Letters from Madhva Swami's on Srila Prabhupada

[Gauracandra]

If anyone wants to see the literal handwritten letters, and photos of the Madhva acharyas please visit:

 

http://www.gosai.com/dvaita/udupi/

 

But I wanted to make a permanent record of these letters here. I really enjoyed their statements especially since a particular Madhva individual on the internet has attacked Srila Prabhupada (saying he was "lying through his teeth" and much worse). These are the words of some of the most prominent acharyas of the Madhva sampradaya. All glories to them, all glories to the devotees who approached them, and all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Haribol.

 

[This message has been edited by Gauracandra (edited 05-31-2001).]

[Gauracandra]

Udupi Asta Matha Letters

We are rather perturbed to come across an article said to contain a statemant issued by Poornaprajna Vidyapeetha about Madhwa and Gaudiya Sampradayas.

 

We have been emphasizing time and again that even though there are certain difference in a few aspects of the two Sampradayas, there are many more common grounds and Gaudiya Sampradaya is a part of Madhwa Sampradaya. We have great regard for Prabhupada who has spread Vaisnava Bhakti Siddhanta throughout the world.

 

We have been admiring him on various occasions also. We are pained to find that the article denigrates Prabhupada and is against our opinion and philosophy.

 

The whole issue will be reviewed and in our capacity as the chancellor of Poornaprajna Vidyapeeta, a message will be shortly published to strengthen the mutual harmonious relationship between the Sampradayas.

 

Sri Sri Vishwesa Tirtha Swamiji

 

 

[Gauracandra]

Udupi Asta Matha Letters

 

Sri Shiroor Mutt, Udupi

Jadadguru Sri Sri Madhwacharya Peethan

Udupi, South Candra

 

Friend of our Samsthanam Poojya

Sri Narasingha Swamy Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Mutt,

Sri Rangapatna, Mysore

 

Ref: Re: Mispropoganda in www.Dvaita.org between "Sri Madhwacharya and Chaitanya Pantha."

 

Sri Chaitanya Sampradaya is a branch of Madhwa philosophy. there are historic proofs to substantiate this fact. The sadhana achieved by Sri A. C. Prabhupada, Acharya of "Chaitanya Sampradaya" is to be welcomed by all Vaishnavites. It is due to him people all over the world have learned about Lord Krishna. This work should have been accomplished by Madhwa followers. But Prabhupada has served the world in propagating this cult. Even in the western world he has attracted a large number of devotees of Lord Krishna, through his discourse on "Bhagavat Geeta." The book on "Bhagavat Geeta" of Sri Prabhupada is allowed to be sold in front of Krishna Mandira at Udupi. This fact is known to all eight mutts of Udupi. As well as all devotees of Udupi Kshetra.

 

Therefore, the blame cast on Sri Prabhupada is to be deemed as the blame on Sri Hari, Vayu and Guru. This type of behavior is not to be found in a brahmin. As such, it is a bad affair to note that a Vaishnava has exhibited such a behavior. Such contradictory statements do create split in the Vaishnava Society and do not promote any good on the Society.

 

Therefore we oppose the points relayed through the website.

 

Sri Laksmivara Tirtha Swami

 

[Gauracandra]

Udupi Asta Matha Letters

Sri Vidyavallaba Tirtha Swamiji

Sri Kaniyoor Mutt

Car Street, Udupi 576101

 

Some argue that there is no relationship between "Chaitanya prabhu parampara" and "Sri Madhwacharya parampara." We wish to put forth our opinion on the matter.

 

According to our views, Sri Chaitanya prabhu having embraced "virakti," approached Sri Vysatheertha, who belongs to the Madhwacharya's traditional Vyasaraya Mutt. Sri Vyasatheertha graced him offering "deeksha" to him and commanded him to spread the philosophic ideals fo Sri Madhwacharya.

 

As a result of his propaganda, Mutts with "Gaudiya Tradition" emerged and this is an historic event. While glancing through the aforesaid historic event, it is evident that there exists a deep relationship between "Chaitanya parampara" and "Madhwa parampara."

 

Therefore it is necessary that no one should wound the feelings of Chaitanya Prabhupada, making comments on him.

 

We humbly appeal to one and all to encourage the philosophic ideals of Sri Chaitanya Prabhupada and see this propaganda grows further without obstacles.

 

Sri Vidyavallaba Tirtha Swamiji

 

Kaniyoor Swami

 

 

[Guest guest]

These are futile and politic letters made by professionals. They would eulogize Ramakrsna, Vivekananda, and any other person who could make a similar work of boardcasting sanatana-dharma in foreign countries if it was necessary.

 

The basic objection is: "Tattva-vadis do reject Sri Caitanya's divinty."

 

All the other considerations are secondary.

 

These swamis would never agree with the premise made by Gaudiyas on Sri Caitanya's divinity. Never. Never. Never. No matter what kind of flowered letters they may write.

 

 

dasa dasanudasa

Satyaraja dasa

 

[Gauracandra]

Whether these are simply political letters is simply supposition on your part. These are not kindergarten Vaisnavas but some of the key acharyas of the Madhva line. As such I consider them to be honest and straight forward.

 

The fact that they do not accept Caitanya's divinity is of no great concern to me. They have not accepted it for hundreds of years. What is the central issue at the moment [this is important] is that these letters publicly reject the activities and statements of a certain Madhva follower and his website in their insults against Srila Prabhupada. The devotees who approached these acharyas should be commended for their activities.

 

Gauracandra

[Guest guest]

 

Dear Gauracandara; actually you seem to be very ingenious in politic affairs. One hand beats and the other caress. This is institutional's politic everywhere. Your Prabhupada is their chicken of golden eggs, they don't want to kill it. Donations are given to mathavasis and not to laymen. So, laymen can say things that mathavasis cannot. But both are following the same line.

 

Sri Caitanya's divinity is the main pillar of Gaudiya-sampradaya. Tattva-vadis do not accept it not even in dreams, all the other considerations in the commentary made by the laymen weren't refuted by the mathavasis.

 

Let's see some points:

 

1. They are stating that we are going face hell due our worship of a man, as Sri Caitanya is to be considered as an ordinary jiva. We have no sastric evidence on His avatara.

 

2. None of Sri Caitanya's teachings are accepted by them, such as jiva-tattva, Sri Radha-tattva, rasa-tattva and so on.

 

Tattvadis jiva-tattva states that are different categories of jivas, only brahmanas attain Visnu, not all people like us.

 

According their viewpoint Laksmi is an ordinary jiva, and gopis are to be considered as apsaras from Svarga and they strongly reject the divine character of Sri Radha. Therefore, all of Sri Caitanya's teaching regarding bhavas between Sri Krsna and gopis are rejected by them as something worst than mayavada.

 

Tattvavadis don't accept rasa-tattva, or any sort of dealings between Sri Hari and jivas, and their aim is mukti, not the prema attained by seva.

 

3. There are substantial differences between acintya-bheda-abheda and dvaita-vada that are very difficult to conciliate. Tattva-vadis will never accept the conception of Sri Guru being simultaneously equal and different from Sri Hari, for example.

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

I think you should first study tattva-vada properly before you ramble on about what tattva-vada teaches. Just my opinion.

 

And remember, the Padma Purana verse that Gaudiyas like to quote states there are four authorized sampradayas in the Kali yuga. It doesn't say the Gaudiya sampradaya is the only authorized sampradaya. In fact it doesn't even mention the Gaudiya sampradaya.

[Guest guest]

I think you should first study tattva-vada properly before you ramble on about what tattva-vada teaches. Just my opinion.

 

You better concentrate your little intelligence studding your own Gurudeva's teachings regarding tattva-vadis:

 

"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the chain of disciplic succession from Madhva Acarya, but the Vaisnavas in His line do not accept the tattva-vadis, who also claim to belong to the Madhva-sampradaya. To distinguish themselves clearly from the tattva-vadi branch of Madhva's descendants, the Vaisnavas of Bengal prefer to call themselves Gaudiya Vaisnavas.(C.c. Adi 1.19.p)"

 

Sriman Mahaprabhu has refuted the distorted opinions of the tattva-vadis by stating:

 

prabhu kahe - karmi jñani dui bhaktihina

timara sampradaye dekhi sei dui cihna (C.c. Madhy 276)

 

"Karmis and jñanis are devoid of devotion, and it is seen that both of these are respected in your sampradaya."

 

There is no mention or any instruction to first study tattva-vada in our sampradaya. Why don't you follow your Gurudeva, the acaryas in our line, and Sri Caitanyadeva and avoid the association with tattva-vadis?

 

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

There is no mention or any instruction to first study tattva-vada in our sampradaya.

This is why people are laughing at you. You want to discuss other philosophies without having read them. If you want to speak on a topic, you need to study what the topic says, other wise you end up misrepresenting their position. But I think this topic already came up in your talks on Shankara and advaita.

 

Why don't you follow your Gurudeva, the acaryas in our line, and Sri Caitanyadeva and avoid the association with tattva-vadis?

tattva-vadi saha kaila tattvera vicara

apanake hina-buddhi haila tan-sabara

 

"Caitanya Mahaprabhu also had a discussion with the Tattvavadi community, and the Tattvavadis felt themselves to be inferior Vaisnavas."

 

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and other acharya's in our line did not avoid association with the tattva-vadis. And my gurudeva has not given the instruction to avoid the association of tattva-vadis. Madhavendra Puri belonged to the tattva-vada community, he was not a Gaudiya Vaishnava - for there was no such thing at his time.