary.

---

 

Sanskrit Text 1.5.

 

yad ukta/m padma-pur/a/ne:

 

"samprad/aya-vih/in/a ye mantr/as te viphal/a mat/a/h

ata/h kalau bhavi/shyanti chatv/ara/h samprad/ayina/h

/sr/i-brahma-rudra-sanak/a/h vai/sh/nav/a/h k/shiti-p/avan/a/h

chatv/aras te kalau bh/avy/a hy utkale puru/shottam/at" iti

 

Sanskrit Commentary 1.5

 

prameyopade/sa-patha-pravartak/a/s chatv/ara/h pr/ag abh/uvan, tebhyo

ga/ngg/a-prav/ahavad apare prach/arit/a/h. tad-upadi/sh/tena path/a vin/a,

mantra-/s/astr/ad upalabdh/a vi/sh/nu-mantr/a mukti-d/a na bhavant/iti, atra

p/adma-v/akyam /aha samprad/ayeti. /si/sh/t/anu/si/sh/ta-gur/upadi/sh/to

m/arga/h samprad/aya/h. /si/sh/tatva/m veda-pr/am/a/ny/abhyupagant/ritvam.

ata/h samprad/aya-vih/in/an/a/m vi/sh/nu-mantr/a/n/a/m japt/an/am api

vaiphaly/ad dheto/h kalau tad-/arambhe samprad/ayinas te ke 'bh/uvan

tatr/aha /sr/iti, puru/shottam/ad iti jagann/ath/at tat-prera/n/at

tat-k/shetr/ad ity artha/h.

 

Translated Text 1.5

 

"Those mantras which are devoid of a samprad/aya are considered fruitless.

Therefore in Kali-yuga there will be four personalities who will dessiminate

their respective samprad/ayas. Those four devotees of Lord Vishnu--/Sr/i,

Brahma, Rudra and Sanaka--will purify the earth, and will appear in

Kali-yuga in Utkala-de/sa [Orissa] from Puru/shottama."

 

Translated Commentary 1.5

 

In the past there were four personalities who propagated the path of

following instructions based on these truths [1]. From those four, others

disseminated the same like the flow of the Ganges. Without taking recourse

to the path of following their instructions, the Vi/sh/nu-mantras obtained

from the mantra-/s/astras do not bestow liberation. In order to convey this,

he quotes a statement from the Padma Pur/a/na as verse 5.

 

Samprad/aya means "the path of following instructions from a guru who has

been instructed by those who follow those who have been instructed." [2]

"Instructed" means "accepted that the Veda is authoritative [to reveal the

Absolute Truth]".

 

Because even chanting of Vi/sh/nu mantras devoid of a samprad/aya is

fruitless, in Kali-yuga, that is, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, who

propagated these samprad/ayas? To answer this, he states the verse beginning

"/Sr/i".

 

>From Puru/shottama, that is, from Jagann/atha, by His inspiration, from His

k/shetra. This is the meaning.

 

Notes:

1. I am not sure if that is the correct translation of

prameyopade/sa-patha-pravartak/a/h.

2. I am not sure if that is the correct translation of

/si/sh/t/anu/si/sh/ta-gur/upadi/sh/to m/arga/h samprad/aya/h.

---

 

Sanskrit Text 1.6

 

r/am/anuja/m /sr/i/h sv/ichakre madhv/ach/arya/m chatur-mukha/h

/sr/i-vi/sh/nusv/amina/m rudro nimb/aditya/m chatu/h-sana/h

 

Sanskrit Commentary 1.6

 

/adi-bh/ut/as te chatv/ara/h sva-sva-samprad/ay/an prau/dh/an v/ik/shya

sva-va/m/sye/shu tad-dh/ury/a/m/s chatura/s chakratur ity /aha r/ameti.

/sr/ir lak/shm/i/h sva-samprad/aya-pravartana-k/shamatay/a r/am/anuja/m

sv/ichakre; sphu/t/artham anyat.

 

Translated Text 1.6

 

"The Goddess /Sr/i accepted R/am/anuja. The four-headed Brahm/a accepted

Madhv/ach/arya. Rudra accepted /Sr/i Vi/sh/nusv/am/i. The four Kum/aras

accepted Nimb/aditya."

 

Translated Commentary 1.6

 

Those four personalities who were the originators of their respective

samprad/ayas, noticing that their respective samprad/ayas had become

developed, selected four leaders [1] in their respective lineages. In order

to convey this, he states verse 6.

 

/Sr/i, that is, Lak/shm/i, accepted R/am/anuja as capable of propagating her

own samprad/aya.

 

The rest of the words are clear.

 

Notes:

1. Is "leader" the right English word for dhurya?

---

[Guest guest]

Everyone please welcome Vidvan Gauranga das back to our group. I added him

just the other day, and he wasted no time in providing us with some nice

material for discussion. Thank you for that!

 

I'm hardly the expert you were probably looking for to glance at this, but I

do have some comments and questions.

 

> Here is the beginning of my first attempt to translate the

Prameya-ratnavali

> with Kanti-mala tika. Now that I had some time, I had done it this much. I

> will do more as I get time.

 

I hope you get to complete the project. I for one am eager to see the

finished product.

 

> /Sr/i Prameya-ratn/aval/i

> "A Necklace of Truths"

> Of Gau/d/iya-Ved/ant/ach/arya /Sr/i Baladeva Vidy/abh/u/shana

>

> With commentary entitled K/anti-m/al/a

> by /Sr/i K/ri/sh/nadeva S/arvabhauma Ved/anta-v/ag/i/sa

 

Question: Who is this aachaarya? I would like to know more about him.

 

> And He is Nity/ananda, that is, He possesses eternal bliss. He is also

> Advaita, that is, there is no duality, that is, difference between body

and

> soul in Him. He is also Chaitanya, that is, conscious. The word

> "nity/anand/advaita-chaitanya" is a Sanskrit compound word of the

> "karmadh/araya" type. He has a form of, that is, He is of the nature of.

 

You mean to say perhaps, that His essential nature is to have form,

qualities, etc?

 

> 2. I have to confirm that par/ip/a/t/i means "a sequence" in a larger

> Sanskrit dictionary.

 

Here is the definition in Monier-Williams:

 

paripaaTi, Tii, f. succession, order, method, arrangement, Var.; CaND.;

Bhaam.; Saah.; arithmetic, Col.

 

I don't know what the stuff at the end means, but I think your translation

of it is ok.

 

Incidentally, I have Amarakosha dictionary with me. It is a 3 volume

edition. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to use it. It doesn't look

anything like a dictionary. The third volume has a Sanskrit-English

dictionary, though.

 

 

> "samprad/aya-vih/in/a ye mantr/as te viphal/a mat/a/h

> ata/h kalau bhavi/shyanti chatv/ara/h samprad/ayina/h

> /sr/i-brahma-rudra-sanak/a/h vai/sh/nav/a/h k/shiti-p/avan/a/h

> chatv/aras te kalau bh/avy/a hy utkale puru/shottam/at" iti

>

> "Those mantras which are devoid of a samprad/aya are considered fruitless.

> Therefore in Kali-yuga there will be four personalities who will

dessiminate

> their respective samprad/ayas. Those four devotees of Lord Vishnu--/Sr/i,

> Brahma, Rudra and Sanaka--will purify the earth, and will appear in

> Kali-yuga in Utkala-de/sa [Orissa] from Puru/shottama."

 

This is the first time I have heard this verse being translated to say that

the aachaaryas would appear in Orissa. Is that not historically incorrect?

How sure are we that Orissa is being referred to here? And does it not

stretch the credibility of this evidence when the prediction is not

technically 100% correct?

 

> Notes:

> 1. Is "leader" the right English word for dhurya?

 

Here is what Monier-Williams has on it:

 

Dhuurya, mfn. (w.r. dhuurya) fit o be harnessed, able to draw or bear

(Paan.4.4.77); being at the head of, foremost, best, AV.; MBh. etc;

eminently fir for or distinguished by (comp.), Baalar. 3, 2/3; m. beast of

burden, horse, bullock etc., Mn.; MBh. etc.; minister, charge d'affaires etc

(the rest of the definitions don't seem relevant)

 

There is word "dhuuryataa" which is defined as "the state of being a burden

bearer, the office of a minster etc.; first place, leadership.

 

By the way, if you have your userid and password for , you

should go to the achintya home page to the "links" section. There is a whole

bunch of Sanskrit links and web pages I put up there that might help you --

these contain some online dictionaries as well. It should be at

achintya , under the "links" section on the

left side.

 

Yours,

 

Krishna

[Guest guest]

On Sun, 1 Apr 2001, S. HariKrishna wrote:

> Everyone please welcome Vidvan Gauranga das back to our group.

 

Dandavats. Jaya Srila Prabhupada! Thanks for sharing this, and

all glories to your service!

 

 

> > Kanti-mala tika.

 

Speaking of commentaries by this name, a Sanskrit Kantimala-tika

has also been attributed to Vishnupuri, who allegedly wrote it on his own

Sanskrit work, the Bhakti-ratnavali (published in the Sacred Books of

the Hindus Series, vol.VII, part 3). I have two related questions:

 

 

1) Is the Vishnupuri who wrote Bhaktiratnavali the same as the one

mentioned in Caitanya-caritamritam, Adi-lila, 9.14? If so, how do we know

this?

 

2) Was he a disciple of Madhavendra Puri? If so, how do we know?

 

 

The BR Kantimala is disputed; some say someone else wrote it instead of

Visnupuri. Thanks in advance for any help with this. Hare Krishna!

 

Your servant,

 

Mukunda Datta dasa

[Guest guest]

On Sun, 1 Apr 2001, S. HariKrishna wrote:

> > "samprad/aya-vih/in/a ye mantr/as te viphal/a mat/a/h

> > ata/h kalau bhavi/shyanti chatv/ara/h samprad/ayina/h

> > /sr/i-brahma-rudra-sanak/a/h vai/sh/nav/a/h k/shiti-p/avan/a/h

> > chatv/aras te kalau bh/avy/a hy utkale puru/shottam/at" iti

> >

> > "Those mantras which are devoid of a samprad/aya are considered fruitless.

> > Therefore in Kali-yuga there will be four personalities who will

> dessiminate

> > their respective samprad/ayas. Those four devotees of Lord Vishnu--/Sr/i,

> > Brahma, Rudra and Sanaka--will purify the earth, and will appear in

> > Kali-yuga in Utkala-de/sa [Orissa] from Puru/shottama."

>

> This is the first time I have heard this verse being translated to say that

> the aachaaryas would appear in Orissa. Is that not historically incorrect?

> How sure are we that Orissa is being referred to here?

No doubt about it; Utkala is Orissa, and not even Kalinga (in the

Southern end, or Northern Andhra)--but rather central & Northern Orissa.

Remuna is squarely in Utkala. "Purushottama" may also refer to Jagannatha

Puri. I don't recall noticing this rather odd detail before. But all the

sampradayas have mathas in Puri; the locative may refer to them in this

general way, with Purusottama referring to Lord Jagannatha Himself, from

whom they all emanate.

 

MDd