Garga Samhita and Charlie Chaplin

[Guest guest]

> In Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Sri Amnaya-sutra, translated by Kusakratha

> Prabhu, he also quotes from Garga-samhita along with quotes from

> Upanisads. So it is quite clear that Thakura Bhaktivinode accepted the

> book as bona-fide and thus we should also do so.

 

Yes, because Thakur Bhaktivinode quoted it we can understand that it is bona

fide. That is, at least the SIDDHANTA OF THE PARTICULAR VERSES he quoted

were bona fide for use in his preaching at that time. However we cannot

claim that any particular LITERATURE is historically bona fide simply on the

strength of the fact that it was quoted in the preaching of one of our

previous acaryas. If that were the standard for proof then we would have to

accept that Charlie Chaplin movies were bona fide since Srila Prabhupada

once chose to tell a story from one.

 

If the philosophy given in a literature is found to be correct in light of

our tradition then we may cite it to support a point, even if the source is

from the newspaper or something seemingly mundane. Personally, I like

Garga-samhita and I find it useful. Although the mood, especially the

emphasis on aisvarya, does not seem to be the same as that of our goswamis,

I have not come across anything in it which seems contrary to our siddhanta.

However, to establish that a book is "bona fide" is not a simple matter.

First of all we have to all agree upon the meaning of the term "bona fide"!

You and I may think of different things when we use the term. One criteria

is whether it was authored by the person who is alleged to have written it.

Another is whether the edition contains interpolated portions. Etc. So if we

want to throw around the term "bona fide" we should look for more serious

pramanas than the fact that it was quoted in the preaching of a dynamic

pracarak like Thakur Bhaktivinode.

 

Thus, if we want to substantiate the authenticity of Garga Samhita on the

basis of literature in a way that will be accepted by serious persons, then

we should look for ancient manuscripts or quotes given in the Upanisads,

Puranas and other Vedic literatures. This is sastra pramana and will be

accepted by all. We should not put the burden on Thakur Bhaktivinode.

 

Your servant, Madhavananda Das