Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

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February 6th, 2003, Thursday (Pancami)

 

Disappearance day of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

 

 

[The following article appeared in the monthly Bengali magazine

"Gaudiya", 18th volume, number 18, dated 8 Pausha, Bengali year 1329 (1922

AD). The magazine was founded and edited by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.]

 

 

SRI VISVANATHA CAKRAVARTI THAKURA

 

The names of all the Vrajavasi Gosvamis who were living during the

time of Sri Mahaprabhu are very well known. Later, after their

disappearance, the flow of pure devotion for the Lord took shelter of the

three famous Prabhus - Srinivasa Acarya, Thakura Narottama, and Syamananda

Prabhu - and surged on with full force. In the disciplic succession coming

from Thakura Narottama, Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura appeared in the

fourth position.

 

The story of Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti is more or less known only

among the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. They speak of the outstanding excellence of

achievement demonstrated by Srila Cakravarti Thakura in his examination of

the Srimad Bhagavat and the Bhagavad-gita, as well as his complete

understanding of the opinions expressed by the Gosvamis in their own books.

Our Thakura is the protector, guardian and acarya of the middle period of

Gaudiya Vaisnava dharma's historical development.

 

Nowadays amongst the Vaisnavas there is the following saying in

relation to Cakravarti Thakura's three most famous books:

 

kirana bindu kana, e tin niye vaisnava pana

 

"These three books, Ujjvala-Nilamani-Kirana,

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu, and Laghu-Bhagavatamrta-kana, are taken and

used by the Vaisnavas as their wealth."

 

In this connection, we also hear the following verse sung everywhere:

 

visvasya natha-ripo 'sau

bhakti-vartma-pradarsanat

bhakta-cakre varttitatvat

cakravarty akhyaya bhavat

 

"Because he has shown the visva-vasis (residents of the material

universe) the path of bhakti, he is called 'Visvanatha'; and because he is

situated amongst the cakra (circle) of devotees, he is called 'Cakravarti'."

 

 

SRILA CAKRAVARTI THAKURA DEFENDS SRI NAROTTAMA'S TRUE POSITION

 

Previously, Srila Narottama Thakura Mahasaya had achieved fame as

Rasika-raja, or the king of those devotees who know how to relish the

mellows of the topmost madhurya-rasa. And he certainly is that. However,

certain persons who are envious of Lord Hari - who are loyal servants of

that energy which completely surrounds the fallen souls with strict

difficulties - have dared to attempt to forcibly throw such a wonderful,

true rasika as Narottama into their own well of material rasa.

 

Needless to say, they have not been successful. Being unable to

understand the purely spiritual activities of Sri Narottama Thakura, many

prakrta-sahajiyas had given him the title "Sahajiya-kula-bhusana" (the

ornament of the family of cheap imitators). Therefore, Srila Visvanatha

Cakravarti Thakura appeared in time to check the spread of this concocted

sahajiya mentality, and to truly defend the factual spiritual rank of Srila

Thakura Mahasaya.

 

 

VISVANATHA'S FAMILY LINEAGE, BIRTH & STUDIES

 

Srila Visvanatha took birth in a family of brahmanas found in the

Radha-desa area of Nadia District, West Bengal (Radha-sreniya-vipra-kula).

According to some, he also used the pen name 'Hari-vallabha'. He had two

older brothers named Ramabhadra and Raghunatha, and he stayed in Deva-grama

during his childhood. Upon the completion of his studies in vyakarana

(Sanskrit grammar), he moved to Saiyadabad-grama, Mursidabad District, where

he studied the bhakti-sastras (literature of devotion) in the home of his

guru Sri Radha-ramana Cakravarti. This Radha-ramana was the disciple of Sri

Krsna-carana Cakravarti, who was in turn the disciple of Sri Ganga-narayana

Cakravarti (one of the chief disciples of Thakura Narottama.)

 

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura later composed Sanskrit prayers

describing this disciplic succession - Sri Gurudevastaka, Sri

Parama-gurudevastaka, Sri Pratapara-gurudevastaka, and Sri

Parama-parat-gurudevastaka. All these stotras can be found, along with many

other compositions, in his book named Sri Stavamrta-lahari (Waves of

Nectarean Prayers).

 

 

HIS RESIDENCE IN SRI VRAJA MANDALA

 

By the mercy of his spiritual master, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti

Thakura lived in many different places within Vraja-dhama, and composed

various transcendental literatures there. Most of these books are very

difficult to find nowadays; however a few of them are well known, and are

considered to be the supremely honorable wealth of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

 

Sometimes Srila Cakravarti Thakura lived at Sri Govardhana,

sometimes on the bank of Sri Radha-kunda, sometimes at Sri Yavata and

sometimes in Sri Vrindavana within the compound of Sri Gokulananda's temple.

His movements here and there are made very clear by the statements found at

the end of his books.

 

 

THE DATE OF HIS BIRTH

 

In attempting to ascertain the time of Cakravarti Thakura, we see

that he states at the end of Sri Krsna-Bhavanamrta that this book was

completed on the full moon day of the month of Phalguna, 1607 Saka (1685

AD). This was the day commemorating the auspicious appearance of Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the full moon in February-March. Additionally, in his

commentary of the Srimad Bhagavatam named Sarartha-darsini, we see that this

tika was written during the month of Magha, 1626 Saka (1704 AD). Therefore,

estimating that his time of birth was approximately 1560 Saka (1638 AD), and

determining his time of death as 1630 Saka (1708 AD), we can calculate that

he was present in this world for 70 years.

 

 

HIS DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION

 

Sri Ganga-narayana Cakravarti was a disciple of Srila Narottama

Thakura Mahasaya, and a resident of Balucara Gambila (the place of

Narottama's disappearance). By the Lord's desire, he had no sons; however,

he had one daughter named Visnu-priya. Srila Thakura Mahasaya also had a

famous disciple known as Sri Rama-krsna Bhattacarya (a

Barendra-sreniya-brahmana). The youngest son of this Bhattacarya was named

Sri Krsna-carana, who was accepted by Sri Ganga-narayana as his own son

(since he had none of his own.) This Krsna-carana is the parama-guru, or

grand spiritual master of Srila Cakravarti Thakura. In Visvanatha's

Bhagavatam commentary named Sarartha-darsini, at the beginning of the famous

Rasa-pancadhyayi (five chapters describing Lord Sri Krsna's rasa-lila

dance), we find the following verse:

 

sri rama krsna ganga caran natva gurun uru premnah

srila narottama natha sri gauranga prabhum naumi

 

"Having bowed down while absorbed in the most exalted divine love at

the feet of all my gurus in disciplic succession - Sri Radha-ramana

Cakravarti, Sri Krsna-carana Cakravarti, Sri Ganga-narayana Cakravarti, Sri

Narottama Thakura and Sri Lokanatha Gosvami - I now offer my respectful

obeisances unto my Lord Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu."

 

We understand from this sloka that Sri Radha-ramana's abbreviated

name is 'Sri Rama', and that Sri Krsna-carana's abbreviated name is 'Krsna'.

The word 'natha' is understood to mean Sri Lokanatha Gosvami.

 

 

REFUTING THE FAULTY CONCLUSIONS OF RUPA KAVIRAJA

 

Srinivasa Acarya's famous daughter, Srimati Hemalata Thakurani,

rejected an envious disciple named Sri Rupa Kaviraja from the Vaisnava

society. This Rupa Kaviraja is counted amongst the sub-branch of the Gaudiya

Vaisnava sampradaya known as Atibadi. He spread his own concocted philosophy

(counter to the Gaudiya tradition) that only a person in the renounced order

of life is capable of acting as acarya. He claimed that it was not possible

for a householder to become a spiritual master.

 

Fully disregarding the vidhi-marga, or path of devotional rules and

regulations, he also tried to preach a philosophical path of raga-marga, or

spontaneous devotion, which was completely unregulated and undisciplined. He

also preached that smarana (remembrance) was possible without the help of

sravana and kirtana (hearing and chanting.)

 

Thus this Rupa Kaviraja propagated a path which was unfavorable to

the path shown by the Gosvamis. Therefore, Srila Cakravarti Thakura has

refuted all these false conclusions in his Sarartha-darsini commentary on

the 3rd canto of Srimad bhagavatam. Actually, this refutation is a rendering

of the truths outlined in Srila Jiva Gosvami's Bhakti-sandarbha.

 

 

REFUTING THE CASTE GOSVAMIS

 

The later descendants of Sri Rupa Kaviraja, as well as the

descendants of Sri Nityananda Prabhu's son Sri Virabhadra and the

descendants of Sri Advaita Acarya's rejected sons all gave the title

"Gosvami" to their disciples, even if they are householders. In preaching

his refutation of this bogus practice, Srila Cakravarti Thakura has stated,

citing scriptural evidence, that such a title of "Gosvami" is not at all

improper for a befitting offspring of an acarya.

 

However, it is highly improper to simply tack the word "Gosvami"

onto the ends of names of offspring who are born in unfit families, even

though descendants of an acarya - especially when there is a motive of greed

for increasing wealth and followers. For this reason, even one conducting

the activities of an acarya should never use the title "Gosvami". Srila

Cakravarti Thakura maintains that such foolish persons, who are bereft of

proper behavior, are so ignorant that they are not even fit to be seen.

 

 

THE GAUDIYA SAMPRADAYA'S COMQUEST AT JAIPUR

 

During the time of Srila Cakravarti Thakura, the offspring of

acaryas were signing the title "Gosvami" next to their own names, thereby

displaying their foolish ignorance. Being envious of the Lord and averse to

the scriptures, they were very proud to announce the name of their

vamsa-parampara (family lineage). At that time, at Sri Govindadeva's temple

at Gulta-grama (just outside Jaipur), the acaryas of the Sri

Ramanuja-sampradaya issued a challenge against the Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

 

The King of Jaipur consequently invited the most prominent Gaudiya

Vaisnavas of Sri Vrindavana to attend. Knowing them to be followers of Srila

Rupa Gosvami, he called them to council with the followers of Sri Ramanuja.

This happened in 1628 Saka (1706 AD), when Srila Cakravarti Thakura was very

old (about 68 years). So he consulted his foremost student, Gaudiya Vaisnava

Vedantacarya Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit-kula-mukta Sripada Baladeva

Vidya-bhusana. Thereafter, Sri Vidya-bhusana left Vrndavana to join the

assembly in Jaipur, accompanied by his own student (and disciple of Srila

Cakravarti Thakura), Sri Krsnadeva Sarvabhauma.

 

The caste Gosvamis had completely forgotten their own loyalty to the

Sri Madhva-sampradaya. Being ignorant of the true facts of the disciplic

succession, and being disrespectful to Vaisnava Vedanta, they had fallen

into such a degraded condition that Sri Baladeva Vidya-bhusana was obliged

to write a separate commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, according to the

philosophy of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. This was done just to refute their

false conclusions. Srila Cakravarti Thakura gave his full sanction and

approval to this task of counteracting the challenge, which simultaneously

resulted in allowing the Gaudiya Vaisnava parampara to continue preaching

freely.

 

This event marks the second illustration of Srila Cakravarti

Thakura's preaching of the Vaisnava dharma. Specifically, this is a

brilliant example of his endeavor to reform the Vaisnava acaryas who

happened to be born in impure brahmana families.

 

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura wrote many, many books. The

following is a list of as many books as is possible to locate:

 

 

THE GLORIOUS BOOKS OF SRILA VISVANATHA CAKRAVARTIPADA

 

ORIGINAL BOOKS:

 

1. Sri Krsna-bhavanamrta

(Nectar-meditations on Sri Krsna's Daily Sports)

 

1,347 Sanskrit verses in 20 chapters describing the eight periods of

a day in the life of the Divine Couple and Their Friends.

 

2. Sankalpa Kalpa-druma

(The Desire Tree of Resolute Determination)

 

104 Sanskrit verses of prayer to Sri Radhika for the attainment of

specific services rendered to Her during the eight periods of the day in

Goloka Vrindavana. Often published as a separate book, this work is included

in Sri Visvanatha's collection of prayers called Stavamrta-lahari.

 

3. Camatkara-candrika

(A Moonbeam of Sheer Astonishment)

 

226 Sanskrit verses in four chapters of short stories depicting Sri

Krsna's mischievous pranks conducted in various disguises: 1) Meeting in the

Box, 2) Meeting in the Disguise of Abhimanyu, 3) Meeting in the Disguise of

a Female Doctor, 4) Meeting in the Disguise of a Female Singer.

 

4. Prema-samputa

(The Jewel-box of Love)

 

141 Sanskrit verses narrating the story of Krsna coming before Sri

Radha in the disguise of a demigoddess, and Radhika's confidential

confessions of the innermost core of Her selfless love for Him.

 

5. Vraja-riti-cintamani

(The Touchstone of Life in Vraja)

 

234 Sanskrit verses in three chapters describing the holy flora,

fauna, hills, lakes, groves, temples, and towns of the eternal realm of

Vraja.

 

6. Gauranga-lilamrta

(The Nectar of Sri Gauranga's Daily Pastimes)

 

11 Sanskrit verses depicting Sri Mahaprabhu's daily pastimes

conducted in eight periods of the day; the descriptions of the pastimes in

each verse are expanded by the extensive Bengali verses composed by Sri

Visvanatha's direct disciple, the poet Krsnadasa.

 

7. Caitanya-rasayana

(The Necta-Tonic of Sri Caitanya)

 

A work that was never finished; the story of it is mentioned in the

13th chapter of Sri Narottama Vilasa by Sri Narahari Cakravarti, the son of

Visvanatha's disciple Jagannatha Vipra.

 

8. Raga-vartma-candrika

(A Moonbeam Revealing the Path of Spontaneous Devotion)

 

22 Sanskrit paragraphs in two chapters of prose and verse which

elaborate on the proper behavior and attitudes of one following the path of

spontaneous devotional service.

 

9. Madhurya-kadambini

(A Row of Clouds of Sweetness)

 

Eight "showers of nectar" (chapters) of Sanskrit prose which

scientifically analyzes the various stages of advancement that one ascends

while on the devotional path.

 

10. Aisvarya-kadambini

(A Row of Clouds of Majesty)

 

A work mentioned by Visvanatha in the second chapter of his

Madhurya-kadambini. It is different from the work by Sri Baladeva

Vidya-bhusana of the same name. The book by Visvanatha discusses the

philosophy of "Dvaitadvaita-vada"; however no copy of this work has ever

been found.

 

11. Ujjvala-nilamani-kirana

(One Ray of Sri Rupa Gosvami's Book, Ujjvala-nilamani)

 

Sixteen paragraphs of Sanskrit prose, composed as a condensed

summary study of Srila Rupa Gosvami's 1,453-verse work. It is an examination

of the psychology of the Divine Couple's relationship with other and with

Their girlfriends.

 

12. Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu

(A Drop From the Nectar-Ocean of Devotion)

 

27 Sanskrit notes, composed as a summary of Srila Rupa Gosvami's

book Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which outlines the process of devotional

service.

 

13. Bhagavatamrta-kana

(A Speck of Sri Rupa Gosvami's Book, Laghu-bhagavatamrta)

 

15 Sanskrit notes that sum up the information presented in Sri

Rupa's book, which describes Sri Krsna's various incarnations and plenary

portions.

 

14. Gaura-gana-svarupa-tattva-candrika

(A Moonbeam Revealing the Truth of the Identity of Gaura's Associates)

 

A book which follows the earlier work of Sri Kavi Karnapura called

Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika. It similarly reveals the Vraja-lila identity of

various descendants of the Gaudiya-sampradaya), but is updated to include

many other personalities that appeared in the sampradaya after Kavi

Karnapura's time.

 

15. Rupa-cintamani

(The Touchstone of Gauranga's Bodily Beauty)

 

Sanskrit verses describing the exact locations of the sacred marks

found on Lord Caitanya's palms and soles, including those of Sri Nityananda

and Sri Advaita. Visvanatha composed another work also called Rupa-cintamani

that describes the head-to-toe beauty of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, as well as the

marks on the soles of Their lotus feet; this work is included in his

collection called Stavamrta-lahari.

 

16. Ksanada-gita-cintamani

(The Touchstone of Songs to be Sung at Night)

 

This is the first anthology of devotional songs written by Gaudiya

Vaisnava poets in the Bengali, Sanskrit and Braja-bhuli languages.

Visvanatha compiled the writings of 45 authors totaling 309 songs, among

which are 51 of his own songs, signed with his other pen name Hari-vallabha.

The songs are divided up into groups that are to be sung each night of the

month; thus there are 30 divisions - 15 for the dark fortnight and 15 for

the light fortnight.

 

17. Mantrartha-dipika

(A Torch-lamp Illuminating the Kama-Gayatri Mantra)

 

18 Sanskrit notes in prose and verse which give detailed

explanations of each and every syllable of kama-bija and kama-gayatri

mantras. There is also a description of a doubt that Visvanatha had

regarding the syllables of the mantra, and how Sri Radhika Herself appeared

to him in a dream in order to solve the problem.

 

18. Stavamrta-lahari

(Wave After Wave of Nectarean Prayers)

 

A collection of 28 Sanskrit prayers, astakams, meditations and

glorifications.

 

 

COMMENTARIES:

 

1. on Srimad-Bhagavatam, named Sarartha-darsini (She Who Reveals the Inner,

Essential Purports)

 

2. on Bhagavad-gita, named Sarartha-varsini (She Who Showers Forth the

Hidden Meanings)

 

3. on Sri Rupa's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, named Bhakti-sara-pradarsini (She

Who Demonstrates the Cream-like Essence of Devotion)

 

4. on Sri Rupa's Ujjvala-nilamani, named Ananda-candrika (Moonbeams of Pure

Bliss)

 

5. on Sri Rupa's Lalita-madhava-nataka

 

6. on Sri Rupa's Vidagha-madhava-nataka

 

7. on Sri Rupa's Dana-keli-kaumudi, named Mahati (She Who Is Glorious)

 

8. on Sri Rupa's Hamsa-duta

 

9. on Kavi Karnapura's Alankara-kaustubha, named Subodhini (She Who Informs

Very Nicely)

 

10. on Kavi Karnapura's Ananda-vrindavana-campu, named Sukha-varttini (She

Who Establishes One in Happiness)

 

11. on Krsnadasa Kaviraja's Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, which is said to be

incomplete.

 

12. on Narottama dasa Thakura's Prema-bhakti-candrika

 

13. on Sri Brahma-samhita

 

14. on Gopala-tapani-upanisad, named Bhakta-harsini (She Who Gives Great Joy

to the Devotees)

 

 

(NOTE: The original Bengali article by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Thakura contained a slightly smaller list of Srila Cakravartipada's books;

the translator expanded the list and composed the individual descriptions.)