Çré Vaikuëöha Ekadäsé Issue no:125 8th December 2019 Authentic And Rasika Vaishnavas What Learned In The Womb Taking Guidance From Authentic & Srila Muni Rasika Vaishnavas Srila Santana Goswami Understand Spiritual Truth Through The Paramparä System From Whom Should We Hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam? His Divine Grace A.C.BhaktiVedanta Srila Bhaktisiddhanata Thakura

The Brahmä-sampradäya Is The The Origin Of The Names Of The Maintainer Of The Vedic Religion Four Sampradäyas Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Sri Narahari Chakravarti Thakura

Circulaton 29, 518 Issue no 125, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä

What Prahlada Learned In The Womb after another, saw the unprecedented exertion Srila Narada Muni of the demigods in fighting, they began to flee, scattering in all directions. Simply to protect their Narada Muni said: Although Prahlada Ma- lives, they hastily fled from their homes, wives, haraja was born in a family of , he was children, animals and household paraphernalia. the greatest of all devotees. Having been thus Paying no heed to all these, the demons simply questioned by his class friends, the sons of the fled. The victorious demigods plundered the pal- asuras, he remembered my words and replied ace of , the King of the demons, to his friends as follows. and destroyed everything within it. Then Indra, Prahlada Maharaja said: When my father, King of heaven, arrested my mother, the Queen. Hiranyakashipu, went to Mandaracala Moun- As she was being led away, crying in fear like a tain to execute severe austerities, the demigods kurari bird captured by a vulture, the great sage headed by King Indra, taking advantage of his Narada, who at that time was without engage- absence attempted to overpower the demons ment, appeared and witnessed everything. by aggressively attacking them. “Alas, as a ser- Narada Muni said: O Indra, King of the demi- pent is eaten by small ants, so the troublesome , this woman is certainly sinless. You should Hiranyakashipu, who always inflicted miseries not drag her off in this merciless way. O greatly upon all types of people, has now been defeat- fortunate one, this chaste woman is the wife of ed by the reactions of his own sinful activities.” another. You must immediately release her. Saying this, the demigods, headed by King Indra, King Indra said: In the womb of this wom- arranged to fight the demons. When the lead- an, the wife of the demon Hiranyakashipu, is ers of the demons, who were being killed one the seed of that great demon. Therefore, let her Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 125, Page—3 remain in our custody until her child is delivered, then death – similarly the material body, which and then we shall release her. is obtained by the spirit soul under different cir- Narada Muni replied: The child within this cumstances, undergoes commeasurate changes. woman’s womb is faultless and sinless. Indeed, However, there are no such changes for the spirit he is a great devotee, a powerful servant of the soul. Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, The word “ätma” refers to the Supreme Lord you will not be able to kill him. When the great or to the living entities. Both of them are spiritual, saint Narada Muni had thus spoken, King Indra, free from birth and death, free from deterioration showing defference to Narada’s words, immedi- and free from material contamination. They are ately released my mother. Because of my being a individual, they are the knowers of the external devotee of the Lord, all the demigods circumam- body, and they are the foundation or shelter of ev- bulated her. Then they returned to their celestial erything. They are free from material change, they kingdom. are self-illuminated, they are the cause of all caus- Prahlada Maharaja continued: The great es, and they are all-pervading. They have nothing saint Narada Muni brought my mother to his to do with the material body, and therefore they äçrama and assured her of all protection, saying, are always uncovered. With these transcendental “My dear child, please remain at my äçrama qualities, one who is actually learned must give until the arrival of your husband.” Accepting the up the illusory conception of life, in which one instructions of Devarñi Narada, my mother stayed thinks, “I am this material body, and everything in his care, without fear from any direction. She in relationship with this body is mine.” peacefully resided there for the time that my fa- An expert geologist can understand where ther, the King of the Daityas, was still engaged in there is gold and by various processes can ex- his severe austerities. My mother, being pregnant, tract it from the gold ore. Similarly, a spiritually desired the safety of her embryo and desired to advanced person can understand how the spir- give birth after her husband’s arrival. Thus she itual particle exists within the body, and thus stayed at Narada Muni’s äçrama, where she by cultivating spiritual knowledge he can attain rendered service unto Narada Muni with great perfection in spiritual life. However, as one who devotion. is not expert cannot understand where there is Narada Muni delivered his instructions both to gold, a foolish person who has not cultivated me, who was within the womb, and to my moth- spiritual knowledge cannot understand how the er, who was engaged in rendering him service. spirit exists within the body. Because he is naturally extremely kind to the — Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 7: The Science fallen souls, being in a transcendental position, he of » CHAPTER SEVEN Verses: 1-21, Translations. gave instructions on religion and transcendental knowledge. These instructions were free from Understand Spiritual Truth all material contamination. Because of the long Through The Paramparä System duration of time that has passed and because of His Divine Grace A.C.BhaktiVedanta Swami her being a woman and therefore less intelligent, my mother has forgotten all those instructions; but There have been many instances in which de- the great sage Narada blessed me, and therefore I mons or non-devotees have attempted to kill a could not forget them. Prahlada Maharaja contin- devotee, but they have never been able to destroy ued: My dear friends, if you can place your faith a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of in my words, simply by that faith you can also Godhead. The Lord promises in Bhagavad-gétä understand transcendental knowledge, just like (9.31), kaunteya pratijänéhi na me bhaktaù me, although you are small children. Similarly, praëaçyati. This is a declaration by the Supreme a woman can also understand transcendental Personality of Godhead that His devotee cannot knowledge and know what is spirit and what is be killed by demons. Prahlada Maharaja is the matter. Just as the fruit and flowers of a tree in vivid example of the truth of this promise. Nara- due course of time undergo six changes - birth, da Muni told the King of heaven, "It would be existence, growth, transformation, dwindling and impossible for you to kill the child, even though www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 125, Page — 4 Top left 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä you are demigods, and certainly it would be impossible for others." Although King Indra and the other demigods are exalted personalities, they were so obedient to Narada Muni that King Indra immediately ac- cepted Narada Muni's words concerning Prahla- da Maharaja. This is called understanding by the paramparä system. Indra and the demigods did not know that a great devotee was in the womb of Kayadhu, the wife of Hiranyakashipu, but they accepted the authoritative statements of Narada Muni and immediately offered their respects to the devotee by circumambulating the woman in whose womb he was living. To understand God and the devotee by the param- parä system is the process of knowledge. There is no need to speculate about God and His devotee. One should accept the statements of a bona fide devotee and thus try to understand. —Çrémad-Bhägavatam (Bhägavata Puräëa) » Canto 7: The Science of God » CHAPTER SEVEN Verses: 10 and 11, Purport.

The Brahmä-sampradäya Is The Maintainer Of The Vedic Religion Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

The writings of the Goswamis and the Çré Cai- knowledge to because I, Myself, am the tanya-caritämåta, for example, are called anu- religious principles as enunciated in the Veda." vyakhayas. Thus, the Veda, Puräëas, Ithihäsas, Lord Brahma spoke this Vedic knowledge to Upaniñads, çlokas, sütras, and acäryas’ purports his eldest son Manu, and the seven great sages are all ämnäya, Vedic literature. The Vedic lit- headed by Bhrgu Muni then accepted the same erature has been duly glorified throughout the knowledge from Manu. Çrémad Bhägavatam e.g. (SB 11.14.3, 4, 7, 8): All of the many universal species, along with their respective leaders, appeared with different çré-bhagavän uväca natures and desires generated from the three kälena nañöä pralaye modes of material nature. Therefore, because of väëéyaà Veda-saàjïitä the different characteristics of the living entities mayädau brahmaëe proktä within the universe, there are a great many Vedic dharmo yasyäà mad-ätmakaù rituals, and rewards. Thus, due to the great variety of desires and tena proktä sva-puträya natures among human beings, there are many manave pürva-jäya sä different theistic philosophies of life, which are tato bhågv-ädayo 'gåhëan handed down through tradition, custom and sapta brahma-maharñayaù disciplic succession. On the other hand, other teachers directly support atheistic viewpoints. "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The Brahmä-sampradäya is the main- By the influence of time, the transcendental tainer of the Vedic religion sound of the Vedic knowledge was lost at the From this statement, we can clearly under- time of annihilation. Therefore, when the sub- stand that the disciplic succession called the sequent creation took place, I spoke the Vedic Brahmä-sampradäya has been flowing down Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 125, Page—5 to the present time from the very dawn of cre- ship with as the central figure; abhidheya, ation. The feature of this sampradäya is that the the direct process of achieving Him—devotional unadulterated knowledge of the Veda has been service; and prayojana, the indispensable neces- handed down in an unbroken chain of spiritu- sity—love of Krishna, kåñëa-prema. By nature al preceptors and has thus sustained religious and construction, human beings are controlled by principles—devotion to the Supreme Lord. This four inherent shortcomings—illusion, mistakes, unadulterated knowledge is ämnäya. Those per- cheating, and falsehood. This limits them from sons who do not accept the bona-fide nature of experiencing the inconceivable and extraordi- the Brahmä-sampradäya (disciplic succession) nary transcendental phenomena. The methods cannot be inspired to put faith in the evidences of knowledge they have access to and offer, such of the scriptures. Brahma, the creator of the uni- as direct sensual perceptions and subsequent verse, is a disciple of the Lord of the spiritual sky. theorization, are automatically faulty. Thus, direct Persons who do not accept this are referred to in perceptions (pratyakña) and inference (anumä- the Çrémad Bhägavatam as teachers of atheistic na) cannot be included as perfectly authentic viewpoints. evidences. Thus, for the scientifically minded Furthermore, those who accept the Çré Kåñëa seekers of the truth, the only substantive source Caitanya sampradäya from Sri Chaitanya Ma- of evidence is the Veda because it has been haprabhu, but secretly deny the self-perfected transmitted, since time immemorial, through an process of -paramparä, (disciplic succes- unbroken chain of self-realised and eternally per- sion), are certainly no better than the common fected spiritual masters who are the repositories followers of -yuga—the age of degradation. of both material and spiritual knowledge. Their In truth, only the most fortunate of souls recog- words are supra mundane and transcendental nise the unadulterated Vedic knowledge flowing to mundane scrutiny, providing shelter to all down to us through an unbroken chain of spir- seekers, and their knowledge possesses an in- itual masters as the best of all evidences. This is conceivably extraordinary nature and influence." Sri Chaitanya’s first lesson. After establishing the substantive proofs of the Srila writes in the -sandar- Veda as the singular source of evidence, Srila Jiva bha (verses 9, 10): Goswami ascertains that the Puräëas uphold the Vedic religious principles—and that the Çrémad athaivaà çücitänäà çré- Bhägavatam is the best source of evidence. The kåñëa-väcya-väcakatä-lakñaëa- arguments he uses to assert the pre-eminence of sambandha-tad-bhajana-lakña- the Çrémad Bhägavatam lend support to the writ- na-viheya-tat-prema-lakñaëa- ings of the spiritual preceptors who are the au- prayojanäkhyänäm arthänäà thorities on spiritual conclusions—masters such nirëayäya pramäëam tävad as Brahma, Narada, , Sukadeva Goswami, vinirëéyatetatra puruñasya bh- Vijayadhvaja, Brahmatirtha, Vyasatirtha, Sri Madh- ramädi-doña-catuñöayatvät sutaräm vacarya and so on. All the statements regarding acintyälaukika-vastu-sparçäyo- these points clearly establish that the disciplic line, gyatväc ca tat-pratyakñädinyäpi beginning with Brahma, is, for the servitors of Sri sadoñäni tatas täni na pramäëänéty Krishna Chaitanya, the bona-fide disciplic suc- anädi-siddha-sarva-puruña cession, (guru-paramparä). Sri Kavi Karnapura paramparäsu sarvalaukikälauki- supports this view by reiterating the guru-param- ka-jïana-nidänatväd apräkåta- parä in his book Gaura-gaëoddeça-dépika. The vacana-lakñano Veda commentator on the Vedänta-, Sri Baladeva eväsmäkaà sarvätéta-sarväçraya- Vidyabhusana has fixed and authenticated this sarväcintyaçcarya-svabhävaà vas- disciple succession. Those who deny this disciplic tu vividiñatäm pramäëam succession are indeed inimical to the followers of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. "The following evidences are presented to as- —Daça-müla-tattva, Chapter Two - The Veda—The Perfect Proof, certain the symptoms of: sambandha, relation- Ämnäya Translated by Sarvabhävanadäsa. www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 125, Page — 6 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Taking Guidance From Authentic & Rasika Vaishnavas Srila Santana Goswami

Those who have not yet realized their natural attraction toward Krishna cannot understand the ecstasy of separation from the Lord. They should not vainly pretend to be expert in things to which they have no real access. Rather, they should instead take guidance from the authentic rasika bhaktas in the line of Vaisnava paramparä. Thus they will gradually become fit for understanding the subtleties of devotion. Faithful hearing and service are what is required here. Still, the material mind is demanding, so follow- ing material logic neophytes may ask, “Doesn’t excessive misery normally result in either delusion or death? Why should unlimited joy arise from the misery of separation from Krsna experienced by His great devotees and associates? Granted, the laws of nature dictate that pleasure is generally separation comes not from the eventual meeting followed by pain, and pain by pleasure. But this and enjoying with one’s beloved but from the doesn’t mean that pain literally becomes pleasure “pain” of separation itself. That ecstasy is com- and vice versa; it simply means that circumstances plete satisfaction, in which one never feels any in this world are always changing, so that neither insufficiency. That ecstasy may be compared pleasure nor pain can long continue without be- to the pleasure of gratification after deprivation, ing replaced by the other. To say that some kind but actually it is much more sublime. The mind of suffering matures into the highest ecstasy is of an ordinary person is relieved when he can unreasonable.” rejoin those he loves and again gratify his senses, In answer to such demands to justify vira- but a pure devotee’s greatest ecstasy arises from ha-bhäva ( the ecstasy of separation ) by logic, serving and remembering Krishna in separation. the personal experience of pure devotees may —1.7.127, Çré Båhad Bhägavatämåta of Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé, be offered as definite evidence. Pure devotees do Volume One. Translated by Gopéparäëadhana Däsa. Copyright BhaktiVe- indeed enjoy ecstasy in separation. And since no danta Book Trust, ©2008-2013. other cause for this ecstasy can be ascertained, the cause must be their intense experience of what From Whom Should We Hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam? appears from the outside to be suffering. Srila Bhaktisiddhanata Saraswati Thakura To help newcomers to the devotional process understand viraha-bhäva, Krishna speaks the We should hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam from current verse, comparing the ecstasy of vira- exalted spiritual masters and pure devotees who ha-bhäva to the pleasurable sensation of relief are fixed at their respective spiritual masters’ lotus from pain, a relief with which everyone is fa- feet. We cannot achieve auspiciousness if we miliar. A person may struggle to achieve some hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam from those who are object of satisfaction, and though his struggle not themselves Bhägavatas. may be painful, when he achieves his object the A person with loose character, who is always pain turns into joy. The ecstatic distress of vira- hankers for sense gratification, and who is only ha-bhäva may appear similar to the pleasure that interested in accumulating wealth and fame, follows pain, but as expressed here by the phrase can never recite Çrémad-Bhägavatam. In fact, sampanna-vat (“as if experiencing”), this is only Çrémad-Bhägavatam does not manifest in his the external appearance. In reality the ecstasy of mouth. Such a person simply gratifies his senses Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 125, Page—7

on the pretext of reciting the Bhägavatam. Thus predecessor äcaryas and, in turn, they have he cheats himself and others. Rather than hearing taught it to others. Our äcaryas neither speculate from such an impersonator, we should hear Çré- nor concoct. People often accept spiritual masters mad-Bhägavatam from a spiritual master who is or associate with saints to fulfill some self-interest constantly engaged in worshiping . Similarly and not for their ultimate benefit. Nowadays it we may successfully hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam is fashionable to accept a spiritual master, just from a pure Vaisnava whom the spiritual master as it is commonplace to keep a personal barber recommends. Then we can attain auspiciousness or washerman. Associating with and and devotional service to the Lord. hearing kåñëa-kathä from them has become a Only those who have accepted Çrémad-Bhäga- trend too. How will we benefit by such shallow vatam as their life and soul actually recite it. They activities? Is it possible to attain good if we do also perfectly serve the Lord, and purely chant not hear from qualified teachers? Those who Lord Hari’s holy name. We should associate with want real benefit should be careful about their such devotees and offer everything we have to association. Do not bring about your ruination them. Because such devotees do not engage in by hearing hari-kathä from so-called sadhus. sense gratification they do not deceive them- When by good fortune and the mercy of the selves or others on the pretext of serving the Lord we attain the association of a real devotee, Lord. They also do not endeavour to accumulate we should hear from him submissively and with mundane fame by giving up objects meant for faith. It is our duty to engage every moment of the Lord’s service, thinking them material like the our lives in the worship of Hari without wasting pseudo renunciants do. even a second on other activities. We should be The pre-requisite qualification of a person from anxious to associate with sadhus. We can carry whom I should hear and with whom I should on the mundane duties of life in any form of life, associate is that he must be a follower of the but to worship Krishna in the association of a disciplic succession. The saintly person and the bona fide spiritual master is possible only in the spiritual master never accept the path of sense human form. gratification. They follow the path of disciplic suc- —AmåtaVäëé: Nectar of Instructions of Immoratality Compiled instruc- cession. The teaching that we should lead a life tions of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda of devotion has been received by the followers Adapted and Published by Éçvaradäsa, Touchstone Media. of our disciplic succession from their respective www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 125, Page — 8 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä grand-disciples. Visnusvami became a disciple in this line and he became mad in ecstatic devo- tional love along with his disciple. Visnusvami was very influential and a learned scholar of all the scriptures. From him the disciplic succession was known as the Viñëusvämé-sampradäya. “Hear now Srinivasa, about the Sanaka-sam- pradäya. From appeared the Haë- sa-avatära. His disciples were the four Kumaras headed by Sanaka Kumara. Their disciples and grand-disciples cannot be counted. In this line Nimbäditya became a disciple. From him it is known as the Nimbäditya-sampradäya [known also as Nimbarka-sampradäya]. The influence of Nimbarka was very wonderful. His disciples and grand-disciples filled the world. The Origin Of The Names Of The “The Çré, Brahmä, Rudra, and Sanakasam- Four Sampradäyas pradäyas spread their influence by dividing Sri Narahari Chakravarti Thakura into other sampradäyas. In the Rämänuja-sam- pradäya, Sri Ramanandacarya was highly re- “These four sampradäyas are the authorities on spected. He had many disciples and grand-dis- the science of . I will now describe briefly ciples. Therefore his branch of the disciplic how the sampradäyas were named. succession is known as the Rämänanda-sam- “Sri Krishna Chaitanya is like a desire tree, and pradäya. Similarly Sri Vallabhacarya appeared in the form of Narayana, He is the original guru in the Viñëusvämé-sampradäya. He wrote a of the four sampradäyas. Çré is the beloved of commentary named Anubhasya, which is highly Narayana. She is His disciple as well. Her won- respected. His disciplic succession is known as derful activities are elaborately described in all the Vallabhi-sampradäya. the çästras. Çré is another name of Laksmi. Her —Bhakti-ratnäkara –Çréla Narahari Cakravarté Öhäkura Published by disciplic succession has unlimited branches and Puëòaréka Vidyänidhidäsa. sub-branches. Who can write them all? In Her sampradäya, became the äcärya and from His time the sampradäya was called !! Sri Sri Gaurchandra Jayati !! the Rämänuja-sampradäya. Previously He was ISKCON known as Laksmanacarya, then later everyone Bhagavata Mahavidyalaya is a branch of called Him Ramanujacarya. He is the author International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder-Äcärya: His Divine Grace of the Rämänuja-bhasya. The branches and A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupāda sub-branches of His disciplic succession filled Editor the whole world. Brajsunder Das “O Srinivasa, please hear now about the Madh- Copy Editor va-sampradäya. The merciful Lord Brahma was Isha Prakash Das the disciple of Lord Narayana. His disciples and Sanskrit Editor, grand-disciples spread throughout the world. In Vrajsevika Devi Dasi his sampradäya, Sri Madhva became a disciple. Assistance His first work was to write a commentary on Rasa Manjari Devi Dasi the Brahma-sütras, and for this reason he was Hari Lila Devi Dasi known as Madhvacarya and the sampradäya be- came known as the Madhväcärya-sampradäya. Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of Lord Narayana also has the merciful Rudra as His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada ©BhaktiVedanta Book Trust International. His disciple. There is no end to his disciples and ©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective artists. Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org