Parampara from Lord Sri Krishna

Govindaram · May 23, 2003

Hare Krishna

Whats the parampara system after Krishna spoke the gita to Ajuna, I know it says in the Gita Krishna,Bramha,Narada, Vyasdeva etc then Lord Caitainya, 6 Gowswamis etc, Srila Prabhupada, but Krishna says the Parampara system seems to be lost, I'm really confused, can anyone help, sorry for my ignorance, Hare Krishna..Please could you explain in detail!

May 25, 2003

when parampara gets almost lost over time,

krishna re-establishes it.

jai sri prabhupada!

June 12, 2003

Sri Guru and His Grace (excerpts)

Diksa, or initiation is more or less a formal thing; the substantial thing is siksa, or spiritual instruction. And if our siksa and diksa gurus or instructing and initiating spiritual masters are congruent, then we are most fortunate. There are different gradations of spiritual masters.

In the scriptures, the symptoms of the guru and the symptoms of the disciple have been described: the guru must be qualified in so many ways, and the disciple must also be qualified. Then when they come in connection, the desired result will be produced.

What is Krsna consciousness? We must examine the standard of knowledge. The guru should try to impart to his disciple the capacity of reading what Krsna consciousness really is. Krsna consciousness is not a trade; it is not anyone's monopoly. The sincere souls must thank their lucky stars that they can appreciate what Krsna consciousness is, wherever it may be.

Devotee: How are we to understand that in the history of our disciplic succession, it appears that there are gaps where there was no initiating guru present to formally accept disciples?

Srila Sridhara Maharaja: We are not concerned with a material connection. The mediator is not this flesh and body as we generally think. In studying the development of scientific thought, we may connect Newton to Einstein, leaving aside many unimportant scientists.

We may trace the development of science fromGalileo to Newton, and then to Einstein, neglecting the middle points. If their contributions are taken into account, then the whole thing is taken into account, and lesser scientists may be omitted. When a long distance is to be surveyed, the nearest posts may be neglected.

Between one planet and another, the unit of measurement is the light year; distance is calculated in light years and not from mile to mile, or meter to meter. In the disciplic succession, only the great stalwarts in our line are considered important.

Devotee: There was one question still in my mind on guru parampara which was not clarified. Between Baladeva Vidyabhusana and Jagannatha Dasa Babaji is a gap of almost a hundred years. How is it that between the two of them no one is listed in our guru parampara ?

Srila Sridhara Maharaja: We have to forget material consideration when we consider the spiritual line. Here in this plane, the spiritual current is always being disturbed and interrupted by material obstructions.

Whenever truth is interrupted by a material flow and becomes mixed or tampered with, Krsna appears to again reinstate the truth in its former position of purity (yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata ). That attempt is always being made by the Lord and his devotees.

Here in the material world, the material consideration is always tampering with the spiritual current; the purity of the truth is always being disturbed. So, sometimes Krsna has to come himself, and sometimes he sends his personal representative to again reestablish the truth in its former and pure state.

When the truth is sufficiently covered, disturbed, and mutilated by the influence of maya, the illusory energy, then an attempt is made by the devotees of the Lord, or by the Lord himself, to rejuvenate it and return it to the previous standard of purity. We cannot expect truth to continue here in this world of misunderstanding without any tampering or interruption. It is not possible.

The intelligent will understand how to apply these principles practically. Suppose we are writing a history: we will note the main figures in the history, set aside those who are not so qualified, and begin the dynasty in order of their importance. Those who are negligible will not be mentioned.

In a similar way, those who are really thirsty for spiritual truth like to see the line of pure spiritual heritage. They search out where it is to be found, connect the dynasty of stalwart teachers together, and say "This is our line."

The disciplic succession is not a bodily succession. Sometimes it is present, and sometimes it is lost and only appears again after two or three generations, just as with Prahlada Maharaja. He was a great devotee, but his son was a demon; then again his grandson was a devotee.

Even in the physical line we see such interruptions. In the spiritual line we also see the channel of truth affected by the influence of maya or misconception. So, the experts will seek out the important personages in the line.

Suppose a scientist researches some truth. After a few generations, another scientist comes and takes up that thread and continues his research. Then after a few more generations, another comes and takes up that thread and goes on. If we are to understand the real channel through which the particular research is progressing, we will have to study the important thinkers who helped bring it out.

We see that Copernicus has contributed something before Galileo began, then Newton came. Then there may be a gap for some time, and from Newton, we find that Einstein took it up. In this way, there may be a gap, but still that thread is continued. An intelligent man will see that it began with a particular person, and then it came to another, and then came here. That will be the proper line of research. So, in the spiritual line this also holds true.

Those who cannot understand this simple point are guided by physical considerations. They do not understand what is real spiritual truth. For them, the physical continuation is the guru parampara. But those who have their spiritual eyes awakened say, "No. What was there in the first acarya is not found in the second or the third. But again we find the same standard of purity in the fourth acarya. " The Gaudiya sampradaya of Mahaprabhu is one, and whoever contributes to that real line will be accepted.

Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana's contribution to the sampradaya is no less important than that of the other great stalwarts in the line. He may be a member of another line, the Madhva sampradaya in the physical sense, but his contribution, especially in attracting people to Gaudiya Vaisnavism with his commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, cannot be neglected by the students of posterity. So, his contribution has been utilized by our acaryas, considering the degree, the essence and the purity of his thought in our spiritual line.

Sastra guru, siksa guru, diksa guru, and nama guru are all taken together; in this way, a real channel has been given to save us, to keep up the flow of the highest truth from that world to this world.

This policy has been adopted by the acaryas. Wherever we have found any contribution that is, by the will of Krsna, the highest contribution to the line, we have accepted . So, we accept sastra guru, siksa guru, diksa guru, mantra guru, nama guru--we accept them all as our guru .

We give respect to Ramanuja, who is the head of another school of Vaisnavas, but we do not give respect to a sahajiya, an imitationist who is in the line of Mahaprabhu only in the physical sense, but who is mutilating and tampering with the real teachings of Mahaprabhu. The imitationists are not considered.

Although in a physical sense, they are in the line of Mahaprabhu and Rupa and Sanatana, when we go to judge the very spirit of the line we see that they are nowhere. Their connection with Mahaprabhu is only a physical imitation.

On the other hand, we find that Ramanuja has made a substantial contribution to Vaisnavism, Madhvacarya has given a sufficient contribution to Vaisnavism, and Nimbarka has also made his contribution, so we accept them, according to our necessity. But we reject the physical so-called current-keepers because what is found there is all mutilated and tampered.

There is a proverb. "Which is more useful: the nose or the breath?" The intelligent will say that the breath is more essential than the nose. To sustain the life, the nose may be cut off, but if the breath continues, one may live. We consider the breath to have more importance than the nose. The physical form will misguide people to go away from the truth and follow a different direction.

We don't consider the body connection important in the acaryaship. It is a spiritual current, and not a body current. The disciple of a true devotee may even be a nondevotee. We admit that, because we see it, and the Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gita, sa kaleneha mahata, yogo nastah parantapa:

"The current is damaged by the influence of this material world." In the line, some are affected, go astray, and may even become nondevotees. So, the continuation through the physical succession is not a safe criterion to be accepted. We must trace only the current of spiritual knowledge.

Wherever we can get that, we must accept it, even if it comes from the Ramanuja, Madhva, or Nimbarka sampradaya. As much as we get from them substantially, we accept, and we reject the so-called followers of our own tradition if they are mere imitationists. The son of a political leader may not be a political leader.

A political leader may also have a political succession, and his own son, although brought up in a favorable environment, may be rejected. A doctor's son may not be a doctor. In the disciplic order also, we admit the possibility that they may not all come up to the same standard. Those who do not, should be rejected.

And if the truth is found in a substantial way somewhere else, that should be accepted. Wherever there is devotion and the correct consideration about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, our guru is there. Who is our guru? He is not to be found in the physical form; our guru is to be traced wherever we find the embodiment of the pure thought and understanding which Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu irnparted to save us.

Baladeva Vidyabhusana was very akin to the Madhva sampradaya. But when he came in connection with Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, he showed great interest in Gaudiya Vaisnavism. He has also commented on the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Jiva Goswami's Sat Sandarbha. And that enlightened thought is a valuable contribution to our sampradaya. We cannot dismiss him. He is our guru.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada has explained the siksa guru parampara in this way.

Wherever we find the extraordinary line of the flow of love of God, and support for the same, we must bow down. That line may appear in a zigzag way, but still, that is the line of my gurudeva. In this way it is accepted. We want the substance, not the form.

raga · June 13, 2003

Baladeva Vidyabhusana was very akin to the Madhva sampradaya. But when he came in connection with Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, he showed great interest in Gaudiya Vaisnavism. He has also commented on the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Jiva Goswami's Sat Sandarbha. And that enlightened thought is a valuable contribution to our sampradaya. We cannot dismiss him. He is our guru.

Baladeva studied the Sandarbhas etc. under the tutelage of his diksa-guru Radha Damodar Gosvami, it was only later in his life when he met Visvanatha. Visvanatha was certainly not the first prominent Gaudiya influence on him.

June 13, 2003

The Glories Of Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana

BY RAMA KESAVA DASA

EDITORIAL, Jun 10 (VNN) — Tomorrow is the tirobhava of Baladeva Vidyabhusana, the founder of our school of Vedanta, acintya-bhedabheda vedanta. Baladeva Vidyabhusana is famous for his Govinda-bhasya commentary to Vedanta-sutra. Although Mahaprabhu considered Srimad-Bhagavatam, that superexcellent ripened fruit of Vedic wisdom to be the natural commentary to Vedanta-sutra, on Mahaprabhu's indirect order Sri Baladeva wrote the Govinda-bhasya in order to satisfy Sadacari Raja's assembly of brahmanas in Jaipur and to lend formal credibility to the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya.

Little is known of Baladeva's advent. The place and time of his birth, as well as his family are unknown, however it is believed by some that he was born in Balesvara, near Remunapur (Orissa) in the early 18th Century, to a vaisya farmer. During his childhood, he studied with the panditas on the bank of the Cilkahrada River. As Baladeva grew he demonstrated his natural capabilities and became well versed in Sanskrit grammar, poetry, rhetoric and logic. After he graduated from school, not wanting to be tied to his father's profession, he left home and travelled to different places of pilgrimage.

After a time he came upon the temple of the tattva-vadi followers of the Madhva sampradaya in Mysore (now Karnataka). He became fully conversant with their philosophy and conclusions (siddhanta), and after accepting the renounced order of sannyasa adopted the life of a wandering renunciate, travelling and preaching vigorously all over Bharata.

After a time he came to Sri Jagannatha Puri, and at Utkaladesa he met Radha-Damodara Deva Goswami, one of the foremost grand-disciples of Sri Rasikananda Deva. They discussed devotional topics for some time, and Radha-Damodara Maharaja related Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching of Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. He urged Baladeva to read Jiva Goswami's Bhagavata-sandarbha. After days of being immersed in such nectarian topics, Baladeva was overwhelmed, his heart deeply moved. (At the same time he noted, on an intellectual level, that Jiva Goswami and Sri Madhvacarya did not significantly differ on essential points of siddhanta.) He then accepted initiation into the Radha-Krsna mantra, and began studying Jiva Goswami's Sat-sandarbha under the tutelage of his guru, Radha-Damodara Maharaja.

As with tattvavadi siddhanta, Baladeva soon became expert in Gaudiya siddhanta. In order to further this, his Gurudeva instructed him to journey to Vrndavana and take shelter of the mercy of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

Journeying first through Navadwipa dhama, he travelled the 800-odd miles to Vrndavana by foot, where he was met by Visvanatha. Visvanatha observed in Baladeva the Vaisnava qualities of submission, modesty, learning and renunciation. Baladeva completely dedicated to the krsna-bhakti and the service of Sri Visvanatha, and the Thakura (along with another scholar, Pitambara dasa) taught Baladeva acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, the esoteric meanings of bhagavata philosophy as found in the rasa-sastras, Caitanya-caritamrta, among other things. With his mind fixed, Baladeva preached vigorously the Gaudiya Vaisnava conception of love and service of Godhead.

Around 1628 (Shaka era), in Amber (the old capital of the Rajputs of Jaipur), followers of Ramanuja attempted to cause controversy by arguing to the King thereSadacari Rajathat since the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya had no commentary on Vedanta-sutra, and yet all others did, that Mahaprabhu's sampradaya was not valid. After the arrival of the popular Govinda deity they felt their six-generation old positions of privilege challenged by the charming deity of the Gaudiyas and his followers. Like the Vaisnavas of Vrndavana, Sri Govindadeva began to captivate the hearts and minds of the Jai Singh and his family.

The Ramanandis therefore contested the Gaudiya lineage and contended that they should not be allowed to serve Govinda and Gopinatha, and that "more qualified persons" (i.e. the Ramanujas) should. They thought that this would ensure their hegemony in the area. The King being a wise man had pored over the literatures of the four sampradayasstudying the

Bhagavata Purana and its commentaries by Sridhara Swami, Sanatana Goswami, and Jiva Goswami, the Vedanta-sutra and its commentaries by Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha, and Nimbarka, and Jayadeva's Gita-govinda. He also read the works of Rupa Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, and Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswamieven going as far as to pen his Brahma-bodhini, a thesis advocating the unity of the Vaisnavas.

However, to the Ramanandi's dismay the King of Jaipur had already become ensnared by Govinda's charm, and a follower of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. In order to settle the controversy fairly, he discreetly sent a messenger to Visvanatha in Vrndavana, asking if there was a Gaudiya commentary on Vedanta-sutra, and if so to expedite it at once so that the learned panditas could scrutinise it.

By now Visvanatha had become old, and feeling his body weak and infirm he sent Baladeva to contest the Ramanuja panditas at the King's assembly in Golta, near present-day Jaipur. Baladeva, being expert in logic, reasoning, and scriptural conclusions, disputed their claims, arguing that Mahaprabhu had established Srimad Bhagavatam as the conclusion of all the sruti, and therefore the topmost commentary on Vedanta. The Bhagavatam itself claims this and therefore it is called bhasyanam brahma-sutranam, and the natural commentary (bhasya) on the Vedanta-sutra. This is confirmed in the Vedic literatures such as the Garuda Purana ("bhasyam brahma-sutranam vedartha-paribrmhitam"), and later by Jiva Goswami in his Sat-sandarbha. Therefore the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya saw no need for a separate commentary on Vedanta-sutra.

However the Ramanujas took this as Baladeva conceding defeat, and they shouted loud and clear "They have no commentary, they have no commentary!" Realising the delicacy of the situation, and faced with no other option, Baladeva promised to show them the "commentary" within a few days. The panditas suspected a trick, thinking that such a commentary would not exist based on Baladeva's previous arguments, but were temporarily silenced.

Feeling very perturbed, Baladeva went to the temple of Sri Govinda (Rupa Goswami's Deity), and offered his astanga-dandavats. He recounted all that had happened. That night, as he slept, Govindaji came to him in a dream and personally told him to compose a commentary: "That commentary will be personally sanctioned by me. No one will be able to find fault in it." Awakening, Baladeva became joyous, and after meditating on Govinda's lotus feet he began composition. After a few days he was ready with his commentary on Vedanta sutra: the Govinda-bhasya (Govinda's commentary).

Later in his life, Baladeva wrote an appendix to the Govinda-bhasya wherein he reveals his inspiration:

vidyarupa bhusanam ye pradaya /

khatim nitye teno yo mamudaraha //

sri govinda-svapna-nirdistha bhasye /

radhabandhuranga sa jivat //

"May Sri Govinda be all glorious. By his mercy, he revealed this commentary to me in a dream. As such, this commentary is especially appreciated by the highly learned, and as a result of this I have been bestowed the name Vidyabhusana', but it is Sri Govinda who deserves all credit. That Sri Govinda, who is the most dear life and soul of Sri Radhikamay he be all-victorious."

Armed with this commentary, Baladeva went to the halls of the King. The Ramanandi panditas were stupefied by his work, and the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya was declared victorious. Everybody became blissful and happy, and the panditas bestowed the title of Vidyabhusana'"one whose ornament is knowledge"on Sri Baladeva, in honour of his scholarship and achievement. Baladeva Vidyabhusana installed the Deity of Vijaya Gopala there at Golta Mandira (the whereabouts of this Deity are at present not known), and the King then furthermore decreed that henceforth everyone should attend the arati of Govindadeva, who was ultimately the inspiration for and source of the commentary. He declared that Sri Govinda should be worshipped first, and that then and only then could the other temples perform their aratis. The King also declared Sri Govindadeva the king of Jaipur and accepted the position of minister for himself.

The Ramanujas accepted Baladeva Vidyabhusana as their acarya and asked to be his disciples. Demonstrating great humility he declined, citing that there were four sampradayas and that their Sri (Ramanuja) sampradaya was one of these, highly respectable, the foremost adherent of dasya-bhakti, and preaching servitude to God in dasya-rasa as the best religious process. Although he preached Gaudiya siddhanta he said he meant no loss of respect of esteem to the Sri sampradaya and was wary of insulting them and thereby committing a great offence.

Baladeva then returned victorious to Vrndavana. His Gurudeva, the Vaisnavas and all the residents of the dhama were elated and Sri Visvanatha bestowed his blessings on his disciple. Baladeva then commenced his commentaries on Jiva Goswami's Sat-sandarbha. Around this time Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura passed from their vision, but although his caused the community distress they saw Baladeva as continuing in his spirit. They accepted him as their leader.

He wrote prolifically and very nicely explains Gaudiya siddhanta. In his Siddhanta-darpana he explains the position of transcendental sound (e.g. the Omkara) to Krsna and his name, and further explains the potency of Godhead. And in his Vedanta-samantaka, he explains the relevance of sastra-pramana, in relation to pratyaksa (direct perception), anuman (inference, hypothesis, and deduction), sabda (the words of the authorities), arthapati (interpretation), anupalabdhi (negative inference), sambhava (the laws of probability) and aitihya (history). He continued this in his Prameya Ratnavali, where sloka eight reads like a Gaudiya Vaisnava declaration of faith:

sri madvhah praha visnum paratamam akhilamnaya vedyam ca cisvam /

satyam bhedam ca jivam hari carana jusas tartamyam ca tesam //

moksam visnv-anghri-labham tad-amala-bhajanam tasya hetum pramanam /

pratyaksadi trayam cety upadisati hari krsna-caitanya candra //

"Sri Madhvacarya taught that:

1. Krsna, who is known as Hari is the Supreme Lord, the Absolute.

2. That Supreme Lord may be known through the Vedas.

3. The material world is real.

4. The jivas, or souls, are different from the Supreme Lord.

5. The jivas are by nature servants of the Supreme Lord.

6. There are two categories of jivas: liberated and illusioned.

7. Liberation means attaining the lotus feet of Krishna, that is, entering into an eternal relationship of service to the Supreme Lord.

8. Pure devotional service is the cause of this relationship.

9. The truth may be known through direct perception, inference and Vedic authority.

These very principles were taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."

Baladeva also elucidated on the five divisions of reality (isvara, jiva, prakrti, kala and karma), and on Krsna's three energies, which he calls para-sakti, ksetraja-sakti, and maya-sakti.

Baladeva Vidyabhusana's writing constitute a veritable treasure trove of explanations of Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta, which he acknowledged, but reserving true honour and position for his Gurudeva:

In His, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana offers the following prayer to the lotus feet of his gurudeva, Sri Radha-Damodara Goswami:

radhadidamodara nama vibhrata /

viprena vedantamayah syamantaka //

sri radhikayairviniveditomaya /

tasyah pramodam sa tanotu sarvada //

"Having been deputed to do so by my gurudeva, the brahmana named Sri Radha-Damodara Goswami, I have compiled this commentary on the Vedanta known as Vedanta-syamantaka for the sake of Srimati Radharani's pleasure. This commentary is a summary of the important points of Vedanta. May it be pleasing to Sri Radhika."

(from Vedanta-samantaka)

Among the books compiled by Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana were as follows:

Govinda-bhasya commentary on Vedanta; Siddhanta-Ratnathe "Jewel of Conclusions"; Sahitya-Kaumudi; Vedanta Syamantakaa summary of acintya-bhedabheda Vedanta; Prameya Ratnavalithe "Jewel of Factual Principles" listing the nine common principles of both the Madhva and Caitanyite schools; Siddhanta-darpanaa summary of Gaudiya Vaisnava principles; Kavya Kaustubhaa Vaisnava anthology; Aisvarya-kadambini; Vyakarana Kaumudia book on grammar; Padakaustubhaselected prayers; Commentaries on the important Upanisads, including Isopanisad and Gopala-tapani; Gitabhusana-bhasyaa commentary on Bhagavad-gita; Bhasya-pithaka, commentaries on Gopala Campu, Krsna-bhavanamrta, Samsaya-satini, etc.; Vaisnava-nandini-tikaa commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam; and commentaries on Visnu-Sahasra-nama, Tattva-sandarbha, Stavamala, Nata-candrika, Candraloka, Sahitya Kaumudi, Lahu-bhagavatamrta, Nataka-Candrika and Syamananda Sataka.

He had two disciples, Sri Uddhava dasa, and Sri Nandana Misra, and personally worshipped Sri Jaya and Sri Vijaya Govinda, (having their residence at the Gokulananda Mandira in Vrndavana). Baladeva installed some of the deities of the Radha-Syamasundara temple, and his little known samadhi mandira is situated behind the temple. He disappeared from his earthly lila in 1768 CE.

(Text based this text on Lives of the Vaisnava Saints and other sources.)