Nityananda Caritamrta

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Thankyou, Isvara Prabhu, for your comments. Below are some observations that

a scholarly ISKCON devotee sent me.

 

> As Isvara says, most of the book is the same as C Bhag. It is only the

> last three chapters that are really different. I have noticed in the

> eleventh chapter that there is a statement which would support the claims

> that the Nityananda Vamsa makes to a seminal connection to Nityananda

> Prabhu.

>

> There (11.6) Mahaprabhu tells Nitai:

>

> "In Dvapara-yuga You did not expand Your family in the Yadu dynasty, but

> this time Your family will increase in the world."

>

> I have heard that many scholars and vaishnavas don't accept this book as

> they consider that it was written not by Vrindavan Das but by the

> Nityananda Vamsa to support their claims. This verse in the 11th chapter,

> which goes against the statement made by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

> (See SP's purport to Cc adi 11.18) would certainly seem to support the

> idea that the book was written by the Nityananda Vamsa.

 

Isvara Prabhu--you have written that you consulted several scholars about

this book. Yet, not every scholar is to be accepted as an authority. Nasav

rsir yasya matam na bhinnam. Better that we consult accepted authorities

within our line. Even Dr. Kapoor, great soul that he is, accepts Gauranga

dasa Babaji of the "nitai gaura radhe shyam" line as his siksa-guru.

 

The facts remain that (a) although ascribed to Vrindavan das, the authorship

is dubious; and (b) the last 3 chapters are in particular questionable.

 

I hope that in your enthusiasm to glorify Lord Nityananda, you have not

instead made offenses to His lotus feet by publishing words wrongly ascribed

to Him by materialistic people motivated by the desire to cheat others.