Guest guest Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Is there any evidence to indicate he actually existed? That he found a bangle belonging to Radha and saw her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Evidence? What would you accept? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 where can I read more about this fascinating experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 All gaudiya acharya's accept it. This doesn't prove its true, but for those of us that value the acharya's opinions it will help us understand it. And if one doesn't believe in Gaudiya Vaishnavism and it's acharyas, then it really doesn't matter if he existed or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Some documentation regarding his existence, his own writings, and writings of other people about him around that same period where he was supposed to have existed. That's evidence I would accept. I think the experience he had was amazing, and I would like to know if he actually existed or if it was just a cooked-up story emphasizing importance of bhakti or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Some documentation regarding his existence, his own writings, and writings of other people about him around that same period where he was supposed to have existed. That's evidence I would accept. I think the experience he had was amazing, and I would like to know if he actually existed or if it was just a cooked-up story emphasizing importance of bhakti or something. But how could you trust some documentation or what was claimed to have been his own writings to have been really written by him? Or even if you accepted that he was a historical person how do you know he was telling the truth in what he wrote or said? Doubts can continually plauge us if we only inquire in this way. But as JNdas has stated if we hear from the Gaudiya Vaisnava teachers we can accept the reality of such pastimes. I have read very little about Shyamananda. Only from a book by Steven Rosen, The Lives of the Vaisnava Saints, where he writes on Shrinivas Acarya, Narottam das Thakur and Shymananda Pandit. He talks of his birth one year after Sri Caitanya quit His earthly manifestation. His parents are known etc. So there is such a record. Apparently there are slightly different versions of the bangle story. What I enjoy from such stories is a glimpse into the reality of personal spiritual interactions that are possible with these beings of the highest spiritual perfection and Their earthbound devotees. The knowledge is that such pastimes are not only for those like Shyamananda Pandit alone but also await us if we continue on the Bhakti path. You and I can someday have our own "bangle" like pastimes. So it may be best if we don't worry over evidence so much that we miss out on relishing the joy of hearing Shamananda's experience and praying and hankering for our own. Jai Radhe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 The Saints of Vraja by Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor is filled with wonderful accounts from the lives of Vraja's holy devotees. I found my copy on the shelf of a second hand bookstore by Krsna's grace, I am not sure where it is sold. Anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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