Occam's Razor is Broken

[Guest guest]

Dear Manohara prabhu,

 

You should not push your own glib interpretation upon Srila Prabhupada's

summary presentation of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings. Perhaps you

should read the actual text being summarized - in Madhya Lila, Chapter 6, of

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita - where Lord Chaitanya instructs Sarvabauma

Bhattacharya:

 

Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu continued, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the

central point of all relationships, acting in devotional service to Him is

one’s real occupation, and the attainment of love of Godhead is the ultimate

goal of life. These three subject matters are described in the Vedic

literature.Madhya 6.178

 

“If one tries to explain the Vedic literature in a different way, he is

indulging in imagination. Any interpretation of the self-evident Vedic version

is simply imaginary.Madhya 6.179

 

“Actually there is no fault on the part of Sankaracharya. He simply carried

out the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He had to imagine some

kind of interpretation, and therefore he presented a kind of Vedic literature

that is full of atheism.

Madhya 6.180

 

“[Addressing Lord Siva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said:] ‘Please make

the general populace averse to Me by imagining your own interpretation of the

Vedas. Also, cover Me in such a way that people will take more interest in

advancing material civilization just to propagate a population bereft of

spiritual knowledge.’

 

So, Manohara prabhu, perhaps you are inclined, like Ananda dasa, to come up

with your own interpretation, which genuflects before material science while

interpreting the Vedas as "just so" stories. But, according to Sri Chaitanya

Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada, and all true Vedic authorities, you are in

illusion.

 

Here's a quote from 5th Canto:

 

"When we take into account that the moon is 100,000 yojanas, or 800,000 miles,

above the rays of the sunshine, it is very surprising that the modern

excursions to the moon could be possible. Since the moon is so distant, how

space vehicles could go there is a doubtful mystery. Modern scientific

calculations are subject to one change after another, and therefore they are

uncertain. We have to accept the calculations of the Vedic literature. These

Vedic calculations are steady; the astronomical calculations made long ago and

recorded in the Vedic literature are correct even now. Whether the Vedic

calculations or modern ones are better may remain a mystery for others, but as

far as we are concerned, we accept the Vedic calculations to be correct."

SB 5.22.9

 

Did you get that, prabhu? "As far as we are concerned, we accept the Vedic

calculations to be correct."

 

Here's another from the 8th Canto:

 

"The cloud of dust covered the entire horizon, but when drops of blood sprayed

up as far as the sun, the dust cloud could no longer float in the sky. A point

to be observed here is that although the blood is stated to have reached the

sun, it is not said to have reached the moon. Apparently, therefore, as stated

elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam, the sun, not the moon, is the planet nearest

the earth. We have already discussed this point in many places. The sun is

first, then the moon, then Mars, Jupiter and so on. The sun is supposed to be

93,000,000 miles above the surface of the earth, and from the

Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that the moon is 1,600,000 miles above the

sun. Therefore the distance between the earth and the moon would be about

95,000,000 miles. So if a space capsule were traveling at the speed of 18,000

miles per hour, how could it reach the moon in four days? At that speed, going

to the moon would take at least seven months. That a space capsule on a moon

excursion has reached the moon in four days is therefore impossible."

 

SB 8.10.39

 

The Founder Acharya of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada, is presenting the

conclusions of the Vedas, as descibed in Srimad Bhagavatam. We may not

entirely understand those conclusions in our present, materially diseased

consciousness. But we should have faith that, by following strictly the

principles of Krishna consciousness, we will be able to understand and see the

truth. You should not concoct and misinterpret. Otherwise, eventually all of

Krishna consciousness will seem like an "Aesop's fable" and you will fall down

from your very fortunate position as a Vaishnava.

 

It is a dreadful error to think that even a single word of Srimad Bhagavatam

is illusory or mistaken. It is completely perfect.

 

I get the feeling that you're not reading Prabhupada's books; otherwise, you

would not have advanced your 'preference' in this way.

 

Your servant,

 

Pancha Tattva dasa

 

 

On 23 Sep 1999, Manohara das wrote:

 

> Regarding the Moon' position I like best the following quote from

> Srila Prabhupada -

>

> > The Lord said that but for these three items-namely, eternal relation with

> > God, exchange of dealings with Him and the attainment of love for Him-all

> > that is instructed in the Vedas is superfluous and concocted.

>

> It is found in introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam.

>

> Your servant

> Manohara das