Some doubts

[Guest guest]

> > "Statements in the Saivite Puranas should be accepted only if they are

> > confirmed in the Vaisnava Puranas."

>

> It would be nice to have the sanskrit and verse reference for this.

>

> Yours in service,

> Rasananda das

 

Skanda-purana Lord Siva to Karttikeya:

 

Siva sastre 'pi tad graahyana

Bhagavat Sastra yogi yat iti.

 

(Jiva Gosvami quotes in Krishna Sandarbha)

Your humble servant,

Bhadra Govinda Das.

[Guest guest]

> On 22 Feb 2001, HG Madhavananda Prabhu wrote:

>

> >However, without citing our sources clearly, we run into the danger of

> >thinking ourselves big, big scholars when in fact we may only be tiny,

> >tiny

> mice who have barely nibbled on one or two books which we are >unable to

> digest properly. In the long run such humility and honesty >will make a

> much deeper impression on our audience than mere parroting >of many verses

> we aren't really familiar with.

 

Bhadra Govinda Prabhu responded:

 

> This is a good point Prabhuji.

>

> 1. Generally, devotees read shastra not to become big big scholars, but

> just to maintain one's faith and increase one's faith in Krishna

> Consciousness. There is no other reason other than this. This is the only

> reason. 2. Devotees quote from shastra to instill faith among the

> ignorant. There is no other reason.

> 3. Devotees are not interested in winning debates, but participate in

> debates with non devotees in the mood of compassion, and use the

> opportunity to convince and bring around the conditioned souls to the

> lotus feet of Guru and krishna.

> 4. The reasons for Discussions/debates among devotees themselves are given

> by Krishna in Bg 10.9 (tusyanti ca ramanti ca), and not to show how great

> scholars/devotees they are.

 

Yes, and such genuine devotees who are completely free from such false ego

are very, very rare. We crave their blessings that we may also be free of

all such subtle motivations one day. For this reason Rupa Goswami has taught

us, "bahu-grantha-kalabhyasa-vyakhya-vada-vivarjanam -- one should avoid

studing too many books just in order to make novel explanations and

arguments." --BRS 1.2.79

 

We have no reason to worry ourselves about the exalted maha-bhagavat

devotees who read sastra and practice debate with no material motivation. We

should only try to serve them and pray for their blessings. Our duty as

disciples/sadhakas/preachers is to protect the mission of our spiritual

master and previous acaryas by reminding each other as to what the proper

standard is for pramana. Without such vigilance in this material world, the

preaching mission will always tend to become degraded.

 

Sincerely, Madhavananda Das

[Guest guest]

> Yes, and such genuine devotees who are completely free from such false ego

> are very, very rare. We crave their blessings that we may also be free of

> all such subtle motivations one day. For this reason Rupa Goswami has

taught

> us, "bahu-grantha-kalabhyasa-vyakhya-vada-vivarjanam -- one should avoid

> studing too many books just in order to make novel explanations and

> arguments." --BRS 1.2.79

 

Prabhuji, I mentioned the 4 points actually regarding sincere sadhana

bhaktas, and not just rare exalted maha-bhagavat devotees.

 

Ofcourse in the beginning we have to practice (sadhana) this mood, and later

when all the anarthas are removed, the same mood is there spontaneously.

 

> We have no reason to worry ourselves about the exalted maha-bhagavat

> devotees who read sastra and practice debate with no material motivation.

 

> Sincerely, Madhavananda Das

 

Your humble servant,

Bhadra Govinda Das.