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THE HARMONIST AS IT IS

VOL.8 (VOL. XXXII, Sept. 1935 - June 1936)

VBT - THE V AISHNAVA BOOK TRUST PREFACE

If we speak of as the Supreme, Who is above absolutely everyone and everything known and unknown to us, we must agree that there can be only one God. Therefore God, or the Absolute , is the common and main link of the whole creation. Nonetheless, and although God is One, we must also agree that the Supreme, God can also manifest as many, or in the way, shape and form that may be most pleasant or unpleasant. In other words, any sincere student of a truly scientific path of about God, must leam that the Absolute Truth is everything and much above anything that such student may have ever known or imagined. Therefore, a true conclusion of advanced knowledge of God must be that not only is God one, but also that God manifests as many. Only under this knowledge and conclusion, a perspective student of the Absolute Truth could then understand the deep purport behind . since the of various '' cannot be other than different manifestations from the exclusive source, which is the same and only Supreme God. Nonetheless, the most particular path of knowledge that explain in detail all such manifestations or incarnations, in a most convincing and authoritative description, can be found in the vast and Vaishnava literature. The revealed scriptures of mankind have several purposes. All bona fide sacred texts declare that God be always besides His devotees and somehow will chastise His enemies or miscreants. All scriptures offer different kinds of references on how to follow and achieve knowledge about God. According to the different traits of a region, populace or culture, God descends or either sends one or more of His various agents. Therefore, God reveals different types of scriptures as guidance to uplift a particular group of people. The historical religious legacy widely recognized to understand, and finally God, contain scriptures of various tenors, such as the Bhagavat-gita, the Bible, the teachings of Lord Buddha, and the Koran. Nevertheless, the most extensive information about the Supreme is to be found in the Vedas and Vaishnava literature with its philosophical foundation on the Bhagavat-gita. Vaishnava literature demonstrates that amongst the different and infinite incarnations of God, the most munificent is Sri , the combined incarnation of Sri and Sri . Besides satisfying His several reasons to incarnate, Sri Chaitanya revealed the greatest philosophical, psychological and theological conception for mankind to understand the innermost qualities of God. Through the teachings of the followers of Sri Chaitanya, Sri Krishna in is revealed as the Personal Identity of Love. The most impressive evidence of the magnitude of Sri Chaitanya's causeless mercy is that He appeared during this most degraded age, known as -yuga, with the most magnanimous gift of knowledge that no other incarnation could offer, the service to the Divine Couple Sri Radha-Krishna in the most intimate way possible—Manjari-bhava. The following verse composed by His intimate devotee Srila Prabhupada, in glorification of the Golden Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, reflects such position: namo maha vadaniaya krishna prema pradayate krishnaya krishnachaitanya namine gaura (vise namah "I offer my most humble obeisances to Sri Gaura, known as Sri Krishna Chaitanya, who is Krishna Himself and is the most magnanimous incarnation of God, who has come to deliver everybody in this dark age of Kali by freely distributing love for Krishna." ii Preface

Someone may question, why Sri Gaura or is the most magnanimous incarnation of God since all incarnations of God also come to protect and deliver His devotees? The answer is that Sri Gauranga is ultimately the most magnanimous because He has descended in the lowest age of mankind, not only to deliver God's devotees, but also to reveal the most elevated and intimate knowledge of God's personality; thus unveiling the highest form of Divine Love. By revealing in detail the service to the male and female aspects of the Absolute Truth—Sri Radha and Sri Krishna— in the most esoteric and intimate devotional mood, Sri Chaitanya has surpassed any revelation or knowledge about God offered to mankind by any previous avatar. Lord Gauranga's incarnation as a bhakta established the exemplar activities of a devotee of God. However, one of the characteristics of God's agents is that they accept all kind of hardships according to time, place and circumstance to deliver the fallen. The devotees of God are many, and they all serve the same purpose of rescuing the conditioned from the material existence. Therefore, the intimate associates of the Supreme Identity of Godhead—the Divine Trilogy, Sri Sri Radha- Krishna and Sri Gauranga—are extremely rare since they are equally or even more merciful than the Lord Himself. History has recorded that after having rescued the true teachings of Sri Chaitanya from unscrupulous practices, the great Vaishnava devotee Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura desired to spread such divine knowledge to the complete world. Under the visionary of his pure devotion, Bhaktivinoda Thakura was eager to extend Sri Chaitanya's gift to the rest of mankind, most particularly in the English language. The Vedas inform that in the present dark age of Kali, the populace becomes extremely insensitive, thus prompting humanity to materialistic pursuits. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura could foresee that the whole world would be enchanted and engulfed by the constant contemplation of money and sense gratification. Somehow he also understood that the English language would become prominent around the world. English has become the most popular language in politics and business transactions. However, it is a language of limited capability and grammatical depth, particularly when attempting to describe the most refined sentiments. If compared with the academically accepted mother of all languages, , then the grammar of English falls short of describing the most refined sentiments and relationships regarding Godhead. Sanskrit is more complete and complex as a language than Greek, for instance. It has more cases is more complete in semantic terms also. Studying the ending of different cases and conjugations, tenses, persons, etc., anyone can see that they are more clear and distinctive in Sanskrit. Because archaic English is no longer practiced, English does not offer a stronger perception for refined verbal exchanges amongst family members and relationships in general. This can be substantiated by the fact that English grammar does not discriminate in how to refer to a social senior, junior or equal, since all are addressed as 'you', as is also done when one addresses a pet animal. Indeed, another observation regarding a strong egotistic characteristic found in English is that it is the only language that uses the first person T in capital letters. Any writer that composes religious or devotional poetry in English is therefore entitled to use capital letters while using the second person, 'You', while exclusively addressing God; therefore, at least grammatically, placing himself in the same level as God. In Volume No. 4, Vol. XXVIII, June 1930, page 1, of this collection, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami published an article by Sri Bishwesswar Das, entitled The Study of the English Language. A short paragraph of such article mentions "The study of English or any worldly language is sure to lead to catastrophe unless directed to the higher purpose. The Harmonist As It Is iii

But a not wholly unfounded charge is also brought against the study of English. A Nationalist would say that the study of the English language disabuses men's minds of all ancient ideas and beliefs. In matters of , in matters relating to our highest interests the cultivation of the English language is hence calculated to a certain extent to make us losers rather than gainers. There is no gain- saying the fact that a thorough mastery of the English language need be no bar to the requirements of spiritual life the nature of which can hardly be suspected by one who is ignorant of the higher purpose. Nevertheless the charge is true that the materialistic tendency of the English language makes it more or less skeptical of religion." English was the language that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura identified as the most popular and fluent amongst learned people of his time. He began spreading the message of Sri Chaitanya in English in 1896 by sending his treatise Chaitanya Mahaprabhu-His Life and Precepts to the McGill University of Canada and also to England. His son, Srila BhaktisiddhantaSaraswati, had closely seen his father's eagerness to give knowledge of Sri Gaura to the Western world. He then received the divine inspiration to pursue his father's task and begun the English publication of The Harmonist magazine, which was previously published by his father in Bengali and known as Sajjana-tosani. A foreword by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Prabhupada explaining the full meaning of The Harmonist's original Sanskrit title can be read on Volume No. 1, Vol. XXV- June 1927, page 2. After Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada's departure from this world, another great devotee undertook the divine task of spreading the message of Gauranga in English; this was Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada. All learned Vaishnavas have concluded that Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has bestowed his blessings upon all the world's preachers of the teachings of Sri Chaitanya by opening the path for all to spread the message in English. Also through the of his beloved disciples after his physical departure from this world in 1977, Srila Prabhupada has induced the preaching of many of his senior and junior godbrothers, as well as their disciples. Many of them were dedicated devotees, who knew him personally, nonetheless never before they had even imagined an attempt to speak the English language, neither to travel around the globe as they now have. In actually, their broad English publishing begun with Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's expansions in the form of his beloved disciples. Although Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami has published so many Vaishnava literatures in English, it would be a great distraction to forget the wishes of both Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada that the aspirant devotees of the world would one day learn Sanskrit and Bengali, and be able to read the Lord's pastimes as written by the Six Goswamis of Vrindavana and their descendants. At least, the sincere followers of Sri Gauranga should constantly remember that the wishes of Srila , Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Swami and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami to spread the message of Sri Gauranga in the English language was indicative of their concern for the most needy of this materialistic age. The vast literature written by the Vaishnava sages describing the most intimate and deep relationships with God was composed in Sanskrit and Bengali, thus grammatically exposing the different levels and trans-psychological moods of loving relationships. On the other hand, the grammatical nature of the English language promotes a casual connotation in all relationships, particularly towards seniors and consequently towards God. Although the archaic English utilized in proper terms of addressing persons according to their particular individuality and hierarchy is not practiced any longer. In this present age of degradation, politics and business rule the world, and the main language for such activities is English. However, due to its broad influence in all levels of understanding it is meant to lead the awareness of the Gauriya (from Gaura) culture all over the planet. On the contrary, if persons with the knowledge of more refined languages like Sanskrit and its derivatives, believe that iv Preface they deserve more consideration since they can relate with God better grammatically, they surely will fall prey to false pride and lack of spiritual realization. Several devotees have expressed their desire to understand more the spirit of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada's preaching ways and activities. Through this collection of magazines, which was the main venue for his propaganda in English, they will be exposed to his preaching mood and historical activities. A deep sense of compassion for the conditioned souls was the spirit that pervaded Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's life. The same spirit is also found in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's canvassing missions. Therefore, history records the exalted position of the Nityananda--avesha-avatara, the empowered incarnation from Nityananda Prabhu, the eternal companion of Sri Chaitanya, known as Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada could see the true nature of the as an eternal servant of God whatever the present state of material conditioning. As the very Supreme Person Sri Gauranga showered His magnanimity by opening free access for the lowest of mankind to the most confidential form of love for God, Srila Prabhupada's magnanimity spread the non-sectarian Universal Religion of Love of Lord Chaitanya. Actually, the magnanimity of Srila Prabhupada is unparalleled by reason of his deliverance of the lowest of mankind, but also the mayavadis (impersonalists), sunyavadis (voidists), as well as the declared patanavadis (anti- personalists). Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada spread his Holy mission all over and countries of Europe through the agency of his institution, the Sri . He received criticisms from most of the caste goswami class of his time, because of his offering brahminical initiation to persons not begotten of families. In the same spirit of his spiritual master, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada also broke open the treasure of free devotional service to the rest of the world through his International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON. Thus, Srila Prabhupada introduced the aspirant devotees to the process of and how to worship the Lord on the altar. By offering his followers due training to begin the understanding of the deepness of Vaishnava philosophy, and then free access to worship on the altar, cooking for the Lord, and distribute Vaishnava literature, whether in India or elsewhere in this world, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada also knew how to harmonize the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu according to time, place and circumstance. Ultimately, Srila Prabhupada can also be recognized as the most prolific harmonizer, the true harmonist of Sri Gaura's teachings around the planet.

Radharamana August 2005 - Laguna de los Labradores Galeana - Nuevo Leon - Mexico INTRODUCTION

It seems miraculous that the rare and dilapidated copies of The Harmonist magazine are now brought to life again with the publication of this collection. This complete collection is printed at the Radha Press in New Delhi. Radha Press has already a historic relevance for innumerable Gaudiya Vaishnavas, the followers of the incarnation of God known as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Who appeared in Gauda Desh, , India in 1486 AD. On this same printing press, my spiritual master, the world-, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, printed his first English versions of Srimad Bhagavatam (The Sweet Pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna), and his Back to Godhead Magazine, before departing to the USA in 1965. The Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy has now spread throughout the entire world, most particularly because of the impetus given by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-ac/ia/ya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Previous to this edition, a number of new magazines using the name The Harmonist have appeared in the Eastern and the Western world. Therefore, in the mood of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, who named his translation of the Bhagavad-gita as the 'Bhagavat-gita As It Is', we have decided to name this reprint as The Harmonist As It Is to indicate that this publication is of the original magazines. Actually, this effort is the first exact replica of the original publications.

The original versions in Bengali were known as Sajjana Toshani and were first published in 1879 by Srila BhaktivinodaThakur, the spiritual preceptor of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. After the departure of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur in 1914, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami, established a printing press and began his preaching mission, known as the Sri Gaudiya Math. The monthly publication of The Harmonist magazine began in June of 1927 in , Bengal, India, under the direction of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada. The foreword of the first English edition reads as follows "The Sajjana-toshani made her first appearance in the year 1879 in the modest form of a Bengali spiritual monthly edited by Thakur Bhaktivinoda. The paper remained under his editorship for seventeen years. She was later made over to the present editor who conducted the paper 'till she attained her twenty-fourth year of publication." Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati started the English version of the same publication in June of 1927 continuing until June 1936, before his departure from this world on January 1, 1937. He continued in Roman numerals the sequential order of the original Bengali editions; thus, the English version began as Volume XXV and ended as Volume XXXII. The full collection of The Harmonist comprises eight volumes, and each volume contains twelve monthly magazines. To better facilitate the readers' reference, we have decided to designate each volume of The Harmonist As It Is from No.l to No.8. In brackets the readers will also find the Roman numerals of the original Bengali edition. To facilitate a comprehensive and easy reference to the main subjects contained in the magazines, we have compiled a simple index to each volume. The same general index was then compiled for the complete collection, which was printed as a separate booklet. The general index addresses essential philosophical topics, such as jiva-, -tattva, Krishna-tattva, rasa-tattva, the history of the Vedic and Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, Vaishnava Literature, comparative religion, Vaishnava behavior and etiquette, historical events, articles on social, vi The Harmonist As It Is economical and political issues, and divine poetry. General Index - 21 pages. No. 1 (Vol XXV, June 1927 - May 1928) - 430 pages. No. 2 (Vol XXVI, June 1928 - May 1929) - 382 pages. No. 3 (Vol XXVH, June 1929 - May 1930) - 432 pages. No. 4 (Vol XXVIII, June 1930-May-June 1931)-434pages. No. 5 (Vol XXIX, July 1931 - June 1932) - 470 pages. No. 6 (Vol XXX, July 1932 - June 1933) -436 pages. No. 7 (Vol XXXI, Sept 1934 - July 1935) - 582 pages. No. 8 (Vol XXXII, Sept 1935 - June 1936) - 558 pages.

The only original and most complete collection of The Harmonist magazine has been under my care since December of 1991. The search and collection of the sometimes very dilapidated magazines was the painstaking and tireless task of my godbrother Sripad Bhaktiprajnana Bharati Maharaja, who began collecting the editions around 1975. During 1987, while we met in Sri Vrindavana Dhama, he requested me to take care of such an important treasure of the Gaudiya Vaishnava community.

Because of various circumstances I took possession of the complete collection only on 1991, recovering it from the house of a Vrajavasi and placing it in my residence at Vaishnava Khanda of Radharamana Mandira. Since then, many god brothers came to know about it, but in spite of several suggestions and requests, somehow none could actually come forward to promote or facilitate the printing. While holding a web site for a couple of years since 2001,1 advertised the upcoming publication of The Harmonist and requested contributions to such an end. However, although receiving feedback from several interested devotees, no practical or financial commitment manifested.

Finally, after so many years of expectation, Divine Providence allowed me to produce the necessary finances to reprint the entire collection as it actually is. The publishing of The Harmonist As It Is is therefore an exact photographic reproduction of each page of such important and historic legacy of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas and indeed students of religion around the world. The Harmonist is the reservoir of all clear conclusions of the predecessor , regarding the most important philosophical subjects any aspirant devotee should know. Furthermore, this collection establishes the veracity of the English translations of important Vaishnava literature, such as Jaiva- and Chaitanya , since it contains partial translations supervised and sanctioned by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada himself. This collection contains articles that establish perfect guidelines to practice life as a brahmachari (celibate student), (married responsibilities), (practical preparation for the goal of life) and sannyasi (full-time contemplation of the Divine ). The readers will also find spiritual guidelines on how to behave in society in general through various articles on social, economical, educational and political subjects. Although these articles were written 70 years ago, they still maintain an amazing actuality. The publishing of this historic literature serves as a unique transcendental reference for all Gauriya Vaishnavas and all willing to learn about , pure devotion to the Supreme Lord. This Introduction vii publication is meant to re-ignite Gauriya culture around the globe and is dedicated to all sincere devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

I offer my heartfelt thanks to Sripad Raddhanti Dasa (Juan Pigna), who selflessly came forward with assistance and financial support to help in printing this important collection. Radharamana Sadhu (Ricardo Antonio Palleres) Ananda Krishna Van, Radha Nivas Sunrakh Road, Madhuvan Colony. Sri Vrindavan Dham, U. P. 291121, India November 5, 2005: The twenty-eighth anniversary of the disappearance of Jagat-guru Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Vlll SRILA SACHIDANANDA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was the third son of Ananda-chandra and Jagat- Devi He was bom in September 2, 1838 and received the name Kedaranath, which is a name of Lord . His parents lived in the , West Bengal, in the ancient city of Bimagar (Ulagram). His father was a generous landlord of great wealth, and was considered second after the king of Nadia. Kedaranath studied in the elemental school that was founded by his grandmother. At six years old he could read the and with great zeal, although his short age, Kedamath could understand the meaning of these ancient Sanskrit epics. Later on he moved to an English school in Krishnanagar opened by the king of Nadia. Due to the sudden death of his two older brothers due to cholera, Kedaranath had to finish his studies and return to Bimagar. In 1850 Kedaranath was 12 years old and his mother arranged his marriage with a girl of 7 years older than him. Although they only lived under the same roof until they were adults, this Vedic tradition sometimes wonders the Western outlook of married life. Nonetheless, it has a deep psychological and social meaning, since the family descendants always feel guided and protected by their parents. Since 1881 Kedaranath Sachidananda Das started his Vaishnava journal Sajjana-tosani, dedicated to spread the divine teachings of Sri Chaitanya through all comers of Bengal. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of published the following commentary about him: "Under the title Sri Gauranga-lila-smamna-man gala-sttotram, 'The renokwn Vaishnava Sri Kedaranath Bhaktivinoda M.R.A.S. has published a Sanskrit poem about the life and teachings of Sri Chaitanya. It is accompanied by a commentary, also in Sanskrit, where he broadly elucidates the subject. Contains an introduction of sixty-three pages in English where precisely describes in detail the doctrines teach by Sri Chaitanya. His posture, specially opposed to that of the Shankara and Adwaita Vedantists, is broadly explained. The small volume will broader our knowledge about this great reformer. Therefore we express our thanks to Bhaktivinoda for offering us the English and Sanskrit versions instead of Bengali, since it would have been hidden to European students of India's religious life." During the year 1896 on a pioneer spirit, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sent the teachings of Sri Chaitanya towards Occident, beyond India's frontiers. This small book that he wrote in Sanskrit was entitled Sri Gauranga-lila-smarana-strotam. Its Preface in English was entitled: Chaitanya Mahaprahhu, His Life and Precepts. It also contained a commentary of Sri la Sitikantha Vachaspati, a well-known of Nadia. Copies of the book were sent to the library of the McGill University in Canada, the library of the Asian Real Society of London and several other academic institutions. Although a small treatise, it was admired by writers and thinkers of Occident. The learned European R.W. Frazer commented: "Have pass already five hundred years since Sri Chaitanya spread the in Krishna's delivering grace throughout Earth. Nonetheless, until the present day, the same spirit that inspired Sri Chaitanya continues living amongst his followers. On a interesting narrative about the life and precepts of Sri Chaitanya, published by His devote and old follower Sri Kedaranath Datta Bhaktivinoda, we have read how this spirit keeps intact its vitality in the midst of the changes sweeping the all world. In 1914, during the disappearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandit, Thakura Bhaktivinoda enter the eternal pastimes of Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha-. X SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI GOSWAMI PRABHUPADA

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was bom in the holy pilgrimage place of Jagannatha to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the great Vaishnava acharya in the line of succession coming from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Although employed as a government magistrate, Srila Bhaktivinoda worked tirelessly to establish the teachings of Lord Chaitanya in India. He envisioned a worldwide spiritual movement and prayed for a son to help him achieve his dream. On February 6, 1874, in the sacred pilgrimage town of Puri, where Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura served as superintendent of the famous Jagannatha temple, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta appeared in this world. He was given the name Bimala Prasada. At the age of seven, Bimala Prasada had memorized the more than seven hundred Sanskrit verses of the Bhagavad-gita and could speak illuminating commentaries upon them. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the author of many important books and other writings on Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy, trained his son in printing and proofreading. By the time he was twenty-five years old, Bimala Prasada had acquired an impressive reputation as a scholar of Sanskrit, mathematics, and astronomy. His astronomical treatise, Surya- , won him the title Siddhanta Sarasvati in recognition of his immense learning. In 1905, following the advice of his father, Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted spiritual initiation from Srila Gaurakishora Dasa Babaji. Although Srila Gaurakishora Dasa Babaji was illiterate, he was renowned throughout the continent as a great saint and Vaishnava acharya. Siddhanta Sarasvati, although a great scholar, exhibited humility and dedication in the presence of Srila Gaurakishora. Satisfied with such humility and dedication of his highly educated disciple, Srila Gaurakishora gave Siddhanta Sarasvati his full blessings and requested him to "preach the Absolute Truth and keep aside all other work." Upon the disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in 1914, Siddhanta Sarasvati became editor of his father's spiritual journal, Sajjana-tosani, and founded the Bhagawat Press for the publication of Gaudiya Vaishnava literature. In 1918 Siddhanta Sarasvati accepted the renounced order of spiritual life, assuming the title Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. For purposes of propagating throughout India, he organized the Gaudiya Math, with sixty-four branches throughout the country. The headquarters of his mission, the Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, is located in Sridhama Mayapura, the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta adj usted ancient traditions to conform to technological and social conditions of the twentieth century. He considered the printing press a most effective means of spreading this message throughout the world and was himself the author of many important translations, commentaries, and philosophical essays. He was the first spiritual teacher in this line to allow his renounced preachers (sannyasis) to wear Western clothes and travel in modem conveyances rather that on foot. Throughout the 1930s, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta expanded and increased his missionary work and succeeded in reestablishing Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the leading force in Indian spiritual life. On January 1, 1937, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura passed from this world. A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI SRILA PRABHUPADA

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami was bom Abhay Charan De on nandotsava, a day after the appearance of Sri Krishna in 1896. Significantly, it was the same year in which Srila Thakur Bhaktivinoda, the pioneer of the Movement, begun the mission to spread the message of Lord Chaitanya in the West through his essay Chaitanya Mahaprabhu—His Life and Precepts. Abhay Charan's father, Gaura Mohan De, was a pure devotee of Radha-Krishna and offered his child small deities to play with. As an adult, Abhay Charan worshipped the same deities. Gaura Mohan taught his son through his own example on how to worship the deities, and also encouraged him to observe the festival of Jagannath and to play mridanga. Some particulars about his father's constant desire that his son would become a devotee of Srimate Radharani is that A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami revealed a special connection with Her intimate assistant Sri Rupa Manjari (Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada). Srila Prabhupada was initiated in 1933 at the Sree Rupa Gaudiya Math, Allahabad, and he planned his worldwide mission and prepared the first translations and commentaries of his Srimad Bhagavatam in English at his residence at Sri Radha-Damodara Temple. From his kitchen's window he used to meditate and receive inspiration from the leader of the Sri Rupa Goswami Prabhupada, who most obviously was his most intimate guide. During a walk at Sri Radha Kunda, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada confided him this instruction "If you ever get any money, print books", and Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada accomplished his guru's order marvelously. Although he built a beutifull center of active devotional service in Vrindavan known as the Krishna- Mandir, and started a city in , Bengal, he never deviated from the order of his spiritual master to print and distrubute Vaishnava literature. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami lived an exemplar life throughout his permanence on this world. As a historical figure, who pioneered world preaching tours circumambulating the planet fourteen times, he remains the perfect guide for all ashrams of life since he practiced all four in total perfection. He also invited his dear and intimate god brothers on different ashrams to join his mission and published their articles in his Back to Godhead Magazine. He is the first Gaudiya Vaishnava that has published and distributed millions of books around the planet on the principles and philosophy of Krishna consciousness. This task was accomplished with the assistance of thousand of dedicated disciples and grand disciples around the world through the agency of his International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON. Therefore, Srila Prabhupada became recognized as a shakti-avesha avatara, or an empowered incarnation of the Lord, through the sanction of scriptural definition and the assertion of learned and highly respected devotees of the sampradaya. Srila Prabhupada engaged everybody in book distribution, exposing them to the effects of transcendental revelations, which are in the same level as performing the congregational chanting of the Holy Names. He became un-manifested from the mundane view after leaving his body in the -mandir at his Krishna-Balarama Mandir in Vrindavan on Nov. 14th, 1977. To the spiritually awakened, Srila Prabhupada continues to live in the spiritual realm in his eternal -rupa sidha-deha. mi&mwm m&mwM mwm mwm me mze me mm mzemM WMRAMmeMZe THE HARMONIST AS IT IS

INDEX TO VOL. No. 8 (VOL. XXXII. September 1935 - June 1936)

SUBJECT

The Identity and Manifestation of the Spiritual Soul (Jiva-Tattva)

JAIVA D HARM A - Chapter IV, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Vaishnava Religion, or the Eternal Spiritual Function) 27; 29; 31; 103 First Steps in God Realization, by Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor 16 Who Am I? 25 Absolute Personality 49 The Individual Soul, by Tridandiswami Bhakti Pradip 414 -Vishnupad Sreela Gaur-Kishore Das Babaji, by Prof. Nishi Kanta Sanyal 436

The Spiritual Preceptors (Guru-Tattva)

JAIVA DHARMA - Chapter IV, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Vaishnava Religion, or the Eternal Spiritual Function) 28 Reply to Prof. Banver's Letter 82; 87 Relation between the Sexes 126 The Mercy of the Acharyya 251 Sree - Homage, by Narayan Das Adhikary 269 Sree Vyasa-Puja Homage, byAprakrita Bhaktisaranga 277 Sree Vyasa-Puja in London, by Dr. Sambidananda Das 280 Sree Vyasa-Puja Homage, by A bhay Charan Das 291 Sree Vyasa-Puja Homage, by Members of Sree Gaudiya Math Bankipur, Patna 299 Sree Vyasa-Puja Homage, by Dr. The Head Master & Staff at Takhur Bhaktivinode Institute Sree Mayapur 304 Sree Vyasa-Puja Homage, by Members of Sree Sachchidananda Math , Orissa 308 Editor's Response tp Sree Vyas-Puja, by Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami 313 Sree Nama and Sree Guru 482

The Supreme Goal of Life {Krishna- Tattva - Rasa- Tattva)

JAIVA DHARMA - Chapter IV, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Vaishnava Religion, or the Eternal Spiritual Function) 27; 102 To the Reader, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati 1 The Message of Sree Chaitanya, by Kishori Mohan Bhaktibandhava 10 Sree Chaitanya's Meeting with Rai , by Tridandiswami Bhakti Pradip Tirtha 73 Transcendental Amour 169

Vedic and Gaudiya-Vaishnava History

The Albars - Tiruppani Albar or Munibahan, by Bhababandhachhid Das 22 The Albars - St. or Godadevi, by Bhababandhachhid Das 42 The Harmonist As It Is

SUBJECT

The Albars - Kulasekhar, by Bhababandhachhid Das 451 The Albars - Vishnuchitta, by Bhababandhachhid Das 463 The Albars - Tirumangai, by Bhababandhachhid Das 485 Vidura (III), by Kundan Lall 33 Four Devotees of Sreeman Mahaprabhu, by Haripada Das Bhaktibibudha 54 Sree Chaitanya's Meeting with Rai Ramananda, by Tridandiswami Bhakti Pradip Tirtha 73 Lord Chaitanya - His Message (The Gaudiya Renaissance Movement), by Mr. J.K. Sen 105 Sree 184 Sree Kuresh 210 Amogh 225 Sree Dham Pracharini Sabha 229 Opening of Allahabad Theistic Exhibition 234 The Presidential Address, by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati 239 His Late Majesty King-Emperor George V 257 Sree Gopal Bhatta Goswami 258 Thakur Haridas, by Pyari Mohan Brahmachary 320 Sree Krishna-Chaitanya (Brief Outline of the Divine Leela), by Tridandiswami Bhakti Pradip Tirtha 371 Sree Gaudiya Math - An Historical and Descriptive Sketch, by Mahopadesaka Sripad K.M. Bhaktibandhab 391 Janmastami or Jayati, by Kishori Mohan Bhaktibandhab 416 Sri Advaitacharya 493 Sreela Gaur-Kishore Das Babaji, by Prof. Nishi Kanta Sanyal 436

Vaishnava Literature

JAIVA D HARM A. Chapter IV, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Vaishnava Religion, or the Eternal Spiritual Function) 27; 102

Articles on Social, Economical and Political Issues

The Fraud Behind , by Brajeshwari Adhikari 18 Math-Interests Versus Home-Interests, by Kishori Mohan Bhaktibandhab 91 Propaganda Literature 109 Relation Between the Sexes 124 Divine Governance 145 Sunder Warumbe (Causeless Grace), by Herr E. G. Schulze 154 Aesthetic Culture 179; 206; 221 Sex 193 Talk About the Absolute, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati 199 Discourse on the Absolute, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati 218 Race and Religion 232; 255 Society - Community - Math, by E. G. Schulze 329 Sub specie aetemitatis (Spiritual View), by E.G. Schulze 343 Modem People and Religion - What Sree Gaudiya Math Does for Them, by Prof. Nishi Kanta Sanyal 8 Index

SUBJECT

Gaudiya Math & Caste System 63 Gaudiya Math and History 409 Gaudiya Math and Eugenics 421 Gaudiya Math and Trade and Commerce 465 Gaudiya Math and Science 488 Gaudiya Math and Law, by Tridandiswami Bhakti Hridoy Bon 441

Comparative Religion

To the Readers, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Modem People and Religion - What Sree Gaudiya Math Does for Them, by Prof. Nishi Kanta Sanyal 8 The Message of Sree Chaitanya, by Kishori Mohan Bhaktibandhava 12 Transcendence and Immanence 65 Reply to Prof. Bauver's Letter 82 , by Tridandiswami Bhakto Hridoy Bon 97 Propagandist Literature 109 Transcendental Amour 169 Sub specie aetemitatis (Spiritual View), by E.G. Schulze 343 - Philosophy or Religion -1, by E.G. Schulze 361 Buddhism - Philosophy or Religion - II, by E.G. Schulze 385 A Letter 404 Misunderstanding of Impersonalists 473 Is Current Hinduism Antivedic 474

Transcendental Discussion

Talk About the Absolute, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati (Short-handed by Sj. Anil Kanta Ganguli) 4 The Message of Sree Chaitanya, by Kishori Mohan Bhaktibandhava 12 First Steps in God Realization, by Dr. O.B.L Kapoor 13 Absolute Personality 49 The Dance of Sree Krishna Chaitanya 59 Transcendence and Immanence 65 The Message of Bhakti (Should it be Propagated Outside India?) 112 Uniformity, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati 121 , Jnan and Bhakti 148 Sunder Warumbe (Causeless Grace), by Herr E. G. Schulze 154 Religious Discourse 187 Bhoga-o-Puja (Enjoyment and Worship) 190 Talk About the Absolute, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati 199 "Big T Versus "Good 1" 241 Body, Mind and Soul 247 Apotheosis and Psilanthropy 265 The March Towards Vraja 326 Psilanthropism and Transcendental Vision 333 The Harmonist As It Is

SUBJECT

Self-Dedication, by Tridandiswami Bhakti Pradip Tirtha 352 The Absolute Personality, by Tridandiswami Bhakti Pradip Tirtha 369 Bhakti, by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati 402 Lights on Vaishnavism 430 Sreedham Mayapur 433 Sree Nama, by Prof. Nishi Kanta Sanyal 457 Unpopularity of Religion 501

Vaishnava Behavior and Etiquette

JAIVA D HARM A, Chapter IV, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur (Vaishnava Religion, or the Eternal Spiritual Function) 102 Sree Chaitanya's Meeting with Rai Ramananda, by Tridandiswami Bhakti Pradip Tirtha 78 Math-Interests Versus Home-Interests, by Kishori Mohan Bhaktibandhab 91 Relation Between the Sexes 124 Sex 193 'Society - Community - Math, by E.G. Schulze 329 Sadhu-Sanga (Association with Pure Devotees) 337

Historical Events

Round the Gaudiya Maths 24; 45; 118; 141; 167; 191; 214; 264 Lecture on Samsar-o-Bhakti 44 Presidential Address 57 Reception Meeting 79 Public Reception to Bhakti Hridoy Bon Maharaj 96; 140 Lord Chaitanya - His Message (The Gaudiya Renaissance Movement), by Mr. J.K. Sen 105 Address of Welcome to Tridandiswami Bhakti Hridaoy Bon 115; 334 First in London 116 Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan 127 Editorial 134 Opinions of the Press 136 Sree Vishwa Vaishnava Raj Sabha (The ) 405; 454; 479

Divine Poetry

Sree Vyas-Puja Offering, by Abhay Charan Das 280 VOL XXXII No. 1 ] [ Regtd. No. C1601

T T

(Sree Sa|jaiiatosbanf FORTNIGHTLY.

Q-aura Bkctdashi JSUartra 449 O.A.

September 9, 1935.

to q^> i ii Annifjifation of age.Cong sufferings. May these our high aims ffourish The Service of Radfia- Krishna,

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VOL. XKXtl. SEPTEMBER 9,1935 No, 1

To the Reader.

The Harmonist preaches the religion of Prema. The servant the Master differ- I'rema or transcendental love for Sree ently from the way he loves a fellow-servant. Krishna. He should not love a fellow-servant in exactly Transcendental love is very different from the same way as he loves his only Master. all forms of love with which we are familiar One cannot, of course, love his worldly brother, in the world. The only Object of transcenden- father or mother as one loves another soul, or tal love is Sree Krishna. Sree Krishna can as he loves Sree Krishna. never be the object of the so-called love of The distinctive quality of Prcma consists our mundane estate. The Biblical dictum, in this that it carries the Divine, sexo-logical "Love God with all thy heart and with all thy reference. Sree Krishna is the Only , soul," is not an invitation for the practice of all other souls are prakritis. There are also earthly love towards God. spiritual prakriti-purusha and spiritual prakriti- How, indeed, can it be possible to love man prakriti forms all of whom are prakritis with without loving God P As a matter of fact reference to Sree Krishna. The prakriti- we cannot really love anybody unless we love purusha form of soul loves Sree Krishna in God. But we cannot also love any other the same way as the prakriti-prakriti form entity exactly in the same way as we love lire prakriti-purusha soul is not the Divine Sree Krishna. The one process is categorically Purusha. He is not Sree Krishna. The different from the other. The word Maitri is format masculinity of spiritual prakriti is no used to denote the love of one soul for another masculinity either to the Divine Purusha or soul. Maitri is.qualitatively different from the spiritual prakriti. For this reason Prcma, 1 THE HARMONIST Krishna or the practice of love by all other entities Sree Krishna Chaitanya insists on thetrans- towards Sre.e Krishna, refers to the unique cendence of the worship of Godhead with ' an Divine sexo-Iogical relationship. emphasis that distinguishes His Teaching from The masculinity and the femininity of this that of all the prophets and teachers of Religion. world are again very different from the formal The Mystery of the worship of Sree Sree masculinity and femininity of pure souls. As Radha-Krishna, taught and practised by Him a matter of fact the soul is never purasha in and His followers, is unapproachable by any the sense in which the term is used in the mundane contrivance. It is for overlooking this Scriptures or in this world. The soul has also fundamental consideration that the comparative no mundane sex as he has no mundane body. study of religion by rrodstu scholars has so The soul is un-born. The soul is altogether utterly failed to produce -xmanimity of convic- immune from the jurisdiction of phenomenal tion. It is high time to pay our best attention Nature. The soul is unmixed Chetan (uneclip- to the proper method of approaching the Trans- sed cognitive energy). cendence which is part and parcel of the We are, nevertheless still, very fkr from the revelations. positive spiritual realisation even after we are The necessity of transcendental guidance for prepared to admit the between being enabled to approach the Absolute in the mundane and spiritual sex by mere intellectual only scientific way requires to be seriously pon- conviction, as it is never possible for the dered and fully acted up to in practice by modern eclipsed cognitive power of man to conceive religionists. The empiric methods are as mis- the transcendental issue as it is. For such leading and meaningless as the attempt to read realisation man requires to be fully helped by a recbrd without caring to possess the know- the Initiative of the Absolute Himself. It is ledge of the script. The worship of Sree Sree also necessary to be enabled to receive' this Radha-Krishna is bound to remain lar less in- initial help by the due exercise of the proper telligible to empiric scholars than theundecipher- receptive activity. ed inscriptions at Mahenjodaro as they happen This help is most amply supplied by the to be at the present moment and for ;an analo- Teaching of the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna gous reason. Chaitanya. The Personality of Sree Krishna On the proper method of the quest which is Chaitanya reveals Himself,to us, in the form all important to the seeker of the Truth, the Tea- of the Transcendental Narrative of His Leela, ching and Career of the Supreme Lord Sree as the very Acme of Divine Magnanimity. He Krishna Chaitanya shed a flood of light that is the only complete Exponent of the sexo-logi- was not available before Him. The entity of the cal reference in the Divinity. The worship of seeker of the Absolute must needs be on the plane the Divine Couple Sree Sree Radha-Krishna of the Object of his search if he .is to have a was taught by Him, by His Word and Exam- subject at all. Empiric , no less than ple, as the consummation of all tentative forms empiric philosophy, and Science are equally off of worship that have been I revealed to the cogni- the plane of worship. They are not less tion of man by the causeless Mercy of the materialistic in their methods and conclu- Divine Will. sions regarding the Absolute than militant TO THE READER 3 that denies the very position of method of following the different Scriptures of transcendence. the world. If the corfeftt method is followed, Revealed religion has suffered most grievous- everybody will obtain access to the plane of ly and most undeservedly alike at the hands of transcendence where there is no possibility of its empiric exponents and opponents. The discord. So we earnestly appeal to our readers Teaching and Career of tlje Supreme Lord to bear in mind the epistemological method offer the only constructive refutal of the vagaries that is being followed in the propaganda of of the empiric theologians, philosophers and which this journal is the mouth-piece. scientists of all ages and countries that have The initiative in serving the spiritual inter- misguided the world in its religious quest' des- est of all souls naturally lies with ortly pure pite the real help that has been available from serving souls in as much as they alone are the time immemorial in the shape of the revealed eternal mediums for the Appearance of Sree Scriptures Sree Radha-Krishna in and through their The central doctrine of the Teaching of unalloyed service of Himself by all the faculties Mahaprabhu Sree Chaitanya, in conformity of their pure souls. But we have it in the with that of all the revealed Scriptures of the revealed Scriptures of the world that the world, refers *o the Divinity of the Word or Absolute Person, nevertheless, is pleased to the Transcendental spoken Sound- The Word manifest His Descent to the plane of the condi- is God. The Name of God is God. The Name tioned soul in the Form of the Name or of God is not any word on a par with the words Word. or names for expressing the objects or ideas The Word may be either descriptive of the that are experienced by man in this world. Absolute, or the Absolute as the Subject of There is, therefore, also a corresponding and such description. He is as a matter of fact consistent method of approaching the Word Both. The descriptions of the Scriptures are by man with his present inadequate equipments. truly the Transcendental Body of the Absolute. This method is part and parcel of the transcen- Nevertheless all words are not on a par with dental activity. It is only the transcendental in the Name Who possesses all the Potencies of man that can approach the Word on His plane. the Absolute in the. highest measure. It is The preacher as well as the hearer of the possible to approach the Personality of Sree Word must follow this proper method, if they Krishna through His Name. On the path of are to have real access to the Word as He is. spiritual realisation the Name makes His The Guru is no other than the transcendental Appearance even before the neophyte can have person who is eligible to serve as the proper any realisation of the Form or any of the Attri- -medium for the Appearance of the Word. butes of the Divinity. The Scriptures contain The guidance of the Guru is obligatory if man the descriptions of the Form, Attributes, Acti- is to be enabled to avoid the method of futile vities and individual servants of Godhead. in approaching the tme meaning of None of these are accessible to the eclipsed the Scriptures. The Supreme Lord Sree cognition of the neophyte till he has been Krishna Chaitanya enacted the Role of the purified of all earthly dirts by the preliminary Guru in order to teach the world the right practices of spiritual living. It is at this critical 4 THE HARMONIST

stage that the Mercy uf the Name alone be- the service of all individual souls who are the comes available to the humble seeker of His products of her essence. unalloyed service. It is not possible for the individual soul to For this reason the service of the Name chant the Name of Sree Krishna except by Krishna, and not merely a descriptive designa- willing subservience to the. Complete Spiritual tion, has been made available to all conditioned Energy of whom he is a tiny spark. The souls by the unparalleled Mercy of the Supreme service of the Gum is, therefore, alone available Teacher of all . It is this realism that to the individual soul in the truly unsoli- constitutes the appropriate form of the Divine cited fotm. As soon as an individual soul is Dispensation of the present scientiSc age. blest-ed by the real mercy of the Guru he be- But in the New Dispensation there is a comes an agent of the Ghnt for conveying the further revelation viz., that even the Name cannot message of the Guru to all souls. But the indi- Ire available except by the mercy of the Guru. vidual soul, as he is not the principal but only Hence the Name, that has been offered by the the agent, cannot impact spiritual enlighten- Supreme Lord, is not merely the name of Sree ment in the form of the gift of the Name Krishna but the Coupled Form Sree Sree Krishna. That is absolutely reserved for the Kadha-Krishna. " The name of Radha precedes plenary Divine energy. The Harmonist seeks the name of Sree Krishna. Radha is the Guru to carry the Message of the Guru to all sincere or the Eternal Counter. Whole and the Source of seekers of the Truth.

Talk aTboint the ATbsolute Editor's talk to Herr Baron H. E. Von Koeth and Herr E. G. Schulze {Short-handed by Sj Anil Kant a Ganguli B.A.)

"VV/E require the fullness of things. The objects in full, so we try to devise some means ' * plenary transcendence is to be appro- that continuity may be preserved. ached. The difficult problem is to solve how we Here we find three different trends, 1 mean can do so. First of all, we find that the mind is qualities. One quality tends to appear for meant for dealing with the external finite things creating purposes, the next for sustenance and of this world. Our senses are reciprocated with the third for destraction. Thus we have got the objects but these objects are found to be three situations. When there is nothing, some- inadequate for our purpose. When we are in thing comes up for our sensuous inspection, search of more than is available here, or when we something which was not in existence before or require a continuity of those very things, we are whose existence we could not trace before, just simply denied. We cannot have our desirable like an entry on the stage. It exists for some TALK ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE 5 time. And then it takes its exit from the in inebriating us. Here when we are de- stage. These are the three things we mark prived of something, we are rather helpless ; in this world, whereas in the Absolute, these there we get more opportunities of serving Him are not the current conditions, though they in case of separation. The very procedure of have got their existence in order to foster the approaching Him is to realise the condition of ecstasy of the Absolute. separation. Here we do not find Him. The We require to eliminate all sorts of undesir- Absolute cannot be had here though we may able impediments. We require to get rid of have ample inclination of having Him The the alloyed portions, the defective portions, very formation of o.ir equipments, the mind and which we have incorporated with us. All sorts the senses—is quite inadequate to have, an of imperfections should be avoided. approach of the transcendence, neither can we In the region of the Absolute we know expect Him to be confined here as one of the there are three different energies working, one objects of phenomena. We need nof think of which is His ecstatic energy by which bliss that He should come under our sensuous juris- is conferred to us, and He is found to be in- diction. If He came as an object, we would ebriated with the ecstatic exploitations. The accuse Him of His finiteness. He is not to be very Absolute indulges Himself in the ecstatic dealt as one of the material objects which can mood and He is delighted ; and when we find be reciprocated by our senses; We need not that He is delighted, we, being more or less think so. He keeps Himself quite out of our part and parcel of the transaction, get a share vision and out of the touch of our senses. Un- as well ; we being not the mind but the soul less we have devotional aptitude, we cannot proper. When He is delighted, we necessarily invoke Him here. He does not condescend to get the advantage of ttiat delightful temper of come to this region and become an object of the Absolute. When He is surcharged with the activities of our senses. So we should find all beatific phases, we are also endowed with out a means to approach Him and this is known a part as per our own eligibility ; as per our as sadhan bhakti, i. e., the procedure to be affinity of serving Him, we e;ijoy a part. Here adopted in our case. The Supreme where we are passing through non-absolute Lord has not given us any privilege of expos- region, oop enjoyment is nothing but depriving ing Himself to our senses. Phenomenal objects Him of his enjoyment. We should take proper are presented to us, for duping us, for deluding us. care not to carry our defective ideas there. The So we require to be in touch with Him, but He passionate desires of this mundane world need has denied us this privilege. This is a case of not be carried to the Absolute region. The separation. When He, the Lover, the Centre of all second is the true energy, the energy of diffus- love, has denied the beloved His presence, our ing true knowledge ; and the third is existence. inclination and activities should double, or In the mundane region, we find three things : treble to have His association. So this sort of existence, sustenance and destruction. Des- separation is an essential point—is the cardinal truction is a thing which, is quite undesirable point—that will he'p us to have the inclination of here. But in the Absolute region, we find the approaching Him. All our attempts should tend very dissociation or separation has got a factor to associate with Him, because the association 6 THE HARMONIST is denied for the purjw.se of studying our heart. Instead of being taken away by our emotional He has given us this facility to have an easy sentiments, we should always be alert in offer- track to reach Him. The very condition of ing our service and service is best offered by separation is a very good thing for his servitor as chanting the Name. The Supreme Lord is keep- he can culture his affinity or inclination for the ing Himself at a distance and we are to seek Absolute more than when he is allowed toappear after Him ; this is the proper way of chanting befor Him. He has inteutiooally deprived us the Name. The Name of the Absolute should be of H's presence. He was found to be of a loving chanted continuallv so that we may he mind- temper, but the Lover has deserted us, and we ful and not diffident to offer our services. As are to follow Him. When we are disappointed soon as we show our diffidence to serve Him, to have Mis presence, we should thank our and stop chanting His Namfi, we are necessari- stars that our Lover h as gained much by ly led to lord it over this phenomena, we get dissociating Himself from us. I mean the a quite different occupation. The occupation Autocrat has got the right of making Himself or the sole function of the soul is nothing but quite happy by denying His presence to us. He to associate himself with the Supreme Lord. finds Himself very happy by deserting us, and As soon as we are negligent of our services, we are to submit to His pleasure and wish, we we miss the opportunity of associating with are to submit to His whims. We must abide by Him. We are His eternal servitors (bhaktas) His decision. This I consider to be service. and as such we have no other occopatioa but That is, I need not satisfy my senses by to serve Him. If we neglect this injuctian, we approaching Him. But when he has managed will have to become engaged with temporal to shut Himself from my senses, I know He things ; but these engagements will not he con- wants that I should acquire more affinity for tinued for a long time. There will be a cessa- Him, and He has given me that opportunity. tion of such engagements. If Me came within our perception, we would The Transcendental Name is quite different simple gratify our senses, which would be a from the ordinary sounds. The ordinary detriment to our cause and would prove an sounds carry the impression of things of this obstacle to our service. An illustration is quoted. world for our purpose. All things of this One infinitesimal absolute was fanning the phenomena are meant to serve us ; but we are Absolute Infinity, The moment he thought to serve Him. Service is to be rendered to that the Lord was delighted by his services— the Absolute, and we need not hanker after that the Master had accepted his services—he receiving service from the non-absolutes. Any- became overpowered and could fan no more. thing done for the purpose of our own self, is Thus be was found to be negligent in offering not service. Whatever is offered to the Abso- his services. The fanner should have known lute, is known as service or bhakti. When that he aught not to satisfy his senses by the service is done properly, when it is not stopping his services by considering that the dominated by some regulation, die service is Master had accepted his services. He should not pure. All gnostic transactions or associations have become inebriated, because it proved with the mundane things are quite opposed to rather a bar to his offering further service. service, became they are meant for our purpose TALK ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE 7 and not for the purpose of the Absolute. The only aim of our life should be to make When we know we are absolute infinitesimals, progress towards the veiled region. People our vision is fully restricted to the Absolute may accuse us that we are talking of Infinity and not to any non-absolute thing. which cannot be examined by the senses. Devotion or bhakti is the policy of approach- But we do not talk of mysticism, we talk of ing Him. Unconditional surrender should be . As seekers of positive knowledge, performed at all costs. When we surrender, we we should try to peep into the veiled region. will have an opportunity of depending on Him People are busy in examining things by their fully, otherwise we will be thinking of other seeming aspects. The seeming positions are things whether, the Absolute is at all prepared not to be confused with the actual positions, to rescue us from this troublous region or not. as a wrapper should not be considered to be The unconditional surrendering will give us the the letter. We should penetrate into things. assurance that we will be rescued from the The outer case, the bahiranga mayashakti, worldly affinity. If we chant the Name continu- has produced these things to be measured by ously, we will be able to get rid of our inclina- our senses. This sort of measuring is not at tion of accepting worldly things, we will be all congenial to our purpose. We require to simply relieved from the invasion of phenomenal have a peep into the Absolute. We should finite objects, So chanting should be the pro- not take our physical and astral bodies to be cess. We need not trouble ourselves in the our real self. At present we know nothing beginning to enter into the details of the due to ignorance, and this ignorance is to be Absolute; the very chanting of His Name will dispelled. We cannot deny the fact that we take us to Him. This world is a place of trial. will have to die and get rid of this fleshy We are to educate ourselves in the transcenden- tabernacle. We cannot retain it. So the real tal science. We should not fail to do so now owner of the body should be targetted first. that we have got a human frame. We must This is swarupajnan. We should not be known avail our present opportunity, leaving aside by our bodies. everything else for our next life. This life The external aspect of Sree Krishna is pro- should be engaged solely in the pursuit of the hibitive. As long as we know we are seers, Absolute and that sort of pursuing will be effect- .He will not disclose Himself to us ; He will ed if we adopt the process of devotion. We show us His blue.black face. But when we have very little to do with the worldly people ; are found to be eligible to see Him, we will be but we have everything to do with those who attracted by His sublime beautiful face. His are engaged in the service of the Supreme beauty should not be enjoyed by us, but our Lord. Association with people who are busy beautiful transcendental frame should be shown with their measuring temperament, will not to Him for His pleasure. As soon as we show be congenial for our purpose. We should not culture our enjoying temperament as people are Him our spiritual beauty. He will disclose doing. If we have at all to meet an undersirable Himself to us. Then we will have no occasion person* we should always make it a point to to remark that the blue-black face should not proselytise him in the transcendental education. be the face of the Absolute. Modem People and Meligion.

WHAT SREE GAUDIYA MATH DOES FOR THEM By N. K. Balndall

THE modem people in India or any other what the emancipation of the soul is; what part of the world think more or less that their true life-aim should be ; and what the religion is neither a path of emancipation, nor genuine happiness is. Their mind is not filled a path of phenomenal progress of mankind in with mental speculations that lead mankind in worldly possessions. It has the magnitude into the devilish whirlpool and then into the which vitiates mankind and frequent disputes entire wilderness. They receive the true Light and riots that occur on communal issues are all from the Supreme Being Who is above all. due to it. So, it should be abrogated and they Some of them come out of the fold of the world- will be happy then. Many Indians of the new ly people and render themselves wholly and light place before us the illuminating examples solely to the service of the most High God, of Soviet Russia. They boldly tell how severing all universal connections that mean Russia is on the road to its wonderful all-round nothing to them. developments and improvements after having Their services to Godhead are rendered in entirely done away with the religion which was different ways. They go on preaching to the formerly a hard block towards its prosperity. ignorant people ; they ask them to broaden Who on this earth knows what after life is ? their vision ; to realize what they are and what Who knows that if one acts in accordance with the transcendental Truth is and to identify the precepts, he will reach Godhead, and that themselves with the servants of the Most High. after leaving the present world, he will be in a They organise institutions where people can better world (Paradise) ? To them it seems the have religious and spiritual teachings. Their onerous and ridiculous task of realising the great service is to convey the true gospel of transcendental Truth. Their life-aims and the Almighty to all the human- on this their all attentions are absolutely confined to earth. worldly aggrandisement and materialism. The so-called modernistic views or materia- They make themselves believe that they are listic ideas are not sound basic principles of men happy in this present world and the happiness to drift to. Men must add spiritual and high they have is all to them. They cannot see religious ideas to their knowledge. They cer- beyond this ; their vision is limited to this tainly help men after their mundane life. extent. Oh ! the young modern people of this uni- But those whose vision is naturally much verse, wake from a reverie and give up all stronger and wider or made so even at the sloppy sentiments ; try to understand the true present juncture, see beyond the universal as- preceptors first, without the intent of simply pects- They realize what a religion is to them; criticising them or their religious teachings. THE MESSAGE OF SREE CHAITANYA 9

Verily, then the absurd modern views the Holy Teachings of the Supreme Lord Sree and mental speculations etc., will intuitively Krishna Chitanya Mahaprabhu, has been doing pass away. And the religious senti- valuable services to mankind for their spiritual mentality will prevail in the whole-some uplift. It sends its evangelists to all other atmosphere. parts of India and foriegn countries to imbue In Bengal, one finds more religious people people, who have gone astray, with the true than in any other part of India. Here he can religion. The Sanyasi and Brahmachari eet spiritual teachers and can visit religious devotees of this Gaudiya Math, Calcutta, are institutions. It is remarkable and significant the inspired souls and real preceptors. They that one sees highly English educated Hindu are all highly educated. They all work with having the • strongest faith in their their pure love to the Math under the distingui- religion. Many of them are true devotees to shed guidance of His Divine Grace the the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna. The great President Acharya Paramhansa Srimad organisation, namely, Sree Gaudiya Math, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Who is a which is purely based on Hindu religion and God-sent Preceptor, indeed.

The Message of Sree Chaitanya

( By Kishori Mohan Bhaktibandhava ) ( Adopted from the lecture of M. M. Pandit Sundarananda Vidyavinode, Editor "Gaudiya," broadcasted through the Radio on June 9, in Calcutta)

A connecting link between the Transcenden- Absolute through our mundane eyes. The tal word and human ears having been Absolute in the fullness of His Initiative and ordained by the kind providence, it has been Personality is our Eternal Arbitrator and possible to bring the Message of Sree Chaitanya Regulator. In trying to see and hear to the doors of the people of this universe. It is Him by our initiative we shall see and hear not through the medium of the tie of the flesh things other than they really are. When the but through that of sound or speech that we Transcendental Message ente'ing through the stand united with our fellows also in the ears reaches our liberated cognition, it opens ordinary affairs of life. We can have a peep our spiritual eyes to show the real thing in its into one another's mind not through our eyes, true colour. By means of the transcendental but through our ears. sound a link can be established between us, the The Transcendental Message of Sree whole animated kingdom and the Absolute. It Chaitanya runs in the channel of spoken com- is the Divine Sound alone Who can give us munication. The Message advises us not to a clue to what has never been seen nor made make any attempt to see the Form of the cognisable by our senses. 10 THE HARMONIST

Scientists have called the present age "the it may be to our ears or other senses, is not at age of machines"; while philosophers have des- all conducive to our eternal good in the long cribed the same "as the age of free contro- run , but that which is termed "Shreya" though versy". The word 'controversy' is a synonym distinctly unpalatable and bitter to thi senses for the word "Kali" for which reason the at the beginning, leads to our eternal well- Pauranic authors have termed the present age being in the end. the "Kali Yuga''. Whatever faults and good The message of Sree Chaitanya is the qualities may be attributed to this Kali Yuya, message about the "Shreya" of the the only good quality that drowns its other the best and final goal of the 'Shreya' of all attributes,. either good or bad, is in the dis- souls being Krishna Prema. In the transcen- covery of the acme of glory in the of the dental love of Krishnn there is not an iota of Divine Sound. Radios and other instruments hankering for the gratification of one's senses. of the like as carriers of sound have wrought A devotee, fully surrendering himself to Krishna, wonders in the world. does not require anything to gratify his senses, To turn to the nature of the message of neither does he hanker for the so-called salvation Sree Chaitanya to the world, in His own for which worldly people on being disillusioned language it can be put in a nut-shell and sum- of the vanities of the world, are so very anxious; med up in one word as "the constant chanting but his ultimate aim is unconditional devotion of Sree "; and the science of pure devo- to Godhead. He desires no other pleasure but tion teaches us to take and consider all animate to make himself an instrument (or the gratifica- and inanimate things of the universe as the tion of the Spiritual Senses of Krishna against potential carriers of the transcendental chant. all apparent odds and at the cost of all seeming Material science is the imperfect and perverted difficulties and sorrows arising therefrom. His out- reflection of spiritual science. Material science look is in always searching for His pleasures where- that is creating wonders and dazzling the eyes in he identifies all his needs and outside which of the world every momont is after all only he finds no separate requirement for himself. perverted shadow, although it has so much over- There are people who speak highly about powered all worldly people with the glare of its renunciation.- Like desire for rest after pro- charms. To rouse up all who have been thus longed fatigue, desire for renunciation arises in stupefied hy discovering to them the connecting human breast after prolonged enjoyment. But link of Divine Love, is the message of Sree in respect of the eternal bliss of the service Chaitanya. This connecting link of Divine of the Lord there is no locus standi for any Love has its full manifestation and display in desire of renunciation. Unlike in 'kama' (sen- the chanting of Sree Hari. Hari or the suous pleasure ) there is nothing troublesome chanting of Sree Hari should not be misunder- or monotonous in 'prema' (divine love). To a stood as something palatable to our ears ; but it "bhogi" (enjoyer of the world) the word "tyag" is that which enhances the gratification of the (renunciation) has got a sinister charm ; but pleasures of Sree Hari. What is palatable to 'prema' is a different thing altogether and not us has been termed by the Upanishad as an object of vaunt of worldly people. If Sree as "Preya" which, however sweet and pleasing Had be worshipped or not, there is no necessity THE MASSAGE OF SREE CHAITANYA for any "tapas" ^austerities) ; and if lie l>e 'jivas' and with His own initiative controls the found within and without or not, there is also same. He is also called Aprakrita, being be- no necessity for any such 'tapas'. yond all '' (what is seen by anyone) Sree Krishna is the fullest Object of Divine and '' (what is seen or known through Love. All the varieties of ' rasa" ( mellow others). Not to speak of Pratyaksha, principle) are centred in Him. Shanta, Dasya, Paroksha and the (knowledge of Sakhya, Hatsalya and Madhura are the five Impersonalism), Aprakrita is more elevated principal 'rasas' ; and fiasya, Adbhuta, JJira, even than the Adhokshaja Truth. Aprakrita Karunn, Rnutira, Bibhaisn and Bhayanaka are Krishna ' is the fullest Personality in His the seven subsidiary rasas; all of which find Transcendental Pastimes, to whom there is no full scope in Krishna. No where else except in equal, nor superior, but Who is the Son of the Krishna free scope for the full exercise of all the kingofBraja, the Autocrat and the'Adwayajnan'. rasas is to be found. W ith a thorough analysis In the language of politics He can be called Sree Chaitanya has made this eternal truth the Transcendental Despot. He is also a manifest to the world . To give a full delinea- Personification of the full free will and the tion thereof is not at all possible within the unrivalled Hero of all spiritual dramas and short compass of this discourse. , Fram- literatures, the mundane ones, having no atina, Iswara and the name of the gods of reference to Aprakrita Krishna, being the tiny most religious sects are epithets by reference perverted reflection thereof. to this world ; that is, these names are attribu- The entire cognition of the jiva has got tive in the mundane sense; but the name an et;rnal relation to this Aprakrita Krishna. Krishna is not of the type, the name being The natural bent of this cognition towards identical with the Personality Himself. Krishna Krishna is called 'Bhakti' which in its fully is the Owner or Possessor of all Divine Powers ripened state is called Prema. This Prema is and Attributes. He is far far above all the the. snnminin bonuvi of all animated beings. conceptions we have formed about Him with Hence the Message of Sree Chaitanya or, as the help of our experience of the things of this a matter of fact, of Sree Krishna Himself is world either in theatres, bioscopes, literatures not such as to be confined only to a sect of or in the common sayings of men. Man can Bengal or India ; neither it is such as to have not derive from his experience any true concep- no interest for the atheists, narrow sectarians, tion about Him. A Historical Krishna, an scientists, historians or modernists. Every allegorical Krishna, a super-natural Krishna, a entity of this universe has his eternal real- heroic Krishna or an immoral Krishna is a self and his eternal inclination, wherein the conception far away from the real Truth. Hence necessity for the service of this emporium of the Bhagabat describes Him as Adhokshaja all perfect rasas is found inherent. But i. e. One Who has reserved to Himself the enveloped as we are at present within the exclusive right of not being exposed to human coarse and subtle tabernacles of the body and senses ; because the fullest initiative and per- mind, we have been misguided to construe the sonality are focussed in Him. He is the "anartha" That which is not 'shreya') to be Regulator of all empirical knowledge of the our '' (necessary), and vice versa. 12 THE HARMONIST

To remove our all pervading and contagious speech and performance. In order to elucidate oblivion of the Absolute, to remove our dense the real cult of Sree Chaitanya, he wrote ignorance by pouring into our ears the life- about a hundred treatises on the Vaishnava giving-nectar of the Mahamantra in order to religion. He also renewed Sree Viswa awaken us to the function of our real-self, Vaishnava Raj Sabha or the spiritual association Sree Chaitanaya, the Divine Figure of Trans- of all pure de

Transcendental Sound by means of the chant of goal for the consumniation of the suvunum honum t the Name. Of all the discoveries made hither- is the Message of Sree Chaitanya in brief.

First Steps In God Mealisation ( By O. B. L. Kapur, m.a. )

•"pHE way to God-Relisation is supposed for God-Realisation is not to be had merely for ^ to be laid up with great barriers and the asking and the doors to the kingdom of the insurmountable difficulties - high mountains, Lord will not part at the mere repetition of abysmal valleys, roaring cataracts and thundering some mystic words that opened to Alibaba the storms. Not altogether unjustified are these fears; doors of the hidden treasure in the forest. THE HARMONIST

But this difficulty is in no way peculiar to had for the asking. It cannot be had unless God-Realisation alone. The way to the attain- it is given. But the disposition to ask for ment of any mundane object is likewise service and to wait on the pleasure of the Lord beset with innumerable hardships. The world, for the causeless gift of the same is all that is howsoever, transitory and shadowy in existence necessary. is not a dream-land in which the characters God is nearer to us than our heart if we of the Arabian Nights perform their magic have a sincere hankering for His service but exploits and get what they desire without if we lack this He is farther to us much effort or ado. If we want to achieve any than the farthest star in the heavens. Since- mundane object, we have n^t only to desire rity does not mean to cherish the desire of but to will and act . Everything in the serving God as one among many mundane mundane world has got its price and we must desires but the desire for complete self-surren- pay the same before we may have it. The der and single-minded devotion to the Lord nobler the object we aspire to achieve the higher with the sole desire of ministering to His the price we must pay. We must put in the Pleasure. required effort and make the necessary sacrifice. "Burning like a steadfast star To no worldly achievement does the way lie In the calm clear ether of the mind". through a bed of roses. Everything is too Human heart is a nest of desires for dear for mere wish, and rightly has it been mundane enjoyment, but in the heart of every said that if wishes were horses even fools would man some particular desire reigns supreme— ride. Every desire must excite efforts in order desire for wealth, learning, lust or fame. One's to achieve its end. Even for the sake of bread life is moulded according to this dominant one must exert himself. The law of human desire. A man desiring to amass wealth life is, "In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou measures every single moment of his life and earn thy bred", and no man can evade this every single movement of his body in terms law with impunity. of pound, shilling and pence. He is always In the spiritual world and in the matter of occupied with the thought of wealth and God-Realisation the above law finds its true devising ways and means for its attainment. application. Seek and you will find, strive In the day he strives to fill his treasure chests ; and you will achieve, attempt and you will at night he dreams of gold mountains and attain. Lethargy will ever result in failure diamond valleys; and the substance of his and effort will invariably be crowued with morning prayer is, "Lord grant me yet more success. These axioms of worldly wisdom wealth". should not be misapplied on the path of But the same money which a miser earns spiritual endeavour. In the mundane world with such an enthusiasm and which he prizes nothing is supposed to be so easy and so cheap even more than his life, a lustful squanders as a mere desire would bring and nothing so freely for gratifying the whims of his mistress. difficult or hard to achieve as an honest Not that the latter does not desire money effort may fail to win. In the spiritual world but he desires it and hundred and one things the unconditional service of the Lord is to be besides, but what he desires most is the FIRST STEPS IN GOD REALISATOIN 15 gratification of his lust. His mistress as the hankering for serving God, the way to His object of his lust is identified by him with Divine Feet is clear and smooth. But it is his being and hence all his activities which the sincerity that we utterly lack ! We are he may be pleased to be either good or bad, at present only sincere in our pursuit of great or small, are directed towards the worldly objects, but sincerity for God-Realisa- unworthy object of his lust ; she is imagined tion we have none ! Our sincerity for the to be the be-all and end-all of his life in his trifling objects of the world is shown by the state of temporary infatuation. way in which we weep, cry and go mad after But in the heart of an earnest enquirer them. How we knock our brains out to amass after Truth, a sincere devotee of God, the the trinkets of this world a id how we shed desire for ministering to the Pleasures of God our tears when we fad to get them ! Our reigns supreme. It is his summum bonuin or passion (or lust, fame and wealth is infinite. the pivot on which the wheel of his life turns. If we had only an iota of desire for the service Whatever he thinks, wills, or does, he does of the Divine Feet of the Lord, we would be with this supreme end in view. The single- surely blessed. hearted desire for attaining the Divine Feet God-Realisation is thus primarily condi- of the Lord forms the pole star that guides tioned by hankering for His service that him throughout his voyage across the ocean arises in the soul when he feels the utter of life. His entire life is eager to consecrate worthlessness of all worldly aspirations. The itself to the service of His Lotus Feet. Even real test of such sincerity is willingness to as a miser lives that he may hoard and hoard submit to the Feet of the Divine Master. The and grow richer every day, a lover lives that egoists and the empiricists puffed up with the he may gain the favour of his sweet-heart and idea of their self-sufficiency, are disinclined a scholar lives that he may learn yet more to admit the necessity of any spiritual agency and more, the devotee lives that he may be on the path of God-Realisation. Against nearer His Lord day by day. them the doors of the Kingdom of the Lord Whoever entertains in his heart an earnest must remain closed' for ever.' There is a big desire for the realisation of the service of God gulf between the phenomenal plane of the in the aforesaid manner, will find Ino obstacles fallen souls and the Transcendental Realm of in his way. The glow of the fire of his the Divine Lord, which cannot be bridged over sincerity to obtain the Divine Feet of the without the aid of an agency of the Lord Lord will destroy all difficulties that may from Himself. Such an agency of the Lord is ever time to time seem to confront and confound him. present in the form of the Divine Master. The incessant flow of the infinite mercy of He is always extending His Merciful Hand the Lord will wash away all the barriers that to the earnest and willing souls, and offering may come in his way. Indeed, there is every opportunity to them to listen to His nothing pertaining to the spiritual world or Transcendantal Words, the rays of which the mundane that may come between the entering eyery nook and c«rner of their hearts, All-Merciful Lord and the sincere seeker of dispel the gloom of ignorance clouding their His service. Provided one has the sincere vision, set them on the true path of God- 16 THE HARMONIST

Realisation and lead them by the hand in the to enjoy the mundane world. Similarly, eternal activity of His service. when it wants to go back to God, it has to sub- Rut the advocates of empiricism and the mit to His attracting or enlightening Potency votaries of make a common cause which is manifested on the mundane plane in against the position stated above and argue, the form of the Spiritual Master. The finite "Why cannot the soul shift from the mundane soul must, in every case submit to the Power plane to the spiritual, if it is credited with any of the Infinite, because it has no power of its mdividuality or freedom of will at all ? If the own. The conception of the Absolute as the soul has turned away from God of its own Centre of all power, the Sole Monarch of the accord, why may it not of its own accord found universe and the Immanent Regulator of the a retreat from the world and go back to Him ? conduct of all finite souls, is essential to the If it can forge its own chains, why may it not maintenance of complete harmony. For, if break them as well ?" Their arguments are each soul had its own power and was free to do based on a false assumption and they need to what it chose, there would, in fact, be an infinite be enlightened on the point that the soul does number of absolutes (?) militating against each not possess any power that it may call its own. other in producing chaos instead of cosmos. All power is concentrated in the Lord Him- The Monadism of Leibnitz fails, because have- self. He is the Fountainhead of all energy and ing once created an infinite number of monads all actions of the individual souls, as well as all or spirits each having its own power and free- transformations in nature, spring from Him. will, he finds it difficult to build a harmonious Not even a leaf can turn without His Will. universe and is led to assume a "pre-established The finite souls always depend upon His harmony", which he is not warranted by his Mercy and their free will also is subservient to premises to do. His. He being the only Master, the freedom In this way is established an ontological of the finite souls is also permitted by Him. necessity of the intervention of the Divine But they are, by their nature, only free to desire, Agency on the souls path of God-Realisation wish, or aim at what they like to have, but they and an epistemological necessity of submission are not free to make anything serve their to the Feet of the Divine Master is entailed wishes. Unaided by the Potency of the Lord, besides. The instruments of knowledge which all their aims must remain unrealised and all a soul is equipped with in its fallen state their desires unfulfilled. It is a mistake, there- are not capable of giving it the true enlighten- fore, to think that the soul has the power either ment. Our senses and reasoning being them- to attain God-Realisation or satLfy its desire selves the products of the deluding Energy of of enjoying the objects of the mundane world the Lord, can only give us a perverted or dis- without submitting to His Power. When the torted vision of everything to which they are soul desires to turn away from God, feeling an applied. Even the so-called higher faculty of attraction for the objects of the mundane sphere, man, the 'higher understanding" or intuition to it has to submit to the deluding or repelling which some of the agnostic philosophers set Energy of God by which it is awarded a mate- much value, is nothing but a product of His rial body, equipped* with the senses necessary deluding Energy. The highest praise that may FIRST STEPS IN GOD REALISATOIN 17 be bestowed upon this faculty is that it may necessity of submission to the Feet of the bring to light the non-manifest substratum of Divine Agent must strike any person who sin- sense objects, which Locke calls 'substance' and cerely hankers after God-Realisation. which Kant terms as 'noumena' or 'the thing- Persons who are not willing to submit to in-itself meaning thereby the objects as they the Divine Agent of the Lord, are not His are in their pristine purity uncontaminated by willing devotees. They are not permitted to their contact with our sense organs. But any know, and as a matter of fact, are also not attempt on its part to penetrate into the spiri- eager to know anything about His Personality. tual realm which transcends both noumena and Their idea of God is a concoct on of phenomena, would only bear out the common their imagination suited to dovetail their saying that fools rush in where angels fear to desire for self-gratification. They would tread. Any person, therefore, travelling on the not submit to the Feet of the Divine path of God-Realisation with his entourage Agent because it would mean bidding of the equipments of this world, will be denied good-bye to their suicidal so-called interests of entrance at the very threshold of the Realm of the mundane world, cutting asunder the ties of the Absolute. relationship with mundane things and turning a In our quest for God we forget that His deaf ear to their inviting calls for self-gratifica- Nature is essentially different from that of the tion. It is, in fact, the necessity of submission mundane objects and hence, our method of to the Divine Agent with one's body, mind, approach towards Him must also be different. and soul by the abandonment of the desire for Mundane objects we can perceive and know mundane enjoyment that makes the path of and, therefore, in our quest for them we are iess God-Realisation appear to be free of thorns. likely to be deceived if we approach them direct- This sort of feeling, however, is natural to all ly, although even in their case we have also souls in their conditioned state, when every- to seek the help of others. We find it neces- thing appears to them in its perverted form— sary to learn the art of pottery from an expert when sweet tastes bitter and bitter tastes sweet. for progressive efficiency. In the case of God- But once they surrender themselves heart and Realisation we can have no knowledge what- soul to the Feet of the Divine Agent, He is ever of His Divine Personality unless His pleased to sprinkle upon them a few drops of Divine Agent is graciously pleased to impart water from His vessel of mercy and they wake the transcendental knowledge. So long as we from their torpor to find that what appeared to do not receive the grace of the Divine Agent, them as throns on the path of God-Realisation, we do not even put the first step on the path are only the choicest blessings of the All- of God-Realisation. Therefore, the utter Merciful Lord. The Fraud behind Altruism. C By Brajeshwari j ^rasad Adhikari )

DEVOTION to the Supreme Godhead sacrificing and sacrificing till he has sacnficed is 'Bhakti.' Show of devotion to his very self in the cause of the good of others. humanity without reference to the Supreme Will the people holding such a view of Godhead is 'Altruism'. Altruism is the outcome altruism be pleased to pause for a moment to of customary addiction to 'moral standards', or think if they have been undergoing all the pains the old Grecian idea of attaining peace. involved in their altruistic enterprises only to 'Moral standards' have been devised for cause their own annihilation ? In their code of achieving the well-being of humanity. Hu- life is there a place for considering as to whether manity does not exist for serving 'moral- a thing is desirable or undesirable in determin- standards'. It should not, therefore, be pre- ing their course of action ? If not, what is the supposed that whatever answers to 'moral rule by which they guide themselves ? If there standards' must also redound to the good of is, then do they really think that self-annihila- humanity. We should on the other hand tion is a desirable end to attain to. If so, examine the real worth and value of the so- what is the process of reasoning by which they called 'moral standards' with reference to our come to that conclusion ? Will they further well-being. consider whether it is at all possible to attain Those who regard addiction to 'moral to self-annihilation ? If not, they may be led standards' as itself an end, base 'altruism' on into unknown waters where they may begin to the ideal of self-sacrifice for the good of others. get drowned Like the man attempting to One would mount up to the scaffold on a commit suicide but failing to do so they may charge of high treason towards the king and only find themselves groaning under the pains sacrifice his head in the name of the country. of the injuries received in the attempt at Another would welcome jail for having done annihilation rather than be really annihilated. some so-called patriotic act and sacrifice his According to all scriptural evidence, behind liberty. A third would give his wealth for the the impermanent physical body and the ever- supposed well-being of the people. A fourth changing subtle-body in which we have been again would put himself under a vow to starve encased, there is a principle called 'soul'. That himself to death for getting a wrong or soul is the real '1'. The physical body is un- supposed wrong redressed. doubtedlycapable of being temporarily destroyed, The logical culmination of a course of con- - element to element. But the subtle body can duct actuated by the principle of self-sacrifice never unless the 'soul' takes shelter at the Lotus cannot but be complete self-annihilation. And Feet of the Supreme Godhead. The soul has such is the avowed aim of many altruists of a free will. All the 'souls' who are roaming in this school e. g. thp Budhists, evidenced by this vast universe are prisoners. This universe their theory of . One must go on is a prison. It has had countless srislis and THE FRAUD BEHIND ALTRUISM 19 pralayas. Subject to the rule of sristis and world out-side and bring pleasing sensations pralayas it is eternal. The imprisoned soul also, out of the latter to itself. subject to the same ruin, is eternal. His im- The 'soul' himself has preferred to sleep and prisonment has its root in eternity and is a stand- delegate his own powers to the subtle body, by ing representation of his desire to domineer means of which the latter acts as the 'proxy' over and enjoy the material world. To consti- of the former. His sleep is a kind of foolish tute himself into a lord of the universe and submission to the alurements of the Deluding enjoy it is not, however, his natural function. He Energy (Maya) in the form of his completely has no genius for it. It is not at all cognate to identifying himself with the subtle body, and him. Just as a man having no genius to be- through the subtle body with the physical body come a mathematician attains only to trouble to the forgetfulness of his own real interest. A and labour in endeavouring to become one, and sort of pleasure and pain which he he not to any mental acuteness in solving mathe- is attaining to are really experienced by his matical problems, - in a similar way, the soul material encasements. A man dreams that his having no genius for enjoyment only attains to little baby has fallen into a well, and attains to untold miseries and troubles in its pursuits. To all the anxieties and pains which such an event put it more correctly, the soul is purely spiritual can give birth to. But the moment he awakens in nature, and the material existence not being all the said anxieties and pains disappear. cognate to the soul at all he cannot meddle Similarly as soon as the soul awakens to his with it directly. real nature, the pleasures and pains, which He, however, finds an attractive associate or under the influence of the Deluding Energy he instrument in the subtle body (Man, Buddhi, and has been believing to be attaining to, disappear. Ahankar) to enable him to fulfil his object. By The subtle body may thus be the eternal itself the subtle body is incapable of function- associate of the soul and not leave him unless ing. It is 'jada', that is, without any power of he awakens to his real existence. And even initiative. But just as a piece of iron kept near when the subtle body does, leave him, he exists. fire attains to the function of fire and can bum He, therefore, is the real entity. The subtle combustibles, similarly the subtle body attains and physical bodies are merely added to him to the cognitive, volitional and emotional func- extrinsically. He is never annihilated. Strictly tions, by coming into contact with the 'soul'. speaking even the subtle and physical bodies The said three functions, really appertain to the are not annihilated. All that happens is that 'soul'. As appertaining to the mind they are the soul along with his encasement of the but perverted and partial reflections of their subtle body leaves one physical body and take originals, namely, those obtaining in the soul. on another, and when the soul awakens to The subtle body is, therefore, called 'chidabhas'. his real nature he shakes off the thraldom of the The soul takes on the subtle body to himself as subtle body also, and of the physical body his own agent to snatch pleasure out of the along with it. The idea, therefore, of the material world because the subtle body is cog- annihilation of the self is merely phantasma- nate to the material body and can meddle with gorial. The sooner the annihilationists bring it. It can make the material senses run to the their mind to bear upon the problem offered by 20 THE HARMONIST the above disputation, the better. I sincerely of altruism with reference to . It is hope that the honest amongst them will not not contended that the altruist gets no benefit shirk to do so. As regards those, however, who out of his transactions. But what he gets is merely want to use annihilationism as a cloak not 'peace'. It is but a dim reflection of for their self-complaisance or even for their 'peace'. He calls it 'peace' because he has desire to gratify the material senses, I have had no taste of the real 'peace'—the 'Shanta nothing to say. If some-where in the remote rasa'. It is really a kind of pleasing sensation corner of the annihilationist's heart is hidden only. You may call it 'happiness'. But this the idea of gaining power, position, popularity, 'happiness' is short-lived and of a very inferior comfort, popular applause, or pleasing sensa- type. In fact what-we call 'happiness' is only tions behind his altruistic enterprises of which, another name of diminution of sorrow. . The or of the harmfulness of which he is not cons- characteristic feature of human existence is cious, he should be forewarned that his said 'want'. We are liable to hunger which we enterprises are as much productive of the con - must satisfy. We are affected by heat and commitant results of one's . involvement in the cold against which we must protect ourselves. whirling of Maya as any other enterprise. We suffer from all kinds of painful diseases Now let us come to that school of 'altruists', which must be mitigated. Our penurious whose predilections for altruism are based on 'indriyas' are always crying for more and more the old Grecian idea of attaining peace. The things for their enjoyment which must be true mission of life of the altruists of their supplied. So the normal state of every one school is to live peacefully with pleasing sensa- of us is subjection to 'want'. The non-fulfil- tions. They seek virtue and lead a pious ment of these wants is sorrow. To the extent life so that they may get peace. They want the to which any one of our numerous wants is peace of themselves and of those others whose fulfilled to that extent our affliction is dimi- help they require in achieving their own peace. nished. In our present conditioned existence it There is no doubt that they also deny emphati- is an exceedingly difficult task to attain to an cally any reference to selfishness id their acts extirpation of these wants, far" more,—nay, in the sense of wanting to satisfy the demand impossible,—to their fulfilment. Where we of lower nature. But their selflessness is only find that the tendency to ponder to the a means to attain peace and pleasing sensations. demand of the lower nature is diminished The great advantage of the altruist of the and that towards doing virtuous deeds is school is that the ideal which they profess increased, we should know that there is a suits the convenience of the worldly-minded preponderance of one of the three states people. I can have no objection to your being ( Gunas ) of Nature namely, that of the an altruist because you thereby only make it manifestive state ( Sattwa Guna ). But the easier for me to gain the advantage of your tendency of the three states of Nature, the services. Now in the midst of such an attrac- manifestive ( Sattwic ), the active ( Rajasic ) tive advantange it is very difficult for the and the inert ( Tamasic >, is that each of generality of the people to persuade themselves them predominates over the other in alterna- to exercise their thought over the real worth tion. It is impossible to pitch oneself up iq THE FRAUD BEHIND ALTRUISM 21 one of the said three states permanently. For them. While they please some they are one who has forgotten that his existence is constantly coming into troubles with others. eternal and transcendental and not limited to But though we are obliged to cut out coat the function of the mortal coils which he has according to our cloth we need not be afraid adventitiously put on it may be enough conso- of our imperfections. When we incorporate lation to derive happiness from the prepon- ourselves with the Infinity, no shortcoming derance of the manifestive state reflected in, would trouble us. amongst others, his altruistic activities. But So let us serve the 'Achyuta' and all other in reality one would be better advised not to items will have the fullest satisfaction. When seek for his sumvium bonum on the planes of the root is watered the trunk, the branches, mental and physical existences. There is no the leaves, the flowers and the fruits all receive use chopping off the branches and leave the their proper nourishment. Let us make it the roots to thrive and shoot forth new branches. sole concern of our life to furnish the Fountain- Our miseries and troubles should be sought head with the materials. The very Emporium and managed to be rooted out from the of everything will distribute from His stock to bottom. others. Let us remember that unless we have There is an attraction in doing great things. surrendered all our tendencies and affecti-ms That attraction itself owes its origin in to at the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Godhead, 'avidya'. The ideas of 'great' and 'small' of unless we have yoked all our senses to the the world of relative reference are nourished service of the Supreme Godhead, unless we by the false ego, 'ahankar', which has to be have abandoned our reliance on everything got rid of for achieving peace. This attraction else and thrown ourselves entirely on the for doing 'great deeds' is a real obstacle in our Mercy of the Supreme Godhead, we cannot path of eternal good. Says Srimad Bhagawat— possibly have any chance of rescuing ourselves from the troubled waters of the material exis- aitR ^ SI BfJISIsdStT tence and gain everlasting peace, if that only is our end. In' Srimad Bhagawat Gita sen Sri Krishna sa:d to Arjun, Srrrfsi^ qjqnR: || ^ STpT TO 5^5441 I Our stock is small. We have not sufficient 3lifa ^ 34054 3l4t&ri cirf^ 4 II supply for properly engaging ourselves to the This triple textured Maya of the Supreme purpose of the so-called good of others. An Godhead is very difficult to transcend. He account of our relative references will give us alone can transcend it who takes shelter under te- know that our attempts will be a failure if the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Godhead we proceed to redress the grievances of the The constituents and the functions of the dislocated infinitesimals. Our engagements soul are spiritual. The plane on which the with parts lead us to trouble with others. soul functions is spiritual. 'Peace' in its real There are many people who are engaged in sense is cognate to the soul. Peace of the doing good to humanity according to their own mind is only a phase of the deluding energy light. But not all people are satisfied with 'Maya'. Let us not waste the invaluable 22 THE HARMONIST human life which the Supreme Godhead securing to the mental, moral and 'physical has bestowed upon us in the pursuit of chimeri- upliftments of ourselves and of others to the cal ideals. Let us know that there is some- detriment of the interests of our own soul and thing to substitute for the vain enterprises of of the souls of others.

The Alvars firuppani Alvar or Munibiihnn

ON the south bank of the sacred river Being a heaven-born child, all its instincts Kaveri is situated Nichulapuri (modern and tendencies were heaven-ward. The child Uraiyur). In the days of yore it was a very grew into a boy and the boy into a man. prosperous city. It was ramparted on all From the very beginning the boy showed no sides and was filled with palace-like houses. taste for the glamour of the world. He had St. Tiruppani Alvar was born in this city no taste for worldly occupation. His only in loo B. C. in the month of Kartic with avocation was to play on a lyre and sing for Rohini asterism. He was an incarnation of the glorification of Godhead. With the growth Srivatsa mark on the breast of Sri of age he realised his status in the society. but appeared in the society of pariahs or He respected the settled laws of the land. chandals. In respect to the saints, divine He knew that reform consisted not in defying wisdom and spiritual illumination are taken and infringing the conventions and usages cognisance in place of social status. Our enjoined by , but in respecting them saint, though low in social order, was greater and exemplifying their spiritual sense by than those who are highest in society i.e. the exemplary moral conduct. He thought that . At the outskirts of the town his birth in a low status was about temporary he was discovered in a field by a man of body, but by the grace of the Supreme Lord lower class as if the child was heaven-dropped. his soul might be enlightened. Thus the saint The man had no son. He took up the god- deeply fastened his thought on Sri Ranga sent boon and took it to his wife- Both and taking up his sweet lyre played thrilling husband and wife were extremely glad to notes of His praise from its strings. have the divine child and their long-cherished Tiruppani's attachment for Sri Ranga Nath desire was fulfilled. With great care and grew more and more intense and at times lost affection ' they brought up the child never himself in ineffable joy for hours together. He allowing the abomination of their class to would close his eyes and become utterly sense- defile the baby's atmosphere both physical less and oblivious to the external world. One and mental. It was fed with nothing but cow's day while he was in such a state of trance. milk. Muni, a priest of Sri Ranga Nath, came to THE ALVARS 23 the river Kaveri to draw water for the ablution the holy name. From this time your service of Sri Ranga Nath. He found Tiruppani in is suspended". Muni was in deep sorrow. He a lifeless state by the road-side. He called knew not how to atone and pacify the Lord. him and asked him to stay at a distance, being With great humility he begged the mercy a chandal. Our saint did not hear the priest of the Lord. He was broken with remorse. as he had lost his senses for the time being. Finding him penitent, a similar voice came This infuriated the priest and he took a pebble from within saying, "Do not think Tiruppani and threw it to the saint. It hurt hnn on the low. He is my confidential servant. If you face, drops of blood trickled down. He came lift him on your shoulder and circumambulate to his senses, opened his eyes slowly and the temple, the temple gate .will open, other- seeing the brahmin at a distance, realised the wise not. Let it be obeyed." The priest situation in a moment. He made way in found himself relieved and ran with delight grief and repentance considering that he was to the Kaveri. He approached Tiruppani and hindrance to the service of his Lord and falling at his feet, asked for his forgiveness prayed for mercy. Tiruppani remained at a for injuries both physical and mental which he respectful distance. The priest went to the had unwittingly, indeed, inflicted on his sacred stream, performed his daily duties and took person, and submitted to him humbly the the holy water in pitchers with due ceremony wish of the Lord. Hearing these he drew and reached the temple gate. On arrival he back, but the importunities of the priest made found the gate closed from inside. He called him submit to the will of God. for the other priests, but n< body responded. Muni took him on his shoulders and con- His heart sank and he began to muse in veyed him to the temple amidst acclamations anguish praying with folded hands for mercy and applauses, and carried him round the temple of the Lord. A long while after he heard a to the pleasure of the Lord. The gate was now voice from within the temple, "How you dare fiung open and all present fell prostrate at the to hurt me by flinging stone to my faithful feet of Sri Ranga^Nath and sang the praise of Tiruppani considering him to be of low origin the Lord. From that time onward Tiruppani while he was deeply immersed in chanting Alvar was named Munibahan or Yogibara. Round the Gaudiya Maths

Sree Gaudiya Math, Calcutta : necessity and importance of serving Sri Hari On August 3 i, the Editor left for Puri by and at last laid the foundation stone of the Puri Express. He was accompanied by auditorium of the Math in the midst of loud Mahamahopadeshak Pandit Kunja Behari sankirttan. At noon the party left for Puri. Vidyabhusan and Mahamahopadeshk Aprakrita Sree Gaur Gadadhar Math, Bhaktisaranga Goswami. The party returned Champahati to Calcutta after a sojourn on September 2. On August 30, a party consisting of Trfdandiswami Bhakti Hridcy Bon ac- Trindandiswami Bhakti Kevala Audulomi companied by Baron H. E. Von Koeth and Maharaj, Sripad Narahari Sevabigraha and Herr Georg Ernst Schulze arrives at the other brahmacharis of Sree Chaitanya Math and station on September 8. A large residents of Sridham Mayapur arrived here. number of the leading citizens, members of Swamiji explained the Divine Mercy of Sri the mission and sympathisers assembled at Gaur Gadadhar and their servitors. the railway station to accord a fitting reception. Sree Gaudiya Math, Bombay : On their arrival a cordial reception was given On September 5, Tridandiswami Bhakti and they were taken in a procession to the Hridoy Bon Maharaj arrived at Bombay per Gaudiya Math. On the same afternoon a S. S. Victoria accompanied by Baron von reception was given at the Assembly Hall of Koeth and Herr Ernst Georg Schulze of the Math at 5 p. m. with the Maharajadhiraj Germany. These German devotees came here Bahadur of Burdwan in the chair. to stay at the Gaudiya Math and to devote On September 5, M. M. Sundarananda themselves wholly for the service of the Supre- Vidyavinode B. a., broadcasted tnrough radio me Lord and His associates. The citizens a lecture on Sree . of Bombay and members of the Math gave Sree Satchidananda Math, Cuttack : them a warm reception. They left for Calcutta The Editor, with party arrived here on next day. the morning of September 1. M. M. Nishi Burma : Kanta Sanyal, Tridandiswami B. P. Bodhayan, Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Sudhir and other leading citizens received the party Yachak Maharaj is propagating the messages warmly at the railway station- A meeting of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya was arranged at the Math premises. It was at Yenangyaung. He explained the teachings attended by many respectable persons of the of Gita in at the local Jagannath city. The Editor spoke for an hour on the Temple. VOL. XXXII No. 2 1 [ ftegtd. No. C tOOl

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Sajjanatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna Kkadashi Aswin 449 Q.A.

September 23, 1935.

95^ II Annihifation of ags*fong sufferings. May these our high aims fTourish The Service of Radha- Krishna, To gfadden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs, 4-8. Foreign Is. 6d, Paramahama Bhakti SiddJianta Single Copy 3 annas Samwati Goswami

Sree Caudiya Math, P.O. Bagl^bazar, Calcutta. CONTfc NTS

Subject Page 1. Who am I ? 25 2. Jaiva Dharma 27 3. Vidura 33 4. The Alvars 42 5. Lecture on Samsar-o-Bhakti 44 6. Round the Gaudiya Maths 45 7. Gaudiya Directory ... 47 ALL GLORY TO SREE OURU AND OAURANOA

Tie B a t m a n t s f

(Sree Saiianatosbant)

VOL. XXXII. SEPTEMBER 23, 1935 | No. 2

Who am I ?

The question itself represents the count upon any limited helper. If I activity of my cognitional energy. follow this consistent course it would Tliis in its turn is associated with my compel me to reciprocate with the volitional potency. Both aim at the Absolute Who is void of all limited sequel of finding their locus standi in distinctions. a blissful region. But I need not, therefore, jump to If my cognition chooses to remain the idealistic thought. On the contrary confined to the stunting limitations of I should also surrender all my ideas of time anH space, my volitional activities present defective relativities to the would never expect to reach incessant Absolute, iiil.pervasive blissful continuity. If If I turn to be an idealist, I require my entity is shaped within the compass to inflate myself to infinite space, fail of time and space, I would not transcend to accommodate any relative question these limited relativities. and ignore the factor of time. This So my cognition should choose to results from my desertion of neutrality cross over all such limitations ; and, when I associate -myself with such thereafter, I should not also again hallucinative thought. 26 THE HARMONIST

If my cognition is to stick to the the universe and its objects. My Reality, I should depend on the Abso. engagements with all sentient and lute, fully isolating myself from ray insentients are confined in temporality. enjoyment {bhog) and its opposite {tyag). If I am to retain my personality, I My engagement to secure either would need not indulge myself in these not permit me to become a real depen. temporary occupations, I am not dent (sharanagata). assured of my success, as they are in- The personality of my eternal and dependent of me, I won't be able to all-pervasive Guardian, the Absolute, exercise my volitional capacity, as voli- should not be transformed by my tion, connected with temporal objects, anthropomorphic exploitation. Least of is changing, and as my encased subjec- all should I seek tp disturb Him for tivity with foreign things is undoubted- my temporary shifting of my eternal ly of a temporary nature, I cannot infinitesimal personality to infinity. fully rely on my mind and its specula- The bitter experience of my present tions. conditional life should not tamper or In order to avoid all these possibili. disfigure the positive Entity of the ties of defective nature, my engagements Absolute by my defective volition, but with outside objects through ray chang- approach Him as the unceasingly Bliss- ing senses are undesirable. For the ful All-pervasive Eternal Personality of elimination of the defects of time and Full Cognitional, Volitional and Emo- space, I find that there is no other tional Emporium, This is bhahti or alternative but to submit to the Absolute; devotion to the Personality of the Abso. and that this submission is the eternal lute. My ever-shifting infinitesimal function of my three activities now volition, cognition and emotion should placed under the care of the agent reciprocate with Him when I can re- mind. cognise, associate and realise myself as When I scrutinise the function of the All-potent Predominating Lord's mind, I find that the field is quite finite predominated fractional potency restricted in phenomena which have meant for His eternal service. a different characteristic from the The analytical examination of my Absolute. present self will indicate that I have But I have traced the Fountainhead got an inanimate physique associated of every shaky position to the Absolute. with conducting mentality functioning As I have deviated from the centre of with the help qf afferent and efferent all, my absolute character is partially senses suitable to come in touch with mutilated to some extent, and I should JAIVA DHARMA 27 trace back my real position. I am only Source and Object of my eternally quite independent of mind and body ; functioning entity and prefer a camp and my eternal function is no other life in this transforming plane where I than His unalloyed service. He need am detected as lord instead of being a not - be fixed in neuter phase by my depending servitor of the Absolute. feeble volition, neither He should be I need not forget my eternal position isolated from His reciprocal half of and should not dramatise myself as an consort, parents, friends and servants. enjoying hero of the deformed universe, I would necessarily be deemed un- as 1 am an eternal devotee of the wise if I disconnect myself from my Absolute.

Jaiva Dharma CHAPTER ZV ( Continued from Vol. XXXI P. 368 )

13. The tendency that points to the Faramat- constituent limbs of either karma or , but man aims at the" establishment of a contact the body of pure bhakti itself. The Vaishnava between the worshipper and on the religion, that follows this school of thought, astral plane. The methods, by which such persons is alone unmixed Vaishnava dharma. This is hope to realise the exclusive state of identifica- supported by the following clear text of Sriraad tion with the Paramatman, form the systems Bhagabait (Bhag. i/a/n): "That Who is'Advaya- that are known as the eightfold consisting jnana' (Absolute Undivided Cognition) is called of a variety of activities, also called karma-yoga. the Reality by all those who are con- According to this school of thought, initiation versant with the Ultimate Reality. He by Vishnu-, worship of Vishnu, medita- manifests Himself in the form of the words tion et^., are all constituents of fruitive activity Brahma, Paramatma and Bhagawan in the or karma. It is inside this process that Scriptures." Vaishnava dharma, contaminated with karma, 14. It should be noticed that the Entity makes its appearance." of Bhagawan, also not different from that of 13. It is by the operation of the theistic Brahma and Paramatma, is ulterior to all impulse, which is also innate in us, that all entities. The Entity of Bhagawan is moreover fortunate souls (jivas) realise a liking for the the same as the Entity of Vishnu. Souls principle of bhakti that is at once pure, (jivas), that are subservients of that Entity, tangible and in consonance with Godhead's are alone in the pure, natural state, The Own Entity. The functions of worship, etc., aptitude of such a person is bhakti. Bhakti that are practised by such persons, are not any to Hari is alone unadulterated Vaishnava 26 THE HARMONIST dharma, nitya dharma (eternal function), jaiva- submit to be initiated and taught afresh if he dharma (function of all souls), bhagabat dharma finds a worthy teacher. By listening to your (theistic religion), paramartha dharma (condu- holy instructions during these days 1 have come cive to the highest good), para dharma (trans- to experience firm faith in the Vaishnava cendental function). All those religions, that religion. I now offer myself to you for'instruct- have been produced by the inclination towards ing me in the principles of the Vaishnava the Brahma and Paramatma conceptions are religion and for subsequently initiating me in naimittika (contingent). There is mundane the same. May you be pleased to sanctify me purpose (nimitta) in the quest of the discrete by your mercy" Brahma. Therefore, the process is contingent 16. Babaji Mahasaya showed a slight and temporary, or, in other words, it is not embarrassment as he said, ''Respected brother, eternal (nitya). The individual (jiva) in the I will instruct you to the best of my power. conditioned state is anxious to get rid of the I am not fit to be -guru ( precep- conditions of his unwholesome thwarted exis- tor who initiates into spiritual life). However tence by reason of his actual experience of that be, you should now apply yourself to such unwholesomeness. Under this temporary learning the principles of the Vaishnava urge he falls back upon the quest of the state religion." that is devoid of the concrete quality of 17. "Sree Sree Krishna Chaitanya, the mundane existence. The function, that he Origmal Spiritual Teacher of the world, has thus proposes as the final goal, is the product taught as follows. There are three fundamental of a temporary urge or mundane purpose principles in the Vaishnava religion. These are (nimitta). It is, therefore, definitely established respectively ; 1. the principle of relationship that the Brahma religion is not eternal (nitya). (-tattva), 3. the principle of natural The jiva, who lakes recourse to the Paramatma function accruing from true relationship religion, tempted by the desire for pleasure (abhidheya-tattva) and 3. the principle of the that accrues from the state of exclusive con- fruit of such function (prayojana.tattval. centration (samadhi), is led into that form of 18. "Under the principle 4of relationship the contingent function for the purpose of the there are to be found separate instructions about enjoyment of the subtle form of pleasures three distinct subjects viz, 1. the material world, of the flesh. So the Paramatma religion is also or the principle of Maya (lit. that by which we not eternal (nitya). Unadulterated Bhagabat are enabled to measure or comprehend a thing religion alone is nitya." by our limited faculties), 2. individual tool 15. Having listened with attention, Lahiri (jiva) or the entity of the subservient, 3. Mahasaya now gave vent to his thoughts. He Bhagawan (Personality of Godhead) or the said, ltRevered sir, be pleased to discourse to me Entity of the Lord or Master. Bhagawan is about the unadulterated Vaishnava religion. One and without a second. He is the Possessor I am advanced in years. But I throw myself of all power. He attracts all entities. He is on. the protection of your holy feet. May you the Sole Emporium of all sovereignty and be pleased to accept me, out of your mercy. I mellowness He is the Only Support (Ashraya) have heard that even if a person has been of Maya and the jiva potency. But despite the already initiated and taught the principles of fact that He happens to be the Support of both religion by an unworthy teacher, he should Maya and jiva, He is at the same time and most JA1VA DHARMA 29 appropriately also possessed of His Independent unadulter.ited com I it ion of their Vaishnava Specific Individuality. The Glow of the nature. Beauty of His Divine Form being reflected to 19. said, "I have heard a great distance manifests itself as the discrete from the Vaishnavas that they surrender them- Brahma. His power as Master, Lord or selves wholly to their emotions, and that there Sovereign (), having created the mundane is no necessity of any knowledge in their case. world, and entering the same by His Portion Why do they say so ? I myself have a'so up as Paramattua, is the Immanent Divine Lord til! now, in my chanting of the Name of Hari, of this mundane universe. As Manifestive cared only to secure an accession of emotion. Entity of the Plenitude of His Divine Lordly I have never tried to acquire the knowledge of Majesty, He is in Parabyom (lit relationship." transcendental world). As Manifestive Entity 20. Babaji Mahasaya replied, l'The appearance of the mellow quality, He is Sree Sree Krislma- of the emotion of love is certainly the ultimate chandra, the Beloved Consort of the gopees result of the practice of devotion by the (spiritual milkmaids) in -Vrindavana. Vaishnavas But the realised emotion must All His Manifestive and Dynamic Forms are be unadulterated with mundane elements. Eternal (nitya) and Endless () There Those, who apply themselves to the culture is no one or nothing that is equal to Him. of emotions that are appropriate to the endea- There is, of course, nothing that is superior to vours laid down in the system aiming at the Him. All His Manifestations and Activities realisation of merging one's entity in the are brought about by His transcendental power discrete Brahmi, miss the perfectly pure quality (Para Shakti). Of the various potencies of of emotion. Their emotions and practices are HL transcendental power jiva is aware of only only a pretence of purity of emotional cultute. three. One of these is known as the enlighten- The realisation of the least particle of the ing potency (chit vikram). All the Pastimes unadulterated emotional quality has power to (Leela) of Sree Krishna are occasioned by it. fulfil all legitimate requirements of the true Another of the potencies is called jiva potency, nature o( all individual souls (jiva). Bnt by which the infinity of the individual souls emotionalism adulterated with the imperfect have their manifestation and existence. The knowledge of the discrete Brahma must be third of the potencies is called Maya. By Maya regarded as a source of tribulations for the all the measurable entities, passing time and soul. The emotional displays of a person, who worldly activities have been created. The cherishes in his heart the ambition of merging Principle of Relationship has reference to the in the discrete Brahma, are only a make- relationship between jiva and Bhagawan the believe for deceiving the people. For this relationship between Bhagawan on the one reason it is imperatively necessary for all pure hand and jiVa and jada (inanimate) on the other, devotees to be well-versed in the knowledge of and the relationship of jada with Bhagawan relationship." and jiva. The knowledge of the Principle 21. Lahiri Mahasaya now asked with all of Relationship is realised when the fact of due respect, "Is there any higher truth than these relations becomes fully known. Those Brahma? If the entity of Brahma is derived who are devoid of the knowledge of the from Bhagawan why do not the seekers of the Principle of Relationship can never realise the knowledge of Brahma betake themselves to 30 THE HARMONIST

(lie worship of Bhagawau, hy giving up the tacle of both principles. He is the Ocean of quest of discrete Brahma" ? Infinite Bliss aud is AII-AI tractive. 22. Babaji Mahasaya smiled gently as he 25. Lahiri—"How can His Form be eternal said, ''Brahma, the four Sanas, Shnka, , when Krishna is subject to birth, death and Mahadev, god of the gods, have all sought mundane works ?" ultimately the protection of the Feet of 26. Babaji—"The Form of Sree Krishna is Bhagawan." Sat (Ever-existing), Chit (All-Intelligent) and 23. Lahiri Mahasaya asked. "Bhagawan is Ananda (Ever Blissful), and is devoid of an entity possessed of Form. How then can mundane birth, death and works, etc," He, a limited entity, be the basic principle of 27. Lahiri—'Why is He described to be unlimited Brahma ?" such in the Mahabbarata ?" 24. Babaji mahasaya said, "The entity, which 28. Babaji—"The Eternal principle is goes by the name of the sky in this mundane beyond human description. The liberated soul world, is also unlimited. This being so, where sees His Eternal Beautiful Form, Superhuman is the higher greatness of Brahma for being Qualities and Deeds, in his unalloyed existence, simply unlimited ? Bhagawan is unlimited by the which when put In language, cannot but be Glow of the Beauty of His Form. But He is described as worldly history. Those, who can at one and the same time also possessed of His appreciate the real worth of the Mahabharata, own Proper Form. Is there to be found can understand and realise the Qualities and another such entity ? For this unique and Activities of Sree Krishna in a manner that unparalleled innate characteristic Bhagawan is is quite different from the conclusions of those superior to the principle of Brahma. What blunt-headed men who are prone to misunder- a wonderful All-Beautiful Form He possesses, stand the representations of the Mahabharata." in which Omniscience, Omnipotence and 29. Lahiri—"To meditate on the Form of Omnipresence, AlLKindness and All-Bliss exist Krishna, a conception confined within time in the fullest degree. Tell roe, Lahiri Mahasaya, and space naturally awakens in the mind. whether this Form is good or an unknowable, What other Divine Form can transcend this all-pervading, attributeless and powerless kind of ?" Impersonal Entity is good ? As a matter of 30. Babaji—"Meditation is a activity which fact, Brahma is the Impersonal manifestation cannot transcend matter (material conception) of Bhagawan. Both Impersonality and Perso- unless and until mind becomes purely trans- nality simultaneously and beautifully co-exist cendental. Mind, impregnated with devotional in Bhagawan. The formless, immutable, imper- aptitude, gradually becomes spiritual. In the sonal, unknowable and immeasurable, imper- devotional mind meditation is also a purely fect aspect of Bhagawan is liked by short- spiritual process. When the worshipful devotees sighted persons. But those, who are all-seeing, chant the Name of Krishna, they are beyond do not relish anything short of the Fullest and the gamut of the mundane world. They Perfect Personality of Bhagawan. The Vaish- become purely spiritual. They are in a position navas have but little faith in the Impersonal to meditate on the daily Activities of Krishna Form of Godhead, as it is in contradiction of manifesting themselves eternally on the trans- the Eternal religion and Divine Love of Krishna. cendental plane, and to enjoy the constant bliss The Supreme Lord Sree Krishna is the Lecep- of His confidential service* JAIVA DHARMA 31

31. Lahiri—"Be pleased to vouchsafe the '■(7. Lahiri—"1 have now been able to grasp self-same spiritual bliss to myself." the Nature of the Personality of Bhagawan. 32. Babaji—"When you will constantly Bhagawan is the only Supreme Principle (of chant the Name of Krishna leaving aside all Reality), Brahma and Paramatma being subor- mundane doubts and arguments, you will dinate to Him. Though All-pervading, He is realise erelong the true nature of the spiritual Ever-present in His Own unprecedented •'unction. The more you indulge in polemic Beautiful Form (Sree Vigraha) in the spiritual controversies, the more does your mind tend world. He is the Supreme Personality focussing to be world-tight. The more you will strive all existence, all intelligence and all bliss. He is for the manifestation of the spiritual relish of Omnipotent. Though He is the Lord of all the chant of the Holy Name, the more will the the potencies, He is nevertheless always in the world-tie be slackened and the spiritual realm state of Divine rapture in blissful union with and its activities manifest themselves in your His exhilarating energy (Hladini). May you be purified heart." pleased to explain to me the principle of the 33. Lahiri—"I do most desire that your individual soul (jiva) ? reverence be pleased to communicate to me, out 38. Babaji—"There is a marginal (tatastha) of your mercy, the actual experience of the potency among the infinite powers of Sree same". Krishna. Prom that potency springs forth a 34. Babaji—"The mind, with all its thesaurus principle which is in the intermediate position of words and expressions, receives a set-back between the chit and achit worlds and suscep- when it finds its access to the spiritual realm tible to association with either. This principle barred by these limitations. The spiritual is known as the jiva. By bis individual consti- realm is accessible only to the exclusive culti- tution the jiva is an unalloyed spiritual atom. vation of the bliss of spiritual activity. Be By reason of his infinitesimality he is susceptible persuaded to betake yourself to the practice to entanglement in the material world. But on of the chant cf the Holy Name, for some account of his unalloyed spiritual composition appreciable time, by giving up your barren he can become the eternal inhabitant of the argumentative habit. You will be then relieved spiritual world and live in supreme bliss, if he of all your doubts and you will no more have receives the slightest spiritual impetus. The jiva to ask any person for the answer of your falls into two distinct categories. He may be questions on any matter." either mukta (free)' or resident in the spiri- 35. Lahiri— *1 now learn that all spiritual tual world, or baddha (in the state of bondage) bliss is attainable by relishingly chanting the or resident in the material world. Jivas in the Holy Name and drinking the nectar accruing state of bondage are again of two kinds, »»»., therefrom with a firm faith in Sree Krishna. those whose sense of right and wrong has been I shall throw myself on the absolute guidance thoroughly aroused and those in whom it is more of the Holy Name after receiving the knowledge or less dormant. Those hnman beings, who dis- of relationship in an adequate manner." play no spiritual activity as well as birds and 36. Babaji—"It is the best course. You beasts, are examples of jivas whose is should first of all strive for the realisation of dormant. Those human beings, who walk in the the knowledge of relationship in the proper path of a Vaishnava, are possessed of awakened form." conscience. This happens to be so for the 32 THE HARMONIST reason that none except a Vaishnava have any backwardness or aversion to the service of active interest in the summum bonum Hence Krishna, and his liberation or freedom from the cultivation of the service and society of the bondage is similarly proportional to his Vaishnavas is the foremost of all duties enjoined proneness to serve Krishna by coming in close by the Shastras (spiritual Scriptures of India). touch with Him. The mayik world has sprung Association with a Vaishnava is easliy conse- up by the will of Krishna to serve as the sphere crated in the devotional aptitude as enacted by of material enjoyment of conditioned souls. the Shastras with which a jiva of awakened This mayik world is not the eternal abode of conscience is endowed by which he is led to jivas. It is only a prison-house for them." adopt the spiritual culture of chanting the Holy 41. Lahiri—v,My Master, may you be Name of Krishna,—a fact which is always pleased tc tell me about the eternal relation- ignored by persons with a dormant conscience, ship between jivas, Krishna and Maya." who prefer to follow the conveniional method of 42. Babaji—"The jiva is a spiritual atom, the ritualistic worship of the symbolic form of and hence he is the eternal servant of Krishna. Krishna, and wherefore the consecration of This mayik world is the house of captivity of honouring the holy temple in the form of a the jiva. By resorting to the spiritual culture Vaishnava does not take hoid of their hearts. of the Holy Name of Krishna in the society 39. Lahiri—"I have now an idea of the of His pure devotees, a jiva, even during his Entity of Krishna and of jivas. May you be temporary sojourn in this world, enjoys, by pleased to explain to me the principle of the Grace of Krishna, the spiritual bliss of His Maya ?" confidential service in the spiritual realm in 40. Babaji—'"Mayais the unspiritual factor. his unalloyed perfect body. This is the most Maya, is also pf course, a potency of Krishna. hidden reciprocal relationship of the three It is designated as the non-Absolute potency entities. How can the service of Krisfina be (a-para) or power appertaining to the external possible till the knowledge of this is realised ?" form {bahiranga) of Krishna. Just as the 43. Lahiri—"Is it expedient to acquire shadow of light always keeps away from light, scholarship in the empiric knowledge of so also Maya keeps away from the neighbour- the Scriptural lore, before one becomes a hood of Krishna and His devotees. The fourteen Vaishnava ?" grades of the mundane world, the elements of 44. Babaji—"It is not necessary to study solid, liquid, energy, gas, space, the mind, any of the branches of human knowledge, nor intelligence and egoism centering m the gross any particular language, to become a Vaishnava. material body, all these are made manifest by It is only necessary for the jiva to submit the agency of Maya. The subtle as well as unreservedly to the guidance of the real the gross material body of the conditioned soul spiritual master, who helps in attaining the are of the essence of Maya. The spiritual body knowledge of relationship by speech and his of the soul is cleansed of these impurities on culture of devotion. This goes by the name of the attainment of liberation. The bondage initiation and teaching. of a soul in matter is proportionate to his {To be continued ) Vidura (Hi) ( Continued from P. 43, Vol. XXXI)

When, before the Knrukshetra war, where the Images of Incarnations of the ablest and flower of a minister of Krishna would be found for the attain- King Dhritarastra, Vidura failed to ment of eternal good. Attired in the persuade the King with any amount of habit of an Abadhuta (super.ascetic) sound advice that he could bring to and banishingO even the slightestO luxuries bear u|jon him, .to dissociate himself and comforts of life, he observed all fully from Duryodhana, the curse of a the ceremonious rituals pertaining to son who was about to bring a complete the gratification of the senses of Sree ruin upon the family, and also to part Hari. Meanwhile when after finishing with the just and legitimate dues of the his pilgrimage tour throughout all India Pandavas, and when he was most he reached the pilgrimage of Prabhas inhumanly insulted by Duryodhana who ( Porebander ), the all-righteous getting a scent of his (Vidura's) design Yudhisthira with the grace of Sree at once ordered his underlings to drive Krishna was found to be the only un- away from his palace and his capital, disputed reigning sovereign of the too, Vidura, describing him as the world. mischievous son of a slave-maid, engaged When on his arrival there Vidura in espousing the cause of the enemy of learnt that all his relations had been ''those who fed and maintained him so killed by the fire of dissensions arising long, the latter highly mortified at the among themselves like a forest burnt •pinching and heart-rending insults of down by the fire generated by the Duryodhana and considering them all friction of the bamboos, with the most to be the machinations of Maya left the heavy heart he retreated towards the place of his own accord leaving behind river Saraswati; and travelling through him his bows and arrows. many places of interest and pilgrimage When Vidura left Hastinapur it when he reached thb bank of the Jamunn, seemed as if he left the place bedecked he came across Uddhava, the crest, with the effulgence of piety of the jewel of all the devotees, Uddhava of Kauravas. Then he began to wander serene countenance and the great about alone in places of pilgrimage follower of Krishna was formerly a 5 34 THE HARMONIST

reputed disciple of the statesman Oh I Vidura, the darkness following Brihaspati. Very glad to meet Uddhava the departure of Krishna, our houses Vidura embraced him most affectionate- have been infested with the snakes of ly and enquired about the good news time ; so how shall I reply to your of the agnatic relations of Krishna. query about the welfare of our friends 7 One after another he enquired about It is indeed sad that the people and Sree Krishna, Balarama, , specially the Yadavas are so very un- , Ugrasen, Shamba, Satyaki fortunate not to be able to know the

Akrura, Mother , Aniruddhaj real nature of Krishna as Godhead, Yudhisthira, Bliima, , Nakula, though they lived and associated with Snhadeva and Kuntidevi. Then he Him. In spite of their great dexterity expressed his deep sorrows for that to read the hearts of others, due to their hellish Dhritarastra who at the pride of knowledge ;'about their own instigation of his son Duryodhana majestic glory, they took Krishna to be maltreated and tortured the Pandavas, only the most superior among them. his own nephews, and even had the Infatuated with the influence .of Maya misfortune to acquiesce in the banish- they would rather consider Krishna to ment of a brother like him. be no other than a mere Yadava or one He further said that it was not a of their friends. But that Krishna fact that due to the misconduct of after manifesting His Leela for a while Dhritarastra he was really grieved at has again disappeared from public heart ; that he could realise the glory view. of Krishna Who in the garb of the Oh ! Vidura, it is indeed extremely ordinary man of this world was imposing painful to think of Krishna standing upon the thought currents of the before the King Ugrasen on the throne populace and for that reason he was and to address him as, "Maharaj, be roaming about in the world incognito. gracious enough to consider this and The Godhead Krishna fully competent so forth'' Oh ! how inconceivable it is to kill the haughty arbitrary monarchs to think that hypocrite Putana in her to remove the sorrows of his devotees, attempt to kill Krishna with the ignored for the present, the vices of poisoned milk of her breast should get the Kauravas. Uddhava was then into the realm worthy of a benevolent entreated by Vidura to chant the nurse, through the grace of her own glories of Krishna, when filled with the victim. Therefore to whom should we divine love the former began to address surrender except that All-merciful the latter as follows. Krishna. V1DURA 35

Uddhava thon described how at the life as a Vasu you prayed to have My prayer of Brahma, Sree Krishna with Grace. Hence I will give you what desire to do eternal good to the world is not obtainable by those a verse to Me. appeared in the hearts of Vasudeva. Of all your births the present one is Devaki in the prison house of , the best in as much as herein you have how He killed many along with been recipient of My Grace through Kamsa, how He played with the cow- your sincere devotion, at a time when herds of Brajn, how He played the I am about to depart from this world. Rasa pastimes, the Govardhana Leela Oh ! Uddhava, before creation I pro. etc. It was Krishna Who brought claimed to Brahma the most hidden about the end of the Kauravas and the knowledge about My Glorious Self Yadavas and Who placed the most known as the Sree Sreemad pious Yudhisthira on the throne. It Bhayiabatam. was He who saved the life of Parikshita Then Uddhava said, "Finding myself in the womb of Uttara from that deadly to be the recipient of such Krishna's Weapon hurled against him by Grace, my hairs stood on'end and over, Aswattbama. Krishna then lived for whelmed with tears and choked up with a time in Dwaraka with ostentatious passions I submitted to the Lord with enjoyments of this world though with folded hands. Oh ! Lord, of dharma, yukfa-vairagya in the light of Vedic artha, kama and , neither of rules and precepts. them is inaccessible to the servitors of Uddhava then described how he Your Lotus Feet. Still, Oh ! Lord, I was advised by Krishna to retire to for myself am not an aspirant for any Badrikashrama as He was then bent of those except the service of Your upon to wind up His family line from Lotus Feet. To think of a compromise this world. But unable to bear the between your widely divergent attri- pangs of separation from Krishna he butes, even the heads of the most intelli (Uddhava) followed Him and at last gent beings get puzzled ; I, therefore, found Him sitting alone on the bank humbly pray You to be gracious enough of the Saraswati. The Maitreya to divulge to me that hidden knowledge in the course of his world.tour reached originally delivered to Brahma, if 1 be the place at that timie. Krishna most at all worthy to receive the same that affectionately addressed me then in the I may be able to easily cross this presence of that great sage. Oh ! miserable ocean of the world. At my Uddhava, living in your heart I know earnest solicitude He enlightened me your heart's desire. In your previous with the same," 36 THE HARMONIST

Though enlightened with that trans deeds are bound to suffer in this world, cendental knowledge, with a heavy but the most intimate associates of heart due to His separation I have come Krishna surely move in this world to here with a mind to retire to Badrika. show their grace to these irreligious . Learning all the news of and distressed people. Kindly also sorrows due to the annihilation of all describe to me how Krishna, the Lord his friends and relations, Vidura sup- of Maya, creates, works and maintains pressed the pangs thereof with the this universe ; how He incarnates help of his sense of spiritual knowledge Himself; how He has created differences and prayed Uddhava to delineate to in name, form, work and the nature him all that hidden knowledge communi of the jivas. cated to him by Krishna. To that Oh ! sage, your friend Veda-Vyas Uddhava advised Vidura to receive the has composed the Mahabharata,wherein, transcendental message from the pro- through the medium of commonplace perly instructed sage Maitreya. The instructions based on fruitive results informations about the Leelas and the of karma he had tried to persuade incidents of His departure from this people to listen to the Words of Sree world weighed heavily upon the mind Hari to redress all their sorrows. Oh ! of Vidura who highly aggrieved, wept how do I feel aggrieved for those that and within a few days repaired to the have turned a deaf ear to the words of place of the sage Maitreya on the bank Sree Hari and are wasting their life of the Ganges. wholly engaging their body, mind and On arrival at the place Vidura speech jn transient worldly matters. approached and humbly asked the pure- Therefore, Oh ! friend of the distressed, hearted, devoted sage Maitreya sitting kindly describe to me the glory of Sree on the bank of the Ganges. People Hari for our eternal good. work here to attain material pleasures Sree Maitreya said, "Oh ! saint, but it is an irony of fate that neither your question is a very fine one ; wherein do they find here any such pleasure nor you have displayed your grace to- an end of their sorrows ; rather works words mankind. You have appeared in done by them here become again the this world through the potency of precursors of future fresh calamities. Bhagawan Veda-Vyas, have surrendered As you are omniscient, kindly enlighten yourself to Sree Krishna and actually ue with our duty here in this world. seen Him. You were Yama (god of Irreligious persons averse to Krishna death ) in your previous birth and you due to the fruitive effects of their past are an ear.marked devotee of Sree Hari V1DURA 37 and one of His associates. When is, can have desires for play like a Krishna left for Baikuntha He advised child ; how a jiva a potency of that me to communicate to you, His associate, transcendental Godhead, can be subject, the Divine Knowledge, I will, therefore, ed to Maya ; how the jives do suffer act accordingly. from forgetfulness of their own real Before the creation of this pheno- selves and the miseries of this world menal world the Godhead as such with when Godhead lives in them as Imma- His Full Transcendental Effulgence nence. To these lengthy queries of together with the desire of creation Vidura, the sage Maitreya gave a long latent in Him, was manifest as the reply which it is not possible to be Absolute Entity. Maya, the delusive written in detail within this short com- energy of Godhead, is his eternal potency. pass, for which the readers are referred The phenomenal world was created to the seventh chapter of the third through the instrumentality of Maya Skaudha of Srimad Bhagabatam. To from whom Mahattattwa and the other satisfy the curiosity of the readers only elements came into existence, then the the following lines are culled therefrom. presiding deities of the*e other elements The saae Maitreya replied, that God- prayed with folded hands to the Supreme head has His Majesty quite inconceiv- Lord, craved shelter and indulgence able to us. He has His external potency of His Lotus Feet that they might be Maya through whose instrumectality given knowledge and strength enough jivas suffer their miseries in this world. to carry on what might go to fulfil His Sorrow, fear, infatuation are the conco- Heart's desire. The sage Maitreya mitant attributes of the bound jivas, then describes how the Immanent God- while in the case of liberated pure souls head entering into the twenty three they are not so. The sorrows and elements joined them together, how the suflerings of the jivas are the latter manifested themselves along with natural effect of their attachments for their working capacities and how the their mundane bodies, which can be "Biratadeha" (the most extensive body) got rid of only by pure devotion and was created as the repository of all through the grace of Godhead. Cons, universal beings. tant hearing of the chanting of His Hearing all these from the sage, glories infuses in the jivas an attach- Vidura enquired also how the nirguna ment for the service of Godhead, in Supreme Personality can condescend to comparison with which, removal of accept attributes and functions for His the miseries of the bound jivas is only Pastimes j how He, self-contended as He a negligible item. Vidura's doubts 38 THE HARMONIST being removed by the replies of the suge from his own body and how through he made further enquiry about other Daksha, one of the sons-in-law of Manu matters, because he was assured that (who obtained his body from Brahma), chanting about Godhead would go to th s world has been filled with created benefit the audience and the chanter beings. How Sree Vishnu redeemed as well. the earth from its watery grave, in the Maitreya then described how Brahma form of the Baraha (Boar and how the took his birth from the Navel-Lotus of same was kept afloat thereon when He Immanent Vishnu, how all his empiri- vanished —all these were part of the cal attempts to search for the Absolute subject-matter of his descriptions. Here proved to be futile and how through the sage Maitreya remarked that any- complete surrender alone he could body who serves Godhead with uncon- receive the grace of Godhead and see ditional devotion is sure to be blessed Hi m. In his prayers to Godhead he with the best desideratum. Of karma, said that this world is but a manifesta jnana, yoga and bhakti, bhakti stands tion of His Maya but He is at the root foremost of all to bring about the sum- of all the Avataras, that He never mum bonum of human existence. There- leaves the hearts of those that always fore, barrinu the beasts, none should chant His glories, that jivas remain keep aloof from the service of Sree Hari. subject to sorrow, desire and attach- Requested by Vidura, the sage ments as slaves so long as they Maitreya gave an account of the birth cannot fully surrender to Him. What of the two demons Hiranaksha and to talk of the ordinary run of people, from the womb of Diti even the intelligentsia, if they become ( daughter of Daksha and wife of averse to the Words of Godhead, ) and the fight between Sree are bound to be hurled into miserable Barahadeva and Hiranaksha. Then was world. It was through the grace of given an account of how the Parama- Vishnu that Brahma himself received hansa naked 'munis' like Sanaka and the;power of creation others were prevented from entering the The ten kinds of creation of Brahma, Baikuntha by Jaya and Bijaya, two his line of descendence and manwantara sentinels thereof, and how for their being described, the sage Maitreya fur. eternal good they were cursed by the ther described how Brahma created 'munis' to be born in this world and Sanaka, Marichi and others, Dharma subjected to all desires and passions of and Adharma, how for the extension of worldly beings, how Sree Narayana creation males and females were created pacified the anger of the 'munis', how VIDURA 39 the latter showed their grace thereafter that a man whose works are not done towards these two sentinels, how this for dharma (piety), whose dharma is curse was nothing but a means for yood not done for vairagya (renunciation) in the hands of Vishnu, how Jaya and whose vairagya is not performed and Bijaya lost their glories and, for the exclusive service of Godhead, thrown down from Baikunbha, turned is considered like one who is dead while into the bound creatures of this world, alive. So she paryed to help her in how they were born as Hiranaksha and that respect. Hiranyakashipu—the twin sons of As advised by Kardama, Kashyapa and Diti. Devahuti with all austerities, tapas, The birth of these twin sons was a etc., worshipped Godhead Who, satis- forerunner of many evil omens and dis- fied with her service, appeared in this asters noticeable in the several worlds, world as her son Kapiladeva. The when the heavenly gods themselves rishi Kardama understanding the became highly terrified with their manifestation of Godhead in the garb prowess. By virtue of his severe 'tapa' of his own son met Him in private Hiranyakashipu practically received the and obtained His permission for final boon of deathlessness from Brahma and retirement. with the force of his arras he brought Enquired by His mother Devahuti, the three worlds, viz., heaven, this Kapiladeva narrated to her the earth and the .nether world, under his characteristics of pure devotion that control. Hiranaksha having opposed can liberate a soul from all bondages. Sree Barahadeva in His act of redeem- The rishi Kardama having retired into ing the earth from the water was killed the forest, Devahuti, with complete by the Latter as a result of a fight ( for surrender and honest enquiry tried her a detailed description of the fight the best to learn the Absolute Truth from readers are referred to the Sri mad Kapiladeva who said that the mind and Bhagabatam). the intellect of the jiva is the cause As directed by Sree Vishnu, of their bondage as well as liberation. Swayambhuva Mann married his When it becomes attached to worldly daughter Devahuti with Kardama things it brings about their bondage, rishi who, after long enjoyment of this but when it attaches itself to the world, felt inclined to lead the life of a Supreme Lord it brings about their recluse, when his wife Devahuti begged liberation. Liberation of the soul can of him to confer spiritual know- be obtained only through unalloyed ledge to her, because she thought devotion towards Godhead. The 40 THE HARMONIST

are the repositories of all our eternal Archa, according to ritual and formula, f*ood ; they are without worldly desires, is of no avail. To bring the worship to unruffled, forbearing, magnanimous perfection to obtain eternal good one and eternally absorbed in the full must surrender himself to the lotus service of Krishna. To live in their feet of a Mahabhagabata, learn from association, to hear from their lips the him all about Sree Arclia Bigraha, the most potent transcendental messages, Personality of Godhead, Iramanents to have full faith, attachment and love and so forth. Of all animated beings towards them, opens the door of our a Vaishnava, who has surrendered liberation. Therefore, pure devotion to himself with body, mind and speech to Godhead is the only way to one's Vasudeva, is the best. moksha or eternal welfare. An account Kapiladeva then described how of the sankhya-yoga was given by people, deprived of the association of Kapiladeya to his mother, about the sadhus, become addicted to the main- truth of "Pakriti-Purusha", for detailed tenance of their worldly relations, beset description of which the readers are with too many worldly cares and anxie- referred to chapter 25 to 28 of Skanrlha ties, suffer great sorrows and burn 3 of Srimad Bhagabatam. within with numerous fires of mundane After a description of the characteristics thought. It is an irony of fate that of saguna and saJcam bhakti in the those worldly people, taking great light of sattva, raja and tama, . interests for their beloved sons and described to her the characteris- other relations even at the sacrifice of tics of niskama and nirguna bhakti their own self interests, are in the end which is the natural, and causeless neglected and slighted by those very attraction of the pure soul towards beloved ones, when they grow old in Godhead, called unalloyed devotion. age. But in spite of all these bitter The pure devotees, in their very nature, in their life, better coun- never hanker after any of the four sels never prevail to them to have kinds of salvation viz., salokya, apathy for this world and sympathy sarupya, sarsti, samipya, even if they and attachment for Krishna and His be offered to them. They have nothing devotees. In the end the hand of more to pray for except the eternal death drags them away to suffer in service of Godhead. To hear with a hell the unbearable pangs of sorrow pure heart the attributes of Sree Hari reserved for them, with the result that is to be attracted towards His eternal they are forced to take births among service. To carry on the worship of Sree the animal kinds, suffering all the VIDURA 41 adorned attendant to these repeated the light of jnkia vairagija by engaging transmigrations. Again after the expiry everythinir in the service of the Sole of the effects of their sins, they arc Enjoyer, Godhead Krishna. Satwika likely to have a human birth worthy of rituals may have their uses in their the service of Sree Hari. own way, and with their help a jeeva Godhead is the regulator of the may ascend to the higher worlds ; effects of the karma of jeevas. By but whatever the position that is thus virtue of his karma, a jeeva enters the reached it is n«t stationary, because womb of a woman through semen of a with the expiry of one's fruitive effects man and there suffers diverse miseries. he is again hurled down into this lower When, within the womb he suffers the world. In this way a jeeva can obtain no bitterest agonies, he is reminded of cessation in the cycle of births and deaths, Sree Hari for a while, when with the progenitor of numerous agonies. weeping repentance he prays to be But the safest way to obtain eternal forgiven, aasuring Him that in the good on the part of a jeeva is to have next birth he will do nothing but His unalloyed devotion towards Vasudeva. service for which alone he desires to be Sree Maitreyasaid, Oh ! Vidura,after saved. But the moment he sees the mother Devahuti, got these lessons from light of day he forgets everything and Kapiladeva, her gloom of ignorance dis- his promise to Godhead vanishes too. appeared. Then bowing down to her son, His worldly associations create in him she began to pray humbly. Kapiladeva a desire to serve and maintain those soon after left the place. Devahuti in her connected with his body, for which he incessant thoughts about her son Kapila. devotes his heart and soul. To asso- deva Who is no other than Sree Hari ciate with women or to mix with those Himself, very soon detached herselfjfrom that associate with women is to destory the enjoyments of the world. Thus one's all good qualities. Therefore, following the line chalked out to her by the intelligent people should always Kapiladeva, she soon obtained the Lotus keep aloof from women (objects of Feet of Sree Hari. That sacred place enjoyments). The Scriptures have where she obtained self-realisation is compared women with wells, covered famous as "siddhapada". Oh l Vidura, with inviting shrubs which are most any one, who, having firm conviction, dangerous to the unwary. The objects hears and reads these secret doctrines of this world are not meant for our about the soul, is sure to be attached to enjoyments or for the gratification of Sree Krishna and in the end obtain the our senses ; so we must accept them in spiritual service of His Lotus Feet.

6 The Alvars St. Andcd or Godadevi

ODADEYI or St. Andal has a beautiful wreaths from the flowers of glorious life. Her life is charac- his garden to the Supreme Lord. The terised throughout by glowing love for baby grew into a child and then bloom- Godhead. Her spiritual descent is traced ed into a maiden. She was gambolling back to Nila Shakti of the Supreme about at will in gaiety and mirth with- Lord. out any obstruction to her childish There lived in Sri Villiputtur one frolics. The aged father looked at the Vishnuchitta or Peri-i-Alvar. He was divine child in awful adoration. During bom in a family. He had a his absence she used to meddle and hand.garden of his own. He grew interfere with her father's things and sacred tulasi there. One of his impor- arrangements and in playful spirit she tant duty was to wove wreaths of fra- used to wear the wreaths meant for the grant flowers with tulasi leaves and to Lord. Thus she busied herself everyday offer them to Yatapatrasayi Bhagawan. with the floral wreaths for her toilet. One day while he was engaged in Her father detected and discovered the .plucking leaves and flowers, he found, wrong'committed by her most favourite to his astonishment, a wonderful child daughter. He chid her severely for marvellously similar in beauty to Laksh- this misconduct and threw away the mi Devi. He brought the child home wreaths considering them to be un- and himself took the charge of nurtur- worthy for the Lord. That day he went ing it. He gave her the name of "Goda''. to the Lord without flowers. The child had a fascinating beauty and At night the saint had a dream in a loving form. Vishnuchitta took it to which heiwas asked the cause of not be a divine child and brought it up presenting the wreaths. The explana- with every mark of tender care and tion was given relating the whole story affection and noticed that she had of the defiling of the wreaths by her loving attraction for Sri Narayan from ignorant maid. To this the Lord frown, the early years. The child appeared in ed saying, "Desecration ! Rather say 3005 B.C. in the month of Asar having consecration ! The wreaths aye render- Purba Phalguni asterism. ed more odorous and sweet-scented DayB rolled on. Vishnuchitta's being used and worn by your daughter. only daily occupation was to offer I like them more. I want to have these THE ALVARS 43

and no others," The saint woke up in Sri Narayan appeard before him in a great astonishment and the occurrence dream and saved the situation by the more increased his wonder already announcing, "Goda herself is , set in by the miraculous damsel. He My Nitya Shakti; give her in mar. considered within, "She may be Sri, riage with Me." On the other hand the Bhu or Nila Herself" and began to priest of the temple received the divine look upon her from that time onward order thus, "You all good servants go with more reverence. Prom the next to the house of Vishnuchitta tomorrow day he offered the wreaths to the Lord morning taking with you all the neces- after they were first used by the celes- sary things for marriage and escort tial damsel. his daughter here fully dressed." The Gradually she was ripening inte priest came as directed and related the full bloom of youth and was on the everything to Vishnuchitta. At this point of reaching' womanhood, Vishnu, happy coincidence, our Vishnuchitta chitta became anxious to get her was surprised beyond measure. He married but Goda would not accept prepared all that was necessary to give any human being as her husband except his daughter in marriage. In great Sri Narayan. Seeing her thus deter- pomp and glory the journey to the mined he became uneasy and marked temple began carrying Andal in a that her love for Godhead was immen- sedan with a large crowd: following. sely growing deeper and deeper. So The great assembly was tremendously enamoured of the Lord did our young enormous and they gathered in the saint become that she could not bear halls, corridors, courtyards and breath- her existence in separation from her lessly waited to see what happened. A Lord. In her passionate ardour to stir—a rustling and the glorious realise Him as in the most personal virgin softly descended from the litter intimate relation with her, her imagina- and proceeded towards the temple. tion carried her beyond all reasonable She moved softly with heaving breast bound and she pictured before her and ■ swan.like gait and stood before fancy all the exploits of the Supreme Bhagawan Sri Narayan, looking at Lord in His Hrindaban Leela as if Him with love.Iaden eyes that knew no they were being enacted anew for her. satiety. To the surprise of the by- Vishnuchitta was , more standers, Sri Bhagawan extended His and more anxious finding! his beloved arms and took her in His embrace and and revered daughter pining for her she remained there for eternity. All Pfvine Spouse. At last he^was relieved. present were struck mute and paralysed, 44 THE HARMONIST and our saint was especially dumb "You have become my father-in-law. with amazemont, He had nurtured the May j'ou now return home. Goda will divine child with fondling care and he remain with Me for ever. Don't worry," could not check his emotions,—tears Vishnuchitta got the designation of rolled down his cheeks. A voice was Peri-i.Alvar. Godadevi wrote Tirup- heard and Vishnuchitta was consoled by pabhai in Tamil. It is said that she Sri Bhagawan with a smile saying, wrote Nachhiar Tirumarhi also.

Lecture on Samsar-o-Bhakti

On Saturday the 17th September, a all of their lives. They always think largely attended public meeting was of the present—neither of the past nor held in the Saraswat Sraban Sad an of of the future. They always hanker after the Gaudiya Math, at 6-30 p.m. with dharma, artha, kama and ^ moksha. Maharaja Srish Chandra Nandi M.A.,B,r,. They cannot perceive the deceptive Bahadur of Cossimbazar in the ehair. nature of these fourfold human aspira- A very interesting lecture in Bengali tions. So long our life is overwhelmed on the subject ''Samsar-o-Bhakti" with this egotism we are liable to be (World and Devotion) was delivered by deluded by the triple qualities of Maya, Mahamahopadeshak Pandit Sundara- hence there can be no question of Vidyavinode, b a., Editor of Bhakti in our crippled condition. Bhakti the weekly "Gaudiya", and the impres. is the function of unalloyed self. When sion created on the audience was im- our soul is free from the influence of mense. The audience consisted of a very the triple qualities of Maya it is called large number of respectable gentry of Sudd ha sattva or unadulterated self. Calcutta. The substance of the speech It is the unadulterated self that can is given below : form a true conception of the Supreme The people in general are always Lord and His Kingdom. A pure self busy with the affairs of the world. can render eternal service—reverential or Their whole lives and activities are confidential to the Supreme Lord of concentrated to self.aggrandisement. All-Love and Beauty. Prom a is the They do not think or take care of condensed form of Bhakti. So, a devotee the future world ; either self-enjoyment when he is in love with Krishna, the or renunciation is the be-all and end- Supreme Lord, feels His existence ROUND THE GAUD1YA MATHS 4'i inside or outside all entities at all Mission for broadcasting the teachings times under all circumstances. His of Sree Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu samsar then belongs to Krishna who over all parts of the world. lie held is his eternal Lord. He lives in Him, that Nam Samkirttan as taught by Lord moves in Him and has his being in Him, Chaitanya was the only means of salva- When the speaker had finished, tion from the worldly bondage and the President in a neat little speech realisation of the highest attainment. urged on the audience the salient points The President thought that it was the of the highly educative speech and highly educated massionanes of the thanked the speaker for the same. He Gaudiya Math alone under the illus- highly eulogised the President. Acharyya trious leadership of the unique person- of the Mission, His Divine Grace ality of the President-Acharyya Who Pararaahansa Sree Sreemad Bliakti alone can successfully carry the teach- Siddlianta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj ings of Mahaprabhu at every door and for His outstanding ability and unique impress every soul. He wished with position in leading the propaganda of all his heart greater success of the Vaishnavisin under the style of Gaudiya Mission in (uture.

Round the C tudiya Maths

Sree Gaudiya Math, Calcutta : Tridandiswami Tirtha Maharaj read Editor went to the house of Sj. and explained the episode of Nimi Keshab Chandra Gupta, Advocate at his Naba jogendra from Srimad and earnest reques on September 12. He Bhagabat. spoke for about two hours on various On September 19, Tridandiswami subjects relating to Krishna and His Srimad Bhakti Sarvaswa Giri Maharaj devotees. arrived here from Rangoon after a Tridandisvvarai Srimad Bhakti Pradip successful preaching in different parts Tirtha Maharaj, Tridandiswarai Srimad of Burma. Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj with a Tridandiswarai Srimad Bhakti Vilas party of Brahmncharins has been to the Gavsistinemi Maharaj went to Budge bouse of late Sir Deva Prasad Sarbadhi- Budge on September 17, for propaganda kari in the evening of September 12. works 46 THE HARMONIST

On September 11, Ihe Advent Anni. cbarins of the Math, started from the versa ry of Srila Thakur Bhakti. Math premises and passing through vinode was celebrated with great eclat. the principal streets rettirned to the The whole day celebration included Math. Many people of the locality samkirtan, puja, and lectures by joined. Sripad Bankira Ohandra Tridandi sannyasins of the Mission. Bhaktisastri delivered a lecture at the Sree Sanatan Qaudiya Math, Benares Temple of RaHha- on Devotion. Upadeshak Pandit Gaurdas Brahma- Sree Chaitanya Math, Sridham Mayapur : chari is explaining Srimad Bhagabat at The Editor arrived here from Sree the Math premises regularly. On Gaudiya Math, Calcutta, on September September 6, he spoke on Sri Radha- 24. On His way He visited Sree tatwa. On September 12, he explained Kunjakutir at Krishnagar and Sree the principles relating to the Appear- Swanandasukhada Kunja at Swarupganj. ance of Sri Bamandeva. On September The devotees of the Math and II, he delivered a lecture on the life the inhabitants of Sridham Maya, and teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode pur were waiting at the ghat. He Thakur on the occasion of his Advent left Swarupganj by boat. As the Anniversary. boat arrived the assembled persons Sree Qaudiya Math, Sarbhog received Him with shouts of joy and Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Yijnan sankirttan. Asram Maharaj is propagating the On September 22, He visited the teachings of Sri Gaur Sundar in Assam, Temples of Sri Chaitanya Math and On September 7, he arrived at Maligram. Srila Gaur KishoreDas Babaji Maharaj. He explained Srimad Bhagabat at a Sj. Saibal Kumar Gupta, I.C.S., District mfeeting arranged by the people of the and" Sessions Judge, Nadia, came to locality, visit Sridham Mayapur with his family. Sree Satchidananda Math, Cuttack They visited Sri Yogapeeth, Sribas On September 11, the Advent Angan, Sri Adwaita Bhawan, Sri Anniversary of Srila Thakur Bhaktivi- Chaitanya Math, Kazi's Tomb, Ballal node was observed with due respect Stupa and other places of interest with and solemnity. M. M. Narayan Das pleasure, Sripad Mahananda Brahma- Adhikari, Bhaktisudhakar spoke on His chari and Sripad Binode Behari life before a large gathering. Brahmachari were all attention to them. Sree Krishna Chaitanya Math, Brindaban M. M. Pandit Kunjabehari Vidyabhusan On September 12, a nagarsankirttan spoke to them about the activities of procession, arranged by the Brahma- the Mission, GAUD1YA DIRECTORY 47

Daltanganj : Many respectable gentlemen including Spd. Madhu Sudan Chatterjee Rai Sahib Dr. Abani Nath Chatterji, delivered a lecture on the Teachings M.B., D.P.H., Mr. Govinda Saran of Gita at the house of Rai Sahib Keder M.A., B.L., Munsifif, Dr. Nalin Chandra Nath Dutt, B.L., on September 12. Majumdar M.B. were present. VOL. XX XII No. 3 ] [ Regtd. No. C 1601

THE NARNONKT

(Sree Saiianatosbanl

FORTNIGHTLY-

daunt Weadashi Aswin 449 Q.A.

October 8, 1935.

i *wancil«niA n AnnihiCation of ago*fong sufferings. May these our high aims ffourish The Service of Racfha-Krishna, T o gfacfden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chi«f Inland Rs, 4-8, Foreign Is. 6d. Paramahansa Bhaldi Siddhania Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswami

Sree Gaudiya Math, P.O. Bagiibazar, Calcutta. contents

J&abjaot P»ge 1. AbBol^ta P^soiwRty ...... 2. ffcur Mshttja-afeJhu ...... 5i

3. Pn^deuiiftl MdrspS ... tt, ... 57 ■A* The. Oaoe# ol Suo Kyisbofi OhAk»i^a ... .» ... {i9 5, OtMidty* H*%h & Gvte&yiimn...... 63 6, Tr*ELSCandt3ace AJKI IxxwDauwc^ ... •*• «• 65 7, To His-Ealinesa SrfJitnJ B&akti Hcfd<^ Sou Mahantj ... 72 ALL-OLORY TO SRER OURU AND GAURANCM

(Suee Sajjanatosbant)

VOL XXXII. I OCTOBER 8, 1935 No. 3 J

Absolute Personality

"PHE Reality is a person. He is mental casing which are adventitious like man, a most beautiful male factors. These two entangle the soul human being. This is the nearest of man in this phenomenal world. The analogy supplied by the language of physical body is subject to birth, this world to express the Nature of the growth and dissolution. The mental Divinity as He really is. body is the subtle or causal physical The word Vishnu revealed by the body. Its activity tends to the growth scriptures as the name of Godhead and functioning of the gross physical means etymologically 'one who per- casing. The mind of man naturally vades'. The Personality of Godhead is seeks to function through the medium not any limited conception. He is the of the gross physical body. Even in One Spiritual Reciprocal to the infinity dreams the mind acts on the basis of of individual souls. the stored-up memory of the activities Man occupies the highest position of the gross physical body. Without among the animated beings of this the help of such memory it seems to be world, Man is not unalloyed soul in lacking in the complementary part of his present state. His soul is overlaid its existence. If the mind tries to by his physical body joined to a subtle conceive the personality of the soul 50 THE HARMONIST

it can only suppose him to be an physical bodies of man and of other intelligent entity like itself and like entities. itself possessing a physical body resem- Godhead is not to be supposed to bling the human. Even the philoso- be Male in the physical nor mental phising tiger of the fairy land is really sense. The masculinity of Godhead is a human mind wearing for the time, spiritual. He is the only Spiritual being the external mask of a tiger Husband or Consort of all spiritual covering a very real human physique. ffemales. He is the only Master of all So the human body is the unavoidable souls who depend on His Initiative for basis of any possible human conception their activity. He accepts the ser- of personality. The human body is the vices. of the latter for His Pastimes visible expression of personality to the as the Sole Bnjoyer and Master human mind. of all active spiritual entities. All Godhead cannot have any physical neutral spiritual entities depend on the or mental form. He is, however, the Initiative of the Divinity for their transcendental source even of all limited equable existence. They wait on forms, The Body of God is declared His Pleasure (by abstaining from all to be both One, as well as Many derived function. from the One. The One Divine Form It is possible for the sonl to serve is the Reciprocal of the spiritual human Godhead only by the help of another body of the soul. The Many Forms serving entity. There is an infinity of are the Reciprocals of the spiritual eternal servitors of Godhead of all bodies that correspond to the physical types. If any soul is desirous of forms of the entities other than man. serving Godhead by the method of This spiritual reciprocity between depending entirely on His Initiative Divine and individual personality is he is in a position to do so 'by the expressed by the analogy of, sex. causeless mercy of the infinity of other Godhead is the only Male (Dominating similarly disposed eternal spiritual Absolute) or Master. All individual servitors who are part and parcel of souls are servitors or manifestations of Godhead. The mercy of such entities the Dominated Moiety of the Absolute. enables the soul in quest of Divine Godhead's One Divine Form corres. service to realise his spiritual function ponds to the most highly developed to the Absolute person engaged m physical body of the male human being. eternal Blissful Pastimes with His His Many Derivative Spiritual Forms servitors as an accepted subservient of correspond to the leso developed such servitors. ABSOLUTE PERSONALITY 51

The absolute Person pervades posi- terms of the mundane vocabulary, they tively and negatively all entities, by are also liable to be grossly misunder- each and all of His Forms. But the stood by those who are not in a position pervading character of the Divine to receive their real significance to the Personality does not extinguish the Spiritual plane. individual personality of any entity. The principle of personality is Godhead enables all entities to maintain dimly and pervertedly reflected in our their individual personalities in all present conception and realisation of their serving activities. He absolutely human personality. But in spite of an dominates, i. e., receives the full inconceivable similarity between the service of all entities by enabling them two, the one is essentially different to offer themselves to be so dominated. from the other. Self.realised souls are The soul has bis spiritual form who privileged to be able to speak analogi- is identical with' his individual entity. cally of the entities and occurrences of The form of the soul is definite without the spiritual plane in terms of the being subject to the conditions of mundane vocabulary. But the spiritual limited space or time or any other form sense of their words cannot be grasped of limitation. The soul functions as by those who have no access to their an incorporated tiny adjunct of variega. own plane. No amount of rationalistic ted Divine Spiritual Power. explanation or argument can impart The form of the soul is not like any the faculty for the substantive realisa. female or neuter form of this world. tion of spiritual form or activity to a The individual soul is of the essence of person who has no access to the plane the Spiritual Power of the Divinity by of transcendence. his true nature. The Sanskrit word for When, therefore, a person in the soul is 'atman' which means the the conditioned state readily enough 'entity possessing the potentiality of admits his in the Personality unlimited functioning.' The soul can of Godhead, he only commits the assume all serving forms without having offence of supposing the Personality to give up his own specific spiritual of the Divinity to resemble that of form. It is for this reason that the a human being as perceived by his terms 'male' and 'female' in their limited mind. The absurdity of such mundane sense are wholly inapplicable belief is patent to any one who stops to the soul. to consider how such conception is For a similar reason when the to be co.rrelated to one's actual functions of the soul are expressed in practice. 52 THE HARMONIST

Those who are eager to ascribe a same in the spirit of unreserved personality to Grodhead with ill-conside- submission. red haste, find themselves unable to This absolute humility does not understand the statements of the mean the abdication of rational func- scriptures that declare Godhead to be tion. The rational faculty is to be All-pervasive, Transcendental and One valued, but it is also not to be abused. v without a second. There is for example Those who are pefectly rational are a class of speculative thinkers who are alone aware of the severe and insurmoun- extremely anxious to exploit the table limitations under which their 'historicity' of Christ for establishing present rational nature is placed. It the reality of his divinity. But how is only such persons who may be said can historicity be a proof of reality to be really disposed to make the proper unless reality is supposed to be an use of their present rational faculty entity within the scope of our mental and to be really willing to seek to conception ? How would such thinkers approach the reality with due sense of distinguish between the mental and the their utter incapacity for realising the spiritual or between human and same with their present resources. This Divine ? is the right use of the present rational The scriptures tell us that the faculty. Those who are averse to make Divine Personality bears the ZVame such use of it miss the sight of the Krishna ; that He is a Cow.Boy in Truth by following an irrational Goloka ; that He is the Eternal Consort course. of the spiritual milkmaids of Braja ; There is no meaning in believing etc. etc. They tell us at the same time or disbelieving the testimony of the that the Name, Form, Quality, Activity, scriptures, in the case of persons who Abode and Entourage of the Divinity have no access to the spiritual plane. are Transcendental Entities located But it is obligatory on all truly rational beyond the scope of the limited mental persons to lend their ears to the faculty of human beings. They fur- Message of the Absolute from those ther inform us that the only way of who are really competent to impart realising the Nature of Godhead is by the same under these impossible cir. submitting to be enlightened by the cumstances. It is both insincere and mercy of His eternal servitors who are unprofitable to choose to remain satis- sent by Godhead into this world for fied with the conviction that it is not imparting such enlightement to those possible for any of us to know the who are disposed to seek for the Absolute Reality. Such conviction ABSOLUTE PERSONALITY contains only half the truth. It does regulated and enabled, by means of not allow for the initiative of the Truth the spiritual ear restored by His cause- Himself Who is certainly able and less Mercy in lieu of full submission for willing to enlighten us about Himself offering one's services to the Divine by means of His chosen agents. Sound, He promises to reveal His The Transcendental Name of Divinity to such listener. Krishna in the Form of the Sound There is nothing irrational about appearing on the lips of His pure these propositions unless one has the devotees can impart even to the present hardi-hood to disallow to the Absolute imperfect aural faculty of man the any real, or in other words, specific realisation of the Divinity. This truth initiative. The facts of this mundane has been taught by Sree Krishna world do not stand in need of the Chaitanya as being the sum and sub- sanction of our ignorant approval for stance of the revelations of all the being what they are. They have been scriptures. what they are by a superior Dispensa- The above proposition states a fact tion whose nature passes our tiny of the spiritual plane and not a conclu- understanding. In the case of the sion or from observation of facts of this world it has, therefore, mundane occurrences. It requires to been universally recognised as the only be tested as to its spiritual validity by useful business of our poor cognitive reference to its spiritual character. faculty to seek to understand their The ordinary worldly tests cannot real nature instead of idly repudiating apply to the spiritual entity. their very entities. The question, therefore, resolves In the same way it would be wholly itself into this, 'How can the spiritual irrational to repudiate an occurrence nature of the Name Krishna, that is of the transcendental plane merely claimed for the audible sound issuing for the reason that he chooses from the lips of any particular person, to reveal himself to our benighted be tested as to His spiritual validity understanding for being approached with our present cognitive resources ?' by it. Are we not always trying to The clear answer is furnished by the approach the occurrences of this world scriptures. The Name Krishna is by means of experience supplied by identical with the Divinity. He can the actual occurrences themselves f be approached by the fully serving Does such seeking deprive us of aural faculty. If, therefore, He is our faculty of perfectly independent approached in the attitude of being thinking ? 54 THE HARMONIST

How can such an apparently unpro- cendence who does not require us, to raising entity as light convey to our sink below the level of our present brain the tidings of the distantnaoat paltry rational existence ? There stars ? Why cannot the Transcendental should be no ground for refusing to give Sound make Himself be heard by us our attentive hearing to preachers of the by our submissive ear being mercifully Truth who do not propose any restored the corresponding spiritual suicidal course to our rational faculty. function which is now dormant ? Is it But how is one to recognise the scientifically (?) and philosophically (?) genuine devotee of Krishna ? The absurd ? devotee of Krishna serves the Absolute Neither empiric philosophy nor Person by all his spiritual faculties. empiric science proposes to present us He preaches only what he practises. with any fact of the transcendental No one, therefore, should be given a plane. Neither of them has it in their hearing as a bona fide servant of power to do so. Both are strictly Krishna, who does not actually serve confined to mundane occurrences, Krishna at all time. The preacher, how- perceptually, conceptually and inferen- ever, should be given the chance of ex. tially. But the Transcendental Sound plaining himself. By this method all our is a fact of the spiritual plane and limited rational assets will be preserved neither percept, concept, nor inference to us intact till we are actually relieved of any mundane experience. Why of our present unnatural heritage by then should empiric science or empiric being restored to the normal spiritual philosophy refuse to give the revealed condition by listening to the Trascen. scriptures a hearing on their own terms, dental A/ame of Krishna from the lips provided there is an exponent of trans- of His genuine devotees.

Four devotees of Sreeman Mahaprabhu {By Haripada Das Bhaktibibudha.) I^ANSARI Sen, an adept devotee there is no trace of his abode at present, of Sree Krishna Chaitanya Maha- He was the famous maid Batnabali of prabhu, used to live at Guptipara on Brindaban during the days of Krishna's the B. I. By line ; of course, where appearance in Brindaban in the Dwapar FOUR DEVOTEES OF SREEMAN MAHAPRABHU 55 age. His son's name was Sadasib Chandureh and nenr about the southern Kaviraj who was also a staunch follower side of Kaliganj was called by that of Sree Chaitanya and is the same as name. The present temple, wherein the famous Chandrabali, the proud the Sri Vigrahas of Sree Purusottam consort of Sree Krishna, as is referred Thakur and mother Jahnaba are being to iu Gour-Ganoddesh.Dwipika. worshipped is a thatched cottage which Nagar Purushottam was the son of also contain the Images of Sree Sadashih Kaviraj. Like his father, he Jagannath Deva, Balarama, , fr6m his infancy loved the sports and Neetai-Gour, Gopinath, Mother Jahnava, diversions of Sree Krishna and devoted Bala Gopal, Radha-Govinda, Revati- himself to the service of Sree Nitya- Balaram and Salagram. Some of these nanda Prabhu. He lived in his last are said to have been worshipped by days at Sukhasagar, a village situated Sree Purushottam, About four centuries at equal distance from the Chakdaha and a quarter ago, Sree Madhabacharya and Simulia stations on the B. B. Ry. (Madhab Chattopadhya) of Jirat on The Archa Vigrahas worshipped by him the B. I. Ry. who was the husband of were brought at this place (Sukhsagar) Ganga Devi tiie daughter of Srceman from Beldanga, his former abode ; and Nityananda Prabhu, was, in the opinion when again, as time went on, Sukhsagar of some people, a disciple of this disappeared in the bed of the Ganges, Purushottam Thakur. Sree Devaki and his worshipped Sri Vigrahas were Nandan Das, the compiler of the sermons transfereed to the Thakurbari of mother in praise of Vaishnavas known as Jannaba at Berrigrara in Sahebdanga. Vaishnava stottras was also another All the Sree Vigrahas (along with disciple of him. He was the DamaSakha purushottam's worshipped ones) were of Sree Krishna in Brindabana in at last brought to the village of Dwapara age. Jahnava was the wife Chandureh ; where they are being of Sree Purushottam Thakur. She worshipped for the last fifty years. disappeared after the birth of Thakur Chandureh is a village on the Kanai. Sree Nityananda Prabhu, on Ganges in the district of Nadia. It is getting information of her disappearance near Chakdaha and a mile off from went to the house of Nagar Purushottam the famous village Palpara and Simurali and brought with him Thakur Kanai, on the B. B. Ry. The old village of a child of twelve, to his home at Sukhasagar having lost its existence in Khardaha. the beds of the Ganges, a new plot of Thakur Kanai appeared on Thurs- land, some four miles or so off from day, the second day after the new moon 56 THE HARMONIST in the month of Ashara (Car.festival and Kanu Thakur or Thakur Kanai. day) in the year 942 B. S. i. e. about All of them from father to son are four hundred years ago. He is one the staunch followers of Sreeraan of the Dwadash Gopalas af Brajadham. Mahaprabh u. Krom his very infancy, he proved him- There is a proverb regarding the self a staunch devotee of Sree Krishna family of Thakur Kanai that the Sri and hence Nityananda Prabhu named Vigraha of "Pran.Ballav"vt a s wor- him as "Sisu Krishnadas". When the shipped by his forefathers for centuries child of five went with his mother to before the advent of Sreeman Sree Brindaban, Sreela Jeeva Goswami Mahaprabhu. Prabhu and many other famous Almost all the descendants of Thakur Acharyyas of Sree Brindaban of the day Kanai, save and except some members finding him greatly attached to the of the family of his eldest son, left activities of Sree Krishna, changed his Bodhkhana, their old abode, and lived name to Thakur Kanai. There is a at Ghat in the present town of proverb that Thakur Kanai loved Nabadwip. The main cause of this Kirtav. very much. Baptured with the migration was the Marhatta raids best joy of such Kirtan prayers, he often known as the raids of the Bargees. made great dances and once, while Hari Krishna Goswami, one of the dancing in that fashion with a ring members of the family of the youngest round the finger of his right foot, the son of Thakur Kanai, returned to ring disappeared. Thakur Kanai pro- Bodhkhana after the subsidence of the mised to live where the ring had fallen. disturbances or the raids of the Bargees, It is said that the ring was found in the and instituted there the service of a village of Bodhkhana in the district of new Sree Vigraha of Pran.Ballav. There Jessore. Thence the family of Thakur are still two separate Sevas of Pran. Kanai had their abode at Bodhkhana. Ballav in Bodhkhana among the elder This place is situated within three and younger branches of the descendants miles from the Jhikargacha Railway of Thakur Kanai. In Bhajan Ghat there station. It is accessible by a more is a of Radha-Balla va established comfortable journey by boat over the by this line of Thakur Kanai, river Kapotaksha. Thakur Kanai accompanied by Sree In the stottras in praise of the Jahnaba Devi and Birbhadhra Prabhu, Vaishnavas, we find the names of the son and disciple of Sree Nittyananda four generations of Kansari Sen, Prabhu, attended the festivity of Sadashib Kaviraj, Nagar Purushottam Thakur Narottam at Kheturi. Both PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 5

Thakur Purushottara and Thakur Kanai he found living by the river Silavati had many Bramhin disciples. The names at Garbeta m Midnapore.- Sree of four of their disciples were Sreemu- Kama, one of his most notable kha, Madhabacharyya, Pandit Yadava- disciples, belonged to the "Badh charyya and Daivakinandan Das, the Section" of Samavediya . compiler of the famousVaishnava-Stottra Detailed description of this family Wfld) iftfflrgd | may he found in the eleventh pit ii chapter of the First part of Sree Most of the descendants of the (Gaudiya disciples of Thakur Kanai are still to Edition).

Presidential Address The following is the text of Presidential Address delivered by Kumar A. K. Mitter in a largely attended public meeting at the Calcutta Gaudiya Math on Sunday, the 25th instant. Most respected Divine Acharyya, your chant the name of Hari by giving them holinesses, ladies and gentlemen sweets. It is nothing but a repetition present, of that policy on the part of the Vaish. V^OU have only shown your own noble- nabas and the most respected Acharyya ness by offering the chair to an of the Gaudiya Math in -honouring a unworthy man like my bumble self for worldly-minded man like myself. As we which I beg to express my cordial are coo much vainglorious on account of thapks and hearty respects. We learn our material wealth, honour, lineage from the Vaishnab Shastras that an and learning, we have hardly any time insignificantordw can become ",'' or intention of listening about religion. the king of birds through the grace of We have sufficient time for all sorts the Loud, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Maha- of worldly activities but none for atten- prabhu showed the example of "Hari ding to the "sadhus" (religious teachers). Kirttan" (chanting the name of Hari) The mercy of the all-compassionate by honouring the unworthy. It is said Acharyya of the Gaudiya math has been that Thakur Haridas made the boys bestowed on such persons like our- 8 58 THE HARMONIST selves. Thus it is nothing but a unique or casual purpose are more or less the ruse on the part of His Divine Grace products of foreign ideals imported from the Acharyyadeb in order to destroy outside. But the Acharyya of the our vanity and compel us to listen to Gaudiya Math has been widely propa- "Harikatha'' on offering a high position gating all over the world the gospel of to the unworthy. Divine Love which is the quintessence I do not consider myself any way fit of Sana tan Dharma, the birth right of to comment upon the elegant speech on India which was originally preached the subject of "Bhakti" and "Virag" and promulgated throughout the country (devotion and ) of the elo. by the Supreme Lord Sree Chaitanya quent orator of this afternoon M. M. some 450 years ago. All the gifts of Pandit SundranandaVidyavinode, Editor science of this present world are being of the "Gaudiya,"—which speech is properly utilised in the service of the nothing but the outcome of the sublime Supreme Lord through the grace of the teachings of the Acharyya of the Acharyya of the Gaudiya Math as the Gaudiya Math. Because those who have instruments of propagation of His really followed the path of devotion can transcendental words in a warring age alone understand the true import of when scientific inventions are being genuine asceticism and pure devotion. applied as appliances for self-aggrandise- So far I have been able to understand ment all the world over in the name of the purport of. the speech, I have come advancementand civilisation foreboding to this conclusion that howsoever future ruin. Thus Gaudiya Math may austere the abnegation may be, it can- be called the Divine Messenger of re- not be permanent without true devotion. clamation from the gaping jaws of death. Such a kind of abnegation is a subtle The message of true devotion and form of self-enjoyment. Genuine asceti- real abnegation of the Gaudiya Math cism naturally follows in the wake of has penetrated the bulworks of the true devotion. greatest stronghold of materialism of Every sincere soul is bound to be the present world and has hoisted there ever grateful to the Gaudiya Math for the flag of spiritual victory. It is the means devised and undertaken to for the first time that the illustrious uplift the spiritual condition of the Acharyya of the Gaudiya Math His humankind. Our India is the cradle of Divine Grace Paramahamsa Srimad religion from time immemorial. All Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami other movements that find place in our Maharaj has been fulfilling the pro- country to serve either any temporary phecy of Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya THE DANCE OF SREE KRISHNA CHAITANYA 59

about the promulgation of His Message among those creatures. But how few all over the world. It is an extra- people are able to preach in a really ordinary gift of the Gaudiya Math to selfless manner the highest religion of proclaim the Message of Love in the man, true devotion with non-attach- age of strife and discord, the Message ment and the service of the Absolute of devotional non.attachment in the age Personality—which are the inborn of materialism, the Message of loving and eternal nature of the full.bloomed service in the age of self-enjoying and perfect stage of consciousness ? aggrandisement of the world at large. There are many institutions for our It may be asked by some persons as temporary relief from the occasional to how far the Gaudiya Math is trying visitations of Nature and we wish such to relieve the distress of the wailing institutions to be multiplied. Each and people from the ravages of flood and every individual of the world like our- famine visiting every year. The satis, selves do take the responsibility ofenga- factory reply may be realised by those ging ourselves from bad acts to pious who are intelligent. It is no doubt in- acts by such means. The novel and unique cumbent on every worldly-minded man manner of self-realipation through the to help and ameliorate the distressed preaching of devotion by the Gaudiya people of the world. Mutual sympathy Math, which is the most sublime form and co.bperation are found even among of religion, is leading the world to the the lower creations. The fly, the ant, highest attainment which is the greatest the crow, the dog, the monkey all these and the most everlasting good to the lower creations save their own species whole world. This is the special from attacks of others even at the cost feature of the Gaudiya Math. So I of their lives; yet selfishness, tendency would appeal to everyone to engage his for enjoyment and atheistic tempera own capacity to help the noble propa- ment are visible in their fullest extent ganda of the Gaudiya Math.

The Dance of Sree Krishna Chaitanya

pvANCE, song and music were Texts indicative of this mode are to be ^ exhibited by Sree Krishna Chai- found in the Shastras. But from those tanya as the mode of performance of the scattered hints it is not possible to de- congregational worship of Sree Krishna, duce the system itself. The r>ew 60 THE HARMONIST

ernphasis on an admitted method of ignorant to understand the transcenden- worship is the special and original con- tal philosophy of the the study tribution of Sree Krishna Chaitanya. of which is enjoined by the Shastras as The Shastras, indeed, make it the duty of an ascetic. But when He obligatory tor Brahmanas to sing and had practised the chant of the Name for dance to the accompaniment of music as a time He felt the strange effect of such a part of temple worship. They are at performance. It made Him laugh, cry the same time forbidden to take any and dance like a mad man. He then part, either as performers or spectators, went to the Guru and told him that in any musical performance for the the Mantra that be had imparted to purpose of amusement. These provi- Him had made Him mad and He sions may certainly be adduced in proof begged to be enlightened regarding His of the new mode of worship being real condition. The Guru then in- based upon the Shastric injunctions. formed Him that He was most fortunate But the explanation of His conduct in as much as love for Krishna was that was offered by Sree Krishna produced in Him by the chanting Chaitanya Himself to Prakashananda of the Name, which is tbe highest and who objected to the unseemly practices only desideratum of all spiritual en- of dance and song by a member of the deavours. Sree Chaitanya then went ascetic order, is based on certain on to say by way of apology that He characteristic texts of the Srimad did not dance, sing and go about like Bhagabat. a mad man of His own choice, but that The Srimad Bhagabat declares that He was made to behave in that strange the loving devotee of Krishna is mad. manner by the love of Krishna. dened by the ecstasy of joy and laughs, The part which He ordinarily played cries, dances and sings oblivious of the in the congregational chant was that of salutary conventions of theistic society the Dancer. He usually took His that provide the performance of worship position in the centre of the circle of in the most dignified manner and with the chanters and performed the Dance. all due solemnity. It also appears that the chant and The argument was used by Sree music of the performers of tbe sam. Chaitanya in another form on the same kirtan were set to tbe requirements of occasion in defence of the New Mode of the Dance of Sree Krishna Chaitanya, worship. He was instructed, He said, which was thus tbe central function. by the Guru to recite the Name of How are we to explain this greater Krishna for the reason that He was too importance of the Dance as a mode of THE DANCE OF SREE KRISHNA CH AIT ANY A 61 worship ? The Name of Sree Krishna experiencing the same in some prelimi- is identical with the Personality of Sree nary forms. But, in the case of Krishna. The chant of the Name is, every other form of higher spiritual therefore, a legitimate form of His activity, it is liable to be misunderstood worship and also the only form that is by less advanced devotees as well as by available to conditioned souls. This is the uninitiated. Fortunately, however, at least a consistent idea. But why the activity has the further quality of should the Dance of Sree Krishna exciting the better judgment of those Chaitanya possess such superior who are not unwilling to practise inner excellence ? scrutiny of their own shortcomings. The expression of love is displayed Those who are perversely disposed to in forms that make their direct appeal shut their eyes to their own patent to the senses. Repression of such ex- imperfections necessarily misunderstand pression is also a form of the activity the nature of the highest function of of love. Love of Krishna expresses all souls. itself in certain forms of bodily activi= Sree Gaursundar is Love Himself. ties. These activities are again capable The Activity of Divine Love is display- of being expressed in language or by ed by Love Himself in His Own Form music. Those who form the circle of of the Dance of Sree Krishna Chaitanya the chanters and musical performers in as the Divine Teacher of the world- the Dance of Sree Chaitanya seek to teachers. Unless the preceptorial func- follow the activity of love that is en. tion points to this consummation of gendered by Love Himself in the Dance the disciplic activity, it can possess no of Sree Chaitanya. That Dance repre. teaching value whatsoever. There is no sents the effects of love and involves higher expression of the complete sub the simultaneous use of all the limbs of missiveness of loving service than the the Body for the expression of love Dance of Sree Krishna Chaitanya. It under the overpowering influence of is the fitting consummation of the pure love. worship in the temples by the methods The aesthetic quality of such per- of severe and solemn reverence and awe. formance is different from that of the These methods represent the necessary art of dancing that is practised for the preliminary efforts for the realisation of gratification of the senses of conditioned the perfect spontaneous loving activity. souls. The distinction can, however, On the other hand if the solemnity of be properly grasped only by those who reverential worship is practised without have had the rare fortune of already due reference to its ultimate purpose, it 62 THE HARMONIST

is bound to degenerate into the antics souls for usurping the Lordly Function of meaningless idolatrous asceticism. of Sree Krishna. It is for this reason that There is also the danger of the opposite such dancing is strictly forbidden by kind which is no less fatal. The profes- the Shastras to those who are at, all sional sensual performances of aban. desirous of serving Sree Krishna. At doned men and women may also be extol- the same time dance of the other kind, led as the ecstatics of pure devotion. the performance of which is enjoined Those who may hesitate to accept by the Shastras on all Brabmanas, is the above view of the real nature of the practised by them for keeping alive Dance of Sree Krishna Chaitanya should the reference of all forms of worship to find it impossible to explain the occur, the perfect practice of Divine Love rence of the corresponding activity in represented by Dance of Sree Krishna our present life and also the extraordi. Chaitanya. nary value that is attached to it specially This aesthetic aspect of the Divine by those who are most anxious to deny Service is also missed by those who its propriety in the conception of the attempt to understand it in the allego- Absolute Personality. Sree Krishna rical sense. Its real meaning is equally is the Perfect Dancer. So also is Sree inaccessible to the idealistic interpreter. Chaitanya. There is the Perfection of The Dance of Sree Gaursundar as the aesthetic function in Both, but with described by Thakur Vrindavandasa a real distinction. The Dance of Sree and Sree Kaviraj Goswami is a real Krishna is the Dance of the Lord, the performance and a concrete event. It Dance of Sree Krishna Chaitanya is is not less but more real than the real the Dance of the Lord in the mood of dance of any historical person of this His Only Beloved. The former is no world. But no person can understand function of man or woman. The latter its real nature without being favoured is the Divine Source of the proper by special Divine Mercy. To such function of all souls. The dissipation a person the Dance of Sree Sree of dance that is practised by man and Krishna Chaitanya reveals Himself as woman is the punishment and degrada- the Everpresent Undivided Living tion of the bad ambition of perverse Reality. Gaudiya Math & Caste-system T^VEKY nation has a certain classi- The higher three sections were ^ fication of social life. Diverse con- differentiated from the slaves by the siderations enter in the original deter- investiture with the sacred thread for mination of such classification. Locality, making them eligible for certain rights climate and age breed differences and privileges in society. of customs and associative mentality. The first class had six different The habits of life vary in the different engagements. They alone could hold grades of the social stratum. Heredity the office of teacher, could be donor is always a great factor. Occupation, and recipient of gifts, could act as poverty and riches have their influence. worshipper of the emblematic Deties Qualifications and merits again create for others and could associate with the inevitable differences. Then there are animistic or spiritistic thought. the factors of the differences between The second class was meant to deal the different civilizations that have with politics, war, collection of revenues grown up under these differing condi- from their under-tenants and house- tions. The colour of the skin, manners holders, under the patronage and upper and behaviour, predilections in aesthetic office of the former class. culture have had also a good deal to The third section was meant for do in bringing about these arrange- inculcating the commercial interest in ments. society e.g. in fostering agriculture, The origin of the four ancient castes trade, banking and other industries, as in India may be accounted for in the well as for holding tenancies under a following way. The dark colour and political federation, rearing cattle, degrading instincts of a section of the gardening, with a prohibition of engag. people introduced the first division. ing in lower occupations in the estima- This inferior class were the tion of the first two orders. who were regarded as on a level with The first class of the society cattle and other possessions of a house- purported to own all lands and proper- hold. They were debarred from educa- ties as the superior owner, whereas the tion and civic rights and were the second class used to manage the holding slaves owned by the three higher of lands, homesteads and fields. Tilling sections of the society, who were vested and cultivation were vested in the with the authority of lording it over third class under the second who posed the shudras. as patriots and owners of many lower 64 THE HARMONIST rights in the intermediate position Age (Golden Age). There was only between the first and third classes. one community before that. Heredity The first section of the society practised played the decisive part in determining sacrifices for higher aims of life here the social classification in India from and hereafter, who delegated all the very beginning of such classification, management of the properties to the although qualifications and merits are intermediate holders for passing them also found alongaiHe the principle of in pieces to the proper individuals for heredity. But as the castes on their direct occupation. first introduction did not naturally The matrimonial ceremony was favour the incorporation of fresh conducted between sons and daughters members by their adoption of the of each class with special exception of occupations reserved to a particular intromarriage with the other two. The caste, it became necessary to permit higher class could marry a lower class in some cases the incorporation of the girl ; but if any attempt was shown by descendants of other castes to the stock a bridegroom of lower class to gain of the original members of a particular the hands of a girl of higher class, the castelor class. offspring was considered to belong to The consideration of the special the mother's caste in the former case qualities of an individual prompted and to be of mixed caste if such mixed such incorporation, and the matter parentage showed a lower caste person went on smoothly where no difference as father of opinion was started. But in cases The process of heterogeneous unions where such a conflicting mood acciden- multiplied the number of castes till tally showed itself, provincial politics they mounted to the total of no less than settled the matter in favour of the thirty-six later on. These mixed castes strong. The elevation as well as the held different occupations, being des- degradation were effected by the caste- cended of proper and improper combina. makers of a particular villsge or section. tion. The question of legality went so But this was virtually settled after a far as to consider them in different few generations when lapse of time castes though they belonged to the facilitated the forgetfulness of the same stook. Different provinces of contenders. We find references in the India held different views in different Institutes of Provincial Laws that an localities in this matter. individual who wanted to creat a section The original system of four castes could be reconciled with the original was introduced just after the after passing a few generations. TRANSCENDENCE AND IMMANENCE 65

The Gaudiya Math has got the true rights of an individual member prime necessity of facilitating the true does not mean that a worthy individual transoendental spirit in man. So they can be forcibly proselytised from one are not quite sanguine to disturi) the caste to another. time-honoured principle of heredity Instances can be cited from the unless there is a necessity of doing so. by way o( precedents which The question of quality and merit in show such shifting from one caste into individuals of different classes can be another. The qualities and actions of met in exceptional cases by shifting an individual should be considered in them to the proper classes if the promi. shitting him to a better or a lower nent aptitudes urgently demand such position. The Gaudiya Math accordingly shifting. We actually find such ritua- does not agree to submit to the decision listic injunctions in the genuine histori- of the mass in this respect. But they cal codes like the Mahabharata and are quite prepared practically to honour the Puranas which bear testimony to an individual for his qualities and the old practices. We need not hesitate actions, and consider it unnecessary and to prefer them to the rules that were inconsistent to shift the castal distinc- framed later for the purpose, but were tion from one sort of occupation to never in vogue being dead letters. another. The members of the Math So the Gaudiya Math does not override are ever respectful to all worthy persons the claim m individual cases for whether they happen to be inhabitants incorporation into a class which is not of countries outside India or of provinces their own ;.but such admission of the inside India.

Transcendence And Immanence

""PHE question has often been asked in question has-been heard in various other *• philosophy, "What is the relation- forms,— "What is the kinship between ship between the Infinite and the finite the worshipper and the Worshipped ? soul, the Absolute Spirit and the world Does God absolutely transcend man of finite experience, the noumena and and the universe as a whole, or, is He the phenomena ?" In the sphere of immanent in it f Does He smile with feligious thought the echo of the same us in our happiness and sympathise 66 THE HARMONIST with us in our difficulties, or, is He way, to a mechanical . God is quite indifferent to us ? This is a vital reduced to a great First Cause. Like question and thinkers of all countries a watch-maker He creates the machinery and ages have not been slow to of the world once for ail and then recognise the importance of its satisfac- without interfering with it any more tory solution. merely contents Himself with 'seeing it The reply to these questions has go'. Apart from the fact that such a been attempted along two main lines, God can hardly excite reverence and love which call for our attention. Some in our hearts, the deistic position invo- have emphasised the essential distinction lves an unbridgeable gulf between man between the Infinite and the finite and and God and thus undermines our have accepted absolute transcendence conception of the essential unity of of the one over the other, while others existence, which is the back-bone of all have laid stress on the immanence of philosophy. Leibnitz, for example, God in the human spirit and the having once set up a world of indepen- phenomenal world. dent monads finds himself at a loss to The former school gained prominence explain the unity or the harmony of in Europe with the rise of individualism things and is led in the end to account in the eighteenth century. Locke was for the same by his unwarranted belief chiefly responsible for shaping the in the Pre-established Harmony of the thought of this century in England and universe. Besides, the dualism or France and Leibnitz in Germany. To pluralism, which are the natural Locke God was an extramundane deity outcome of the philosophy of transcen- having no connection with man and dence, put limitations on the absolute the finite world ; to Leibnitz He was freedom and infinite perfection of the Monad of monads—the Supreme Godhead, by setting up one or more Monad, absolutely self-sufficient or self- independent principles alongside of God, contented and eternally shut up from the independent existence of which can other beings and monads. Both Locke only be maintained by drawing a and Leibnitz denied any kind of boundary line round the Infinite (?). relationship between man and God. Insistence on transcedence leads to The difficulties, however, of this incurable in Kant. The kind of philosophy are obvious. It lays universe is bifurcated into noumena and so much stress on the transcendence of phenomena. Phenomenon is the world God that it removes Him out of the of experience that meets our senses^ world altogether and gives rise, in this is that which is always TRANSCENDENCE AND IMMANENCE 67 hidden from our view and transcends is regarded to be the necessary stage by all knowledge. God is a Reality that which God becomes self-conscious. His belongs to the noumenal existence and doctrine of evolution is, in fact, one of has nothing to do with the phenomena. Hegel's most important contributions He is the Unknowable and the Unapp. to philosophy. But his identification roachable, the Thing.in.itself in all its of the divine sources and the goal of pristine purity, which human reason evolution with its highest human mani. dare not contaminate. festations brings him down to the level Immanence has been mainly empha- of the materialistic position. God is in sised by Hegel. He revolted against no sense self-subsistent but depends for the agnostic relationism of Kant and His existence on the appearance of man. insisted on the doctrine of immanence Appearance of man is identical with of divine reason in the world. But the creation of God. undue emphasis on immanece in Hegel, Bradley tries his level best to drag as in other philosophers, leads to a sheer the Hegelian Absolute out of this identification of the Absolute with the pitiable plight by insisting on His world of experience. independent existence and absolute He regards the world to be a system transcendence of our categories of of thought and the different finite thought and being. But this leads him thinkers as the functions or modes or in the end to or — reproductions of one Universal Self- to admit an undifferentiated, all-perva- consciousness. This excessive insistence sive substance as the only reality and on immanence of the divine spirit in the to reject the finite existence as a species world of our experience seems to deprive of illusion. Pantheism tries to explain the finite souls of their independent the problem of relation between the existence and make them but the finite and the Infinite by emphasising shadows of the Absolute transcendence to such an extent as to Further, in his belief that the Abso- root the finite out of its very existence. lute is revealed in the world of its In pantheism found experiences, Hegel goes to the extent expression chiefly in the philosophy of of saying that in the history of humanity Spinoza and in New-Platonism, while God arrives at a knowledge of Himself. in India it found its strong advocate and By identifying the process of human votary in Shankar, who by his clever experience with divine experience he gave it the appearance of such virtually denies any actuality of God an argumentative philosophy that it for Himself. The history of humanity cast its spell over many a mind of his 68 THE HARMONIST age and is still a living faith with many between the two There is some rela- peoples in the East as well as the tionship, for example, between the sun West and its rays or light, but there is no An unbiassed study of this philoso. relationship between the sun and dark, phy, however, will reveal to any lover nesa. It is possible, therefore, to estab- of truth that instead of explaining the lish some sort of relationship between problem of the relation between the the Absolute and the finite spirit only finite and the infinite, it really explains if there be some affinity between the it away. For it tries to explain the two ; but if the latter is declared to be relationship between the finite and the as absolutely false as the former is true, infirite by cancelling one of the terms there can be no possibility of a relation in the relation. The finite in some form between them. For, in that case the or other is totally wiped out of existence. problem of relation between the finite Spinoza describes the finite as the roani. and the infinite— between one species festation of the attributes of the un. of truth and another becomes one with differentiated substance which do not the relation between falsehood and truth. really belong to it but are super imposed The followers of Shankar try to remove upon it, Shankar similarly describes this difficulty by saying that the nature it as the result of 'upadhis'. But both of a falsehood or illusion is that it does Spinoza and Shankar alike fail to give not exist ; so there can be no problem a satisfactory answer to the question at all of relation between that which "What is the ground on which the exists and that which Hoes not exist. superimposition or 'upadhis' rest ?" It This is to a certain extent true. That is maintained that our intellect is the which is false or unreal can never exist, ground. But it is apparently arguing for otherwise, it would not be unreal. in a circle. For the finite mind which But once the finite is declared to be is said to be the ground of the 'upadhis' unreal the problem is no more of relation is itself the result of the 'upadhis' between the infinite and the finite but Besides, by declaring the finite to of relation between the infinite and the be a mere appearance or illusion, the appearance of the finite. For, the fact pantheist, far from simplifying the is that in spite of all the efforts of the problem of relation between the two, pantheist to wipe the finite out of makes it still more difficult. It is existence it still continues to persist in possible to establish a relationship some form or other and the difficulty of between any two terms only when there explaining a relation between two terms is some affinity or common ground which he tries to do away" with by TRANSCENDENCE AND IMMANENCE 69 extmninating one of the terms in the himself in by saying that God does not relation and thus removing the very already exist but is yet in embryo, or in necessity of such an explanation, the making and, we must look forward remains. The finite for a moment may to his springing into existence as the seem to have been exterminated but it Inst stage in evolution or the highest reappears in the form of its ghost viz., point in the development of humanity i the appearance of the finite, which gives No solution of the difficulty, there, a eood deal of trouble to the fore, that does not try to retain both pantheist. terms in the problem of relation between The above statements will reveal the finite and the infinite can be accept- that the pantheistic position is primu able to our minds. No solution, also, facie irrational. Is there, then, no way that does not do equal to both out of the difficulty, no generous and transcendence and immanence can be all-embracing solhtion to the problem regarded by us as being satisfactory. of relation between the finite and the Hence, glorified be the name of Sree infinite ? We might stop and consider. Krishna Cbaitanya Who transcended Our position seems to be somewhat like all narrow views, quasi. and con. this ; we cannot ignore transcendence tending theories and reconciled them in and lay too much emphasis on imman- a higher synthesis ! The super.excel- ence, because that would bifurcate the lence of His teaching lies in His universe into two altogether indepen- harmonious blending of the dent principles and will neither be in of Immanence and Transcendence—in consonance with our philosophical idea keeping intact the infinitude of the of unity, nor do justice to our religious Infinite and the finitude or the freedom conscience. The third alternative that of the finite, the unity of the universe of cancelling one of the terms in the and the individuality of all existing 'relation is still more dangerous. The things. The key of His all-embracing pantheist cuts a very sorry figure in philosophical teaching lies in the very trying to exterminate the finite and nature of the Absolute —His infinite replacing it wholly by the infinite. In. perfection and unlimited personality. deed, he appears to be performing the From the infinite perfection of the impossible feat of jumping out of his Absolute follows His possession of in- own akin. Attempts to solve the prob- finite potencies and the power to hold lem by eliminating the Absolute have together in an inconceivable way the also met the same fate. What an seemingly irreconcilable and contra- absurd position Alexander involves dictory qualities. What, therefore, may 70 THE HARMONIST appear to be a contradiction to us is the abortive personality of the condi- but nn enrichment of His Divine Per. tioned state. As Bhagawan He displays sonality. Transcendence and imman- His Own Transcendental Individuality ence may appear to be contradictory and eternal existence of every indivi- aspects to the finite mind, but in Divine dual entity on the higher plane. The Personality they are the associated relation between God and other things aspects of an abiding unity which holds is that of inconceivable unity in differ, under all circumstances. The Absolute ence. The human soul is at once is immanent because He is Omnipresent distinct and united with God. It is and all-pervading without losing His dependent on God and united with Him transcendence aud because He is the in so far as it is neither self-derived nor final cause or the ground of the finite self-existing but has got its ground or soul and everything that exists. He is substratum in God. It is distinct from transcendent because He is at the same Him because the self.hood which it is time always beyond both the finite soul conscious of in willing is felt as one and the phenomenal universe, and is which implies a real difference not only His own unique Personality. between it and any other finite soul but The immanent aspect of God is also its permitted real freedom even termed as Faramatma. But God with as against its own mightier source, the all the splendour and glory of His Absolute Spirit. infinite perfection, infinite potencies It is the mathematical philosophy of and infinite attributes, Who necessarily exclusive extreme relations, which can. transcends all imperfect things and not find the reality of the connection partial aspects of being, is called between absolute unity and absolute Bhagawan. As Faramatma He is the difference. Mathematics can only be transcendent regulator and observer applied to the world of limited space of the actions of all souls and the and terminable time and its attempts unifier of all existing things, but as to apply it to the Absolute must prove Bhagawan He is the Absolute Blissful to be dangerous. God bless the soul of Person engaged in all-blissful transcen. Hume who carried the atomic philo- dental Activities in His Own Divine sophy of experienced external relations Abode which is beyond and above all to its logical conclusion and showed that phenomenal or finite existence. In His an empiric philosopher who had no faith Faramatma aspect He is the principle in the philosophy of internal relations of unity that accounts for the temporary could not but end as a sceptic out andl order and harmony of the universe and out. TRANSCENDENCE AND IMMANENCE 71

The problem of the relation between It is not a question of the reconciliation the experienced finite and the Inccn- of two contradictory notions both of ceivable Absolute Infinite would have which are deviations from the experience been much simpler if we had been a of enigmatic existence by the resources little less overbearing or presumptuous of a faulty and ignorant cognition in our speculative attempts. Trans, but is a problem that neither concerns cendence and immanence, we have seen, us directly nor is within the reach of are both distinct from external relations. our speculative reason and the solution But although our human understanding of which in God is the fact although does not enable us to understand this necessarily inconceivable to our present real mystery, there can also be no mis. understanding that requires to be giving about it when once the proposi- realised with full and legitimate faith tion is presented to our consideration in His power for enabling us to do so. and pondered seriously. If we fail to We should not be contented with the understand how the relation between misleading result of our speculative the two is established in God, our attempts or with the imperfect know- natural conclusion should be the ledge of the phenomenal aspect of the imbecility of our discursive understand, reality that is open to our poor intelli- ing and not the non-existence of trans gence. Instead of trying to manufacture cendental power in Him Finitude on a theory of the reality by the limited the plain of the Absolute is in full capacity of our understanding, if really consistency with our individuality and we are desirous to know more, we should the right attitude of an earnest enquirer pray to the Merciful Lord for better after Truth should be to explore the light, superior intelligence and higher pijactical avenues of approach to the understanding. eternal plane of the Reality. It is a [ Nevertheless the solution is suffi- sacrilegious offence of a very serious ciently envisaged by the philosophy of nature and the most illogical of fallacies Sree Krishna Chaitanya. Immanence to seek to employ the inconclusive and transcendence are according to deductions of phenomenal existence this philosophy neither supplementary for denying the very existence of the nor contradictory relations. Taken Absolute. It is enough for us, indeed, together they indicate the whole if we understand that both transcen- connection of the Absolute Reality with dence and immanence must somehow phenomenal existence, the latter alone be equally true of God and equally being cognisable to conditioned souls. inaccessible to the conditioned soul. Although the plane of the Absolute 72 THE HARMONIST transcends that of phenomenal existence, bears a remarkably similar relationship there is yet a bond of transcendental to the Absolute. The substance is between the one and the immanent in the shadow without other. That relationship is described being of the essence of the shadow. as analogous to the relationship between This conception of immanence is an entity and its perverted shadow. very different from that of the The shadow is not independent of the different schools of speculative philo. substance, and yet it is not the sophy in the East as well as the substance. The phenomenal world West. ]

To

His Holiness Bhakti

Hridoy Bon Maharaj.

Gaudiya Mission, Darjeeling.

Your Holiness, We welcome you on this occasion of your visit to Darjeeling after successfuly propagating the universal religion of Divine Love in the West and establishing the ''London Gaudiya Mission Society" under the presidency of the Most Hon'ble Marquess of Zetland for mutual understanding between the Bast and the West. You have not only distinguished yourself as a learned religious preacher of the Gaudiya Math, Calcutta, but also as a patriot engaged in various activities for the universal welfare. We thank you for your noble and pious activities in India and abroad and pray to God for the fulfillment of the noble mission you have undertaken.

Dated Darjeeling, ) The citizens of The 21st September 1986. ) Darjeeling. VOL XXXII No. 4 ] [ Regtd. No. C 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Safjanatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna EJeadashi Kartick 449 O.A.

October 23, 1935.

qn 11 Annihi Cation of agemCong sufferings, May these our high aims ffourish fhe Service of Raffa=Krishna, To gCadden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chiof Inland Rs. 4-8, Foreign Is. 6d, Paramahansa Bhakti Siddlianla Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswann

Sree Gaudiya Math, P.O. Baglibazar, Calcutta. CONTE NTS

Subject Page 1. Sree Cbaitauya's Meeting with Rai Ramauanda 73 2. Reoeption Meeting 79 3. Reply to Prof. Bauver'e letter ...... 82 4. Math-interests Versus Home-fnterests 91 5. Public Reception 96 ALL GLORY TO SREE GURU AND GAURANGA

—:o:—

t It e B a t m fl n i s f

(Sree Sajjanatosbant)

VOL. XXXII. I OCTOBER 23, 1935 No. 4

Sree Chaitanya's Meeting with Rai Ramananda By Tridandiswami Bluikti Pradip Tirtha

QKKE Krishna Chaitanya Deva brahmanas, for ceremonial bath. Sree after the assumption of Vedic Chaitanya at first sight knew him to be mendicancy canoe to Puri. From Puri Rai Ramananda. He longed to meet He went on a pilgrimage to the south him, but checked His eagerness. As ( Deccan ). Pandit Sarbabhauma Rai Ramananda after his bath came up Bhattacharjee entreated Him to meet to Him, he was filled with a great Rai Ramananda on His way. After wonder as he looked at His Person visiting many shrines at different places which was shining like a hundred suns. He reached the banks of the Godaveri. He alighted from his litter and fell This renoinded Him of the Jarauna, and prostrate before Him. Sree Chaitanya the woodlands on the banks suggested stood up and said, "Rise and chant Brindaban. He crossed the river, Krishna's Name". He was strongly bathed and then sat at a short distance longing to embrace him, yet asked, from the ghat. While He was occupied "Art thou Rai Ramananda The in chanting the Holy Name of Krishna, reply was, "Yes, I am that slave, a vile Rai Ramananda arrived in a litter, ". The Lord embraced him attended by many musicians and and both sank on the ground in excess 74 THE HARMONIST of natural prema, both of them, overcome self. Who knows your ways ? You are with pure love, began to perspire, weep, Mercy personified. You have come tremble, with their hair standing on here to deliver me. 0, Saviour of the end, and both uttered "Krishna, fallen, such is the habit of the Great, Krishna" in supreme joy. that He deviates from His path to Thebrahmana followers of Hai were deliver the fallen. It is said in Srimad amazed at the sight and thonght. "'This Bhagabat, "Oh Lord, the saint's ever sanyasin is like Brahma himself, and visit the homes of worldly people for yet He weeps embracing a skudra. compassing their eternal good. There This great dignitary is a profound is no other purpose in it. The hearts scholar and of a naturally grave demea- of the brahmanas and other attendants nour, and yet he has been maddem d by numbering a thousand are melted by the touch of the sanyasi.'' On seeing Your sight. All of them are shouting the strangers, the Lord checked 'Krishna, Hari j' and are shedding Himself, and both of them regained their tears of ]oy. Your characteristic composure and sat down on the ground. features show unmistakable signs of The Lord began smilingly, "1 heard of the Divinity and they are never found you from Sarbabhfiuma, and he instruc. on a mortal." ted Me to meet you. It is well that The Lord replied, "You are the 1 could meet you so easily." Rai greatest of devotees. It is your sight replied, "The great Pandit is pleased to that melted the hearts of all. What to own me as his humble servant, and is speak of the others, I myself, a always on the alert to do me good. It mayavadi sanyasin, am steeped in the is due to his mercy that I see you. love of Krishna at your touch. My life is, indeed, blessed today. You Knowing that My heart is too hard to are gracious to touch this vile shudra, be changed, Sarbabhauma advised Me which proves your mercy and that of to meet you." Sarbabhauma to this most unworthy While they were praising each other person. You are Supreme Lord Nara- and enjoying the delightful mood, a yan Himself and I am but a servant of vaishnava Vaidic brahman came and king, a worldly person and a vile shudra. bowed unto Him, and besought Him to You did not fear the injunctions of the accept the alms of food and residence Vedas in touching me. The Vedas at his house. The Lord accepted the forbid;you even to look at me. Your invitation knowing him to be a vaisb. mercy on me makes you perform a nava, and then turning to Ramananda, forbidden act. You are Godhead Him- said, "I feel a great desire to hear SREE CHAITANYA'S MEETING WITH RAMANANDA 75

Krislina-talk from your lips. I shall performing the horna ceremony, or act hope to meet you again." Rai replied, of giving or austerity." The Lord "You have come to save the sinners. rejected this view also and asked Rai Put my wicked heart alone has not to cite more advanced ideas. Rai been purified by Thy sight. May I replied, "The highest devotion requires pray for Your stay for a few days for one to give up the duties enjoined by purging my heart of all sins ? "Rai the Veda, as Srimad Bhagabat says he Ramananda then made his bow, and is the greatest of holy men who, went on hia way with the greatest knowinii full well the merits and reluctance. The Lord betook Himself demerits of religious duties, worships to the house of the brahman, and the Me by giving up the vedic duties, evening approached in the midst of although they were ordained by Me." their anxieties. The Gita speaks in the same strain, The Lord was anxiously waiting "Take shelter in me alone, giving up when Rai appeared with a servant. all religious practices, you will have no He bowed to the Master and was cause of sorrow, I will deliver you from received in His embrace. The two now all sins." This was also objected by retired to the seclusion of privacy and the Lord as this too did not touch the began to converse on sadhya (the issue. Some other higher means should goal) sad ban (the means). The Lord be cited. To this Rai added that requested Rai to recite the texts of the knowledge based on strong faith might shastras on sadhya (goal). Rai replied, be the highest means of devotion. "Devotion to Vishnu is acquired by Brahmanas practising devotion with observing the duties of our position in the knowledge of relationship become society. Vishnupuran says, 'propitiate vaishnavas. The Gita sings, "The the Supreme Lord by following the peaceful soul who rests in Brahma prescribed duties of your social rank neither grieves nor covets anything, and fitness. There is no other means but attains My true devotion looking of pleasing Him." The Lord said, equally on all entities and occurrences." •'This is off the point, tell me some- The Lord was not satisfied with this thing more advanced." Rai answered, telling Rai Ramananda that this was "The highest means of acquiring also outside the issue, and requested devotion is to offer to Krishna the him to cite more advanced methods. fruits of our acts even as the (rita Rai answered that devotion wholly instructs, "Oh son of I consign uncontaminated by knowledge is the to Me whatever you do, be it eating, highest form of devotion. A person 76 THE HARMONIST

submitting unconditionally at the declaring myself to be Thy eternal Divine Feet of Sree Krishna is a true servant being Treed from .all selfish devotee. It is related in the Srimad desires by Thy unceasing faithful Bhagabat, "The Supreme Lord is hard service." "So it is, but there are to be won in this universe, yet He is methods deeper still. Be pleased to realised by those who abandon the quest mention those," said the Lord. Rai of knowledge, submit to Your Divine replied, "Love as that of a friend is Feet, stay at holy places, listen to the highest form , of devotion," and in racitals of Your Leelas by pure devotees this connection he related the glory and believes in them with body, mind of the friendship of the cow.boys. The and soul." On hearing this the Lord cow-boys of Braja had the good fortune replied, "It is so ; but higher stages to join in the pastimes of Sree Krishna may be stated." Rai answered, "The Who appears to the jnanins as highest form of true devotion is love Brahmasukha, to His servants as the transoendantal", and cited the verses Supreme Object of worship and to the from Padyabali, "Food is relished so deluded persons as a mere human child. long as there is hunger. .Similary with The Master said, "This is good, but the progress of devotional aptitude, the relate something higher still." Rai oon. devotee delights in worshipping his tinuing said that the highest devotion is heart's Darling, not in multifarious affection for a child, and recited from ritualistic formalities but in true love Srimad Bhagabat the passages, "Oh alone." "Have a heart inspired with Brahman ! what high-class merito- love of Krishna, if ever you may, rious deeds did Nanda perform, and though it cannot be attained by good what did the blessed do, that deeds through millions of lives yet it she was fortunate to suckle- the Divine can be had by a single impulse of Child ?" "The bliss that Yashoda longing." The Lord remarked as derived from her Saviour Son was before. To this Rai replied that the never gained by Brahma or Shiva or love of a servant is the highest devotion even by Lakshmi though she is always and cited verses in support of his view clasped to His bosom." The Lord from the Srimad Bhagabat and Stotra- said, "This is good no doubt, but state ratna of . "When still higher functions". Rai replied, listening to the Holy Name of the Lord "The highest form of devotion is love purifies all jiva s.ouls, what then is for the Lord" and described the left unattnined to His true servants ?" following from the Srimad Hhagabat, "When shall I have the good fortune of "What to speak of other women, not SREE CHAITANYA'S MEETING WITH RAMANANDA evea Lftkgbroi herself who is held in state of bondage to their devotion.1' close embrace to His bosom, nor the "Krishna is the fountain and source of celestial nyraphs, tuoagh blooming and all beauty ami grace, yet the conopany odorous like the lotus, were graced of tbe fairs of Braja still further enha- with the favour which the Suprme Lord nces His splendour and beauty. It is showfiif to tbe gopees of Brindnban thus described in Bhagabat, 'Though when in the Rasa pastime He clasped Krishna is the essence of all beauty yet their necks with His arm." "In the He bloomed more beautiful in the midst Rasa pastime, Madanmoban Himself of the fair damsels of Braja, as the clad in yellow robes, wearing garlands emerald shines more brilliantly set in of wild flowers and a perpetual smile, tbe midst of golden-bued gems. After appeared all on a sudden in the midst listening to these with rapture, the Lord of the gopees after their wailings of remarked, "This, indeed, is the extreme separation." ''Many are the means of point of devotion, but please tell Me if attaining to Krishna and there are there be anything beyond it". Rai was degrees of such attainment," said Rai. filled with great astonishment. He He further added and described that thought, "I never knew there is any the five rasas appear in an ascending person on the f^oe of the universe who order of eicellence. The chief charac- can enquire beyond this." He answered, teristic and quality of each rasa attain "Of all kinds of prema Radha's Divine maturity in the next, thus shanta Love is reputed as the highest of a'l attains perfection in dasya, dasya in forms of devotion," so say the shastras, sakhya, sakhya, in bafcsalya and all Tbe Lord was pleased to hear the four in madhura, just as the properties praise of Bud ha from Rai, and said, of the four elements increasing in an "Go on singing, I am "'delighted to ascending order are finally combined hear your words. A wonderful stream in the fifth element, the earth. The of nectar is flowing from your lipa.1' full attainment of Krishna results from The Lord, accepting .Vladbur Rasa as prema, and Srimad Bhagabat says that the highest form of devotion, asfced Krishna submits to transcendental Rai to describe the transcendental love ■prema. ''Krishna's promise remains of Sree Radha. firm at all times, He always gives Rai then described the real form a return of our worship exactly in the of Krishna and Radha and the chief form in which it is offered. But he features of rasa and, prema- He recited cannot repay the offer of prema of the a song of bis composition dilating on damsels of Braja and is thus in the the Divine Love

Ans. There is none except the society Ans. The Holy Names of the most of those who are devoted to Krishna. adorable Divine Couple, Radha- Q. 8. Whom should all persons Krishna. incessantly remember ? Q. 13. Where do they repair after Ans. The chief things to be remem- death who hanker after elevation and bered are the Names, Forms, Attri- salvation ? butes, Associates and Pastimes of Ans. They dwell in the realms of Krishna. the gods and in the bodies of inert Q. 9. Among objects of meditation beings (e. g. stones) respectively. whom should everyone meditate upon ? Krishna's Name alone removes all Ans. The supreme meditation is sins. The nine kinds of devotion are on the Lotus.Feet of . perfected by the Holy Name. It does Q. 10. Where should one live, not depend upon initiaion or priestly leaving all behind ? ceremonies. A mere utterance of the Ans. It is the glorious land of Holy Name saves everybody down to Vrindaban where the B-asa-Leela is the Chandala. The crow, which has no eternal. sense of relish, chews the bitter nimba- Q. II. What is the best of things fruit of empiric knowledge, while the to be constantly listened to ? cuckoo, which is appreciative of fla- Ans. The Love.sports of Radha. vours, feeds on the mango-blossoms of Krishna are the greatest delight to the Holy Love ; the luckless follower of the ear. path of knowledge tastes dry wisdom (?) Q, 12. What is the chief among while he, who is fortunate, quaffs the the objects of worship ? nectar of Krishna's Love.

Reception Meeting

Tridandiswami Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj returned for a short time to of the Gaudiya Math, disciple of the most India after doing excellent work in Great accomplished and illustrious religious Britain and Central Europe by spread, leader of India, Paramahansa Srimad ing the Messages of Divine Love as Bbakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami represented by Sree Krishna Chaitanya 80 THE HARMONIST

Mahaprabhu. Swamiji arrived here Mahaprabhu as His Divine Grace with two German devotees. A fitting Para mahansa Sree Sreemed Bhakti reception was given to Swamiji at the Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj, Saraswat Sraban Sadan of the Math the President Acharya of Sree Viswa in a meeting on the 8th September, at Vaishnava Raj-Sabha, had so graciously, 5 p.m. with Maharajadhiraja Sir Bejoy so earnestly and so compassionately ChandMahatab G.o.i.E.,K.C.a.i ,i.o.m.,l.l.d. desired that the true teachings of Sree Bahadur of Burdwan in the chair. Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu be Many respectable gentlemen and elites propagated throughout the length and of the city attended the meeting. breadth of the whole world for the An address of welcome was givenrj to eternal and everlasting welfare of all Swamiji by the citizens of Calcutta. human beings. It appears on another page of this Today is the happy day of return of Journal. Swami Bon who by his singular tact The Honourable President of the and ability broke down the iron walls evening being duly elected was garland of conservatism and sowed the seed of ed by the Hon'bie Baja Bhupendra love and truth in the west, and the Narayan Singha bahadur of Nashipur. tangible fruit of whose activities is M. M. Pandit Atul Chandra Banerjee, discernible from the advent of those Bhaktisaranga, Secretray of Sree two gentlemen from distant Germany, Vishwa Vai&hnava Raj-Sabha wel- to India to learn the philosophy of Sree comed the guests of the evening on Krishna Chaitanya under the guidance behalf of the members of the Mission of our Divine Master in fulfilment of in the following little speech. of the proyhecy of the Lord, With humility, respect and charity 3?Ts5 ncT STM, ^*9* 11^ to all really religious and devout souls siiq I" of every creed, 1, on behalf of the Gentlemen, members of the Gaudiya Math hail We greatly appreciate your kindness this opportunity to accord by cordial for joining us today to commemorate welcome to all present here on this this memorable occasion in a fitting happy auspicious moment to do honour manner which is no doubt a public duty, to Tridandiswami Bhakti Hriday Bon a social duty, a national duty and Maharaj who was deputed two and a is a pious duty to all Indians, as we half years ago to disseminate in the west have been taught by scriptural injunc. the universal religion of Divine Love as tions that the service of the servants propagated by Sree Krishna Chaitanya of the Supreme Lord is greater even RECEPTION MEETING 81 than the service of the Lord Himself. metropolis, (2) the joy of entertaining God's grace extends herself to those such valued and illustrious guests like who follow this principle and by that Herr Ernst Georg Schulze and Herr grace is generated consisting of Baron Hans-Bberhard von Koeth, (3) special love for Him, which is the the great pleasure of welcoming Swami realization of the only function of our Bon after a long separation, (4) deep souls, and in the universal spiritual gratitude for the most kindly and brotherhood of man. For the more we genuine personal interest evinced by love Godhead, the more shall we love our Maharajadhiraj Bahadur of Burdwan one another in Him and the more love in matters concerning our mission—all for God will be kindled in our heart. combined to inspire me with a feeling of Love craves communication with gratefulness, the like of which I could the only beloved' as the first need of never experience elsewhere. And when life. Wherever there is love, it seeks standing in the midst of this assembly, to find some means of communication many a time has my heart gone out to with the beloved. Is it not this law of God to offer Him its humble tribute of Love for God which holds us all here devotion for all the blessings He has in in this meeting ? Certainly it is so. store for our Gaudiya Math which He who has love for the Lord, thereby has now begun to shine so brightly, so loves His devotees. This love is so brilliantly and with such a great radiance conspicuously vivid in your beaming for illuminating the whole world in personalities, that I consider it a proud the near future, the indications of which privilege to adore you all before you are to be seen here in this hall today, proceed to perform the function for Hon'ble Mr President, which we arei all assembled here this I repeat once more that we owe Evening. a great debt of gratitude to your kind I am not using a mere phrase of course encouragement. It is a peculiar delight, when I say that I was never urged by gentlferaen, to welcome you all to our a feeling of gratefulness so deep and so Saraswat Sraban Sadan and to offer this solemn as on this present occasion when humble tribute of gratefulness to you there is a happy combination of so many in this happy auspicious moment of good things—(1) the honour of the visit our Swamiji's return from the west to of so many distinguished citizens of this the feet of my Divine Master. Reply to Prof. Bauver's letter

Dear sir, Our Guru Maharaj asks me to I am directed to acknowledge the acknowledge with thanks for your receipt of your letter dated the 7th reception of the excellent impression January 1935, to the address of the from Swami Bon's delivery but he is President of our Mission, and in reply sorry to find that you had not equally I beg to inform you by the following a good impression for the profoundness lines regarding your queries. of our representative's religious views. We gather from your letter that our From this we understand the short representative Tridandiswami B. H. Bon lecture you heard and association you delivered a lecture at your place with had with our representative have given another lecture arranged by several other you an inquisitive start to learn the persons and that he could not make newness of our transcendental exposi- time to attend to your call which tions. has necessitated you to write to our By accepting the Semitic views we Guru Maharaj. cannot follow the fundamental princi- I thank you for your kind appre- ples of Guru or Preceptor unless we ciation of Indian civilisation and culture deeply enter into the system. It seems and of your finding of a profound you entertain special inclination of wisdom in the Upanishads. It is further targetting the fountainhead of instruc- understood that in Bohemia a Czech tions in a particular individual of a representative of Buddhism is not distant date with a strong notion that capable of giving a true idea of Buddha. the succeeding followers known as You are quite right in classifying the may not exactly follow the same two different views of the materialistic principle inculcated by the original west and spiritualistic east viz. : (I) Fountain-Head. We do not find any dealing spiritual questions materially necessity of accepting such a restricted and (2) material things from spiritual faith of dismissing a true epistler who point of view and it is observed that does not deviate himself from the you prefer the latter. Thanks should original master. It is true that the also be -given to you in seeking help assertive view should not have many from our Q-uru Maharaj to get rid of diversions and should come from only your alleged scientific superstitions. one source, Truth being one ; but this REPLY TO PROF. BAUVER'S LETTER 83 theory need not check the developing, stand owing to their openness to wel- augmenting and keeping up of the come stultifying invasions. This hos- true essential imports of the original pitality would not serve a definite source through different lips if they purpose but it can invite applause and are complementary and supplementary. encomiums temporarily from less in- I know the word Guru has different telligent quarters. Both oriental and meanings but you have, I am sorry, occidental restrictions are oscillating misunderstood the eternal Guru of a owing to their changing susceptibilities. devotee. The Transcendental Guru Moreover they cannot be accepted appears before a disciple with all his cautiously considering their incorpora- entourages in order to welcome a fallen tions of heterogeneous contradictory soul who is now busy with his tem- views in each. If the word oriental poral enjoyments and mental specula- were meant for a particular sect like tions as well as to impart transcen- the Buddhists it would not include dental sounds for the aural reception the non-Buddhistic views of the east. of his audience. The Guru's trans- In occidental assembly we find also cendental teachings were never meant incompatible views accepted as purport- for submitting to the test of senses ing to one identical cause. A sharp of the disciples but to predominate scrutiny will surely disclose the inten- over crippled senses and to regulate sity of purity in regard to such vague them. So, you will find that such general statements. Instead of cheri- Guru is the reciprocal associate of the shing the. sweeping mixed up thoughts Absolute Personality of Godhead and of a particular country, province, age not a mortal being liable to be consi- or community, etc., we should certainly dered as one of the victims of the have some common standpoint to guide jealousies of the disciples. Guru is the us and to cement the contending dis- facsimile of the predominated aspect of similar views. Pantheism may prove the Absolute Personality of the pre- to be a congenial attempt to white- dominating Absolute. wash the world's inherent dirts. It Meister Eckart'a views when analy- cannot satisfy the puritanic adminis- sed tended to mystical pantheism in- tration of absolute truth. We are stead of unalloyed . Our Mission often liable to err by our sensuous cannot agree to your view of uniting exploitations and therefore, we need oriental and occidental mental istios not be pedantic in asserting the Abso- which are subject to fluctuations. The lute in any worldly relativity instead empiricists cannot have a perpetual of learning the truth with patience. 64 THE HARMONIST

A, magician's performances may mis- You have very kindly referred to guide us and deformity of senses may the master mind of Plotinus who also come in our way to secure delusive breathed his last in 269 A.D, as told impressions. Religion is a subject not by Messrs. Paul Janet and Gabriel of our thinking but its adoption will Seailles, I thank philosopher Plotinus certainly carry to our desired locality. for his reading of future life and accept, It has hundreds of manifestive phases ing a theory of metensomatosis or resulting in different varieties of gains. metempsychosis. His impression of The elevationists do not confirm the soul and the body, his theology and goal of Salvationists and they in their bis doctrine of procession and return turns do not subscribe the same opinion to God are really inviting to a student with the devotees of Transcendental of philosophy but we differ from him Absolute. The religions of free souls when he asserts his final annihilation and conditioned pneuma need not be in the impersonal entity vide Enneads confused to have the same category. part III.IV (chap.—6). Plotinus must True knowledge is not the same have read the Greek versions of with phenomenal partial wisdom nor Upanishads probably carried from it (he) will serve us fittingly in our India by the Grecian invader of Mace- enjoying mood. A soul is eternally don, nearly six hundred years after associated with the Absolute Reality he visited India. and his (or her) function cannot be Both Master Eckart and the school of confined to material atmosphere of Plotinus finally bore a nondesignative time and space which have a neuter aspect of Godhead though their admi. determination. An unalloyed soul ssion of the immortality of soul and requires no enchaining by undesirable question of seelanwanderung were some- elements of temporary finitudinal aspects what pleasing to a theist. Master of nature. We need not be rupturous Eckart believes that Godship was to oich other with our feigned a temporary office after his taking views, however, adoptable to our mental initiative as Creator (ee die creaturen discourses. Apart from the conven- warent do was nit gott), but the eternal tional separation, the souls of every Absolute aspect of God need not have country and of every age should be been tampered in that way. We under- given the opportunity of loving one stand Godhead has an eternal spiritual another in the service of one Absolute body wbich is obscured to our eyes in Emporium when relativities do not the phenomena of three dimensions curtail the foliage of varieties. but owing to His transcendental position REPLY TO PROF. BAUVER'S LETTER 85 of infinite dimension the plane of our who are busy in the name of religion present sensuous activity cannot remodelling the transcendental morpho- possibly accommodate. Though His logical character through their respec- nomenclature is ineffable by our tongue tive whims which in other words His Spiritual Name can be chanted by disply a demeanour to lord it over the our true devotional aptitude ignoring Absolute by their non.absolute the phenomenal bindings. The mun crippled imagination for receiving some dane symbols of Name often go to point service from their Supreme Lord, the out a gross or subtle entity and to loving Consort, the loving Son, the submit to an inspection of our limited loving Friend, the loving Lord and senses bearing temporary situation, neutral inoffensive Object instead of whereas the spiritual sound has a offering their proper eternal service as different fervosive character the expla- part and parcel of transcendence. The nation of which can only be secured from philistines as well as the pretending practical source viz., Guru. It is the gnostics cannot truly serve Godhead symbol of the Absolute Integer and not as they have materialistic philistianism meant for a partial non.absolute frag- and pantheistic materialism reigning ment like other words. If the Persona- foremost in their veins. As the agnos- lity of Godhead is fixed as impersonal, tics standardise their view of the world identifying Him at the same time for time-serving purposes, they are apt with the plenary entity of the universe, to difter from the true observation of a He is simply shelved up as an imperso- theist who cannot possibly dissociate nal exhibit of nature or reduced to a his relation with Godhead, in one of the mortal if any sentiency is needed to be five true eternal positions. The undying attached. In fine Theism and soul of a man must have recourse to Pantheism both should not be deemed the Personality of Godhead the Abso. to have isochoric, isochronal and lute Emporium of reciprocal and isochromatic value. sempiternal situations of all sentient Our representative must have told spirits. The reality of these beautiful you the different positions of the sayings should have been noticed Supreme Personality of Godhead as carefully instead of applying the approached by His eternal and insepar. empiric method of observations. The able servitors of different positions for indolent pantheists often camouflage God's Own purposes and not for any the eyes of hasty pedants as they do imaginary vain purposes of eleva- not feel the undesirability of a miserable tionists and Salvationists of this world temporary life stopped by impeding 86 THE HARMONIST nature of the mundane plane owing to the only beauty of God's messenger, their special predilectmn of sticking to the Guru is to guide the misdirected the empiric decision. The newness of activity of the worldly enjoyers or the message should have been observed seekers after heaven where they can if the audience followed systematically gratify their sensual exploitations. A the principal points, from the ordinary patient hearing would have minimised mental observations of the hackneyed the hasty passing of an opinion of school of thought. The true knowledge repetition. of devotee requires broadcasting Christianity has its basis in scripture throughout the length and breadth of and reverence for the world-teacher all honest seekers of truth and the Jesus etc., whereas pessimistic founda. desirability has been set forth by tion has polemic inclination in Buddhi- the Hupreme Lord Who deeply stic enterprise ; but Upanishadic view felt for the well-meaning theists. is quite contrary to the opinion of This true place of charity has got both. Upanishads admit of Guru and its acme and has no parallel when his teachings and discourage all dial, we have a comparative study of all lenging attitude of the mind. The donatory objects. The Personality of seeming reciprocality of the universe Godhead will be pleased to find the has much to do with the Christians true unalloyed devotee engaging in whereas repeated cautions are found this particular occupation of tending in the Upanishads to regulate the mind every person to serve Him which can in accepting the apparent considerations only give relief to all misguided per- of the temporality of the phenomena. sons. A teacher should know of course In Buddhism no trace could be secured the eligibility of the hearer, but he of the personality of Godhead, whereas need not be dissuaded by the whims the Christian view volunteers a glimpse and caprices of mental speculationists of theism, though Upanishads speak who have no idea of future good, of the Absolute and true contempla- having been deprived of the permanent tive occupation of its culturers. A interest of every soul. comparative study will surely encourage God is the eternal Object of all you to pay closer attention to deal lovers and He is the only Subject of with the Personality of the Absolute. the true love. The mentality of the The lengthy statements in a lecture impoverished souls is often found to would not give much facility of getting seek engagement with phenomenal hold of the whole truth, but it objects instead of the Absolute and would bring out an impulse and REPLY TO PROF. BAUVER'S LETTER 87 inquisitivetemperaraent to deal with the of the One Indivisible Truth. But same. if our vision is dominated by the In the concluding portions of your mundane potency, we are degraded letter you have desired for information from the spiritual plane the product on certain points. This requirement of the Benign Potency which is higher. cannot be fulfilled unless we arecautious These ethical values hold eternally in about our scientific superstitions. A respect of us. No one can either certain amount of information from enter, still less make any progress on the scriptures regarding the fundamen- the spiritual plane unless he is willing tals of spiritual life has been offered to avoid these limited exploitations in the preceding observations. The towards an uncertain goal that is also numerical fetter is a stubborn scientific unattainable by reason of the condi. superstition that also requires to be tions that are imposed by the available put under the proper safe-guards for methods. Even the so-called mysteries avoiding the denying superficialities. must necessarily cease to mystify and, The statistical method will never be there-fore, fail to function, as soon able to reach the fringe of the reality as they are attempted to be handled any more than the analytic in the by our blunt faculties. The following forms in which they are used by the particulars from the scriptures require empirfcists. It is necessary to learn to be approached by the method of the spiritual use of these methods humility which is not limited to the which are of the nature of limitations. optimistic scientific caution which over- We may draw your attention to another looks the limilations of our thought. point Your conclusion that the occi- The Guru is not any concoction Hent looks upon the spiritual questions of our limited thought. The Guru is materially and the orient is considering the living fundamental reality. He is material things from the spiritual point the Reciprocal Absolute. We are rela. of view, seems to require a little tives and infinitesimals also on the modification. The material point of plane of the Absolute. But the Guru view is the ordinary common point of is the Infinitude. The Guru is also view both in the east and the west. the Eternal Emporium of our spiritual It is bound to be the stunted and needs. The Guru has his inaccessible perverted view of even material things. enlightening and seemingly accessible The material things have their source deceptive faces corresponding to the iu an eternally distinctive potency of distinction between Truth and untruth. the Absolute and are part and parcel Those who do not seek for the Truth 88 THE HARMONIST experience an abnormal af&nity to the disciples to learn about the meaning of ouidance of the agents of the deceptive the mantra which they impart to them face of the Guru, the misguided so- from some other teachers. This is not called savants of this world. All the proper role of the Guru who ini- scientific and unscientific superstitions tiates into spiritual life. The real Guru have been created both in the east is the undeviating absolute medium for and the West in pursuance of this the manifestation of the Plenary self- method. It is not necessary for the manifest Truth to the willing receptive person who seeks for the guidance of cognition of tiny individual souls. If the agents of the enlightening face any person is impressed with the neces- of the Guru to resort to the shops of sity of learning the Truth at the feet of worldly wisdom. This is the ultimate the Truth, he must be prepared not to relation of every true disciple to the refuse the Guru any part of this short Guru. Why we consider our Guru to be life for such effort. We are inviting far greater than all the other teachers everyone to the ifeet of our Guru for is that the latter seem to hold the receiving the direct experience of the view that it is possible to comprehend life of the accepted servants of our Guru everything by our present senses and on the plane of transcendental service. faculties. But our Guru never says so. A person is only to bring himself fully This constitutes the distinctive excel, i.e.,free from all limiting encumbfances lence of our Guru who is decisively or ambitions as much as possible. superior to the teachers of both karma The inner life of a person is not (good works) and jnana (relative know- cspable of statistical proof. It cannot ledge ). The.disciples of other gurus be understood by the wiseacres of this are apt to estimate the gradations world. It is not impossible to suppose of a guru by their limited observa. that nobody in this world is prepared to tions. But we are devotees. We have accept the Truth. Our Guru has got summarily discarded the point of view several thousands of disciples. He has of all professed opponents of devotion not yet published their names. It is. as well as that of the pseudo-devotees. not also of much direct concern to any- Our Guru is Omniscient. We feel the one. Incidents of the lives of his fol- greatest repugnance towards those who lowers have been described in the deliberately deviate from him. Some, journals of the Mission from time to times this is done by them by the dis. time. The Mission has used the Bengali ingenuous trick resorted to by the language for publishing them. Those psiknthropist gurus. They tell their who have accepted his message have REPLY TO PROF. BAUVER'S LETTER 89 placed themselves and their resources the service of God. The lower parts in every form at the disposal of our of the material body are unfit to be Guru. But it is also true that Mir Guru offered in worship. But every limb of has not accepted material help from his the spiritual body is used in His service disciples as a matter of duty or obliga- The physical and mental bodies cannot tion. The names of the donors, whether obstruct the intimate worship of God disciples _or sympathisers, have been by the spiritual body realised in an published from time to time in our advanced stage of spiritual pupilage. journals. We have six journals in dif_ If the whole of Europe choose to deviate ferent languages and a published litera. from the Truth, they are as much free ture containing many books. The dis- to do so as the whole of Asia. Nothing cipleship of our Guru is open to all souls can help them against their own deli, sojourning in this and other worlds. berate perversity. Our present limited Our Guru offers the fullest relief for mentality is perverted and full of malice devotional poverty. Other kinds of by reason of absence of realisation of poverty are not serious and do not re- the nature of God and His enlighten- quire to be relieved separately. The ing power, or the Guru. It is impera- relation of the disciples of our Guru to tive to learn to avoid the wrong jealousy pariahs and lords is the same. He of the eternal Divine Pre-eminence of accepts all if they are devotees. Priests the Guru who is full of all excellence have instructions and church buildings and to learn that we have no real are built subject to the direction of our enduring excellence of any kind. If Guru. The same holds in the case of one empties one's brain of all thoughts religious meetings. Those who lead the Divine Omnipresence is not realig. spiritual lives are immune from mali. ed. The Divine Presence requires cious conduct towards all creatures. This to be approached by active humility. principle is observed in the form of a rule There is an excellent synopsis of ' the during the period of spiritual novitiate. life and precepts of the Supreme Lord There is no possibility of true Sree Krishna Chaitanya in the English spiritual life without tho guidance of language by Thakur Bhaktivinode. the Guru. The point has already been One is under no compulsion to read, discussed at some length. nor is one eligible to understand, if he There are two kinds of worship possi. chooses to read by his own untrimmed ble for the jiva. It is possible to worship light the great books on the religion of God with dignity and awe. All limbs transcendental love. Spiritual enlighten,

of'the material body are not offered in ment is not any one-sided; perTertfid 12 90 THE HARMONIST and limited impression like the so-called The questions that will require to wisdom of the worldly pedants. be discussed in oonnection with the Our Guru is taking us to the subject- teaching of the Bible, as it is current matter of religion. For this reason the among the Christians of our day, will Bible has also its proper place in our be as follows ; curricula. It is, however, necessary to 1. Nebulous conception of the sift the grain from the chaff. The Personality of God. Bible contains some indirect references 2. Mundane and numerically limited to transcendence hopelessly mixed up conception of Saviourship (Guru) with precepts of mundane ethical 3 Confusion between conditioned expediency. Human lile is too short and free spiritual functions, and human capacity too limited for the 4, Over-valuation of hollow mundane purpose of chasing the .endless faces of morality. deluding, untruth or Maya. It is 5. Confusion between so.called necessary to seek to have the sight of moral and spiritual conduct, the Truth. But as we cannot approach 6. Mundane organisation of the the Truth as He really is by our present Christian Church. faculties, it is necessary to seek for His 7. Superstitious rituals and doctrines guidance without abdicating our opposed to philosophical and scientific individual judgment, it is possible and experience. necessary to combine the two in their In such discussions it will be nece- one relationship to one another. Those ssary to proceed with an open mind portions of the Bible which are and the helpful co-operation of all parties supposed to be specially adopted to the in the measures of their respective European mentality and not suitable spiritual eligibilities. No philosophical for Indian mentality are not of any or scientific settlement of the spiritual great importance for our souls who are issue is to be expected. All that will neither European nor Indian. It is be possible is to clear away wilful not necessary for the soul to learn misunderstandings and to prepare the anything with the help of defective way for individual effort in the proper faculties, imperfect instruments and direction and by the proper method. denying mundane entities, It is The results will be reaped by individuals necessary to get rid of these obstacles and groups in conformity with the with the help of transcendence. This nature of the efforts of each. is the very first step on the path of As regards the views forwarded by service. the representative of our Guru regarding MATH-INTERESTS VERSUS HOME-INTERESTS 91 yourselvess, they are not treated as your to neither camp in the mundane opinions expressed by yourselves. sense. Neither occidentul precision nor oriental The date of the receipt of your vagueness is sufficient for the spiritual letter is 1.9th January, 1935. purpose. The Occident has muddled A printed handbook of the activities the issue in its own way, no less than of our Mission is enclosed for further the orient. Otherwise they should information. have been an agreed solution all Yours in the Service of the Supreme Lord over the world. Our Guru belongs A. Yidyabhusan,

Math-interests versus Home-interests {By Kisori Mohan Bhaktibandhab B.L.)

AV/HEN seen in its true perspec. of religious functions are also equally tive, the word "niawartha" or selfish. Love for God is a particular selflessness is found to be a mere kind of selfishness. What is ingrained wrangling of words and is like the in one's nature is "awartha (self- 'castle in the air.* The profession of interest)" ; because "swabhava" (nature) selflessness is merely a means to an end means what pertains to one's own inter, viz., the gratification of one's senses ests. 'Swartha' or self-interest is jvith comparative ease. If any selfish 'swabhava' or nature, and 'niswartha' person is taken in by such profession, or selflessness is unnatural. my interests can be easily secured at Following the above line of reason, the expense of his. Are maternal and ing, we can understand that as fraternal affection, friendship and love 'Swartha' or self-interest is our eternal between man and woman really selfless ? inherent nature, we will be ever seek- Had there been no selfish pleasures in ing the interests of the bodies of them,none would have acted under their ourselves or of those related to our impulse. Instances are not rare when bodies in the forms of wife, sons, wealth, for selfish pleasures men have not hesi. house and other transient enjoyable tated even to lay down their lives. mundane things, or we will be busy Pleasures arising out of the performance after the interests of transcendental 92 THE HARMONIST

Godhead or those of persons msepar for acquiring fame as devotees or for ably connected with Him. self-aggrandisement in course of such Persons who cannot fully surrender sham performances. They think that themselves to Krishna or enjoy the if they agree to any greater demands of association of sadhus and those who as service by the Math, it is likely to go such, have not been properly initiated against their home interest. Ideas of by them are apt to honour the interests this nature are apt to dominate the of their bodies and homes. A Math minds of all persons who have not ( seminary .) is a place where the cul- actually surrendered themselves to the ture of the service of Krishna is given guidance of the real spiritual preceptor, a full play and where His servitors have or who have gone through the formality full scope for His service by constant of initiation for extraneous reasons, but performance of the congregational who actually live far away from the pre- chant of His Name ; or, in other words, ceptor's mode of thinking. where Godhead ever dwells with His Whether we are householders, own. Only the most fortunate few are sanyasis or brahmacharis, unless the found to possess a natural unobsessed interests of the Math give us sufficient hankering for the unalloyed service of food for contemplation, meditation, re- the Math. collection and for all purposes, there is If even after our initiation by the no chance of our being freed from the real spiritual preceptor we continue to trammels of the Delusive Energy of stick to our home interests as our prin- God, or of obtaining love of the Lotus cipal function and attened to Math, Feet of Krishna. Hearty participation interests as something secondary, then in the interests of the Math should be we are far away from a glimpse of even the criterion to judge a person's love the threshold of the sphere of our for Sree Hari, Sree Gurudeva and the eternal good. Some may be under the Yaishnavas. To say that a man has impression that it is only the sanyasis, devotion for Sree Gurudeva or for Sree brahmacharis and the banaprasthas Krishna independently of any attach, that have cut off their connection with ment for the interests of the Math, is the world, and are to look after the sheer self-deception and a method of interests of the Math ; and, as house- practising deception on others. holders, their proper duty is to look It may be that as a sanyasi, brahma. after their home interests and it should chari or a banaprastha'.or as an inmate suffice for their purpose if in a secondary of the Math and under the guise of way, they do any service of the Math showy performances for the interests MATH-INTERESTS VERSUS H0ME.1NTERESTS 93 of the Math, we can make our home Math is to try to cheat the Guru and interests of prime importance and those the Vaishnavas, or is like purloining of the Math as secondary, or can full- from the smith the steel that has been fil our own selfish purposes under the supplied for the making of the blade of garb of serving Math interests. Such our weapon. One who is fully interested underhand policy is a bar to our spiri. in the affairs of the'Math is a 'mukta tual progress and eternal good. To try jiva', andlone who is the reverse of it, earnestly to satisfy Hari, Guru and the is a 'baddha jiva'. Without immense Vaishnavas with full self-surrender good luck at one's back, one cannot be after divesting oneself of all extraneous expected to be an out-and-out servitor desires for the gratification of oneself, of the Math or to make it his life's goal. is to serve the. interests of the Math. Householders are desirous of the fame The ideal of service of the Math should of a devotee and oftentimes play dodges not be that, as a change from the day's withThe inmates of the Math, when - hard labour for one's home interests one they are are asked to serve the Math should spend a part of the evening at in any way, by giving the plain denial the Math, or to think that one's being to such demands on the ground that on the list of membership of the Math is they have to carry on the 'seva' of Sree sufficient for all purposes or to imagine Gauranga or Sree Narayana in their that in one's own home one is doing the own homes. Men of such vitiated judg. same service that is done by the inmates ment may, at times give something to of the Math, or to think that it is the Math, but it is doubtful if such con. enough if one regularly pays one's tributions are likely to find favour with monthly subscriptions to the Math, and Godhead. Heaven and hell are the occasionally carry out the orders of the respective lots of those to whom the Math, and so on and so forth. interests of the Math are all-attractive tjike a householder serving the and those who are equally attached to interests of his home with a heart fully the interests of their households. engrossed therein, an honest inmate of The least attempt on our part to the Math should serve the interests minimise our exertions towards the thereof with far greater and far more fulfilment of the wish of Sree Guru, sincere attachments and aptitudes. under the pretence of serving our Without sincere attachment for the household deities, is to live far away interests of the Math and without from serving the interests of the Math heartily throwing oneself into the same and to run away from the path of our to make a vain show of serving the eternal good. Every good householder 94 THE HAHMONIST should certainly perform the "arcliana" in collecting funds for the service of (worship) in his home. But under the the Math at considerable sacrifice of garb of worship none should try to their own home-interests and without gratify .one's selfish desires by relaxing the least expectation of any prospective one's efforts in furtherence of the inter- addition to their private income. ests of the Math. Any attempt of a Nevertheless there are also many per- like nature will prove a bolt shutting sons who are in the habit of advertising aginst the offender the door of salvation their contributions to the Math and It is true that a house holder should waiting for a return, jin praise or con. not give up archana and deviate from gratulations, from the Guru or Vaish. the sadachaia (right religious conduct). navas. If they do not receive any But it should be clearly remembered return of this nature they are apt to be that such household performances can biased against the Math and be taken bear good fruit only if they serve the themselves to the exclusive pursuit of interests of the Math ; anything not their home-interests with a vengeance. contributing to such service should be Sometimes it so happens that the rejected as being full of offence. pressure of duties imposed by the Math In every case, whether one is a or even mild censures, either direct or householder, a sanyasi or a brahma- indirect, prove sufficient to make a chari, to culture the natural desire of person cut off his connections with the serving the Math, the place of the un- Math. But if the fire of enthusiasm for alloyed service of Hari, Guru and the service of the Math is once truly Vaishnavas, is the surest way to one's enkindled within us then on no occasion eternal good. Unless the identification and on no account can we dream of of one's interests with those of the Math living away from the Math concerns. be established in a natural way, love of That we can have other more congenial God remains a far-fetched idea that places of resort viz., our homes, or that cannot be brought to play with any there can be a second alternative other amount of force or compulsion ; because than the Math, is an idea which springs ^love' like 'swartha' is natural. It from aversion to Godhead and can never requires no extraneous impetus to learn arise in the heart that feels any real self-interest. It expresses itself as a attraction for the service of the Math. matter of course. The ordinary run of people, who Though their number is not legion, have not crossed the threshold of the still not a few wealthy householders realm of devotion and are averse to have shown, ardqnt and sincere interest Godhead by temperameut, look upon MATH-INTERESTS VERSUS HOVIE-INFERESTS 95 the ideal of servins; the interests of the for the latter. This is as it should be, Math as opposed to the interests of their because the Math people are not willing homes, a transgression against moral to deceive them by a show of artificial and prejndical to their supposed inter- courtsies, But the royal road to earn ests. But such speculations that are the grace of Sree Gurudeva and, for the only too rife among men who are not matter of that, our eternal good, is to cognisant of the real nature of the adopt the course of heartily servimjr the service of Krishna but, like ignorant interests of the Math. brutes, care only for selfish aggrandise- The less the care of a man for the ment in the forms oi'bhoga. (enjoyment) interests of the Math, the greater will and 'tyaga' ( abandonment ), have no he his defects or loopholes enabling place in the minds of those who have Maya ( the Delusiva Energy of God- received real initiation at the lotus feat head) to establish her domination over of the spiritual preceptor. If it be him. The result of coming under the actually realised that serving the Math clutches of Maya shows itself in diverse is identical with serving the Absolute, ways ; in making one's weakened heart there will be no other alternative but to susceptible to evil association and take up the life-long vow of service practices, turning one into a hypocrite, with heart and soul and in whatever the vain attempt to throw dust stage of life man may be, This is the into the eyes of Sree Gurudeva, true form of service of the spiritual and making one ultimately surrender preceptor. oneself to the cult of mere animal con- No one who is less concerned in the venience. To try to serve our home, interests of the Math or who has a very interests through the instrumentality or slender connection therewith can obtain medium of the Math is even more deteri. real contact with Sree Gurudeva, One mental to our good. A man of this who is indifferent to such interests can nature cannot be expected to be an never find the clue to the trend of mind aspirant for the service of Hari, Guru of Sree Gurudeva, his conclusions, his and Vaishnavas. To uproot or weed practices and preaching and his ideals. out such an evil from our hearts it Men of this type may pay flying visits behoves us all to be strictly on our to the Math for private selfish ends. guard against its sinister approach and But they are unable to fathom the to pray submissively and constantly to the depth of the '•Leela'' of Sree Guru Sree Guru and the Vaishnavas for and the Vaishnavas and are liable to the attainment of our eternal good. In commit offence at the feet of the devo- fine, our constant engagement in the tees and even lose the fruitive results service of the Math is the same quan- of their past good deeds. Thay are apt tity of our progress in spiritual life,and to cherish the desire of receiving- any false step towards serving our favours and honour from the inmates selfish home-interests in opposition to of the Math and failing to have them the interests of the Math is an approach often feel aggrieved and lose all respect towards death. Public Reception

IT is well known to you, the people of Pradyot Coomar Tagore (Maharaja Bahadur, Sir) Bengal, that for the last two years Sashi Kanta Acharya Chowdhuri, (Maharaja, Tridandi Swami B, H. Bon Maharaj of the Mymensing ) Jogindranath Roy ( Maharaja, Calcutta Gaudiya Math, disciple of the most Natore), Srish Chandra Nandi (Maharaj, accomplished and illustrious religious leader of Cossimbazar) Guru Mahadevasram Prasad Sahi India, PAR AM A HAMS A SREEMAD (Maharaja, Hathwa) Bhupendra Narayan Sinha BHAKTI SIDDHANTA SARASWAT1 (Raja Bahadur, Nashipur) A. K. Fazlul Haq GOSWAMI MAHARAJ, has been doing (Mayor) Manmathanath Roy Chowdhuri(Hon'ble excellent work in Great Britain and Central Raja Sir, Santosh), P N. Tagore (Raja),Akram Europe for a better and real understanding of Hossain (The Hon'ble Prince), Manmathanath the Indian view of life and her culture Mukherjee (Hon'ble Justice Sir), B. L. Mitter generally and for a more proper appreciation (Hon'ble Sir), Dwarkanath Mitter (Hon'ble of her theistic attainments as represented by JusticeRupendra Coomar Mitter (Hon'ble the prophet of Catholic culture Lord Chai- Justice), Bijoy Prosad Singh Roy (Hon'ble Sir) tanya,—by his private discussions and public Hassan Suhrawardy (Sir) Badridas Goenka lectures to the learned Societies and different (Sir) Nilratan Sarkar (Sir) Syama Prasad Universities of Great Britain and the continent Mukherjee (Vice Chancellor), Jatindranath Basu arousing great appreciation among the learned Hirendra Nath Datta, S. M. Bose (Standing and the aristocratic circles -of Europe. The Counsel), Nellie Sen Gupta (Mrs. J. M. Sen above propaganda of the mission is being Gupta) Bidha 1 Chandra Roy, Nirmal Chandra guided by a strong body under the name of Chandra, Jitendra Lai Benerjee, Moongtu Lall the LONDON GAUDIYA MISSION Tapuriah (Rai Bahadur), D. P. Khaitan, N. K. SOCIETY with the Most Honourable the Basu, Gana Nath Sen (M. M, Saraswati), Marquess of Zetland as the President and Ramdeo Chokhani (Rai Bahadur), Debi Prasad Swami B. H. Bon as preacher-in-charge. We Khaitan, Mrinal Kanti Ghosh, J. C. Gupta, are of opinion that the cause of India has J. N. Maitra, Ananda Mohan Poddar, H. K. been greatly helped and advanced by the Mitter (Kumar), Saradindu Narayan Roy, London Gaudiya Mission S jciety and the Pushar Kanti Ghosh, J. C. Mukherjee (Chief Swamiji personally. The Swamiji with two Executive Officer), K. K. Chatterji (Lt. Col.) German devotees, one of them being the scion Jaladhar Sen (Rai Bahadur) Anath Nath Ray, of a princely line of Bavaria is returning for Mrinal Kanti Bose, Manmatha Mohan Bose, a short time to India, arriving at Howrah Debendra Nath Ballav (Rai Bahadur), Rajendra Station at 10. 40 a. m. Cal. time on the 8th Narayan Banerjee, Pulin Behari Sawoo, September next by Bombay Mail when it is Ashutosh Ghosh (Rai Bahadur), Kiran Chandra in the fitness of things for the public to accord Dutt, Madan Mohan Burman, U. K. Roy the Swamiji a cordial reception on his arrival (Bhagyakul), W. C. Banerjee, Panchanon Neogi at the Railway Station. It has also been Amulya Charan Vidyabhusan, Ramtaran decided that fitting reception should be given Banerjee (Rai Bahadur), P. K. Mookherjee, to the Swamiji at the 'Saraswat Srabana Sadan' Tulsicharan Chaterjee, Haridas Nandi, Keshab ( Assembly Hall ) of the Gaudiya Math, Chandra Gupta, B. Ganguly, K. Vidyabhusan Baghbazar, on Sunday the 8th September (General Secretary, Gaudiya Math). next in the afternoon with the Maharajadhiraj Bahadur of Burdwan in the chair. We cordially invite the public to record their Reception at Howrah Station on the 8th appreciation of the noble acts of the Swamiji September, at 10-40 a. m. < Calcutta time ) by attending the funcfions. Platform No. 1 VOL XXXII No. 5] [ Regtd. No. C 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Saiianatosban t

FORTNIGHTLY.

Gaura Kartick 449 Q.,A.

November 7, 1935.

3i>qi^IT "KT qoit Fisq ssWcitaoft |i

Annifiifation of ac]Q*fong sufferings. May these our high aims fhour is h The Service of RadKrishna, T o ghadden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4=8. Foreign Is, 6d. Paramabansa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswami

Sree Gaudiya Math, P.O. 8agl)bazar, Calcutta. CONTE NTS

Subject Page 1. Hindu Philosophy -i" 2. Jaiva Dharma i"- 3. Lord Ohaitanya—His Message ... 1 4. Propagandist Literature ...... (09 &. The Message of Bhakti ... 11 6. Address of welcome to Bon Alaharaj ... 1 l o 7. First Hindu Temple in London ••• 116 8. Round the Graudiya Maths 118 9. Collection from Papers ...... I -U iO. Annakut Mahotsab I /0 ALL-OLORY TO 3RKK OURU AND OAURANCi.

T h t H a e lit«it i $ {

(Suee Sajjanatosbani)

VOL. XXXII. I NOVEMBER 7, 1935 No. 5

Hindu Philosophy {By Tritlandiawami B. 11. Bon)

•"pHE relation between Hindu Darsan Five out of the six schools of Hindu and theology is some what different Philosophy are, however, avowedly from the relation between Western atheistic, The Vedanta Philosophy as Philosophy and Christianity. European interpreted by Sree Shankaracharyya Philosophy is Greek and remotely Indian is in favour of liberationism, the roost in its origin. The source of the Chris, dangerous of all forms of irreligion. tian religion is non-. In India The Vedanta as interpreted by the Darsan and religion are both of imme- Vaishnava Acharyyas and specially morial antiquity. They are not alien by Sree Baladeva Vidyabhusan in to- one another, and in one case they conformity with the Teachings of Lord are identical with one another. Sree Krishna Chaitanya alone possesses Indian Darsan is an enquiry into the the genuine theistic outlook. relationship that subsistslbet ween us as Unfortunately in Europe as also observers and the objects of our obser- generally in India, at any rate during vation. It treats of the entites of the last two hundred years, Shankara observer, observed and observation. Vedanta has been supposed to represent It deals primarily with knowledge. the highest level of Hindu Philosophy. 9tt THE HARMONIST

To those who are acqnaiiitcd with the contents of these different divisions of theistic interjiretations of the Vcdanta th c literature are not the same, alt hough supplied hy the vast body f)f tlie they are very closely intcr.connected Vaislmava philosopliica 1 literMture. such and form an undivided whole. The a view of the Hindu Philosophy is Samhitas consist of hymns to various bounrl to appear to be both useless and gods. The Upanishads give the higher untrue. teaching of the Samhitas. The Brahma Tiie Vedanta undoubtedly represents offers the conclusions of the the highest level as well as complete- Upanishads in the form of a philoso- ness of the philosopliical thought of phical system. The Puranas supplement the . I shall tell you the reason the Vedic teaching, in the larger sense, of this. The Indian philosophical by the concrete treatment of the schools chronologically come just after transcendental subject-matter of revealed the period of the Upanishads. The religion to which the philosophy of the Upanishads contain the highest teaching Vedanta is intended to lead. The of the religion of the Vedic Samhitas. are devoted to the ritualistic The Brahma Sutra, the text book of worship of the spiritual Image or Archa the Vedanta philosophy, arranges the by means of the mantra. The Tantras aphorisms of the Upanishads in a syste. and the Pnranas are the most important matic and comparative form. The divisions of the spiritual literature of writers of the Vedic ( theistic ) schools India, as regards the realisation and were known by the general designation practice of religious truth. of Vyasa. The word Vyasa means This view of the relationship between literally 'one who expands or elaborates the different portions of Hindu religious the teachings of the Veda'. We some- literature and of the spiritual signifi- times findalso the expression Vedavyasa cance of the Tantras and the Puranas for distinguishing the group of the is to be found in every part of the theistic writers. It is significant that literature itself. It was most consistently the authorship of the Brahma Sutra adhered to in their expositions of the among all the philosophical text books religion by the great Vaishnava is alone attributed to Vyasa. Teachers of medieval India and most The religious literature of India completely by Sree consists of the Vedic Samhitas with in his Brihat Bhagabatamrita and by their adjective literatures, the Upani- Sree in his Tattva shads and the . It also includes sandarbha and other writings. The the Puranas and the Tantras. The interpretation of the Brahma Sutra HINDU PHILOSOPHY 99

offered hy Sree Buladeva Vidyablmaan () and the complete expo- in his Govinda Bhashya follows the sition of the Vedic Samhitas. line of thought of Sanatana and Jiva Sree Sanatan and Jiva have supplied Goswami. The acme of Hindu philoso- the inadequacies of the Vishistadvaita phical thought is reached in the and Shnddha-dvaita systems of Sree interpretation of Ramanuja and Madhva respectively. the Vedanta Sutra, offered by Sree The empiric (chintya) bliedabhedn inter- Krishna Clmitanya, which has been pretation of Nimbarka also does not handed down to us in the works of Sree solve all difficulties although it offers Sanatana Tiva and Baladeva. a very tempting bait especially to the The theistic interpretations of the speculative philosopher. The achintya- Brahma Sutra, that had been previously interpretation of Sree given by Sree Ratnanuja and Sree Krishna Chaitanya gathers up and per- Madhva, soueht to establish the supre- fects the theistic expositions of the macy of the Pancliaratra i. e. the great teachers Sree Ramanuja, Sree practice and realisation of reli

came to imbibe its atheistical purpose is no passage of physical energy to and treatment. the plane of transcendence. There is There is no doubt that the specula- a gap as well as continuity. The tive philosophical method attained its simultaneous existence of gap and perfection in the hands of the later continuity is not any experience of ante.theistic Buddhists. This is also thought which cannot transcend the the reason why the system has received limits of three dimensions. much appreciation from the e upiric There are two worlds viz : (1) This thinkers of the West. I am not, phenomenal world, which also is very however, going to speak just now much vaster than and very much dif about the merits and spiritual defects ferent from what is conceivable by of Buddhism in its present form. For human knowledge, and (2) the trana; the present I shall tell you a little cendental realm which lies beyond the about achintya-bhedabhed. reach and capacity of human thought, The little word achintya marks the The transcendental world is the distinction between this system and realm of unalloyed chetan. It is not all schools of speculative philosophy. possible to render the word chetan Achintya means that which transcends into the English language. The cons- the limit of human speculation. The ciousness that is familiar to us is eclip. nature of the relationship between us sed chetan. It is a mixture of chetan and the Truth cannot be grasped by and noiuchet'in. The non.chetan element the human intellect. It is not trans- strangely enough predominates in this cendent merely in the Hegelian sense mixed consciousness. So it is not possi. which offers no postulation of continuity ble to approach unalloyed chetan till between the phenomenal and the trans- we are relieved completely of the- cendental. The Vedanta thought offers foreign domination of the non-chetan a view that simultaneously connects objects and instru mentals of this pseudo- the two, as well as disconnects them knowledge. Buddhism proposes extinc- from one another. tion or merging in nou.chetan as the There is a method of approaching goal of all activity of mixed chetan. the transcendence by the resources of That certainly is a true finding. If we the phenomenal. But the trfinscondence indulge in this mixed function we has nothing to do with the phenomenal progressively move towards the state by the relationship of cause and effect, of increasing adulteration culminating nor is it to be reached by any trans- in total loss of chetan. This is psycho, formation of physical energy. There logicaly a sound doctrine. But it was HINDU PHILOSOPHY 101 meant to be a caution for desisting from This true liberation by the such suicidal course. If it is misunder- attainment of the unalloyed spiritual stood to be a counsel of right conduct— state is to be achieved by the activity as has been by the later Buddhists— of the soul directed to such purpose. the responsibility is entirely with If the soul can be supplied with the ourselves. conditions of functioning towards un. For getting the clue to the right alloyed rJwtan entities in this mundane conduct, that leads towards increasing environment, he can, by culturing clietan, we have to turn to the Vaishnab association with unalloyed chit, be interpretations of the Brahma Sutra. gradually free! from the accumulative Theistio Vedanta Philosophy negati- effects of his culture of association with vely establishes the undesirability of nnn-chetan. following the paths of elevatiouisiu and The possibility for such function is liberationism. Worldly utility or vacant furnished by the descent of unalloyed liberation from worldly activity are chit to the plane of cognition of chetan not the only possible and mutually overlaid with the qualities of non.chetan. incompatible alternatives. The real The Transcendence descendes to the alternative to elevutionism and libera- mundane plane in the form of the tionism is the corresponding trans, Sound or the Name. The culture of cendental activity which bears the the Word or the Name by the soul, designation of bhakti. awakened to his own transcendental The entity of the individual soul nature by the initiative of the Name cjjn alone function on the plane of appearing on the lips of His pure transcendence. The continuity between devotee, the sadhu, is the only method the ^spiritual and mundane planes is of spiritual culture that is revealed by postulated by the fact of real corres- Ved as through the unbroken chain pondence between the two. The (Amnaya) of the real spiritual preceptors mundane world is the perverted reflec- (Guru) tion of the spiritual. All mundane By the culture of the Name, under activity is the perversion of spiritual the unconditional guidance of the real activity by the prevalence of non.chetan spiritiual preceptor, it will be possible or eclipsing energy in different degrees. for the individual soul to have an ever- The complete spiritual or chetan activity progressive realisation of his proper is not attainable except in the state of activity, instrumentals, objects of service of complete liberation of the individual and environment, in us much as the soul from the fetters of nescience. Name is identical with all those. The 102 THE HARMONIST

Name is the Absolute in the form of the We shall thus be enabled to realise audible transcendental Sound. the relationship of simultaneous distinc. The culture of the Name will ueua- tion and unity of our souls with the tively enable us to function properly Absolute which transcends our present also towards our present environment. crippled understanding.

Jaiva Dharma CHAPTER IV {Gontinued from P. 82).

45. "Lahiri—''What has a pupil to do after 48. Babaji—' There is no more any cause qaving gone through these processes of diksha for anxiety. The rare quality of humility has and shiksha ?" manifested itself in ycu. This shows unmis- 46. Babaji—"One has to practise the takably that Sree Krishna Chaitanya has been service of Krishna, while leading a moral life. merciful to you. Association with pure devo- This is the practice of the proper function of tees fsadhus) is the only means of spiritual the soul and is called the principle of ahhidheya endeavour open to soul in the state of bondage. (natural means;. The Supreme Lord (Sree The pure devotee in the role of the spiritual Krishna Chaitanya) has declared it to be the preceptor (Guru) instructs one in the confiden- on'y principle of ahhidheya in as much as it tial service of Godhead, out of his causeless happens to be the message that has been mercy. By the strength of such endeavour the strongly emphasised in the Veda and all the (fesired end is gradually attained. The due spiritual scriptures." performance of the intimate service of Hari is 47. Lahiri (with eyes suffused with tears)— the only means." "My Divine Master (Guru), with unreserved 49. Lahiri—"Be pleased to teach me how submission I throw myself on the mercy of your it is possible to serve Hari". spiritual guidance ( I take refuge in the Holy 50. Babaji—"The practice of bhakti is Feet of Your Divine Grace). Your ambrosial itself the only service of Hari. There are three words have awakened the consciousness of my stages in bhakti—sadhan (endeavour), thava true relationship with things, and simultaneously (substantive liking) and prema (love;. When I am at a loss to understand why, by your grace, bhava is perfected it is called prema.'''' all my former impressicns of disposition, learning 51. Lahiri—' Teach me the different varie- and culture are dissipated. May you be ties of sadhan and the modes of their graciously pleased .to teach me now the performance." principle of the unction of spiritual endeavour 52. Babaji—'Sree Rupa Goswami Frabhu (ahhidheya). has elaborated all - these subjects in his work JA1VA HDARMA 103

''Sree Haribhaktibilas''. I am telling them 57. "My Divine Master, may you bt briefly. Sadhan Is ninefold. They are hearing, pleased to declare my eligibility, so that I may chanting and recollecting Vishnu, tending His be able to understand the principle of eligibility Feet, worshipping His Emblematic Figure as it really is. I am unable to follow your (Archa), hymning Him, serving Him as a exposition of bhaktt and raganuga bhakli." servant, behaving to Him as to a friend, 58. Babaji—If you carefully scrutinise your offering, oneself for His exclusive service inmost mind (chitta), you will be able to under- (Bhagabat VII-5-23). The revered Goswami stand your own eligibility. Diyou detect any Sree Rupa has described sixtyfour modes of such conviction in your mind as that the devotion by adding to these nine their adjuncts service of Hari is not practicable except by and derivatives. There is another point to submitting to the regulations of the shastras ?" which it is necessary to give our special atten- 5^. Lahiri—"I thmk that great good tion. Sadhan bhakli is twofold according as it accrues from the performance of bhajan and happens to be either vaidhi (reverential) or sadhan by the methods laid down m the raganuga (following the impulse of love). Of shastras. But I am also beginning to feel these vaidhi sadhan is ninefold, as detailed now-a-days that there is an immense ocean of above. Raganuga sadhan bhakli consists in rasa (perfect mellowing tastiness) in the inti- serving Krishna mentally after the manner of mate service of Hari (bhajan) which is capable the servitors of Braji by surrendering oneself of being gradually realised by dint of the completely to their guidance, Oneshould practise assiduous culture of bhakti?' that mode of sadhan for which he is eligible." 60. Babaji—"You can now see that the S3' Lahiri—"What is the criterion of regulations of the shastras possess complete eligibility for sadhan bhakli ?" sway over your mind. You should, therefore, 54. Babaji—"One, who is loyally inclined to follow vaidhi bhakli. By degrees the principle place himself under the scriptural regulations, of raga (spiritual love) will manifest itself in is eligible to be taught by Sree Gurudeva your heart." On hearing these words Lahiri vaidhi sadhan bhakli as a preliminary. One, Mabasaya, with tearful eyes, touching the feet of who is eligible for raganuga bhakli is instructed Babaji Mahasaya, said, "May you be pleased in the unconventional service that belongs mercifully to bestow upon me eligibility for the to the sphere of love", method for which I happen to be fit. I realise 55. Lahiri—"How will a person know his my unfitness for discussing a subject that is at own eligibility ?'' present above my comprehension." Babaji 56. Babaji—"One, who has not yet experi- Maharaj thereupon embraced him with great enced in his soul the principle of spiritual love affection and made him resume bis seat, , and is inclined to perform worship in accord- 6j. Lahiri—"Be pleased to command the ance-with the injunctions of the shastras, is mode of service that I am to practise now." eligible for vaidhi bhakli One, who is not 62. Babaji—"I advise you to receive the inclined to submit to the regulations of the name of Hari The service of the Name is shastras in his worship of Hari, but in whose the most efficacious of all the enjoined modes soul the natural love for the service of Hari of service. There is no distinction between the has manifested itself, is eligible for the piactice Name Himself. The realisation of the trans- of raganuga bhakH." cendental service of Hari is attainable very soon 104 THE HARMONIS1

by practising the chant of the Name without 66. Prom that day Lahiri Mahasaya began offence I advise you to practise the chant to tell the Name of Hari on the rosary in his of the Name with firm faith. All the nine hut without fear. Some days passed in this modes of bhajan are automatically performed manner. Lahiri Mahasaya now painted the by the due practice of the chant of the Name. twelve marks on the twelve parts of his Both hearing (shrabana) and chanting (kirttan) body. He took no other food except what had are performed by the utterance of the Name. been duly offered to the Deity. He recited The recollection of Hari and the mental worship daily two lakhs of times the Name of Hari. He of His Feet and His Emblematic Form, iccital made prostrated obeisances as soon as he met a of hymns in His praise, mentally doing His pure devotee. Every day he prostrated him Bidding as His servant, behaving towards Him self in submission to Paramahansa Babaji before as one's friend and making the complete attending to any -other duties. He employed surrender of oneself, are practised simultaneously all his time in the service of his Gurudeva, He with the chanting of the Name." no longer felt any inclination for idle gossip or 63. Lahiri—"My mind is experiencing a most the songs of musical experts Lahiri Mahasaya acute state of suspense. My Divine Master, may was no more his old self. He now became the you be pleased not to withhold your mercy from transcendental devotee of Vishnu. me any longer " 67- One day, after making his prostrated 64. Babaji—"Sir you may say constantly obeisance to Vaishnavadas Babaji Mahasaya, he the following words by keeping clear of all submitted to him this question, "My Divine offence ?" Master, may I be permitted to ask what "HARE KRISHNA HAKE KRISHNA, is the ontological nature of the suntmum KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE, bonum ? HARE HAKE RAMA, 68. Babaji-^Love of Krishna is the only RAMA RAMA HARE HARE" desideratum of a jiva. By the constant practice As he recited the Name, Babaji Maharaj of sadhan bhakti one attains in due course to placed a rosary of basil-beads into the hands of the state of bhava bhakti ( real loving inclina Lahiri Mahasaya. Lahiri Mahasaya shed tears as ticn ) On the attainment of nature develop he began to tell the Name on the rosary. He ment bhava bhakti it designated prema or said, "My Divine Master. I cannot express the joy love. It is the only eternal natural function of that I experience this day." And, as he said so, the jiva soul, the only eternal treasure and the Lahiri Mahasaya fell down senseless at the feet final goal. Want of this love is the only misery, of Babaji. Babaji Maharaj with great care kept the wordly bond and addiction to the enjoyable his hold on the senseless man. After a long things of this world. There is nothing higher, interval,.Lahiri Mahasaya spoke again, "I feel or better than love. Krishna submits to be* myself blessed today. I have never experienced served only by love. This love is of the essence such happiness." of unclouded cognitional activity. The princi- 65. Babaji—"Sir, you are most fortunate, ple of spiritual bliss turns into love by con- indeed, as you have received with firm faith the centration." Name of Hari. You have also made me blessed. " ( 7b be continued) Lord Chaitanya—His Message

( The Gaudiya renn issnnce movement )

By Mr. J. K. SEN.

The New Horizon unrest in the wake of the world-wide The present century is admittedly conflagration captured the imagination one of the most critical in the history of the Orient and accentuated the of the world. Ideas and ideals have lurking discontent and as a natural been thrown into the melting pot and corollary, new heresies appeared hydra- new problems have made their appear- headed that seemed to defy the peaceful ance staring at ns sphinx-like with urge of ages responsible for the crea- their never-ending riddles. It was the tive harmony that made the East a aftermath of the red world-war that refuge for devotees and lovers of overcast the occidental horizon with good will from every corner of the sinister shadows foreboding dismay and earth death. But even the dark cloud had The flame in India its silver lining and the explosive The divine purpose worked out a pageant spreading death and desolation new awakening to cure the distemper among millions had its beneficent on earth in the pangs of rivalry cultural repercussion in the thought- and wrangling. The international centres of the East. In the world of ebullition produced a new spiritual flare spirit flickered its deep gestures in a in the East and what proved a night- new hand-writing and even if it meant mare in the West and mirrored a horror the sundering of fond ties that held never experienced in the human history, together the steel frame of occidental spelt in India a message at once deep thought, it created the ferment of a and far reaching that seemed to touch new spiritual revival in the East. The the very core of human susceptibilities. dallying with evanescent Western mood It was not the figment of a hashish had ushered in, in the East too a dark culled from modern dissolution, creating atmosphere of antagonism, antithesis the miasma of a delusion that makes and negation—a very poor outfit for "joy so illusive and freedom like death" serious pilgrims m their subliminal —as a German writer puts it, but a new progress across a mystic way. The federative force that concretises a new 106 THE HARMONIST and loving fusion indissoluble in the of learning and lore. The iconoclastic service of man and sunender to (iod. Islam was there with its parched philo- The crystallisation of a renaissance sophy, born of the desert to question movement on this foundation, in the the validity of Lord Chait.uiya's bid for gloom of to-day, when the clash of a new freedom of realisation. The iron selfish interests appears to be the only bars of grim surroundings notwith- reality worth counting, is an event of standing the opposition succumbed a outstanding importance. It is a clarion willing victim to the call of the creative call to decipher the hiernglyphios of a love that like a spell hugged in the foe new spiritual realisation that could and the friend alike in a single ecstasic hardly have been consideml a possibility, embrace. It was a new experience and in this age of disbelief, dissent and alter many centuries this disruption. It was the Message of happened in broad daylight in the city Lord Chaitanya revived through the of Nabadwip. A vast body of litera- devotion of master-th inkers blessed ture and an art crowned with poetry, with the inspired heritage of India's music and painting flashed up this new opulent culture. message and created for ever the trans- Lord Chaitanya cendent foundations of the Vaishnava In the mirage of thousand cults and philosophy that is yet to cast its benevo- creeds honeycombing India's progressive lent spell over the entire globe. march in realising the ultimate goal Lord The New Miracle Chaitanya's vision came as an inevitable A few centuries only had rolled by. fulfilment. Lord Chaitanya had no mythic The river had washed away the earthen personality like prophets who lived in sheath of Lord Ghaitanya's native hoary epochs but was born in an ago of place which lay for the time being enlightenment in the lime-light of the under a sheet of water. His philosophy 16th century. A sceptical age, over- too, got suh-merged and invisible under cast with and pantheism of all the pedantic outbursts of logicians and possible shades—intensely intellectual in theorists—though the music of His its outlook and with crowning triumphs Message could always be heard across to the credit of the speculative'thinkers the bosom of Bengal's loveable plains. and academicians representing the The communal music, the processions many schools of thought that dominated through streets and lanes, the chanting the epoch, there was hardly any chance of Name, however, continued to carry for a view of life that switched off at forward the tradition of His doctrine of one stroke, the vaunted paraphernalia Love as a gigantic force in the concerns LORD CHA1TANYA—HIS MESSAGE 107

of man. The currents of pantheism, broadcasting of the doctrine of pure however, with their parasitic growths Love and Devotion in the service of a reduced to a muddy swamp what was , seems tube the highest and erstwhile a blooming pool. The turn noblest offer of Paramahansa Sreemad in tiie tide eame in the fulness of time. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami It was left fur another revivalistic Thakur to the World. He is the seer of a movement to project the priceless super.mundane (Aprakrita) plane where message again with a renewed emphasis Krishna is the only and ultimate at the most ps)chological and crying reality. Not through the senses with epoch in the history of the world. their aberrations (Pratyaksha), infer- The Gaudiya Movement. ences with their fallacies, (Paroksha), A great devotee Thakur Bhakti. transcendental or hearsays (Aparoksha) vinode took upon Himself the legacy or even super.sensual figuration (Adho. of Lord Chaitanya and having created kshaja), but through the realisation of a a new atmosphere through a service, of super.mundane outlook that finds its over thirty years retired to the quietude spiritual reflex in earthly habiliments of Sree Mayapur, the birth-place of the that one has to cognise the ultimate great Prophet of love which as if through emporium of the fountain of an ever- the wand of a magician had by this time flowing love. Very few have cared to taken a new body and frame The realise the centripetal formula of such vision of a new edifice one of the largest a harmonised system which is in the whole of Bengal has taken professedly a revealer of an eternal' shape at this site as a symbol of the truth. The Master of the great Gaudiya new creative spirit of love and service movement has envisaged this truth, the which has inspired the great Successor of most abiding to remove the ills of to-day. Thakur Bhaktivinode, Paramahansa The Origin of the Movement Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Sumrnoued to take charge of the tiny Goswami Thakur in His apostolic villa .where alone the sage Bhaktivinode Mission to spread to the farthest hailed the spirit of Lord Chaitanya, corner of the earth the gospel of Paramahansa Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta a new realisation, as preached by Saraswati Goswami Thakur quietl y went Lord Chaitanya. If the spirit of there and remained for a long period surrender and silence as a reply to absorbed in d(!votional activities. A circle uncharitable and aggressive critics was of his followers not more than half of a a dominant principle of conduct on the dozen in number headed by Bhaga. part of Thakur Bhaktivinode, the hatratna Acharyatrik Kuujavehari 108 THE HARMONIST

Vidyabhusan, the life and soul of the religion of Love so that each and every Gaudiya organisation, drew the Master's human being might share in its bliss attention to the vital necessity of His and joy. removing to Calcutta so that hundreds The Missionaries of India of other seekers of truth might profit by In ancient days, Indian missionaries His presence. Accordingly in the year unlike those from other regions were 1918 he removed to Calcutta where the always harbingers of peace, amity and first Gaudiya Math was established. goodwill. They went to enlist Th ere were not more than half a dozen friendship of people living far away. inmates in the beginning. But, today The Gaudiya movement has followed nearly fifty centres established through- in the foot-steps of the ancients and out the whole of India echo from have sent Missionaries to Europe day to day the new gospel of love as which is keen in getting enlightened preached by devout missionaries. Within with reference to the problems of the recent years their voices are being day. Tridandiswami Bhakti Hridoy heard in the crowded centres of London Bon Maharaj, the young missionary and Berlin too. of the Gaudiya movement has been Europe and Asia cordially welcomed by Archbishops of The religion of love knows no limita- Canterbury and York and has already tion of race or clime. If Lord Chaitanya's addressed numerous gatherings. He Message captivated the Muslim has lectured in Oxford and Cambridge Governor of ancient Bengal, the bearer and already the Message of Lord of His spiritual Message has also to day Chaitanya has got echoed within the succeeded in securing the benevolent walls of many cultural centres of support of Christian Governors of India. England. Germany has not been behind History repeats itself and it was only in the matter and Nazism has found the other day that the Governor of something soothing and lovable in Bengal paid a visit to Sree Mayapur, the Bengal's cult of Love and service. ancient home of Bengal's religion of The World Call Love. In fact this movement ensures the These preliminary eftorts have created cementing of a new fellowship between a new world-call for Vaishnavism and the East and the West. As such naturally Paramhansa Sreemad Bhakti the Gaudiya movement has not been Siddhanta Saraswati Go8« ami Thakur slow to extend its influence beyond the can not keep quiet in this country after borders of India, for it was the express the ball has been set rolling. His presence wish of the Lord to disseminate His in Europe would naean a new chapter in PROPAGANDIST LITERATURE 109 the cultivation of international amity journey to a far off country in his old andas a devotee and thinker—an Apostle age. His magnetic personality and of this peace movement from Bengal; imposing presence is bound to have a His ]iresence would be a divine dispensa- marvellous effect in the West. It would tion in Europe. The leaders of the be India's proud day again to see that great Gaudiya movement, therefore, her religion of Love might again usher deserve the congratulation of the whole in a new order in a world torn asunder, of India for having made it possible for as it is to-day, through a thousand their Master to undertake the arduous struggles.

Propagandist Literature

Newspapers and journals which deal But will this apprehension of super with the present situation on such in- ficial knowledge that is entertained re- formation as is available in the moment garding the matter of periodical litera- are distinguished from literature that ture be removed if authors of standard offers the complete treatment of its works in their respective brandies are- subject-matter based upon an exhaustive alone invited to write also for the examination of all available sources of periodical literature ? information. The work of no writer can It is never possible to write about hear any permanent value unless it the occurrences of the present moment shows his real acquaintance with the with full knowledge. The authors of existing literature on the subject. The standard works are likely to be as extent of the knowledge possessed by a ignorant in such matters as one whose writer can be made known only by his efforts have never soared hi-rher than successful exhaustive treatment of any the attitude of the newspapers of daily subject. It would, therefore, be a rush, events. ness of judgment if a writer whose The special merit of a journalist performances are confined to the which is also his specific defect, consists columns of periodical literature, is in this, that he is a propagandist. A taken as seriously as the authors of journalist has always a preconceived standard works. policy of his own to be served. A free no THE HARMONIST

trade journal looks upon every event A propagandist should try to from the point of view of a free trader, provoke legitimate opposition by putting and it is his business to select his topics his suggestions in the garb of prema- and adopt his method of their treatment ture finality. He must offer definite to the requirements of his propagnnda guidance on profoundly insufficient in- in support of free trade. The writer of formation. His function is that of the a text book on free trade can bave no sharp-shorter who merely locates the such policy and he is accordingly expect- enemy. It is his business to join the ed to give their due weight to the views battle,but to enable his army to win of all Schools in selecting forth his con- the victory when the battle is fought clusions. It is no business of the journa- by the latter. list to represent any other side except The above observations apply to his own. He expects Ids views to be writers of a religious journal. They considered more in regard to their bear- address their articles to real opponents ing on the movement that he represents of their propaganda. The adoption of than as offering any impartial solution of this method does not detract from the of a difficulty. He can offer by the permanent value of such writing. On nature of his calling only tentative the contrary it is eminently suited to suggestions of impromptu thinker of the pragmatic temperament of persons his definite school of thought. interested in the immediate present but Propagandist literature is permanent who have neither the patience nor the literature in the making. The writer of leisure for the perusal of lengthy disser. such literature will err if he tries to tations summing up all the literature offer exhaustive solutions of the large on the topic. problems of the world. He can have The subject of religion does not full scope for his expected activity only seriously interest many persons to day. if he is fit to concentrate on the This confirmed indifference of the immediate aspect of problems and to average cultured persons towards the convey the greatest amount of fresh in- old creeds is the great obstacle to religi- formation in support of the policy of ous journalism. It can be fought his journal The employment of this effectively only by a method of calculat- method should make his articles really ed unprovoked incursions into the and profoundly interesting to every arena of temporal controversy. class of his readers. They will also Most of the current religious journals possess the maximum value of the accordingly find it necessary to go to future researcher. work in this indirect manner. They PROPAGANDIST LITERATURE III

put on an appearance of being promo- and is in a position to protect prag- ters of immediate solutions of problems matism itself from the evils of too pre- of the moment along the lines of least cipitate thinking. The short cut is not resistance. They try to smuggle into condemned. But the short cut that is such controversy the complete view of harmful to real well-being is construe, human responsibilities on the matter in tively criticized. the homeopathic dose. Even this is It is not polkiy of the journal to bound to be resented as impertinent and meddle with the current secular affairs jejune. The mere suspicion that it is of the world on the pragmatic plane. It likely to crop up in the pages of a is certainly its purpose to create an professedly religious journal is enough atmosphere of calm consideration of to prejudice the reader against such all immediate problems by directing "papers dubbling in affairs where ethical attention to the practicability of their quality is bound to be controversial. automatic solution by the mere widen- Nationalism and Commercialism are ing of the immediate outlook. The the ruling interests of the world journal does not identify itself with today. What business can religion have any secular issue by isolating it from all to lend its support to either cause ? It other issues. That is the method of is possible to succeed in them by follow- the pragmatist. It seeks to lift the ing the precepts of any of the proposed secular issue to the level of universal creeds ? Can persons who engage in thought without ignoring the urgency politics or commerce refuse the co-opera, of its immediate solution that is rightly tion of people professing any particular urged by the pragmatist. creed for the sake of religion or morality? The language which the journal has And yet is not both at its command for this purpose is most essentially just and necessary for the unsuitable, as it is saturated with permanent well-being ol the world? Can narrow secular associations. It has to the religious propagandist consistently use the available language for the larger lend his real support to pragmatism ? purpose. This presents certain real initial If he cannot do so how else can he ex. difficulties even to its cultured readers. pect to get a hearing from any person But if the journal can offer the real in this age of the most relentless strife solution of all immediate problems of for mere existence by any means ? humanity, the language that is suitable The answer which the Harmonist for its purpose will be picked up with has to make to such questioning is that a little application by those who are religion is not opposed to pragmatism at all interested in their solution. The Message of Bhakti

(Should it Oe propagated outsid.e Ivdia ?) ( b'rom a conversation that took place at Sree (Jaudiya Math at Delhi on 3.10.35)

Q. As India is karma.bh.umi so Jnanins think that manifestive the propaganda of bli,akti should be features are confined to phenomena. pushed to every corner of India before But we do not advocate their theory of it is carried to foreign lands which are impersonalism The Absolute has got bhoga-blimni For India wide propaganda a manifestive face. We are not meant the publications of the Gaudiya Mission to live here eternally. We believe in should be immediately translated seelenivundrung. The enjoying tempera- into Hindi. ment, on the other hand, covets the Ans. India is a land of karmins pleasures of paradise. But the final and jnanins. Karma and jnn.nn. should position is unknown to these worldly culminate in bhakti Karmins are for people. We are, therefore, out to fruitful enterprise. Jnanins want to inculcate the teaching of the Bhagabni merge in the Absolute. The Mission is Geeta. Vishnu is the Personal Divinity. not getting helpful co-operation from We don't think we should lose our these sections. This is the real difficulty entity. We should rather get rid of all in propagating the message of the soul these foreign dirts. who is meant for the service of the We must undergo these troubles (2). Absolute instead of enriching himself It is necessary to get rid of these with finitudinal things. We are now troubles. It is necessary not to have busy with the non.absolutes. But the any re.birth. It will be better for us Geeta says that such possessions cannot to give all our attention to the search be retained. One who gains paradise of the Absolute for having constant by the good deeds has to lose his engagement with the Absolute. We are exalted position as his acquired required to keep ourselves quite aloof wear away through enjoyment of their from all contrary ideas and thoughts (3). fruits (1). This is the position of a (2) srawii* I karmaJcandin. We should not pose as (3) ^ qfrcqsq mfo' #131 | men of action. That is not the eternal interest of the soul.

(I) ^5^ q gjlta 55*^ KTH. II THE MESSAGE OF BHAKTl

It is necessary to offer onr hundred We .'annot retain our position here. per cent devotion to the Absolute. This is not our original .bode and not We should be true devotees and get rid for our eternal purposes of peace and of these temporal connections. happiness. Our aim should be for the We want to impress upon the people plenary position, Sree Krishna Chaitama to seek to have a peep of the manifes- has given us certain instructions by tive features of the Absolute for which whi' h we ran progress towards transcen- we require elimination of these dirts. dence instead of being confined to We need not .••.nthr. pomorphise all particular places or particular languages. these undesirable features to that This message is to he propagated. sphere. We v ant to regain our normal Instead of being victimised by the position. For this purpose we should temporary sounds we should listen to the find the position of the Object of transcendental message. People should worship and of our entity. We are be made conversant with these thoughts. now under the conception of space The actual function of the unadulte:at. and time. These useless and wrong ed soul is to offer all activities in the things are to be eliminated for service of the Absolute. attaining the eternal life. We are The sattvika or sattvata method is given all facilities for the same if followed at Jagadislo kshetra (Puri). The we care to be in touch with the ra/asit people tell us that they should-also Absolute. have their share, and the sattvikas should We need not rely on the different not abolish the shares of the rajasa and languages and thoughts of this plane. tnmasika sections, or, in other words We are to hear the sound that will be they should be allowed to incorporate extended to this plane. The present sins instead of being required to practise manifestive faces of the phenomena unalloyed devotion. The tamasikas could then be used for serving the desire facilities for offering injuries to Faramatma. We would t^en be dove, other entities. tailed with the Faramatma instead of Sattvika people are also accused by being entangled here. latitudinarians of encroaching upon We require to cross over these the rights of the other sections. Korma- inadequacies. The policy of abstraction kanda and are proposed to be as well as that of being entangled in incorporated in devotion. But we grossness of (his world should be given require the full opportunity of serving up. The heterogeneous and alloyed the Absolute. If it is divided in three thoughts have to be eliminated. parts our fullness of devotion is 114 THE HARMONIST jeopardised. The gnostics propose Professor Bauver wrote from Cze- neutrality (4). koslovakia that Europe does not want We are, however, assured by the Indian karmakanda. I told him that Fountainhead His complete protection. we have very much to give to them. This is what He says in effect, "Give The devotional thought is the special up all those thoughts. I will dictate treasure of India. to you what interests you are to have. Empiricism will not do. In the You show your diffidence of Me by not case of the Absolute the whole thing depending on Me. You need not comes to us. If we submit to Him, He trouble about any conception about will be sending the Transcendental religion that you may have imbibed in Message to us. Our auditory nerves this world. You simply submit to Me require to be informed by the Trans- unconditionally and I will rescue you cendental sounds and not by the other from all sorts of undesirable situations. sounds. They are equipped with the You need not suppose that when you potencies that can heal all those inade- attend to Me you disregard all those quacies that have been imbibed here. things." The Geeta gives us this instruction. You need not go astray from this As sattvikas we think that we should sympathetic instruction of the Oeeta. predominate over the and tnmas Whatever acquisitions you have are people. By visuddha sattva (unalloyed unnecessary for your purpose. You essence) we should cease to be sharers need carry no candles to the sun. in these worldly affairs, Miskra sattva Submission is to be the policy instead (adulterated quality) has got dealings of knowledge (5). with rajas ( utilitarian ) and People in India are busy with their immoral people. karmakanda affairs. People ".in China (5) rrr tR or Europe have their own methods of karmakanda. They don't want our ferai: ^fancft erg grgRtfa- karmakanda. awitsfsra foeihwifa effeishwnir u (4) 57 | ( «t: ) ADDRESS OF WELCOME

Revered Tridandiswami Bhakti Hriday

BON MAHAMAJ

of Sree Oaudiya Math.

E w - tocitizens you ourof CalcuttH,cordial welcomeare glnd toon haveyour thisreturn opportunity to this of cityextending after successfully preaching in the West the glory and sublimity of the true culture and religion of India, for the last two years and a half. We have heard with pleasure and thankfulness that by the zeal and eloquence of your preaching, you have succeeded in arousing high admiration and active appreciation among the intelligentsia of Great Britain, Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. SWAMIJI, your most illustrious spiritual Master, PARAMAHAMSA SREEMAD BHAKTI SIDDHANTA SARASWATI GOSWAMl MAHARAJ, President.Acharyya of the Gaudiya Math, was pleased to select you as an able representative of the Mission ; and you have abundantly justified your trust. You have distinguished yourself by your profound learning and eloquent exposition of the unique Message of Absohite Truth with which you were entrusted and thereby you have greatly advanced the cause of our country by helping to establish a better understanding and wider sympathy between India and the West. \VB are proud of our unrivalled spiritual heritage which we believe, can sufficiently enrich the West, in spite of its superiority in science and prosperity in material civilization ; and we record with pleasure that your lucid voice has been able to penetrate into the very stronghold of that cultural conservatism which hitherto has defied the efforts of many a preacher from the East. SWAMIJI, we are glad to learn that your learned lectures in prominent thought-centres and the leading Universities of Great Britain and Central Europe, have evoked high appreciation and enlightened interest from all sections of the people in the West ; and we are proud to think that these THE HARMONIST

spiritual messages have since been conveyefl through you to the Imperial Court of Britain and such high church dignitaries as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. WE learn with delight that you have established, as a standing organization of your Mission in London, the Gaudiya Mission Society with the Most Hoa'ble Marquess of Zetland as the President, besides another in Berlin and that you have secured a good number of following of your Mission in the West includiriii the two German pupils who are here to day in our midst. WE fervently pray that the Mission you represent may meet witli greater success in future through the able services of preachers like yourself under the distinguished lead of your great spiritual Master and that you may be blessed with long life to broadcast the sublime message of your Preceptor all the world over.

We beg to subscribe ourselves. The Citizens of Calcutta. Calcutta, 8th Seytember, 1935,

First Hindu Temple in London

Tridandiswami B. H. Bon and Herr bar Rana Bodhjung Bahadur, Rai Ernst Georg Schulze paid a short visitto Sahib Akshoya Kumar Gupta, introduc- Agartala on October 1, in conr ection ing the guests at the instance of the with the activities of the Gaudiya Math President, referred in terms of high in Europe. They were received by appreciation to the world.wide activities Manyabar Rana Bodhjung Bahadur, of the Gaudiya Math. Herr Schulze Chief Secretary, and Captain Kumar addressed the meeting in English in a Prafulla Kumar Dev Burman Bahadur, speech in which he dwelt on the cause Military Secretary, as honoured guests of his becoming a disciple of the of Tripura State, and housed in Shveta- revered Acbaryya of the Gaudiya Math. bas, guest-house of the Palace. Swami Bon spoke in Bengali on the At a public reception at Durgabari true principles of religion, the distinc- at 7.30 p. m., presided over by Manya- tion between real and counterfeit HINDU TEMPLE IN LONDON 117 religion and the special services to the culture of India m the West. His cause of true religion that have been Highness listened graciously to the and are being rendered by Thakur proposals of Swamiji and was pleased Hhaktivinode and His Bivine Grace to convey to him in the afternoon his Paratnahamsa Srimad Jlhakti Siddhanta kind decision to meet the entire cost Saraswati Goswami Maharaj, The of erection of the London Gaudiya speakers were warmly thanked by the Math Temple and to help in the collec- Raj Purohit and Thakur Lalitmohan Dev tion of funds for the construction of a Barma M. A., B. L, Sadar Magistrate. permanent Home and for securing a On the following morning Maharaj suitable site for the London Math. His Kumar Durjay Kishore Dev Burman Highness was also pleased to intimate Bahadur, brother of His Highness, and acceptance of Swamiji's invitation Captain Rana Nepal Jung Bahadur, to preside over the anniversary meeting A. D. C. to H. H., had a talk with in Calcutta in honour of Shrethyarya Swamiji on the activities of the Mission. Jagabandhu Dutt (late J.B. D.), donor Swamiji and Herr Schulze were of the Calcutta Gaudiya Math building conducted to the Palace at 12.45 p. m. and premises, to be held in December. by the Private Secretary, Dewan Sahib At 8 p. m, Swami B. H. Bon and Kamala Prasad Dutt, M. A., B. L., and Herr Schulze addressed a distinguished Military Secretary, and were presented gathering, at the Palace, of the members to His Highness by the Chief Secretary. of the royal family, high officials of the Swami B. H. Bon, who was received by State and Darbaris, presided over by His Highness with great cordiality, His Highness. At the instance of conveyed to His Highness the grate- Maharaj Manikya Bahadur, Herr ful thanks of the London Gaudiya Schulze addressed the meeting in Mission Society on behalf of the English on with PresMent of the Society, the Most special reference to the philosophy of Hon'ble Marquess of Zetland, for his the Nazis. Swami Bon spoke in distinguished patronage. Swamiji then Bengali on the principles of the real referred to the activities of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Dharma. The speakers Math in England and Central Europe, were thanked, on behalf of His High- and intimated to His Highness the wish ness, by the Raj Purohit Rebatimohan of His Divine Master, the Head of the Kavyaratna in Sanskrit and Bengali Gaudiya Math, for the erection of the and by another gentleman. The func- first Hindu Temple in London and a tion was concluded by the performance Home for the diffusion of the spiritual ofManipuri Kirtana, specially arranged 118 THE HARMONIST by His Highness for the occasion. The On the following morning Swami Kirtana, which lasted for about half an Bon and Herr Schulze were invited to hour, consisted of beautiful Bengali his residence by Maharaj Kumar Padas in honour of Lord Sree Krishna Narendra Kishore Dev Burman Bahadur, Ohaitanya, which were sung with uncle of His Highness, for giving a dis- emotion to the accompaniment of course on Vaishnava Dharma. Swamiji, appropriate and charming dance and and Herr Schulze were met at depar- music. Swami Bon thereupon had a ture, on behalf of His Highness, by detailed conversation with H.H. Maharaj the Chief Secretary, Private Secretary, Maoikya Bahadur about the propoaed Military Secretary and Chief Medical Temple of London Gaudiya Math. Officer.

Round the Gaudiya Maths

Sree Gaudiya Math, Delhi the Urjjabrata lasting over a month Editor arrived here on October I. from October 12, at Radhakunda in Devotees of the Math and many with all its regidity and strict respectable gentlemen recieved Him adherance to the principles of the with great pleasure. He is delivering service to the Absolute as directed by spiritual discourses before many elites Editor. Early in the morning the of the town at Math premises. devotees with the Tridandi Sannyasins At Radhakunda at their head circumambulated the The Editor with a party consisting Radhakunda thrice with the chanting Of of M. M. Sundarananda Vidyavinode, Krishna kirttan. Then all assembled to- M M. Narayandas Bhaktisudhakar, H.H. gether atSreeBraja Swananda Sukhada Tridandiswami B. R. Sridhar Maharaj, Kunja where the Editor explained and H. H. Tridandiswami B. S. Sagar elucidated the srutis. In the afternoon Maharaj and other Brahmacharis and the Editor again expounded Sreemad devotees left Calcutta on September 30. Bhagahatam in a nice way. The persons and with some of His followers arrived attending listened to Him with undivid- at Delhi next day en route Mathura, ed attention. This was the special feature He stayed there for some days to of the Brata throughout the month. celebrate the Annual utsab. On this occasion the Editor established The devotees of the mission began a permanent centre for the propagation ROUND THE GAUD1YA MATH 119 of religion of Love in that part of the ceremony of Thakur Brindaban Das, country. The Editor visited several the well-known Vaishnava poet, was places and temples and gave various properly solemnised as in the midst of instructions regarding the activities of kirttan songs. Thakur Brindabandas the Brajadham Pracharini Sabha intro- appeared here. At this place the "Gour duced by Sreela Rupaand Sanatan who Nityananda Srivigrahas'', installed by were deputed by Sree Krishna Chaitanya Thakur are being devotedly worshipped Mahaprabhu. In Karaya Ban Editor to the present day, A new temple have visited the place of Sreela Probodhananda been constructed and the Deities have Saraswati, a renowned Tridandi been installed there. Sannyasi. All the devotees and follow Sree Gaudiya /Vlath, Patna : ings of the Math observed the Brata Tridandiswarai Sreeraad Bhakti with equal ardour and enthusiasm. Pradip Tirtha Maharaj with some of Bahulastami festival at Radhakunda. the Brahraacharins are preaching the On October 19, this ceremony was Message of unalloyed devotion. In the held at Radhakunda. ''Kundashtak" evening he explains Sreeraad Bhaga. a holy poem composed by Srimad batam. Many respectable persons of Das Goswarai, was sung by the devotees the city assemble at the Math premises, •f the Math. This holy is honoured Every morning many honest enquirers by the Gaudiya Vaishnavas as on this are coming to His Holiness and sacred tithi Sree Radhakunda made getting their doubts nicely solved. appearance in Brindaban Propaganda work in Orissa : Sree Mahesh Pandit Path, Chakdaha. On October 16, the preachers of Sree Sreepad Tribhubaneshwar Das Gaudiya Math went to Sahapur in Adhikari is explaining Sreeraad after finishing the propaganda Bhagabat every evening at the Math works at the villages of Kandpur and premises before a good audience. Koraunt. They were cordially received Sree Kunja Katir, Krishnagar. at this place by the villagers. In the Sreepad Mahananda Brahmachari, evening Sreepad Jadabananda Brahraa- Bhaktyaloka is- preaching the true chari explained Sanatan shiksha from tenets of Sreeman Mahaprabhu at the Sree Chaitanya Charitamrita. city and has already drawn attention Sree Gaudiya Math, London : of the citizens. Tridandiswarai B. H, Bon preacher- Sree Modadruma Chatra, Mamgachi. in.charge in the west arrived at the On October 28, the disappearance London Gaudiya Math on October 23. Collection trom Papers

Daily Sketch-, September 16, 1935.

Welcomed by Ton Th usand. honour. The monk, who is one of the A friend in Calcutta iells me, by best known habitue of Kensington ;dr mail, that the Maharajadhiraja of Gardens, will be back in London early Burdwan, who lived for seven years in in November to deliver a series of England and went back to India lectures before he leaves again for recently, took the chair at a reception America. for Swami Bon, the Hindu monk, on Lord Zetland will preside at the his arrival there. Ten thousand people first one, as he is president of the look part in a procession in the Swami's Gaudiya Mission Society.

Annakut Mahotsab

At Skbe Gaddiya Math

On the Monday, October 28, Sree engaged for the purpose. Arrange- Gobardhan Puja and Sree Annakut ments of Annakut Celebration at the Mahotsab was celebrated at Sree Gaudiya Math are well-known to one and Gaudiya Math, Haghbazar, Calcutta with all. Separate arrangements were made great pomp and ostentation. Preparations f >rladies and gentlemen. The whole day were made on a grand scale for several programme included puja, aratrika, hundreds of different varieties of kii tan, bhograg, darshan and distribu- food, prepared by innumerable experts tion of Sree Annakut Mahaprasad. VOL XXXII No. 6] Regtd. No. C1601

THE ONIST

(Sree Saiianatosbanl)

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna JEJeadashi Agrzhmyan 449 G.A.

Noomher 21, 1935.

sw it

Annibifation of ageafong sufferings. May these our high aims ffourisf The Service of Radha-Krisbna, 7 o gCaaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4-8. Foreign Is. 6d. Pararaahansa Bhalcti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswami

Sree Caudiya Math, P.O. Baglibazar, Calcutta. CONTEN TS

Subject Page

1. Uniformity 121 2. Relation between the Sexea 124 3. Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan ... 127 4. Editorial 134 5. Opinions of the Press ... 186 6. Public Reception 140 7. Round the Gaudiya Maths 141 8. ^Totes ...... •.. 144 ALL- OLOKY TO SREE OURL1 AND OAURANOa

(Sree SaJJaiiatosbaiii)

VOL, XXXII. NOVEMBER 21, 1935 No. 6

Uniformity

JN spiritual endeavour proper there prevents the function from degenerat- is a division of external and inner ing into lifeless ritualism and rigid practices. But this division is not one . between the physical and mental. Nevertheless there is observable a Neither the physical nor the mental striking uniformity of practice during functionsare activities of the atma (soul). this preliminary stage. This uniformity The activity of the preliminary should not, however, be mistaken for stage of spiritual endeavour prior to the the lifeless sameness of physical or appearance of the principle of spon- mental activity that is sought to be taneous liking constitutes the external imposed by the sanctions of worldly division of spiritual conduct. During organisations. One who receives the this stage the neophyte displays a mercy of the real spiritual preceptor decisive inclination for following the obtains simultaneously eligibility for injunctions of the shastras under the practising the spiritual function which guidance of the spiritual preceptor who transcends the plane of our body and belongs to the class of inner devotees. mind, under his direction. Such a Obedience to the spiritual preceptor person is freed from the bondage of his 122 THE HARMONIST

physical and mental adjuncts and of spiritual endeavour is tliat of rever- environment to the extent that he ence and faith in the transcendental chooses to avail the opportunity. The Truth of the subject of shnstric re vela, continuance of apparent physical and tion. It is, however, only a distant mental activity in his case no longer glimpse of the Truth that lias been as possesses the unspiritual mundane yet available. There is true liuht for quality. Any lingering trace of mun- inner guidance. But it is very dim danity in his conduct is like the momen. light. It requires to be trimmed by the turn that is exhibited by an inanimate constant practice of whole-hearted moving entity after it has been cut off active subservience to the spiritual from the source of its energy. preceptor. If this is not done, the During the preliminary stages of nascent function is liable to be suppres- spiritual endeavour the neophyte is sed by the resurgence of physical and practising the spiritual function by mental activities. spiritual energy that has been imparted Uniformity in the practices of the by the spiritual preceptor without put- neophytes is produced by sub-servience ing forward his own complete initiative to the spiritual preceptor. He directs of receptivity by the impulse of spon- their activities by a kind of quasi-spiri- taneous liking. This is due to the tual compulsion. The novice submits inertia of the lingering obstruction of to be so coerced through his enlightened habits that have lost all real hold conviction of the spiritual mercy and on him. It is bound to stop wholly by the freedom-giving quality of such the practice of the new activity made guidance. It is very different from any possible by the awakening of his spiri- form of mechanical subservience to un- tual nature. This new activity is exter- spiritual authority. nal in the sense that the principle of Those who might have had the spiritual love has not yet made its opportunity of following closely the appearance. So long as his activity is daily life of the inmates of the Gaudiya not prompted by love the neophyte is Math should have been struck by the not fully identified with his function. genuine and perfect elasticity and free- At this stage there is also the chance of dom from mechanicality of the conduct one's relapse into the state of utter self- even of those who perform what appear forgetfulness if one fails to put forth the to be a stereotyped course of ritualistic fullest possible receptive activity. activities. The person who makes the The sentiment that supplies the offerings to the emblematic Holy Form place of love in the undeveloped stages of the Divinity in the temple by the UNIFORMITY 123 recital of the identical day of the household. He is the only Pro- after day is as much a strenuous and prietor. All else is His property. The humble seeker of the Living Truth by souls of all entities are His property. the full exercise of his individual judg- The physical body and material mind ment as the person who expounds the of an entity have no access to the abstruse philosophy of Srimad Bhagabat plane of the service of Krishna. But in the ' Kirtan Hall" of the temple the physical body and the material mind as the most important part of the daily are made eligible for the service of worship. There is the closest realised Krishna by the process of diksha (initia- connection between the exposition in tion into transdendeutal knowledge or the "Kirtan Hall" and the ceremony the Veda). As soou as the body and of 'waving the light' that is performed mind are voluntarily surrendered to by the recital of t)ie mantra before the Krishna at the time of initiation by the Figure of the Deity. real spiritual preceptor, they are lifted The only point on which the Srimad to the level of the soul by the Mercy of Bhagabat is never tired of insisting is Krishna. Such body and mind are fit that if any activity ceases to possess to be employed in the transcendental the spiritual vitality or in other words service of Krishna. The inmates of the degenerates into an affair of this mun- Math, therefore, do not serve Krishna by dane world, it is never accepted by the the physical body and the material Divinity. All acts of worship have to mind and for this reason are relieved to be performed on the plane of trans- from the necessity of lifeless uniformity cendence by the resources of the spiri- of conduct ihat ia liable to bo imposed tual life. Conduct embodying the on the physical body and the material teaching of the Srimad Bhagabat is mind for ensuring the orderliness of placed for the reverential inspection of corporate activity. The waving of the every beholder by the activities of every light before tha emblematic Figure of inmate of the Gaudiya Math. But no the Divinity is as much an activity two inmafes of the Math have to do the of the soul as the exposition of the same kind of work. Bhagabat when they are performed by The Math is the spiritual house of the pure devotee of Krishna. The per. God. The inmate of the Math are the formance of apparently the same func- spiritual servitors in the household of tions by conditioned souls possesses no Krishna. The daily life in the Math spiritual value whatsoever. The living is life dedicated to the spiritual service reality of this distinction between the two of Krishna. Krishna is the Proprietor is brought home to all open-minded 124 THE HARMONIST persons who are willing to witness with has been the cause of direct or indirect faith the performances of the inmates religious persecution in the religious of the Math. history of the world. The attempt to No one whose spiritual nature has realise a universal uniformity of the been reinstated in the state of untram- doctrine and practice is the result of a melled activity by the mercy of the profound urge of the human nature spiritual preceptor can do anything and cannot be neglected except through that is amiss. This establishes the utter despair But the longing for its automatic and perfect uniformity of all realisation is nevertheless wholly living worship. But it is not open to legitimate and capable of fulfilment on the view of the mundane spectator. the plane of unalloyed spiritual actL The uniformity that is sought to be vity in the shape of the perfectly free established on the physical and mental activities of the spiritualised body and planes in regard to so-called worship mind.

Relation between the Sexes.

rT,HE Gaudiya Math is urging all form of the Divinity. The society is persons irrespective of caste, creed, the Household of God. Godhead is age, sex or race to accept the regulations the only Master. He is made offerings of the social arrangement based upon of food, clothiny:, all necessaries and and ashrama for the reason that luxuries except intoxicants and meat or it is helpful for the realisation of the fish, and every form of service. Wealth eternal function of our souls. is earned for meeting the expenses The varnashrama society is an orga- of His Household. All persons are nisation for the joint performance of servants in the Household of Godhead. the worship of Hari by the method of Everyone accepts with thankfulness the archaiia. The regulations laid down whatever is provided by the Lord in the shastras for the due performane through His beloved ones for his of archana provide the varnashrama maintenance. Everyone feeds on the society with its code of social procedure. leavings of the dishes of the Lord's .Archana may be defined as the beloved servants. No one owns any ritualistic worship of the Emblematic property of his own. Everything i« RELATION BETWEEN THE SEXES 125 the Lord's property as everyone is His partner on their own account. Both bondnaan whom He may let live or not, of them are only to offer their services and who has to do no other work except if and when their partner is pleased to His Bidding. This is the duty of every permit them to share their service of person, man as well as woman, in the Hari. Neither the husband nor the varnashrama society. wife is to claim the services of his or The cardinal principle of the varna- her partner on their own account. Both shrama association is this that no one of them are only to offer their services may be the owner of any property if and when their partner is pleased to or the service of another. Everyone permit them to share their service of is only a servant whose activities are Hari. None of them can force their ever in the service of God. Similarly services on their partners. the Sole Ob ict of everyone's service This system of household discipline as the only ILaster, the only Friend, has its root in the joint worship of the the only Son and the only Consort, is household Deity by all members of the Krishna. household. All the members are to Marrying and giving in marriage exert themselves in all possible ways do not give rise to any rights of a for serving the pleasure of their master either to the husband or to the common and only Master. Everyone wife. Man and woman are joined in is to learn the Command of the Master wedlock for the purpose of serving from one's fellow.servants, so that the each other in the performance of the requisition by any member of the jbint service of Krishna. household is realised as the Requisition The wife is not an object of enjoy- by the Lord Himself. Thus both man ment of the husband, nor vice versa. and woman, children and old persons, They do not marry for gratifying their vie with one another in offering their sexual appetites. They marry for services. No one demands any service pleasing the Lord, nor for pleasing from another on his own account. No themselves. They choose for their one may demand the service of another partners only such persons who serve for the Lord. Everyone is to offer his God better than themselves. They or her unreserved services for the offer themselves to be accepted by their gracious acceptance by any and every partners for the favour of being allowed servant of the Lord. to share in their superior service of Those who are not asked in marriage Hari. Neither the husband nor the by a servant of the Lord, have, there- wife is to claim the services of his or her fore, no occasion for marriage. One 126 THE HARMONIST who is asked in marriage by another But as a matter of fact the Guru seldom member of the society may not refuse withholds his assent from any whom the requisition for his or her service. he does not wish specially to favour. A very interesting question naturally The reason why the Guru does not arises in this connection. How may ordinarily ask any person to enter the any person ask another in marriage in state of wedlock is that it is very rarely such society ? Everyone has to wait that any person is to be found in this for being called to serve. So how can world who is willing to regard his or anyone be actually called ? her wife or husband as worthy of his This leads up to the question of the or her unconditional services. This is, Guru or the spiritual Guide. The however, exactly the relationship highest order of devotees are pleased to between husband and wife that can requisition the services of their disci- alone be really sanctioned by the Guru. ples. In this they only carry out the This is also the reason why the Command of the Lord, so that when Gaudiya Math does not permit any the Guru requisitions the service of woman to reside under its roof as an any of the disciples the latter has the inmate of the Math. It would be opportuntiy of actually rendering his hardly safe to ask any man or woman services. to offer his or her unconditional servi- The whole system thus receives its ces to the other except by sanctioning initial impulse from the Gitnt. No one their marriage. will ask another in marriage except by So there is no necessity for such instructions'of the Gimt. It does not people to stay under the roof of the serveithe spiritual purpose at all if one Math as they are required to set up a _ takes the initiative^ and asks for the household of their own in order to permission of the Garu for proposing segregate themselves from similar'- marriage to a p^rty whom he [wishes association with other men and women. to ask in marriage. This procedure But may it not be asked that the is tantamount to masking the Guru to women might be provided with Maths serve oneself. of their own ? This is not theoretically But the (^wmnever asks any person inadmissible. But the practical diffi- to enter the state of wedlock unless he culties in the way of the establishment is asked.by theTatter for his permission of such an institution are ordinarily to a marriage, already settled in one's insurmountable. The Gangamata Math mind. The Guru may or may not accord at Puri set up by a lady was a model his permission to such an applicant. institution of this kind. JAGABANDHU BHAKTIRANJAN 127

The great difficulty will be that in difficult to control them properly. Public all Maths the majority of the inmates opinion in no country will tolerate the will be neophytes. These neophytes are imposition of the requisite discipline susceptible of back.sliding at any moment. on women and the back.slidino; of a If a very large number of women single member of such institutions will enter the Maths as novices it will be be magnified by most worldly people.

Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan

ORESTHARYA Sripad Jagabandhu about his unique service of Sree Guru, Bhaktiranjan Prabhu is not the deva, which can find adequate utterance same person whose name is so well only by the causeless mercy of the known to the people all over the country Acharya and those pure devotees who as one of the successful business men ever serve the Acharya. of this great city. It was not the The discourse about the servant of merchant who conceived the idea of Sree Sree Guru-Gauranga.Gandharbika building the home of the pure devo- Giridhari, is the only method of offer- tees of the Gaudiya Math. That is, ing our homage to Bhaktiranjan however, the idea that prevails among Prabhu that is also fully consonant with those whose ignorance regarding the the nature of his own service. Bhakti- Absolute has not been dispelled by the ranjan Prabhu built the great Hall of causeless mercy of the genuine preacher Sree Gaudiya Math for the performance of the Word deriving his elgibility for of the congregational chant of Hari the office of the teacher of the truth promulgated by the Supreme Lord, from single-hearted service of the Word Sree Krishna Ghaitanya, as the in every act of his life. Let us, there- Dispensation of our own age. The fore, first of all prostrate ourselves in chant of Hari is not properly performed all humility to the Holy Feet of the except in the company of the pure Acharya Purainahansa Srimad Bhakti devotees. The due performance of the Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur chant of Hari attains its fullest for being enabled by his causeless expression in the chant of the praises mercy to offer the homage of our of the pure devotee of Sree Sree Radha. ^oula to Bhaktiranjan Prabhu by Govinda. This supreme purpose of listening with faith to the discourses the congregational chant requires to be 128 THE HARMONIST

brought home to us by the practice of Bhaktiranjan Prabhu was a real devotee the constant chant of the praises of His of Sree Krishna ? It is the purpose of devotees. this discourse to seek to know the real The super.excellence of the teaching truth about Sri pad Bhaktiranjan of Sree Krishna Chaitanya consists in Prabhu. this that He promulgated the service The only method by whioh we can of the servant of Krishna which is the attain to the real sight of a Yaishnava highest form of Divine service and is by listening to the discourses about higher than even the service of Sree him from the lips of true devotees. Krishna Himself. Bhaktiranjan Prabhu There is no other way. Sree Krishna provided the spacious Hall for the per. with His Entourage manifests His formance of this teaching of Mahaprabhu Appearance to our ears in the from of Sree Krishna Chaitanya. Transcendental Words appearing on the The worship of the devotee of Sree lips of His devotees when they discourse Krishna, by the method of the sankirtan about Hi in. It is by rare good fortune possesses redeeming efficacy in the that we are favoured with such very highest measure. It is the service opportunity by the Will of Krishna. of Sree Krishna by the only method As a matter of fact it is Sree Krishna that is perfectly acceptable to Him Himself who sends His devotees to our from conditioned souls. doors for providing us with such Sree Krishna is always pleased by opportunities. the service of His pure devotee. This It is quite conceivable that the Hall makes it very easy for all of us to attain may be used for some other purpose the service of the Divinity if only we than the performance of the kirtan of can make up our mind to serve His Hari in the company of His pure devotee who in his turn is always ready devotees. If this hall is used by those to help us if we are willing to serve who are not the pure devotees of Sree Krishna in pursuance of his Krishna, it will not pay, nay it would example. be a very harmful pastime, if we But there is one insuperable difficulty assemble here to listen to worldly talk, in the way of the service of the devotee. masked in the forms of the discourse of How is it possible for us to recognise Hari, from those who are really averse the pure devotee of Sree Krishna ? No to the service of Krishna. Such use one, who is not possessed of unclouded of this Hall would be contrary to the spiritual vision, can recognise the true purpose of Sripad Bhaktiranjan devotee. How are we to know that Prabhu. JAGABANDHU BHAKT1RANJAN 129

Where is the guarantee that it will another. It is the personal duty of not be put to such use in the future, or every one of us. that it is not being put to such use at It is possible that a person may not this very moment ? What provision iid be willing to adopt this method unless Bhaktiranjan Prabhu make for the he possessed the minimum regard for prevention of such a contingency ? the person he is asked to listen to with Yes, Bhaktiranjan Prabhu made the faith. It is for the purpose of removing only provision that alone was both sure any misconceptions that may have been as well as feasible. He made an unconsciously imbibed by any person in unconditional gift of the Buildings to regard to the ol»ject and purpose of this the person from whom he had received institution and the transcendental his spiritual enlightenment and his pure personality of the Acharya that the impulse for the service of Sree Krishna. Acharya has laid the duty upon the He offered these Buildings, without inmates of the Math to procure, in the any conditions of his own , to the shape of alms from the public, the Acharya for using thein for his pur. funds for the performance of the wor- poses. In other words he thought Sree ship of Sree Vigrahas on a scale of Krishna was sure to accept his offering magnificence. They thereby provide if it was made to Sree Gurudeva who every person with the opportunity of had been pleased to reveal his tran- receiving first hand information, with, scendental personality to him. out coming to this Hall, regarding the It is consistent conduct so tar as object, method and personality of the Bhaktiranjan Prabhu is concerned. Acharya. But how are the public to know that This vigorous propaganda must the buildings are being put to the succeed if it be the Will of Krishna to proper use ? induce the public to lend their sym- There is a very, very easy way of pathetic ear to the preachers of the ascertaining the turth, which is also Math. It is by no means possible for open to all persons who are really a moital to realise the transcendental anxious to know the truth. Let them nature of the pure devotees and their listen to the words of the Acharya in doings except by the special mercy of a submissive spirit for an appreciable Krishna. It is, therefore, inevitable length of time. It is not reasonable to for us to refuse our real hearing to the seek for second or third hand infor- bona fide preachers of religion under the mation. This function of seeking for influence of prejudices bred by the con- the truth cannot be delegated to trivance of the deluding energy of 130 THE HARMONIST

Krishna. But there is also no method service of M, M. Sripad Acharyatrika by which we are able to approach Kunja Behari Vidyabhusan. Thereupon Krishna and His devotees by our own he welcomed the good fortune of arrang- ignorant and misdirected contrivances. So ing the spiritual exposition of the Bhaga- the best we can do is to carefully bear bat at his place and listening with faith in mind the fact that we are unfit to for the period of one full mouth to dis- understand the doings of the devotees courses regarding Hari from the lips of of Krishna till we are helped by His Mahamahopadeshak Sripad Sundara- special mercy. nanda'Vidyavinode, B. A., editor of the So long as we are not helped spiri- Gaudiya. tualy we should also be cautious in the There are, of course, persons who choice of peisona from whom to receive seem not to benefit even after they have any information about religious truth. apparently been listening to discourses It is necessary to be equally cautious from the devotees of the Gaudiya Math in the choice of books for gathering for some time. This is not at all extra- such information by study. We are ordinary. They are prevented by accordingly forbidden to study the their preconceived ideas and their shastras, by the shastras themselves arrogance of empiric judgment which except, under the unconditional direo. lead them to imagine that they are able tion of Sree Gurudeva. The only course to understand transcendental talks that is open to us, if we are to follow without the helping mercy of the pure this injunction of the shastras, is to devotees. These mental reservations approach those whom we have reason to prevent them from giving their full believe to have faith in Personal Godhead attention to the Message of the Absolute.' and the revealed scriptures and who The Absolute is significantly styled possess the purest morals. No one, who 'Adhokshaja' by Sreemad Bhagabat. does not believe in the Transcendental He is so called because He has reserv- Personality of God and who leads a moral ed the right of not being exposed to or less immoral life, can be a devotee the limited understanding of man. It of Krishna, and we must not associate is His Initiative which alone can lift the with him for our religious purpose. ban and admit us to the plane of His Bhaktiranjan Prabhu himself was discourse, which is identical with His enabled to understand the method and Divine Personality, and to give us the object of the Gaudiya Math by his added eligibility for rendering Him personal association with the devotees our service in the shape of perfectly of the Math and specially through his submissive hearing. JAGABANDHU BHAKTiRANJAN 131

Those v^ho come to the Gaudiya for the use of travellers. But no one Math with an open mind for the pur- is in a position to understand any act pose of learning the truth from the lips or institution that is dedicated to the of pure devotees by their causeless transcendental service of the Absolute. mercy have no cause to go back with The mundane activities of man ordinari- empty hands. It has been the experience ly pass under the name of the worship of hundreds and thousands of the very of God. The Gaudiya Math keeps best types of men and women in all severely aloof from this greatest of all parts of the country and abroad where- offences against the Absolute. ever the preachers of the Gaudiya The Absolute Truth has been Mission have carried the Message of the preached in this country from time Supreme Lord. immemorial by an eternal succession of The simple rule for learning the great teachers of the unalloyed function r truth about the real nature of the of all pure souls in the form of the Aoharya is to seek to know the .sime service of the Absolute. The Acharya from those who are rendered fit to is recalling the people to ponder over deliver bis message by their acceptance their spiritual heritage by being loyal of the same in their word and deed. It to its fundamental principles. is necessary to approach them with the All whose souls are afflicaed with prayer for being freed from all preju. the disease of mortality have a right of dice and vanity by their mercy in admission for treatment, for the mere, order to be enabled thereby to lend asking in this hospital for the cure of one's ear without reservation to the all souls, on one condition that they transcendental discourse of the Absolute. agree to conform to the rules of the These arc very large demands, but they Institution which are familiar to every are not unreasonable. Every one of us Hindu from time immemorial. may Realize the redeeming quality of Sreshtharya Jagabandhu Bbakti. the activities at the Acharya by adopL ranjan Prabhu was struck with the i«g this right procedure. perfection and living quality of the No one in this world ordinarily service of Sree Krishna that is being objects to the erection of hospitals for performed by the Gaudiya Math under the cure of the ailments of the body. the direction of the Acharya in the face No one cfbjects to the establishment of of unavoidable misunderstanding by all institutions for curi'nur the discomforts worldly minded persons . He had the and drawbacks of the mind. No one firm conviction that every right-minded objects to the building of dharmasalas person would sooner or later understand 132 THE HARMONIST

the necessity of submitting to be cured Prabhu is the cause of the services of of the misery of aversion to the service Bhaktiranjan Prabhu being accepted of Krishna by faithfully listening to the by the Acharya. Message of the Absolute from the The erection of the Gaudiya Math devotees of the Gaudiya Math by Buildings marked a real stage in the conforming to rules of conduct that are development of Sree Gaudiya Math of followed by the inmates of the Moth. Calcutta with which Acharyatrika Jagabandhu was a very Prabhu has had completely identified intelligent person. He was a self.made hi mself ever since its establishment. man. He was admired by the people of It was at the special request of Calcutta and outside for the originality Acharyatrika Prabhu that the Acharya of his ideas, his strong practical gave his consent to the establishment sense and his capacity for organisa- of vSree Gaudiya Math in Calcutta tion. But the subject of the discourse sixteen years ago. The splendours of is not the career of Jagabandhu Dutta, the worship of the Gaudiya Math the successful business man. We are the expression of the devoted are discoursing about the ideals with service of Sripad Acharyatrika Prabhu. which the soul of this successful business The honours which the people of man could identify himself without Calcutta have offered to the feet of reservation, ideals for which he did not the Acharya have been readily aspire to claim any originality of his accepted by him as the public apprecia" own. but which he was content to tion of the unique service of Sripad receive with all humility from the Acharyatrika Prabhu. These Buildings Acharya by the latter's causeless mercy. also have been accepted by His Divine There is a certain body of opinion Grace Paramahansa Srimad Bhakti which is ready to honour the Acharya Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur without reservation^ but which is not for the same reason. The Acharya prepared to accord unstinted honour cannot refuse the service of any to those who have dedicated themselves person whose offering is accepted by heart and soul to His service. But the Acharyatrika Prabhu. This fact, Acharya never accepts any honour on which is the great secret of the His own account. He is prevented from Gaudiya Math, is laid bare in making doing so by the principles of Divine the humble offering of his unreserved service. But he is not prevented from submission to Acharyatrika Prabhu. accepting any honour that is shown to The special and outstanding ex- his servants. Sripad Acharyatrika cellence of the service of Sreshthnrya JAGABANDHU BHAKT1RANJAN 133

Sripad Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan differs from almost all other institutions Prabhu consists in this that he was in making its appeal to the soul of man permitted to serve the heart's desire entirely in the interest of his soul. The of His Divine Master to an extent that Gaudiya Math does not confuse the rarely falls to the lot of any person function of appeasing the apoetites of Short sketches of the life of Srijut the body and mind for the interests of Jagabandhu Dutta, the merchant, and the soul. It does not advise any person the ideas of Sripad Jagabandhu Bhakti- to establish hospitals, schools, colleges rajan Prabhu, expressed in his own or dharmasalas for the amelioration of words have been published in the form the salutory sufferings of the body and of printed pamphlets in Bengalee mind. It emphatically declares that language on the anniversary celebra. by such efforts the soul is not only not tions of previous years. The interesting benefited but is positively harmed. facts recorded in those publications Neither does the Gaudiya Math teach us deserve the thoughtful perusal of all to be tyagis by giving up all bodily and persons who wish to be acquainted with mental activity. On the contrary it the great purpose, indicated above, for does not shrink from telling us with which the magnificent Temple, Sarswata equal earnestness that asceticism which Auditoriun and the Buildings of the is not practised in the service of Gaudiya Math were constructed by Krishna is even more harmful than Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan. indiscriminate worldly enjoyment. It There is a great and urgent need for is the only institution that declares all persons to know this real purpose of unhesitatingly the futility and harrafnl Bhaktiranjan, because acquaintance with character of charitable and educational his purpose happens to be the one thing activities on the one hand and of asce. needful for the souls of all persons irres- ticism on the other, if they are not pective of caste, creed, colour, age, sex practised for the service of Krishna. or country none of which is essential It is, therefore, necessary for all of us for the purpose of the soul. to learn how our body and mind can The Gaudiya Math is inviting the be used in the interest of our souls by whole world to lend its attending ear to learning the service of Krishna. the Words of the Supreme Lord Sree The Gaudiya Math teaches every- Krishna Chaitanya. There are number body the only proper use of one's body less institutions in the world that are and mind in the interest of the soul. claiming the attention of the World for This makes a very great difference other purposes. But the Gaudiya Math between the object and method of the >34 TOE HARMONIST

Qauxjiya Math and of those institutions tive of caste, creed, colour, age, sex or which identify the temporal satisfaction country, with a place of assembly for of the body and mind with the per. listening to the Message of the real manent well-being of the soul. This purpose to which all our activities have difference is not the defect but the to he dedicated for the lasting benefit of special merit of the Gaudiya Math. our souls. It is our sacred duty to offer These considerations enable us to our homage to Bhaktiranjan Prabhu understand that the construction of who earned his supreme reward by being the Temple, Saraswat Auditorium called to the Fe'et of Krishna by the and Buildings of the Gaudiya Math successful completion of the great service by Sreshtharya Sripad Jagadandhu that had been permitted bi n in the vast 3haktiranjan Prabhu has provided the programme of the devotional activities citizens of Calcutta and others, irrespec- of his Divine Master.

Editorial

We have on our table a weekly to come across a bona fide person of the paper "Federated India" published from theistic school. Tandiarpet, Madras, which publishes a We quite agree that the apotheotic review of Sree Krishna Chaitanva Vol. I, thought should in no case be encouraged in its issue of the 30th Oct. 1935. The but at the same time we want to say reviewer has uo grumblings against the that the psilanthropical method should writing of the book save that it was not not be adopted in case of the unveiled written by a pantheist or a pan-atheist. knowledge which does not come under He has little sympathy with the eluci. the scope of non.transcendentaliats. dated writings of Sree Yyasa as he wants Persons who are busy to see things by to declare himself an exclusionist or the vehicles of their senses can hardly The critic goes on to say have an opportunity of learning the' that a student of can easily subject matter properly. The seeming criticise the thoughts of his opponents character of the phenomenal objects This shows his scanty acquaintance naturally deceive them in deciding that with the -vast literature of the devo. transcendental truth oozing out of tional school and he had not the fortune the grossness and subtlety should be EDITORIAL 135 considered as a" part and parcel of the of their poor information. The critic external efficacy of the thing. His has lost his temper in going through confusion of the worldly potency with the pauranic version of the character of that of the unalloyed transcendence has philosopy. By a careful study misled him to identify Absolute Know- the critic will surely be conversant ledge with non-absolute aspects. The with the fact that his is but school of devotees of the Transcendence an instance of suppressed but well- does not subscribe to the opinion of the guarded reasons, in many respects. worldly wrangler of mundane reasons. We can easily enlighten him on the So we request the writer of the review, subject if he wants to learn the same, Mr, S. K. Y., to go patiently through not through the columns of periodicals the particular trait of transcending but through a patient hearing. . To talk on a subject which is not Elsewhere is published a short notice within the province of a particular of the work of the Hindustan Associa- observer is really perilous, and we do tion of America. The list of honorary not find ony reason in his statements of members of the Association includes exalting the position of the Mahanta the name of prominent persons in India Guru. The poor critic is very fond of and America. We hope the spiritual exalting his own hallucination of a traditions of India wil I receive their Ouru by his hinging arguments. The due attention in the programme of impoverished idea of bhakti literature is lectures organised by the Association. traceable when pedantic aspersions are The Harmonist stands for the purity prominent in a critic. of Indian theistic culture and is The Puranas can easily•/ teach better ever ready tohold out her hand to thoughts than the shallow utterances those who are interested in unalloyed from the lips of novices who are proud theism. Opinions of the Press

The Statesman, forbidden by their religion to leave Saturday, November 9, 1935. India. When Gandhi first came to Gaudiya Mission England to study law he broke caste, and in consequence was treated as an Project for Hindu Temple in London untouchable by the stricter members London, Nov. 7. of his community. The Gaudiya Mission's project for More recently, Pandit Malavya, the the establishment of a Hindu temple aud leader of orthodox Hinduism, when he a Home in London, was commended by came to London for the Round-table the Marquess of Zetland, Secretary ot Conference, had to take elaborate pre- Sate for India, presiding at a lecture cautions against being polluted. He today on Hindu Philosophy by Trirlandi brought with him all he needed in the Swami Bon. way of food and drink during his stay The Marquess of Zetland mentioned abroad. that the Maharaja of Tripura had S.ce In Kensington undertaken to defray the cost of the It is hoped that the existence of a temple itself, Hindu Temple in London will do away Tridandi Swami Bon is returning to with the necessity for such precautions, to India at the beginning of December and thus make visits by orthodox with a view to furthering the project. Hindus easier. The Evening Standard, The Temple will be in charge of Friday, Nov. 8, 1935 Swami B, H. Bon, who started a London London's Hindu Temple Hindu Mission some three years ago. The Maharajah of Tippera, whose A site is being looked for in Kensignton. new house in Calcutta, floodlit every The idea is to choose as central a posi- evening, has become one of the sights tion as possible, and one more easily of the town, is providing the money for accessible than the Woking Mosque, building London's first Hindu Temple, If present plans are kept to, the The money for the freeholl site, and foundation stone will be laid next May other buildings associated with the by the Maharaja of Tipperah and the Temple, will be raised by public subs- head of the Sree Krishna Chaitanya cription in India. Community in Calcutta, who is Swami Orthodox Hindus are technically Bon's Guru. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS 137

The Eevening Standard Caste Rules Difficulty Friday, November 8, 1935 He is a young man of comely Hindu Temple to Vishnu to be Built countenance, dressed in native garments in London of a pale pink shade. He explained By Ian Goster that until a home is built many Hindus A Hindu temple will raise its tower will not cross the seas to England because of the difficulties of maintaining in Kensington, and in the 12 ft. square holy of holies Sree of Vishnu will their caste rules. be worshipped with rituals of flowers "Hindus will not eat beef or pork and foods. and some will not eat meat of any kind, nor fish" he said, "so it is difficult for That is the hope of Tridandi Swami them. We three people here leave on B. H. Bon, who has been a missionary vegetables which we cook ourselves. in England for three years. Lord Zetland announced yesterday that the We may eat English vegetables except the onion. In the home there will be Maharajah of Tippearh, a ruling prince of Bengal, had undertaken to pay for no danger of visitors breaking caste." the building of the temple. Of the temple he says he hopes the The Swami returns to India soon design will include features of various to raise more funds for the temple. He forms of Hindu architecture. It will be will come back in the early summer, of three storeys and it will have a and then he hopes that he will be able tower. Yet it must also be modern and to buy a site, somewhere in the South, not too lavishly decorated. west of London and preferably near the Worship with Flowers present headquarters of the mission in "It will not contain many SreeMurtis Cornwall.gardens. of gods", he said, "but, as it must be the In Calcutta the Swami, preacher temple of all Hindus, it must include in charge of the Gaudiya Mission the points on which we all agree. It in London, is received with triumphal will be a temple to Vishnu, and processions. Today he sat in a typical Sree Murti of the God will be brought Kensington drawing room except that from India. the bookshelves were filled with books "The inner part where Vishnu will on theology, history and philosophy be is 12ft, square, and outside that, and told me of his ambition to build surrounded by arches, there will be not only a temple but a home for another area 30ft. square. Here we will Hindus in the British Isles. worship according to our religion with 138 THE HARMONIST flowers and foods, removing our shoes make converts to Hinduism during his first, as is our custom. three years here. "English people and others will then The Times, Friday November 8, .935 be able to see the manner of Hindu "The ordinary man in England, I worship". find," he said, "is not very interested in The Svvami is very grateful to the Philosophy. I do think that I have made young Matiarajah of Tipperah for his one convert while I have been here. princely donation. "He is a beautiful But Germans are interested.; two young man, of only 29 years," said the Germans, a Baron from Bavaria and a Swami. "He is very devout He comes student from Leipzig, are already in of the proudest Koyal family of India, India studying our ways. the Chandra, or Moon family, which He estimated that there are about. with the Surya or Sun family goes back 2000 Hindus in England now. When to prehistoric times. the temple is built, he says, many more "He came to England three years will come. ago and here he wore Buropen dress Hindu Temple in London and not his gorgeous robes and jewelled Maharajah to defray cost head-dress. He is very concerned for THE QAUDIYA MISSION the advancement of his people at home. He has made many beautiful roads and The Maharajah of Tipperah, a State electric installations. He is starting an on the borders of Bengal, has under- arts.college and a medical college soon. taken to defray the cost of the building No English Convert of a Hindu temple in London to form "He is most cultured. His grand- part of the headquarters of the Gauiya father was a very famous religious man Hindu Mission in this country, which known all over India and one of the best will also include a hostel whore residents painters ; he won the first prize at an will be able to observe their cast rulss. exhibition in Paris with one of his pain- This announcement was made by tings. The Maharajah's family has Lord Zetland, Secretary of State for preserved its loyalty to religion and India, yesterday at a meeting at the country through the ages from most house of Sir Philip Sassooniu Park lane remote times. The Maharajah has a (kindly lent for the occasion) to hear a beautiful wife and three children.'' lecture on Hindu Philosophy by The Swami told me that he has been Tridandi Swami B. H. Bon, the preacher concerned with explaining Hindu in-charge of the Mission. The Swami, who Philosophy more than with seeking to established the Mission in London some OPINIONS OF THE PRESS 139

three years ago, haa lately returned from quarters of an Ahmadiya Mission ). and a abort visit to India. at two or three seaport towns, but there Lord Zetland said that on arrival in is no Hindu temple in the British Isles. Calcutta the Swami had a triumphal

procession throuiih the streets. The The Statesman, Swami hoped before very lony to be in a Tuesday, November 19, 1935. position to establish in London a Ruler's Gift Hindu temple and a hall for meetings, and wished him to announce that in this Hindu Temple in London connexion he had a very generous offer That the nucleus had been provided from the Maharajah of Tipperah which of a fund to establish a Hindu temple in would go very far to enable him to London was announced in the Statesman defray the cost. some weeks ago. That object was well worthy of support Now it is revealed that the Maharaja for the reason that there were still in of Tipperah is to provide the money for India many orthodox Hindus who hesi- a freehold site which, I understand, it tated to cross the seas and visit this is hoped to secure in Kensington. country on the ground of the difficulty That object is well worthy of support of maintaining their caste rules. But for the reason that there are still in if they knew that in London, the heart India many orthodox Hindus who of the British Empire, they would find hesitates to cross the seas and visit the a Hindu temple and a Hindu hall, country on ground of the difficulty of" together with a Hindu home where they maintaining their caste rules. But if could live their lives in accordance they know that in London, the heart with the traditions of their orthodoxy, of the British Empire, they would find they would find it very much easier to a Hindu temple and a Hindu Hall, to- come to this country. They could, there, gether v> ith a Hindu home where they fore, alt join in wishing every success could live their lives in accordance with to the Swami in the project. the traditions of their orthodoxy, they There are mosques for Moslem would find it very much easier to come worship at Wbking, Putney ( the head- to this country. Public Reception TO Swami Bon OF Sree Gaudiya Math Tridandi Swami Bhakti Hridoy Bon Maharaj who was deputed two and a half years ago from the Gaudiya Math, Calcutta, to propagate the universal religion of Divine Love in the West, returned to Calcutta from England along with two German disciples of the Mission on 8.9.35. He was received at the Howrah Railway station by a huge crowd led by Maharaja of Hathwa and was given a Public Reception at the Gaudiya Math, by the citizens of Calcutta the same evening under the presidentship of Maharajadhiraj Bahadur of Burdwan. Swamiji established "London Gaudiya Mission Society'' under the presidency of the most Hon'ble Marquess of Zetland for mutual understanding between the East and the West and conveyed the message of love and truth to the Imperial Court and the Archbishop of Canterbury and York. His Holiness will visit Darjeeling to open a branch Math at "Augusta Villa" and return to Madras after seeing His Excellency the Governor of Bengal on 21-9.35. A public reception will be given to His Holiness at 5 p. m. on Saturday the 21st September, 1935 'at the Nripendra Narayan Public Hall, Darjeeling, under the presidency of Maharaj Kumar Uday Chand Mahatab of Burdwan. All are cordially invited to attend- B. L. Mittbr (Hon'sbb, Sir) Bhuban mohan Chatterjbb (Rai Sahbb) D. N. Sen P. Rapuk J. M. De R. K. Bhatttaoharya S. C. Gupta R. N. Rudra D. P. Mukhbrjee T. P. Banbrjbe D. Das Gupta R. K. Mukherjeb S. Mazumdar Dhirendra Nath Sen Gupta G. K. Baoerjee Jatindra Mohan Banbrjke S. Sanyai A. C. Guha S. N. Ghosh A. C. Banerjeb Round the Gaudiya Maths

Sree Chaltnya Hath, Sridham Hayapur: caste, creed and colour should assemble The Disappearance Anniversary of and take part in the samkirtan. Srila Gourkishore Das Goswami Babaji On November 18, Editor left for Maharaj was observed here on November Krishnagar. 7. In the morning at 4 a. m. after Sree Kunja Beharl Math, Radhakunda : Aratrika Krishna kirtan was per- On October 27, Editor visited Sree formed. Sri Bhaktiratnakar was read Gostha Behari Math at Seshasayee and and explained. A nagar samkirtan inspected the works of the Math. He procession was arranged and the Temple returned to Radhakund the same even- of Srila babaji Maharaj, Sree Radha ing. On October 28, many respectable Kunda, Sree Chaitanya Math and other gentlemen from Muttra came to the temples were circumambulated. All Math at noon and listened to religious the devotees of the Math, inhabitants discourses. On October 30, Sj Mithathan of Sreedham and the students of the Lai Bhatnagar, Retired Engineer of Agra school joined in the procession. Tridandi- came to meet Editor. He explained to swnmi Srinaad Bhakti Kevala Audulomi him the terms Adhokshaja, apotheosis Maharaj read "Bhajan Rahasya". In anthropomorphism, zoomorphism and the afternoon at 3 p. m. a meeting was many other things. He further explained held at Sree Chaitanya Math. Srimad to him Diksha and Sri Nama. Editor Audulomi Maharaj spoke on the career then graced him with Sri Nama. and teachings of Babaji Maharaj. At M. M. Sripad Kunja Behari - night Sree Chaitanya Charitamrita was bhusan and M. M. Sripad Ananta r^ad and explained. Vasudev Vidyabhusan arrived there on On November 17, Editor arrived October 30. On November 2, Capt. here in the afternoon. He visited Sree Shibdas Suri, M. B and Sj. Lalit Yogapeeth at about 5 p. m. The devotees Mohan Ghose with family came to the of. the Math and residents of Sreedham Math. They listened to the religious assembled at the premises of Sree discourses from the Editor Who recited Yogapeeth. Editor explained before and explained a number of slokas from them the necessity of chanting kirtan Gita and Srimad Bhagabat. On always and all should be invited to join November 4, Sj. Mathura Nath Misra, in the samkirtan. Sriman Gaursundar Postmaster, Mathura, met Editor and desired- that all persons irrespective of listened to Harikatha from him. 142 THE HARMONIST

On November 4, Sri Vigrahas were dental Name and unalloyed theism. Prof. installed at the Kunja Behari Math, Lakshmipati Shastri of Madras Univer amidst loud samkirtan and rituals. sity came to the Math on November 5. Many respectable gentlemen of the He had cenversation with Pandit locality and outside were present. On Jagadananda Hrajabasi. On November November 7. Editor left for Delhi. 13, a religious class was held at the Burma house of Mr. P. Muthiappan Pillay. Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Sudhir It was largely attended. A preacher Yachak Maharaj, a preacher of the of the Math explained Srimad Bhagabat Mission is propagating the doctrines of to him. On November 15, a similar Sriman Mahaprabhu in Burma. He class was held at the house of Mr. visited a number of ports on the Irawadi Bankat Raman Iyer, M. A., B. L., and successfully preached the tenets of Advocate Sripad Satya Vastabya Das Sri Chaitanyadev. He arrived at Shwebo Bmjabasi explained Srimad Bhagabat. on October 25. Sj. Ramesh Chandra Sree Gaudiya Math, Patna : Talukdar, Public Prosecutor recieved Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Pradip him warmly. He helped Swamiji in Tirtha Maharaj is staying at Patna. He various ways. On October 28, a meeting is spreading the Messages of Sree was organised at the local Thakurbari. Chaitanyadev in the city and suburbs. Swamiji spoke on Gita. The lecture Sj. Amar Nath Ohatterji, Retired Judge, was pteceded and followed by kirtan. Patna High Court invited Swamiji at On October 29, he delivered another his house on November 1. Swamiji lecture on Gita. read and expounded Sri Sanatan Siksha Sree Gaudiya Math, Madras: from Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita. The preachers of the Math are visit- Lucknow ing different places in the city and A meeting was held at Bengali Club holding religious meetings and dis and Yubak Saraity on November 3. Prof. courses. Their devotional activities are Radha Kamal Mukherji M. A., P. R.S., attracting respectable visitors. On presided. Mahopadeshak Pandit Kishori November 2, Mahanta Maharaj of Mohan Bhaktibandhab delivered a lecture Ramanandi Math, Bangalore, came to on the Leela of Sree Gaursundar, illua. the Math. He had a talk with a member trating the same with lantern slides. of the Math in English. On November The audience appreciated the thing. 4 and 5, Pandit S. Rarachandra Sarma Sree Gaudiya Math, Delhi: visited the Math,-He listened with atten- Editor arrived here on November 7, tion to the discourses about Transcen- Mr. K. N. Dikshit, Deputy Director of ROUND THE GAUDIYA MATHS 143

Archaeological Department came to the occasion of Rftsh Yatra on November 10, Math in the evening of November 7. the holy tithi of full moon was respect- He was glad to meet Editor. Editor fully observed and in this connection an was followed by Tridandiswami Hhakti exibition was opened showing Appear, Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj, Siddhaswarup anceof .Sri Krishna and His juvenile Brahmachari. Tridandiswami Srimad and youthful pastimes in a number of Bhakti Bhudeb Srauti Maharaj is read- stalls. For some days visitors came in ing and expoundinir Srimad Bhagabat large numbers to have a sight of it. at the Math premises every evening. Editor accompanied by M. M. Kunja Sree Gaudlya Math, Amarshi: Hehari Vidyabhusan, Tridandiswami Upadeshak Sripad Anadi Krishna Bhakti Sarvaswa Giri Maharaj, Sripad Brahmachari, a preacher of the Math, Mahananda Brahmachari and other went to Selmabad at the request of Sj. devotees of the Math arrived at Rakhal Chandra Hazra, Contractor. Krishnagar in the evening of November Bralunachariji explained the anecdote 16. He was received at the railway of Raja Ambarish from Srimad station by the devotees of the local Bhagabat. Math. He then drove to the Math. He Sree Gaudlya Math, Gaya : left for Sridham on November 17 and Editor accompanied by M. M. Kunja came back on November 18. Behari Vidyabhusan, Tridandiswami Sree Kunja Kutlr, Krishnagar : B. R, Sridh ir Maharaj, Sripad Siddha- Editor accompanied by M. M Kunja swarup Rrahmchari, Sripad Sajjana- Rehari Vidyabhusan, Tridandiswami ■ nanda Brahmachari arrived at Gaya. Bhakti Sarbnswa Giri Maharaj, Sripad Devotees of the Math and leading Mahananda Brahmachari and other citizens received Him with samkirtan Devotees of the Math arrived at and shouts of joy. Krishnagar in the evening of November Sri Yigrahas were installed at the 16. He was received at the railway Math on November 13, amidst kirtan station by the devotees of the local and other ceremonies. On this occasion Math. He left for Sreedham on Novem- an utsab was arraniied. Many respect, her 17 and came back on November 18. able gentelmen including Rai Kashi Sree Ramananda Gaudiya Math, Kovur : Nath Sinha Bahadur, and Sj, Brajeswari The preachers of the Math are Prasad attended the ceremony. spreading the messages of Sriman Sree Gaudlya Math, Calcutta : Mahaprabhu in the Andhra country. Editor arrived here on November On November 5, Sripad Narottama. 14, from Gaya Gaudiya Math, On the nanda Brahmachari read and explained 144 THE HARMON1S1 the episode of Prahlad from Srimad of puja, arati, samkirtan and path was Bhagabatam at the house of Mr. arranged. Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Kameswar Rao Garu, B. A., L. L. T, Prasun Bodhayan Maharaj supervised teacher, Board High School. Many the successful performance of the utsab. respectable gentlemen were present. M, M. Pandit Aprakrita Bhaktisaranga On November 8 to 10, he read and ex- arrived here on November 18. pounded Srimad Bhagabat at the house Brajamandal of Mr. V. Kameswar Garu. B. A., Tridandiswami Bhakti Vivek Bharati Tahsilder, Kovur, and on November 12. Maharaj and M. M. Pandit Aprakrita 14, at the house of Mr. K. Y. Seshava- Bhakti Saranga Goswami were visiting tar Garu, pleader of the local Bar. Mr. differer t places in Bharatpur State on Seshavatar introduced Brahmachariji missionary activities. Mr. Dhauji to all the respectable gentlemen present. Raghubir Singh, Political Agent Sree Gostha Blhari Math, Seshashayee : paid expenses of constructing the The annual celebration of the Math temple of Braja Swananda Sukhada was duly celebrated on November 9. Kunja at Radhakund. Thence he pro. All the Brajabasis ot the place joined ceeded to Abagarh with Tridandiswami the function. A whole day programme Srimad Bhakti Vivek Bharati Maharaj.

ES. Hlndusthan Association of America The headquarters of the Association The Hindustan Association of is at International House, New York America, which has been in existence City, which is the hostel for foreign for nearly two decades, is doing useful students studying in the universities work among the Indian community. It and colleges in New York. is a non-political organization, primarily- Persons from India who are con. interested in bringing about a cultural templating a visit to the United States understanding between India and are free to write to us for any informa- America and to open up educational tion they desire and we will be only facilities for Indian students in America. too glad to be of any service to our Its associated membership includes countrymen and women. All com- people from all parts of the world. munications should be addressed to the During the summer of every year, Secretary of the Association. in keeping with the traditions of P. Gopala Krishnayya, President American institutions of higher learning Hindustan Association of America. it gives a series of courses on Indian International House, culture and civilization which is always 500 Riverside Drive, well attended. , TJ. S. A. VOL. XXXII No. 7] Regtd. No. C1601

THE HARMONIST

(Scee Saiianatosbant)

FORTNIGHTLY-

Oaur Ekadashi Agrahayan • 449 G.A.

'December 6, 1935.

I yysRltvnt 11 Anttihi ration of ageafong sufferings. May these our high aims ffourish The Service of Racfha-Krishna, 7o gfaadan the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chiaf Inland Rs. 4-8. Foreign Is. 6d. Paramahansa Bhakli Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Sara»waii Goswami

Sree Caudiya Math, P.O. Baghbazar, Calcutta. CONTE NTJs

Subject Page 1. Diviae Governance ••• 145 2. Karma, Juan and Bhakti 148 3. Sander Warurabe 164 i. Round the Gaudiya Maths ... 167 ALL-GLORY TO SRRE OURU AND OAURANOA

T li c \l n t m ants I

(Sree Sajjanatosbani)

VOL. XXXII. DECEMBER 6, 1935 No. 7

Divine Governance

pOLITICAL troubles are not bad of His subservients. Admission to the in themselves. They are part plane of service is equivalent to the and parcel of Divine Governance. We cessation of spiritual ignorance. Spiri- feel troubled for our present ignorance tual enlightenment does not mean that of their real significance. the person so enlightened understands' But it is not given to us or anybody all things, as God Himself understands to know the Ways of God fully. We them, either of this or of any oth«r can, however, know that much of the world. What such a person actually Divine Activity as is helpful to us for understands is his own relationship to His service. But the least particle of and location in the uncovered plane of such knowledge is more than sufficient the Absolute Reality. Instead of being for all the purposes of our pure souls. an insignificant ignorant actor in this The person who knows God does not mundane cosmos he finds himself to be understand His Ways in the sense in no less than the most insignificant cons- which Godhead understands them. He cious entity in the plane of the super- understands them in the measure that mundane sphere of All.Existence, All- is necessary for having his conscious Knowledge and All-Joy. He consciously share in those Activities as a subservient shares in the life of the said realm in 146 THE HARMONIST

the tiny measure of his eligibility for But is such consummation compatible the service of God. with the existence of Godship ? Over On this mundane plane in the condi- whom also are we to exercise our Godly tioned state we are anxious to know all rule ? If everybody is God, there would things in the fullest measure, even as be no entity over whom it would be neces- God Himself knows them. This bad sary to exercise any power at all. ambition should properly enough be The idea that it is possible for us to impossible of realisation. If it were- have any real power over any entity possible for us to know everything, is philosophically ridiculous. Have the distinction between ourselves and we any control over our own body and God would cease. Such ambition is the mind ? Why do we die, if we are really outcome of our attitude of disloyalty masters of our own destiny ? Why are towards God. It proves that we are we ignorant at all ? If we can be made not willing to tolerate the domination ignorant, can we not also be made of God We are anxious to become enlightened by the same Agency ? But God. This unnatural delusion is kept can such enlightenment really make us up by our experiences of this world. any other than the subservients of the We seem to be constantly progressing Agent ? towards the knowledge that will yive Knowledge gives us power only so us final mastery over everything. But long as it is not taken away. Such per- do we really possess mastery over mitted knowledge is not at all like know- anything v Or is it the fact tl^at we ledge that is possessed by God, in His are made to serve the Purpose of Own Right. Permitted power also does Godhead by the driving force of His not belong to us as its real proprietors. irresistible deluding Energy, even while But what do we find to be the current we are dreaming of establishing our views regarding the nature and posses- own impending supremacy ? sion of political power ? Every nation is But why are we permitted to pro- anxious to acquire power for the pur- gress in the apparently dominating pose of doing what it likes, with the knowledge of the entities of this world ? same freedom and in the same dominat. Why are we permitted to consolidate ing spirit as God Himself. Which of our seeming power over the things of the nations is seriously thinking about this world ? Is it not intended by God the Purpose of God in permitting them that we should enjoy this world and to have power for the time being ? other worlds as proprietors even as God Why does every nation want to have Himself, or at least as His co-partners ? more power than the other nations ? Is DIVINE GOVERNANCE 147 it for serving God with its greater per. God. It is necessary to seek to know mitted power ? Can God be served at the Purpose of God. It is never possi- all by umndane political power ? Can ble for any person to know the full the dead serve the living ? Does God Purpose of God. It is never possible require food and drink that are apparent- for any person to know even the nature ly created by the bodily power of mor- of His Purpose in regard to oneself, tals for the nourishment of the body of unless God is pleased to impart such flesh ? Does He require speculations knowledge out of His causeless Mercy. about the earthly existence that are God always keeps Himself aloof from vainly spun by the mental activities of the concerns of those who choose to erring man ? If He requires neither, keep their concerns to themselves. That what can any nation really offer to God is the plight of the nations of our day. by way of their service ? How can any That is the plight of the empiric nation suppose that it is being permitted scientists. They never ponder over to serve God by the intensification of the wise words of the Bible, 'What will its present Godless physical and mental it avail if we gain the world and lose activities ? our souls ?' Nothing is lost, everything God is afflicting mortals by permitt- is truly gained, if we can only find our ing them freedom to shape their course souls, if we can only find the Purpose of in their own way without seeking His God in those activities in which we are conscious Guidance. The present scienti- permitted to be engaged by His Will. fic age is so sure of its capacity to take But it will be demanded, 'How can care of itself without reference to God we at all know about God with our pre. that it. is almost hopeless to expect it sent resources ?' The answer must be, to reconsider its position in the light of 'We shall be permitted to know by His these old and familiar truths. Causeless Mercy, if we are only sincerely No real good can come out of any willing to submit to His Guidance, ■j.ortAl endeavour, political or otherwise, but not otherwise/ But are we really if it is not undertaken with the cons- willing to submit to God in the manner cious purpose of serving the Will of that is directed by Himself ? Karma, Jnan and Bhakti

( From a discourse at Sree Gaudiya Math, Delhi on 3. 10. 35 )

|^"ARMA, Jnan and Bhakti have different. By jnana we want to know three different goals. They are the inner subject The cover need not be never meant as one. Karma is thus des- confused with the letter. Take a can of cribed in the Geeta : glass bottle with its contents or medicine. ''The mundane energy (prakriti) per. If we briefly say, pointing to the bottle, forms all work (karma) by means of the 'this is medicine', we don't mean that gunas (generative, conservative and des- the bottle is medicine. This distinction tructive attributes). The soul infatuated is analogous to that between the apparent - by mundane egoism (ahanikara) imagines and the real Upadhis are incorpora- that he possesses the initiative (karta). tions with the swarupa. Upadhis should As soon as we are confined to pheno- be removed Some sort of gnosticism menal activity we think we are doers. should predominate. As karmakandis These activities do not last.for a long we do temporary work. They are admit, time. TRey are also known as prakrita ted to be futile. The external body is karma /mundane work). We suppose now incorporated with the real ego,— that the actions are done by us. This with me. The inanimate objects are is . Karma is really the pro. meddling with pur subjective existence. duct of the gunas. But the Geeta also Phenomenal tilings are either gross or cautions us against premature inter, subtle. When grossness is abstracted ference with the harmis (1). it gives us a subtle taste of grossness. The less intelligent need not be This grossness is transformable. We divulged the truth of the superiority of cannot rely on these gross and subtle jnana. Those who are busy in dealing impressions. We have now got the with phenomenal things need not be gross physical body and the internal told about the futility of upadhi by animating entity. The ownership lies which we seem to be near our object, apart from these in a different entity but are not really so. Swarupa (one's viz., the soul (atma). The mind, buddhi own figure) is distinct from upadhi etc., are all non-soul. These are the (adjunct) The latter is a deluded im- properties. The proprietor need not be pression. True impression is quite classed in the same category with pro- perty. Creator need not be confused with the created. The existence of the KARMA. JNAN AND BHAKTI 149

Creator is prior. Ekkahart and other potency. The devotees have a different philosophers accordingly say that God impression. Brahma is the very foun. was branded to the substratum after tain-head of all. (2) creation. Before creation He need not All will go back to that very thing. be termed God. In , They have got their temporary existence inculcated by Samkara, Brahma is the here. The gnostics deny the raanifes- fountain-head and Iswara and other tive activity there. They think that things are emanations from the Brahma. they should annihilate their entity by The conception of devotees is quite absorption int'v that very thing. But difterent. Iswara is to lord it over some the Geeta say s (3) other things who are not to be regarded 'After we get our salvation we have as Lords. Iswara is one and the many the function of transcendental devotion are dependants (bashyas). We think (parabhakti). When we see our swarupa that all phenomenal objects includuui (own figure), instead of considering^ pheuma or prana are created by a Crea- the incorporations as our swarupa, tor or Iswara. This Iswara transforms we actually get liberty from the shackles, the wrapper and not the soul. These we find that we have some real function wrappers envelope the individual perso- there. (4) nality. They are two quite different Then we know we are not the exter- things. The soul is covered by some nal body, nor have much to do with the cognitional faculty in order to meddle phenomenal world, —nor do we offer with this external world. This covering any unjust pouncings on others. (5). principle is mind which is served by five We are then free from all sorts of • ministerial agents viz., the eye, ear etc. jealousies. When we are void of all Light waves irritate the ocular nerves, malice (nirmatsara), we regain our pro- and so on. All these nerves are irritated per condition. Bhakti is the uniting by the agencies of phenomena. The tie between bhakta and Bhagaban. The body \ is equipped with the senses to 2 qat v faifwjjcnfsf Si aimf* receive these irritating predicaments. Asa counsel of relief from such irritat- fcifannTO, SB l ( a; ) ing experiences, the impersonal view 3 HBRp srawnesr s sitefe s wwBfa is accepted by us. We suppose that a tabula rasa should be allotted at the ( ifafT—) terminal point ; that the reality should be void of all shakti. This is the gnos- 4 s siiMfa 'f srraRfrfs

tic conception of Brahma devoid of 5 » ww"ov • 150 THE HARMONIST seven byahritis and the seven lower aptitude. If we are true to the Absolute spheres comprise the munda ne world Truth we can shake off all these errone. (Brabmanda). When we are not com- ous impressions that are enveloping prised within these fourteen cells, we us like the shadow. Then we can get are liberated ; we then regain our func. to the by giving up the tion. The function of the soul is Ohakti. measuring activity We should have When we are not in need of filling up the devotional aptitude. When we enter inadequacies, when we have no appetite th^t region we can have free scope for for encroaching upon others, that very the iunotion of our soul. When we are position will recall to us that we have jnanins and Icarmins we have no such a very particular function viz., to serve. opportunity. This bhakti is practically Here there can be nothing whom to received when we pay attention to the serve. Everything here is shifting as instruction of Sree Krishna (8). "You will also our position as worshipper. The be given ample instruction if you submit tie here has got no eternal value. We unconditionally to Me. Leave aside have a different position from the whatever conceptions of religion you phenomena. (6 ) have got up till now. I will see what is Though we have come down here to be done for you. You need not think our entity need not be classed in the that some alternative course is to be same category with phenomenal objects. adopted. I will see to all your interests. These are more or less deluding. If we You won't have to come in touch with are not anxious to regain our function any unwholesoraeness. You will not have we are liable to be troubled. We should to repent." Such is the clear assurance not allow any system of thought which that we get from Sree Krishna. is not bhakti. The absolute infinitesimals He is Akhilarasamritaraurti (the have no other function but to serve the figure of all mellowness). We are in- Absolute Infinity (7), By the function of terested in rasa (mellow taste). We can the soul we may be familiar with the have eternal taste of things. When we Absolute Truth, the knowledge can be actually enter the realm of Vaikuntha had only through our devotional we set ourselves quite free from entangl- ing in this mundane net. We can then easily transcend. We are different ser. ^ fasn n vitors in different rasas. In the (m) 8 nrei* ncn'mi 1 HI , flrMI fqstlci II SH* HT 5*! II ( «falT ) (•fcn ) KARMA, JNAN AND BHAKTl 151

Avatara the Veda was restored. Divine synthetic is from many to one. We need intelligence (Veda) was stolen ( kept not carry thither all these things of concealed ) bj7 some Asm'as. In the our present experience. But our souls Satya Yuga in the reian of Satyabrata should go (9). tbe Veda was stolen. These sorts of wrong things should The Personality of Godhead should be eliminated. We can then know our be embraced. We must approach Him position. We have ample opportunity 4hd get full knowledge of Hint. He has of going to that region. The word His Plenary Position. For us, He is bishate does not mean absorption. By the Ocean of all rasas. We shall have entering the region of Bhahti, the three our desires fulfilled. There are five and things Knower, Known and Knowledge seven mukhya ( primary ) and gauna are not merged in one. The impersonal (secondary) rasas. We are now engaged school inculcates this wrong impression in culturing these ms'is with the people on insufiicieut interpretation of the of this world, lut we should know to Chhandogya text (10). Personality is be engaged with the Absolute. Jvan is targetted by them in phenomena. Its itself bhahti when it is Krishna-jnana elimination is quite true. But these of a Knrshna. All the twelve rasas are shrutis do not mean that tabula ra.sa is in Him. If we actually secure little the final position. The enclouded faces rasa here, we shall be deprived of that of things have given us this impression. rasa shortly. This temporary acquisi- The analytical representation gives tion is followed by destitution of that us the full thiog. By analogy these can rasd again. "When we store up anything be approached very easily. here, it evaporates like camphor. As So bhakli is the uniting tie between individual souls, we require a very little the Absolute Infinite Truth and tbe of the Ocean of rasa. He is the Empo- absnlute infinitesimal truth. The truths rium. We shall be amply rewarded, if we nre to be united. We need not detach submit. If we show our diffidence to ourselves from Him. Otherwise we serv» Him, we shall have these seeming shall have a shadowy existence in us. servitors here. There are no servitors I am the pencil of ray coming out of there. Krishna-jnan is cultured hy the glowing disc of the sun. We are in- correlating two epistemological methods separable from- the Brahma. There is viz.. (1) that which proceeds from unity quantitative difference. The gnosties to diversity and (2) that which proceeds •from diversity to unity. The analytic method is from one to many while the 10 Sa 152 THE HARMONIST think they should swell like the frog. work unless helped by some other They rely on the analogy of a pot. source (13). When the pot is destroyed the measured In the Bh&gatam we also find simi- space is not demarcated; hut it has not, lar statements Til). therefore, swelled into the whole space. If we are meant to offer our services 30 cubic feet is not many cubic miles. to AdfwJcsh.aja ( Transcendence ) and Doubtingo analogieso should be abandoned not to Akskaja i. e. what submits to our They lead to henotheistic thoughts (U) senses, Godhead need not be obliged tQ; The figure should not be ascribed to stand in the dock. He is not to be accom- Him and then taken away. In order modated witbin our sensuous exploita- to reject the personal face of Godhead, tious. We have got our sentient power they suppose that personality is born of for finite things, not fur the Infinity. of phenomena. The bhaldast never accept We cannot accommodate 4th to infinite such a conclusion. dimensions, At present our senses We shall always receive iustraction cannot cope with them. So we need not from sadkva who always retain their think that we can compel God to come eternal situation and do not agree with for our inspection. the pantheists who have temporary The proposal of treatment, that is situations both as teacher and based on the diagnosis of the root,-cause pupil. (12) Pantheistic interpreters of of disease, need not be regarded as the Geeta and Vedanta have misinter. irrelevant talk. It becomes necessary prefced the system as per view of the to speak with a view to elucidate the bhaldas. This is the case with Hegel, position which is the source of con- Schoppenhuer, etc. We are rather tamination. tired of their dealings. God-loving 13 fii aptitude is required. I can witness things. Without the help of light, I cannot exercise optical faculty. Without help, I cannot function. Our animation cannot 3^ sigpilffig i 11 fsarafo agrr: fasa1! 3««wro 12 cfal i ^qgqfail (g?gq:) 14 flfelt'TfT | ( «T: ) w n («t;) KARMA, JNAN AND BHAKTI

God remains inaccessible to our killing animals at the altar of the Deity mundane senaes. But He cau come on for their gastronomioal exploitations. the scene of our vision, if He likes. He They are unethical in the extreme. That is not created bj our fancies. On the can never be the Skantra, These wrong contrary, hie is the creator. ideas .and thougbta should not have been ushered in the Soriptnrea. We cannot How to surrender to God ? think that Shastras instruct us for our We are the ouatwliana. We commit pi ensure (15.) In every figure, there is theft. By the commercial policy we Vishnu, Vishnu is fostering every have got property. We cannot encroach animal. We will then have justification upon the properties of others. We have, to be devoured by the tiger eto. We are got something,—two eyes, two eara etc in the habit of enjoying by offering pain Inmthe owner., I cannae and, misuse to Qtbera (16.) We must resist these these things, Nous should try to take away things ^ these things from ms. If any body try Qthera will say we have got canine to do so, I, as cuatodian, ahquid resist. teeth. But in sober thinking, we should W« are independent* if Govinda wishes not subscribe to such thought. So we the custody will aha,uge hands. If we find in India religion inculcated by go on doing so, we will simply show our Shaky a Singha, and also the religion of silly disposition. Whatever is ordained the Jains, They do not offer pain to by Providence we should submit to. animate things. They are good so far. But we take undue advantage of taking They are not sanguine to trace things God's property. The happiness wbioh to their source (17.) Let peace come we am to get as individuals,. we shall iaU this world. This is Bhakli. get. We oanno.t avoid uwhappinesa. We are ba&hya (dependant). We actually 16 sntftqnt | feel it. The. trouble comes from outside. 16 We shall aubnait. People are fond of 17 vwl^l !! I Sunder Warumbe [ Causeless Grace ] By Parr E, G. SrJiulze

\ M ON GST the philosophers bath oi the limitations of human intellectual the Bast as well as the West tho and rational faculties changed much. opinion is widely prevalent that the But even the ecientific philosopher detachment of philosophies from the Hans Driesch does not deny the fact "theological" jurisdiauon, in the course that by trying to conceive the whole of of the devolopmont of the human the phenomena as the directly manifest philosophical interest, ia equivalent to a objects at a single glance as a disentan- corresponding change of the problems gled cosmos, he acknowledges tho sup- of the metaphysical and zoetical philoso- position that the philosophical mind ia phies. But a careful, optimally objee. able to pratioipate in the basic ideas of tive investigation shows that the subject- this created world, ideas which, invol- matter of philosopy the termini a quo et ving the termini a quo et ad quem, are ad quem of the cosmical and human metaphysical; therefore, we shall have life has ever since been the same. The to be satisfied—nolens volens—with a seemingly positivistic disposition of the partial order of the haeccehas. materialists and agnostics is but the By the detachment of the philosophy outcome and echo of the realisation of from the "theology", the experience of the utter uselessness of the "theological'' tho zoetioal nature of the "Geist'' was speculations their human originators made possible. Formerly pneuma as wanted to pas? off as revealed "Truth" donum euperadditum gave the flhah apprehended by the process of theologi- judgment by enlightening the particle cal deduction. Duns Scotas favoured of nus, psyche has the fortune to en- the emancipation of philosophy from tho shrine. But as pneuma proved itself slavery of the so-called "theology" by as a very unreliable last resort, Greist establishing his theory of the double got every opportunity to display bis truth. What is theologically true may activities. The so-called theologians are be philosophically wrong and vice versa. usually inclined to refer to special tele- Since the philosophy ceased to be the phonic connections with the ''super-mun- aticilla theologiac, the opinions about dane" realm by means of which they SUNDER WARUMBE 155 themselves as ordinary mundane enti- Ephraim Lessing wrote ; if God ties" receive extraordinary "revelations' had the Truth in his right hand and nobody else except themselves has any the search after the Truth in the left access to. The so-called philosophers of one, I would not hesitate a single all schools of thouoht follow in the wake moment but pray for the latter. There of their antipodes. Though the "nisi est is an inherent knowledge in man that in intellectn quod non prius fuerii in the Truth is the summun honvm. The sensii" is an acknowledged fact, and search after the truth is a painful though the "nisi intellectus ipse" (l) process. The vast human literature has been limited by Kant's exposition reveals the tragical fact, that we are that we can have knowledge of the like leaves, the storm is whirling np and phenomena made possible by the co- down, hither and thither ; we do not operation of sensuousness and intellect, know where we came from, why we are but not of the noutnena as things in falling down, where we have to proceed themselves, our intellect being forced to. "Philosophers" may philosophise to perceive all things as veiled by the to pass away the time as Schopen-hauer screen of time and space, yet Heoel and Julius Bahnsen did. But the and many after him had the audacity to genuine friends of true wisdom, the talk explicitly or implicitly about the philosophers kat' exochen, want and absolute mind as a unity of the subjec. need an Absolute solution of the prob- tive and objective mind in whom the lem of the causa prima and causa logical idea is realising itself as "God". finalis. Aristotelian concoctions and Augusti- Social and intellectual life has become nian ''revelations'' the nus enabling very complicated. Man has tried to man to participate in the ideas and idea subdue the nature to his "Will and to as idea of God continue to eclipse the organise and rationalise her. according vision of the so-called philosophers to various partly theoretical-idealistic, The philosophers may call them. partly economical-pragmatical principles. selves empiricists, piienomenologists or The most bidden portions of the sub- idealists, none of them has been able conscious life have been drawn into the to give a a, indisputable, i. e. psychological and psycho-analytical Absalttte, solutinn. of the problems of search.light, but the result is negative the terminiiqvo et ad quetii: It is noth. in every respect. Instead of any uplift- ing but a mere claptrap when Gotthold raenfc or solution of our problems we (1) "There is nothing in the intellect what wi not previously in the senses"—"except the intellect itself" 156 THE HARMONIST have coin© across special payohalogical exist as the sumnait of the nniversitas problems.and we have to suffer more Uterarum. The philosophy followed a thaa before, as all sub-oonscious process- suicidal course. But the modern egoln- es have become oonacicms. Oar pbiloso- gistio philoaopbers want to keep their phical endeaVQuriDgg ended in liberalism philosophical garment. Therefore, they and ; one creed and pbilosophj are trying to prove intelleotnally, that is as good or bad, as true or wrong as the intellect is our real Satan, This another on© ; every one should simply our intellect is to he defeated by the follow a course that suits bim. ''We intellect visqsya vimmmsadham—similia renounce Truth. We want happiness and simitikus eurantur. A philosopher peace". We have no access to la Verite. whose sexual i. e. egoistic desires smo- We are tired of verites. Realite ? The ther successfully his ratio does not out negative we get by viewing the pheno- a good figure. Therefore, he refers to mena through the ohjeot-glass of our the dialectical "divine*' process of the intellect, in really negative aod all re- self-evolutioo of Godhead in which tQUobing is a vain attempt. Vitalite ? process man is participating. The primi- Yes, that is the paradise we have lest. tive state is the thesis, the ratioDalistic Oeist ox intelleot is the enemy to the state is the- antithesis, and, enriched by soul, Now we have been following our experiences in the homelessness, we rational ways for many ceatories, return home i. e, the synthesis ; e. g. obeyed various categorieal imperatives, primitive people living in the cloaest tried even to live a fully conscious life. contact with nature yet have no cons- Let us then return to the non-reflective, cious idea of her beauty. City-people instinctive, natural and beautiful state having lost any contact with her, are of smider xoarumbe — causoless — without loaging back to her bosom, are leaving why—the state we were living in cities to adopt the life of agriculturists before we lost our magical CQnception and try to forget all the disturbing of the world, before the philosophers ideologies, enabled to appreciate nature and intel lectualists came to disturb our as their beautifal mother. The picture primal peaceful paradise. of this intuitive and instinctive life is In the last stage of philosophical supplied by the French philosopher erertions the proper subject-matter of Henry Bergson, the German Ludwfg, philosophy the termini a quo ei ad Klages, the -Jew Tbeodof Lessing and quemdmi finemhomo ordinatur a Deo other exponents: of antjjphxloBopbical bae been given up. As a matter of fact philosophies. This aesthetical picture, the philosophy does not continue to the product of the imagination of some SUNDER WARUMBE 157

highly organised "brains, is likely to be nature of our self is not to be satisfied welconoeH by man who is always keen with the object of our philosophies. All on enjoying an anti-rational and irra- those who realised the zoetical limita- tional unrestricted life. tion of our intellect and instincts and at As the instincts are individual, fami- the same time cannot deny the deside. liar, social, national, racial and genera- rium natMrnle which is expressed by tive functions of the subconscious the true instinctive feeling that we have human life, they are influenced by all been born as men for a higher course physical and mental processes, by the than to follow sexual like instincts, effects of milieu, food, education, habits- which only covet things of this world for etc Instincts are variable functions their own selfish enjoyment—are dependent on the inherent and acquired sincerely requested to allow themselves character of our desires. We get neither to he fully directed by this desiderium a reliable compass for our own use, nor naturale. They will then be invited to can we expect any harmonising ten- renounce the argument of consensus dency in social life. But how should it be gentium et temporum. The "Harmonist'' possible to argue with instinct- has the great desire to serve all sincere philosophers ? Instincts are irrational philosophers by discussing the philoso- functions. If you are unable to appre- phical and metaphysical problems, hend intuitively what they say, then you which have been touched in this belong to another group of instinct- exposition on a real rational basis people or you are perhaps an intellectua- proceeding towards a solution of list. Theologians, philosophers and anti- them embodied in the Substance Him- philosophers—they all have some inac- self Who Sunder Warumbe-—Causeless cessible authority, some special revela. — descended to this shadowy place, tions in their respective pneuma, nus or Himself fully retaining His Substantive intellect. They sally forth and propagate Character. The Harmonist is inviting their ideas. Pressed hard by our argu- every one and all to allow themselves ments they heat a hasty retreat and on to be instructed by those, who are part returning to their respective strong- and parcel of the Truth being loyal holds, they complain of the foolishness servants to the actual Divine Master-of of the world and give themselves plenty Teachings and Practice. Unless the of butter. Substance Himself is pleased to inform It is, indeed, painful to think, if our us about His Own Nature out of sunder object does not correspond to the capa- warumbe—causeless Mercy, we shall be cities of our intellect and if the true liable to mistake the Substance for one 158 THE HAKMONIST of the "substances" i. e. mere shadows Those who praise mother nature we find in this world. should not forget that this their All endeavourings to denounce the mother has endowed them with organs dictations of reason in order to follow for mental and. rational faculties. We "freelj" i.e. as slaves the dictations cannot return to the standard of of irrational, contradicting, lust-driven animals, nor do we really want to be instincts propagated by ego central partially animalised. Why should we and anti-rational pseudo.teachers, can- degrade ourselves under the state of not deny the scientific fact that man animals, if nature has endowed us differs from animal by a particular with higher functions ? "Be what you and wide structure of the fore head- are — nothing else !" That is indeed region in which the language.cenfre the real categorical imperative. But is localised. The hypothalamus of the how can we now be what we are ? lowest animals up to the rodents is Why should a man of immoral dis- richest in nerve.pyrenes. Carnivorous position try to be moral, why should animals, ungulata and low monkeys he follow ethical imperatives, which possess a moderate number. The struc. correspond to the disposition of an ture of the hypothalamus of man and ethically inclined man ? After a shorter anthropomorphous apes is extremely or longer time he will yet turn out simple ; e.g. rabbits possess 30, the to be immoral. Therefore, don't try chimpanzee three and man only two to be moral, if you are a man of nerve-pyrenes. The enlargement of immoral character. "Be what you the cerebrum corresponds to the dimi- are !" Baoul Henry France has been nution of the lower portions of the very skilful in preparing such instinc inter-brain, in which part of the human tive imperatives, which will not fail brain hunger, thirst, sexual desire, to charm man. But before we allow centre of sleep, instincts of sell-preserva- ourselves to be carried away by our tion and other instincts are localised. instincts, which will lead us to the To use psychological language in- "paradise" where we can wear our. creasement of intelligence is equivalent selves out, we should make sincere to the decreasement of the importance enquiries if there is really no other of the instincts. The sensuous impulses agent to be found. of the lower animals are directed What is the proper function of from the inter-brain, whereas the mind ? May we not hope that our instincts of higher animals are regulated mind will be so far developed in by the functions of the cerebral rind. hundreds or thousands of years that SUNDER WARUMBE 159 we can comprehend the Truth as to ness, the intellect as discriminative our real nature, the oausa prima and function of the mind and the principle causa finalis of our life ? All know, of the self.consciousness or egotism ~ ledge is acquired by means of our they are altogether incompetent and senses. How defective they are, every defective. Shall we then take refuge one understands. These senses are under the rotten roof of .theological physical instruments. We can improve speculations which date from ordinary them to some extent by using technical human beings belonging to the same arrangements but the object of our category of material, real but untrue investigations must be the same material denominations ? gross or subtle, because the subject We shall have to appeal to the Abso- and object as well as the connecting lute Resort Who is not material. link must belong to the same category — The Western seekers after the Truth a logical fact, which cannot be denied. are really very fortunate, that they No\y who can assure ua, that by^ have got this human and Western frame serutiinising into the secrets of this in these days of philosophical break- phenomenal world we shall get the downs. They are not prepared to beleive final solution of our problems ? Those in theological speculations, they know . who have no other organ than what the defects of human senses and miud, we have, cannot give any sound reply. they realised the utter uselesauess of the AH ideas we conceive date from instincts, they lost the confidenee in the rational or intuitive reflections of the legendary nus and the superstition of a material, the senses have supplied. "divine" pnewma, which allows us to There is not the least trace of an participate in the ideas. And still objective nu» to be found. If there they are optimists and don't commit would be any objective nus, then there suicide by following any of, the blind ought to be harmony in the realm of lanes. The desiderium naturale is an philosophy. If the premises are doubt, inextinguishable desire to return Home, ful, the and the comparison to enquire about the Absolute Truth. of the experiences and the inferences This Absolute Truth is not an imagina. oamiot help us in any way. The tive entity. "Absolute" is an expression fomula; "iVm est in intellectu" is conveying a negative notion—so far a scientific rational fact. mundane vocabulary is concerned. But Instincts fail, the senses, the we shall have to be very careful, not to organ for gathering impressions and confound the abstract absolute with the presenting them to the conscious- Real Positive Absolute of the Real ]60 THE HARMONIST

Divine Theology. By the process of instruct us as to bow to make the pro- continual abfttracfcioo we get an univer- per use of our functions, while being sal notion of negative qualities, We still engaged in the quest after the may then begin to discuss about the Absolute. We cannot find any resting problems of the universals the sill com- place, unless and until we have found prehending notion of which the absolute what is the causa finalis of our life's is said to be. Problems arise, if this purpose. This natural or rather super- uidve-rsalia univversalium is ante rem natural appetite which is rejecting the post rem or in re. But the Absolute is the rotten food of this world induces us not a neutral entity, not a noumenon to run about at the market-places of in itself. The Absolute is the Unlimit. philosophies and . But the ed, Independent, Unoonditioned, Sun. Diogenes's lantern, of intellects and ins. der-Warumbe i. e. Causeless, being the tincta is insuflficient. Diogenes tried Prima Cause causnrum the Absolute to find the Man. We wish to take Himself. ''Absolute Trath" means shelter at the Feet of the Real Super- "Adhohshoj" i. e., He Who has reserved Man Who alone oan sunder warumbe the right of not being exposed to human enlighten us as to know, what is the senses. Therefore, the Absolute Truth ftins ultimus, the final goal that trans- is never the object of our investiga- cends the comprehension of our ratio. tions, He does not submit to the human Unless we get a clear idea ef the goal of rational or irrational inatrumenta. To our proceedings, we cannot follow any use scholastic language "VLtimus finis path. Then only we may be enabled to hominis terminat eius appetitnm ita direct our activities accordingly. 'Finem quod, eo hahito, nikil cdiud quaeritur ; autem opportet esse praecogniium si enim moveiur ad aliud, nondum hominibus qui suas intentiofies et habet finem in quo quiescaf ''But" detinues debent oniinare in finem. Ut ultimus finis eoniprehe-nsionem rationis solus hominibus proveniat necessarium exoedit". Having passed through esi quod d-e divinis per divinam revela- 84 lacs of births, we have at present tionem instruantur. a gross physical and subtle, highly Many "Trnths" and. /fReligions5' organised mental frame. Nature ha" proved themselvea to be >truths and really richly endowed ua. We can make irreligions. But this fact cannot be the proper use of onr infcelleotual facul- any argument against the existence of ties, if we submit ourselves uaoondi- the Truth, against the possibility of tionally to the Real Transoandental Religion proper. The etymological Spiritual Preceptor Who alone can meaning of the word "religion" is "that SUNDER WARUMBE 101 which re-attaches". If the Truth is a tanoe, listened to with the pure spirit Transcendental Entity, then only objects of sincere submission, can alone open of the same category can be attached our transcendental i. e. spiritual ears. to Him, i. e. ethical, mental and emo- Apparently the Acharya seems to be tional functions cannot be the tie, as a human being, His Words mundane mind, reason and feelings—psyche—are sounds, his servant only a perishable material. In order to establish religion creature. The Absolute has reserved three factors are required, the Truth, the right of not being exposed to our the Absolute Subject as the causa Jinalis sensorium. But the Absolute can take et causa prima, the spiritual object the initiative—being causa causarum which is to be re-attached and the His functions are also sunder warumbe connecting tie. Real knowledge is, i. e. causeless—and reveal His True therefoce, the knowledge of the relation- Nature to the submissive seeker after ship between the religious Subject and Him. We are tipsy. Driven by instincts, the passive.active object. emotions, and mental desires, we do not At the;porch of medieval church in know where and who we are. Mind, southern Germany a sculpture is to be who is ever anxious to enjoy the things found representing a tube, in which of this world by the medium of the .the Logos, i. e. the Word Which is senses, has prepared intoxicating drinks identical with God, is sliding from the nicely to taste. So we lost the state of mouth of God to the ear of Mary ; the real consciousness. We cannot even Logos is symbolised by a baby. That follow, if we are told, that we are drun- is a dim twilight reflection of the real kards. Why ? It has become our normal process. As all things of this world are state. the perverted shadowy reflections of the But what an entity is the soul, our true Transcendental Realm, so also all real self ? The soul proper mr the real theologies and philosophies are but the self has nothing to do with what is unwholsome and defective reflections of called "soul" in theologies and philo- the true Theology and Philosophy. The sophies. Hume, Kant, Fichte, Hegel, pure.laural conception is the only means Bergson and others are following in the ■to attain to the Heal Knowledge. The wake of Aristotelea. Aristotelea' psyche Transcendental Words coming from the is the cause formans or entdeclua of the Holy Lips of the True Spiritual body. She is inseparbly connected to Teacher, i. e. Transcendental Substance to the body. Dissolution of the body is dating from Transcendental Substance, equivalent to dissolution of the '•soul". therefore, being Transcendental Subs- Bub the enielechia or cause formans of 21 THE HARMONIST

the "fioul" is eternal, the immortal nus. bles choke up the tender plant of the Humeond others stand for the doctrine jiva, i. e. the real soul. This jiva soul of 1' actucdiae de /' ame, i. e. the nature is a non.material entity, emanating as of the soul is to be seen in her agency, the infiniteBimal absolute from the actmlite, not in a substance. Soul is Infinite Absolute, i. e. the Over.soul only a notion Bummarising the multi- Aspect of the Supreme Lord Sree fariousness of the processes going on in Krishna, the Spiritual Embodiment of our consoiousnesB and subconsciousness, All-Love. As manifestation from the impressions, activities etc. Mind or marginal potency of the Supreme Lord, spirit—mts or pnemna are substances. which is located on the borderline of Philosophers generally believe in the spiritual and material potencies, the the existence of nus by means ot jiva is liable to be overcome by the which they can think ''transcenden- clutches of Maya, the material potency, tal'* ideas, whereas theologians claim if he misuses his inherent freedom and pneurha implanted into the psyche by chooses to lord himself over Maya in the sacramental processes and trans- order to gain selfish enjoyment. The forming the latter into a pneumatical egotistic principle ahamkara makes psyche to be the eternal entity enshrined man identify his true self with the body into the human body. Whatever and the mind. According to the deeds "differences may be—they all belive in in their former births the fallen jivas one non.mundane entity, which has are induced to act and to enjoy or suffer become mundane. The logos is said the fruits of their respective deeds, mov- to have become actual flesh. The ing in this world, the transformation of deeiderium naturaZe makes them seek the Maya or external potency of the after the Truth. But mind is mislead- Supreme Lord, the transformation of ing them as to identify it or one of its the prevertedly negative reflection of products with the real entity they are His chit-potency. The deluding face of seeking for. Klages was not quite the Absolute Truth Binders man to wrong when he wrote his voluminous differentiate between substance and book on "Der Geist als Widersacher shadow, makes him believe that this true der Seele" ( the mind as enemy to the and real world is absol atdy true, whereat soul ). The mind is really our strongest it has its existence only in depen- enemy. The tree of worldly knowledge is dence on the Absolute. But the exist- mot the tree of life—so Klages, and enc e of shadow implies, the existence the wholesome original to that reflected of subs tan co. Not single thing can mundane dogma. The mental bram- be seen in the pervertedly reftecting SUNDER WARUMBE 163

Jooking-glaas wo hold above our heads, Bnjoyer, the Supreme Lord, The which docs not really exist in our room. renunciation of any kind of ownership But by scrubiuislng. into the details of is the enjoyment of the Supreme Lord. shadowy mattbr we cannot get any To try to retain any worldly or selfish reply to our urgent enquiry after the advantage and to serve God at the same Substance. Instead of proceeding from time is incompatible. As long as we the known unknown to the unknown are distracted by the perception of any- unknowable we need to be enabled to thing else but the service of Godhead, follow the descending process from the fear must arise. Fear dates from the known known to the knowable unknown. fact that enjoying mood is again creep- He Who is Substance, can elucidate the ing in, that there is some self.reserved nature of the shadow, and nobody else. or wanted property for the preservation Maya is fulfilling the Will of the or attainment of which we have to be Supreme Lord by deluding the fallen anxious. jivas. If we are trying to follow the Absolute self-surrender is the first dictations of Him Who is True Guide of preliminary condition, if we wish to all sincere seekers after the Truth, she serve the Supreme Lord of Divine Love will test the degree of our submission under the direction of Him Who is and faith in Him by putting us in all acquainted with the nature of such kinds of adverse circumstances and service. The only relationship which inclinations. Natural aptitude for the can exist between the All-Attractor and loving service of Krishna may arise, if the attracted is that of loving serving we have been blessed by the sunder devotion. Real divine service cannot warumhe gratia of the Divine Master. be established, unless the servant has Then the face of Maya will be changed. ceased to consider himself to be masou. She is no more our enemy. She is very line wdiereby is implied, that he olain kindly supplying us with various kinds mastership over others who—so he of things and functions which can be wanting—may serve him. Only absolute spiritualised by the influence of dedica- submissive feminine serving attitude tion. If we are enabled to accept every can attract the Lord of Divine Love to thing as the vouchsafed favour of the correspond sunder loarwnbe by accept, Supreme Lord of Love, our worldly ing our devotion through the agency of activity will cease to be worldly. the Divine Master. The enjoying habits of our present It takes much time till after passing mentality cannot be carried to the through the stages of regulated devotion Beabn of religion. There is only one our devotional practices will be the 164 THE HARMONIST natural outflow of our heart's spontane- remain loyal to the earth". A super- oua spiritual love for Kriahna, To be mundane state of quietistio dead like allowed to aerve the Suprme Lord with- silence, the phantom oi all those, who out any hampering iutellectual and as weaklings were unable to mauag® rational pragmatical motives, not to the affairs of this world—the heavenly expect anything in return, not praying so-called bliss of the pharisaical hypo- that He may reveal Himself to rae so crites, who make a show of an ascetical that I' may see Him, but that he may conduct either to deceive themselves, make me Hia Own. that my humble others or both—the brighter and better ways of serving Hia Devotees may not world, so called pious people hope to displease Him—such is the true longing enjoy by renouncing some comfort of of the soul's proper self. this world, the reward for their ethical The Supreme Lord Sree Krishna, good deeds—all these goals appeared to the sander warumbe hat exachen, the Priedrich Nietzsche as very dry, tire- Itoot-Cauae of all oauses, attracts by some places, not worthwhile striving His snnder warumbe causeless Mercy after. Nietzsche got retching, when he all the jivas. They realise the power of happened to see so-called pious people, attraction in the desiderivm naturale. moving like ghosts, depressed, unfit to He, the All-Attractive Spiritual Body die, despicable in every respect. ''If of Eternal Truth aui Beauty, is the your God were really God, then you Object of the devoted loving service of would make other faces. If your God those who understood the utter futility were God, he would make you live and of any other course actuated by the dance." Very fortunate is indeed who instinctive, egotistic and auti-teligious feels all these pseudo-religions and their >iclinationa. The connecting tie bet. representatives give me the horrors. .an the Subject and the object cannot There can be no dirtier mentality to be a established by renouncing or enjoy- found in this world than the mentality ing functions. All religions and philo- of those, who hope to get eternal bliss sophies differ from the Religion in this by some temporary renunciation, to point. The Absolute cannot be appre- get a rotten farthing of the infinite, to ciated as the Absolute as long as we exchange some doubtful happiness and want to enjoy the Truth, to possess enjoyment in this world for permanent celestial qualities. He cannot be appre enjoyment in another sphere by going ciated, if we imagine Him to bo an esse to the exchange-office of aseetisim. They negativum. Priedrich Nietzsche and want the service of the Absolute instead his friends told us: ''Oh, Brethren ! of the service to the Absolute. They SUNDER WARUMBE 165 are even worse than those, who shun life. Good deeds constitue no provident all problems and enjoy the things of fund, we can consume there eternally. this world. And why should Nietzsche Pantheistic imaginations and endeavour- feel any inclination to imagine that the ings cannot be carried to the Transcen- merging into and attributeless dry dence, which is the opposite to a quietis- nothing, the cessation of the separate tic dead-house. existence of the individual, which pro- In this world, we experience that cess is again strived for as an object of form and matter differ, the idea is not enjoyment, that all these doubtful pro- identical with the object, meant by cesses may be the goal of his life ? But the word containing the idea. Here there was nobody in the West, who every form and matter has many could have told him that at first he has defects. But we shall have to pay all to make, unconditional surrender at the attention, that we are not entitled to Feet of Him, Who can instruct him transfer the result of our worldly about the process, which has to be experiences to the Absolute Form. In adopted, if the religious object and the consideration of the inadequacy of our religious subject and the connecting mundane vocabulary we may saythat. God link is to be realised. But all his is nothing i.e. He is above all attributes modern friends and followers are now we find in this shadowy world. The fortunate enough, to get the opportunity laws and so-called objective ideas need of getting sound tidings about that by no means be valid there. The Divine Master, Who out of His sunder theologia negativa is only preliminary. warumbe Mercy sent the messengers of At first all our wrong mundane i.e. the True Religion of Divine Loving /iasfi/c-atheistical ideas must be eradi. Devotion to Europe—provided Nietzs- cated. It may be a painful process to che's friends have a real inclination to give up all our .wrong ideas and pre. serve the Absolute. There is every hope, occupations, but the Divine Master, that they may meet His messengers. will out of His sunder warumbe—Cause- They will then instruct them how to less Mercy enable us to overcome this approach the Absolute in the only pro painful operation if we only submit to per way of full surrender. Him. The Absolute connot be moulded The Absolute is not a mere zero, the into the shape of our limited mental Absolute Realm is not the asylum for forms. He transcends all possibilities of the aged and infirm intellectualiats and this world. This world is not an emana- emotionalists, nor is Religion and Insur- tive or creative transformation of God- rance for the enjoyments of the next head-Himself as the pa ntheists or rather 166 THE HARMONIST auti-theists try to make man believe. outflow of their devotional disposi- This world is only a manifestation of tion. Rays of the sun, which, though the shadowy, pervortedly reflecting different from the sun, yet participate Maya-potency, the external potency of to some extent in its attributes, fulfil the Supreme Lord. the will of the sun i. e. the will to be Our present body and soul, trunk effulgent by enlightening the space, and limbs, name and form etc., are because it is their proper nature to do different. According to anthropomor- like that. Similarly the liberated souls phical theologians Body and Soul of serve the desires of their Supreme Lord God differ also. Here the limitations to Whom they are attached by the tie of our intellectual and imaginative of Krishna's Causeless Mercy and capacities become palpable. Our mate, Divine Love and unrestricted loving rial mind is unable to grasp anything service. Overpowered by the Transcen- behind its zoesis. All the defects of dental Super-Beautiful Form of the this world are not to be found there. Supreme Lord, they cannot but serve There is no unwholesomeness in the Him in every possible way, sunder Transcendental Realm, no defectiveness roarumbe. no limitation If we find variegated- All expositions of transcendental ness m this world, the pervertedly character are liable to be grossly mis- reflected shadow of the Absolute World, understood by the human intellect. As then every variegatedness here must long as we are under the cluthes of have its true and pure original. But Maya, we are not in the position to the variegatedness of the Transcenden. appreciate the assumed habits of the tal Realm even transcends the varie- Gopees, the spiritual embodiments of gatedness of this world, otherwise the the extensions of the bodily Form of Absolute would be dependent on the the Ecstatic Potency, who feel them- Non-absolute, the master would be selves as wedded wives, in order to dis- dependent on the servant. All the play the process of shufling off the coil liberated souls are serving the Supreme of ownership, a process which is most Lord of All-Love there according to pleasing to the Supreme Lord. But their respective inherent characters the sunder ivarumbe Mercy of Divine and dispositions in there respective Master and His associates can open the peculiar ways offering thereby a eyes of our true devotional aptitude multiplicity and infinite variety of so that we may realise that all ethical services to the Most Beloved Supreme functions are to be transcended Lord. They do so as the natural —not to be disregarded—by the ROUND THE GAUDIYA MATHS 167 uaresfcricted natural devotional practice. stone. The Divine Knowledge coming We have got brain and tongue. We from tho Divine Lips of the Divine are higher organised than animals. But Master is the only flawless authority. we have got brain and tongue not to Now we have to decide, if we want inisnae them for nasty performances or to enjoy or rather suffer the imagina- for the acquisition of enjoyable material tive sunder warumOe paradise or if we gross or subtle things, but rather to want to bow down our bead at the put them into the service of dedicating Blessed Lotus Feet of the Divine them unconditionally at the disposition Master, the Embodiment of sunder of Our Divine Master Who can teach warumhe, causeless Meroy and Affec- us bow to listen to the expositions of tion, Who alone can lead us on the the Real Terminus a rjno et mid quern beautiful path of devotion, can take and how to use brain and tongue for us back into the ever.progreasiv© Spiri. His service. tual Realm of unconditioned sunder The path of submissive listening is the 'warumbe loving service of the Supreme only path who leads to the philosopher's Lord of Divine Love.

Round the Gaudiya Maths

Sree Gaudiya Math, Patna : read and explained Srimad Bhagabat at the house of Hon'ble Minister Sir Sj. Atul Krishna Roy, Vakil, Patna Ganesh Dutt Singh. High Court, invited Tirtha Maharaj to Sree Gaudiya Math, Amarshi his house on November 19. In this con- Sripad Anadi Krishna Brahmachari, nection he invited many respectable Bhaktisastri is explaining Sree Chai- gentlemen of the locality. Swaraiji tanya Charitararita at the Math premi- read and explained Brimad Bhagabat ses. People of the place are taking before tbe audience. keen interest in the activities of the On December I, Tridandiswami Math and attend pafh and hirtan Srimad Bhakti PraJip Tirtha Maharaj regularly- 168 THE HARMONIST

On November 26, he had been at to make arrangements for the TheLstie the house of S3. Snshi Bhusan Pal at Exhibition during the Kumbha Mela at hia request. Bpahmachariji explained Prayag. the episode of Sree Piablad Maharaj Oehri-on-Sone from Sri mad Bhagabat. Tpidandiswami Srimad Bhakti Vjlas. Sree Ramananda Gaudiya Math, Kovur ; Gavastiuemi Maharaj is propagating Sripad Ram Govina Dasadhikari is the teachings of the Mission. Sj. Ram explaining Sree Chaitanya Gbaitamrita Krishna Dalmia, Proprietor of Dehri at the Math premises in Telegu daily Sugar Mills, is helpimj Swamiji in his in the afternoon. People of the locality activities, Swamiji is explaining Sri- attend regularly. Mr. Aparna Prosad mad Bhagabat at different places from Maharana, Health Officer of the city November 26. On November 27 and invited him to his house and listened 28 he read and expounded Srimad from him Srimad Bhagabat, explained Bhagabat at the. Dehri Club. On in Telegu. November 29i he lectured on Sri Nairn On November 15, the preachers of at the house of Mr. Dalmia. On Novem- the Math were invited at the house of ber 3#, Swamiji lectured on Daksha, Mr. P. Surya n a ray an Murti, B. L. jajna at the house of Sj. Bejoy Kumar Sripad Narottamauanda Brahmachari Roy Ohoudhury. explained Srimad Bhagabat in English Sree Gaudiya Math, Delhi ; for 3 days. Messrs. N. Barkiteswaram Tridandiawami Srimad Bhakti Bhu- Garu and N. Krishna Rao Garu are deb Srauti Maharaj read and explained taking interest in the activities of Math. Srimad Bhagabat at the house of Mr. They arranged reading and explanation J. N. Nigam on November 23, in Hindi. of Srimad Bhagabat at their house for Hindi knowing people appreciated it. three days from November 19. Swamiji explained the characteristic Sree Chaitanya Math, Sreedham Mayapur: features of associatien of s-iilms, episode of Maharaj Parikshit, the eternal duty Sripad Banku Behari Brajabaahi is of mankind and the mercy of the graced by His Divine Grace Srila Vaiahnavas. Prabhupad with the garb of Babaji and Jessore: has been named Behari Das Babaji on, Tridandiawami Srimad Bhakti November 24. Prakash Aranya Maharaj with party of Sree Rupa Gaudiya Math, Allahabad Brahmacharins is propagating the Dpadeshak Pararaananda Vidya- teachings of the Mission in the district ratna arrived here on November 27, of Jessore, VOL. XXXII No. 8] Bsgtd. No. C1601

THE HARMONIST

(Scee Saiianatosbani)

FORTNIGHTLY.

Krishna Ekadashi JPaash 449 &,4.

'December 21, 1935.

sfan^sr ipcr tpil BW tswrataaA II Annifafation of ags*fong sufferings, May these our high aims fCourish The Service of Radha' Krishna, Jo gCoaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rg. 4*8. Foreign Is. 66, Paramahansa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswah Goswami

Sreo Caudiya Math, P.O. Baghbazar, Calcutta. CONTE NT»

Subject Page 1. Transcendental Amour ••• ••• ••• 169 2. Aesthetic Culture ... 179 3. Sree Ramahuja ... 184 4. Religious Discourse 187 5. Bhoga.O.Puja ... 190 6. Round the Gandiya Maths ... 191 ALL-GLORY TO SREE GURU AND OAURANOA

t h e B jmtuni t s!

(Svee Sajjanatosbani)

VOL. XXXII. ] DECEMBER 21, 1935 J No. 8

Transcendental Amour

T'HE worship of Sree Sree Radha- position of pre-eminence in the life of Krishna has been held by some man. It has always dominated the modern thinkers to be dangerous, and activities of the race with irresistible even immoral. They apparently take sway. exception to the erotic element which is The issue that is proposed to be the prominent aspect of the highest placed before the reader is, 'Should worship of Sree Sree Radha-Krishna. erotics be condemned as an evil to be fhis can hardly suffice by itself to make avoided by religion ?' the function unacceptable to the Sree Krishna Chaitanya teaches us modern temperament. the contrary doctrine viz. that it is It is not possible to understand obligatory on all persons to pay their fully the reason of the hostility of these homage to spiritual amour which scholars of the past generation. Erotic characterizes the highest service of the has not certainly been banished from Divine Person. Tins is the central the scheme of the modern civilized life. topic of Srimad Bhagabat which treats Asa matter of fact erotic is never of the transcendental service of the capable of being dethroned from its Personal Absolute. 170 THE HARMONIST

Spiritual amour is the beat mode of with another entity. The chain of service of the Fullness of Divine Perso- relationships is completed by the reci- nality. In other words, the real Nature procal relationships of master to servant, of Divine Personality cnn never be fully of friend to friend, of son to bis parents, underatoo 1 by those who are unable to of husband or lover to his wife or sweet- appreciate the pre-eminent excellency heart. of His Service by amorous love. There is no reason for disbelieving The conception of personality that that the afore-said five forms of rela- is available to us in this world neces- tionship are also -inseparable concomi- sarily refers to the gross human physi- tants of the personality of the Absolute que joined to the convention-ridden Being free from the fetters of the gross human mentality. These two are the physical body and materialized mind. definite contents of the conception. The The personality of the absolute infinitesi- functions of such personality can have or the unalloyed soul should also a meaning only if they supply the needs be in a position to function in a fully of such body and mind. Man is connec_ wholesome and unrestricted manner, in

ted with#the entities of this world by terms of his spiritual body and mind. five varieties of relationship for the Spiritual Personality is identical satisfaction of the needs of his body and with the principle of unobstructed mind. These five modes exhaust all cognition. As complete intimacy must possible forms of such relationship. A necessarily characterize the complete person may stand in the relationship of spiritual relationship, the condition of impartiality to other human beings. He a wife or mistress is thus traced to be takes the help of non-animate entities the highest natural state, and one that in a spirit of strict impartiality. The is also realisable only in the predomi- emotional forms of relationship may be nated Absolute Infinity and also, by said to begin with the relationship as of incorporation with the latter, in the the servant towards his master. This is absolute infinitesimal. characterized by the sentiment of dis- It is not, of course, possible for the tant respect for the master. The rela- mind of man to have the true concep- tionship of friendship is closer than tion of the actual nature of the that of servitude. Parenthood is still unalloyed spiritual function. Such spiri- more intimate. Consorthood as of the tual realisation is possible only through wife or mistress to her husband or the spiritual senses of the unconditioned lover is the most intimate and compre. soul. The functioning of the spiritual hensive form of relationship possible senses, in its turn, ensures the TRANSCENDENTAL AMOUR 171 freedom of the soul from all unwhole- deepest principle of his individual someness and limitation in a way that nature on account of the opposition of is exactly the opposite of the activities the uncongenial environment in the of the present senses which create and shape of the defective natures of organs multiply the restrictions of the condi- through which and the objects towards tioned state. The fully wise man of which it has to be exercised. But this this world is a spiritual zero. This has cannot condemn the principle itself been established, in strict conformity which is, as a matter of fact, the ruling with empiric k c, by Buddhist thought. force of life. It operates with no less The 1 of all activities on the mun- of predominance, but with less weight dane lane is represented by the of responsibility, by being driven under- balanced neutral state as the resultant of ground by the blind opposition of the simultaneous working of an infinity an unsyrapathising environment and of mutually hostile tendencies, instrumentals. Consorthood, as of the wife or This brings us to the point of the mistress of this world, is not eligible by present discourse. Should we deliberate- itself to set the tune for the other ly deny ourselves the benefit of the relationships. Mundane consorthood guidance of well.considered opinion in is compelled to shrink, at least out- this most vital and important affair of wardly, into the strictly private and life ? But as a matter of fact almost personal corner of the affairs of this all the great religions scrupulously world. It is not welcomed for influenc- avoid and forbid any examination of ing other activities in an explicit this all-important subject. The worship- manner. It can act openly only within pers of Sree Sree Radha-Krishna the limits of extreme privacy. It is are the only exception to this rule. regarded as a sign of abnormality to be The worship of Sree Sree Radha- iofluettced in the greater affairs of life Krishna has been subjcet to much easily by the advice of wife or mistress on the avoidable misunderstanding that has score of amorous relationship. been bred by sheer ignorance and easily Consorthood is nevertheless recog- welcomed prejudices. The Personality nised as imparting its deepest charm to of Sree Krishna, the Eternal Divine life in a world in which it would not be Lover of Sree Radhika, the premier worth living being devoid of this form spiritual mankind of the Realm of Braja of relationship. Every one in this world which is the Eternal Abode of the is, however, compelled to repress, more Divine Pair as depicted in Srimad or less, the working of this admittedly Bhagabat, has been supposed as an 172 THE HARMONIST

unworthy conception of the Absolute sphere effecti vely prevents the importa Personality, and even as historical tion of any mundane defects into the survival of the myth of a national hero Transcendental Kealm. In the stream of the times of promiscuous sexuality of the Biraja morality and immorality of primitive barbarism. are alike washed off the spiritual form Hostility to the Divinity of Sree of the soul. It is the plane of the salu- Krishna is entertained on the ground tary sterilization of all mundane quality. that morality should constitute the The moral principle pre-supposes kernel and pervading principle of the existence of a strong and spontane- religion. We should not, however, forget ous tendency to evil as being innate to that this advertised morality is at best human nature. The good in this world only a regulative and restrictive prin- is in a state of perpetual conflict with ciple. We are so much wedded to the dominating evil. Moral regulation indispensable nature of this moral thus becomes the indispensable and regulation, that it requires no small permanent outward expression of the effort of the imagination on our part suppressed good life. to admitythat the moral intervention On further analysis, however, we would be uncalled for and harmful but discover that the moral judgment can for the actually defective nature of our take its stand only on an attenuated present environment and sense-organs. form of the evil which it ostensibly It would be irrational to seek to do seeks to eradicate. It does not advocate away with moral regulation so long as the acceptance of the substantive good. we are compelled to remain in our What it chooses to call goodness is only present defective condition. But there relatively and tentatively lesser evil. must be surely a plane which is free The substantive good has remained and from all defects, being the natural and will also ever remain an open issue, if eternal sphere of the activities of our we are content to be Anally guided by unadulterated spiritual nature. The a purely restrictive moral code. The plane of the Divinity is superior to that above difficulty and insufficiency of the of our unconditioned souls. There can moral code are most clearly realised in ■be no necessity for any form of restric. practice by every sincere person To tive morality in the spiritual world tell the truth it can never be good in it- where the soul is not subject to the self. Empiric morality, as synthesis, limiting operation of his present material is a counsel of expediency for the estab- and mental adjuncts. The stream of lishment of a certain radically defective the Biraja encompassing this mundaue kind of social living. Does not the TRANSCENDENTAL AMOUR 173

existence of such positive regulation of the present environment and the obstruct the practice of real goodness ? defective character of our mind and

There can be, must be, no moral re;;ula. body. This is not even a negative help, tion where there is real morality. if it be the only provision. The disease Compulsory morality implies the absence is masked, but no effort is made for its of the substantive principle of goodness. cure. But disease cannot be healed by The goodness that is producible by the a policy that refuses on principle to so-called moral regulation is not subs, contemplate the restoration of healthy tantively different from wickedness. activity. It is necessary to fix our attention The question thus resolves itself into on this positive issue. Is the act of the enquiry, 'How can the fullest or procreation of offspring good or evil ? natural use of the amorous aptitude be Is amour to be condemned or acclaim- secured ?' do not provide ed ? Can a questionable principle of the answer. Aesthetics cannot over- blind regulation supply the answer to look nor heal the really unwholesome these real problems of life ? side of the mundane principle that is Amour is a hard fact of life. It is the only subject-matter of its examina- probably the controlling fact. Why tion. The ethical answer, which is should it be checked in its operation ? more to the point in one respect, has Why should it be capable of doing already been considered and rejected. harm ? Or, should it be checked Medical science. Biology and Eugenics because of the inopportune character of confine themselves to the bodily conse- our present organs and environment ? quence of the principle of amour and Can a policy of repression of a really the reaction of these on the mind. good principle be salutary in the long They also cover much less ground than run? Is it not tantamount to refusal to . think about the proper solution ? Would The positive answer of the whale it be honest or helpful, for humouring issue, which is- given only by Sri mad this criminal indolence, to gag those Bbagabat, has been accepted and who put forward sound . proposals for explained by Sree Krishna Chaitanya. tbp real solution P That answer elucidated by the Teachirtgs True, the religions have systemati- of Sree Krishna Chaitanya is prevented cally avoided to think positively on this from being misunderstood by His Own fundamental issue. They have prescribed Illustrative Career. only regulations of the present evil life Any person, who has taken the engendered by the uncongenial nature trouble of reading the accounts of the 174 THE HARMONIST

Career of Sree Krishna Chaitanya pen. principle is distorted ly reflected in the ned by His associates and their spiritual latter. When the spiritual activities of successors, must be strucli with the the unalloyed soul manifest themselves total absence of the erotic element in on the mundane plane, they also ex. His Career. Sree Krishna Chaitanya press themselves, for the same reason, never mixed with women on the foot- to the mundane vision of conditioned ing of sexual intimacy. His conduct souls, in the forms of the corresponding is disappointing to those who expect to mundane activities. find a reach harvest of erotic activities Spiritual manifestation on the from the fact that Ho poses as the mundane plane does not involve the Teacher of the amorous service of transformation of spiritual activities Divinity, by His Own Practice. The same in to mundane. Those activities retain characteristic trait is also noticeable,in their uncontaminated transcendental the careers of all bona fide followers of character even when they choose to Sree Krishna Chaitanya. appear to the view of the people of Should we, therefore, suppose that this world apparently in the identical Sree Krishna Chaitanya teaches us to forms of the events of this world. The renounce the sexual activity, the impression, that is naturally received method that is recommended to, and by the conditioned soul from the ex- professed to be practised by, the gnostic perience of such manifestation of spiri- ascetics ? tual events, does not appear as that of Sree Krishna Chaitanya categori- transcendence to the mundane aptitude cally distinguishes the function of apiri. of the person experiencing the same. tual service or bhakti from karma That is to say it does not appear to him ( fruitive activity ) and jnana (gnostic as different from ordinary mundane asceticism). He tells us that the methods occurrences. But, even this direct testi- of work and knowledge are the comple. mony to the contrary notwithstanding, mentary aspects of the deceiving world, spiritual events ever remain what they ly function ; that neither of them has are viz. transcendental and inaccessi. anything to do with bhakti which is the ble to the eclipsed cognitive faculty of proper function of the soul on bis own the conditioned state, even when they transcendental plain. The conduct of are enacted on this mundane plane in a bonafide devotee has only external the view of the people, and do not resemblance with those of karmins seem to differ in their judgment in and jnanins. This outward resemblance any way from ordinary mundane is due to the fact that the spiritual occurrences, TRANSCENDENTAL AMOUR 175

The correspondence between the two perversely disposed spectators to the must be both possible and inevitable, if uneclipsed vision of the Truth. we bear in mind the fact that the In order to obtain the uneclipsed Reality is necessarily One. The Transcen- view of spiritual entites, when they dental Realm is the recognisable face choose to reveal themselves to the of the Reality. The mundane realm is eclipsed vision of conditioned souls, the same entity offering its deluding appearing to the latter in the forms of face to the unnatural approaches of the corresponding mundane occurrences perversely disposed souls. The mundane but being nevertheless- categorically world is not unreal. The deluding different from the same, it becomes power of the Reality has also got its incumbent on the conditioned soul to own plane of activity. But the plane of seek the help of the only method viz. activity Of the deluding face of the t-hat of being restored to his uncondi. Divine Power is different from the plane tioned state by being relieved of his of operation of the enlightening face of obstructive mundane aptitudes. the same. There is an inconceivable As soon as the rational hankering correspondence in expression between for the adoption of such course arises the two faces of Power which is one at in the conditioned soul, he is disposed to bottom. avail of the offered help of the spiritual Therefore, when Divine Power really entities themselves for being enlightened exposes the spiritual face of her acti. regarding the method to be pursued vities to the view of spectators who for obtaining his liberation from the happen to be under the power of the abject, insurmountable thraldom of the Deluding Energy, the latter receive the deluding face of power. It is possible impression of the identity of such mani- for the conditioned soul to find the true festation with their experience of the course only by the further special operations of the deluding face of Divine mercy of those very transcendental Power. The vision of mundane specta- entities who so causelessly present them- tors is not relieved of its mundane quali. selves to his eclipsed vision. They have ty by the actual but unenlightened the power of showing their spiritual vision, on their own plane, of revealed forms to him in such way that it would spiritual activity. They, indeed, wit- leave no doubt in his mind about the ness the real spiritual activity but in an reality of their transcendental nature. unnatural way by the operation of a It is only by such mercy that thg condi. specific aspect of Divine Spiritual tioned soul is enabled to avail himself Potency which does not admit any of the help placed within his reach by 176 THE HARMONIST

the descent of spiritual entities to this whom the conditioned soul is to learn mundane plane for the purpose of bring- the method of his deliverence. ing about his deliverance, This Mercy expresses itself in the Spiritual amour in the same way visible form as the Activities of Sree displays itself to the eclipsed view of Krishna Ohaitariya and His bonajide mundane spectators in the forms of followers. They teach conditioned souls mundane events. But such revelation the complete service of the Divinity should not be accepted by the mundane by displaying to the eclipsed vision of faculties for reasons that should be the latter their own transcedental acti- quite obvious even to the unenlightened vities identical with the amorous perfor- judgment of conditioned souls. Sree mances of the spiritunl milkmaids of Krishna revealed His Amorous Pastimes Braja. Those, therefore, who misunder- in the Cycle of the Dwapara Age to the stand the Doings of Sree Krishna eclipsed view of the people of this Chaitanya and His associates, have to world. But that did not enable them to do so either through laziness, or by recognize His Divinity, due to their deliberate irrational hostility to the non-acceptance of the proper method manifest Truth. of approaching them. The perfect chant of the Name of The Personality of Sree Krishna Krishna is available to all souls, and it Chaitanya is identical with and yet is identical with the amorous service of distinct from Sree Krishna. The the spiritual milkmaids of Braja. This Activities of Sree Krishna Chaitany are, is the sum and substance of the Teaching therefore, also identical with and yet of Sree Krishna Chaitanya. Conversely, distinct from the Amorous Pastimes of those, who do not perform the Sree Krishna. The Activities of Sree congregational chant of the Name of Krishna Chaitanya appear in the form Krishna in the manner that is free from that alone is capable of being received offence, are not in a position to realise by the conditioned soul without any the nature of Divine Amour. Those, chance of muddling by his conditioned who miss such realisation, remain sub. judgment. ject to the abject thraldom of mundane The Mercy of Sree Krishna Chai- lust. tanya and His followers is lavished on The , that helps us to all mundane entities in such unstinted realise the truth of the above conclusion profusion that no one should have any is in conformity with the requirements chance of missing the knowledge of the of the quest of the Absolute as distinct descended transcendental entities from from the pursuit of the deluding TRANSCENDENTAL AMOUR 177 knowledge of non-abaolutes. In order to formal aspect of mundane and spiritual raaliso the nature of the spiritual func- experience. The conditioned soul also tion, it is only logical to use also spiri- sees the Divinity as He is, but only tual means. The Descent of the Divi. when He chooses to remove the barrier nity and His eternal servitors provide from the path of his vision and also us with the i equisite spiritual means in by simultaneously manifesting His the available form. Sree Krishna Descent to the mundane plane, and not Uhaitanya teaches us how to avail of otherwise. this help when it actually comes within The conditioned soul fails to see our reach of its own accord. the Divinity when He exposes Himself The service that is offered to the to his view if he chooses quite irration. Divinity and His servitors, when they ally to suppose Godhead to be a mundane choose to be accessible to us on the entity i. e. an object which is capable mundane plane, is in no way different of being approached for the practice (rom what is offered by the fully libera of any of the five forms of mundane ted soul on the plane of transcendence. relationship by his mundane senses. The function of the soul on the superior This mistake is inevitable under the plane is distortedly reflected even in the circumstances, unless Godhead chooses unwholesome functions of the condi- to relieve the spectator of the fetters tioned state. But until the construc- of his limited existence. tive grossnesses of mundane corporality For the purpose of the deliverance and mentality are eliminated, they con- of the conditioned soul it is not neces- tinue to obstruct the functioning of the sary tor the Divinity to end the soul on his own proper plane. This worldly sojourn of the latter. That elimination is effected by the Grace of would be opposed to the Purpose of Godhead when He appears on this lower Divine Descent. Just as Godhead plane? and is inclined to confer His becomes visible to the conditioned service on the conditioned soul. Those, soul without being transformed into who are not allowed by Godhead to any object of this world, in an exactly approach Him, cannot recognize Him similar way the conditioned soul is even when they see Him. Nobody can lifted to the plane of transcendence see Him as He is, even when he exposes while continuing to apppearas mundane Himself to the view of mortal eyes. to the external vision of mundane This apparently self-contradictory state- spectators. ment is explained by the fact that there One, who is enabled to have the is actual correspondence between the real 'vision of the Divinity no longer 178 THE HARMONIST

need misunderstand the transcendental the positive eternal service of the nature of His service. He is in a Divinity, tentatively and symbolically position also to render such service by during the mundane sojourn and, fully his spiritual senses. But his activities on the termination of the allotted span still continue to appear as mundane to of our mundane life brought about by ignorant observers. This mistake is, the Will of Krishna. however, capable of being removed if The objections of certain Indianists such activities of the real devotee are to the worship of Sree Rodha-Krishna observed by a person with humility by the method of amorous love as and by no other method. It is for practised by the spiritual milkmaids of affording the conditioned souls of this Braja, will be found to be inapplicable world the chance of thus observing the if we seek to be enlightened about the 'activities of Himself and His devotees actual meaning of the function by that the Supreme Lord chooses to reverently listening to the account of manifest His Appearance in this world. the career of Sree Krishna Chaitanya We should now be in a somewhat from the holy lips of self-realised souls, better position to understand how the without unduly relying on our mundane chantingfof the Name Krishna in the judgment which has no access to the company of transcendental devotees is plane of transcendence. identical with the performance of the The unprejudiced study of the amorous service of the spiritual milk- Career of Sree Krishna Chaitanya maids of the Realm of Krishna. The offers the required help in the fullest amorous service becomes realisable as measure. The esoteric reason of this the transcendental word to the spiritual is that Sree Krishna Chaitanya is ear of the soul. There is no way of Sree Krishna Himself. The associates having access to the same as long as ot Sree Krishna Chaitanya are the Krishna is not pleased to relieve us same as the spiritual milkmaids and fully of the perverse inclinations of the other servitors of Sree Krishna in conditioned state. But the chanting Braja. The Activities of Sree Krishna of the Holy Name without offence, Chaitanya and His associates are also that is in the company of self-realised identical with and yet distinct from souls and by the method followed the Pastimes of Sree Krishna in Braja. by them, has power to destroy the They can show themselves to us if they effects of our past atheistical activi- choose to do so. They come down to ties and to relieve us from reversion to this plane for the purpose of showing the mundane plane by imparting to us themselves to us in the only form that ESTHETIC CULTURE 179

is not capable of being misunderstood brought home to us by such- vision. viz. as the activities of self-realised Such adjustment is impossible under souls. The speciality of the Appearance the guidance of deluded souls. The of Sreo Krishua Chaitanya consists chance of self-deception is minimized in this that Bivinity Himself and His if we avail ourselves of the interpreta- associates take the initiative for dis. tion of the career of Sree Krishna closing themselves to us by enabling Chaitanya offered by the lives and us to regard tbem from the point of writings of His associates and by those view that is necessary for such realisa- pure souls who faithfully live up to the tion. The only thing needful, is merely Teaching handed down in their works to adjust ourselves to the requirements for our eternal well-being.

Aesthetic Culture

r'PHE proper cultivation of the sense becomes civilized, he affects to have of beauty that is latent in the soul become aware of the grossly unaesthetic is grossly neglected by the people of this character of man in the state of his un- world pre-occupicl with the never- covered nature. Mundane civilizations ceasing struggle for perpetuating their have taught man to hide those admitted ugly animal existence. In the uncivi- deformities of his nature under the lized state the simple needs of this external thin coating of polish supplied unaesthetic life are easily procured, by the fine arts, etiquettes and conven- and man would seem to be in a bettor tions of civilized society. position to attend to the dictates of his Civilized man is a, more clever and suppressed aesthetic nature. But actual more constructive opponent of true experience has shown that this hypothe. reformation. The fine arts derive their tical leisured savage is no more atten- inspiration as well as their material tive to the principles of true beauty from physical nature, the source of all than toiling civilized humanity. That, ugliness. In the words of Shakespeare however, is not the reason why the tire only function of art is to hold up savage state appears to be loathsome to the mirror to physical nature. The civilized man. In proportion as man attempt to exploit nature for one's 180 THE HARMONIST

eratification is not the only mundane be open only to the 'aesthetic' ( or un. aesthetic performance. The interest aesthetic ?) faculty of the 'designing' attaching to the attempt to reproduce artist. This is 'the consecration and nature by means of art is due to the the poet's dream'. There are success, fact that man is kept in countenance by ful art critics who are able to analyse a the contrivance of the deluding potency good song into its gross motif and cons- offering him the chance of such ficti- tituents. They are in the know. They tious performances for hiding his and can appreciate the performances of the her ugliness. The improvement of artist by reducing* them to the terms of scientific knowledge becomes necessary the known 'commonplace' viz the gross for this purpose. animal needs of the body. The manage- The art of reproducing nature ment of the stage, for instance, becomes possesses this fictitious aesthetic value an art in the hands of a person who also only so long as it is a strictly sub- knows how pleasant illusions and sur- ordinate purpose. The sensuous mind is prises can be produced by the manipula- pleased by the contemplation of nature tion of ordinary and familiar reactions by the law of association, the process of the light on the retina. The basis of being connected with our bodily needs. art is experience of the physical body and The mind is thereby enabled to project capacity for acquiring such experience. itself into the • more palpably ugly There are persons who are devoid of affairs of the body by proxy. This is the physical sense-apparatus for appre- done in different ways. In painting, the ciating music. No amount of theoreti- process takes the shape of the skilful cal training can make up for the use of appropriate shading, grouping, absence of this 'natural' basis of artis- expression and posture which impart to tic temperament in their case. the pictorial composition its value, by The principle of the aesthetic quality suggesting further possibilities of in art is traceable to the possibility of sensuous gratification. providing indirect gratification for the All realistic representation has to be body and mind by the resources of enlivened by a subtle refer, experience, by the manipulation of ring to the body. The function of art has material objects in their relation to been supposed to co-exist in giving a the physical body. The faculty that is local habitation and a name ( referring able to discern what is likely to be to the connection of the idea with the generally pleasing for this purpose in a body ) to.airy nothings, the possiblity particular composition, is the artistic for such achievement being supposed to faculty. The creative side of this AESTHETIC CULTURE 181 faculty, expresses itself in different Every nation is also anxious not to be forms and in terras of different mate- left behind in this race of civilization. rials. But art ultimately appeals to The theory of the survival of the fittest the senses and to the mind which is the in the struggle for existence is by no king ( as well as slave ) over the senses. means the fiction that some of the If the object be to please the eye, philanthropists still affect to think it is. colour is used as the material, and the The term 'commercialism' perhaps resulting composition is variously best expresses the typical method of the designated as painting, decoration etc. immediate moHern Age. . Everything is Proportion, symmetry, due assort- being rapidly and visibly comraercia. ment, etc., are not themselves also lised. The nation, that possesses the imponderable and unanalysable princi- strongest commercial organisations and ples. They appear to be so only at first capacity, is also the most successful in sight and by a kind of illusion due to the struggle for all-round efficient inter- defects of the senses. The eye, ear and national existence. Nothing, however, every sense-organ are capable of being is so easy now-a.days as the manufac- imparted a fair measure of this impro- ture of experts. And civilization is vised aesthetic capacity by careful being made in its turn by the experts in drilling. The highest artistic capacity the laboratories. Nothing that will is supposed to be a gift of nature only sell can be made except with the help by deference to an agelong supersti- of the most up-to-date workshop. Nations tion. But man hopes to be able to judge one another's civilization by the manufacture all the geniuses of the respective sizes of the focal lengths of bygone times with the progress of scien- the biggest and smallest telescopes, and tific knowledge, Little children are other scientific appliances m their actually imparted the outlook of all the possession. The .mechanical help is all. great geniuses of the olden days in the important. The more one is able, to kindergarten classes of modern infant spend on it,, the greater is one's resulting schools. efficiency, goodness, health, beauty, and The nation, which happens to possess what not ?—in this purely commercial the best country, the best libraries and age. Good looks, good health, strength, a laboratories, the best trained scholars, good voice, a charming landscape, every statesmen, etc., quickly outdistances thing worth having, is prospected for the achievements of every other being turned to its full comraercia] use. nation in the different fields of human But the formula 'struggle for exis- endeavour, including the aesthetic. tence' does not convey the whole reason 182 THE HAR MONIST for ooinmeicialism. A man can live art of aesthetics. What is natural is and survive on very little. I do not not regarded as beautiful, on principle. mean the plain living of today which The unscientific is ugly. That which has a very different meaning from the is natural and beautiful is pronounced plain living of a century ago. The mis- abnormal and ugly unless it is endorsed chief is that even plain living is also by the voice of the expert. rapidly acquiring the commercial sense. But the physical body and mind are Living without the help of science is changeable and perishable. If is futile not novv.a.days admitted to be plain to set the standard of beauty for all time living proper. Science has got hold of by reference to them. There is un- this matter, as of every other affair of doubtedly the shadow of the true princi- man. A person who aspires after plain ple of beauty, pervading these aesthetic living must not think of being less - attempts of this world. But the shadow ficial than one who chooses to live high. also serves to remind those, who are in There is the same worry, trouble, art real earnest in quest of beauty, that and science in both. Nevertheless the substantive principle is not to be even artificial plain living is coming found in the natural state in any pro. back to 'natural' plain living. ducts of this world, nor can it '.be found Beauty means what only the experts by our present defective sense-organs. judge to be so. The advertised beauties There cannot be well imagined a accordingly find it increasingly difficult greater shock to the sense of beauty to live up to the scrutiny of their judges. than the attempt to deck a corpse. The help of science and art has to be The endeavour to decorate the things availed by every woman who seriously of this world by means of our mundane wants to pass for an up-to-date beauty. resources, is very similar to t he attempt Even the effusions of poets receive the to beautify a dead body. The result most careful scientific preparation for is a foregone conclusion. Our aesthetic the same reason. Such is the Age. Such favourite of this moment are 'discarded is its craze for improvised uniformity (?) at the next in favour of others who also of perfection in every matter. are replaced by others in their turn. That which cannot be retained, that The king who lives in the most costly which is bound to grow stale, which is style has no more liking for the showy to be liked by persons who seek the splendours of his royal state, when they gratification of their senses, which is are not renewed, than the pauper has made up of ugly constituents, is pro- for his old tattered rags. Familiarity claimed as the goal of the science and breeds contempt for all things of this ESTHETIC CULTURE 183 world on account of their inherent of rhythm and vocabulary. Such ugliness which is found out on actual ingenuity can only amuse those to contact. whom it is a novelty, and can do so Poets and painters rely upon the only till the trick does not grow stale. equally futile resources of their It is the logical nemesis of this state of limited imagination for masking the things that commerce is rapidly getting inherent ugliness of the conditions of hold of every department of this make, mundane existence. Such imagining is believe aesthetics. The tailor is not intended to lead us to the reality. making man, because strangely enough Goldsmith truly hit the function of the man wants to be made by him in seem- worldly poet and artist when he ing despair of any better alternative. declared that their wisdom consisted in This craze for the gaudy baubles innocently amusing the imagination in and trinkets of this world is responsible this dream of life. The imagination for the repugnance that is exhibited by does not want anything that is not new the materialistic thinkers to any serious and also not to its liking, and its liking consideration of the Real Centre of the is ever directed downwards to its principle that is distortedly reflected in kindred point of the flesh, or the corpse. the aesthetic enterprises of this It is sot possible even for the imagination mundane world. The attitude to con- to deceive itself regarding the naturally demn spiritual aesthetics without a loathsome character of the dead body, hearing by infatuated reliance on the ultimate source of its inspiration. its unwholesome counterfeit, perpe. The imagination of man is no more tuates our degrading thraldom to the competent judge of his real aesthetic latter. All the so-called wealth of needs than his scientific acumen. Both mundane fine arts makes their appeal are directed to mundane objectives to the sensuous . nature of man and which are essentially ugly and unwhole- prompts ultimately to animality of the some. gross and subtle varietis. The finest There can be no abiding value in songs of this world, says Shelley, are poetry unless both poet and his sur- those that tell of saddest thoughts, roundings are radically changed into pointing to the hollowness of the entities that do not irresistibly and sensuous. But this consolation is only unaesthetically drag us down to the a passing ray. As a matter of fact the most rotten things of this world. It is song, that does not portray new no true poetry that seeks, to disguise vanities stirs no emotion. this fact by the external embellishments ( To be continued. ) Sree Ramanuja

C Sree Yamunacharryya knew that ►JRBB Ramanuja was born in Sri- Laksmana would in the future become perambhedur, a-village nearly 26 miles the protector and guide of the theistic west of the town of Madras, in 939 community. Lakshmana one day chanced Sakabda answering to 1017 of the to hear the Stotraratna composed by Christian Bra. His father Keshaba- Yamunacharyya being recited by charyya was a descendant of Harit, the Purnacharyya. This made him desirous famous compiler of a ''Code of Laws", of having a sight of the holy saint. and his mother was the eldest sister of Lakshmana set out for SrirangaksLetra Sree Yamunacharyya's disciple Sree in the company of Purnacharyya, but Shailapuma. Noticing the remarkable on the way learnt of the disappearnce resemblances of Ins son with the of Yamunacharyya. On making their younger brother of Sree Ramachandra, way to the holy body of Yamunacharya, Shailapurna named his 'Lakshmana'. they found three of his fingers were Even when a child, Lakshmana's keen still bent as if in the act of holdiog intellect, superhuman genius and rever- something. From this Lakshmana underf ence towards the devotees of the stood that three cherished desires of the Supreme Lord Vishnu attracted the Acharyya were still unfulfilled. Laksh- attention of all. mana made enquires and came to learn At the entreaty of hia father, Laksh- about the unfulfilled wishes of Sree mana married at the age of 16 years. Yamunachayya. He imadiately pledged When Keshabdikshit died, Lakshmana himself to these three vow^ before all removed to Kanchi. Here he began to present, and no sooner did he do so than stndy Vedanta under Yadavacharyya, three bent fingers of the Acharyya a professor of the impersonalist school. straightened themselves. Laksh. One day his feelings were greatly hurt mana vowed that (1) "Being himself by his tercher's indecent explanation established in the holy principles of of the word ''Kapyashara. From that Vaishnavism, he must allow all souls to time he made it his mission to expose receive the fivefold purifications, the manifold mistakes of the monistic make them conversant with the expositions of the Vedanta. Yadava- line of Dravida.preceptors and charyya plotted to kill his Gurudev teach them the religion of Submission". pupil who was in every case rairacul- (2) That he must compose a commen- saved by Sree Narayan Himself. tary on the Vedantasutras and (3) SREE RAMANUJA 185

compile an endyclopaedia based on the its esoteric meaning, but forbade him work of Parasara on 'Isvara (God) and to divulge the same to anybody. Rama, jivas (infinitesimal absolutes )'. nuja called all the villagers and gave Lakshmana thereupon went through out to them the mantram. When his the fivefold process of purification Guru demanded to know the reason of beintj initiated by Maha-purna or Sree his defiant act, Ramanuja repled, "If Pnrnachaya. From this time Master and by suffering punishment in hell a large disciple lived at Kanchipur with their number of people are benefited, why families. Lakshmana's wife was a should I desist from courting such henotheist. One day while the wives punishment?" Gostipurna to express his of Lakshmana and Mahapnrna were appreciation of the noble conduct of taking water from a well, a drop Ramanuja had his son Soumya-Narayan of the water from the dripping rope of initiated by the latter. Mahapurna's wife fell into the pitcher Envious of the great fame of Rama- of the wife of Lakshmana. This very nuja as a Vaishnava preacher, the much angered Lakshmana's wife who principal priest of the Temple of Sri- spoke harsh words against the wife of Ranganath, at the instigation of some Mahapurna. When Lakshmana came bad men, tried to poison Ramanuja, but home and learnt of the incident, he at Sri Ranganath frustrated all his attempts. once resolved to give up the company Sree Ramanuja now applied himself of his wife who had no respect for the to writing his vowed commentary on Guru and the Vaishnava. Sending the Vedanta-sutra on the lines of the away his wife to her father's house and older commentary of Bodhayan. He meditating on the holy feet of Sree journeyed to Saradapeoth in Kashmere Yamunaoharya, Lakshmana renounced with his disciple Kuresh for procuring a the world by accepting the discipline copy of the work of Bodhayan. The of tridandasanyasa. From henceforth monists who were in charge of the he "was known as Sree Ramanuja. shrine had no mind to lend him the The fame of the groat devotee Gosthi- book,but Sarasawatidevi (the goddes of puma, wh6 was a disciple of Sree learing) brought the book to Sree Yrtraunacharyya, now reached the ears Ramanuja during the night. Sree of Sree Ramapuja who made his way Ramanuja with Kuresh immediately to him and begged to be favoured with left the place. They were pursued, his grace. GOsthipurna after refusing overtaken on the way and the book was him 18 times,- at last gave him the taken back from them by force. But mantram ( transcendental sound ) with Kuresh had got the contents of the book 24 166 THE HARMONIST

by heart and could write out the whole officers to the court of the Chola king. of the work for the use of his Master. Kuresh tried to prove by his arguments Sree Ramanuja named his commentary that the doctrine held by King Krimi- "Sri.Bhasya". He went to Saradapeeth kantha was wrong. For this offence his a second time when he was awarded by two eyes were mercilessly blinded by the temple priests the formal title of order of the king. Krimikantha was "Bhasyakar" ( the compiler of the also attacked with a painful disease commentary on the Yedenta ), He also shortly after, which proved fatal. visited Benares and Puri and preached Sree Ramanuja buiit a Temple and the doctrinesj and practice of the established a Math also at Yadabadri. Pancharatra at those holy tirthas. After Sree Ramanujacharyya passed the this he established the worship of the last sixty years of his life at Sriranga- Ahoval-Nrisinha Temple in accordance kshetra and preached Yaishnavism by with the rituals of the Pancharatra his disciples all over the country. While system. He also founded a Math the Acharyya was still living, his dis- (Monastery) here and made it the centre ciples instituted the worship of his of his missionary propaganda. Men Archa (marble image). Sree Ramanuja- belonging to the lower castes became, charyya shortly before his disappearance by the grace of Sree Ramanajacharyya, expressed his desire to enter into the holier than brahmins. eternal Leela of the Suprrae Lord, and The Saiva king of Chola, Krimi- after entrusting the various duties of kantha, sent some of his officers to preaching to his disciples, left this world bring Sree Ramanuja to his court. for Vaikuntha at noon on Saturday, Kuresh, anticipating danger, changed Sukla Dasami Tithi of Magh, 1059 dress with his Guru and went with the Sakabda ( 1137 A. D. ). Religious Discourse

T IIS Divine Grace :—We live in this We should not purloin anything from world. We have got our external all that are His due. As eternal servi- thoughts and ideas. These ideas and tors we should offer our all to the thoughts always misguide us. We must Eternal Absolute. not rely upon them. They are always We are part and parcel of the ready to offer their services to us. But Absolute and as such we should offer instead of taking their services all of our quota to Him. We are always us should direct our services to the hankering for things for our own use ; Absolute, the purest form of our services but we cannot understand that they are to the Absolute is known as love. mere traps to put us into difficulties All inanimate objects of this world and miseries. To avoid these traps, captivate our senses. We are always we require to ofler our services to the troubled by different sources, but we Absolute. If we require something require to be free from this undesirable from this world, that would go against situation. We are misled to belive that our real interest and we will be showing the gratification of our senses will give our partial face- But, instead of that, us temporary relief. Inanimate objects we should secure a loving tendency are found to give us our gratification of for Him. Nothing but the Absolute senses, but if we are duped thereby, we should be served, We must seek after are undone. such objects that are truly inclined to We are vested with intelligence and offer services to Him. To meet this with its help we should compare the end, wearato come into contact with desirability of them. Here all truths the sad bus who have no other functions are apparept, but not real, and not to hut to serve the Absolute. With the be peswmed to continue for a long time. association of the sadhus, we can make They are liable to change. Therefore, progress in the spiritual world. Many the naturo of the Absolute should be are to be found, who may pose them- studied. We should always prove our selves as our friends, but they are mere aptitude to serve Him. But service summer friends. At all costs, we should cannot be rendered to an unknown secure such associations. object. We are put into a chamber All these will be an easy matter, if where our resources are very scanty. mind is to be regulated. Mind always We must regulate all for His services. tries to lord it over them. If the mind 188 THE HARMONIST can be regulated to serve the Absolute, not reserve anything for our gratifica. then everything will be all right; tion. All our intellectualism should otherwise they will tantalize us. Altruist tend for Him. Our cognitional activi- ic ideas should have another turn to ties should not be lent in any other way. the Absolute, instead of supplying us We should not be losing ourselves , but our needs. Indian philosophy tends to we should be free from all wrong and teach altruism. The karmins are all foreign materials. beggars ; they require elevation. We are the fragmentary parts of Altruistic activities are confined to the the Absolute and • as such we require elevationists. They come to satisfy our perfect dove-tailing with Him, So senses only. We are often mistaken Icarma and jnana should not eclipse us by the duping face of things. If we as to what we are. We should not want to be saved from these, we should have any other wrong desires. We simply surrender completely to the should clear ourselves from all these Absolute, relying fully that He will look and should be unmindful of them. All after us. He is neither an inanimate our endeavours should be directed in nor a finite object. Therefore, He will His favour. Definition of devotion is show mercy to us. given as follows ;— This mercy is to be found in the asso- Anyabhiksitasunyam jnanakarraa- ciation of the true seekers of the Truth dyanavritam viz. the sadhus or bonafide devotees, Anukulyena Krishnanushilanam who have got the Absolute in their bhaktiruttama. clutch. All intelligence is to be found in We are to associate with those who them, though they do not pose as such. are the wholesale seekers of the Truth. We have some business with Krishna. We should make it a point to learn We need not think that He is known Who Krishna is, do everything in His to us. Our activities should tend to favour, associate with those inclined in Him. So we find that "ananya bhakti" their loving activities to Him only. is essentially necessary i. e. everything We are meant for Him and need not go should be done in His favour and that astray. Our occupations should be we should not have any contradictory meant for Him only. Then surely we ideas about Hini. We have got some will have the association of persona who apprehension of wrong things ; but that are sadhus. We must not misunder- is a detriment to that great cause. stand things. We need not be miscarried When ''.ananya bhakti" is required, by the thought that mere counting altruism should be satisfied. We should the Names, neglecting all other aotivi- RELIGIOUS DISCOURSE 189 ties ( i. e. service ), will give us more rasa. Rasa is something to be tasted. facilities towards His service. Seeming We are hankering after beautiful predi- appearances need not lead us to a lections. By Vishnu we mean Narayana, wrong way. There are people who, but He falls short of Krishna in Whom neglecting all other kinds of services, all the rasas are to be found. We should are busy with counting the Names only. know who Hari or Krishna is. Hari is He Our chanting should be directed along Who steals away our all. Half-hearted with the true devotees. persons cannot approach Him. If we We are Absolute infinitesimals. want to get rid of the clutches of Maya Bhakti can be obtained by the associa. and to receive the grace of Krishna, we tion of those who have no other trend must give our all to Him. Otherwise than the Absolute. The harmaJcandis if we only give a fraction of our all, do things for their own gratification He will not accept the same. and not for that of Krishna. Indolency It is useless to carry this weight of is not meant for our devotional purposes. a body unless it is used for the service Idle fellows think that they will merge of Krishna. We are, first of all, to themselves. This difference should not know Him and then to engage our be allowed. But we should be energetic attention and activities to Him without to serve Krishna. ''Ananya bhakti*'' is any interruption from any other quar- the only thing needed. We need not ters. We can have everything from cripple Krishna or have a wrong idea Him in whom all the rasas are fully about Him. The principal thing is to be found. He is the emporium of that we are meant for Krishna. A everything-—all good and bad every- partial view about Krishna will lead thing comes from Him. Some prove to us to wrong ideas. We should have a be undesirable or unpleasant to us, clear idea about Krishna and should because we have a different angle of not have any other temperament to vision. All unethical principles should serve Sim. A historical or an imagi- be rejected in our present state. All native Krishna should not be the Object imperfections are attached with our of service. Such a Krishna may be angularities. Ethical injunctions are an object of secular interest and as necessary for us. We need not be too such can be lorded over. But Krishna, much selfish to others, nor be troubling as He is, should be humbly approached. others. Our full submission to Krishna He is ''Akhilarasamitamurti." 'Hasa' is will give us all sorts of facilities. We the most desired object. We cannot give should have sufficient strength to meet any English equivalent for the word persons captivated with wrong ideas. Bhoga-O-Puja ( Enjoyment and toorship )

I n relation to worlds seen and unseen, second god of death, Sree Krishna, two things can be affirmed to exist with the help of another powerful vis. (1) the source or creator and (2) agent called Nityakal, exists without the creation. All that we can see, a rival in Vaikuntha and Golokadhama, understand, feel, hear, smell, touch the Eternal Region of the Abslute and by our organs of sense during the His Associates. There Lord Sree conditioned state are creations although Krishna has every right over His some may appear to stand on the Associates who are from time to time footing of a creator ; as for example sent at His will, to tho mundane worlds parents stand as the creators of sons, for delivering and tnaking the condi- people doing various works claim to tioned souls understand their actual be the creators of those works, etc. position. But BrQfhma himself is after all a As Krishna is the Supreme Absolute created being in the hands of Lord and Ever-existing Object in all the Sree Krishna, the sole Source-creator Universes, both before and after and of all seen and unseen universes. In during the existence of creation, every- a word, all that are liable to perish or thing should go to Him as an offering to be snatched by time ( Mahakal ) are to His Lotus Feet, This is in general reckoned as the creation. term called Puja or worship. B^t Lord Sree Krishna, through one base imitations have defiled this of His most powerful incarnations system and we should try to under, called Mahakal, is controlling all mun. stand their real nature. Among created dane universes such as Bhooh, Bhubah, beings, God has given some of them

Stoah, Satya, Jana, Tapa, Mahat and power over others that have less power Tal, Atal, Talatal, Sutal, Beeial, Fatal, or apparently no power such as various Basatal. All these universes are foods, fruits, flowers, water, and such moved by Mahakal and maintained by other goods worthy of being offered to Maya or the Ghhaya-Sakti of Lord the Feet of the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna, and, at the end, the created Krishna. Those who engage others in beings under control of Mahakal and worshipping are called Pujakas or Maya go to the abode of Yam a or the worshippers, and those who are used ROUND THE GAUD1YA MATHS 191

as oblations or offerings are called of the Absolute Lord, forgetful of the pujopdkaranas. All these are in their real aims of life, roam from world to real form creation, or the object of world, suffering chastisement from Bhoga to the Supreme Lord. People Mahakal, Maya and Yaraa and crying in the guise of pujalcas or rather unfor. with indescribable agony from their tunately posing themselves as the perpetual residence in the Bouraba Pujya or the Source-creator, collects Hell. Created beings have really no variour pujopnkaranaa and feed upon right to encroach upon anything them without carrying them to the without dedicating that to the Absolute Supreme Lord. In this world and even Lord Sree Krishna through the Real in Bhnbah and Stoar we hear of many Paramarthic or the Spiritual Guide, examples of such Ohogees or psewlo- Sree Gurudeva. Dedicate everything pujakas. They are always trying like in the above manner to Him and get the Kamsa, , Hirannya-Kassipu, remains of His dishes as His favour for Danta-bakra, Sisupal, Mahiravana, yourself, and that will be your PUJA, Surpanakha: and many others to get but if instead of doing that you take a all the nice and valuable good things pie-worth of goods for yourself without for the gratification of their organs of dedicating, that would be your sense. The descendants of these rivals BIJOGAor enjoyment in the wrong way.

Round the Gaudiya Maths

Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Vilas Gaudiya Math. Swamiji left for Qavastinemi Maharaj ; Jamshedpur and arrived there on Swamiji is propagating the tenets of December 8. Sriman Mahaprabhu in Behar. He Sree Gaudiya Math, Madras: arrived at Dehri. Seth Ram Krishna On December 3, a meeting was held Dalmia, Proprietor of Dehri Sugar at the Ramanujia Math by Jagannath. Mills, accommodated Swamiji and Bhakta-Sabha and the preachers of the listened to the reading of Srimad Gaudiya Math were invited. Sripad Bhagabat with great interest. He made Satyavastabyadas Brajabasi delivered a a gift of a garden and a house near lecture in English. Dr. Madhusudan Dinapur Cantonment towards Sree Rao, Bhaktimartanda spoke in Tamil 192 THE HARMONIST

about tho missionary work of Gaudiya 28 at the hone of Mr. Subbaora Garu. Math and activities of its President. The .Math is gaining popularity in the Acliarya, locality and many respectable gentle, On December 5, Pandit Seshagiri man arc coming in dose touch with the Ra«, Mr. T. N. Raghabendra Rao, inmates of the Math. Advocate and Prof. Subbachar came On November 30, a party of preachers to visit the Math. They were pleased had been to Dhabaloswaram. On to hear disconres about the Life and December 1, Sripad Narottaraananda Teachings of Sriraau Mahaprabhu. Brahmachari spoke on Gita. On On December 10, the preachers of December 2, he delivered a lecture on the Math had been to the house of the Divine Message of Sri Ohaitanya. Mr. Ananta Pai at his request. A On December 6, Sripad Ram Govinda lecture was delivered in English. Many Dasadhikari explained Sri Ohaitanya- educated ladies and gentlemen attended charitamrita in Telegu. and appreciated the lecture. Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Rakshak On December 11, the fifth weekly Sridhar Maharaj ; sitting of Bhagabat class of the Math On December 4 and 5, Swamiji was held at "Palani Yilas" in Mylapur. delivered lectures at the local Hari Sree Ramananda Gaudiya Math, Kovur .- Sabha on the prime cause of the advent Sripad Narottaraananda Brahmachari, of Srimad Bhagabat. Many respect, a preacher of the Mission read and able gentlemen were present. explained Srimad Bhagabat at the house Burma; of Mr. Bankaji Rao, zeminder of Kovur. Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Many respectable gentlemen attended. Sudhir Yachak Maharaj with a party of On the following day Mr. M. B. Brahmacharins is carrying on propa- Subbarao invited Brahmacharrji at his ganda work in various parts of the house. On November 26, he explained province. He arrived at Mytkyina Srimad Bhagabat at the residence of where he was very warmly received by Mr. B. Bankauna Garu. At the house the people of the place. Mr. A. K. Das, of Mr. I. Y. Pantalu Garu, he Retired Engineer arranged for expound- explained Srimad Bhagabat in English ing of Srimad Bhagabat at his house on November 27 and on November for about a week from November 30. VQL XXXII Mo. 8] Regtd. No. C 1601

TNE HARMONIST

(Sree Saiianatosbant)

FORTNIGHTLY-

Qaur JStoadaahi Pattsh 449 QwA,

January 5, 1936.

CpT

Annihfation of ag a* Co tig saferings. May these our high aims fCourish The Service of Radha* Krisftna, 7o gCaadeii the hearts of true ■ devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs, 4-8. Foreign Is. 6d, Patamahstm Bhakti SiddKants Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswaroi

Sree Caodiya Math, P.O. Bagljbazar, Calcutta CONTENTS

Subject Pagfe 1. Sex 193 2. Talk about the Absolute 199 3. Aesthetic Culture 206 4. Sree Kuresh 210 6. Round the Gauiiya Maths 214 ALL-OLORY TO $RBB OURU AND OAURANOA

(Stee Saftanatosbant)

VOL. XXXII, | JANUARY 5, 1936 No. 9

Sex

HTHE relationship between the sexes There is no field of human labour into cannot be placed on a satisfactory which she is not entering on a footing basis without reference to the Absolute. of equal partnership with men. TherC The modern woman in Europe and may even come a day, perhaps very America is anxious to have full liberty much sooner than many people imagine of action limited only by the conditions when woman workers will be preferred of mundane existence. This necessity to men in most branches of human for adaptation to the mundane environ- industry, thus reversing the past ment is a very large reservation on indi- arrangement. vidual liberty and perhaps exercises Under the circumstances will it not the decisive influence on the aspirations be regarded as an extinguisher of the and modes of activity of every mortal, cherished hopes of the fair sex to including women. This necessity is the advance the view that the sexes should real bondage of both man and woman. be segregated from each other, which The modern woman is seeking above clearly requires also demarcation of the all things economic equality with man by respective spheres of activity of the enlarging the scope of her occupations. sexes ? 194 THE HARMONIST

Sree Krishna Chaitanya condemns are developing an increasing repug. all association between the sexes for nance for the obligations of the married carnality in the most unsparing terms. state. Free sexual intercourse at the Is this Teaching of the Shastras to be option of the parties is on the point of regarded as obsolete and oriental in scoring an unqualified victory over the view of the immemorial practice of old superstition (?) of the inviolability "Western countries as well as the most of the marriage vow. modern tendencies all over the world Both man and woman are now-a- that are rapidly sweeping away all days claiming perfect freedom of sexual barriers to unreserved association of the relaitonship. This is necessary if both sexes ? If women take over the work sexes are to have equal liberty of action. that is being performed by men all over It does not follow that snch liberty the world, will not such change obli- will be necessarily abused. The modern terate the last obstacles in the way of expectation is that it will make the the fellowship.of the sexes on a footing conditions of sexual relationship better of perfect- equality ? and more reasonable. Such being the Will it also lead to sexual intemper. modern ideal, is not the teaching of the ance and moral and eugenic disasters ? Supreme Lord contrary to the best This is not regarded as likely by those hopes of the race ? who believe in the natural goodness of The question from the worldly the white races, who are the pattern of point of view hinges on the actual modern humanity, and the proved sober- mundane result of sex liberty, Sree ing effects of individual liberty in the Krishna Chaitanya is against sexual case of white men. It is the basic maxim intercourse between man and woman of modern radicalism that the more who are not husband and wife. He is complete the responsibility that is against man and woman,, who are not thrown upon the shoulders of a human husband and wife, meeting by themselves being, the lesser the chance of his or in privacy. He cites with approval the her physical or mental degradation. text of the Shastras that it is not Liberty is supposed by the moderns to possible even for the wise to stand be the panacea for all the ills that the against the seductions of the flesh. flesh is heir to. There is a radical school of thought The tendency towards full liberty is in favour of admitting the practice of very clearly illustrated by the modern carnality as a matter of right and attitude towards the institution of source of well-being. They hope that marriage. Modern women and men licensed carnality can alone effectively SEX 195 curb sexual excess. This view is not The soul is not benefitted nor harmed endorsed by Sree Krishna Chaitanya by physical and mental well-being or Who declares that the carnal propen- the contrary. If a person is enabled to sity increases by sexual frfeedom. possess all the elements of bodily and If the carnal desire is increased, mental well-being and carries on the it is bound to react fatally on one's struggle for mundane existence with bodily and mental health. Neither full measure of success, the religious the religionist nor the atheist can problem of human life still remains contemplate such consequences with untouched. satisfaction. The problem thus resolves The appetites of the body always itself into one for the ascertainment make their tyrannical demands on of the physical, mental and spiritual the mind of man. It is necessary results of the free pursuit of sexual to eat in order to appease one's intercourse. hnnger. It is necessary to protect If it be urged that the regulation the body against innumerable forms of of sexual intercourse need have nothing harm to which it is exposed at every to do with religion but should be left moment from heat and cold. It is entirely to the scientists who are to equally necessary to undergo much prescribe the right mode of conduct in unpleasant and unedifying drudgery this as in every other affair of human and every form of hardship iq order to life, such objection cuts at the root be able to procure the means of efficient of all religious practices, and on the livelihood. This unedifying struggle satisfactory answer to the whole ques- for comfortable existence is again tion depends the rational case for the depriving man of the opportunity for maintenance of the religious sanction the enjoyment of the hard-won fruits of in any affair of this life. his labours. Sree Krishna Chaitanya expresses It is impossible for a man to decide Himself very clearly on the subject about the proper use of such -scanty before us. He does not rest the quest leisure as he is enabled to snatch from on the likelihood of bodily and mental his hard toil. Strangely enough it is well-being being assured by sex. no less the dilemma of the man of leisure segregation. He takes His stand on born with silver spoons in his lips. The the fact that the effect of the practice latter can also find nothing better or of carnality on the soul is always 'higher' to do, during his boundless disastrous, no matter whether the body leisure, than to betake himself voluntarily and mind be strengthened or debilitated. to those very forms of drudgery that are 196 THE HARMONIST impoaed by the struggle for existence things in their perfectly harmonious on the poor and the needy. Can there relationship to ourselves. be a more telling exposure of the inner It may appear to be strange and self, contradiction of human life, even of the contradictory that we should be so most up-to-date modern Westerner ? utterly ignorant of the nature of our Is there nothing worthier to strive own proper selves. We feel great and after in human life than seeking to put unrealised potentialities in us for good off impoverishment, decay and death as well as for evil. We feel that we by a brief questionable interval of forced are groping in the dark, but yet with or elected toil ? every hope of sudcess for finding our This is the problem which is saught lost way to the truth if we choose to to be tackled by religion, and the exert ourselves. scientific man has neither method nor We are not satisfied with the inclination for its solution. But the achievements of the labours of past question is always there. Why should generations in the matter of self, a man or woman undergo increasing knowledge. We feel that our much hardships for building up something vaunted advancement in scientific which will not free him and her from knowledge has not made any material those hardships ? difference betwean us and our less Sex activity also loses all its attrac- civilized ancestors in this respect. Such tion the moment it is made available. If wisdom as we possess has been a source it be necessary for man to be very unhappy of further embarrassments that are in order to avoid being more unhappy, threatening our very existence. Our life should be hardly worth living. inherited wisdom has proved to be more The truth fortunately is that the like the malevolent cunning of satan whole course of life is?not open to the than the healing wisdom of beneficent view of mortals. Neither could mortals Providence. with their present senses understand Why has this been so ? Will it be the whole truth. We possess crippling wise to stick with a rigid orthodoxy and deluding senses. They prevent us to this tried course that has failed to from approaching the issue in its entire, enlighten the race regarding the reality ty. The value of sense-perception is through all these centuries of feverish slight and indirect, and lies in this that and immoral doings for the attainment it makes us dimly aware that we deserve of material prosperity ? better than our present hard lot, and We feel that it is our paramount that it should be possible for us to view duty to work for the realisation of the SEX 197 truth absolute iirour present life. We us to use our senses for consciously are, therefore, compelled, by the force reciprocating with the senses of the of logic, to put all the blame on the Absolute, instead of being mastered by wrongness of the method as well as the mundane objects of enjoyment. purpose by which past generations had We are told to offer our ears to the been endeavouring to reach the truth. Transcendental Sound, identical with Their futility has always been denounced the Absolute, for being made to hear by the religionists. The by-gone Him by His Aural and Vocal Initiative. generations had found, like ourselves, Our organs of generation are also to be that all their energies barely sufficed offered for being used by the Divine for keeping the wolf from their doors. Sound for similar gratification of His They were also viciously committed to Senses. The activity of offering our a life of unremitting toil for warding off senses to be thus mastered and enjoyed death and starvation. It was in course will enable us to realise in the process of this struggle, and for meeting the our eternal relationship with the problems generated by it, that they Absolute. built up the different branches of The sacrament of marriage consists human knowledge. It has always been in offering the activity of one's organ of a fight against odds. But man's generation for being made eligible progress in such knowledge has not for gratifying the Senses of the Divinty made him progress towards the solution in obedience to the command of the of the enigmatical nature of his present Divine Sound Who is identical with the existence. His life has continued to be Absolute. This consecration is prevented as precarious and as unsatisfactory as if one's organ of generation is used for ever. one's own gratification or for the Sree Krishna Chaitanya tells us not gratification of the senses of non- to drift with the current in such help, absolute entities. By the culture of less fashion. He does not invite us to proper sexual conduct, enjoined by the modify or get rid of our present Shastras on married couples, the environment. He teaches us to make gratification of the senses of the Absolute use of the environment for the further, is effected. By the realisation of the ance of our true and permanent interests fact that one's sexual activities are by the realisation of the real function of exercised for the gratification of the our souls. senses of the Absolute, the desire for He enlightens us in regard to our self gratification automatically ceases to real sex-responsibilities by exhorting possess any charm. For this reason the 198 THE HARMONIST

Brahmacharij that is one who serves say, physical and mental, association is the Absolute, naturally abstains from alone possible in practice. When all sexual indulgence by the body or the spiritual association becomes possible, mind. mental and physical affinity automati- The sexual urge finds its proper cally ceases to have any influence on objective only on the attainment of the the conduct of redeemed souls. It is service of the Absolute. It cannot be this which makes all the difference satisfied by any manipulation of sexual between the conduct of self, realised activity for the gratification of one's souls and those who are subject to the senses. The moment the Divine Sound appetites of the flesh. is heard, ever so imperfectly, He confers As a matter of fact the advocates on the hearer the eligibility for serving of full and equal liberty for woman the Divinity by all his spiritual senses i?eem to forget that this world and our on the transcendental plane of the sensuous affinities for the things of this unalloyed souls. The activities of the world are not our permanent and real physical sense-organs thereafter cease interests. Perfect freedom is possible to be performed on the physical and and natural only on the attainment of mental planes. This gives the requisite the unalloyed fuuction of the soul on relief without depriving the correspon- the transcendental plane. The condi. ding spiritual organs the fullest scope bions, that are imposed on the freedom for their activities on the highest plane of our sensuous activity in this world, of eternal existence. have their significance in supplying us The proposal to segregate the sexes with the incentive for reflecting ou the is for eliminating the obstructing physi- purpose of such provision, instead of cal and mental, or mundane, sexual blaming the Providence and supposing activity. The spiritual activity is denied Him to be non-existent. We should by the active desire for the mundane. strive to break through the limitations The economic segregation of of time and space, instead of quarrelling the sexes is necessary for the with one another for the purpose of spiritual purpose. In the case of perpetuating and aggravating the unredeemed souls external, that is to miseries of our state of bondage. Talk about the Absolute Editor's talk to Mr. William Ht ri John Vandor Stole of Batavia ( 26-12.35 ; 4.: 1-6.30 P. M. ) IN India as in Europe we find people they should have no occasion of having hold different views but all of them future lives. But persons who subscribe may be classed into three divisions. to the theory of metempsychosis think One class of people are seekers of fruits that they will have future lives when by their action. Another class wish to they can make up for the nefarious acts annihilate themselves. And the third done in their present lives or in their class want, in their true selves as past lives and receive grace from the absolute infinitesimals, to be in touch dispenser of justice. They are fruit, with the Absolute Infinity rejecting all seekers. They went to gratify their non-absolute features. We belong to the senses. third party. There are persons who hanker after The seekers of fruits by their action knowledge. They want to secure are called karmakandins in the Sanskrit- knowledge by the empiric method. They language. The Christian thought is target annihilation to be their final included in karmakanda. 1^ India we goal. They think they should merge have also that sort of idea, that a in the Integer—the Absolute, and that person is to be judged by his action. all the undesirable situations of this He gets something in return as'a reward world will end by merging. In that of his pious deeds. Virtue and piety case observer, observation and observed, are the main principles that are wanted these three situations are eliminated. by such doers. Most of the people When all the activities , of the senses understand this view. That is what I such as hearing, tasting, smelling, see. do is either rewarded or reprimanded. ing and touching will cease, the obser- We think that we should live a pious ver, observation and the observed will life in order that we may be rewarded mix up together and there will be no in, our next life with all sorts of enjoy, occasion of knowing, willing or feeling. ments. We have got subtle bodies in All volitional, cognitional and emotional wh'ich we are rewarded or punished. activities will cease. These have given That body is not exactly similar to the us a bitter experience ; and, so, accord, ordinary gross body, the mortal coil ing to the empiricists, we should try to which we see here. Egyptians thought make an end of them, that it would be that they should have one life and that better for us not to think of anything 200 THE HARMONIST which will reciprocate our .senses. This simply driven out, eliminated, then a idea is formulated by theorists like desirable position can be had. But in pantheists, agnostics and sceptics. the conception of heaven, we find that These people think that they will be it is meant for our purpose, to get our able to secure happiness by destroying wishes for enjoyment fulfilled, for our themselves. enjoyment apart from the enjoyment of The third view is the theistic view. the Absolute. The enjoyment of the We believe that there is a Personality Absolute is full, whereas our enjoyment of Godhead and that we are persons. is liable to be involved in some troubles. We require our troublous situations to All these miserable situations should be stop and to get a peaceful position cleared out tor the purpose of safety—for where we can freely move and have our peace. The eternal peace can only everything—whatever we are in need of come if we are at all sanguine to engage and this has given a direction to the ourselves in the service of the Lord, Absolute Who is represented as a I mean, the Personality of Godhead. Personality. In the Absolute Person- God has got spiritual eyes, spiritual ality we find three features—that He is ears, spiritual nose, spiritual tongue, Ever-existent, He is ever full of spiritual skin and spiritual mind ; not knowledge and He is the Fountain-head material things like us. Our senses of unceasing bliss. In Him there is no are made up of material things and factor of time, no factor of ignorance there is no such element in God. God or less knowledge. In Him there is no is the Emporium of all desirable discrepancy, no defect, no inadequacy, elements. He is found to be Eternally nothing of the kind. In the conception Existing, He is Full of Knowledge, He of God, we find He is the Emporium of is Omniscient and He is All.blissful. all bliss, all knowledge, and no acts of He delegates His power to certain nescience or ignorance are to be asso- absolute infinitesimals, or, in other ciated with Him, and we need not seek words, the absolute infinitesimals are after any fruit for our purpose leaving endowed with such potencies which Him aside. He need not give us any- enable them to transact affairs with thing. We are to serve Him as servitors, the Eternal Authority. Now we are He being the only Lord. In this world placed In a region where all sorts of we find that hundreds of absolute infini- imperfections and undesirable situations tesimals trouble themselves with the are prominent, and we require that our undesriable elements of these pheno- bitter experience should devise some mena. If the undesriable elements are means to get rid of these unpleasant TALK ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE 201 situations, the painful situations must to do in this world. We have got the be kicked out from jour activities. We only purpose of associating ourselves should be prepared for the stage where with the Spirit, with the Over-soul. we can realise our own real selves. When we will leave this mortal coil, We need not trouble ourselves here this tabernacle of flesh and oones, we engaging ourselves in amusements and will have some occupation at that time. other things. We require that some We need not think that in the subtle prudent, preparatory measures should bodies we will have some enjoyment. be adopted when we have got life, that This enjoyment is temporary and in we should have discretion to judge our the long run becomes the cause of desirabilities and have comparative binding us with grosser coils. But study of the revealed scriptures that if we have any mind to engage have come to us and can ameliorate ourselves with the Eternity, with AIL our conditions and give up the passion- knowledge, with One Who is devoid of ate desires that are engrossing the ignorance and Full of Incessant Bliss, people who are busy with annihilating we must be reciprocating with Him, themselves or busy with fruit-seeking we should be participating with the purpose. The third party is known Absolute and not with the non-absolute as devotees or bhaktas or who possess features here. Our phenomenal exis. bhakti which is the vehicular agent to tence is not all sympathetic to us. carry us to the Absolute, It will be Our so-called relatives show that they the uniting tie between the Personality are very kind to us, but in the end we of the Lord and our personalities. Our find that they require to draw some- persons should be united with the thing from us. They are not actually Personality of God) and that Person- kind to us. We should not be dissuaded ality of Godhead is purely spiritual and by their influence. We should have a has no mundane reference. If we wish stern will to give up all our passionate to know Him by any mundane reference enjoying habits, as well as the inclina- that would be like trying to send rays tion for self-annihilation which the from the retina to the sun. But we empiricists seek. The desire for anni- should receive rays Irom the emanating hilation as well as the tendency for disc of the sun. So by the mercy of enjoyment are to be sacrificed at the the Supreme Lord we will be able to altar of devotion. We should be prudent know what He is, and after learning and accept the ideas of the devotees this, we will engage ourselves for His and not the annihilating temperament purpose. We will have nothing else of the agnostics nor the fruit-seeking 26 202 THE HARMONIST temperarnent of the ordinary people Him. He Himself is Love. We have of the world. They do wrong things. no loving tendency, whereas He is They enjoy instead of serving, and we full of loVe. We should try to meet require that we should be set free from the merciful strain by which He wants all these wrong ideas of' the speculative Jto attract us to Him—to His region people of the world. We have got the where there is no defect, no disagree- history of civilisation for the last ten able feature, no ignorance and no thousand years, and we expect that the undesirable situation. We should go world will run for some ten thousand back there. We need not carry our years or more when some trouble will bones and flesh there. The proprietor arise and the human race will be of these bones and flesh is to go there, destroyed by some influence which we leaving here all these dirts for the cannot foretell now. So, the Absolute enjoyment of jackals and dogs and is to be enquired. What He is. Whether those creatures of the lower creation He is a humau.being, or whether He who have no devotional motive at all, belongs to the lower creation, or who do not want to come in touch with whether He is of stony character. the Absolute Infinity. Most of the Whether the Absolute is neuter, mascu- people of the globe are very busy with line or feminine. Let us be acquaiut. getting fruits, gratifying their senses by ing ourselves with all these ideas and attending cinemas, driving motors, and thoughts —about the next world and the they are quite diffident to serve those Absolute. Whether the region of the who can guide them to the Absolute Absolute has all sorts of manifestive region. All the undesirable situations phases, whether these phases are which impede our course are to be agreeable and free from invasion of eliminated. The enjoying and empiric- wrong thoughts. So, if we want to al activities are obstructing our ways clear our wrong ideas and thoughts, and we should try to drive them off. we will have to surrender to the We should want that we should be in Absolute Infinity and then we shall touch only with the Absolute. As be in touch with Him. We will have devotees, we are always in touch with the opportunity of dovetailing ourselves Him and never dislocated from Him. with Him and no other ideas and We want to serve Him. We want to thoughts can dissuade us from having regain our position. We need not pass a touch with the Absolute. If we our time just as the ordinary people do. can secure the tendency of love /or We should submit to the heaven-sent the Absolute, we will be attracted by messenger and follow his dictations. TAJLK ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE 203

Our philosophies and empirical know- to enjoy a peaceful life. They are ledge will be of no use to us. Our friendly to others to get their help in devotion should not be directed towards return. dogs, horses, men and women and Q. How we should know the will other objects of the phenomena. We of God ? need not serve such things. We should Ans. We are absolute infinitesi- be determined to come in touch with the mals and He is Absolute Infinity. If Absolute Who is very different from we are sincere and submit to Him, we the non-absolute phenomena. Any will come in touch with Him and know person or thing that serves the Person, His will. There are self-sufficient ality of God, we should be friendly people who think they can, by their with that. And if any person or thing empirical knowledge, know everything. proves hostile in the cause of His But the Absolute cannot be known service, we should leave that off. We by our empirical knowledge. This should not try to understand the attempt would be like sending rays spiritual plane from the material stand, from the retina to the sun to know point of view. what the sun is. We should have Q. What do you understand by nothig to do with the agnostics and spiritual land ? karmakandins of this world. They Ans. By Spiritual world we mean will try to dissuade us from having an where we can have association with aptitude for devotion. The devotees the spirit, The Absolute reserves the are the most - intelligent people. We right of not being exposed to human should await the day when the Merciful senses. The human senses are all Lord will send his messenger to give prisoners. They are all blind fellows. us the civil death by which all connec. They cannot see Him. Rather they tions with the worldly people cease. indulgd in wrong ineas and give trouble We shall then be able to live the life to the people. The word ''God" has of a devotee. Our selection of friends been created by man. The direction is should be among the devotees. The quite right, but what men produce in agnostics and karmakandins will only their factory is wrong. The people are lead us to trouble. The devotees are engaged in non-absolute propaganda. the only prudent and judicious people. This should cease, The path of devotion is the shortest Q. Those who work for the welfare and easiest way. It is better that of the people, are they not good ? whatever we have gathered in this Ans, Some people try to be good world, we should leave aside. We 204 THE HARMONIST

want to disown everything that are passionate desires satisfied, they require deemed to be quite suitable to persons peace for themselves. They do not who are busy with the mundane want to engage themselves in the service affairs. We should be "Trinadapi of the Lord, but they try to get some, Sunicha", that is, consider ourselves thig for their own. If a is at all less than the blade of a grass. We successful in his endeavours to come in have now secured some non.absolute contact with the Absolute, He shows his things which are quite inefficacious for stony aspect at that time. The our purpose. We should simply think that God should be represented submit to the instructions of the as a neuter thing, that no idea of sexo- devotees who are busy to como in touch logy should disturb their minds. The with the Absolute. yogis want to reach kaivalya or 'Tswar- Q. What do you think of the yogis ? sajujya" and "Brahma-sajujya''. They A. We do not subscribe to the want to be made God like the slave principle of yoga. The yogis think "Altamas" who usurped the throne of that they should have some-thing for his master. These are wrong ideas. their owqn They have no eternal pur. The yogis are never successful in their pose. The Indian yogis think that attempts and we should not adopt the when they come in touch with the principles of a yogi. In paradise all Absolute, they will be restored to their sorts of enjoyment are supplied. But position and they will have nothing to who is the enjoyer ? He is a poor man do later on. They simply want emanci- who has got all sorts of bitter ex- pation from all troubles. The yogi perience in this world. thinks that when his duties are finished It is better for us not to be agnostics, he will be able to pass his time in yogis, karmakandins and empiricists. indulgence. So indulgence is the care- Empiricists want to secure experience ful object of a yogi. And for this they of the things of this world like a* versity strive for emancipation from the bonds man. The knowledge acquired by this of karma. The devotees are first class method at the thirtieth year proves to yogis, but they care very little for be insufficient at the fiftieth year. And emancipation. They do not require the knowledge acquired at the fiftieth these things. A devotee would be more year proves to be insufficient at the happy to abide by the decision of the seventieth year. Providence instead of throwing off the The Supreme Lord disclosed before troublous" situation he has been put into. the people the true system df devotion. The yogis are inclined to have their There was no party who could claim a TALK ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE 205 better system. The karmakandins and Here in this world we find the jnanins gave up their established ideas folio wing relationships—between Ivus band and thoughts, they all submitted to the and wife, between master and servitor, true and loving wishes of the Supreme between friend and friend and between Authority Whom we want to seek. children and parent. In the transcen- The Supreme Authority is to be served dental region the Supreme Lord is the and not the things which are hostile to only object of these relationships. He the Supreme Authority. is the only Husband, the only Master, What should be Supreme Authority? the only Friend and the only Child. What is He? Should the word "it" serve There is also the neutral relationship for targetting the Absolute ? Or the with Godhead. So in all we find there predominating aspect as 'he', or the are five kinds of relationships we can predominated aspect as "she" should be have with the Supreme Lord. In the taken up ? The followers of the Old New Testament God is described as Testament like that the principle of "it God the Father, God the Son and God god" should be taken up, that God the Holy Ghost; but they neglect the should be neuterised and no personal five relationships mentioned above. forms should be attributed to Him,—in Service of God in these five relation, order to differentiate Him from the ships has been given to mankind by phenomenal existence. Some people Sree Krishna-Chaitanya. Service is say that if only the subjective aspect is the only function of the soul. We ascribed to Godhead then the objective ignore the body when we are busy with aspect of Godhead is neglected. So we the service of the Lord. require that Godhead should com- Q. Why do you require service ? prise both subjective and objective Ans. We should have our engage- aspects. There must be some objects ment. "Aradhananam sarbesham for the subject, otherwise the subjectivi- Yishnoradhanam param"—of all the ty cannot stand. When we talk of some occupations the best occupation is to relationship, the reciprocating portion attend to the service of the Absolute. should never be neglected. In theism Man wants to lord it over the pheno. find that the predominating part mena, but in the long run he becomes should reciprocate with the predomina- a slave of the phenomena. For instance, ted parts—these two parts should com. there are people who wish to enjoy prise the Whole Thing, otherwise the smoking and intoxicating liqueurs, but Plenary is divided into two, or is ultimately they become slaves of those divided into three. habits. We devotees do not want our 206 THE HARMONIST

entities to be absorbed in the Integer— we should be serving Him, and when we want to adopt the process of devo- He participates with our pure selves, tion and have some permanent engage- we will be set free from all the tempting ment. We should examine what we influence of the different things of really are. Are we the external frame, Nature. We require that we should the emporium of senses or the mind ? go back. Like a shooting star, we If we analyse, we find that these are have strayed out of the range of His foreign , elements incorporated into us. attraction. Like a comet, we are In order to get rid of all these dirts, journeying without cessation. Our the only course left to us is devotion eternal condition is that we are ab_ which is service, service fully filtered solute infinitesimals, and, as such, we and unalloyed. should dovetail with the Absolute Q. Do you know the Absolute Infinity. The function between Him gradually, or at once ? and us is love. He is the Lover. If Ans. The knowledge of the He loves us, we will be taken back. Absolute can be had at once—there is If He has an apathetic tendency for

no factor of time and space. If we are ust we will be averse to Him, and will at all sanguine to know Him, we be undergoing 84 millions of births must have some sort of objective and deaths, again and again. It would reference for His subjective activity. be judicious for us that we should go Now we are busy with worldly affairs ; back to the Absolute Infinity, and that we think we are men and women. all our engagements should be with Instead of doing so, we require that Him, and not with anybody else.

Aesthetic Culture

The soul is proclaimed by the the soul are only a more exquisite Shastras to be a transcendental entity form of real joy. This conception is who is located in a plane that is meant to point to a state of things that absolutely free from all mundane gross- is exactly the opposite of what we ness and defect of any kind. The soul experience in this world. The joys of knows no want. The soul is full of this world are probably more deceptive everlasting joy. Even the sorrows of than even its sorrows. But there is no AESTHETIC CULTURE 207

real depth, no substantive value either on the score of their ugly grossness. in the joys or in the sorrows of this Besides there is always that revolting life. The tragedy of these joys and horror of one male person claiming to sorrows consists in their being altogeth- monopolize the enjoyment of all the er shallow and wholly brittle. When adulterous females, both married and a father sheds tears for his dead child, unmarried, of that strange realm. Is he mourns the loss of his own pleasure this not both wicked and dull ? without caring to think about the fate It is undoubtedly horrible, if it is of the child. Selfishness of the unlovable enacted on the mundane plane by type has become ingrained in human mundane agents. No sane man requires nature. Our laughters and tears are to be informed of the grossness of such alike deceitful. They are the reflexes a picture. But why should the corres- of gain or loss of ephemeral, trivial, ponding activity on the perfect plane ugly sensuous pleasures. Bankrupt of the reality be under the necessity of commercialism cannot provide the due hiding itself after the best (?) customs incentive for the real function of the of the most civilized society of this soul, the realisation of which can alone impure world ? The Shastras do not meet our proper requirements. tell us that the land of Braja is inhabit, The Pastimes of Sree Krishna in ed by men and women possessing Braja are condemned by a type of so- bodies of flesh. Why should we, called moralists to whom they appear therefore, be anxious to subject the to resemble the uncovered sexual residents of Braja to restrictions that activities of the state of nature. There do not really improve the gross and is nothing like moral restraints in Braja. unwholesome conditions of mundane There is not even the attitude that existence ? corresponds to such restraint. But the If the soul is free from materiality, true explanation of this peculiarity that is from unwholesome possibilities, that is offered by persons, whose why should his performances be not immaculate souls have not to hide any full of all-goodness, all-intellectuality, inner dirts under the whitewash of the all.beauty ? Why should we be conventional morality of this world, thinking of our present wretched con- can be perversely disbelieved only by dition when we are asked to contem- those who have absolutely no taste for plate instead the occurrences on the the reality. eternal plane of the souls in his unalloy. The votaries of mundane aesthetics ed state ? Why should we be deter- also object to the Pastimes of Braja mined to drag the moral and immoral 208 THE HARMONIST

filth of this unsatisfactory existence to deliberate opposition to the Absolute the naturally pure atmosphere of the Truth. It is the only proper function transcendental realm ? of all branches of empiric study to serve The reason for such perversity is the Absolute Truth, by their negative that we are unpardonably vain of our realisations. No branch of empiric study earthly performances. By the cultiva- need arrogate to itself praise to which tion of exclusive addiction to ignorance, it has no claim. No branch of empiric malice and filthy living, through study is undertaken for the search of countless Ages, by means of every type the Absolute Truth. Empiric study of animal and vegetable body, we is valuable as a codified record of our have developed a stubborn antipathy disapointing worldly experience. It to Truth, Beauty and Goodness. We cannot go beyond experience. It even consider it to be our highest duty cannot properly perform even this to defend this monstrous ideal of modest task unless it is aware of its own human life, despite our long experience limitations. The so-called achievements of its absolutely untrue, absolutely ugly of the race in the political field, which and absolutely wicked character. constitute the most important depart, The historic sense is not a help on ment of historical investigations, are the path of spiritual endeavour. not achievements of the soul. They are Riohtly understood, history should the results of the pitiless operations of impress upon man the essentially the deluding energy of Godhead for unwholesome and trivial nature of the occupying the attention of man in the worldly course. But it is unfortunately concerns of this world and thereby to the cult of historicity to place the ugly force him to undervalue and postpone events of this world in the seductive sine die the serious consideration of the perspective of a corrupt imagination. supremely needful concerns of his soul. If the spiritual values of the events, This aspect of the great events of the that are most loudly advertised by world should be represented in the empiric history, be properly scrutinized, proper manner for presenting secular such examination at once reveals this history in its true perspective. misleading perspective of all secular The false value, that has been set history to persons who are not hope- upon the history of the race by writers lessly addicted to an imaginary ideal who happen to be utterly devoid of all of mundane existence. spiritual taste, has degraded the out- It is not necessary for any branch look of man and made him long tor of empiric knowledge to set itself in those very things that are neither good AESTHETIC CULTURE 209 nor beautiful, nor lasting. A large ideal of happiness is being realized by body of literature, eulogising this un. man with the help of the different desirable ^ standard of life, has been branches of the Arts and Sciences. produced by the deluded mentality of Any person, who questions the man. This literature in its turn has wisdom of following a course for the set the standard for what should be convenient reason that it happens to regarded as good, beautiful and of present itself when we choose to seek permanent (?) value in the civilizations for it, is often hastily regarded as of the world. What a mountain of speculative and wanting in the practic- falsehoods has been laboriously piled up al sense. He is reminded of the for preventing the view of the Truth. achievements of modern civilization Aesthetics is an important branch produced by the systematic pursuit of of mundane science, art and literature. such method, and to. compare the It shares their quality in its preference present state of the affairs of man all of chaff to the goodly grain. The beauty over the world with the past. Should of the body of flesh of man and animal one still persist in supposing that it is is its ultimate source of inspiration (?) all misleading, useless and wicked ? equally with the rest. In this respect, Let us take the case of modern it goes hand in hand with secular painting. The spirit of the Age is poetry and painting. Those aspects sought to be faithfully mirrored therein. of phenomenal Nature, that appeal What more can Art do for us ? Should to the senses of man, are regarded as it not be the function of creative Art ipso facto beautiful for their bearing to try to invest our present life with upon his material senses. imaginery charms for pandering to Man is in love with certain aspects our sensuous satisfaction ? If the of- the manifestations of colour, smell, painter gives us something, which does sound, taste, touch and locomotion in not point the way for the gratification Nattire. He supposes by a kind of of our aggravated appetite for earthly argument from design, that the world enjoyment, how should he be supposed has been made for the gratification of to possess the true artistic insight ? his senses. He also supposes that his If he understands the needs of our only legitimate function is to seek to natures, he should give us what we augment and diversify the sensuous really want. It is not his business to pleasures of life by compelling Nature give us what we should desire to have. to yield all her treasures for his enjoy- We are in earnest about the living ment. It is also supposed that this present and want to enjoy this life as 210 THE HARMONIST fully as its brief span and questionable to be fully enjoyed by man by means resources will permit. We want to do of these institutions, at no distant date. so by means of all our senses. We also The gratification of the senses is want Art to help us in this matter. the given legitimate purpose of life. The senses stand in need of both gross The mind is led by the senses. The and refined pleasures. Both varieties mind is set over the senses for serving have to be supplied in abundance by them. The mind enables the senses the Arts and Sciences to meet this to follow the path of their common demand of our nature. The propriety interest. The mental function is fulfilled of following this course is supposed to by serving the activities of the senses. be self-evident. At any rate, no state The test of good painting for instance, or society would last for a day, if it should consist in this that it satisfies chooses to follow a different path. the senses directly or indirectly. If it Every existing institution is and must fails to gratify the senses, the mind needs be a contrivance for increasing should at once busy itself for finding a the scope of gratification of man's way to pacify the offended senses. senses. The hope of man points to the The senses dominate the whole prospect-that Nature will be available scheme.

Sree Kuresh

Inseparably associated with the Ondal. Kuresh made use of his wealth activities of Sree Ramanujacharya is in showing hospitality to pilgrims and the example of devotion displayed by in other good ways. In his boyhood he his best disciple Sree Kuresh. Sree had the good fortune of meeting Sree Kuresh was the owner of a place called Lakshmandeshika ( Sree Ramanuja- Kur-agrahar, two miles west of Kanchi. charya ) whom he accepted as the pur in South India. He made his object of his firm devotion. When appearance in a wealthy Batsya Sree Lakshmandeshika entered the brahmin family. He married an ami- monastic order, Kuresh and his wife able and pious lady of the name of became his disciples. Kuresh was an SREE KURESH 211 erudite scholar and possessed a marvel- directed him to leave the place imme- lous memory. He was blessed with diately with the book. Sree Ramanuja- noble birth, riches, profound scholar- charya then took formal leave of the ship and beauty which were helpful scholars of Saradapitha to whom he to his leading a devotional life. told nothing about what had happened, Kuresh now considered that the and left the place with Kuresh. best use of tiis wealth would be to spend A few days after their departure, the same in the service of the Lord those impersonalist scholars, on dis- and His devotees. With this view he covering that the Bodhayan Britti was went to Sri Rangam, where his Guru missing from their library, became very was staying, to offer his all at his feet. much uneasy. A party of strong men At this time Sree Ramanujacharya from among them, after walking day was about to write his famous Sri and night for a month, came up with Bhasya for which he was in need of the Sree Ramanujacharya and took back the Bodhayan Britti, which, he came to book from them by force. Sree Ramanu- know, was secretly preserved in Sarada- jacharya was troubled thinking that his pitha in Kashmere. For securing this long-cherished service to his Guru — work he with his disciple Kuresh the fulfilment of the wishes of Sree journeyed to Saradapitha. But the imper- Yamunacharya—would remain unfinish- sonalists, who were in charge of the ed. Kuresh now told the Master that pitha, fearing that their doctrine would during the journey he read the book be upset if the Bodhayan Britti became every night and got the same by heart known, told him that the book had been and that he would be able to write destroyed by worms. On hearing this, down the whole Bodhayan Britti from Sree Ramanujacharya^ who had gone memory. The Bodhayan Britti was through a three month's journey to then written down for the use of Sree reach Saradapitha, became very much Ramanujacharya by Kuresh. Sree distressed in his mind as, unless he Ramanujacharyya composed the Sri could secure the Bodhayan Britti, he Bhasya which was written by Kuresh would not be able to fulfil the wishes at his dictation. of Brila Yamunacharya by writing the At the time when the fame of Sree . One day while he was Ramanuja, the great Vaishnava Acharya, lying in a sorrowful mood in the was spreading in all directions, Saradapitha, Saradadevi ( Sree Sara- the ruler of Chola named Krimikantha swati) came before him with the who resided in Kanchipur, was trying Bodhayan Britti in her hand and to make everyone accept the cult of 212 THE HARMONIST

Siva as the Supreme Lord. But the chance of displaying his devotion to saintly Vaishnavas knew Siva to be the his Guru, consented to this proposal, best beloved of the Supreme .Lord and, after exchanging his dress with Vishnu. Kriraikantha thought that if him, left hurriedly for Sri-Rangam. he could convert Sree Ramanujacharya, Kuresh, now dressed as a tridandi all other persons would follow his sannasi, was taken by the unsuspecting example. So he sent some stalwart party to the court of Krimikantha who fellows forcibly to bring away Sree received him with a show of reverence Ramanujacharya. These men came and began to discpurse on religion. He to Sree Ramanujacharya and insisted asked Kuresh, "What is the duty of on his proceeding to Kanchipur without man Kuresh, who was in the guise delay. Now Kuresh had been warned of Sree Ramanujacharya, replied, by reliable, persons that Krimikantha "Not only for man, but for all entities had ordered Sree Ramanujacharya from the highest to the lowest, the only to be brought to Kanchipur with the duty is to serve the Supreme Lord intention of taking his life, because so Vishnu and the Vaishnavas". On hear, long the great- Acharya lived, Krimi. ing this Krimikantha became furious kantha w/iuld not be able to establish and said, "It is only weaklings and his wrong doctrine. Knowing that fools who worship Vishnu who in time there was no other way of escape, is destroyed by the all.powerfull Time Kuresh made this memorable request to Siva. Please, discuss with my the Gruru,—"Divine Master ! Your and be converted into a follower of Siva at presence in this world is for the wel. once, otherwise you will not go un- fare of all because the service of your punished.'' In the discussion that took holy feet is the royal road to the Feet place, all the pandits of the court of of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, be Krimikantha were defeated by Kuresh. pleased to permit my unworthy self to At last Krimikantha lost all patience proceed to the court of Krimikantha and said, "Truce to your wranglings. by the instant exchange of dress, so If you love your life then say 'there is that I may be allowed to assume your no other greater than Siva.'5 Kuresh red cloth and your triplestaff while you replied fearlessly, "But there is drona," may betake yourself to Sri.Rangam (The two words 'siva' and 'drona' are without exposing your identity by wear- used as terms of measurement). Krirai- ing my white clothing." Sree Ramanuja. kantha now became mad with rage and charya, whose work was not yet ordered his officers to take out the eyes finished, in order to give Kuresh a of Kuresh. The two eyes of Kuresh SREE KURESH 213 were then mercilessly extracted by the sometime. Thence he went to Yada- cruel officers of Krimikantha. Kuresh, vadri where his Divine Master was meditating on the lotus feet of the staying When he met his Gurudeva Guru, bore this hellish torture with Sree Ramauujacharya, he fell at his patience. He reflected on the lotus feet and tendered his submission. of the Bhagabat which says that one Sree Ramanujacharya lifted his devot- should consider all sufferings due to ed disciple from the ground and, em- past deeds as the mercy of the Lord bracing him with tearful eyes, gave ( Tattenukampara), His love for the him his benedictions. He said to service of Sree Guru and the Yaish- Kuresh, "My son, I command you to navas waxed stronger and he addressed go to Kanchipur and pray to Sree the servants of Krimikantha thus, Baradaraj for the restoration of your 'You are my real benefactors, because eyes.'' Kuresh went to Kanchipur, but, those eyes, which, attracted by the instead of praying ior his physical eyes, sight of the phenomena, had always prayed for the resuscitation of his spiri- proved an obstacle to my seeing the tual eyes and the welfare of those who sublime beauty of the lotus feet of Sree had tortured him. When Sree Ramanuj- Gurudeva, have now been destroyed by acharya heard that Kuresh was pray- you. May the Supreme Lord, Sree ing not for his eyes but for the welfare Vishnu, bless you. When by the grace of the offenders, he sent to him one of of Sree Gurudeva my spiritual eyes his disciples with the following injunc. will open, my prayer to be favoured tion, "My son Kuresh, by praying for with the unalloyed service of his lotus the welfare of the offenders for your own feet will be fulfilled." Krimikantha's pleasure, you have proved yourself to servants were struck with wonder and be selfish. You know your body, mind fear at the forbearance, and inoffensive- and soul have been offered to me by ness of Kuresh. They called a begger you, and they are my property. So, and, giving him some money, asked for the sake of ray pleasure you are to him to take Kuresh to Sri-Rangam. pray for your eyes to Sree Baradaraj. Kuresh accompanied that beggar to To give pleasure to Sree Hari, the Sree-Rangara. Meanwhile Krimikantha Guru and the Vaishuavas is the real was attacked with an intensely painful service." No sooner did Kuresh disease which proved fatal. pray for his eyes than he got them Kuresh, with his wife Ondal and back. From henceforth Kuresh engaged his son Parasar, left Sri Rangam and his two eyes in seeing the beauty of the went to Krishnachal where he lived for lotus feet of Sree Hari-Guru. When this 214 THE HARMONIST fact of his extraordinary devotion who tortured him, will enable me to became known to the people of South become an all-time servitor of Sree India, they were all attracted to the Hari. There is now no doubt that lotus feet of Sree Ramanujacharya. the Lotus Feet of Sree Lakshmi- The eternal servitor of the Supreme Narayana will shower Their Mercy Lord, Sree Ramanujacharya, let every- on me." body know the glory of his disciple. He Let us also offer our humble danced with uplifted hands saying, obeisance at the holy feet of Acharya '•The holy company of Kuresh who has Sree Ramanuja and his devoted disciple been able to give liberation to those Sree Kuresh.

Round the Gaudiya Maths

Cooch Behar, Vidyabhusan, General Secretary of the Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Mission, received Mr. Dash at the ferry Swarup Parbat Maharaj is conducting ghat and thence drove to the Math the missonary activities of the Math in premises. An address of welcome on Cooch Behar. On December 8, he behalf of Nabadwipdham Pracharini arrived at Naotara Tepa- A lecture Sabha was given to him. Mr. Dash was delivered at the Harisabha at the gave a short reply in course of which he request of the people of the place. expressed his delight and spoke highly Next day on December 9, a meeting of the activities of the Mission and was organised at the permises of a promised to extend his helping hand High English School at Dimna. for the noble cause. A vote of thanks Sree Chaitanya /Math, Sree Mayapur: was given to the Honourable Com. Mr. A. J. Dash, I. C. S., Com. missioner and other guests of the even, missioner, Presidency Division, came ing. Many respectable gentlemen of to visit Sreedham Mayapur on December the District were present in the meet- 17, at 4 p. m. He was accompanied by ing. While returning, they visited Mr. S. Dutt, I. C. S., District Magistrate, Sree Yogapeeth and other places of Moulvi Mujaffar Ahmad, District & interest. Sessions Judge and other Government On the morning of Decmber 18, the officials. M. M. Pandit Kunja Behari Editor held a religious discourse at the ROUND THE GAUD1YA MATHS 215

Bhaktivijoy Bhawan. Many devotees of Taylor". Swami B. H. Bon, Herr Sridham were present. In the evening Schulze and Baron von Koeth were a Similar sitting was held at the among the listeners. Yogapeeth. Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Mayapur : Sree Gaudiya Math, Calcutta: Swami B. H. Bon returned to Sri The Editor arrived in Calcutta from dhara Mayapur on the 28 th December Sridham Maypur on December 20. M. after an absence of three years. The M. Ananta Vasudev Bidyabhusan, devotees of Sri Chaitanya Math received Tridandiswami B. S. Giri, Sripad him at Nabadwip Ghat station with Jadunandan Das Adhikari, Sripad samkirttan. From Hular Ghat he was Mahananda Brahmachari and others conducted to the Math in a motor-car. followed him. A meeting was held in the evening and Sri Gaudiya Math, Calcutta an address was presented to the Swamiji The Fifth Memorial meeting of to which the Swamiji gave a charming Srila Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan was reply. held on the 23rd December 1935, at 6 Swamiji returned to Calcutta p. m. in the Saraswata Shraban Sadan Gaudiya Math on the 31st December. of the Gaudiya Math. The meeting was Tridandiswami B. S. Qiri Maharaj: presided by His Highness Maharaja Swamiji sailed for Rangoon per s. s. Sir Bir Bikram Kishore Deb Barman "Ellenga" on the 29th December, and Manikya Bahadur K. C. S. I, Dharmi. reached Rangoon on the 1st January dhurandhar. The elite of the city came 1936, from whence he went to Mad. to pay their respects to Srila Bhakti- daly where his party was awaiting him. ranjan Prabhu. A tribute in his memory Tridandiswami B. R. Sridhar Maharaj: was read and the meeting was conclud- On the 25th December, Swamiji ed by a nice little speech by the read and explained Srimad Bhagabat in President. the house of Sj. Sasadhar Banerji of On the 26th December a gentleman Chandaniroahal, Khulna. He said that named William Henry John Vandor the company of holy men and submis- Stok came to the Gaudiya Math and sion to the real guru is necessary in Editor was pleased to speak to him on order to be blessed with the loving the "Necessity ot Devotion to Adhok- service of Sri Krishna. shaja vishnu." On the 26th December Swamiji On the 24th December, Editor gave delivered an impressive lecture in the a discourse on "Devotion" for two hours courtyard of Sj. Rarakamal Mukherji and discussed the " Theory of on the "Imperative Duty of Every 216 THE HARMONIST

Soul to serve the Supreme Lord". December for preaching the doctrine The ineeting' was attended by nearly of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Swaraiji all the prominent persons of the locali- goes from door to door and delivers the ty and they expressed their gratitude message of the Supreme Lord. to the Swamiji for kindly visiting their Sri Kupa Gaudiya Math, Allahabad : place. Editor arrived here ou the 30th Sri Gaudiya math, Patna ; December accompanied by a band of Editor accompanied by Pandit devotees. Many prominent citizens Sripad Kunjabehari Vidyabhusan, came to the Math to have a darsan of Pandit Sripad Ananta Vasudev Vidya. Editor and hear Harikatha from Him. bhusan, B. A., Prof, NishikantaSanayal, Tridandiswami B V. Gavastinemi Maharaj ; M. A., Tridandiswami Srimad B. V. Swamiji read and explained Srimad Gavastinerai Maharaj and other devo- Bhagabat in the house of Hon'ble Sir tees arrived at the Patna Gaudiya Math Ganesh Dutt Singh, the Education on the 28th December. On His arrival Minister for Behar and Orissa. the Education Minister lor Behar and Tridandiswami B. P. Aranya Maharaj : Orissa —Hon'ble Sir Ganesh Dutt Singh, On 27th December Swamiji was tendered his humble obeisance to His invited by Sj Satish Chandra Mukherji holy feet. Editor spoke to the Minister to give a discourse in his house. The for some time about "Unalloyed Devo- Swamiji delivered a discourse on "Duty tion to the Supreme Lord". Mr. Araar of Mankind" for about two bourse ; all Nath Chatterji, retired Judge, and Rai present where charmed by his eloquence Bahadur Gopi Kishore Lall, Additional and lucid explanation of the difficult Dt. Magistrate, came to the Math to texts of the scriptures. hear Harikatha from Editor On the 30th December a meeting Editor left Patna on the 30th was arranged in the house of Talukdar December for Allahabad. Sj. Narendra Nath Pal. By quoting Tridandiswami B. P. Tirtha Maharaj: texts from Srimad Bhagabat and Sri Swaraiji read and explained Srimad Chaitanyacharitamrita, Swamiji ex- Bhagabot in the house of Rai Saheb P. plained how it is possible to distinguish C. Basu of Dinapore on the 30th the real devotee from the pseudo- Deoember. devotee or non-devotee. Sri Sachchidananda Math, Cuttack : On the 3lst December, Swamiji The proprietor of 'Amritabindu went to Boalraari where in the house Oushadhalay" of Berhampore in Ganjam, of Sj. Kalinath Sikdar, he read and Kaviraj Madhusudan Sarma, has made explained Srimad Bhagabat. a donation of a printing press to the Sri Vyasa Gandiya Math, Karukshetra : Math for printing the Oriya monthly On the 29th December, the Manager paper "Paramarthi''. This noble act of the Ambala Contonment Regiment of the Kaviraj has been appreciated by Theatres, Sj. Lachhman Das all. with his pious wife came to the Math Tridandiswami B. B. Sagar Mahaaaj : and heard Harikatha from Pandit Swamiji began his tour in the Sripad Nandagopal Brahmachari on the 27th Bhaktisartri. VOL XXXII No. tOj Regtd. No. C 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Saiianatosbani)

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna Ekadashi Magh 449 O.A.

January 20, 1936.

sftmtsrr TCT

AnniBifation of age* fang sufferings. May these our high aims ffsurish The Service of Radha-Krishna, 7o gfaaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4»8. Foreign Is. 6<1. Paratnahama fihakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraiwati Goiwami

Sree Gaudiya Math, P.0, Bagfjbazar, Caloutta. CONTENTS

Subject Page 1. Discourse on the Absolute ... 217 2. Aesthetic Culture .. ... 221 9. Amogh 225 4. Sree Nabadwip Dham Pracharini Sabha ... 229 5. Bace and Beligiou 282 6. Opening of Allahabad Theistic Exhibition 234 7. The Presidential Address ...... 289 ALL-GLORY TO SREE GURU AND GAURANGA

T h c Hsttmanb!

(Svee Saiianatosbanl)

VOL. XXXII. | JANUARY 20, 1936 No. 10

Discourse on the Absolute

{fiditor k talk, to Mrs. Nora MorelL of Germany on 9.1.36.)

VV/E should have firm faith in the Him. We should carry out all our activi. Divinity. We are absolute ties for His purpose only. We should nor, infinitesimals. We require to associate think that we have any other thing to ourselves with the Absolute. If we do. Unlike the ordinary people, we show our diffidence to do so, we are should have the only method of tending likely to be entangled with the ephemer. everything to Him for His service. al matters of this world. Our friends The external gross body is meant for are for a few days only. They will a hundred years and no more. Our leave us at any time .when they are mental speculations are to be conducted called. Whatever we do, should tend during our present human form. But towards the association of the Divinity. we are obliged to leave this mortal coil We should not undertake any work for and to cease our transactions with the our temporary purposes. We are His external world, though we have every dependents. Infinitesimals sis we are, determination of having association we require to have our final place in with the manifestive nature of things. 218 THE HARMONIST

If we wish to associate ourselves with menal objects. But some of the the Absolute, all non-absolute propa- philosophers thought it fit that our ganda for our ternporarj purposes mental speculations should tend to Him should be abandoned as far as possible, in His abstract Form, instead of His otherwise we will be led to become manifestive nature. But here we have materialists only. That non-absolute got His manifestive nature for the propaganda will instigate us to entangle purpose of associating ourselves with ourselves with worldly thoughts and Him. We cannot have this association ideas. We will be thinking of physical by any sort of privations. The developments instead of associating phenomena] objects are undesirable ourselves with the Absolute. We are things. Although they have some all absolutes though infinitesimally effect on us, they are all transient and small. Because we have shown diffi- will not hold good to us till the end of dence—we have proved our indolence to time. We do not think, like materialists associate with Him,— so, like shooting that our existence will cease. The stars, we have been simply thrown off materialists think that everything will from Hirn. We have rebelled against stop when we die—that all our troubles that Entity. Now to go back to Him, will end at death. This miserable idea it is essentially necessary that all our should be thrown off. We should associations and movements should tend engage all our activities to associate to His service. ourselves with the Absolute, as we are First of all He should be designated. absolute infinitesimals. We are not What is Ho ? What form He should the body, nor the mind, nor the have ? And how we are to go back to external atmosphere. We require Him ? When we come to know that dissociation from these. These undesir- He keeps Himself aloof from everything able situations should be eliminated in this phenomenal world, we feel the at all costs, otherwise we will prove necessity of associating with Him. And ourselves to be meant for the ordinary this association can be had if we can purpose of this world. eliminate the external impediments Lower animals are used as food by which are like screens, between the many people. In ancient times, when Absolute Infinity and the. absolute cannibalism was prevalent in the world, infinitesimals. Our mental speculations people used to take human, flesh. They should not be confused with that very thought that the human body was thing. Our mental speculations are meant for their consumption. Later on meant for associating with the pheno- when civilisation made progress, people DISCOURSE ON THE ABSOLUTE 219 gave up cannibalism, but went on tak- should be done hi His favour and for ingO flesli of lower animals. In India His service. We are servitors. If we persons belonging to the higher castes keep dogs, we would bo servants of do not take animal food. The develop, dogs ; it" we keep horses we would be ment of religiouso thoughtso have rather servants of horses, and if we become stopped the practice of cruelty to altruists, we would be servants of animals in many ways. Science has human beings only. But the Absolute now proved that vegetables too have should be served at all costs. We should life and can feel pain and pleasure. make it a point that all our activities But it is not meant that we should com- should tend to His service. All animate mit suicide by abstaining from taking and inanimate beings have emanated any food. This problem is solved when from Him. We should serve the Abso- food is meant for the purpose of the lute and not engage ourselves with the Absolute. non.absolute propaganda as we do in Everything has come out of Him this world. and everything will go back to Him and Most people are at a loss to under- everything is meant for His service. stand what they should do and what All animate and inanimate objects have they are meant for. They only see the come out of Him and are meant for His superficial sides of things. The external service only. If we purloin these things, sides of things are quite deluding. As it would be deceiving the Absolute. We intelligent men, we should be very are absolute infinitesimals and are careful. We require to penetrate into deluded by the ordinary manifestive everything properly. Our view should character of the phenomena. We not be obstructed by the morphological require to get rid of this delusion. We representation of things, nor by the require to have a peep into the Truth, ontological side of. things. and that Truth must be had. If we The methodical arrangement of the are sincere, He will expose Himself to phenomena should not be restricted to our vision. Whatever we do, we should our ordinary purposes of living only. do it for Him—for His eternal purpose, But we require a peaceful life. We do instead of indulging ourselves in transi- not require to be troubled by the un- tory transactions. Our only function is desirable elements of this world. Home- not to carry on our works for our pur- times we find a little peace by keeping pose. We should not be the recipients rules and regulations and observing of the fruits of the enterprises we make. civic principles. But we are again put It is better for us that whatever wo do into trouble by the misunderstanding of 220 THE HARMONIST the people from outside. There is some The word "absolute'' is explained agency working behind, which is not in different ways. We have experience exposed to our present senses. of the non.absolutes and undesirable Our sensuous nerves are quite ineligi- objects of the phenomena. Our mind ble for the purpose of associating with is found to be of a non-absolute nature. the Truth. The appearance of things— The mind discerns things for the of devotion and truth —often deceive us purpose of the senses only. But the The external, features, the morphologi- Absolute is delineated as One Who has cal and ontological phases of things, reserved the right of not being exposed are sometimes found to be detrimental to human senses. The human sense's to our cause when we require to come can mix—rather reciprocate—with the in touch with the Absolute. We have phenomenal objects. If the Absolute the facility of having the experience was an object of the phenomena, we of the last ten thousand years. We would be lording it over Him. But can judge and discern the best method that is not the tiling. We should pose for our adoption, instead of indulging ourselves as His servitors. We should ourselves in the way the people are not think that we are onjoyers and He transacting their business right and is the predominated object of our left. enjoyment. He is never so. Our senses reciprocate with the We are obliged to pass through objects of the phenomena. Super- undesirable situations. We require to sensuous objects are simply neglected. get rid of all these things. Our inner The eternal representations, the eternal impulse should be' to have access to manifestations and the eternal aspects that region where all objects will offer are fully neglected. We aspire to have us special opportunity of having the fullest advantage of coming in association with the Absolute. Onr touch with all desirable things. In our purpose should be to associate with present life, we find that we are the Fullness, with the Eternity, with the troubled by many distressful agents. purity, with the Best of desirables, and We find that all these are treacherous not to mix with the temporary things and only lead us to satisfy our senses of delusive nature. They rather delude only. This non-absolute propaganda us in many ways. We should not have a should cease. Whatever we do, we crippled idea of God.head. We should should make it a point that we should await for the transcendental. message not be diffident or indolent to offer our to come to us in full. We would have services to the Absolute. then an opportunity of associating with AESTHETIC CULTURE 221

Hitn. We should set apart some time go back to our original place. There to make progress towards the investi. the mauifestive nature is eternally gation of the Transcendence present, but here the phenomenal There are three thoughts. Firstly, objects are meant for a few days only. the Karmins or fruitseekers think they So we should have some eternal should work for the gratification of determination and aim for our guidance. their senses. Secondly, the jnanins or We can ignore all these influences of impersonalists wish to merge in the nature, all influences of scientific dis. Absolute in order to get rid of all coveries, if we have the only mind to troubles, but always fail at the end. associate with the Whole Thing. Thirdly, the devotees have got a There are many things concealed different determination. and hidden and not revealed to us, and We are very small. Some overwhel- these are to be received through our ming influence comes upon us and we aural reception. Our auditory nerves are troubled. So we should take are to be allowed to be irritated by recourse to the Absolute Infinity. We sound waves from the transcendental should not be acting like shooting stars messenger so that we can make progress in flying away from Him, but We should towards the Transcendence.

Aesthetic Culture ( Continued from page 183 of the 8th issue )

It has been held by the Shastras of human speech. He is enabled by that man is the slave of his senses in these special circumstances in his favour this world, and that all his activities to acquire and store up knowledge spring from the desire for gratifying his derived from experience, and to pro. senses. This is equally true of the gress towards the state of realisation of activities of the savage, as of the most greater and more varied pleasure. There highly civilized modern person. It is is no other difference between man also true of every other animal. The and the lower animals, from the point difference between man and lower of view af the Arts and Sciences. animals consists in this that man is In this matter the Science ef iEstho. endowed with greater intelligence and tic is in the same boat with all the rest foresight, and with the inestimable gift of the empiric Sciences. If it seeks 222 THE HARMONIST to separate itself from the immediate gratified by the performances of an needs of life, it stultifies itself. It is, untrained musician. That is all the therefore, a bold proposal to recommend difference that is made by so-called the substitution of any radically differ- aesthetic culture. The civilized man is ent purpose, or even any unsympathe- only a clever savage. The innate nature tic modification of the objective of the of both is the same. The equality of present empiric science of ^Esthetics. man, the dream of the political and The spiritual quest ever manifests social philosopher, is on the plane of itself as the real turning away from eating and drinking. the purposes and methods of the The Gaudiya Math has set itself sensuous life that is being led by the against the sensuous ideal of human average person in this world. As life. It is objectionable, because it is long as 'one does not feel utterly miserable, ugly, wicked, and opposed to dissatisfied with this normal \torldly goodness, beauty and joy. Human life life, he is not supposed to feel the need in this world is ugly, notwithstanding for the quest of the Truth. Man wants the fact that its ugliness is proclaimed to be happy. He can, therefore, also to be its beauty by a so-called Science want knowledge only if it will make of Aesthetics. The misfortune of man him really happy. By happiness man at has been codified into the deluding persent understands only the attain, generalisations of scientific knowledge ment of the gross and refined pleasures which is vain enough to fancy that it of the senses. is possible to attain to the Truth by If a branch of study can supply man leaving out the enquiry into the proper with food, that is both pleasing to his requirements of our real selves and all palate as well as capable of nourishing reference to the Living Personality his body, he feels that there can be no and Merciful Initiative of the All- reason for doubting the usefulnees of beautiful. such study. Man wants to estimate The Beauty of the Absolute Truth the value of his activity by its capacity is the Centre of attraction of all indivi- for satisfying his patent physical needs. dual souls in their natural state of The mental needs are not independent uneclipsed cognition. Real beauty is of the physical wants. The senses envisaged in immaculate goodness, clamour to be gratified. It does not everlasting unmixed bliss and trans- make any spiritual difference if the parent cognition. It is not obscured senses are trained or untrained. A by any gross or subtle material consti- trained ear will not be sufficiently tuents, Nothing in, this world can AESTHETIC CULTURE 223 convey to any rational person even the uncalled-for necessity of abdicating his faintest idea of the reality. The charms function of perfectly free choice by of Vrindavana wholly transcend the supposing that he is under the necessity beauties of Nature, notwithstanding of serving the pleasures of the ephemer- the fact that they bear to be described al body and mind that are foreign to by the mundane vocabulary by reason his nature. It is this unnecessary of their inconceivable resemblance to piece ef deliberate, obstuctive, perverse the conditions of life in his world. But mis-choice of the evil course by the the spiritual body of the unconditioned abuse of one's free will that stands in soul is neither male, female nor neuter the way of the automatic redemption of of our worldly experience. The spiri- the conditioned soul. The Boundless tual body is unlimited by space and Alercy of the All.mercifull rarely forces time, and ever corresponds to the the unwilling soul to forego even his eternal serving mood of the immaculate deliberate perversity. individual soul. There is no trace of Unreserved association with pure mundane grossness in the transcenden- souls is the only method by which the tal realm of Braja. conditioned soul may be endowed with It is not altogether inconceivable a natural inclination towards the/Truth. that real beauty of form cannot be any The activities of the servants of Godhead material entity which latter is essential, make their appeal to the hardened ly and palpably ugly. The corpse can hearts of even the greatest of confirmed be regarded as beautiful only by deli, sinners by the quality of their perfect berate perversity. The soul in the love for the AU-love, All-beautiful and conditioned state justifies his accept- All.Good. The real beauty of the ance of the perverted reflection, in lieu servitors of Godhead has power to of the uncontaminated, living, substan- overcome the infatuation bred by the tive principle of beauty, by the pretence tempting ugliness of the deluding of the necessity of functioning through potency. The Word of God on the the medium of the gross physical body lips of the pure serving soul is the only and a benighted, perverse and joyless medicine for the disease of the condi- mentality. He is also so habituated to tioned state. The Word of God has identify himself with the promptings of power to resuscitate the dormant the body and mind, that he always faculties of the soul, and to enable him clings to them for the valuation of to function in his natural way. He is whatever proposition is placed before enabled to do so without depending on him. He puts himself under the the physical body and erring mind and 224 THE HARMONIST their rooted aversion to the true ference for the analogous perverse principle of Beauty Whose service alone mundane performances. can endow His willing servitors with The view that the conception of the the faculty for realising the All-beauti- Pastimes of Braja is the glorification of ful by their willing service. the experiece of mundane amour, or The mundane aesthetic experience that it is a form of the same, amounts distortedly points to the necessity for to denial of the Absolute position. the realisation of the Beauty of .the Persons, who are grossly addicated to Absolute, but is neither the means the sensuous pleasures of this ephemeral nor the goal of Divine realisation. life, imagine that it can be compatible This negative character of the science with the conception of real beauty to of mundane beauty is due to its being postulate the entities of this world as misdirected to the entities of this world. the source of the principle. The truth Such mis-applicatiou of the principle is to be sought by tbe opposite method is necessitated by the suicidal attitude viz. by the natural admission of the which prefers the perversion and denial unaesthetic character of mundane of the principle to the principle itself. amour, and by endeavouring to find the The .mundane aesthetic sense is transcendental source of the perversity condemnable as regards its motive, projected into this deluding realm of mode of operation, as well as for its physical Nature. The Science of Aesthe- unworthy objective. There is analogy tics, as ever other, 'natural' science, if between the mundane and the corres- properly understood, always points to ponding transcendental position. This the necessity of the search for transcen- analogy explains the genesis of the dental source who should be free from evil. But it does not provide any the possibility of and imperfections of justification for one's persistence in this mundane existence. the wrong course. Such persistence is The Beauty of the Absolute is located objectionable. It does not lead to the beyond the realm of the deluding realisation of beauty, but to a deluded energy. The All-beautiful is to be and unnatural preference for ugliness. sought by resolve not to continue to It is prompted by malicious aversion to identify Him with the perverted shadow Beauty. The diseased state can be of His Power that alone is accessible in got rid of only by the cultivation of this world to the deluded faculties of the substantive healthy function, our enveloping lower nature. It is possi- which should be wholly incompatible ble to succeed in this task by the cause- with the retention of any trace of pre- less help of God's Spiritual Power. AMOGH 225

The soul in the unconditioned state is appear to be objectionable to us as we the eternal inhabitant of the transcen. have no objection to the corresponding dental realm of the All beautiful. The ugly mundane activities that are avail- deluding energy loses her hold on him able for the gratification of our senses the moment he chooses to resolve to in this world. The abnegating attitude serve the Source of all real beauty. When is the complementary state of unrepen. we are solicitous of finding the Truth, we tant temporary reaction due to failure naturally seek the help of pure souls to secure the coveted gratification of whose directions enable us to embark one's senses on account of defective on this spiritual endeavour. If we rely equipments, ideas, and enviroment. on our own unaided judgment, we are This misery is part and parcel of the thwarted by our unnatural delight in disillusioning process causelessly pro- mistaking ugliness for beauty, and vided by the Mercy of the Source of all vice versa. The Pastimes of Braja real goodness, knowledge and beauty.

Amogh

Amogh was son-in-law of Sarba- worked hard and succeeded in preparing bbauma. Sarbabhauma once invited a very great variety of food of every Mahaprabhu to dine at his house. Sarba- description. Srila Kaviraj Goswami bhauma and his wife were very much has described the varieties of food that attached to Sree Chaitanya and it was were prepared. The menu included their object to feed Him to their heart's every variety of eatables that were content. The name of Sarbabhauma's known in Bengal and Orissa. daughter was Sathi. We do not know Sarbabhauma had invited Maha- the name of Sarbabhauma's wife. The prabhu to come for His dinner by Him- author of Chaitanya Charitamrita calls self unaccompanied by any of His her 'Sathi's mother', and she is famous sannyasi associates, as it would not be in Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition by this possible for him to attend to more than designation. one guest at a time in any really satis- Sathi's mother was greatly delighted factory manner. Mahaprabhu had to have an occasion for cooking for the agreed to his proposal, and appeared nt Supreme Lord. Sarbabhauma himself his house at midday for His meal. Sar. helped her in every way, and the two babhauma with great affection served 29 226 THE HARMONIST

the food with his own hands. It was busy in serving food to Mahaprabhu on the scale that would suffice for a with his own hands, Amogh suddenly dozen persons. presented himself at the entrance of the Amogh was a and room and at once gave vent to Ids pent- was a protege of Sarbabhauma. He up feelings of disrespect for Maha- Was an extremely arrogant and mali- prabhu by observing that a sannyasi cious specimen of his order. He was should not eat all that food which violently prejudiced against Maha. sufficed for ten persona. prabhu. He did not at all like the idea Sarbabhauma instantly flew at that such elaborate preparations should Amogh stick in hand. Amogh beat a be made for feeding an ascetic. He hasty retreat on catching sight of his was also not the person to miss the irate father-in-law who gave chase stick opportunity of giving vent to his senti- in "hand. But Amogh made good his ments of disapproval even in the presen- escape. Thereupon both Sarbabhauma ce of the Guest of his father-in-law, and his wife gave vent to their anger Sarbabhauma had provided against his against Amogh, the latter exclaiming malicious interference on this occasion that Sathi might become widow and by making a new room for feeding his be rid of her monster of a husband. Guest adjoining the one in which the Mahaprabhu was pleased with these ex- daily offering of food was made to Sree pressions of anger against Amogh as Narayana. There was communicating they were a proof of the absolutely dis- door-way between this room and the interested love of Sarbabhauma and kitchen. There was only one other his wife. But the Supreme Lord never-, door to the room by which a person theless intervened on behalf of Amogh could enter from outside. saying that a mere boy as he was he The meal had been served directly could not be expected to show due con. from the kitchen by way of the inner sideration to the guests of the family. door and unseen by any other person. But Sarbabhauma and his good wife felt This was bound to whet the curiosity deeply the insult that had been offered and insolence of Amogh. Sarbabhauma to Mahaprabhu under their roof. The was fully aware of this. He had^accor- pair even resolved to put an end to dingly provided himself with a stout their lives by the method of slow star, cudgel and placed himself at the outside vation, a method that was approved by entrance to the dining room for pre- the shastras, venting any attempt at interference by Amogh was attacked by cholera of Amogh. But while Sarbabhauma was a bad type on the following morning AMOGH 227 while Sarbabhauma and his wife were Amogh was now repentant and had observing their fast. The tidings of become a vaishnava. Sarbabhauma both these occurrences were conveyed to was consoled and resumed his normal Mahaprabhu by Gopeenath Acharyya, life of exclusive devotion to the Lord. the brother-in law (sister's husband) of The deliverance of Amogh raises a Sarbabhauma. number of very important questions. Thereupon the Supreme Lord sped He was guilty of offence against the to the house of Sarbabhauma. He first Supreme Lord Himself. Was it, presented himself to Amogh who was therefore, permissible for Amogh to lying in a most critical condition. commit such offence with impunity and Mahaprabhu touched his heart with be rewarded by the special Mercy of His Hand, expostulating with him for the Lord for such heinous conduct ? harbouring such malicious thoughts fit True, he was a dependent member only for a dog-eating chandal. He of the household of Sarbabhauma. Hut then told him that his offence was for- should it be enough to belong to the given as his sins had been destroyed by household of a vaishnava to be assured association with Sarbabhauma, He of one's redemption ? If a person should, therefore, begin forthwith to belonging to the household of a chant the Name of Krishna as befitting vaishnava practises open hostility to every pious who is by nature the latter, should such conduct be simple and straight-forward above regarded as above punishment, or even everything. Mahaprabhu then com. as deserving of the special Mercy of manded Amogh to get up and chant the the Lord ? Name of Krishna. And the miracle In the present case neither Sarba- was enacted Amogh was filled with bhauma nor his wife claimed any such lave for Krishna and began to chant concession for Amogh. On the contrary loudly the Name of Krishna, and as he the moment that Amogh had dared to did so-he exhibited all the spiritual per- openly defy Sarbabhauma in his service turbations of excess of Divine love. of the Supreme L«rd, Sarbabhauma had He danced, wept, shivered, turned pale promptly decided that the only proper and perspired by turns and in quick expiation for the offence of his protege succession. would be for the whole household to Leaving Amogh in this reclaimed repudiate all connection with the condition the Supreme Lord quickly offender. This was not also a new made His way to Sarbabhauma and resolution.. Amogh was well aware of persuaded him to give up his fast as the likelihood of such consequences if 226 THE HARMONIST he did anything against the principle with Sarbabhauma, It was creditable of service which was strictly enforced to Amogh to have been able to continue on every member of Sarbabhauma's in a household where his unspiritual household. Sathi was required by inclinations received no scope for dis- Sarbabhauma to repudiate her husband playing themselves. On the other hand as the latter had fallen away from the Amoglt had been compelled against his path of service. He was careful to real wishes but without any recourse point out that the shastras recommended to open violence to behave in the correct this as the only course to be l'»llowed manner towards the serving functions by a wife towards her apostate husband. of the vaishnava household of his father- It is, of course, easy to understand in-law. It was this accidental regulation that no member of Sarbabhauma's of his conduct by his own unwilling household was prepared to support the consent that was the legitimate cause of atheistical conduct of Amogh. So his receiving the special Mercy of the there is no reason to suppose that Supreme Lord. Amogh had beeri also previously guilty The change of Amogh was real and of any aqtual acts of sacrilege. If he permanent. He became a revered held any views against the vaishnavas, member of the community of the pure he must have abstained from acting in devotees. He is reverrentially mention, accordance.with the same knowiug full ed in Sakhanirnayamrita by the follow, well that he would be instantly repu- ing verse :— diated by the family for such offence. T praise Amogh Pandit whose holy The attitude of Sarbabhauma, his form was ever replete with love and wife and of his daughter towards Amogh decked with spiritual horripilation and is the real cause of the redemption of who was accepted as His Own by Sree Amogh. The Supreme Lord said to Gaurchandra.' * Amogh that his offensive inclination * i had been undermined by association Sree Nabadwip Dham Pracharini Sabha

Two specific spiritual associations which is constituted of spiritual light. have been made available to the serving Sridham Nabadwip, the spiritual aptitude of the people of this world by entity, had withdrawn herself complete- the unparalleled mercy of Srila Thakur ly from the view of the people of this Bhaktivinode. One of them is Sree world, at the period when Thakur Viswa Vaishnava Raj Sabha and the Bhakivinode began to preach the other is Sree Nabadwip Dharn Pracha- message of the Supreme Lord to the rini Sabha. Both associations possess last generation. The propagation of a universal significance the importance the message of Sree Dham Nabadwip of which can be realised only by persons was a basic factor of his propaganda. who are blessed by the special mercy He revealed once more the spiritual of the Supreme Lord. entity of Sree Dham Nabadwip to the But before I proceed to deal with view of" those fortunate souls who accep- the subject-matter of this discourse I ted the teaching of the Supreme Lord think it will not be superfluous to cau- from him by the method of unreserved tion the reader against the widely spiritual submission. Sree Nabadwip prevalent error that the spiritual is Dham Pracharini Sabha was established devoid of all specific features corres- at the instance of Thakur Bhaktivinode ponding to those by which subjects are for carrying the message of Sree Naba. designated in this phenomenal world. dwip Dham to all parts of the world. Sridham Nabadwip is a spiritual entity. It is never possible for any person It is the plane of the manifestation of to have any real understanding of the the eternal Pastimes of the Supreme nature of the spiritual preceptor and of Lord Sree Qaursundar. Dham means Sree Qaursundar and His Activities "light", Th'e function of light is to except by means of the spirititual light enable the eye to see an object. 'Sree' that is identical with the transcenden- means "beautiful". 'Sree Dham' means tal plane of Sree Nabadwip Dham. the beautiful light which is the plane The ninefold services of the Supreme of the manifesfation of the Divine Pas Lord detailed in the Shastras have to times of Sree Qaursundar. be performed on their respective planes Sree Dham Nabadwip is the plane of the spiritual effulgence constituting of the Pastimes of the Supreme Lord the realm of "the Nine Islands." 230 THE HARMONIST

The moasage would certainly sound Sren Gaursundar is the Divine as nothing less than madness to most Teacher of the world. He is the persons of this spiritually benighted Supreme Teacher of ail the world, Age which is steeped in the errors of teachers He is the source of all true impersonal philosophy referred to at knowledge regarding the Absolute. If the beginning of this discourse. any person does not seek to be directly The impersonal school denies Speci- or mediately enlightened by the Divine fic Name, Form, Attribute, Activity, Teacher, such a person has no chance and servitors to the Absolute. It of attaining the light of the Absolute. defines the Absolute as the Infinite Sree Gaursundar dwells eternally Void. When it prays to the Absolute in the realm of the beautiful light that it does so by perpetrating anthropomor- bears the spiritual designation of Sree phism. When it proposes to serve or Nabadwip Dham. love God, it projects conceptions of He is the Beautiful Figuren 'inside the corresponding familiar activities of the light.' It is this revealing light this mundane plane to the Absolute. that has itself been revealed to It hardly stops to think whether it is the serving vision of all God-loving committing an unpardonable offence souls of this most blessed Kali Yuga against reason by such conduct. by the mercy of Srila Tbakur Bhakti. As soon as, however, the anthro- vinode. But those who' refuse to follow poraorphist is invited to believe in the the Srauta method see only a tract of existence of real correspondence mundane land and not the light that between the activities of this plane never is to be found in this world. and those of the Absolute, he throws Controversies were started by those off his mask and shows himself a true who were deceiving themselves by the spiritual nihilist. This is the fashionable anthropomorphic interpretations of the disease which is being sedulously Activities of the Supreme Lord, against nursed by the employment of the the transcendental position taken up spiritual vocabulary in the monistic by Thakur Bhaktivinbde. These con. sense against the clear warnings of troversies are really directed against the all theistic exponents of the revealed Divinity of Sree Gaursundar. Because if scriptures. His Divinity is admitted the transcein. But the hard fact of transcendental dence of the plane of His appearance existence does not cease to exist by cannot be denied at the same time. thoughtless refusals to recognise its 'The- evidence of the senses is existence. brought up for disproving the doctrine HREE NABADWIP DHAM PRACHARIN1 SABHA 231 of the descent of transcendence.. This never tires of priding itself on its is palpable and slmtneless disingenuous- unbiased reasonableness. Is this claim uesa. Who ever holds the vie« that proved by its dogmatic refusal to transcendence is perceivable bj' the ad mit the very existence of the senses ? transcendental realm for the reason The doctrine u( descent does not that Godhead and His Realm ever hold that it is possible to see G-od as reserve the right of not being exposed Idle is with our fleshy senses. Hut it to human senses ? believes that He has power to come Rai Bahadur Ramaprasad Chanda even within the scope of our mortal is the only scholar possessing a high vision without ceasing to be transcen- degree of expert antiquarian knowledge dental. Sree Gaursundar is Godhead who has cared to devote his serious Himself. He was seen by all the attention to the identification of the people of that period in the form of an old site of the historical town of ordinary mortal man. They did not Habadwip of the last decades of the see His Divine Form as they did not fifteenth of the Christian Era. He follow the path of submission listening seems to be convinced that the old town to the^ord of God from the lips of was situated in the locality that is at HiS i pure devotees for" attaining the present occupied by Sree Mayapur which eligibility of viewing His Real Form by was identified by Thakur Bhaktivinode means of their unsealed spiritual eyes. with the centre of old Nabadwip and the Therefore, those people saw Him, and place of the Birth of Sree Mahaprabhu. yet really did not see. But Rai Bahadur Ramaprasad Chanda Exactly similar is the plight of does not claim to have discovered the those empiric controversialists who spiritual Nabadwip which was revealed suppose that it is possible for them to by Thakur Bhaktivinode. There is bave the sight of Sree Nabadwip llham correspondence between the mundane by ignoring the method of submissive tract of land which is open to the sight approach under the guidance of the of all persons and which bears the name real spiritual preceptor. Such persons of Sridhara Mayapur and the spiritual may'btu"applauded by those who are plane of the manifestation of the Birth phnrdnwdy disinclined to lend their ears of the Absolute in His Own specific to the illuminating expositions of the form of Sree Gaursundar. This corres- teaching of the Supreme Lord by pondence is similar to that between the Thakur Rhaktivinodc. But this should form of an ordinary mortal that was be impossible in an Age which open to the view of all persons and the 232 THE HARMONIST

Transcendental Divine Form of Sree Bahadur Ramaprasad Ohanda believes Gaursundar Who could be seen only by in the identity of Sridham Mayapur the pure devotees. But when the with the central part of old Nabadwip Supreme Lord was pleased to manifest of the time of Sree Gaursundar, but he His descent to the view of the people proposes to do so as an antiquarian of this world, His descent could not be and not by dint of his realisation of the believed by those who were not blessed Transcendental Plane of the Appearance with the sight of His Divine Form. Rai of the Divinity.

Race and Religion

The pride of race is the basic princi. of the industrial revolution of the pie in the caste system of India. Caste eighteenth century that the white races is the equivalent of 'jati' which means came to regard themselves as sdipEexior 'birth'. Birth is the underlying princi- to all the, other races of the lOtprldH pie of the racial conception. By the methods of colonisation aftdidi^pld It ia, of course, easy enough by the quest the nations of Europe succeededrr exercise of a cheap vagueness of thought in establishing their political and econo- to dismiss the hereditary principle with- mic supremacy over the 'coloured* races out a hearing in formulating the ideal of (the world in course of the eighteenth of the future society. European atti. and nineteenth centuries of the Christian tude towards the institution of Indian Era. It is in the eighteenth century cast,e used to be one of contempt until European literature that the hatred of quite recently when Germany has the coloured races begins to be most chosen to make 'Aryan' origin the test poignantly expressed. of eligibility for German citizenship. The superiority of the Greeks And. The white races did not always look Romans to the 'barbarian' races of down upon -the brown, yellow, dark ancient times in culture and political and red races. It is only from about power did not produce anything like the time of the French Revolution and the modern European contempt for the probably due to the material prosperity coloured races. The existence of the of the Western peoples in consequence ide.a has been wrongly read into those RACE AND RELIGION 233 fc|mes by modern European historians to he the real test for settling the who are as a rule extremely biased 'varna' of its individual members. But against the coloured races. if the varnashrama organisation is to In India 'the white race' latterly possess any real spiritual value then displayed the same kind of contempt the household of a person of superior for the 'brown' inhabitants as we find varna needs must be admitted as more amonu; the Germans of today. The helpful for producing the spiritual varnashrama social organisation was disposition in the children of such transformed by the racial pride of the household than would be the caae 'white' into the caste system with children born in the household of historical India. of a person of inferior varna, or outside In India this iin warrantable trans- tiie pale of the varnik society. The formation has also always claimed the exceptions that are mentioned in sanction of religion. The caste system the shastras prove that the recognition is the only religion of present-day ortho. of the higher disposition if it was acci- dox Hindus. dentally manifested in the children el I do not think that the principle of persons belonging to an inferior grade heredity has been altogether ignored by was also admitted. Similarly if a child Sri Krishna-Chnitanya in the* sphere of born in a brahmana household was religion. The varnashrama social found to possess the disposition of a system was mentioned by B,ai Rama- , he would be classed as a nanda as a necessary condition for the vaishya by t he strict application of the proper practice of religion. The principle. Supreme Lord passed it by merely The ashrama regulations were remarking that it was not the principle slightly different in the case ot the itself, but possessed extraneous value. higher varnas. The sndras served the Nevertheless the very mention of higher varnas. ilie varnashrama organisation by Rai So we find that the hereditary prin- Ramananda as a help to pure worship ciple was given the greatest practical shows that Sri Krishna-Chaitanya ad- consideration in settling the varna ot nrittod some kind of connection between an individual. the varnashrama arrangement and But should we, therefore, call the religion. system of classification of individuals Now the varnashrama organisation by the test of varna or disposition as is certainly not strictly a hereditary an exclusively Aryan practice ? system. The test of disposition is held {'io be continued) Opening of Allahabad Theistic Exhibition

Address of welcome % Mahamahopadesalea AprnkntOr Bkaktisaranga Goswami.

Your Divine Grace, Ladies and gious persons. But unfortunately the genfrleoien. original purpose of Kumbha Mela has First of all I invoke the blessings been forgotten by na. People come of my Divine Master who is kindness here to take their hath-at the confluence incarnate and whose august presence of the Ganges and the Jumna to expiate at this confluence of the Ganges and their sins or to accumulate virtues, the Jumna reminds us of the fast that but the-y caro very little to know where it was here that the Divine Saraswati the Divine Saraswati is, or where the or the channel of the revealed tran- Divine.Saraswati flows. I mean where scendental sounds first came Out of the a true saint is, from whose lips the holy lips ot Beni Madhab and flowed transceodental sound can be heard through the ears and lips of Brahma, which purifies our heart and soul. It Narad and Vyas who embodied in his is mentioned in our scriptures that the i^ritings the visualized transcendental Ganges and the Jumna purify us when sound which has since been sung from we touch them, but the very "Darsan" time immemorial by the devotees of of a Vaiiahnav instantly piirifiea our the Lord. It was here that Sree heart and soul as be is the remebrancer Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu trans, of the. Lord with "Whom he is insepar- irdtted His Grace to Srila Hup ably connected, and in him there is Goswami Prabhu by way of setting the current of the Divine Saraswati forth the different stages of development or transcendental sound, of pure loving devotion to Sree Sree I bow down my head to such Radha Madhab, when the latter played genuine sadhua who fulfil all our the part of a disciple of the Lord. cherished desires, who are oceans of That is why Kumbha Mela takes place raorey and who are sanctifi'ers of the at this sanctum sanctoriura -for bringing fallen souls and Tirthas as well; together an all-India religious eoogre- Gentlemen, gation for exchange of views to elimi, Then with humility, respect and nate wrong mentality and for providing charity to all really religious and devout opportunities of association with reli- souls of every creed, I, on behalf of OPENING OF ALLAHABAD THEISTIC EXHIBITION 235 the metsibera of the Gaudiya Misaion, throw off, shamelessly forgetful of the haif' this opportunity to aooord our debt immense of endless gratitude we cordial welcome to one and all preaent owe to her. Snob an attitude of mind here on this happy auapicioua occasion on the part of us, to say the least to witness the opening ceremony of our of it, is unnatural in the extreme and Theiatic Exhibition by Hia Divine even culpable to a degree. Grace who, out of compassion for To live is to think, to think is to humanity, has formulated ita principles study God who is all and is in all. to educate the public in the highest The Great Absolute should predo- and the pureat theistic faith, based on mioate over us. We, being tbe crippled our scriptures, for their eternal and forms of infinitesimal absolutes—the everlasting welfare. The object of atomic parts of tbe Great unalloyed this Theistic Exhibition is to inculcate Absolute,—are expected to render in a very simple way profound religious eternal service to the Supreme Lord. truths by means of tableaux, models, Eor His service every individual soul dolls, pictures and electric demonstra. has an imperative necessity. And Sree fcions, so that the illiterate amouif us Krishna Cbaitanya Mabaprabhu has may also imbibe the spiritual lessons, taught us that the service of the ser- the teachings of our scriptures which vauts of the Supreme Lord is even are calculated to bring the highest greater than the service of the Lord good to mankind. Our religious litera- Himself and is the only right royal ture is verily an ocean. The dark road to the Realm of Reality. But the unfabhomed caves of which bear full din and dust, of life and the bustle and many a gein, but the diver must dive struggle in which we get submerged in deep below if he wants to possess any this mundane world scarcely leave any of the precious pearls the brightest of opening to let in light from transcen. which is Divine Love, and this is dental quarters. Today we have got scarcely available without the special that uncommon opportunity, as the law, favour of the Supreme Lord and His which binds us all here, is that of love devotees. to the Lord and to Theism, the Beligious literature or ^Vedanta" principles of which have been is neglected at present day in very much explained in our Theistic Exhibition the same way as old mothers are neglect, here and His Divine Grace has kindly ed by many an undutiful and ungrate- consented to transmit his grace through ful sou. To many of us she is an un. his transcendental .sound, which is necessary burden which we would fain undoubtedly a great privilege to us all. ^36 THE HARMONIST

I may mention here that our study and ineffective. That is why to releabe of scriptures may altogether be a ourselves from the bondage of the world fruitless study, if we do not digest their and to have a glimpse of the spiritual teachings through transcendental sound world, we have to live and to learn and without which the most intellectual to unlearn many things by undoing giant of this world may be led astray or the dictation of impure mind through lost in the wandering mazes of their godly association with true saints whe rhetorical and philosophical intricacies. help us % good deal to wake up our It should also be carefully noted that dormant souls and light up our way to the truths embodied therein cannot be the goal with the effulgence of spiritual subjected to any dry reason or barren power. arguments, but are to he felt by sincere True saints are mediums of reveln. and honest enquirers as intuitive truths. tion and authoritative teachers, as tliey The canons of the historical and allego- quicken in us an answering inward rical judgments should be brought sense of the enduring verity of the into tune with the truth, and the truth principles of theism—commonly known need not be twisted to attune to them. as "Shradha"—a primitive faculty of a But that is the greatest blunder com- spiritual nHer which speaks ro us of mitted everywhere. a livingO and lovingo God Sree. Krishna. I' is interesting to note, however, It is the foundation stone of the temple that all the different schools of Hindu of Divine Love. philosophy agree in holding that in .Gentlemen, snpersensnous matters like Brahnaa, I have not words with which to Paramatraa or Bbagwan, the scriptures express all that I feel when I think of are the highest authority. Reasoning the precious time you have kindly is to be accepted so long as it does not spared to attend the religious meeting go against revelation. Reason has, of But it should always be remembered course, a jurisdiction over them, but, that time and money spent, or whatever owing to its limitations, the Revelation is dune on behalf of the Absolute is the highest court of appeal. Personality Sree Krishna or His devo- He who thinks by cleverness to tees. are deposited in our eternal bank. transcend his own intellectual nature, 1 mean, we earn eternal "Sukritis" meets with the like fate to the man who thereby, which are the ingredients of half way up the ladder tries to pull the "Shradha" an unswerving trust in God. ladder after him that he may mount to No such good deed, no such good a loftier height. It is simply ridiculous example ever dies, but it rings clear OPENING OF ALLAHABAD THEISTiC EXHIBITION 237 in heaven like a bell and rouses up our the President of Sree Viswa Vaishnav dormant souls. Because we. make ftaj Sabha, the greatest Vaishnav hero 'saisanga' thereby. who strictly follows the tenets of Sree Be it borne in mind that without Obaitanya Mahaprabhu. "Satsanga'' we cannot make any Vaishnav heroes, whose province it progress towards the spiritual kingdom, seems to be to bear and forbear, are however intelligent, learned or great quite as capable of endurance as a tree. we might be in the estimation of the A Vaishnav hero is not incited by any public. Any such attempt will simply deed of daring as the soldier hero. The enhance the very evil which it is arena in which he acts is not that of intended to control. A true saint aggression or strife, but of edurance and gives a tone to the company in which self-sacrifice. No star glitters on his he is, to the society in which he lives breast, no banner waves over him. And and to the nation in which he is born. when he falls, as he often does in the No nation attains to real eminence performance of his service to the Lord, as a nation, no society as a genuine he receives no nation's laurels, no society, no man as a real man, unless pompous mournings, but only the silent they follow the footsteps of really great dropping of tears over his grave from hien, unless and until they maintain, in the great men of this world and the a state of the highest officiency and applause of heaven where he is given excellence, their chief seat of spiritual cordial welcome by the angels and learning, their most potent instrument greeted by the Supreme Lord for for the discovery and dissemination of successfully performing the work truth in all departments of human entrusted to him by the Lord amidst activity. troubles and tribulations in this Whatever detractors may proclaim, mundane world. the fact remains that the Gaudiya We are all sojourners here in this Mission, at the present moment, posses, foreign land. We arb to go back to ses a spiritual teaching organization God and back to Home —our eternal which, notwithstanding its deficiencies, abode. We are to concentrate our is engaged in the performance of work scattered activities to that universal of the highest importance for all human centre our Eternal Lord. The prosti- beings in India and abroad—under the tution of the mind by attuning it to revered direction of His Divine Grace anything less than the Absolute is a Paramahansa Sree Sreemad Bhakti great calamity, which, though we cannot Siddhanta Saraswati Gpswami Maharaj, realize now, becomes worse day by 236 THE HARMONIST day till a rude awakening or a vital delight. It turns sacrifice into ^|U^y shook that unhinges the grosser settings It draws and does nut drive. In,; its of the senses, unfolds a wider view of soft bosom lie wrapped all the virtues life and brings us baok to Q-od—with which have adorned humanity. It en. Whom the soul is brought, not into forces truthfulness, it inspires courage identity, but into communion ; not into and fortitude. Its mercy and forgive- unity, but into uniou. To be at one ness are boundless. with God is one thing, and to be one This love transcends human life with with God is another thing. all its sorrows, with all its evils and In Hegelism and Pantheism tho with all its fears. It is a new world j human soul, together with the outward all light and no darkness. There js universe, seems to be observed into the joy and peace in its tears ; hope And being of God to such a degree that gladness in its seeming death. It floods man is deprived of any freedom of will. our life with all bliss. Its great vice is also extended to the Let this Theistic Exhibition inspire fact that it destroys the personality of us in common service of Krishna for God, killing love once for all. the benefit of humanity in terms of The distinction between subject and Divine Love—the Ultimate purpose of object should not be lost. In Divine cosmic being—the gift of Sree Krishna Love a stream of hallowing grace comes Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to the world. from Another than myself ~the Supreme With this I beg to conclude mj bidding Lord Sree Krishna Who dra ws and does prayer, and I thank you once more on not drive. It makes every duty a behalf of the members of the Gaudiya pleasure. It turns all drudgery into Mission. The Presidential Address

On the occasion of the opening ceremony of the Theistic Exibition held hy Sri Eupa Gaudiya Math, Allahabad, on Tuesday the 7th January, 1986.

My friends, honoured ladies and world. So I can boast of this Exhibi- gentlemen, tion for the greatest facility that it has T should submit an explanation accorded to us in this suffocating region for eligibility to accept the opener's of our sojourn of life in an imperfect part of the Theistic Exhibition when I atmosphere. feel that the responsibility lies not on To ponder over the transcendence me but on my Master who is delegated from our present lower plane, we are eternally for the purpose of transmit, obliged to mix up ephemeral dirts of ting the transcendental message to us. imperfections before we get the true Oar eternal Master Sree Rupa Goswami. merit of familiarising our souls with ji was taught the highest evangelical the transcendental situation of recipro- message by the Supreme Amthority of cating'objects of the Land, fully con- the Transcendence in the garb of a cealed to our present senses. So a preacher of the Absolute Truth. The modification or augmentation is neces- Supreme Authority of transcendence sary for the purpose of eliminating the did shake off, out of causeless mercy. undesired elements which we have in. His normal disposition by descending corporated in our present life. In order to the plane of fallible beings as the to adjust our situation with our eternal World-teacher, and by so doing He life, we should acquaint ©urselvfis with vested us with the transcendental bless, the easier process of associating our- inga by asking us to associate with Sree selves with a desirable atmosphere. Krishna in our everyday life. I do not see any reason to stir up With this iufiniteibliss of the trau elements of gratifying our present scendental standard, this Exhibition senses tq lord it over them but we has been formulated for the purpose of require to undergo a process of sub- truly associating our daily life with the mission to the eterjnal manifestive unalloyed service of th« Fountainhead aspects of the Eternity, Plenary know- without any intervention of entangling ledge and- Permanent Blissful Atmos- with the undesirable experience of this phere. The scrutinisation should not 240 tHE HARMONIST be confined to serve our appropriate nesses to study the whole matter with dealings with the phenomenal aspects an unprejudiced mind in order to make of the object. If our present senses the best use of the ontological aspects act to objectify the subjective exploits of the Exhibits instead of putting the of the transcendence, we will surely same for their mundane quodlibetic get the benefit of uplifting our situation enterprises. not in the process of elevationists or The facts of the transcendence were Salvationists, but in the, process of un- clearly transmitted to the heart of Sree alloyed devotees. Bupa Goswarniji, after the Supreme We hail the congenial atmosphere Lord had given him the facility of an and associations of Prayag, the place aura] reception of eternal' desirahilitieb where Brahma held his active perform- of dislocated stars like us shooting from ance in ten directions of the Universe the ever-glowing Infinite Fontrtainhead in order to impede the mental course of of the Transcendonce. The shooting an enjoyer of phenomenal objects. The stars are again reattracted by the same devotional school of theistic thoughts Fountainhead through the power of has got its advent in this very spot instructions and the bliss is to carry where the Master-Mind was staged to them back to theirjoriginal position to have transcendental inception from the be dovetailed with the Plenary position Supreme Lord about four hundred years of the Absolute in manifestive ways. ago. In fine, 1 would implore you with .all As sight.seers of different views earnestness to acquaint yourselves with through transcendental aural reception, the ontological character of the Exhibi- we can have the chance of ocularising tion in your spiritual eyes to get eternal the statements in the present Exhibits. benefit of your eternal entities in true I therefore solicit the favour of the wit- 'shrauta' and rational activities. VOL XXXII No. 11 ] Regtd. No. C 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Saijanatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Gour Ekadashi Mmffh 449 O. A*

February 3, 1936.

j^TT^T TCT I ^ II Annihifation of agasfong sufferings. May these our high aims ffourish 7he Service of Radha* Krishna, 7 o gfaaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4»8. Foreign Is. 6d. Paramahansa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswann

Sres Caudiya Math, P.O Bagt]bazar, Calcutta. CONTENTS

Subject P»g® 1. ''Big I" Versus "Good I" 241 2. Body, Mind and Soul ...... ••• 247 3. The Mercy of the Aoharyya ... 251 4. Race and Religion ...... 255 5. His Late Majesty King.Bmperor George V ...... 257 6. Sree Gopal Bhatta Goswami ... 258 7. Round the Gaudiya Maths ...... 264 ALL-OLORV to srbe ouru and oauranoa

Tie Hatrndtti^l

(Svee Sayanatosbant)

VOL. XXXII, | FEBRUARY 3, 1936 No. 11

"Big I" Versus "Good T'

{From Daily Nadia Prakash}JaXiy50, 1936.)

npHB Sruti sings as profitable the who is 'infinitely more humble than forward movement of the ''big a tiny blade of grass', in seeking to I" in course of the gradual neutralisa- follow the Bhagabata thought, finds tion of the cognitive function of the himself riddled by the shafts that are soul. Empiricists consider the "great aimed at the weakness of the .'little I' I" to be either enjoyer or devoid of of this world. In pursuance of the enjoyment, , They are led to this mundane thought for the active appre- conclusion by the dictates of their ciation of the 'little I', and for esteeming enjoying and abnegating thoughts. the 'disesteemed I', the state that Whereas the conglomerated light of the is void of all self.consciousness comes of the Bhagabat, the ripe melting to be sung as the ultimate duty of such of,ltKe purpose-tree of the Yeda, 'distressed I'. But 8ree Gaursundar using the conception of the has provided such 'distressed I* with "big I" for serving the enjoying or the golden opportunity of following the abnegating purpose, offers instead the ideal of one who is self-dedicated to the conception of the "good X". The "I" service of the Transcendence. 242 THE HARMONIST

The acceptance and rejection of Bhagabad. Persons, who are unmindful empiricism being equally obstructive of following this method, pose as im- of the knowledge of the real truth, the personalists (Mayavadis) by welcoming Transcendental Object of our worship the hypocrisy of irrational thought, and in His Most Magnanimous Figure has manifesting their obstinate inclination made the gift of love for .Krishna. to the path that is incompatible with Mundaka Sruti, who supplies the the spirit of service. Such persons oan inspiration of the 'good I', declares fully realise the nature of their own that the Absolute is infinitel}' greater proper entities by the practice of self- than all 'big' things and immensely dedication to the Feet of Sree Chai. more subtle than any subtle entity. tanya Deva. Empiric thought, deceiving itself in The unalloyed cognitive service of respect of its own nature, is anxious, unalloyed cognition manifests itself lor the attainment of chaotic eligibility from the most refined realisation of the for bigness and fulness. Whereas the consciousness of unalloyed cognition. trend of the thought of the 'good I' is For this reason the Word 'Immanent', to relieve the soul from his fetters of in the English language, or 'Antaryami' empiric judgment by means of the in Sanskrit, manifests the knowledge function whioh destroys all evils of the of His Entity in the subjective con- soul and which is 'infinitely humbler sciousness of every cognitive infinitesi. than the blade of grass, more forbearing mal. Wherefore, if one rims after than the tree, absolutely free from all inert matter for the realisation of the egotistic vanity and practised in giving 'big F instead ol the 'good V, the due honour to all ' Jt is for this reason empiric knowledge acquired through that Sree Krishna told Arjuna that a one's senses will not supply any clue to person can know Him only by means the nature of transcendental cognitive of loving service. This is also tho reason realisation or para-vidya. why for the purpose of inducing us to Till the concerted chant of Sree give up the state of ignorance, Srimad Krishna, which is as the life of the Bhagabat, the real exponent of the bride of transcendental knowledge, Vedanta, says to those of us who manifests itself in the heart of the suppose ourselves to be possessed of emancipated infinitesimal joiil, it is knowledge, 'Man is completely freed never possible to realise the truth thafc from the state of utter ignorance by the glory of Madhnpuri is infinitely listening to, by attentively studing and higher even than that of Yaikuntha. reflecting on, and by serving Sreemad It is only by the realisation of the 'good "BIG I" VERSUS "GOOD I" 243

I' that it is possible to be a resident of sion of us by reciting the mantra of the Vaikuntha; otherwise residence in the Ishopanishad. realm of Maya alone will be secured. I should give up all types of in. When this happens, the mode of think- decorus conduct that is prompted by the ing known as .Vlayavad (irapersonalsm, traitorous thoughts of the fief-holders of pantheism) acquires momentum on the the 'big I'. It would then be possible lips of a person under the sensuous urge for the inner mind of the 'good I' to be of the faculty of mundane speech. This attracted by the sight of the beauty of results in the aggravation of mental the temple of Radharani. I would then unsteadiness which turns us into psilan- quickly become conscious of the attrac- thropists and anti-Vedantists, or fills tion of Shyrasundar. I would forth- the mind with a keen desire for being with dedicate myself to the service of yoked to activities for mundane im- Radharani for realising the 'good I', provement, even as the wild elephant instead of seeking to lord it over the madly submits to be tethered to his queen of the measuring function. The utter undoing.O The 'bii:r* I' contrives Sruti mantras have not been made by to merge his individuality for the any mortal. The henotheistic school purpose of becoming the liege Lord have made them slavishly serve the (Maharaj) of queen Maya who is the purposes of empiricism or masked in- cause of all discordant limitations. sincere controversy. Their improper Thereafter, we are overtaken by the mode of exposition of the Sruti texts infatuation, under the urge of mundane has proved the fruitful source of the greatness, that Radha.rani herself manifold evils that continue to afflict (who is the power of service as opposed the world. The Aranyakas of Naimisha- to the power of measuring limited ranya will employ us in the service of entities) belongs to the shudra caste 1! the Transcendent Lord by admitting We no lunger love to cherish the im- us to the protecting shelter of the pulse of her humble servitorship. The Academies (Maths) of the Paratnahansi consciousness of her servitorship, in- Samhita ( Sreemad Bhagabat). It is hering in the 'good I', abandons us for for this purpose that those who follow ever and makes us plunge, like shooting the path of pure devotion, expounded by atars, towards the utter darkness of Sree Narada, have listened with submis- » ifrandiine ehjoyniBnt, and finally into sion to the words of the Bhagabat that tite deejfer gloxkh of 'the abnegation of devotion to the Adhokshaja ( transcen- such enjoyment. Then we have to exor. dental) Lord brings about the subsidence Cise the evil spirit that takes posses. of one's undesirable proclivities. 244 THE HARMONIST

Oar Vaishnava friend Bharati where the axle of the chariot of Brahma Swami has advised me for my benefit was broken up. As we resort to the to make a garland of the precious crest- transcendental pool of Brahma for jewels of the Srutis or the rays of the bathing in its holy stream, we do so San of the Bhagabat. A. cat made of in the hope that we may be enabled wood cannot build a bridge over a thereby to obtain the mercy of Sree mighty expanse of water. A dwarf can- Vyasdeva. not reach the moon with his hands. It At Shyamanta.panchak the inhabi- is equally absurd for me to seek to be tants of Braja found the guiding point enlightened with the rays of the Sun of of the compass when they had lost all the Bhagabat and to serve the essence reckoning of true direction. Will there of the Srutis. In pursuance of this be dearth of Kirtan at the capital-seat great maxim of spiritual conduct viz. of Yogamaya by her merciful contri- that command of the gurus is not to be vance ? Shall we miss to be enlight. questioned, I shall try to follow in the ened by that exposition of the text of footsteps of the community of the 'good the sruti regarding the Joyous I' who ever practise seeing, hearing, Activity of the Form with Golden Hue smelling, tasting, touching and thinking that was raanifoste'l at Suvarnabihar under the regulation of the heard tran- by the Hero of God rum a Who ever scendental sound as enjoined by the delights in His unceasing Transcenden- Srutis. tal Activities ? ''When one sees* thp The Supremely Merciful Lord Sree Divine Ruler of the world (Hiranyag-Mr Gaursundar has given to the world bha), Whose Form is of the colour of love of Krishna. Will the message of gold, one attains to the state of that love never find entry into the spiritual equilibrium and purity by the recesses of our ears? We have effect of transcendental knowledge the heard it said that the Kali Age is a appearance of which completely cleanses sea of offences. But this sea possesses the soul of the impressions of sin and one capital good feature. Sukadeva, virtue, the dirty products of mundane our Divine Master, who ever delights unspirifcual thinking "( Mundak. 3/3 ). in the chanting of Krishna, recited the Shall we fail to be the servitors of the tidings of Bhagaban to Sree Sutadeva. Transcendental Hero of Suvarnabihar The same message was recited by Sree delighting in His Diyjne Activities by Sutadeva at the third session of the getting rid of our sensuoiis authoritative exposition of the Bhaga- enterprises ? Will the Hero of Godru- bat which was held at Ilaimisharanya ma pever impart to qs the meaning of "BIG I" VERSUS "GOOD I' 245 the Bhagabat through the lips of Sree by our active subservience to Sree Sukadeva and make us drink with our Lakshmi Devi ? The Most Merciful ears the melting ripeness of the fruit Supreme Lord Sree Gaursundar has of the purpose-tree of the Veda ? "Will taught His servants, who follow the song of the hymn to Govindadeva exclusively the teaching of Sree Rupa, of the Brahmasamhita, which was once to offer their devotions to Sree Gostha. offered to Govindadeva at Antardveepa bibari. Shall we be thwarled at all by Brahma, never cross the threshold time from our sacred duty of serving of our ears ? On that day shall we fail Him by the grace of Sree Lakshmi to realise that the Supreme Lord has Devi ? no beginning, that He is the Beginning, There are two elongated Vakaras. the Cause of all causes, the concentrated Are we destined only to be obstructed, Form of eternal existence, unmixed from our goal by failing to realise our cognition, unalloyed bliss, and that He permanent residence in the realm of is the Absolute-Beautiful-Fignre-in- Goloka represented by the first of the Hiraself (Svayam-Rupa) ? Will it be Vakaras ? Will not the attracting our hard lot to continue to practise book of the second elongated Vakara self-deception by the lip-profession of descend on our shoulders and by the loyal, active submission to Sree Rupa Grace of the Lord Who rides on by busying ourselves in vain showy Gaduda, make us realise the first Shloka talk ? Will not the Lord, Who ever of Krishna.Karnamrita, the beauty of walks in Simantadveepa, give us the the nail of the feet of Sree Radharani privilege of submissive listening ? Will full of the highest beauty by j relieving not the Divine Hero of Madhyadveepa, us from the mask of our attire of the ^he Divine Form.in-Himself, by mani. lord of the queen of the measuring festing to oar view His Transcendental energy ? It is only in course of our Figure, grant us the favour of re. engagement in tending the Feet of the membering Him in our proper entities Supreme Lord in Ritudvfiepa that the of the 'good I' by following in the reverent worship practised by foot-steps of Sree ? Will the Maharaj will possess our hearts. Will Lord in His Figure of Man with the it not then be possiblejfor us to attain face of the Lion make us forget to the Presence of Krishna in Jahnudvee. follow Sree ? Shall we pa by throwing ourselves on the be unable to offer our devotions to the protecting shelter of the feet of Akrura ? Divine Feet of the Lord, Who ever Will the attainment of ;Krisbna which rests at Koladveepa ou Sree Sh^shadeva, results from tending His Feet, wor- 246 THE HARMONIST shipping His Archa and singing His ful Shining Abode of the Absolute praises, ever remain the far off object (Sree Dhara) is different from the Name of our endeavours ? Will the servitude of Hari the fringe of Whose Lotus Feet of the King of the Kapis at Modadru- is ever served by the effulgence madveepa and the friendship of the reflected from the myriad crest.jewels twelve cowboys ( Gopalas), depriving of the Veda ? No, it is never so ! us of our subservience to the feet of We obtain from Vishnupuri, the tender King Bali by self-dedication at shoot of ninefold devotion, the sprout Antardveepa, impel us to worldly of love of Madhabendrapuri and the desires ? Shall we be deprived for ripe fruit of the Purpose-tree of the ever of dwelling on the bank of Lotus Feet of Sree Krishna,Ghaitanya. the pool that is' located in the It will never be possible for any of us neighbourhood of the capital.seat of to discover any other easier path, or Yogamaya ? any path at all, to the love of Krishna. We have heard the message that Wherfore, may we attain to the hope only those persons who are not deceived of the intimate service of Godhead by by empiricists may easily attain unto receiving the third of the mantras, Krishna. Shall we fail to understand constituting the Teaching of Sree the account oi the union of Radha- Kfishna.Chaitanya, to our eternal good ! Govinda of the writer of Jagannath- I will not be 'big', but I will be 'good.' ballabh in the beauty of the circle of I shall then be able* to realise the Sree Purushottamkshetra ? We have quenching of the great forest-fire of firmly realised that the subsidence of the worldly sojourn in the concerted all worldly ills results antomatically chant Of Krishna. Therefore, may the from the practice of the relationship of alleluiah of the sportive Divine Hercj< loving devotion to the Transcendental of Golden Hue (Suvarna-bihari), the (Adhokslvaja). Wherefore, are we to rays of the resplendent sun of the suppose that the service of the Beauti- Bhagabat be our support ! Body, Mind and Soul

The Harmonist emploj'a the current caution that is due to their difference Tocabulary for conveying the message. of plane and tries to understand pheno- of transcendence. It is not for! the menal occurrences for its own exclu- flrak tune that this is being done in sively spiritual end. The phenomenal India. The philosophy of the Vedanta, possesses value for the Vedanta as assorting the transcendental realisation symbolising the spiritual, not positively of the TJpanishada, supplied India ?;ith but negatively. an ample specific vocabulary for dis_ The physical body is viewed by the courses on transcendence. Not that Vedantist as a spiritual symbol. It the Vedanta always invented new symbolises to him the spiritual body. terms for this purpose. We should It is the convincing proof of the exis- rather say that it never uses a new tence of the bodily principle, in the word if thare is already an old word Absolute even to those who have no which could be made to serve its pur- such direct experience of the Absolute. pose by means of proper definition. It The spiritual body is not like the added new words only when there were physical body in any sense that is no old words due to absence of the ex- conceivable by the human mind. But periences which the new words were to there is nevertheless actual similarity express. which could be realised if it were The Vedanta also offers the inter- possible to make due allowance for the pretation of the facts of our common difference of planes. observation in the light of transcendental Once any person has been enabled experience. It accepts all information to have a real glimpse of the transcen. about actual experience as experience. dence, such a person is in the position In this sense it is unreservedly receptive. to function symbolically on the spiri. It gives a full hearing to every person. tual plane by the proper use of the It does not work up generalisations on corresponding mundane conditions. the basis of this information. It cul- The physical body and mind possess tures its transoendental experience by tllb above correspondence with the the indirdQt help of the mundane. It spiritual body and mind of an individual. does not thereby admit that the two Neither the body nor the mind is are on the same plane. It observes the identical with the personality of an 248 THE HARMONISt individual for the aim pie reason that body. The mind ia, therefore, not the last stands to the former two in constitutionally leas inert than the the relationship of their common physical body. It is a question which proprietor. The physical body is subject is not capable of solution as to whether to birth, growth, decay and death. The it is the body which moves the mind, mind also undergoes growth and decay, or vice versa. From the point of view of if not birth and death. The mind an individual's own experience the mind does not remember whether it existed seems to possess greater control over prior to the birth of the physical body the body than the body does on the with which it is inextricably bound up. mind. Those nations whose minds are There is also no method of knowing not properly cultured are easily con- whether after the death of the physical quered by those who possess more body the mind continues to exist. The cultured minds. Sparta preferred the nature and the functions of the physi- culture of the body to that of the mind. cal body and mind from birth to death This was the cause of her failure to are subjects of our common experience. attain even military greatness. The Vedanta has a term by which Athens tried to combine the culture it expresses the common nature of the of the body with that of the mind. physical body and mind. It is 'Jada'. Athens also failed to retain her great- 'Jada' conveys the idea of inertia. That ness. Mental and bodily greatness are which cannot move on its own initiative equally perishable, but they are inter- is 'Jada'. The physical body is moved dependent. Mind should not be identi- by the mind. The mind is moved by fied with the principle of animation or the soul. The soul can move by his consciousness. Both the body and own initiative. The physical body and mind can exist without being conscious mind are, therefore, 'Jada' i.e. devoid of their existence. Death is not merely of initiative. suspended animation. It ia the per- The mind is rendered inert during manent loss or destruction of animation. sound sleep. This is indicated by the The principle of animation is specifi. fact of forgetfulnesa. The mind does cally connected with the physical not remember wliether it existed before activity of respiration. By artificial the birth of the physical body. There- respiration the animation of a drowned fore, it is even conceived to be a part man is capable of being restored. of the physical body and its appearance Mundane life is breath or prana. as a self-conscious entity as being Body and mind are proved to be subsequent to the birth of the physical 'jada'. Life or animation is also 'jada'. fcODl, MIND AND SOUL 249

The soul is chefcana or sejf-conscious. the Absolute. As soon ns the soul Body and mind are made to act on the ceases to render willing service to the plane of consciousness by the initial Absolute he is seized with the unnatu- energy of the. soul. Or rather, they ral desire for dominatinn and surren- are supposed by the soul to be identical ders himself to the power of Maya for with his own entity by the contrivance gratifying the same of a higher power which is called 'Maya' In the natural position the soul Of .the 'limiting power' if the Absolute. serves the Absolute under the guidance The soul is made to identify himself of the Enlightening Spiritual Power of with the body and mind, although God. In his unnatural state the soul these latter are foreign to him, by the is subjected to the thraldom of Maya working of the power of limitations, by his unnatural passion for domination. who provides the plane of their deluded There is a great lesson for the activity as well as the delusion that votaries of political freedom in the leads the soul to suppose himself to be above exposition of the real state of the physical body and mind. This is man in the world. Political freedom does the conditioned state for the soul. He not mean in the fashionable political is put in fetters. He is doubly incar- science of the modern world freedom cerated in the physical body and mind to serve the Absolute. Political freedom by his own deluded consent. is foolishly defined as freedom But the physical body and mind from the domination of 'foreign' have a plane of their own derived nations. It is sometimes defined as the from the source that controls the right of self-determination, or self- activities of the limiting power. This government. But as a matter of fact latter principle is called Sambhu. Maya the state of political dependence is as is the bower of Sambhu. The mind muoh the result of self-determination and body are products of Maya and as the state of political freedom. In Sambhu. Sambhu is described as the neither is there any reference to the perversion of the Personality of the principle of the freedom of serving the Absolute due to association with Maya Absolute which alone is the natural 'even as pure milk is transformed into state for the soul of man irrespective sour milk by the application of acid'. of any earthly consideration. It is The soul becomes subject to Maya possible to use the physical body and by the abuse of his free initiative. The mind in such a way that thereby one freedom of the soul is abused when he may be gradually freed from the per- turns away from the willing service of verse inclination of turning away from 82 250 THE HARMONIST the free service of the Absolute. This It is also possible to indicate the possibility of interaction is due to the divergence of any line of conduct; fact that this phenomenal world, inclu- individual or corporate, from the ding the physical body and mind, is direction of the service of the Absolute at its source the perverted reflection by one who has realised the nature of of the Realm of the Absolute. The His transcendental service. This kind spiritual body and rnind of the soul are of interpretation also necessarily enabled to function even by the extends to thA use of words. The agencies of the physical body and mind imports of terms as given in the as soon as the soul places himself under ordinary lexicons, therefore, require to the guidance of the Enlightening be changed in order to make them fit Spiritual Power of God for the purpose to express the transcendental expern of attaining to the transcendental ence. It requires the fullest serving service of the Absolute. The full co-operation of both reader and writer re.establishment of the soul in his for attaining this highest desideratum. natural state of perfect freedom is Those readers who are willing to brought about on the final withdrawal pursue further the subject of this short of his mortal casings in due course by enquiry regarding the relation of the means of the progressive practice of body and mind with the soul are his quasi-spiritual service of the Absolute referred to the that is available by His special Grace chapter V with Thakur Bhaktivinode's even in the conditioned state. This most illuminating commentary on the is equally true of corporate aa well as same published by the Gaudiya individual human activity. Math. The Mercy of the Acharyya.

Once a person is fortunate enough the exposition of the career of the to be able to make up bis mind to seek Supreme Lord in His Eternal Role of for the real truth, he begins to world-teacher. experience the insuperable difficulty of The only obstacle in the way of asQentaitring any really adequate process realising the mercy of the real of iu^eetigation of the same. Acharyya is absence of the predispoai. It was the purpose of Sree Krishna- tion for the service of the Absolute and Ohaitanya by means of His teaching all His servants. The appearance of and conduct to enable all sincere such predisposition naturally leads a seekers of the Absolute Truth to person to seek the guidance of the experience the necessity for finding the Acharyya without reservation for the real spiritual guide, Acharyya or sole purpose of realising the service of cqprpeteut teacher of the quest of the the Absolute and His servants. pu *E %, by precept and practice. This The mercy of the Acharyya is imparts to the narrative of the career spontaneously displayed to all who are of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya its unique willing to accept the same. The character among the scriptures of the Acharyya is the exclusive servant of world. It supplies the only reasoned the Absolute. His only function is to means of getting the clue to the tran. serve the Absolute and enable others jjcendental method of the quest of the to do the same. The Acharyya posses, Absolute. The study of the career ses the power of re-establishing the of Sree Kpishna-Chaitanya is bound to conditioned soul in his natural spiritual itnipross upon the mind of every candid function of the service of the Absolute. reader the necessity of seeking spiri- The unreserved admission of the office tual enlightenment from a living person. of the Acharyya is the pre-oondition It has been accordingly contended by for the realisation of his mercy. the writers of the career of Sree The Acharyya is the living form J£riabBa-Chaitanya that pre-disposition and .the living bestower of the service f-Qr the service of the Personality of the of the Absolute. The Acharyya is Ahsotpte and by implication of the pleased to disclose bis serving entity, persona Lilies pf Hjs servitors, is genera, in bis uncovered recognisable form to ted by expqipading and listening to the serving cognitave fapnlty of the 252 THE HARMONIST soul who is predisposed to the service Supreme Teacher Sree Krishna- of the Absolute. This revelation of Ohaitanya. The descent of Sree his own transoendeutal serving entity Krishna-Ohaitanya has made the is the operation of the power of mercy saving knowledge of His career avail- of the Acharyyia in its unambiguous able to all persons of this mundane manifestation. The light of the real world through the written narrativeis form of the Aoharyya automatically of His Transcendental Activities. endows the recipient of his mercy with Only the Aoharyya can also expound the realised disposition for the service the career of Sree Krishna-Ohaitanya of the Absolute under the unconditional with any consistency. Sreo Krishna- guidance of the Aoharyya. In this Ohaitanya Himself followed the method manner there is a real beginning of the of the Aoharyya for preaching the quest of the Absolute in and through service of the Truth. The method is the quest of His service. as simple as it is convincing. No one There can be no is fit to preach the Truth who does not fortune than the realisation of the serve Him with all his faculties. Sree mercy of the bona fide Aoharyya. The Krishna-Ohaitanya preached the Truth characteristic quality of the Aoharyya because He Himself also served the which is identical with his entity, in Truth, as, in His Own words, "No one his ceaseless, unstinted, active mercy can teach the religion unless one towards all souls. practises the same". If a person who The above propositions help to does not serve the Truth wants to poae clear up the current misconception that as expounder of the career of Sree the fallacy of petitio prinoipii is Krishna-Ohaitanya, he will be forced involved in the tireless insistence of to do so in the spirit of utter "hostility all the revealed scriptures (shastras) of to the teaching of the Supreme. Lord. this country (India) that it is necessary This method of exposition is bound to for one to listen from the lips of the repel those who are not already preju- Aoharyya, with complete submission diced against the teaching of Sree and offering of service, to the message Krishna-Ohaitanya. The unambiguous of the shastras to be enabled to realise and uncompromising support of the its transcendental truth. A person's shastric method of exposition is the assent to this fundamental condition of sum and substance of the oareer and the true method of studying the personality of Sree Krishna-Ohaitanya, shastras is not possible until he has This makes the task of expounding as received the previous mercy of the well as listening to the true exposition THE MERCY OK THE ACHARYYA 253 of Hia career possible only for those He is the embodimentjof Divine Mercy, who bring to the performance a fully The Acharyya never deceives those who unpreiudioed mind. In other words, do not want to be deceived after being it is only those persons who are able enlightened. But there is hardly a or willing to be able to realise the single person in this world who does inadequacy of the empiric methods of not want to be deceived on principle. quest of the Truth, who are in a Such a statement may appear to be position to profit by the study and exposi- extraordinarily pessimistic. But a tion of the career of the Supreme Lord. very little reflection ought to demons- The mercy of Sree Krishna Chai- trate to all impartial thinkers its tanya, therefore, represents the mercy absolute truth. of the Acbaryya in its supreme perfec- The tendency to deliberate self, tion. The mercy of Sree Krishna. deception is the only obstacle to the Chaitanya is the enabling condition willing acceptance of the proffered un. for the realisation of the otherwise ambiguous mercy of the real Acharyya. causeless mercy of the Acharyya. The This tendency is tantamount te consti- mercy of the Supreme Lord is the tutional aversion to the service of the cause of the oauselessness of- the mercy Truth. The mercy of Sree Krishna. of the Acharyya. Chaitanya can alone remove the cause Those who contend that in as much as of this fatal but almost universal Sree Krishna-Ohaitanya is a historical perversity. person, he" could not be the cause of the The preachers of the Gaudiya mercy of the series of the Acharyyas mission, iu pursuance of the method of who made their appearance in India Sree Kriahna-Ghaitanyn, practise what from a time long before His Advent, are they preach. This enables the "preach- hopelessly misguided by their empiric ers as well as their submissive, open, reservations. Sree Krishna-Chaitanya minded audience to be aqquainted with does not come under the jurisdiction the true significance of "the career of of time even when He chooses to make Sree Kriahna-Chaitanya. If the preach- His Appearance in thia world in any ers and their audience are not willing particular period of the world's history. to deceive themselves after receiving The sun neither rises nor sets, although ehlighteumeut, they need not despair it is seen to do so everyday by the of finding the peace of their people of this world. souls. The bestowal of unstinted mercy is It is necessary for the possibility of the specific function of the Acharyya. such propaganda that a number of 254 THE HARMONIST persons must understand the necessity misunderstanding of our real nature, of dedicating themselves to propagating we should have the sincerity of facing the knowledge of the career of Sree even the proposal for their absolute Krishna-Chaitanya by the right method. rejection in a spirit of sympathetic The organiaer.in.chief of the Gaudiya endeavour for appreciating the point Mission has been looking for such of view of the proposer. helpers. They are turaing up at the But Sree Krishna-Ohaitanya does right conjunctures. A large number not call upon any person to renounce of persons have already offered to the the duties and responsibilities of their mission their whole-time services as present worldly positions. That is the preachers without remuneration in any proposal of the monists. Sree Krishna. shape. These preachers are the agents Obaitanya calls upon everybody to of the Acharyja, and their activities serve Krishca by discoursing about represent the operation of the Divine Him in company and under proper Mercy of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya. guidance. The rationale of following The elected preachers are not all this course is vindicated by His Own of them necessarily saints of the Illustrative Career. This is the great highest order. But all of them, as the positive service to humanity of the fortunate recipients of the mercy of preachers of the Gaudiya Mission. the Acharyya, have obtained the They have been enabled by the mercy initial spiritual enlightenment and are of the Acharyya to dedicate themselves on the path of real spiritual endeavour. to its performance by renouncing all They have every chance of realising lesser duties. Such renunciation is not the highest function of their souls if due to repugnance of the world, but to they do not give up the quest, in which their love for the Absolute Truth and they are engaged, by deliberately for the world. The preachers of the deviating from the guidance of the Gaudiya Mission fully believe in the Acharyya. dictum of Sriraad Bhagabat that every Human life is both uncertain and duty is truly fulfilled only by devoting of limited duration. It has got its oneself to the exclusive service of duties and responsibilities on its own Krishna, and that there is no other plane. These are apparently more or way of fulfilling any of the duties by less ignored by the call for the exclu- which we find ourselves confronted in sive service of the Absolute. But as this world. these duties and responsibilities are Sree Krishna-Ohaitanya is the the outcome of our present radical Divine Embodiment of the highest f^ACE ANt> RELIGION 255 service of Krishna. Discourses about to discourses about the Career of Sree the career of Sree Krishna.Chaitanya Krishua-Chaitanya as the only means supply the unambiguous clue to the available, within the present scope of service of the Transcendental Absolute our perverted intellects, for realising Person, The preachers of the Gaudiya the transcendental service of Sree Mission accordingly devote themselves Krishna, the Absolute Person.

Race and Religion ( Continued from P. 282 )

Varna afterwards came to acquire the which was founded in South India by significant meaning of 'colour.' As the Sri Ramanujacharya, also an eminent white Aryans found themselves in the member of the Brahmana caste, is midst of an increasing proportion altogether liberal in the matter of of the coloured peoples, they became admission nf non-Brahmins. But the more and more unwilling to recognise regulation for the enforcement of purity the eligibility of the latter for and uniformity of social conduct are ranking as members of the higher far more strict and elaborate in the varnas. This theory is by no means community of the Sri Vaishnavas foun- improbable and may even be the correct ded by Sri Raraanujacharyya. The view social policy of the community that Sree Madhvacharyya was an Aryan follows Sri Krishna-CDhaitanya is differ- immigrant into South India. He was ent from those of the Madhva as well a Brahman by caste. The Madhva as the Sree communities. Sri Chaitanya Vaishnaba community founded by Sri does not appreciate the exclusive pre- Madhvacharyya now-a-days admits only ference for caste that is oaste-Brabmans into its social privi- found in the Madhva community. But leges. It would be hardly consistent neither does the Supreme Lord follow with history to characterise the Madhva the dead rigidity of the present social community as Dravidian either by practice of the Sree Sampradaya. Sri culture or by descent. The community Chaitanya subordinates the principles 256 THE HARM6NIST of both heredity as well as open initia. doubts that are being fostered by their tion of all persons by the method of the present unchecked materialistic specu- Pancharatrika Diksha, which prevail lations. The message of Sri Krishna respectively in the Madhva and Sree Ohaitanya may be universally welcomed , to the actual appearance at some future day, as it is calculated of the pure spiritual aptitude which to provide a more extended outlook of seems to be governed by no earthly the responsibilities of man that is conditions. provided by any of materialistic Nevertheless Sri Ohaitanya prefers speculation. the varnashrama organisation to any The strength of Christianity lies in other form of social arrangement in as its dogmatic acceptance of the teachings much as the latter is less amenable to of contemporary ethics. Sree Krishna be utilised for the spiritual purposes Ohaitanya does not teach us to be after the spiritual disposition actually guided solely by the precepts of ethical manifests itself. science. This makes a radical difference The varnashrama system appears to between the system of Sree Krishna be most in consonanee with the social Ohaitanya and the militant religions habits of the Aryan race, but it is not of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, identical with them. The chief differ- etc. But it also establishes a certain ence lies in the fact that the Aryan race contact between Religion and modern considers its social system to be an Science, which is not supplied by any end in itself. This breeds the pride of other existing creed. . :£ ■

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t . M ' mv-" i' ^ • /

/ /

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His Majesty The Late King^Emperor George V. His Late Majesty King-Emperor George V.

We associate ourselves whole- His Late Imperial Majesty has earned hearted ly with the expression of pro- the unique Blessing of the Supreme found world.wide grief and deep sym- Lord by offering his Royal .protection pathy for the bereaved Royal family to the propagation of the religion of on the demise of His Late Majesty Divine Love preached by Lord Chai- King-Emperor V. His Late Majesty tanya. The demise of His Late was not only the successful and con. Majesty took place on 20th January scientious protector of the peace and 1936, which is dedicated to the Lord order of this great country, but he being the eleventh day of the lunar was also the great Defender of the fortnight. These occurrences possess Faith of this ancient land. In His super-mundane significance for the regime the Vaishnav religion in its eternal well-being of the soul of His unalloyed form has found scope for Late Majesty. propagation throughout the world. We pray to the Supreme Lord that The renowned Gaudiya Mission has His Late Majesty King-Emperor carried the message of the pure Sanatan George V may continue to find peren- Dharma to England and Central Europe nial solace in the unalloyed service of from its headquarters in London. The God in the Realm that is free from all preachers of its permanent London discord. centre were fortunate in securing the We also offer our loyal and loving gracious sympathies of His Late homage to His Most Gracious Majesty Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen- King.Emperor Edward VIII and pray Empress with the result that within a to the Supreme Lord to bless His very short period the London Gaudiya Majesty with a long and prosperous Mission Society could begin to function reign for upholding the cause of being backed by the hearty response universal peace and harmony as vice, of JBritish public opinion. The soul of gerent of God on this earth. Sree Gopal Bhatta Goswami

The little information that has cause of this reticence is mentioned by been banded down regarding the the author of Bhakti-ratnaknr. Sree personal history of Sree Gopal Bhatta Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami was com- makes an overwhelming appeal to the manded by Sree Gopal Bhatta Goswami reader and makes him vainly desire for to write Sree Chaitanya-Charitamrita, greater knowledge of his activities. but was forbidden to mention anything Sree Gopal Bhatta is one of the six regarding Gopal Bhatta himself in his Goswamis who propagated the teaching work. of Sree Krishna Chaitanya from Vrin- Gopal Bhatta was the disciple of davana during the period which is Sree Prabodhananda Saraswati who was roughly equivalent to the half century his uncle and a Tridandi Sannyasi of following 1515 A. C, the order of Sree Ramanuja Srila Gopal Bhatta was the son of Yen. Prabodhananda also adopted the worship kata Bhatta who had settled down at of Sree Sree Radha-Govinda at the Sree.Rangam where Sree Chaitanya instance of Sree Chaitanya. The fact met him in 1433 (Saka) during His of Gopal Bhatta being the disciple of Pilgrimage in South India. The account his uncle is mentioned in Sree Hari- of the meeting of Sree Chaitanya with bhaktibilas compiled by himself. Venkata Bhatta is supplied by the Sree Haribhaktibilas or the Gauidya author of Sree Chaitanya-Charitamrita canon bears as the name of its author Sree Chaitanya spent the four months of that of Sree Gopal Bhatta Goswami. the rainy season at the house of Yenkata The author of Bhaktiratnakar, however, Bhatta. Venkata Bhatta was a Vaish- informs us further that it was Sree nava of the Ramanujiya communion Sanatana Goswami who compiled Sree and as such worshipped Sree Sree Haribhaktibilas in the name of Sree Lakshmi-Narayana. He became a Gopal Bhatta. worshipper of Sree Sree Radha-Krishna Sree Jeeva Goswami mentions in his by the mercy of Sree Chaitanya. Sat Sandarbha that his theses were The author of Sree Chaitanya. based upon the materials that had been Charitamrita does not mention Gopal collected and partly put together by Bhatta in his account of the stay of Sree Gopal Bhatta. The purpose of Sree Chaitanya at Sree.Rangam. The Sree Gopal Bhatta was to expound the SREF GOPAL BHA1TA GOSWAMl 259 teaching of Sree Chaitanya by a com- The above particulars bring before parative reference to those of the the reader the personality of Sree Gopal former Vaishnava Acharyyas of South Bhatta in a veiled form. The charac- India. teristic quality of Sree Gopal Bhatta Sree Gopal Bhatta is also reported was his unparalleled humility. This, to bo the author of Satkriyasardipika however, did not prevent him from and a gloss of Krisbna-Karnamrita. undertaking and carrying out, in col- Ho is identified by the author of laboration with Sree Rupa and Sana- Gauraganoddesa-dipika with Ananga- tana, the compilation of the Gaudiya inanjari or alternately with Gunaman- canon and collecting the materials for jan, of Krishna.Leela. Sreenibas laying the basis of the profound philo- Acharyya and Gopinath Pujari were sophical writings of Sree Jeeva disciples of Gopal Bhatta Goswami. Goswami, The author of Bhaktiratnakar also The careful student of Sree Hari- supplies the information that Gopal was bhaktibilas is bound to be impressed a boy at the time of Sree Chaitanya's with the range of scholarship as well as visit to his father's house and ha l the the immensity of the labour of its com- good fortune of constantly serving the piler. The task before the writer of Supreme Lord during His four months' Sree Haribhaktibilas was nothing less residence with the family. Gopal ex- than that of substantiating the state- perienced the over-whelming attraction ment of Sree Rupa that nothing but the of Sree Chaitanya but was dissuaded actual word of the Shastras can be- by Him to remain with his parents as evidence regarding the Absolute. Sree long as they were alive. After the dis. Gopal Bhatta set himself to bring appearance of his parents. Gopal joined together the widely scattered texts of Sree Rupa and Sanatana in Vrindavana. the Shastras to form the authoritative, This fact was duly reported by Sree basis of the rituals and practices of the Rupe^ and Sanatana to Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Vaishnavas. In its external at Puri. The Supreme Lord thereupon form Sree Haribhaktibilas is a collec- .wrote back His approval of the step tion of ancient texts on the worship of taken by Gopal, and instructed Sree Vishnu. Rupa and Sanatana to , treat him as Sree Haribhaktibilas lays stress their brother. upon the necessity of submission to the Sree Gopal Bhatta instituted the unconditional guidance of the real spiri- worship of Sree Badha-Bamana at Sree tual preceptor ( Satguru ). It also Vrindavana. seeks to bring out in a prominent 260 THE HARMONIST

manner the reference to Vishnu in the Ritualism is a thorny subject. It due performance of every act of wor- is sancted by the Veda and the practice ship. The ritualistic worship of the of the Acharyyas Those who are un- Archa of Vishnu is performed by the willing to admit the transcendental worship of the Name, On the realisa- nature of Divine Service are necessarily tion of the service of the Name the unwilling to adopt any of the shastric ritualistic worship of the Areha is lifted methods for its performance. The most to the level of pure spiritual service. thorough.going Calvinist is no less No one is a pure Vaishnava till he idolatrous by the strict test of trans, has realised the" service of the Name. cendental as well as human logic than The ritualistic worship of the Archa is the worshippers of actual stocks and prescribed for those who have attained stones. There can be no spiritual the pre-condition of the pure devotee. worship unless the doctrine of the This also indicates the relation of the descent of transcendence to the plane modes of worship enjoined by the of the phenomenal is admitted in some Vaishnava teachers, who preceded Sree form or other. Chaitanya, to the chant of the Name And no sooner are the reality and that was promulgated by Hiqi. To validity of the descent of the Word bring out this continuity between the admitted without mental or physical ancient and the latest dispensations by reservations, ritualism can no longer Shastric evidence was the purpose of be rejected without a serious hearing. Sree Gopal Bhatta's writings. What is true of ritualism is also true Those who opine that the teaching of the claim of the guru or the real of Sree Chaitanya is different, from the spiritual preceptor. The person who religion treated in the works of Six has real access to transcendence is Vrindavana Goswami, commit the in- alone competent to expound the evitable error of empiricism that the Shastras to those whose vision is limited transcendental ministrations of the to the phenomenal. The real meaning Acharyyas are of the nature of the of such expositions can never be grasped blind speculations and superstitious by any person whose spiritual faculty practices of designing foolish barbarians. continues to be dormant. It is neces- It is eecessary to give up this hasty sary for all such persons to submit to irrational assumption before a person be imparted the spiritual vision by the need touch the records of the most mercy of the guru. All this is inter- perfect forms of the Divine Service connected and the admission of the handed down by the transcendentalists. doctrine of the descent of transcendenOe SREE GOPAL BHATTA QOSWAMI 261

necessarily implies all of these Sraartas as well as the free (?) institutions. worshippers (?) of the unknown and The treatise on ritualistic worship unknowable are enabled to be relieved attributed to Sree Gopal Bhatta is not of their respective forms of cultured opposed to the practice of the trans, ineligibilities for the transcendental cendental service of the Name. Ritua. service of the Name. Ritualistic listic worship sanctioned by transcen. worship has accordingly been retained dentalists provides the most effective in its due position in the system of the and speedy cure of the fell disease of service of the Gaudiya mission under this speculative a^e viz., the disease of the unreserved guidance of the the impersonal conception of the Acharyya. But Sree Chaitanya never Absolute. The irapersonalist has to permits His audience to suppose that unlearn the dogmas of spiritual any mechanical process is a means to by yoing through the unwinding the spiritual end. The chanting of the process of the Pancharatric regula- transcendental Name is all sufficient tions of worship and conduct. On both as Means as well as End. But the other hand those who follow ritualistic worship under proper safe, the ritualistic method of worship guards is of help to those who are by the mechanical method without disinclined by their previous evil habits seeking the unconditional living from chanting the Name without guidance of the descended transcen. confounding Him with ordinary dental preceptor are also reclaimed mundane language or supposing Him from committing the error of idolatry to be a symbol of negation. It is for under the pretence of scriptural sanction the 8atguru to bestow on any person^, by being taught the right procedure of this purgatorial process of redemption. performing an admitted preliminary The unconditional guidance of the function, guru is essential for attaining the But Pancharatrik worship is never- fitness for its due performance. theless only a preliminary process that As author of the Satsandarbha, in is fulfiled by the realisation of the its original form, Sree Gopal Bhatta unalloyed spiritual function of the occupies the position of the exponent chanting of the Holy Name. Sree of the comparative philosophy of Gopal Bhatta Goswami, the greatest perfected by Sree benefactor of the people of this age, Jeeva. That the same writer could has laid down the method by which compile the Liturgy as well as the both orthodox canon-ridden mechanical Philosophy of the transcendental 26?. THE HARMONIST religion of Divine Love proves the a written record after the most approv- living co-ordination of the different ed modern historical pattern, such a grades of the service of the Absolute record would have failed to convey the that is available to all by the mercy least idea of the Real Truth although it of the real spiritual preceptor. might have secured the applause of all We must not conclude this account persons who are deliberately and without referring once again to the meaninglessly concerned only about humility of Sree Gopal Bhatta Goswami the chaff and utterly negligent of the that made him instruct Sree Krishna- grain that alone rpally matters. das Kaviraj Goswami to omit all The true history of the descended reference to himself, excepting the activities of transcendence -is identical bare mention of bis name, in his with the Truth Whom His Own Activi. standard account of the activities of ties can alone manifest to the world. the Supreme Lord, Sree Chaitanya It is one of the necessary disqualifica- Charitamrita. Those so-called his- tions of the empiric historians that they torians, who do not care to make suppose the disjointed knowledge of themselves acquainted with the trans- the events of this world as apprehended cendental' subject matter of religious by their erring senses to be the only history, have necessarily to try to make truth. It is this perversity of judgment the utmost capital out of their meagre that stands in their way and effectively knowledge of a few disconnected prevents them from knowing the Real particulars open to the vied of incom- Truth. This is singular irony of petent observers. Some of them have fate. not hcaitated to declare a cleavage of Sree Gopal Bhatta Goswami was doctrine and practice between Sree sincerely anxious for the deliverance Chaitanya and six Vrindavana Gos- of the worst types of the offenders warais. They do not at any rate sub- against the Absolute Truth. It was scribe to the teaching of the six Gos- for this reason that he did not allow wamis that no one can learn the truth any account of his activities to be except by following the method of published in a form which was' at all unconditional submissive listening to likely to be misunderstood by* the the 'Name' Krishna from the lips of empiric historians who should be set His real devotees. Even if the events down among the worst offenders against of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Movement the Truth by their meaningless arro. from its inception, by Sree Chaitanya gance which makes them imagine had been handed down in the form of that they can know the Truth without SREE GOPAL BHATTA GOSWAMI 263 submitting to tlSe unconditional guid- But as the indispensable preliminary ance of the real preceptor. let them seriously ponder over the We may also notice in this connec- actual teaching of Sree Gopal Bhatta tion that the narratives of the Activities Goswami which should enable them to of Sree Chaitanya penned by His find the only method of approaching genuine followers never condescend to the Real Truth. There is such a thing gratify the unspiritual curiosity, or as obstructive knowledge. The world want of love for the real Truth, of the is unhappily over-burdened with the votaries of empiric history. To the legacy of this mischievours knowledge. futile labours of the empiric historians It confines us to the narrow limits of one may fittingly apply the Biblical this earthly existence and seeks to censure, "Let the dead past bury its reconcile us to its gross limitations. dead.'5 If those historians can find no Let us seek to penetrate beyond this better object than to unearth the really apparent truth to the plane of the dead from their graves for distracting living unobscured Truth. Let us take the attention of the world by adding to our heart the real -significance of to the number of its futile preoccupa- that pregnant utterance, in- the light tions with untruth, they should not of the teaching of Sree Gopal Bhatta deserve any hearing from the living. Goswami, "What shall it avail if we There is no doubt a true history gain the whole world and lose our of past events i& never rendered souls ?" It is possible to make the obsolete by age. Empiric historians real acquaintance of Sree Gopal Bhatta should try to make their laborious Goswami by trying to be acquainted researches serve the cause of this real with his teaching contained in his history. Otherwise they are bound to immortal living works. There is no add to the existing confusion by the shorter cut to the Real Truth for those wilful abuse of their undoubted potenti- who are at all seriously interested in alities for good. His genuine service. Round the Gaudiya Maths

Sri Yogapitha, Sridham Mayapur ; Burma* The Editor delivered a discourse on Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti 21st January on the unalloyed service Sudhir Yachak Maharaj has been of Sri Sri Radha.Govinda. He ex lecturing on the Teachings of Sri plained the distinction between humble Krishna-Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the submission and spurious imitation of towns of Upper Burma. humility by quoting examples and Sri Gaudiya Math Calcutta : also how the humble devotees are not The famous author of the "Bengal deluded by Maya but the mechanical Lancer", Major Francis Yeats Brown arrogant imitators always suffer correc- D.F.O., who is now in Calcutta as a tive punishment at the hands of guest at the Government House, paid Maya, a visit to the Gaudiya Math on the 30th On the 23^ January Dr. Ranajit January. He had a talk with Swami Kumar jfibattacharyya M. B, of town B. H. Bon about the difference between Nabadwip paid a visit to Sridham idolatry and worship of Archa-Bigraha Mayapur to know the real facts regar. The Major was pleased to express his ding "Sridham". Editor talked to him satisfaction at what he saw and heard. for about three hours on the subject in Sri Madhva.Gaudiya Math, Dacca : the afternoon. The annual celebrations of the Math Midnapur : commenced on the 28th January, with On l7lh Jan. Tridandiswami Bhakti aQ elaborate programme of samkirttan Bhudeb Srauti Maharaj read and ex- and chanting of the Holy Name, plained a chapter of Srimad Bhagabat Sri Rupa Gaudiya Math, Allahabad : at the house of Sj. Sashi Bhusam On 28 January the anniversary of Ghora. The next day he explained by the advent of Sri Sri Vishnupriyadevi lantern slides the chain of preceptors, was observed in the Math when a large the distinctive feature of the Gaudiya number of devotees from the town Sampradaya, elegibility for chanting honoured the Mahaprasad. A pious lady the Name of Krishna, the sublimity of Srijukta Bhabatara Devi, kindly offered the holy feet of Sri Gurudeva etc. the cost of the function. VOL XXXII No. 12—13 ] [ Regtd. No. G 1601

VS. NARNONIST

(Sree Saijanatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Oour Ekadaahi Falgoon 449 O.A.

March 4, 1936.

Annihifation of agcfong sufferings. May these our high aims ffourish The Service of Raffha-Krishna, To gfaacfen the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4-8. Foreign Is. 6d, Paramahansa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswami

Sree Caudiya Math, P.O. Bagi|bazar, Calcutta. CONTENTS

Subject Page 1. Apotheosis and Psilanthropy 265 2. Sree Vjaa Puja ... 269 3. Shree Vyasa-Puja Homage (By Aprakrita Bhaktisaranga) 277 4. Sri Vyasa Puja in London .„ ...... 280 5. Sree Vyas Puja Offering ...... 290 6. Sree Vyaa-Puja Homage (By Abhay Gharan Das) 291 7. Sree Vyas-Puja Homage (By the members of the Sree G-audiya Math, Patna) 299 8. Sri Sri Yyas-Puja Offerings ...... 304 9. Sree Vyas Puja (By the members of Sreo Sachcliid iUiii la Mith, Cutback) 30? ALL OLOftV TO SREE OURU AND OAURANOA

T h tH atmo ttuf

(Svee Sajjanatosbant)

VOL. XXXII. I MARCH 4. 1936 j Nos. (2-13

Apotheosis and Psilanthropy

"PHB animated energy has given us classed in the same category. Hypo- to know two different faculties : one crisy and bona fide march have different is the cognitional merit of followiny: the goals. Truth lying in the objective existence, When the observer, confined to the and the other is to show a similar phenomenal plane, is found to seek for feature of appreciation by imitating phenomenal objects, he thinks that the external exposition of the object. his entity is but a composition of So we find a marked difference between different elements of the universe, so the acts of following the Truth and that he is to associate with other things imitating to have followed the Truth. quite akin to his purposes m the We need not point out the difference phenomena. The apparent view of between the genuine activity and the one's own entity drives him to follow pseudo-enterprise as regards dealing the practices that are offered to his with the object. One is known as the senses. The observer is now found to Truth, and the other, the imitation of augment his sensuous activities with Truth which has mutual existence. the association of variegated phenomenal Truth and noh-truth Should OOt be objects. Though he understands the 266 THE HARMONIST real position is far off the apparent chamber of managing the position of the objects, he finds facility within the limitation and within the to move in a deceptive way. scope of his mental speculation. Here Such movements are found to be mind is targeted in his true entity. efficacious in his sojourn of life. When He does not find his way out of he handles the limited things, he finds phenomenal range. So when he shows their inadequacies and inefficacies in his cognitional activities to. ascertain multifarious circumstances. If he is the background of phenomena, he judicious enough to judge the discre- fosters the idea of impersonalism or pancies of the object, he is naturally non-designative character of the object. inclined to seek for the Absolute Truth The designative character of the and the nature of the Absolute. He object should not come under the can make distinction now of the clutch of abortive inaccuracies of mental defective nature of the universe, as he aberrations. The anthropomorphic is unable to solve the question of character of the phenomenal observer unending space and time which natu- confines himself in his experience. He rally come to his inspection by his is found too reluctant to go beyond coguitional power. the mundane limit, lest he should be His empiricism, born of Nature's puzzled by the conception of unending products, tells him that non-Absolute time and space, in other words, the all features are inherent in the limited pervading reciprocity and eternity. objects of phenomena. So he is to They seem to him to have been located restrict his activities within a defined in a region quite unfit to be reached by area. He claims his subjective exis- dwarfish senses. tence as area, i.e., he is confined to his It is obvious that if we are to extend ratiocination within the mundane our knowledge to a region beyond horizon. Extension of his knowledge phenomena, we need not curtail such beyond worldly sphere is but imagina- transcendental region to have no tion, and no truth is found in the object eternal significance or plenary character if he scrutinises the analytical side of because the observer cannot manage the thing. His summing up of with his present decrepit senses to reach different variegated objects leads him the transcendence and is naturally found to a common platforn known as tabula to take recourse to anthropomorphic, rasa or void of all attributive reference zoomorphic or phytomorphic exploits. of the objects. His anthropomorphic The hallucinative attribution of variega- dispositin carries him to the particular ted aspects has got a short-lived career, APOTHEOSIS AND PSILANTHROPY 267

which is opposed to the all-pervading experience of the crippled range of and eternal question that leads an his mental activities. observer to apotheosis or psilanthropy. The Personality 6( the Absolute When the said observer turns himself has a similarity with the position of a a wager in the factory of mental spe- lamp placed in a corner of a chamber culation he is found to enter into the for the diffusion of light throughout chamber of apotheosis or psilanthropy. the length and breadth of the room. The apotheotic idea has been found We need not be puzzled that the posi- to have its origin in the crippled tion of the lamp should be shifted from sensuous activities of a deformed brain. unity to diversity. The emanated This branular activity rejects the luminosity will naturally extend making Absolute and is found to be showing a differentiative character from the very his Jove to his fancied humour, which origin of the extended existence. So stands as a barrier to oppose the we need not consider the Transcendence Absolute Truth or the Personality of to have lost all signifying transcendental the Fountainhead. The observer is qualities isolating ourselves from the misguided by the inadvertency whicli variegated eternal difference between he has imbibed wh^n passing through the Extender and the extended. the scrutinising activity of the pheno. We need not explain that nescience menal objects. He is liable to stick is the cause of a deceptive idea rf)f to liis whims and experiences and takes variety. Though our present mental, exception to the Personality of Godhead cavity is ready to accommodate and His cogent powers. analogical exploitation, we must not A true observer need not be mis. anthropomorphise these frail ideas to apprehended by his loving affinity the transcendence. Our comprehen- towards his impoverished experience sion will be plenary if we think that the when- he comes in contact with the transitory objective and subjective Absolute Truth Who has the special entities, transactions and associations characteristic of harmony attended with are prevented from having an approach the plenary "position of knowledge and to the transcendence. This particular eternity. Alternate positions, inadequa- mentality can be counted as a particular cies, discrepancies should not be stuck phase of hallucination, apart from the to his journey towards the Transcen real existence of the manifestive nature dence. The mundane relativities should of the transcendence. not stand in his way. Neither his The character of the objective journey is to be impeded by the bitter reference should not be restricted in 268 THE HARMONIST

temporality but should be extended to We have no power, neither we have eternity. All-pervading extension can. any possession, of checking the not be accommodated in the fragmen- authority of the Absolute by our non- tary cognitional entity of the bumnn absolute endeavours. So we need not soul, as the entities of such souls are turn ourselves apotheotic or psilan- infinitesimal absolutes. thropic entities instead of recognising The finitudinnj reference in the our real eternal existence. We should transcendence should not have the have love for the Personality of the fallible character of limitation observed Transcendence. We should in no way here in this prison of universe. We need perturb the Absolute variegated loving not be apotheotic, neither we should Nature of the Personal Authority of prevent the advent of the Fountainhead the Transcendence in any way to the suspending the hackneyed law of His objects of the transcendence. We need particular potency which has created not manufacture by our fanciful activity this undesirable prison of the universe. the existence of the Personality of the We being victims of the prison here Absolute by our non-absolute painting by abusing our true nature on coming brush. On the other hand, we are to in contact with the unusual demands approach the Absolute Truth if we have of an unworthy beggar, cannot expect got any appetite for His services, to tamper the Eternal Truth by instead of engaging ourselves to instilling crippled ideas of this non lord it over the objects of this absolute region into the Absolute Truth. universe. Sree Vyas Puja

{An humble offering of worship to the Holy Divine Feet of Sree Guru Deva on the occasion of the Sixty .second anniversary of the Advent of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupada Paramhansa Faribrajakacharya Sree Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Ooswa.mi Maharaj).

My Most Affectionate Divine Master, from the Lotus Feet of my Divine I have come to the Holy Feet of Master. May Your Divine Grace be Your Divine Grace for making my pleased to bestow upon Your unworthy humble offer of worship on this most servant the humble inclination of pray- auspicious occasion of the sixty-second ing for being relieved of the vanity of anniversary of the Advent of Your supposing that any person can serve Divine Grace. May Your Divine Grace You by his unaided initiative. It is be pleased to bestow upon Your un. ray only personal prayer on this day, worthy servant eligibility for performing when You have been pleased to infuse Your worship by Your .kind acceptance tor the time the true spirit of Your of this humble offering. service in all persons including confirm The Blunder ed egotists like myself who suppose Most Affectionate Divine Matter, that they are fit to serve You by the We commit the greatest blunder on method by which people in this world the path of Your service when we usually serve their worldly masters. suppose that it is possible to worship The habit of raistakidg this fatal the. Divine Master on our own terras. vanity for the urging of the impulse As for myself I have never yet been of loving devotion, has been growing able to avoid this blunder, but on the upon me, and is pitilessly driving me contrary have always been busy in in. away from the association of Your pure venting schemes for having my own devotees whose service has been enjoined way in every activity under the pre- upon me by Your magnanimity as the tence of serving Your Divine Grace by method of attaining the eligibility for the resources of my restless, disloyal, Your service. ignorant mentality. None of those Necessity Of Submissive Listening schemes have done me any good. They Your devotees have been telling me have on the contrary been dragging me that my misfortune has been due to away to ah ever-increasing distance my deliberately neglecting to listen to 270 THE HARMONIST

Your utterances in the proper manner for my deliverance from my own viz., by the method of unreserved cultured perversity. submission. It is for this reason There have been days and even that Your utteuances have refused to years long gone by, when I could disclose their enlightening dominating often catch the passing glimpse of the aspect to my conceited approaches. transcendental perfection of the life But instead of seeking for the true of service of the pure devotees of the explanation of ray misfortune in my Gaudiya Math. Those glimpses guided own suicidal perversity, I have been me in those days, amidst the blinding confirmed, by the offence of my gloom of the surrounding darkness, on challenging method of listening to Your the path that leads to the bright world words in the vanity of supposing that of Your service. But it is many days I understand their import better than since those glimpses have ceased to Your associated counterparts. visit ray heart. I have since been My Prayer deluding myself by trying to imagine, It is ryjw ray firm conviction that all that although I may have lost the this time I have never served Your consciousness of Your guidance, I am Divine Grace but only ray own wrong nevertheless more than ever faithful to vanity. But I am now fallen so utterly its cherished memory. But I am being into the grip of my deliberate offensive always reminded of the falsity of my conduct of unsubmissive hearing and wrong assumption by the fact that I speaking, that I am not ashamed to am rapidly losing my faith in the approach You in this momentous crisis transcendental life of Your servitors of my spiritual life, with any truly by such misplaced confidence in ray submissive prayer for being relieved own imaginary eligibility. from the clutches of ray fatal habit. I pray at the Benign Feet of Your I have been made dimly aware of the Divine Grace for being saved from imperative and immediate necessity of this besetting self-deception. There offering such prayer by the sanctity of is one hope yet left to me in the midst this holy function in consonance with of every cause for utter despair, that the neverceasing admonitions of Your the kindness of Your Divine Grace associated counterparts. I pray to them knows no bounds. This truth also for the help of their interceding impressed itself on ray heart in those mercy on my behalf who am utterly happy days of willing submission, that devoid of the grace to frame in the had been made possible by Your mercy. genuine submissive spirit this prayer I have not, however, been able to shake SREE VYAS PUJA 271 it off so completely as my erstwhile Prayer Without Love. submissive inclination for the service There was a time when 1 could not of your associated counter.parts. This understand why the whole animate is my one remaining hope and the only world did not turn up for offering their surviving bond between me and the hearts' love to the Feet of Your Divine spiritual plane of Your servitors This Grace on the occasion when You stand last hope has itself faded into the forth to accept the worship of every likeness of hypocritical arrogance by entity without reservation, I have grown being deprived of the indispensable wiser and sadder by experience, I now support of serving activity. understand that it is never possible for 1 feel that it is not in the fitness of a person to offer that which he does not things to refer in detail to such sad possess, and which he does not pray topics on this most auspicious anniver- to have. Would it have been proper sary of the Advent of Your Divine for them to approach You on this most Grace, which has drawn this vast auspicious occasion for offering their assemblage of devotees from all loveless show of homage ? It was their parts for making the priceless noble shame for their lacking in love offering of their uncontaminated love for You that made them hold hack from to the Holy Feet of my Divine the attempt of needlessly disturbing Master. the pure joy of the loving worship of May your Divine Grace be pleased Your devotees. May all those noble to grant my selfish prayer, which I souls be preferred to my unworthy self cannot forego, however, shameless and in obtaining the boon of Your service uncalled for it really is, that Your and may I be yet remembered at the Divine Grace might mercifully permit end. There is no person who stands in Your servitors to continue to employ greater need of Your mercy than myself. me in their service of You. 1 am What You Are. praying for a boon which I have cast Divine Master, away so often by my wilfcil disloyalty, I am so utterly wanting in the in- a'nd which I may most likely lose again clination for Your transcendental service ■ by the same method. But it is that I have never been able to obtain the only boon for which I can even the faintest glimmering of the pray with any semblance ol sincerity knowledge of what You really are. I on this unique occasion of the have, indeed, often tried to guess unreserved manifestation of Divine in the delirium of my vanity, Your Mercy. likely connection with the Supreme 272 THE HARMONIST

Lord. I cannot but submit the con- Parshada,s, The Anga of the Supreme clusion to which I have been led after Lord has been explained as the Power many revisions of my deductions from of the Transcendental Sound. This Your words for being enabled to join in explanation exactly suits the descrip- today's function as there is no other way tion of the Form of Sree Krishna of worshipping You than by trying to Chaitanya as Kirttan-vigraha, the describe, however imperfectly, what Transcendental Sound as Power being You are. the Body of the Lord Who is the Soul Your Distinctive Teaching or Master of the Activity of the chant The distinctive teaching of Your of His Own Holy Name, Divine Grace has always appeared to Sreela Thakur Bhaktivinode, whose rae to consist in its glorification of the iriterpretations of the teaching of Sree Name, and specially in its exposition of Krishna Chaitanya revolutionized the the nature and function of the Trans- ideas on the subject that were current cendental Sound, in the last generation, predicted that Your Connection With Sree the spiritual society based on Varna Krishna Chaitanya and Ashrama would be re-established in The Supreme Lord Sree Krishna the immediate future by a person Chaitanya taught the world that the endowed with the Divine Power. Now congregational chanting of the Name of it is one of the fundamental principles Sree Sree Radha-Krishna constitutes of the Yedic path that the Trans, the highest service of the Divinity. cendental Sound is identical with the But there is no detailed, explicit form, qualities, activities, associates, exposition of the nature of the Trans- environment and Personality of the cendental Sound, Who is the vehicle Absolute. Your Divine Grace is the of the Name, either in the Teaching of teacher par excellence of the nature of Sree Chaitanya and the Gaudiya the Transcendental Sound Who is both Acharyyas who have followed him or in the vehicle or body, as well as the Soul any of the scriptural works that have of the Name. been given to the world before or since, Your Teaching Is The Clue To until the present ministry of Your Your Personality Divine Grace. Your Divine Grace is for the same According to the prophecy of reason identical with the distinctive Srimad Bhagabat, the Supreme Lord quality of Your teaching. I have, makes His Appearance in the Kali Age therefore, supposed that you are the with His Anga, Dpang as, Astras arid Power Who is the Supreme Mauifestive SREE VYAS PUJA 273

Body of Kirttan-vi^raha Sree Krishna submit to receive the dominating help (Jhaitanya. Your activity is best of the Power of the Word. realised as the activity of the En- Connection Between Sree Krishna lightening Power of Transcendental Chaitanya And Sree Vyas Deva Sound delivering with her own lips the Sree Vyas Deva is the Divinely Message of the Holy Name. It is the inspired exponent of this Shrauta communication of the Name by the pantha. All the Acharyyas, who follow Name directly through His Own Eternal Sree Vyas Deva, have been like Sree Associated Manifestive Power and not Vyas Deva the worshippers of the through the further indirect usual Enlightening Power of the Word medium of the Acharyya. ( Suddha-Saraswati ) Who alone can f he Shraata Pantha reveal the Absolute to the tiny cogni- The significance of this surmise tion of the A bsolute infinitesimal. Sree consists in the fact that the Vedas Vyas Deva is adequately and inclu- recognise the Transcendental Sound as sively worshipne l by the Worship of the only vehicle of the manifestation Sree Krishna Chaitanya, the Chanter of the Divinity to the eclipsed cognition of His Own Divine Name Who is of conditioned souls, They accordingly Himself the exclusive Object of worship lay down the Shrauta Pantha or the of His Own Enlightening Power. path of submissive listening to the Nature Of Today's Function Transcendental Sound manifesting her These considerations also permit us descent on the lips of the Acharyya, aa to have a glimpse of the level of the only path of approaching the Trans- worship to which we find ourselves cendental Divine Person. lifted on this most auspicious occasion. The Line Of The Acharyyas We are just now standing in the very Tt has been the function of all pure presence of the Enlightening Power of devotees, who have walked on the Vedic the Word on the highest plane of her path, to bring about the descent of the own loving service of the Divinity. Absolute to the plane of our clouded Present Day Attitude Towards Religion : cognition through the Manifestive Its Negative Side. Power of the descended TranscendflotaT This is an outspoken Age. It has hot Sound. Through the lips of the scrupled to declaim against the current Acharyya the Enlightening Power of 'scriptural . The Transcendental Sound has always ancient shrines of worship have ceased revealed the Absolute through the Ages to be the places of the devotions of the to those who have been inclined to intelligentsia and also of the rank and

35 274 THE HARMONIST

file of the people. This is the case displayed in the worship of God, This all over the world. simplicity and niggardliness of worship This fatal apathy is the nemesis of is practised on expert advice. These the absence of living teaching of the self-constituted experts recommend the Word of God. So-called moral teach- mathematical exclusion of all living ing has usurped its place. The concrete contents from the mode of Personality of God and the implications showing honour to God in as much as of the scriptural personal conception such behaviour would according to have been ignored. It is considered to their notion be strictly in order to- be superstitious to retain any actual wards the mathematical zero. This is reference to God in the affairs of man the practice of the cultured people and by the admission of His Personality. of those who are rapidly imbibing the The most vehement opposition is impersonal views of speculative atheism. directed against the Name of God. Its Positive Side: Man Worship. Preachers of. religion are hardly less This is the negative end of the anxious than lay men to divest the show There is a positive side. The conception of God of His Name, Form, worship of man has been substituted Quality, Activity and Servit orship, or, for the worship of God. This is in in other words, all those features that accordance with the democratic attitude constitute the conception of the per- that is found in the places of authority. sonality of the master in this world. The worshipper is taking his seat on The purpose of this unfeathering is to the throne of God. The subject has divest God of His connection with the become the sovereign also of the concrete problems of life. He is to spiritual realm. be conceived as the constitutional Fashionable impersonal theology is King of nowhere, in order that His always telling its votaries that God prerogatives may be usurped by His has no form, no eyes, no ears, no nose, disloyal servants who want to depose no hands and no feet. He is a zero their Master by this indirect means. symbolising the abstract principle of There is only one step from this summation of the forms, eyes, ears, to the scientific denial of this ceremonial uOSfes; hands and feet of the men and zero. This is what is happening before animals of this world. He has to act our eyes. Not an iota of the care of through these. Therefore, men and ceremonials, that is displayed in the animals can alone be worshipped, as affairs of eating and drinking, marrying they are the only living concrete and giving in marriage, is now-a-days principle in God. God baa no Entity of SREE WAS PUJA 275

FJis Own apart from those of His worship of the true God, not as a for- creatures. mula or generalisation from observation, This convenient doctrine of the nor as a dead form of stone or clay of absolute neutralization of God is worse agelong and eflete superstition, but as a than the grossest idolatry which at Real Person with Whom everyone least allows God to have a form of His should be able to hold actual and Own, although, profanely enough, it is constant communion in every affair supposed to be one of clay. The ot life. idolater, no less than the worshipper of True Worship abstract conception, is opposed to We are not assembled here today allowing God to have the least actual for worshipping any hero of this world, initiative. nor, on the other hand, for avoiding the Real Obstacle To Reform necessity of worshipping the Living God. These religious beliefs and practices The Advent of Your Divine Grace has are meeting with the doom that they so bridged the gulf between our grovelling richly deserve. God has deserted the insignificance and the Transcendental temples of His hypocritical worshippers Personality of the Most High. This has who think that God can remain content been brought about by Your gracious with their hollow protestations of lip- utterances which are the actual body of submission and clamorous prayers for the Living Truth. We have been en- stultifying Himself -by becoming the abled to regain our footing on the path tool for gratifying their unchecked of the scriptures by the Enlightening desire for domination. The hymns of Power of the Divine Word. We have praise, that have been concocted under been enabled to recognise in Your Divine the guise of religion by modern un- Grace the Entity as well as medium believers for employing God in the of Appearance of the Enlightening service of humanity and for imploring Power of the Word. It is a large claim God in the spirit of nihilistic resignation on Your behalf, but not larger than the not to interfere with the affairs of man, irreducible minimum requirement of have proved greater stumbling blocks the case by such evidence as we have. in the way of the true reformation of We are enabled to perform the wor- religious belief than even the al/surd ship of Sree Vyas Deva by the Power of profession of open disbelief in God. the Divine Word manifesting her appear- Rising Demand For The Living Religion ance on the lips of Sree Vyas Deva. But man is slowly feeling the neces- But the medium cannot perform this sity for being shown the way of the function unless he shares the essence of 276 THE HARMONIST

the manifesting entity by the only Divine Grace only by ceasing to strive possible relationship viz, that of spin- for dominati«n over material power tual servitorship. Sree Vyas Deva is which can never respond to our cog- part and parcel of the personality of nitive approaches. Enlightening Divine Power and as such The Universal Aspect 0! The Worship the object of our worship, being the 0! Sree Vyas Deva^ enabling means of worshipping Power The worship of Sree Vyas Deva is herself and the Supreme Object of the properly performed by the method of direct worship of Divine Power greeting the Appearance of the Divine Redemptive Aspect 0! Worship Master. It is the greatest and the The worship of Divine Power, in its most distinctive scriptural institution negative or redemptive aspect, is the that has once again been restored to only method by which we can be re. humanity by the original creative lieved of the necessity of worshipping Power of the Word of God of the blind material energy, the shadowy unambiguous utterances of Your deluding reflection of the Real Divine Grace. The worship that is Power. performed by the inmates of every We are not the possessors of power. spiritual institution loses its spiritual All power belongs only to God, We quality the moment it neglects the are persona with individual predilections worship of the Word of God by sub- and are endowed with the cognitive mitting to the Enlightening Power initiative in an infinitesimal measure for of His Word. The Transcendental the service of the Divinity in and Sound makes His Appearance on the through our service of His Enlightening . lips of His devotees as the Object of Power. W e are dissociated particles of worship of Sree, Guru Deva the medium the enlightening or directly serving face of the Appearance of the Enlightening of the Personality of Divine Power. Divine Power of the Divine Sound to Our dissociation has been caused by the the receptive faculty of the soul of man. abuse of our initiative in preferring the The function of Powers is like that of service of the deluding face of Power living light which enables us not only or material energy which promises to see the Transcendental Form of the domination in lieu of service. Our Absolute Person but also to offer Him spiritual nature naturally seeks to be the active homage of the faculties of re-incorporated in the function of Divine our unalloyed souls by being incorpo. Spiritual Power by the offer of sub- rated in her service of the Divinity as servient service. We can serve Your her associated individualised rays. SHREE VYASA-PUJA HOMAGE 277

Abriolute infiuitesimala have no other that Your Divine Grace may make way of approaching the Absolute these utteranoes into the means of my Infinity except by their permitted self-purification by Your causeless willing incorporation in the service of responsive mercy. I make my humble Plenary Spiritual Power on the latter's prostrated oboisanoe at the Holy Lotus own plane of service, Feet of Your Divine Grace. I have not hesitated to speak out Your Divine Grace's my mind by availing the opportunity humble servant, of this unique occasion in the hope Narayandas Adhikari.

Shree Vyasa-l Homage {By Aprakrita Bhaktisnrnnga) Your Divine Grace, Glorius Yaishnavas, Dhara", when a chorus of joy went up Ladies and Gentlemen, from all creation. The sun, moon and My first word on this occasion must stars, the sky, air, flowers and fruits be to invoke the blessings of my Divine were all filled with a new beauty and Master and to bow my head to this boly sweetness. The glad birds broke out Gobinda. Panchami which concerns into merry songs. The cows lowed with most vitally the well-being of my hum. delight and the calves bleated with joy. ble-self and which rotates every year to The Brahmins chanted in a solemn bless me and the world reminding us of voice hymns of the Yedas and the the Kingdom v of fifth dimension Yaishnavas held a congregational (Brindaban), thenceforth the most chanting of the Holy Name of Sree delicious,- melodious and rupturous Krishna in the towery temple of strains of Gobinda's reed tbrill tbe Jagannath. universe with joy chasing away phase the strong winds were hushed and after phase of relative realities and the eddying ocean with her roaring wild reveal the eternal reality of sweetness waves glided merrily on. The immortal and love in the inmost heart of things. gods walking the sky rained flowers Sixty.one years have just rolled on and the milk oozed forth from the since the most auspicious and propitious gentle breasts of all the mothers on Gobinda-Panchami broke in tbe chief earth which first held the tender holy centre of pilgrimage "Purusottam feet of my Divine Master 'in her arms 278 THE HARMONIST to rest'. For my Divine Master was mankind that love is the truth of all born on this Gobinda-Panchami day at truths and the innermost being of the the Sanctum-sanctorum "Purushottam (rod-head is Love in a human form. Dham", when the sun was fading away But I know it for certain that he came giving way to a strange light which had to this world out of compassion for my come forth from the Divine Holy Feet humble-self—the worst of the fallen of my new born Baby-Master. I adore souls of this world ; as he delights in this August Day which dawned to bringing in blessings to the most greet this glad tidings of great joy. wretched. The many trials I have been The pseudo-Vaishnavas started up witness to on this journey of my life with horror and the genuine Vaishnavas have led me to this firm conviction, felt a tranacemlental sweet effulgence I will consider to have lived my life glowing in their hearts. The Karmis well, if I can ignite my poor soul, dead and Gnanis who were couped up and paralyzed though it may be, in an within the four walls of three illuminous spark of the great Divine dimensions, failed to catch a glimpse Soul-my Divine Master. of, nay berar the dazzle of the all-bright My Divine Master—Saraswati luminosity of my Divine Master's Holy Thakur —is the visualized symbol of Feet which eternally shine brightly the revealed transcendental sound— and brilliantly in that Spiritual the Divine Saraswati—who first sprang Kingdom. in the shape of holy word (i^b) from Some say that my Divine Master the holy lips of Narayan—the Primary appeared to rid the earth of pseudo Source of all transcendental authorities Vaishnavas under whose sinful burden or means of obtaining divine knowledge. the earth had groaned so long, as his Narayan is the eye of eyes and the soul-stirring logos is a homethrust and illuminator of sight and other sense deadly weapon to do away with the organs. As the nave is the centre of evil ideas and wrong mentalities of the the spokes of a wheel, so Narayan is evil-minded. Some say that he mani- the eternal core of all created beings fested himself on earth to remove the including Brahma—the creator of this gloom of ignorance prevailing every- world—who first hoard the holy words where by his spiritual lore which is a and realized their imports—the drops blissful source of divine deep wisdom of truth forming the stream of the dispelling the dirts of dormant souls. Divine Saraswati which flowed through Others hold that the innermost purpose the ears, hearts and lips of Narad and of his manifestation was to teach Vyas down to my Divine-Master—the SHREE VYASA PUJA HOMAGE 279

reaervoir of pufe drinking water to profound truths of theism, have won c/uench our spiritual thirst. for him the plaudits of the world, Shrutee reveals herself through applies to his activities that seriousness Vyasa—the Divine Transparent Agent of purpose ami concentration that —to souls purified by the spiritual inevitably brings in success in all fields water of the Divine Saraswati who is of spiritual endeavours. the most beloved divine mediator It is interesting to recall at this between the Absolute transcendental auspicious moment how earnestly, Personality and the fallen souls. The how graciously, how compassionately thread of transcendental light emanat- and How emphatically lie asserts that ing from the Absolute through Vyasji the slightest deviation from the Centrrd and his successors is thoroughly Figure of Absolute Truth—Sree Krishna, maintained and preserved unimpeded will end in moral leprosy, social and uurefracted in my Divine Master. disruption and spiritual massacre. The The highest problem of existence a prostitution of the mind by consorting man has to solve in this world is to it or attuning it to anything less than determine the relation between the the Absolute Fersonality—Sree Krishna individual soul and the universal soul. —is a great calamity, but unfortunately My Divine Master has never been that is the end to which,' people who do weary in helping us to solve this great not look to the consequences of their problem in consonance with scriptures acts, inevitably tend. Who is that Great

% and sacred traditions. Soul present on earth now-a-days to History will record and future protect human beings from this serious generations will admit that my Divine downfall ? My Divine Master. Master—the President of Sree Viswa The flame of his burning desire to Vaishnava Rajsabha—without any render eternal welfare to all human invidious comparison with his brilliaht beings can set On fire the refuse heaps predecessors, has fairly surpassed them of all evils in our heart and burn them all in his method of teaching the to cinders ; but our thirst for salvation populace and specially the upper ten, and elevation serves as wet blanket to principles of unalloyed devotion to Sree their combustion— a stubborn fact which Krishna, which should be the only makes our heart adamantine and opposed quest of the sages anxious to attain to to the interest of the Great Master the highest form of welfare possible for whom we are to render eternal service. a human being. His Divine Grace A servitor cannot possibly brook either Whose performances in inculcating the actively or possibly any transmigra. THE HARMONIST tion on his Muster either by himself or Saviour of this iron Age. Pray do not by others und when ho does, he is no cry out in a quasi pessimistic vein— longer u servitor but has turned out a "Where is Satguru ?" That is the usurper of his master's throne to meet counsel of weakness and despair. Please his ruin, Who is that cosmic Person- cast off this weakness and know the ality capable to shuffle off confusions in infinite power which is in you. Do the domain of faith and adjust in perfect you know that we are capable of harmony ? My Divine Master. bringing about the golden Age here too, Gentlemen, our faith is built in His only if we care to respond to his divine Divine Holy Poet and in order to keep call and grapple the demon of inertia ? up a spirit of inquisitiveness in all good Let us stir ourselves a little, otherwise souls, I must declare that he is ever we shall lapse into an ignoble death, ready to extend his loving embrace to lapse beyond the hopes of redemption. all honest and sincere seekers of truth Let us be up and doing to attain our who want to go back to God and back ever.lasting welfare and give the lie to our eternal Home where he is to the accusation that we are dead-alive. eternally associated with the Supreme Let us ignite our poor inert soul with Lord—Sree Krishna Chaitanya—the a spark of that illuminous Great Soul — embodiment of Divine Love and the my Divine Master.

Sri Vyasa Paja in London

( A lecture delivered by Dr. Sambidananda Das, M. A. Ph. D., ( Lond. ) on the occasion of the sixty-second anniversary of the Advent of The Acharyya.)

Sir Shadi Lai, Ladies and Gentleman, writer and exponent of divine knowledge I, on behalf of the .Gaudiya Mission, and spiritual experience. The authorship heartily welcome you to this function of the eighteen Puranas, the Maha- of ours, which is very important for us , and the classification of the as it is in celebration of the birth.day of Vedas have been attributed to Vyasa. our spiritual head Sri Gurudeva and is Sri Ohaitanyadeva, our Divine Teacher, technically termed "Yyasa-Puja" or the celebrated the festival of Vyasa-Puja worship of the great Vyasa. 'Vyasa' is a in the company of His followers at celebrated saint who is voluminous Sree Mayapur shortly before 1509 A.C. SREE VYASA PUJA IN LONDON 281

Sri Vrindavanadasa Thakura, the authen. Pratapa Rudra of Orissn and Rajput tic biographer of Sri Chaitanya, has princes and the ministers of the kings also been called 'Vyasa' by the subse- to the humblest poor. All that is best quent Gaudiya-Vaishnava writers. in the religious literature of Bengal is The meaning o( Vyasa-Puja is homage Gaudiya Vaisnavite. The general to the great saint who produces and depression of the country in this period enables the production of all genuine served to augment the degradation of literature on religion and thereby shed the so-called followers of Gaudiya new light on matters relating to God. Vaisuavism who seem to have lost even We are applying this term 'Vyasa-Puja' the externals of morality, asceticism, to the birth-day celebrations of the intellectual pre-eminence along with present-day saint whose life has ushered their devotional fervour which is the a new epoch in the religious literature main characteristic of all the Gaudiya and history of our day. Vaisnava masters. The great Vaisnava We know of two previous parallels Thakura Bhakti-Vinoda, the predeces- when great writers and mighty prea. sor in the preceptorial line of our chers worked together and the seniors revered Sri Gurudeva whose birth-day were succeeded by their juniors. Sri we are celebrating this afternoon, was Rupa and Sanatana were succeeded by the first to take up the cause of un- Sri Jiva, and Visvanatha by Baladeva. alloyed Gaudiya Vaisnavism after the So in our own times Thakura Bhakti long period of neglect. Thakura Bhakti Vinoda was succeeded by Paramahamsa Vinoda was the pioneer of the modern Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati movement, and he is responsible for the Thakura, who is now the head of the happy change in the outlook of the revived Gaudiya Vaisnava communion. public on Gaudiya Vaisnavism which A benighted period of about 100 years he brought about by writing more than begining with the seventies of the 18th a hundred books on the subject in century brought about manifold abuses various languages by starting several among the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, parti- religious magjazines and also by taking cularly in Bengal. The religion of up preaching tours from village to Divine Love, promulgated by Sri village. He succeeded in drawing the Chaitanya, was almost abandoned by public attention to the true aspect of the aristocrats and educated public, and Gaudiya Vaisnavism. its literature was hardly read though Our Sri Gurudeva Sri Siddhanta it had one time been zealously profes- Sarasvati Thakura made his appearance sed by people of all ranks from Emperor in this world on the 6th of February 282 THE HARMONIST

1874 at Puri in Orissa when SriThakura the vital points of their history and Bhakti Vinoda was attempting a literature and promoted comparative revival of the study of Gaudiya Vaisna. study as among the different Vaisnava vite devotional literature in the city orders. During his tour he made a of Lord Jagannath. From his birth penetrating search for the whereabouts Sri Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has and particulars of the oldest Visnusvami been immersed in the absorbing sect. In his external personality he is influences of his predecessor's spiri- a living encyclopaedia of the history of tual activities. He studied the Upanisads the religious sects of India. His at the age of 12. In course of utterances are replete with references his study of the Mayavada literature to his wide experience of present-day he came in contact with the then head conditions of the Vaisnava world. of Samkara's Govardhana at The keynote of Sri Siddhanta Puri. Under his illustrious predecessor Sarasvati Thakura's life is a loving he thoroughly studied the transcen- seriousness. His tall figure, thoughtful dental philosophy of the Gaudiya school face and penetrating eyes never fail to in comparison with those of Samkara, impress the public to an attitude of Ramanuja, Madhva and Nimbarka. reverential homage. Inner asceticism He gathered the literature of the is communicative in him. He has Visnusvami sect when he went to the been used to chanting the Name of south of India a few years later. He Krishna with unfailing regularity and was perhaps the first Gaudiya to living interest ever since 1885 when he thoroughly study the Ramanujiya and was only 11. Thakura Bhakti Vinoda Madhva literature and their history. taught him the unique philosophy of He has demonstrated the continuity of the Sada Sandarbha of Sri Jiva Ramanujiya literature and practices Gosvami. In the religion of Sri with the Gaudiya in respect of the Chaitanya there is no real difference Tridanda order of Sanyasa, Pancha- between stern ascetic devotees like ratrika Diksa etc., which he revived. Rupa, Sanatana and Raghunatha and He has always been the uncompromising a devotee who leads an outward family champion of Vaisnava philosophy life like Ramananda Raya and Punda- against anti.devotional Mayavadism. rika. The' latter were as much masters of He visited the important places of the their senses as the former and were Madhva, Ramanujiya and Visnusvami equally free from the materialistic sects. He met the heads of the respec- outlook of the world. Sri Siddhanta tive communities, discussed with them Sarasvati Thakura personally adopted SREE VYASA PUJA IN LONDON 283 the Jife of an ascetic. He was in- reputation as a very learned Vaisnava structed by Thakura Bhakti Vinoda to ascetic spread throughout Bengal, Puri accept the help of a truly religious and Vrindavana. Many advanced scho- person for his practical spiritual guid- lars came to him to study Vaisnava ance; A great ascetic Vaisnava, Sri literature under him but he accepted Gaura Kisora, used to visit Sri Bhakti only those who were sincerely anxious Vinodu. He was a true saint. Sri to lead a truly religious life. He Sarasvati Thakura was advised by settled at Sri Mayapura, the birth- Thakura Bhakti Vinoda to approach place of Sri Chaitanya. During this him with his prayer for being graced time he began his famous commentary with initiation. Sri Gaura Kisora had styled Anubhasya on Krishnadasa's no intention of making any disciple. Chaitanya Charitamrita where he But he was persuaded to yield to Sri explains the life and teaching of Sri Sarasvati Thakura's earnestness. Sri Chaitanya in the light of the Upanisads, Gaura Kisora has been Sri Sarasvati the Vedanta and other classical scrip, Thakura's ideal ever since he was tures. In it he quotes from at least blessed with initiation. He inspired 208 works. It may be regarded as his him with that light which he has been most characteristic literary work. He diffusing all over the world. For a also started publishing other Vaisnavite full year after his initiation he remained books. A few young men of devotional in a spiritually overpowered state in temperament felt the attraction of his consequence of the blissful shock of the personality and offered themselves for new experience : the astounding revel- his service, Thakura Bhakti Vinoda ation of actual communion with the and Sri Gaura Kisora disappeared personality of Godhead. His spiritual during 1914-15. He was already quest had been fully met by the grace confronted with enormous difficulties. of Sri Gaura Kisora. Thus he writes, A great opposition party led by the "Before I met my master I had not hereditary preceptors raised their written anything about real religion. heads to defend their vested interests Up to that time my idea of religion which had been jeopardized by the was confined to books and to a progress of the revivalist movement. great ethical life ; but that sort of life It was at this time that a young man was found imperfect when I came into of extra-ordinary enthusiasm was picked touch with the practical side of things." up by him for being bis chief agent Now he began his absorbing devotional in a new direction of propagandist life practising severe asceticism. His activities. He was no other than the 284 THE HARMONIST present geneml secretary ofc the great become a spiritual Guru. Preceptor, Gaudiya Mission. The initiation of ship is not a birth-right, but one that this young man in 1915 may be regard, is an accompaniment of the self-realised ed as a turning point in the history of statejby reviving the- itinerary system the movement. of preaching by ascetics, which Sri Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Chaitanya had accepted. His activities Thakura's acceptance of Sanyas or the are being carried out through revived monastic life in 1918 marks the be- organisation ofthe-Viswa Vaisnava Eaja ginning of his intensive congregational Sabha which was founded by Sri Rupa activities. The speedy progress of and Sri Sanatana in the 16th century. his monastic mission immediately He began his first missionary tour with followed it. The Sri Chaitanya Matha a band of his disciples in June 1918. at Sri Mayapura became the parent, He marched from town to town, from institution of the mission. From there village to village delivering lectures, he revived the monastic life among the performing Kirtana, holding discourses. Vaisnavas, for the abandonment and Next he started a monastery and a abuse of monastic life in the benighted centre of preaching in Calcutta which period had been one of the causes of is now a magnificent institution catering the unpopularity of Gaudiya Vais- to multitudes of earnest enquirers. navism. The underlying idea of the The success of his mission has been so monastic revival seems to be that rapid, so dramatic that it would not be unless and until true Vaisnavism as possible to follow its course in a speech practised by Sri Chaitanyadeva and at the tea table. Almost every village the six Gosvamins could be presented of Bengal has come under its influence. in its unambiguous form, the public He has established as many as 40 could not be expected to take a genuine monasteries throughout India and interest in it. Gaudiya Vaisnavism Burma. It is no longer a local move, particularly in Bengal had suffered a ment confined to Bengal but truly all- terrible degradation at the hands of India movement counting its followers the hereditary Gurus. His precept and from the Punjab and Kasmir to Cape practice have constituted an effective Comorin. The Mission sends out to protest against the trade of the pseudo- towns and villages preachers who go Gurus. The writings of the Vaisnava out to the people with their dedicated masters set forth the shastric view that lives and speak to them at public it is only the liberated soul who has meetings, private discussions and in- mastered the senses, who is eligible to dividual interviews about the rea SREE VYASA PUJA IN LONDON 285 nature of true religion. At every by inner asceticism. It does not centre the members take their religious necessarily require one to leave human training not frqm the mercenary or habitation and confine oneself to life academical tutors but from persons within a cave but to employ all one's who have sacrificed all prospects of senses in the service of God, wherever worldly advancejaent for the sake of one may find himself to be. The the propaganda. The Mission possesses asceticism of the pure devotee means six religious journals in various the complete withdrawal of oneself languages, one of which is a Bengali from the materialistic view of the world, Daily. It is perhaps the only religious realising God to be the only Enjoyer Daily in the whole of India or Asia. and everything else as subject to His These papers exclusively deal with enjoyment. Those who have any sen- spiritual matters. Besides it has more sual attachment to any worldly thing than 150 publications each of which either in a gross or subtle form are not has been edited several times. Another serving souls or true ascetics, but important feature of preaching is to worldlings. The Mission teaches people educate the public in religious philo. to employ all their possessions and sophy, the lives of the saints, the holy senses in the service of God which is places etc., by scientific demonstration the only effective way of destroying in the theistic exhibition. Its effect our wrong attachment for earthly is wonderful. One day I heard a boy things. The members of the Mission of nine or ten in a bus expressing his employ all that modern science can idea of Maya which had so deeply give in disseminating the message of impressed his mind when he had visited God in an effective way in the least the Gaudiya Matha theistic. exhibition. possible time. They believe that the It has numerous theological schools in proper use of everything consists in its addition to several Sanskrit academies employment m the transcendental and an English High School at its service of God. headquarters. The Mission's purpose Some friends of mine are anxious is not merely to educate the public in to know whether our saint supports the religious matters but to insist that they present anti-untouchability movement. should lead a practical religious life in There are two aspects—one is social and the true sense of the term. the other religious involving the The striking note of the message of question. Therefore the two aspects are our saint is to cultivate purity of devo. inseparable in one's life yet we can tional activity which is characterised separatley deal with the latter aspect 286 THE HARMONIST for which our saint has been fighting their quarrel outside the temple. Our in the present circumstances. Every most authoritative book Sri Bhagavata one should be at liberty to choose discussed the question possibly before his own social course but the the 5th century A. C. It distinctly religious aspect must not be wholly says that it is not birth but merit identified with the social aspect or be which must decide one's Varna (not neglected for developing or appropriat- caste). If the merits of a Brahmana ing social aspect. I cannot give his are to be found in one born of Sudra view either in the affirmative or in the parents, he should be counted as a negative. The contention seems to be Brahmana (VII. II. 35). It is not this : that when the caste Hindus or accidental physical birth in a Brahmana more precisely the Brahmanas are not family which necessarily makes one a either morally or spiritually better than Brahmana but the spiritual disposition the so-called untouchables, the latter of Brahmanahood which should be the must have equal rights with them to criterion to decide whether one is a enter the temple. We certainly sym. Brahmana or not. In other words pathise with them in their grievance. acquired Brahmanahood should allow We woulcflike to say that the temples one to enter the temple. The prior must be inaccessible to either of them work the Gita seems to have provided if the former claim entry to the temple the author of the Bhagavata with this on the grounds of their birth.right and principle (IV 13) if we do not believe not of true Brahmanahood, and if the in the tradition that the author of these latter demand entry on the grounds two books is one and the same. that they are not beneath their rivals Sanatana Gosvami the famous first in merit. The guiding principle of lawgiver of the Gaudiya community, access to the temple should not be any who was also the minister of Bengal's social or political right or advantage king before he renounced the world but a spiritual qualification. If the under the spiritual influence of Sri Cbai. caste Hindus are blameworthy for tanyadeva, argues that "as base metal having abused the rights which they no may be turned into gold by a chemical longer possess, the claim of the so-called process, so Diksa or initiation changes untouchables to enter the temple of any man to a Brahmana (H. Bh. God on the grounds that they are as V. ii. 7). Earlier writers, the author of good as the present Brahmanas is Manusamhita and Sridharasvami simply reactionary and is equally (Bhavartha Dipika X. 23. 39 ) say that blameworthy. They must conduct the first birth of a man is from the SREE VYASA PUJA IN LONDON 287

womb of bis mother, the next two ties which constitute Brahmanahood- births are Savitra and Daiksa arising Restraint of spirit and senses, mortifica- out of initiation. Our other Gaudiya tion, purity, patience, uprightness, Vaisnava master Sri Jiva Gosvami knowledge, discernment, and belief are (in Durgama Sangamani) and Sri the natural Brahmana-qualities (XVIII. Sanatana Gosvami (Bhagavatamrita ii. 42). The works of Brahmana, knights, 4.37) give us a ruling that every traffickers and serfs are determined by initiated man should be blessed with the moods from nature (ibid 41). The the sacred thread, which is the sign of ancient Gaudiya Vaisnava masters Brahmanahood or the right to enter untiringly rebuke those who are likely the temple. Sri Bhakti Siddhanta to regard the Vaisnava devotee from Sarasvati Thakura established this prin- the caste point of view. My master's ciple at a controversial raeetint/ held first aim is to free his Vaisnava disciples in Midnapur, Bengal, in 1911. This from wrong caste prejudices. One of famous lecture of his is known as our 16th century scriptures warns us •Brahmana Vaisnava Taratamya Sid. that those who display wrong caste dhanta.' He emphasises the necessity prejudices against a Vaisnava devotee, of introducing Dikaa according to the must suffer hell at every birth. Our Pancharatra system to confer Brahmana. saint's view on Varnasrama institution hood and thus to revive the true spirit may be thus summed up. He does not and object of the time-honoured Varna, like to destroy our time-honoured sratna institution. Pad ma Purana Varnasrama institution which seems to gives the name of Daiva or enlightened be the aim of the present anti-untouch. Varnasrama to this meritorious claim. ability movement, because it might My master launched out upon this result in an atheistic revolution in our gallant campaign in this regard in 1911 Hindu community ; but he widens the and has been successfully fighting to scope by throwing it open to all who establish his enlightened Varnasrama. attain Brahmanahood. I think, he Thousands of his disciples born either is very reasonable. The distinction in a Brahmana or non-Brahmana family between the Brahmanas and the non- are being given the sacred thread to Brahmanas must continue. If the caste worship in the temple at the time of Hindus unreasonably identify our Var- their initiation. He has made spiritual nasrama rights with the chance dif. worth the criterion as to whether one ference in birth, I am afraid, its is eligible for Brahmanahood or not. destruction at the hands of the angry Our Gita gives us the necessary quali= and persecuted untouchables is inevi- 288 THE HARMONIST table. My master is a true reformer My master's contribution to the and not a mere social revolutionary. and literature is Fie freely confers all the rights of a immense. Our literature has been Brahmana on his disciples irrespective greatly enriched by his new and noble of the caste and race in which they ideas. Now the whole spiritual subs, happen to be burn, I must warn you, tance of our ancient classical theistic ladies and gentlemen, that this confer- literature is to be found in our simple ment of Brahmanahood by Sri Sarasvati and direct Bengali language. He has Thakura is not for any social advantage given an impetus to a creative literary but only for spiritual right to worship force exclusively his own which is God. On this point he was opposed strikingly outstanding and independent by the hereditary Gurus and some in the contemporary history of our orthodox Hindus. His introduction of language. The quantity of Bengali these rights together with his princi- literature which is the direct outcome ples of enlightened Varnasrama seem of his inspiration is in itself a class of to have revolutionised the blind and its own. To serve and love God in a orthodox ideas of the selfish among the state purged of world liness is the Hindus. The selfish may call him a message that seems to breathe through- revolutionary, but he is not so. Sir nut the writings of the Mission. Malcolm Hailey, the then Governor of He began the work in 1918 with a U. P., rightly observed in course of his handful of his young disciples contending address in connection with the laying with many obstacles and disadvantages. of the foundation-stone of the Allahabad He had no money and had to face brand) of the Gaudiya Matha. "The tremendous opposition from the here- attempt of great teachers to bring men ditary Gurus and the Smartas who back to the essentials of religious tried their utmost to suppress the move- thoughts, have always appeared to their ment. He has borne all difficulties ; contemporaries to be revolutionary and fought valiantly ; and continued the disruptive. They are in the true sense movement with untiring energy and constructive, because the real vitality force. He is a great optimist. Dis- must lie in its spirit. Let me conclude appointment has no place in his by wishing it success in an effort which philosophy. His spiritual vision and teaches a high ideal of goodwill, so it sincerity have proved to be his true cannot but secure the sympathy of all who friend. To reform society and make it would see greater peace and harmony God-fearing on truly religious lines and in a troubled world (Leader 23.11.32)," to eradicate the evils that the hereditary SHREE VYASA PUJA IN LONDON 289

Gurus introduced into Vaisnavism are Raya and others. The Mission is the guiding principles of his aim. His equally proud of the active help of the popularity may be judged from the Indian Ruling Houses and the most simple fact that wherever the mission humble people of India. I cannot but goes, there it establishes itself in a mention the name of H. H. the very short time by the support and at Maharaja of Tripura State who is going the earnest request of the people. Thus to help the Mission in establishing n His Excellency Sir George Frederick monastery and a temple in London. Stanley, the then Governor of Madras, The members of the Mission live remarked when he laid the foundation- together in the monasteries irrespective stone of the Madras branch of his of their caste and race in the true monastery, "In spite of the very short spirit of a serving brotherhood. Today time in which the mission has been the birthday of this holy saint is being established in Madras, it has obviously celebrated in every Matha and many made great headway ; it has attracted private houses throughout the length many influential men to its fold and and breadth of India. We also in our succeeded in finding a permanent humble way, pray for his long life and site on which to expand." The Mission good health to continue his noble work claims the sympathy of both official for the spiritual well-being of mankind. and non-oflficial leaders of the country We fervently wish him happy returns from the Viceroy and provincial of this joyous day. Governors of Bengal, Bombay, Madras, Let me thank you, ladies and U. P., Burma and other provinces who gentlemen, tor associating yourselves visited the monasteries in their res. with me in celebrating the birth.day pective provinces and listened to our of our Sri Gurudeva. I am really grate- preachers, to Pandit Malavya, Sir P. C. ful to you all. Sree Vyas Puja Offering

Adore adore ye all Paying most heavy The happy day, The illusion's toll. Blessed than heaven. Darkness around Sweeter than May. All untrace. When He appeared at Puri The only hope The holy place. His Divine Grace. My Lord and Master His Divine Grace. Message of service Thou hast brought. Oh ! my Master A healthful life The evangelic angel. As Chaitanya wrought. Give us Thy light, Unknown to all Lit up Thy candle. It's full of brace. Struggle for existence That's your gift A human race. Your Divine Gmce The only hope His Divine Grace. Absolute is sentient Thou hast proved. Misled we are Impersonal calamity All going astray, Thou hast moved. Save us Lord This gives us a life Our fervent pray. Anew and fresh, Wonder Thy ways Worship thy feet To turn our face Your Divine Grace. Adore Thy feet Your Divine Grace. Had you not come Who had told, Forgotten Krishna The message of Krishna We fallen souls, Forceful and bold. SHREE VYASA PUJA HOMAGE 291

That's your right Is pleasing and healthy You have the mace. Like morning dew. Save me a fallen The oldest of all Your Divine Grace. But in new-dress Miracle done Your Divine Grace. The line of service As drawn by you, Abhay Gharan Das.

Sree Vyas F ija Homage

mm Bhakti-Yinode at Sree Kshetra Jaggan- nathdham at Puri. Gentlemen, the offerings of such a f&g rT^7 homage as has been arranged this ^ || evening to the Acharyadeva is not a Gentlemen, sectarian concern, because when we On behalf of the members of the speak of the fundamental principle of Bombay branch of The Gaudiya Math, Gurudeva or Acharyadeva, we speak let me welcome you all, because you of something that is of universal appli- have so kindly joined us to-night in our cation. There does not arise any ques- congregational offerings of Homage tion of discriminating my Guru from to the lotus.feet of the world-teacher that of yours or of any one else's. Acharyadeva, who is the founder of There is only one Guru who appears this Gaudiya Mission and is the Presi- in an infinity of forms to teach you, dent Acharya of Sree Sree Viswa mo and all others. The Guru or Acharya. Vaishnab Raj-Shabha.^—I mean my deva, as we learu from the bona fide eternal Divine Master Paramahamsa scriptures, delivers the message of the Paribrajakacharya Sree Sreemad Bhakti absolute world, I mean the transcen- Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj. dental abode of the Absolute Personali- Sixty.two years ago, on this a us- ty where everything non-differentially picious day—the Acharyadeva made serves the Absolute Truth. We have his appearance by the call of Thakore heard so many times that IS: 292 THE HARMONIST

5 but we have hardly tried to entities who have come here in the understand the real purport of this material world with a motive of enjoy- sloka and if we scrutiniously study this ment by the mind and the five organs of proposition we understand that sense perception. He appears before us is one, and the royal road to the to reveal the light of the Vedas and transcendental world is also one. In to bestow upon us the blessings of the Eatha Upanishada it is said, full-fledged freedom after which we should hanker at every step of our life's journey. Hfiftjuifui: alBra* n Thus it has been enjoined herewith The transcendental knowledge or that in order to receive that transcen- the Vedas were first uttered by dental knowledge one must approach the Godhead to Brahma the Creator of Guru. Therefore, if the Absolute Truth this particular universe. From is one, about which we think there is Brahma the Knowledge descended to no difference of opinion, the Guru Narada, from Narada to Vyasdeva, from also cannot be two. The Acharyadeva Vyasdeva to Madhwa and in this to whom we have assembled tonight process of disciplic succession the to offer our humble homage, is not the transcendental knowledge is being Guru of a sectarian institution or one transmitted by one disciple to ano- out of many differing exponents of the ther till it had reached Lord Gauranga truth. On the contrary He is the or Sree Krishna.Chaitanyn Who posed Jagatguru or the Guru of all of us, the as the Disciple and Successor of Sree only difference is that some obey Him Ishvara Furi. The present Acharyadeva wholeheartedly, while others do not is the 10th disciplic representative obey Him directly. from Sree Rupa Goswami, the original In the Bhagabatam it is said— representative of this transcendental tradition in its fullness from Lord fil5IFfa71rRmEIcIfa Sff? | Chaitanya. The knowledge that we receive from Him has no difference that is, the Acharya has been identified from that imparted by Godhead Him. with Godhead Himself. He has nothing self, and the succession of the Achar- to do with the affairs of this mundane yas in the preceptorial line of Brahma. world. He does not descend here to We adore this auspicious day as Sree meddle with the affairs of temporary Vyas-Puja Tithi because the Acharya necessities but for delivering the fallen is the living representative of Sree Sree and conditioned souls—the souls or Vyasdeva, the Divine compiler of the SREE VYAS PUJA HOMAGE 293

Vedas, the Puranas, Geeta, Mahabha- lotus.feet of Sree Vyasdeva or His rata and the Bhagbatam. One who bona fide representative. Every moment interprets the Divine Sound or we are being deceived by the knowledge by his imperfect sense.perception cannot of our direct perception-they are all be a real spiritual Guru ; because in the the creation or concoction of the mind absence of the empiricist's proper which is always deceiving, changing disciplinary training under the bona fide and flickering. We cannot know Acharya, the interpreter is sure to anything of the transcendental region differ from Vyasdeva (as the Mayaba- by means of our limited perverted dins do) the prime authority of the method of observation and experiment. Vedic Revelation, and, therefore, such But all of us can lend our eager ears for irrelevant interpreter cannot be accept, the aural reception of the transcend- ed as the Guru or Acharya howsoever ental sound transmitted from that he may be equipped with all the region to this through the unadulterated acquirements of material knowledge. medium of Sree Gurudeva or Srae As it is said— Vyasdeva. Therefore gentlemen, we ^ RrTr: | should surrender ourselves today to the feet of the representative of Sree On the other hand one who has Vyasdeva for the elimination of all our received the transcendental knowledge differences bred by our unsubmissive through the bona fide preceptor in attitude. It is accordingly said in Sree the disciplic chain by aural reception Geeta, and has sincere regard for the real Acharya must needs be enlightened crfsfenfaqRfo i with the revealed knowledge of Vedas 91 nisi n which is permanently sealed to the To receive the transcendental know- cognitive approach of the empiricists. ledge we must completely surrender As it is said in Shefasivatara Upanishada, ourselves to the real Acharya in a ^ q?JT ^ 5I«rr | spirit of ardent enquiry and service. nrMci "▼•(mhi twh HUTcJW: I) The actual performance of the service Gentlemen, our knowledge is so of the Absolute under the guidance of poor, our senses are so imperfect and the Acharya is the only vehicle by our sources are so limited that it is which we can assimilate the transcend- not possible for us to have even the slight- ental knowledge. To-day's meeting for est knowledge of the absolute region offering our humble services and without surrendering ourselves at the homage to the feet of the Acharya-deva 294 THE HARMONIST

will enable us to be favoured with the art of killing by bows and arrows, nor capacity of assimilating the transcend- does the development of a sense of cntal knowledge so kindly transmitted pamperd selfishness prove anything by Him to all persons without distinc- more than intellectual animalism. True tion. human civilisation is very different Gentlemen, we are more or less all from all these states, and, therefore, in proud of our past Indian civilisation, the Katha TJpanisada there is the em- but we actually Jo not know the real phatic call— nature of that civilisation. We cannot ^friad ansici fjwftsra I be proud of our past material civilisa- ftfarTT i tion which is now thousand times greater than in the days gone by. It is said that we are passing through -the Thus while others were yet in the age of darkness or the Kaliyuga. What womb of historical oblivion—the sages is this darkness ? The darkness can. of India had developed a different kind not be due to backwardness in material of civilisation which enables us to knowledge, because we have now more know ourselves. They had discovered of it than formerly. If not we ourselves, that we are not at all material entities, our neighbours at any rate have plenty but that we are all spiritual, permanent of it, and, therefore we must conclude and non-destructible servants of the that the darkness of the present Age is Absolute. But because we have against not due to lack of material advancement, our better judgment chosen to com- but that we have lost the clue to our pletely identify ourselves with this spiritual advancement which is the present materialised existence, our prime necessity of human life and the sufferings have multiplied by subjec- criterion of the highest type of human tion to the inexorable law of births and civilisation. Throwing of bombs from deaths, and consequent diseases and aeroplanes is no advancement of civili. anxieties. These sufferings cannot be sation from the primitive uncivilised really mitigated by any provision of way of dropping big stones on the heads material happiness (?) because matter of the enemies from the tops of the and spirit are completely different ele- hills. Improvement of the art of ments. It is just as if you take an killing our neighbours by inventing aquatic animal out of water and put machine guns and by means of poisonous it on the land supplying all manner gases is certainly no advancement from of hapiness possible on land. The primitive barbarism priding itself on its deadly sufferings of the animal are SREE WAS PUJA HOMAGE 295 not capable Of being relieved at all hear Him patiently, follow Him in the till it is taken out of its foreign envi- measure of our conviction and bow ronment. Spirit and matter are com- down at His lotus feet for releasing us pletely contradictory things. All of us of our present causeless unwilling- are spiritual entities We cannot have ness for serving the Absolute and all perfect happiness, which is our birth- souls. right, however much we may meddle About this spiritual existence we with the affairs of the mundane things, learn from the Geeta that even after the unless and until we are restored to our destruction of the body, the Atma or natural state of spiritual existence. the soul is not destroyed ; he is always This is the distinctive message of the same, always new and fresh ; that our ancient Indian civilisation, this fire cannot burn, water cannot dissolve, is the message of the Geeta, this is the the air cannot dry up or the sword message of the Bhagabatam, this is the cannot kill him ; that he is everlast- message of the Vedas and the Puranas ing and eternal and this is also con- and this is the message of all the real firmed in the Bhagabatam by the sloka, Acharyas and of our present Acharya- deva in the line of Lord Chaitanya. I Gentlemen, although it is imperfectly that we have been enabled by His Grace to understand the sublime messages it of our Acharyadeva Om Vishnupada But unfortunately in these days we Paramahamsa Paribrajakacharya Sree have all been turned foolish by neglect, Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati ing our real comfort and have identi- Goswami Maharaj, yet we must fied the material cage with ourselves. admit that we have realised definitely We have concentrated thereby all our that the Divine message from his holy energies for the meaningless up-keep lips is the congenial thing for the of the material cage for its own sake, suffering humanity. All of us should completely neglecting the captive soul hear him patiently. If we listen within. The cage is for the undoing to the Transcendental Sound with- of the bird, and not the bird is for the out unnecessary opposition, he will cage. The poisoned shirt is for the surely have mercy upon us. The death of the wearer who is never meant Acharya's message is to take us back for wearing the coat. Let us, therefore, to our original home and back to God. deeply ponder over the thing. All our Let me repeat, therefore, that we should activities are now turned towards the 296 THE HARMONIST upkeep of the cage and the most we do Let us not misuse it in the vain we try to give some food to the mind pursuit of material enjoyment, or, in by arts and literature. But we do not other words, for the sake of only eating, know that this mind is also material sleeping, fearing and sensuous acti. in a more subtle form. This is stated vities. The Acharyadeva's message is in the Geeta— conveyed by the words of Sree Bupa Goswami~

^ f^RTT n" We have scarcely tried to give any food to the soul as distinct from the snqfa^WN-aui 1 body and mind, and, therefore, we are 53*3%; ifeqin) iras n all committing suicide in the proper and the purport of these slokas sense of the term. The message of the can only be realised by fully develop- Acharyadeva is to give us a warning ing the rational portion of our life halt to the procedure of such wrong and not the animal portion. Let us activities. Let us, therefore, bow down try to understand from this transcend, at His lotus.feet for the unalloyed mercy ental source of knowledge as to what and kindness He has bestowed upon us. we are, what is this universe And what Gentlemen, do not for a moment is God and what is our inter-relation, think that my Gurudeva wants to put at the feet of the Acharyadeva. a complete brake to the modern civili- The message of Lord Chaitanya is sation, which is an impossible feat. the message for the living entities and But let us learn from Him the art of the message of the living world. Lord how to make the best use of a bad Chaitanya did not bother Himself for bargain and let us understand the the upliftment of this dead-world which importance of this human life which is is suitably named as the MartyaXoka or fit for the highest development of true the world where everything is destined consciousness, and let us not neglect to be dead,—but He appeared before it. The best use of this rare human us 450 years before to tell us something life should' not be avoided. Says of the transcendentar universe where Srimad Bhagavatam— everything is permanent and everything is for the service of the Absolute. But recently Lord Chaitanya has been misrepresented by some designing per- sons and the highest philosophy of the SREE VYAS PUJA HOMAGE 297

Lord has been misinterpreted to be the ignorant children in the knowledge of cult of the lowest type of society and we the transcendence, still His Divine are glad to announce to-night that our Grace my Gurudeva has kindled a Acharyadeva has with His usual small fire within us to dissipate the kindness saved us from this horrible invincible darkness of the empirical type of degradation, and, therefore, let knowledge and we are so much so on us bow down at His lotus.feet with all the safe side that no amount of philo- humility. sophical argument of the empiric Gentlemen, it has been like a mania schools of thought can. deviate us an for the cultured or the uncultured inch from the position of our eternal society of the present day to accredit dependence on the lotus-feet of His the Personality of Godhead in His mere Divine Grace—and we are prepared impersonal feature and to stultify the to challenge the most erudite scholars Personality of Godhead as having no of the Mayavada school on this vital sense, no form, no activity, no head, no issue that Personality of Godhead and leg, and no enjoyment. This has also His transcendental Sports in Goloka been the pleasure of the modern scholars alone constitute the sublime information due to their sheer lack of proper of the Vedas, There are explicit indica- guidance and true introspection in the tions of this in the Ohhandyogya spiritual realm. All these empiricists Upanishada specially in the text— think alike, as if all the enjoyable sro?r i spra" n things should be monopolised by the and in the Samhita — human society, or by a particular class only, the Impersonal Godhead being a mere order-supplier for their whimsical feats. We are happy that we have This plain thing so vividly explained been relieved of this horrible type of in the Geeta, which is the central malady by the mercy of His Divine lesson of the Vedas, is not Grace Pararmahamsa Paribrojakacharya understood, nay even suspected, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami by the most powerful scholars of the Maharaj, our eye-opener, our eternal empiric gchools* Herein lies the secret father, our eternal preceptor and our of the Shrauta Vani, the transcendental eternal guide. Let us, therefore, bow tradition, and herein lies the secret of. down at His lotus-feet on this auspicious Sree Vyasa Puja. We are glad to day. meditate on the transcendental Pas- Gentlemen, although we are like times of the Absolute Godhead, we are 298 THE HARMONIST proud to feel that we are His eternal Personally I have no hope to have any servitors which make us jubilant and direct service for the coming crores of dance with joy. All Glory to my births of the sojourn of my life, but I Divine Master, for it is He Who has, am confident that some day or other out of His unceasing flow of mercy, I shall be delivered from this mire of stirred up within us such a movement delusion in which I am at present of eternal existence. Let us bow down so deeply sunk. Therefore, let me at .His lotus-feet. with all my earnestness pray at the Gentlemen, had he not appear- lotus-feet of my Divine Master to let ed before us to deliver us from the me suffer the lot which I am destined thraldom of this gross worldly delusion to do for all my past misdoings, but to —surely we would have remained for let me have this power of recollection lives and ages in the darkness of that I am nothing but a tiny servant helpless captivity. Had he had not of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, appeared before us, we would not have realised through the unflinching mercy been able to understand the eternal of my Divine Master. Let me, truth of the sublime teachings of Lord therefore, bow down at His lotus- Chaitanya,—had He not appeared feet with all the humility at ray before us, we could not have been able command. to know the significance of the first sloka of Brahmasamhita,— ABHAY CHARAN DAS, TW; firaf; I For Members, Sree Gaudiya Math, Bombay. Sree Vyas-Puja Homage At the Lotus-Feat of our Divine Master ;—

Our most; Affectionate and Revered therefore, understood not that our Divine Master,— summum bonum could be anything We the exceedingly fortunate but other than in terms of the said encase- most humble and undeserving recipients ments i.e., either elevation or salvation. of your Divine Grace's causeless mercy The path of elevation allured us with piteously crave your Divine Grace's its seeming possibilities to augment our kind permission to approach your well-being, But our experience proved Divine Grace with our most respectful otherwise. We found it to be a veri- homages and intf&nerable prostrated table storehouse of all miseries. We obeisances on this your Divine Grace's then turned to the path of salvation. sixty-second birthday anniversary. But we asked ourselves as to what When we look back upon the days of after all were we to gain by it ? The utter gracelessness which we passed answers that we got were in the terms before your Divine Grace made us your of summations of all negations. The own the ugly films of ignorance, despair path of salvation, therefore, proved to and uncertainty march past our eyes, be too inane and jejune to hold our leaving us smitten with a sense of allegiance. What did we do then lingering dismay. We know that we again ? What, except turning back can lay no claim to any credit for our towards the path of elevation ? We having been able to seek refuge at were thus only a pendulum between your Divine Grace's Lotus-Feet and, elevation and salvation. We had of what is more, receive it. On the other course heard of a third factor also called hand, our unalloyed existences which God. But our conception of Him never alone could possess any tendency to reached beyond the apotheotic or run after your Divine Grace's favour psilanthropic range or the anthropomor- had been completely enveloped by the phic, the zoomorphic, the phytomor- enshrouding potency of Maya. On the phic, the hylozoic and the neuter other, the fourfold pursuits of wealth, ranges. We thus, whether as elevation- piety, desire and liberation were ists or as Salvationists or even as always illuding us with their attractive theists, were only dealing with pheno- promises. We knew not that we were mena, either in the positive way of anything other than our material embracing it for squeezing more and oncaseraents of mind and body. We, more pleasure and comfort out of it or 300 THE HARMONIST in the negative way of non-cooperating Master, taught us that the Holy Name with it altogether to achieve a cessation alone has got the power of doing this from all pains by elimination of the gradually in proportion to our willing- three positions of the observer, the ness to receive His Grace by the method observation and the observed, or in the of sincere service under the guidance theistic way of worshipping it in one of the Sad-Guru after receiving a proper or other shape or form. We never knowledge of Him and the method of knew that the Supreme Lord Sri chanting Him from the holy lips of the Krishna descends unto us through the Sad-Guru You taught us how uttering mouth of the Sad-Guru in the form of of the Holy Name in any other way is Nama, enters into our hearts through only committing offence at His Lotus the ears, and appearing on our tongue Feet and cannot be the giver of Divine chastens and purifies our whole being Love. But the whole science of the by purging it of the inevitable temper- chanting of the Holy Name as taught ament of our material existences to by you is so categorically different from gaeasure up everything in the scale of any other thing of which we were aware our persqual temporal gain. You taught that nothing but your own causeless us, our Divine Master, that Nama is mercy could have produced any not like the mundane sound depending predilection in us to lend our listening for its validity upon its being able to ears to your Transcendental Words stand the test of our other senses. You through the medium of which you give taught us that we are not to challenge us the knowledge of it. If, therefore, Nama. We are rather to open all the your Divine Grace has shown us the inlets of our body to receive Him as our favour of making us your own as a result only Benefactor in this Kali Age and of any urge from inside of us, that urge experience Him by submission. He is itself was a result of your Divine a Thing to be experienced, not to be Grace's causeless mercy. True, the inferred by empiric reasoning. But of 'shastras' say that by the accumulation course, He cannot be experienced by of 'sukriti' in our past lives we are our material senses but by the unalloyed brought into contact with the Sad-Guru. existences of our souls. So lonfj as we But a proper knowledge of that fact are not restored to our unalloyed exist- even would have remained sealed to us ences, we need not think that we can if your Divine Grace would not have experience Him, But the question is bestowed upon us the spiritual sense how to restore ourselves to our unalloyed to understand it. We might or might existences first ? You, our Divine not have plenty of 'sukriti' accumulated SREE VYAS-PUJA HOMAGE 301

to our credit. Perhaps we had. But homage to me with the said 'despair* our present condition, our Divine and I will accept it with greater readi- Master, is indeed deplorable. On this ness than the offerings of the devoted your sixty-second birthday we are and the faithful, for the low and the impelled with a desire to present before fallen attract my sympathy most''. you our homage, however humble it Our Divine Master, even the may be. But alas, we find we have not 'despair' you speak of is your own gift stored anything to pay it with. The and come to very few. With this paying of the homage is for the faithful. 'despair' we make our humble offering Are we quite sure that we are that f of homage to your Lotus Feet. The answer is too painful to be given. Our Divine Master, ever since your The suffering in even attempting to give advent you have gathered and have the answer is great. If we had not been been gathering round you strange faced with the compelling necessity to exhibits for the unique show which you give the answer, we would have fain ^re conducting with the utmost care run far and far away to hide our shame. and solicitude. Those who witness this But we find that there is no alternative show from outside behold the lame and course to our appearing before the blind, the maimed and the unmaimed, you with downcast eyes in all the the ugly and the handsome, the weak nakedness of our inadequacies. Where and the stout, the fair and the healthy, shall we go ? The ears of our internal the low-bred and the high.bred, the ego hear you saying. "Where shall Brahmin and the Sudra, the male and, you go ? Even your inadequacies are the female, the young and the old, the not your own. Your spiritual assets Grahiinachari and the Grihasta, the are my gifts. Your inadequacies too Banaprasthi and the Sanyasi, all being ^re there because I have allowed them fed on the same kind of food, living the to remain there. You have surrendered same kind of life, performing the same everything unto me. What is there kind of duties, showing the same kind which is now yours ? If you only do of deference to the words of one hot forget this, you shall not think of another, observing the same kind of hiding yourself from me. Even if you discipline, practising the same kind of do think so, you will abandon the abstinence and talking the same kind project in sheer despair that you will of philosophy.- Those who see from not be able to carry it out, for there is inside behold wonderful homogeneity not a place in all the fourteen worlds in heterogeneity and heterogeneity in where I may not follow you. Pay your homogeneity, wonderful harmony in 302 THE HARMONIST discord and discord in harmony, out I doubt, although I hear that they wonderful discipline in indiscipline and have a free will which they are entitled indiscipline in discipline, wonderful not to part with. But these exhibits devotion in non.devotional acts and will be better advised not to keep out non-devotion in devotional acts, won- for long, but take their due place in derful dis-service in service and service the heirarchy of the servants of your in disservice, wonderful sincerity in Divine Grace. insincerity and insincerity in sincerity, It is, indeed, wonderful, how inspite wonderful blindness in eye-sightedness of the inadequacies- of your instruments, and eye-sightdness in blindness, wonder- your Divine Grace is carrying out ful diseases in the healthy and health warfare against doubt and ignorance, in the diseased. To the aspiring soul uncertainty and nescience, egotism and this show of living dolls whom you are worldliness with ever increasing succes- pursing and guiding with great ses. Before the triumphant march of tenderness offers a unique field for spiri- your expositions of the doctrine of tual education. Divihe Love, the seekers of dharma, Your Divine Grace's show exists in artha, kama, moksha, fly for hiding the shape df 52 branches spread over their shame in loneliness. Whereas the two continents of India and Europe, they are found talking at the top of each branch being in charge of a person their voice, of peace, rationalism, self, called the Math-Command. Bach of sacrifice and doing good to others so these branches is a maypole furnishing long as they understand peace to mean to the aspiring soul possibilities of self-complacence, rationalism to mean enacting the spiritual dance round it. seeking for the highest good in the There are some who having got very direction which is productive of detached from the main body of the all miseries, self-sacrifice to mean feed- fold engaged in the said dance are ing of one's vanity, doing good to straying about. They know not that others to mean doing of temporary good the wolves and the lions are all round at the cost of eternal good, the moment them and could easily devour them, you offer them even a distant vision of if it had not been for your Divine real peace, real ratiomalism, real self- Grace's protecting hand following them sacrifice and real doing of good to wherever they go. Sometimes these others, they beat a retreat. But you exhibits come back to the fold. Some- do not leave them our Divine Master times to outwards appearances they do even then. You send out your preach, not. Whether in reality they can keep ers to follow them in their own den. SREE VYAS-PUJA HOMAGE 303

Your constant endeavour has been to Bhakti.Rasararita-Sindhu of Srila Rupa make them engage in a fight with you Goswami and other important works. and your soldiers for that is the only Our Divine Master, your work of method by which they can be enabled the most abiding character has been the to appraise their pursuits at their restoration of the holy places connected proper worth. But they have been so with the sacred memory of the Supreme oblivious of their own interest that Lord, both in Bra jamandaland Gaurm. they are trying to fly far and far away andal. Many of these places you have from you. already restored and many you have Our Divine Master, there is not a undertaken to restore in great earnest- facility on earth which you are not ness. You have imparted a dynamic giving to the fallen jivas to improve energy to your preachers and workers themselves. You are publishing one to collect men and money for effectuat- daily paper, five periodicals from your ing the same. mission to reach out the gospel of truth Our Divine Master, the above to the most distant amongst them. expresses but a meagre portion of the You are incessantly travelling over the work you have taken up in hand. We length and breadth of the country to are fully aware of your stupendous meet them in their own provinces, programme of conquering the whole districts, subdivisions and even houses world with the gospel of Divine Love. to grant them the benefit of your In these days of rank materialism to holy association. You are sending us little creatures the task seems to preachers to many parts of the be impossible of fulfilment. But having world to deliver the message of been fortunate witnesses on many Divine Love through the medium of occasions of your making the impossi- Sankirtan, lectures, discourses, reading ble possible and having been assured and explaining of scriptures, lantern of the innate purity and compelling slides and exhibitions. You are publish- force of your Gospel we doubt not that ing translations and commentaries of your programme will succeed. the shastric texts in languages easily We now again with great humilty understandable by the people. We are and in full consciousness of our imper- looking forward prayerfully to the day fections and shortcomings offer here- when you will have published your with on this the sixty.second anniver- translations and commentaries of the sary of your advent our homage to eleven Upanishads. the five remaining your Lotus Feet which, though humble Sandarbhas of Srila Jiva Qoswami, the and inadequate, seeks to be in the line 304 THE HARMONIST

of your teaching. But sre will not us the said mercy is known to your let this occasion go without submitting Divine Grace alone. We only hope to your Divine Grace that our life at and wait with a prayerful mind. present is barren and desolate. The )We remain, only silver lining in it is the feeble Your most humble and hope that some Hay your Divine Grace obedient servants, may be pleased to vouchsafe a particle The members of the of your causeless mercy to us. When, Sree Gaudiya Math, if ever, your Divine Grace will show Bankipur.Patna.

Sri Sri Vyas-Puja Offerings.

May it please Your Most Divine Grace, souls—the torch.bearer of the Tran- We, the members of the teaching scendental Message. staff of the Thakur Bhakti Vinode Thakur Bhakti Vinode Institute, Institute, Sree Mayapur, (Nadia), bea as we understand, is an Institution most humbly to approach Your Grace unique of its kind brought into being to be permitted to offer this humble by You, not with the object of giving tribute of our love and reverence to an ordinary godless secular education the Lotus Feet of the Great Acharya— at present eating into the very vitals the most illustrious Son of Sri Purusot- of boyhood, youth and manhood as tamkshetra—the most beloved of Sri well, but to save mankind from the Krishna Chaitanya—and the universally impending horrible catastrophe awaiting beloved of all true seekers of the in store for them, by injecting in both Truth, struggling and aspiring after the teachers and the taught that the eternal welfare of their real selves. panacea of all evils in the Transcen- We hail, therefore, with the greatest dental Teachings of Sri Krishna Chai- entheasm the Sri Govinda-Panchami—- tanya Mahaprabhu. Constituted as the day of Your highly auspicious we are, our strong predilections for Advent into this world merged in the things mundane, the bane of our real threefold miseries engineered by Maya, good, are inherent in us; but the the deluding energy of the Godhead process of remedy undertaken by You for the rectification of the poor bound to apply slowly and imperceptibly^ SRI SRI VYAS-PUJA OFFERINGS 305 upon the bound souls has been a ners the doctrine of superiority of wonder to us all. worship of a Vaishnava over that of Never before in the annals of the Vishnu Himself, present age did an Acharya sow the From the scriptures we learn that seed of unalloyed devotion with so the Sanatana Dharma will spread all much perfection and broadcast the over the world in the Kali Yuga -from same in a manner Your Grace has been Sri Purusottamkshetra in TJtkal. In doing Quite in the wake of the Your movements we notice that this injunctions of Sri Krishna Chaitanya You prophecy is being fulfilled to the have been propagating His long.forgott- letter in Your Advent there. Since en teachings throughout the length the disappearance of Sriman Maha. and breadth of the world and to its prabhu from this world, His teachings greatest and proudest nations. The have not only been misunderstood and far-reaching and penetrating effect misrepresented by His so-called follow- of Your teaching has made even the ers bur, have been lent such a savants of the West feel its electrified colouring in them that, instead of impulse and pause and ponder, and at commanding the greatest respect, faith last to realise that all the besetted and admiration of the populace as the and knotty problems of the world that, only genuine beatific desideratum of for want of solution, have been taxing all sentient beings, they have been to the core the intellectual genius, can considered by the intelligentsia even, only be solved in the teachings of Sri as trash and nuisance. Krishna Chaitanya. Within a short Vaishnavism, the acme of human period, two sincere and unbiassed souls culture, progress and achievement was have been attracted from among the alas ! brought to such a deplorable most highly cultured and civilised and filthy level. As the greatest people of Germany, to Your Acharya and Reformer of the Age, Lotus Feet for the service of Sri You have, as if by a magician's wand, Krishna for their own eternal bliss. brought about a veering round of the This is an augury of the future current of Vaishnavism from the hands suooess of the preaching movement of its pseudo-followers and have given Y09 have set on foot in the West. it such a noble start for the upliftment The conduct of these two devotees from of His followers that they are feeling the West in their full surrender to the wave of impulse thereof in all Your Lotus Feet has brought into Your movements. Conditioned as we prominence hi the minds of the wester- are, we are mere broken flutes in Your 306 THE HARMONIST hands ; but You are such a masterhand we find here who can point out to us that You can play well even on a the tremendous error the intelligentsia broken flute. You are such an expert is labouring under. But it is only in that even the most crooked and the You that we find one, who is not only most ferocious tendencies of our heart teaching but radically convincing us are changed by the grace of Your Lotus by chapter and verse of the spiritual Feet. scriptures that no greater foolish idea Like Sriman Nityananda Prabhu to can there be than to attempt to measure crush the atheistic heads and to the Absolute by the inductive process. distribute, irrespective of caste, creed Both from the pulpit and the press or colour, the ambrosia of Krishna- You are trying to hammer upon the Prema has been the mission of your bewildered brains of humanity that the Advent into this word. In Your only way to God is to apporach Him preachings we realise with satisfaction with full submission and allow the that to produce the desired effect, these Transcendental Sounds into our ears two things must run side by side. Like from the lips of sadhus, to be fully the owls unable to bear the light of the regulated thereby to play with the tune sun, the Pashandis ( atheists ) dare not —an idea that gives a deathblow to come out in their true colour into the the boisterous effusions of all empiric blazing light of Your teachings ; but to thinkers and so-called theologians. escape detection and castigation they Your Grace has proved it an open try to sneak away into the undesirable, secret to us that the key to the unfrequented and unnoticeable quarters. gateway of the spiritual realm—the The hollow vaunt of empiricism and realm of eternal bliss and peace- is empiric egotism running rampant in held by the Acharya only, Who is no our every nerve has so much eaten other than the Absolute in a different into the essence of our being that we garb ; and as such, we find in You a are always tempted to put everything, pilot to guide us through the ocean of even the Transcendental Reality not life to that spiritual realm for the excepted, to the test o.f our intellectual realisation of the true aims of our and scientific laboratory and vainly transitory but covetable human exis- attempt to measure the Lord of all tence. To come in touch with You is our senses by means of the senses to feel that Your, mercy is the only themselves. Alas I what a cheat and thing needed by us for our eternal goal. palpable deception to be invovled into Your Divine Grace, how exalted such a huge blunder ! None other do You are! how Supreme You are! SRI SRI VYAS-PUJA OFFERINGS 307 and how the lowliest of the low we The tanscendental words from Your lips, are and what a tremendous gulf by giving a jerk, have made us halt, intervines between You and us to pause and ponder ; they are electrifying aspire, to achieve a little bit of Your us through every nerve to make us feel service ! Qualities and predilections the compunction of our souls to go we have none—abilities are nil —hearts back to G-od and our eternal Home. polluted with the vile impurities of By a chance coincidence of events we the world—hence quite unfit places have been inconceivably drifted along for Your Lotus Feet. Still, Your not only to this Sridham, the birthsite unbounded and causeless mercy for the of Sriman Mahaprabhu but also into fallen and forlorn souls invokes in us a touch with the hallowed Gaudiya faint ray of hope to achieve our best organisation and more particularly into if we can make ourselves susceptible touch with Your Lotus Feet in the to Your spiritual ' message. Birth way of our seeking a service m this after birth we are drowning in the Institute. Whirlpools of the fourteen worlds with Your Divine Grace, we are poor in all the miseries antecedent thereto, heart and language—we are bound bereft of the least chance of the sight jivas—we do. not know how to give of a true Redeemer; but this time expressions to our love and reverence we feel that fortune has smiled upon to the Lotus Feet of the Sublime. May as and we hope to reach Your Lotus Your desire to uplift us from the mire Feet to find out a way out of the of nescience and worldliness fructify, troublous situation. and may our geocentric speculations, Our Divine Master, in these cycles hovering within the space of three of birth and death, goaded by our dimensions, cease through Your Grace, sensuous passions, we are forced to to allow us to have a vision of that run after the phantasmagoria, as eleva- Transcendental Realm where the watch- tibnists and Salvationists, deriving not word is only "harmony." a .tittle of the actual sum mum bonum We beg to remain, of human existence. Slaves to our Thakur Our Divine Master, passions we have passed through these Bhaktivinode Insitute Your most unworthy and cycles dragging our long-drawn exis- Sree Mayapur, affectionate servitors. tence in the end to the abysmal hell. 12th February,1936. The Head Master & Staff. Sree Vyas Puja

Most Affectionate Divine Master, to the plane of our clouded vision 449 On this most auspicious day of the years ago, in the company of His Anga, 62nd anniversary of the Advent of Upangas, Astras and Parshadas. The Your Divine Grace, the humblest of Enlightening Power of the Word, the your servants are privileged to cherish Divine Promulgator of His Own Chant, the hope of being granted, by your is verily His Anga or His Own Body. special mercy, the unique opportunity May we be enabled to understand and of being made eligible for the worship cherish the rarest of all good fortunes of the Most Beautiful Lotus Feet of in being granted this great opportunity Your Divine Grace. The constant of directly approaching the Power of service of the Divine Feet of the Most Divine Magnanimity, the Holy Feet of Benign Associated Counterwhole of the Your Divine Grace. May you be Supreme Lord Sree Krishna-Chaitanya pleased to bestow on us Your loving is the o/ily natural function of all service on this all-holy anniversary of unalloyed infinitesimal absolutes. You the Advent of Your Divine Grace. are the eternal object of worship of May the Enlightening Power of the our unalloyed entities in every birth. Word, speaking with Her Own Divine The Special And Unique Quality Of The Lips, implant in our hearts the seed of Utterances Of His Divine Grace the inclination for the loving service You are the Enlightening Power of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya in His

of the Word; the Supreme Lord Sree Eternal Role of the Chanter of the Krishna-Chaitanya. You have been Word for tasting the magnanimity of mercifully pleased to disclose, for our your loving service. complete assurance, the greatest of all Morphology 01 The Transcendental Sound holy Mysteries viz., that the Enlighten- The morphology and ontology of ing Power of the Word is the Manifes. the Word possess an undivided tran tive Form of the Most Magnanimous scendental unity which is not perceivable All-love Sree Krishna-Chaitanya. In by our crippled senses. The words of this Iron Age of irreclaimable disbelief the Scriptures, uttered by the pure of the Personality of the Absolute, devotees, are identical with the Entity the Acme of Divine Magnanimity, the of the Absolute Whom they describe. Supreme" Lord Sree Krishna-Chaitanya, The Sound is also the Manifestive Body was pleased, to manifest His Descent of the Word or Name of Sree Krishna- SREE VYAS PUJA

Cfaaitanya. It is not possible for tbe in worshipping the Holy Feet of Your infinitesimal absolute to approach the Divine Grace. Your worship is the Absolute Infinity except through the only method of worship that reaches Enlightening Potency of the Transcen. the Supreme Lord. Your Divine dental Sound. Those who do not view Grace is the Best.beloved of the Divine Your Divine Grace as the Power of the Pair. Name of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya, see The Relation Of His Divine Grace To The only Tour deluding face. Former Acharyyas The Special Mission Of His Divine Grace All the former Acharyyas have been Your Divine Grace is the Power devout worshippers of the Most Adorable that binds all entities to the Feet of Power of the Word. The function of the Supreme Lord, Sree Krishna- those Acharyyas had been to bring Chaitanya, the United Body of the about the Descent of the Word by their Divine Couple, Your Divine Grace worship of the Power of the Divine have been eternally manifesting Your Sound. appearance on the lips of Your unalloy. The Significance Of The Advent Of His ed servitors of all ages. You have Divine Grace been pleased to manifest Your full We have been lifted by the cause- visible appearance, and have been less and boundless mercy of Your speaking with your own Hps, to the Divine Grace so close to Your Divine fortunate people of our generation, so Feet, that we are feeling utterly that all persons may learn from Power overwhelmed by the sense of the Herself that the service of the Power astounding greatness of our own good of the Divine Name of Sree Krishna- fortune, and have no leisure even to Chaitanya is the only method of give our attention to the unique signifi- approaching the Ontology of the United cance of the Advent of the Power of Absolute, Sree Sree Radha-Krishna. the unparalled Mercy of the Divine The Relationship Of His Divine Grace To Pair. This has been the ecstatic Sree Krishna-Chaitanya experience of all those fortunate The Activity of chanting the Name persons, all over the world, to whose of Krishna, is the distinctive function fully opened receptive faculties the of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya. You are words of your Divine Grace have been the Counter-whole of this Activity. delivered through Your agents by We are directly worshipping today the Your causeless mercy. Your Advent manifestive Power of this Eternal has indeed, suddenly fructified all the Function of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya, theistic endeavours of the long ages of 310 THE HARMONIST spiritual India. There is no language This consummation had been the which is adequate to convey even a dim terrible nemesis of the profane arrogance conception of the great significance of of insignificant humanity in its senseless the resplendent Dawning of this Divine attempt to dominate the Supreme fulfilment of the best hopes and aspira- Object of all worship, by refusal to tions of all animation. How may the serve the Enlightening Divine Power, deceptive embellishment of bankrupt forgetful of the subordinate character mundane rhetoric greet the Advent of the spiritual function of the absolute of Divine Power expressive of the infinitesimals This great lolly and Only Object of all true adorative offence had been allowed to run -their praise viz., the United Person- suicidal course without the protest of a ality of the Divine Pair ? It is open single dissenting voice from the iierried to Your Divine Grace to manifest Your ranks of the heroes of a universal descent even in these imperfect utteran- conceited linguistic rebellion of non- ces, by imparting to them the absolutes against the Power of God. transparent truth of Your Divine Humanity was in imminent danger of Presence by Your merciful acceptance, being cfiished to eternal death under so that n6 one listening to them may the terrible burden of its deadly mistake them as the exaggerations of literary heritage, when the Most designing adulation. Auspicious Descent of the Power of It was not a moment too soon that the Word of God, to the view of sorely the Most Merciful ^Enlightening Power afflicted man, was brought about by of the Word of Sree Krishna-Ghaitanya the prayers of the Saviour —Acharyya manifested Her Appearance, two and of the Age, Om Vishnupada Srila sixty years ago, at the Holy City of Thakur Bhaktivinode. Sree Sree Jagannath Deva in this The Divine Mission Ot The Acharyya blessed land of Utkal. There has never The Divine Mission of the Acharyya been any age when the gift of human the Saviour.Teacher of the eternal speech had been so thoroughly, so shame- function of our souls, consists in this lessly abused for pandering to the that he re-establishes fallen souls in abominable lusts of miserable humanity. their forgotten service of the Divinity. The countless shelves of our innumer. This is effected by the incorporation of able libraries were groaning under the all willing souls in his own distinctive crushing burden of the carefully service. The Acharyya is not thwarted preserved utterances of stupefying by the contrivances of the deluding falsehoods against the Divine Couple. power. He makes the activities of the SREE VYAS PUJA 311 deluding powQr directly serve the mercy of the Word. The Divine Power purposes of the Enlightening Potency manifests Herself also in the movements Who is Plenary Spiritual Power. The of the materials casings of awakened Acharyya is sent into this realm of souls by making the physical body and deluding power at the most critical material mind helpful in carrying out junctures of the history of the world the Purpose of God. The Power of for re establishing the reign of the the Word is the basis and life of the Spiritual Power. The Spiritual power spiritual function of all awakened souls working through the Acharyya there, and of the resultant quasi-spiritual upon demolishes the contemporary activities of their material body and atheistical systems by the restoration mind, as well as of the rituals of our and development of the scriptural temples. institutions. The Acharyya carries Identity Of The Acharyya With out this Mission as the chosen agent His Teaching of Power. Bach Acharyya serves the Enlight- The Divine Sound ening Power of the Word (the The Acharyyas have ever been Transcendental Divine Sound or Shabda- the mediums of the Descent Brahma ) in the specific manner that of the Word to this world. corresponds to his individuality. His The Word eternally manifests and function manifests that particular establishes His Absolute Supremacy aspect of the full undivided function of by His full Power. The Word, the power which constitutes the whole of Power of the Word and the chosen his individual personality as part and medium for the Descent of the Word in parcel of the same. The distinctive the embrace of His Own Power, are the teaching of each Acharyya expresses only transcendental verities to be found itself in the revived spiritual energy of in this world. They are the bases as the corresponding aspect of the scriptur- well as the substance of all scriptural al institutions, and this is illustrated institutions, doctrines and practices by every detail of his activities. that have manifested themselves in the The Purpose Oi The Descent of Sree wprld. The Enlightening Power of the Krishna °Chaitanya. Word manifests Herself as those It is not possible for the deluded, institutions. No mundane entity is conditioned soul, with his tiny perverted changed into spiritual substance^ but faculties, to realise the transcendental the dormant souls of those entities are personality of the Acharyya as medium enabled to function by the Power of of the descent of the power of Divine 312 THE HARMONIST

Mercy, The Supreme Lord Sree Grace is the power of the Word embody- Krishna-Chaitanya came down into ing the full meaning of the teaching this world in the Role of His power and practice of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya for making it possible for conditioned and of all the Acharyyas for making souls to recognise the transcendental the dispensations of all ages and coun- nature of the agents of His power. tries realise for all time, in its un- The supreme Lord did not supersede by equivocal tangible form, the supporting His Descent the functions of the agents guidance of the Enlightening Power of His power. He made His Appear, of the Word. ance in the company of His power and Om Visnupada Srila Gaura-Kissore Das all the agents of His power and fulfilled Babaji Maharaj. the Great purpose of the descents of No worship is acceptable to the the agents of his Power by himself Acharyya except in the line of the performing the concerted chant of His Acharyyas who bring about the Appear- Own Name in the company of His ance of the Word in this world. We power and Her agents. The supreme crave the special blessing of Srila excellence of the worship of the Divine Gaurkissore Das Babaji Maharaj fc- Word by His Own Enlightening Power, being enabled by his mercy t0 as constituting the living kernel of our humble worship to the Holy ^.otus scriptural service, was demonstrated Feet of Your Divine Grace by tile only beyond the possibility of misunderstand method that is acceptable to You. We ing by the chant of the Name by Sree also pray for the enabling grace of all Krishna-Chaitanya in the company of the Divine Teachers, constituting the His eternal servitors of all grades- This eternal preceptorial line, who are the Purpose of the Advent of the Supreme inseparable eternal associates of the. Lord in course of its fulfilment is Benign Power of All.love. bringing about the revival of the May Your Divine Grace be pleased scriptural ideals of life all over the to accept our humble prostrated sub- world. mission to the Holy Lotus Feet of Your The Teaching of His Divine Grace Is Divine Grace on this most auspicious Identical With The Purpose Of tithi of the 62nd anniversary of Your Sree KrlshnaXbaitanya- Advent. The teaching of Your Divine Grace Your Divine Grace's humble.servants, is, indeed, the essence of all scriptural Sree Sachchidananda Math, institutions, past, present and future, Cuttaok, Orissa. of this world, in as much as Your Divine 12.2.1986. VOL XXXII No, 14 ] [ Regtd. No. C 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Saijanatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna TSkadnshi Ghaitra 450 0*A.

March 19, 1936.

jftqr^T "KT TSTt T^TT^Frrfer^.i ^ n Aunifiifation of age=fong sufferings, May tfese our Bigf aims ffourish The Service of Radfa* Krisfna, To gfaaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4»y. Foreign Is. 6d, Paramahanaa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswali Goswarai

Sree Caud'ya Math, P.O. Bagl]bazar, Calcutta. CONTENTS

Subject Pag®

1. Editor's Response to Sree Vyas-Puja Addresses 818 2. Thakur Haridas 320 8. The Teaching of Srimad Bhagabat: The March Towards Braja ... 326 4. Society-Community-Math ... 329 5. Psilanthropism and Transcendental Vision 333 6. An Adress of Welcome ...... 334 7. The Qandiya Mission 836 ALL-OLORY TO SREE OURU AND OAURANOA

TW B armo ni s t

(Sree Sajjanatosbani)

VOL. XXXII. | MARCH 19. 1936 No. 14

Editor's Response to Sree Vyas-Puja Addresses

(Translated from the original Bengali)

In today's great gathering of such my own, I have to offer an explanation a large number of enlightened for myself as to why I have been persons, a good deal has already been listening to all these words of praise said by more than one speaker. The without the least hesitation. audience have been listening to their 1 do not possess much knowledge addresses for a long time. I have not of any language. I have, however, much to. say of my own. Previous been able to gather from the words of speakers have elucidated what I have praise, that have been so abundantly to say. Many of them hav6 spoken and so kindly addressed to me by my in the English language. For this masters, that those words demonstrate reason it has become necessary for me my ineligibilities. On behalf of myself to address you in Bengali. The Bengali the only explanation I have to offer language, such as I can command, is is this that if 1- had said anything not easy. It do not knew whether it about myself I should have been will be intelligible to all. responsible for the same. B,ut f. am Before I proceed to say anything of relieved of all responsibility as the 314 THE HARMONIST words of the order of my masters have judgment in this matter- is different been spoken by other mouths. from that of persons who listen to their As regards my part of the conduct, praises for pampering their arrogance to which I have also alluded, it might by such audiencing. have been open to the criticism of We should listen to nothing else but other persons if it had proceeded from the praises of the Divine Master I myself. But it is not so. It is the have to conduct myself, with all humi- doing of my Master. And it is for this lity, in any manner that the order of simple reason that I have been under my masters may at any moment consi- the obligation to display such behaviour der it to be needful for me. I am not without stopping to consider whether prepared to take the responsibility upon it might be disliked by other myself for any inconveniences that may persons. result from such conduct. We have heard it said that the I have heard from my Divine Master plant comes out of the seed, and that that one should audience the Word of it cannot grow otherwise. The seed God by being infinitely humbler than a is born from the tree and the tree blade of grass. Whoever chants the grows from the seed, turn by turn. If Word is no other than the Lotus Feet we adopt the view that no seed should of the Divine Master. Audiencing the grow from the tree, the forward chanted Word is the disciplic function. movement of growth is stopped and its The Word is mirrored in the heart by continuous flow is destroyed. I have, the only method of audiencing the chant therefore, to practise to sit at these of the Divine Master. Therefore, I am assemblies in the garb of a wise person eligible to listen to these words of praise and to listen to words of praise relying by the disciplic method. There is a on the dictum that the command of the great necessity to learn by the method Master is above all questioning. If, of listening how one should approach however, I am thereby led to suppose God and His devotees with humility, in that it is a good thing to listen to one's what manner one must sing their praises own praise, my worthles^ness is and honour them. published to all the world in a glaring Today I have found much that every, manner by such silly thinking. one should note most carefully. There I am obliged to accept this honour has been an opportunity of learning in order that the current of the Word how one should honour other persons of God may not be obstructed and its being himself unhonoured, how one perennial flow may not cease. Our should sing the praises of God and His EDITOR'S RESPONSE TO SREE VYAS-PUJA ADDRESSES 315 devotees by silencing the hostile obedience teach us that it is never clamours of all kinds of indolence. possible to approach God and His Singing the praises of the devotees devotees except by such humble of God is, indeed, the one thing needful. submission. My revered masters have taught us to If we learn to be arrogant, we would praise God and His devotees by their surely be deprived of the service of God praises directed to myself. By praising and His devotees for good. the non -devotees both the offerers and "There are persons who do not the recipients of such praise are put to worship His devotees white worshipping difficulties. My reverend masters are God, Verily they are arrogant persons endeavouring tp purify my heart by and not worshippers of God''. teaching me to be humble. They are If the same devotion with which we saying to me, 'We possess the priceless worship God is not aroused in our hearts quality of honouring other persons. We to the feet of His devotees, we are are offering you all this honour that you rendered perfectly worthless, and will may, by similarly honouring all persons have lived in vain. of this world, be enabled to be constantly T am extremely unfit and encompas- engaged in the service of God and His sed with all the evils. But an immense devotees who can be perfeetly served number of God's devotees have merci. only by those who are inspired with fully appeared for my good who am so such burning love'. completely engulfed in evil. Many of God and His devotees are worship, them have gathered at this place for ped b^r chanting their praises. It enables subduing my irrepressible arrogance. us to- learn the language of Bandana or All of them are instructing me about worship by the method of praise. We the highest service of God. May we be have also heard the following words ever ready to brush away from our which were spoken by our former hearts, by the rough application of hun- masters, 'I am incomparably more vile dreds of thousands of pointed broom, than insects bred in ordure and infinite, sticks, the wicked design of being ly. more wicked than Jagai and Madkai'. honoured above other persons by the It is only when we have occasion to devotees of God. God will'be merciful listen to the praises of the Supreme to us and we shall be blessed with the Object of all praise from the Master gift of devotion to His Divine Feet and they react on our hearts, that we the very day that we are delivered from may learn about our utter worthless- the evil desire of seeking advantages ness. Their profound humility and and honours from others. A person is 316 THE HARMONIST relieved from all ineligibilities by being to the temptations of the -deluding imparted fitness for the service of God. energy of God. Such ambition is petty Women, Shudras and the rest are con. and useless. If there is any use in demnable and contemptible in the eyes curbing one's hankering for» becoming of the, world for their evil deeds. Ev6n great in the eyes of the world, if there such persons are enabled to attain the is any use in gaining one's real health, eternal good by noting the model it is imperative to accept the line of dieposition of the devotees of God, who thought of the Vaishnavas. honour all persons without being Those who are fit possess abundant honoured^ and by following their con. power of devotion. They are strong. duct and teaching. Let us remember I have not gained so much strength. the teit already quoted, Being puffed up with the false idea of "There are those who worship God the same, I should not apply myself but do not worship His devotees. to find out the shortcomings of the Yerily such persons are arrogant Vaishnavas, or to condemn the* service sinners. They are not worshippers of Lord Vishnu or to seek to establish of God". my own point of view by neglecting If we become arrogant after having the method by which L may b» enabled adopted the path of devotion, if we to serve the Lord and His devotees. worship only God and disregard the No language can describe the havoc worship of His devotees, we would be that is wrought in human life-by such put to manifold difficulties for our arrogance. I make this submission offence at the feet of the servants of with all humility, taking hold of your God ; we would be overtaken by the feet, 'May you kindly refrain ■from greatest of all misfortunes by being imitating the conduct of the Vaishnavas. afflicted with apathy for the principle May you always follow their line of of devotion itself. thought*. There is' no relationship Human life is not intended for for us other than with the devotees of gathering evil. It is meant solely for Vishnu. Relationship with other the attainment of the supreme good. persons can only aggravate the desire Why do I forget it ? Why do I for sensuous gratification. forget that I atn the meanest and least Many a year have now passed over of all entities ? The ambition to lord me one by one. I at last realise tibat it over others, to be great, to be eleva- there is no other help for me than the tionist or Salvationist, is brought about mercy of the holy feet of the Vaishna. When we allow ourselves to*fall a victim vas. Every one of my acts is fit to be EDITOR'S RESPONSE TO SREE VYAS-PUJA ADDRESSES 317 attacked. I pray to those, who look the conduct of the devoted servants of down upon me, that if they consider the Lord who covers the worlds by His that it is allowable for me to follow the wonderful strides". conduct and the teachings of the "The acts and expressions of the Vaishnavas, they would no longer Vaishnavas cannot be understood even maintain that attitude. They will by the wise.4* kindly impart to me the needful strength The devotees are attached to the and fitness to communicate their power Lord Who pervades the worlds with to those who are stupid and ignorant His wonderful strides. Let us not be and devoid of all strength. misled by the apparent sight. Many One who serves Lord Hari counts a person have been liable to mistake himself as the least of all entities. One the pebble for the pearl, the snake is lifted to the highest order of the for the rope, evil for good, by falling Vaishnavas when one can feel himself a victim to delusion by their reliance the least Of all. One can then speak on apparent sight. It is only when the message of the highest devotion of a person allows himself to fall into ■Lord Hari. the clutches of self-delusion that one's "The best of all persons deems senses show their eagerness for supplying himself to be less than all others". the wants incidental to the phenomenal It is necessary for the best to world by supposing himself to be an scrutinise one's ineligibility. Why inhabitant of the same. We should should.a person be anxious to pry into consider well how we are to be delivered the defects of others when he Hoes not from being thus exploited by the seek to scrutinise his own conduct ? Is deluding energy. It will never bring us this the disposition of the Vaishnava ? relief if we adopt the lordly mentality On the other hand, even those, who for supplying our present inade- are low in tha scale of service, may quacies and tor avoiding what certain attain the higher level. Let us hasty observers have~ been pleased to remember the texts : dub as 'the slave mentality' of the "Not to speak of persons who listen devotees of God. Such modes of to and remember with care the instruc- thinking accelerate our march towards tions of the spiritual -ecriptures, even the Inferno by plunging us into the those who live by sin, viz., women, course of sensuous indulgences. Shudras, Hunas, Savarat and the birds If we disregard or ignore the devo- of the air, can know God and prevail tees of God for elevating ourselves, over Has deluding power if they follow we would thereby be cast into the 318 THE HARMONIST prison of three dimensions and spin cantly declares, 'Let those who profess towards inflation instead of contraction. to know God bi^ag of their knowledge, 'I will be good ; I will be cured of my but let me have nothing to do with disease ; I will have real well.being': such fellows. This is all I have got this is the proper kind of judgment. to say in this matter.' But it is not at all laudable^to entertain Not on'fe among the paths of this the contrary thoughts,—'I will be great, material world is a path of the service I will gratify my malice by stopping of the 'Divinity. The idea that one the course of the whole world.' It is should be mastei: of God's devotees by no means proper to set up one's leads to Inferno. It is harmful to superiority against the worshipfulness follow any worldly path. To follow of God's devotees. The path of the devotees of God is the bply path audiencing the Transcendental Word that leads to one's real good. has been rendered devious by the Whatever method is followed by malinterpretation of the text ' the devotees is worthy of being Brahmashmi.' I have listened to the cherished with the utmost love and true interpretation of the text at the reverence. lotus feet/of my Divine Master, It is Holding the blade of straw between to this effect, "It is our eternal duty my teeth I pray time and again for to chant constantly the Name of Hari this only boon that I may be a particle by being infinitely more truly bumble of dust at the lotus feet of the most than the smallest blade of grass, more revered Sree Bupa Qoswami Prabhu. truly forbearing than even the Let there be birth after birth for us proverbially patient tree, by honouring that we may walk in the path of the others without being honoured." followers of Sree Bupa by being the We find assembled here today particles of dust of the lotus feet of many really great souls. What per- the devotees of God. The root of it suasive courtesy, what humility do all is humilty or the due realisation of they possess ! How great is the benefit, one's own ineligibility. If the convic- how great the good, that we may have tion of our unfit-ness for the service by listening to their words! We have of God is revealed to us either it from the Talavakar Wpanishad that automatically or by the instruction, of those who aspire to be masters of the other persons, we are only then in a devotees, who are the masters of God position to behold the beauty of the Himself, are, indeed, most culpably lotus feet of God's devotees. In all arrogant. Srimad Bhagabat signifi- the talks of the average people of EDITOR'S RESPONSE TO SREE VYAS-PUJA ADDRESSES 319

this world the idea that is uppermost art the Refuge from all fear. May is how to promote the gratification of Thou be pleased to employ me in Thy one's senses. If we happen to be service." Oh my Lord, I pray to obsessed with the idea that it is the Thee for employing me in Thy service. path of religion, we would be I will no more serve dogs and horses, prevented for good from becoming iron and gold, men and gods. I have truly religious courted my own destruction by engaging All persons are accustomed to in their service Thy service, 0 Lord, worship the Beautiful Feet of God. is the only means of being delivered But the conception that God is to from this dire misfortune. But it is supply our comforts and conveniences a far cry to seek to obtain Thy service in lieu of worship -is worthy of a shop- without serving those who have keeper. That we are to receive some dedicated themselves to Thy service. other things in exchange of our worship The service of Thy devotees is - is not the trend of thought of the productive of greater good than any devotees of God. If one seeks to follow other method. such a course, one will never under- We do not find God in this world. stand the nature of the service of The devotees, who serve God, out of Krishna. God is full of the highest their mercy show themselves to us. well-being. It is no proof of one's We should follow their conduct and goodness of judgment to pray to God teaching. It is the only path to for the gratification of one's senses our well-being.O Due to our meagreo instead of the highest good. It should education and small experience, to most be the duty of all persons to follow the of us the ideas and ways of thinking line of thought that seeks to find out of the devotees of God appear to be how Krishna is to be served. unedifying 'slave mentality'. Let us •'I have not spared any method for not indulge in such profane ravings carrying out the bad dictates of the under the urge of mental aberration. lusts of the flesh. But they have On the contrary, our line of thought had no pity upon me, nor have they should be, 'Let the censorious people produced in me any compunction or calumniate us to their hearts' content. satiety. Wherefore, Lord of the Yadus, We will not mind them. Let us roll having only now gained the balance in the dust and forget everything in of my judgment, after finally giving the ecstasy of intoxication by excessive up the abject thraldom of the sensuous drinking of the strong wine of the appetites, I have come to Thee, Who tasty liquid mellow of Lord Hari.' 320 THE HARMONIST

We will roll in the dust sanctified along the wrong tracks by the sinister by the tread of the feet of God's devo- insinuations of . those who are constitu- tees. We will not make any disciples. tionally averse to the service of God. We have not made any disciples, nor All of you are the order of my masters. will we ever make any. Because unless May you have mercy upon me, remem. we cease to do so, we ^hall be misled bering that I am your disciple.

Thakur Haridas ( By Pyari Mohan Brahmachary ) Nearly thirty years prior to the to come to him to pay their respects Advent of Lord Ohaitanya, there appear- and to love him from the very core of ed in the rural village of Budhan, in their hearts. But this rare honour the district of Jessore, a really devout soul shown to a Muhammedan "excited the named Thakur Haridas. Though he jealousy of Bamchandra Khan who descended into a Muhammedan family, was the powerful (Brahmin land-lord he came to be regarded as a saint by of the place. Having secretly laid a all the Hindus of that time ; for was deep plot to ruin his character out of he not a great genuine Hindu devotee, malice, Bamchandra Khan sent a youth- and for that named Thakur Haridas ? ful harlot to lure Haridas from the path Thakur Haridas from his boyhood of righteousness. That bad woman, used to chant the Name of God and at the request of Bamchandra Khan, felt ecstasy in this. He left his home attempted her nefarious inroads for three in his early life and took shelter in a consecutive nights upon Thakur Haridas solitary place in the village of to thwart him from his religious path, Benapole, in the district of Jessore. but all her attempts were of no avail. There he made a small cottage to live It provided her with the opportunity in and regularly chanted three lakhs of of patiently listening to the chanting the Name everyday by begging alms of the Holy Name of God from the for his daily worship at the doors of pious lips of a true devotee for three consecutive nights, which thoroughly the c&ste.Brahmins for the eternal % benefit of the latter. changed her mind. She becarpe peni. The neighbouring villagers, having tent for her past sins, fell prostrate at a real saint in their midst, were attracted the holy feet of Thakur Haridas and THAKUR HAR1DAS 321

begged to be forgiven for her grave launched into discussions about the offence against Thakur. She prayed chanting of the Holy Name of Hari and in all humility for the mercy of expressed the view that the real effect Thakur Haridas to enable her to chant of the chanting of the Name purges the the Name of Hari in the manner of chanter from all sins. But a few were Thqkur Haridas. She ceased to be a of opinion that liberation and not libertine and lived a holy life thence, freedom from sins was the real effect forward. Thakur Haridas advised of Sri Hari Nama. her to give away all her ill-gotten Thakur Haridas did not agree with properties to the Brahmins and to take them. He said that the chanting of Hari Nama, with which she was initiat- the Holy Name gives rise to loving ed, three lakhs of times every day. aptitude for the Divine Feet of Sree She began to servo the sacred Basil Krishna. It is Namabhas (i.e. chanting and to honour Mahaprasad on the without the knowledge of relationship) plane of her resuscitated spiritual life. that purges out all sins and liberates After this Thakur Haridas wended the chanter from the bondage of Maya. his way to Ghandpur, in the district of Just as the twilight heralding the Hooghly, and stayed at the house of approach of the morning removes the Balaram A charyy a who was a disciple fear of theives, dacoits and hob.goblins of Thakur Haridas and followed the from the heart of a traveller, so the cult of Bhakti earnestly, who requested sins vanish even before the appear- him to stay in his house and accept the ance of the Sun of Sudha Nama. The alms of Mahaprasad from him. sun's function is not only to remove One day at the request of Balaram darkness and expose the objects of the Acharyya, who was their family priest, world to the view of people but also to Tltakur Haridas went to the court of manifest himself by his own light to Hiranya and Gobardhan, the renowned the great joy of all beings. So emancipa- princely Zamindars of the place. tion can be attained through the Hirdnya and Gohardhan gave him a twilight of Hari Nama. The true cordial reception. Many learned devotee never desires to get this freedom Brahmin Pundits who were assembled even when it is offered to him by there talked highly of Thakur Haridas God. Although it is coveted by the tind his devotional, aptitude. The two Salvationists, the devotees ignore it on Zaminders were delighted to hear the the ground that such hankering for encomiums showered upon the great one's personal amelioration is quite saint. The learned assembly naturally inconsistent with the unalloyed service 322 THE HARMONIST of God. Service is the only active his unpleasant talks, and expressed loving bond between Krishna and Hig deep sorrow for his own offences against devotees as the Recipient and offerer of the Holy Name, for which he had service. Jiuorsoula are eternal servants occasion to hear those blasphemies oi Krishna. They live by His service against the Holy Name and their pure essence is opposed to Though Thakur Haridas personally anything short of unalloyed loving took no offence, yet that Brahmin fell service. a victim to leprosy as n merciful result There was in the assembly an of the offence done ' to his feet and in uncultured caste-Brahmin who took consequence his fingers and toes were excepiatm to Thdkur Haridas' statements disfigured. From this we learn that and, with an angry voice, shouted his offence against God is pardoned by dissent to the assembly, 'Learned Him, but offence against His devotees Audience t I do not advocate the is never pardoned by Godhead Who theory of Haridas. How is it possible never tolerates blasphemy against to attain salvation through the mere His devotees. twilight of Harinam, which thousands Thakur Haridas, agreeably to the of explo>!tations of Brahma.jnan fail wishes of Balaram Acharyya, now to achieve ?" moved to Pulia near Santipur where Thakur Haridas tried hie best to he met Advaita Acharyya. The latter make him understand. But unfortu. arranged a lonely cave for Haridas for nately that Brahmin was the last person his intimate personal worship. They to accede to his exhortation. On the used to hold mutual daily talks about cofltrary the fellow tried to lower Krishna. Haridas used to take food Thdkur Haridas in the estimation of at the house of Advaita Acharyya at that learned gathering by his vitupera- the request of the latter. But Thdkur tions. At the end the learned assembly Haridas with all humility implored rebuked the wicked Brahmin and Advaita Acharyya to be more careful censuyed him for dishonouring the about his social rank and position as great saint. The whole assembly there were many high class Brahmins thereupon fell prostrate at the feet of who might take exception to his Thakur Haridas a fid begged pardon unusual conduct towards himself. for their offence in listening to such Advaita Acharyya paid no heed to his blasphemies. Thakur Haridas took fears but acted in accordance with the pity on the poor ignorant Brahmin and' injunctions of the Shastras. He knew deplored the unhappy incident due to fully well that feeding a sadhu like THAKUR H ARID AS 323

Thakur Haridas outweighed the spiritual servitors of Godhead. No sooner we efficacy of feeding lakhs of Brahmins- choose to disown our real entities as So ddvaita Acharyya treated Thakur servitors of Godhead thanMayadevi puts Haridas every day to Mahaprasad two sorts of coverings on us which thereby honouring the manes. make us forget our real entity. Mayadevi Once on a moon.lit night Maya is the deluding energy of Godhead and Devi herself, m the guise of a acts as jailer to punish all perverse bewitching maid, appeared before souls by providing them with the con- Thakur Haridas for the purpose of ditions for indulging their non-devotion- alluring him from the -service of al aptitude. As Thakur Haridas was Krishna. She left no stone unturned constantly engaged in chanting to seduce him, but to no purpose. At Harinam, Mayadevi could possibly do' last she disclosed herself in her real no harm to him, rather it was sh® who form and expressed her surprise at the surrendered herself tp him for being constancy of Thaknr Haridas when she enabled to serve the Absolute on His found that all her amorous blandish- Own superior plane. ments, to which even sages like Brahma When Haridas, who came of a fell a victim, had been of as little Muhammedan family, began to take avail as crying in the wilderness. She Harinam three lakhs of times a day, it implored the forgiveness of Thakur roused malice in the heart of the local Haridas and prayed to'be initiated with Kazi who, out of jealousy, brought it that highest Divine Love accruing from to the notice of the then Nawab of Nama Samkirtan. Bengal. Thereupon the Nawab sum- The underlying principle of this moned him to his presence and asked victory over temptation is this, that him as to why he had been an apostate Thakur Haridas did never see the from the religion in which he had been external feature of the temptress. It is born, Thakur said that God is One the seeming feature which always without a second and individual souls deludes us and leads us to a wrong are the agents of His Will. He had notion. Thakur Haridas was m a taken to chanting the Holy Name of position to 'see that all souls God being inspired by Him. But the are eternally connected with the Kazi pretended not to be satisfied with Oversoul, that the Oversoul is the this argument of Thakur Haridas and eternal Master of the proper, selves requested the Nawab to punish him. of all entities and that all souls The Nawab made all efforts to dissuade are in their proper entities eternal Thakur Haridas, but to no purpose. 324 THE HARMONIST

When Thakur Haridas remained defective judgment of a fallen soul obdurate saying that he would never cannot understand this distinction part with the Name even if his limbs between the bodily activities of self, were cut to pieces and life departed realised souls and the apparently from his body, the Nawab ordered his similar activities of souls in the grip of men to flog him to death by parading Maya. But Thakur Haridas^ being of the him round twentytwo markets till he category of the plenary servitors of the breathed his last. Every spectator, who Absolute, is never liable to fall under the happened to pass the horrible sight, power of Maya and had no body of flesh. could not but take pity on him and Lord Krishna says in the Geeta :— entreat his punishers to refrain from "The foolish disparage My eterqal their most inhuman atrocity, but their human Form. They do not know the fact adamantine hearts did not melt even a that My Name, Form, Attributes and bit. All the while this tragedy was Pastimes are one and the Same with Me." going on, Thakur Haridas remained in Thakur Haridas far from blaming ecstasy and could not perceive even the his punishers, prayed to Krishna for slightest pain under castigation which their deliverance. After having flogged no mortal being could endure. him mercilessly in twentytwo markets The body that enwraps the condi- when they found that Thakur Haridas tioned soul is made of flesh. But the still remained alive, they besought fettered soul supposes that it is his soul him to die to save themselves from the that undergoes birth and death, pain capital punishment in the hands of the and pleasure, and so on. But a Nawab, for failing to kill him to which devotee's body that serves Krishna is not Thakur Haridas agreed and pretended constituted of the five mundane ele- to be dead. Instead of giving a burial ments. His body, mind and soul are to his seemingly dead body, for in that transcendental. He never undergoes case he would go to heaven according birth and death like mortals. The to the Quoran as interpreted by the external human frame of a devotee who Kazi, they threw his dody into the has realised his spiritual body and river Ganges. Thakur Haridas thus that of a non.devotee though similar is reached the village of Fulia and, having not also the same, because a devotee regained his senses, he resumed his who has dedicated his body to the loud chanting of Sri Harinama. service of Godhead is thereby relieved Another wonderful incident happen, of the necessity or fitness of being ed at that place. The cave in which engaged in sensuous exploitation. The he used to live was inhabited by a huge THAKUR HARIDAS 325

venomous python whose virus poisoned joined His banner as one of His the atmosphere, so, much so that none prominent followers. Lord Chaitanya dared to approach the cave. The wanted to disseminate the Gospel of people reported this matter to Thakur Divine Love right and left throughout Haridas and requested him forthwith the length and breadth ot the country. to quit the place. Thereupon Thakur Thakur Haridas and Prabhu Nityananda expressed his willingness to leave the were employed as the first of His public place if it continued to be infested by preachers at Nabadwip. They were the serpent. No sooner had he said so, cammanded to chant Harinam from the python itself left the place for good door to door exhorting all the citizens to the great astonishment of the to join the same. Thakur Haridas played onlookers, the part of Namacharyya or teacher of Some designing men of the locality the chant of the Holy Name in Maha- wanted to prove that loud Samkirtana prabhu's Deeds. He subsequently was not sanctioned by the scriptures. accompanied Sree Chaitanya to Pimand But Thakur Haridas, by citing appro- resided at Siddha-Bakul where he used priate texts from the scriptures, proved to chant the Name three lakhs of times its validity. He used to chant the Name a day. loudly. Loud chanting is more bene- When at last Thakur Haridas ex. ficial than silent recitation, for it pressed his desire to depart from this blesses both him that chants and him mundane world prior to the Dis- that hears. Hence the scriptures con. appearance of Lord Ghaitanya, he was tain such high eulogy of loud chanting. granted his wish by the Supreme Lord. Loud chanting not only does eternal With his eyes fixed on His beautiful good to human beings, but also to Face—his breast being pressed by His lower animals and even to the vegetable holy feet and tongue engaged in chant- kingdom; ing His Holy' Name, Thakur Haridas Thakur Haridas is an eternal withdrew himself from the view of the associate of Lord Ghaitanya. It is people of this world amidst loud written in the Gaura.Ganoddesha Dipika Samkirtana of the Name of Hari. His jihat he is the same as Brahma Lord transcendental body was carried in pro- Gauranga appeared in this world when cession to the sea.boach and laid in the Thakur Haridas was at Santipur with samadhi by the Hands of Sree Ghaitanya, Admita Acharyya. When long after, where thousands of pilgrims daily flock wards Lord Gauranga returned from His to this day for offering their homage pilgrimage to Gaya, Thakur Haridas to the savior. .4c/tari/i/a of this Iron Age. THE TEACHING OF SRlMAD BHAGABAT :

The March Towards Braja

Srimad Bhagabat treats of two knowledge has real existence in the distinct topics viz., the phenomenal phenomenal world. But there is no world and the Lord of the world or the deluding cognition in the super, Ultimate Truth. mundane realm of the Absolute. The Those individual souls or jeevas atmosphere of this phenomenal world who are incorporated with this pheno. is polluted by the triple conditions of menal world ate busily preoccupied perverted cognition, absence of perma- with the worship of Nature. Such nence and subversion of joy, whereby engagement is not natural to the plane the prevalence of the three gunas is of the proper entity of the . jeeva. On realised as the distinguishing charac- that plane the jeeva is eternally teristic of the phenomenal world. The associated with the Absolute, Whose three gunas do not possess permanence Personality is unceasing blissful cogni- of manifestation. Neither are they tion, by the relationship of harmonious true objects of knowledge, nor promo, reciprocity. The relationship between tive of unceasing joy. The Sum or the jeeva and the phenomenal world is (Brahmanas occupy the highest position temporary and apparent. among jeevas who are engrossed in The jeeva, captivated by the passing this phenomenal world. Their saperior knowledge of the objects of his position is liable to be contaminated by deluding cognition, is apt to forget the operation of two related gunas of a his relationship with the Ultimate discordant nature. Heterogeneous Entity. This aptitude, which is difference or discord owes its origin to elicited in the jeeva by active relation- the lordship of the many, that charac. ship with the world, tends to make him terises the phenomenal world. The jeeva mistake the shadow as substance, thus can get rid of his fallacious knowledge giving rise to the state of vivaria or of the phenomenal world by approach- the state of misleading knowledge of ing and serving undiverting the shadow. By the gradual subsidence Knowledge. There is no other way. of deluding knowledge the jeeva's The process of forgetfulness that over- impression of the Truth acquires takes the jeeva is checked only by strength and prominence. Apparent recollection of the Absolute. Other- THE MARCH TOWARDS BRAJA 327 wise temporary apparent knowledge sion that they are one's kindred and giving rise to the concept of numerical masters. The experience of limited difference prevents one's true apprehen- time, that causes a person to voyage sion of the reality. athwart the impermanent world, puts The Ultimate Entity, the object of him into yoke to fruitive activity unclouded cognition, is not subject to (karma). Thereupon begins the move deprivation of the possessorship of full up and down from the nadir of the Knowledge, eternal Existence and condition of a frail reed to the zenith unceasing Joy. The objects of apparent of that of an inhabitanb of the realm cognition are subject to all ineligibili- of Brahma, progenitor of the material ties. The aptitude for exploiting world. The sense of right and wrong seeming objects is the outcome of the pulls the worldly sojourner to two desire of lording it over them through opposite directions, making him regard vivarta misconceived as true knowledge. himself as non-soul and the plaything Maya lures jeeva actuated by such bad of fate. ambition to be violently thrown off It becomes the primary duty of all the proper direction of their activities persons located in the phenomenal by being allowed to dissociate them- world to betake themselves to that selves from the service of non-dualistic mode of living which is in conformity knowledge. This ultimately reduces with the requirements of their growing the jeeva te the state of utter despair. age and natural tastes, under the It is not, therefore, commendable for compelling urge of the three gunas. the jeeva to set out on the wild-goose The triple miseries thereupon make chase of plurality by allowing his mind their appearance through forgetfulness to harbour doubts regarding the truth of the realm of the Absolute and of the Autocratic Ultimate Entity. overvaluation of the gratification of Empiricism and rebellious inclination natural tastes of the different stages of for challenging the autocracy of the life.- By listening to discourses about Absolute, by leading the jeeva to target Godhead, by unadulterated audiencing the reality to narrowness and littleness, of the same rendered effective by the cause, his apostacy from his supreme method of recapitulating the heard eternal function. Thereupon he engages transcendence, the memory of one's in the service of lust, anger and the eternal existence is revived. Aversion other appetites of the flesh by supposing to such discourse is the cause of one's it to be in one's interest to carry out worldly sojourn. It is of the highest their dictates, under the false impres: importance to follow the lead of (he 328 THE HAI true science of Ontology. It is solely exhilaration of -the possession of worldly due to one's lack of interest in the power. The indulgence of suoh ontology of the object of spiritual quest capacity should not be designated as that one is incapacitated 'from realising in conformity with the proper1 nature the wholesomeness of the activity of of one's self. the chant of transcendence. Aversion to The joy that manifests ' itaelf fit transcendence, by generating the state unalloyed cognition is not ^thejoyof of ignorance or forgetfulness of the the flesh. Those, who follow- the path Absolute, persuades the soul to welcome of sensuous gratification, obtain the the state of ignorance by supposing the fleeting joys of the flesh. Those, Who same to be the state of wisdom. The seek for well-being, betake themselvee seeker of the highest object of to the servioe of Hari. The ■ inclination knowledge, by manifesting his single- for worldly enjoyment is destroyed by hearted devotion to the same, offers the the power of association with those who opportunity of his collaboration to follow the path of weil-being. The jeevas fallen into the clutches of self- activity for the promotion of material forgetfulness, the condition of all prosperity results from approving empiric thinkers, which lead them to experience of the' false glories of suppose untruth to be truth and vice association with the votaries of transi- versa. The eternal well.belng of jeevas tory worldly pleasures. If it be asked acrues from the proper culture of why. all this provision of desire for collaboration with the chanters of worldly sojourn, aspiration for lordship transcendence. The promoters of the and immersion in the fathomless depths true well-being of all conditioned souls of ignorance f The Shastras that discourse to them .about 'the path of the provision is a corrollary of the well-being instead of praising the path truth that the liking for the .eteraal of sensuous enjoyment which leads to realm can be aronsed in only--the the diametrically opposite direction. fortunate few by association with those The .worldly sojourn can be destroyed who follow the path of well-being. by tl^e redeeming influence ■ of such Sadhus, who are firmly- established on association. The intoxication of worldly the path of eternal well-being, out" of power subsides completely on the their constitutional sympathy for the realisation of the utter futility of all sufferings of others, .provide the empiric thought. The capacity for the opportunity of their - company > by the impulse of securing gold, woman and method of the qbant of transcendence fame goes hand in hand with the also to those who do not feel any liking SOCIETY-COMMUNITY-MATH 329 for their eternal well.being, in order detachment from the futilities of to persuade them to fellow the path of mundane existence. The jeeva, aroused aervioe. One's hope of discarding all to the plane of unalloyed cognition, not evil association is intensified by listening only beholds the Divine Form of to the chant of transcendence. Being Plenary Existence, Cognition and Bliss powerfully agitated by strong hope, in the Lover's Figure focussing the the longing for undertaking the deliciousness of all perfectly relishing pilgrimage to Braja, the Land of the drinks of the thirsty soul, but also Pastimes of the Absolute, shows a realises his own proper self in the growing activity. Whereupon, the serving aptitude. The Absolute is the desires for enjoyment and abnegation, in Possessor of the Form of Eternal the shapes of - Putana and other enemies Plenary Existence, Cognition and of the Absolute, aibandon the person Bliss. The realisation of one's self as who turns his face towards His service. an ingredient in the service of His Intoxication, greed, anger and lust Form establishes one's eternal respon. are exiled beyond the bounding ocean sive contact with the Personality of the of the world by the appearance of Absolute.

Society-Community-Math (By B. 0. Schulze)

(1) Social life is made possible and rules are violated and liable to be either by a mutual reasonable general upset. Therefore is the social system adjustment of differences accruing from based on a latent balance of selfish the confflct of interests uphold by the interests and is not likely to supply individuals incorporated into the the platform for a general peaceful respective society or by a voluntary "living together of individuals, groups or enforced submission to 'special laws or nations. It is a seemingly stable and ruliyt established by a minority or system of organised selfish interests majority o& people. But as soon as which is established by the necessities an individual, a group of people within of of life and interests at a the national social -compound or a special time and may be broken down nation amidst other nations is agitated or revolutionised if it stands in the by special extreme interests, the laws way of the extensive and progressive 330 THE HARMONIST brute-force of special interests. Those the mask of "love" for one's ' God. who are tired of this kind of association, brother" and even for "God", But is or better, isolated dissociation, take it possible at all to call an attitude of refuge in the so-called religious expecting reward for some pseudo- community. renunciation of some selfish interests by (2)' A so-called religious community the name of "Love" f Practicaliy differs from the ordinary social system everything is done on payment. Even in this that it presupposes the {/ood- religions, that contain some hint at the will of the individual to allow his implicit truth of the nature of the brute-force to be sublimated and spiritual Subject, objects and their transformed into a permanent endea- relation, follow this method of ethical vour to shape the own life according to and emotional materialism in their rules and laws which,—either accepted practices. We are expecting material as dictations of a higher authority than profit and are strengthened in this the general human consent or as tendency by the injunctions of the promoting the eschatological benefit Scriptures of these religions. The of the individual,—are followed enthusi- individual is even ready to undergo astically and make the individual and certain kinds of punishment ordained communal move be pointed towards a by the head of the institution or his trainiug-place or hot-house for religious representatives if he has been trespas- sentiments and selfish ethical (?) sing theological or communal restric- meritorious (?) interests. To "serve" (?) tions—the only motive being fear of others becomes the vehicle to attain punishment after death or in course of personal religious benefit— as the egoistic the further life in the form of disease brute force is regulated and the and all kinds of decay, and last not religious interest stimulated—and to get least, the hope, for reward by getting reward at the same time for—ecce access to higher planes (i.e. those more paradoxon ( see how paradox.) congenial to his present temperament) cultivating selfish interest in rewards. than that on which he is enjoying or To associate with such a community suffering now. Strictly regulated means to give up some so much liked routine life and work is the character- habits and interests, to do also some istic of the religious community, work. Why ? Is thought to be automatism of attitude and inclination, meritorious ? The principle of a reli. the purpose of all training. As a gious community is baaed on a form matter of fact this kind of association of sublimated selfishness covered under is a hot-house for religious sentimenta SOCIETY-COMMUNITY-MATH 331

lity and neuroses. The individual I glorify the "meritorious" endeavours freedom has been curtailed for an of pydocrites who make God a supplier non.absolute purpose and the move- of their so-called temporary 'merits' in ments have become automatical. Man cash ? Is it really rational to accept the becomes a machine, functioning very command to repeat prayers to God as a properly like a bull running if only form of punishment for certain trespasses? sufficiently trained by whips and The Math is the spiritual associa- pulling the cart in expectation of food tion of those who serve or pray to be at the tenninus. allowed to serve in surrendering mood But also this kind of association under the Spiritual Absolute Agent cannot satisfy the longing of the soul and as such it is distinctly different from for the living-together with true all sorts of so-called religious communi- servants of God. And by the Grace ties. Its structure is in the form of a of God he may chance to hear from pyramid the augmentation of which is devotees about the true spiritual established by new cells which have no association, the Math other inclination than to be the lowest (3) In the religious community ingredients of the whole. The entele- man, whose nature proper is that of an cbia or the moving motive is the long- infinitesimal absolute,' has become ing for being accepted as proper ingre- dependent on non-absolute factors. His dients, fostered by the realised or heard true functions are curtailed by secondary eternal spiritual inclination of the . heterogene agents. The only explana- spiritual object towards the Absolute tion for these facts is the ignorance of Subject. Any one who interospects the true function between the Absolute into the life of the Math will find the Subject and the absolute objects. If opposite of any automotisms and arti- the knowledge is really acquired or ficial growth. No "serving" attitude the supposition agreed to that we are under the garb of selfish interests is in our proper essence spirit, not matter producing a so-called "serving" attitude or mind, then it becomes immediately in the neophyte, but every one is trying unreasonable to follow the dictations to regard himself as the most unworthy of non-spiritual agents. Why should and unfit member, is avoiding to accept we submit to their dictations ? Why services from others under all circum- should I believe in the authority of a stances, but striving after any form of man erring like myself only because he service leaving aside all hierarchical holds a special position in the so-called considerations. That such au associa- religious community ? Why should tion of devotees can exist at all—facing 332 THE HARMONIST

the variegatedness of types—is to be due to the fact that it is really spiri- explained by the fact that they incite tual and absolute and supported in its each other by the conduct of submitting seeming mundane aspect by the analogy unconditionally to the will of the Spiri- again. The is not to be tual Absolute Agent in the explicit understood but in the practical gradual knowledge or implicit faith that advancenent of unconditioned surrender- He alone knows one or the other to ing service ; otherwise the spirituality serve the Supreme Lord in such and would be exposed to the operation of such a way which may be quite intelli. distorting human mentality. The gible to the objective person himself. process seems to be quite irrational for Criticism is meant for regulating the him who stands at the gate and wants, non.absolute tendencies and agencies. to have a peep into the inner aspect, or It is not meant for the spirit itself. The is only numeTically enclosed in the Subject is the Spiritual Absolute Him- exoteric plane for his future benefit. It self full dependence on whom means is to be realised by the causeless Mercy full independence from all non-absolute of the Transcendental Divine Master influences of the mental or physical who is the medium who makes the plane. Punishment as in the religious opaque act and fact transparent by community is without question, because directing the attitude of the individual it is intelligible to every one that to who is willing to serve !in this way withdraw oneself from the inner promp- through the agency of the Transcendent- ting to serve means dependence on and al Sound, By listening and chanting slavery to the non.absolute. A perfect in words, actions and deeds, the relative system of service ean be built up plane is transcended and the Math on the basis on intended, implicit understood as permanent association or explicit love for the service of of the spiritual loviug serving attitude, the Absolute without any expectation as the association of the Devotees, of" return-service at present or at whose temper has been described by the eschatological future, this service' the Supreme Lord Himself. "My own taking place on the absolute plane, never accept the different forms of symbolised on the mundane plane by an salvation, e.g., attainment of My realm, analogical process. Such an associaticn attainment of dwelling near Me, even does not take place on the mundane the favour of becoming one with sphere, though it seems to be like that. Mysejf; all of which privileges I offer ».* That we have still the fortune to see in them r unreservedly. They covet an analogical way such an association is nothing.but My Service." Psilanthropism and Transcendental Vision

Those who are given to chase the possess the initiative to come in the fleeting pleasures that are yielded by likeness of such objects within the the contact of their senses with the scope of our sense perception. Those sounds, smells, colours, heat and cold, who, by ignoring their transcendental and the sweet and bitter tastes of this character, persist in dealing with them world, are duped by the seeming as ordinary objects of sense-perception features of things. These objects of deprive themselves of the chance of sense perception in reciprocal co-opera- making their real acquaintance by tion with the senses prevent our access such obstructive tactics. to. the real objective aspect of things. It is not possible to make the In lieu of it they bind us to an acquaintance of transcendence so long essentially impermanent, ignorant and as we choose to stick to the inadequa- tantalyzing existence by providing cies and errors of our present sense unlimited scope for such suicidal activities. By paying mere lip-service exercise of our senses. We have to transcend enial objects without become so habituated to leading this ceasing from non-transcendental acti- kind of life that we are apt to display vities, contact with transcendence is our apathy to any serious proposals for not established. This is what the a thoroughgoing re.examination of our psilanthropists have been doing all position for ascertaining and helping over the world with little profit to to remove the cause of the insecurity themselves or their neighbours. and unsatisfactory character of our If we really desire to make the present existence. acguaintance of the objective reality Transcendental objects possessing we must agree to give up our mental the full initiative to relieve us from and physical activities and submit to the necessity of leading this un^tfs receive in their place our real subjec- factory life by removing its material tive function at the hands of the ai^d efficient causes often make their descended transcendental objects. It appearance to the view of mundane implies complete surrender of the observers. Such objects should not spiritual self to the superior unerring be supposed to be simira^ to the guidance of the transcendental objects familiar objects of our sense-pdrception for the due performance of our notwithstanding the fact that they transcendental activity on the 334 THE HARMONIST

supermundane plane of indivisible of all objects, transcendental as well variegated eternal cognition. as non.transcendental. Once we ^re thus enabled to find This restoration of spiritual vision our true function, we are relieved of does not abolish the distinction between all further necessity of exercising our transcendence and non.transcendence. meaningless mental and physical To the transcendental vision of the activities. The revived transcendental self-surrendered soul the non-transcen- function of our real entities thence- dence is no longer obstructive of the forward makes our raejital and physical view of the real aspect of objects. The activities an incorporated part of itself. non-transcendence is perceived in its Our minds and bodies are thus lifted true objective character of an obstruc- to the plane of transcendence by our tive principle "binding the vision of own consent in the shape of the. acti- misguided souls but possessing no vity of self.surrender to transcendental power of obstructing the view of the guidance which has power to subdue transcendental observer. The obstruc- their obstructive nature. They no tive principle is now viewed in its true longer prevent our access to the reality. relation to the Absolute, and as such, They are now the helping agency for is helpful for the realisation of the bringing about our eternal serving principle of relationship m all its association with the ontological truth fulness.

An Address of Welcome [ To his holiness Tridandi Swami Srimad Bhakti Hriday Bon Maharaj, Preacher.in. Charge of the London Gaudiya Math, os the occasion of his first visit to Thakur Bhaktivinode Institute. Sree Mayapur, on Feb. 13, 1936, after his return from his sojourn in England. ] Your Holiness, remember the two occasions when you It is an auspicious moment to us to along with your other colleagues were have you this afternoon in our midst blessed by His Divine Grace Srila when we feel proud and exalted to Prabhupad before*you left India on accord you our heartiest welcome on your voyage to Europe. We also the occasion of your first visit to this remember how yon were electrified with Institute after your return from a the hallowed dust of our Divine Master preaching mission in the West. to carry, aloft, under His guidance, the With a jubilant heart we fully banner of Transcendental Message in a AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME 335 land saturated with materialism, empiri. and joy" the crowning success of your cism, and other "isms' of the kind. propaganda in the West (l) in the The idea of broadcasting the Tran- establishment of the London Gahdiya scendental Sounds to every creek and Mission Society with no less a person- corner of the world originated with age tlvn the Marquess of Zetland, the Sree Krishna-Chaitanya Himself and present Secretary of State for India thenceforward handed down to the line in Council, as its President, (2) in the of spiritual preceptors. But in course bringing to the Lotus Feet of Srila of time a dead-lock came over it, until Frabhupad two disciples from Berlin it was earnestly taken up by Srila the centre of high Philosophical and Thakur Bhaktivinode and handed over Metaphysical Culture in the continent, to our Divine Master to materialise it and (3) in the prospective construction into actual practice. of a Vishnu Temple in London at the Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode predicted instance of tlie Maharaja of Tipper ah. that a day may come in the future The idea of installing the when the Bast and West will meet Adhokshaja Sree Vigraha in a land together in the congregational chanting steeped with the obnoxious materialism of the Names of Sree Hari with is, we all know, to figbt against heavy Mridanga aad Karatals and embrace odds and to translate it into a reality one another as brothers. To a certain looks like something of building a extent, through the Grace of Srila castle-in the air. That, through the Frabhupad, the prediction has been Grace of our Divine Master you have translated into reality with your been able to secure the co-operation of pioneering in the movement set on the aristocracy and the gentry of that foot by our Divine Master. land in the matter shows what a It was a dream to us all to think yeoman's service you have rendered to that the choice of selecting a preacher the cause of His Divine Grace. for -the West to educate and convince In your movements in the land of the Westerners with the teachings of luxury and bustle and association with Sriman Mahaprabhu would fall on a its proud aristocracy, you have not juvenile not over 30 years even at the forgotten to extend the scope of time. And it is a greater dream to beneficence of the Institute by associa- us to find in black and white th£ you ting in its service the London Gaudiya have played the part more ably than Mission which has been pleased could be dreamt of. to allot gold and silver medals for We notice with- great satisfaction attracting the best students to the 336 THE HARMONIST

Institute in order to implant in their advance into every nook and corner of tender minds transcendental aspirations. the- continent to knock at every heart By dint of your efforts and submission and may the commission of h*isting the to the Lotus Feet of our Hi vine banner of Transcendental Message that Master you have belied our expecta- has been accomplished through you tions of your age and have solidly work on with full success, smashing proved, the Grrace of the Divine Master and trampling down the two human permitting, what a miracle can be foes of elevationism and sal vationism. wrought even by a youngster in an Your Holiness, we are poor and unknown land against heavy odds and humble, poor in heart and tongue too. tremendous opposite thought-currents. We have this much confidence that you May the mission of our Divine love us, and that is all that can Master in the West fructify and bring embolden us to approach you with this eternal triumph and glory for the humble address of welcome in the hope Supreme Lord ! May the success of that by honouring the servant of the the cause encourage the elected of the Divine Master we may obtain the Master more and more to push their Mercy of the Supreme Lord,

The Gaudiya Mission. Sridham Mayapur, Harikatha. In the afternoon at 2.30 The Yyasa Puja was celebrated on p.m. the annual meeting of Sri Nabn. the 12th February in Sribas Angan. dwipdham Pracharini Sabha was held The Editor established two institutions, in the House of Mahaprabhu. Thakur Bhaktivinode Reserch Institute Rangoon : and Daiba Yarnashrama Sangha, on Tridandiswami B. S. Giri Maharaj, on this day. The Vyas Puja addresses behalf of the Editor, opened a Gaudiya have been published in the 12th and Math office at 23, Brooking Street, 13th issues. The Editor's reply to the Rangoon under the kind patronage of addresses appears in the present number. the Education Minister Mr. Bamaw Parikiama ; Seth Bhirjidays, Seth Joykissendas, The circumbulation of Sridham Seth Harilal, Seth Narayan das, Rai Nabadwip lit. nine islands (of devotion), Bahadur Kshetra Mohan Basu etc. commenced on the 28th February con- Sree Gaudiya Math Calcutta : cluding on the 7th March. Pilgrims On the 14th March Bratachari Sj- from all parts of India joined the func- Gurusadoy Dutt, i.c.s., came to the tion. Devotional scriptures were ex- Math and heard a discourse from plained and discourse and lectures were Editor on "The Teachings of Sriman given by learned preachers on a regular Mahaprabhu and Vaiahnavism". daily programme, Patna Gaudiya Math. Advent celebration : Tridandiswami B. H. Bon Maharaj On the 8th March the Anniversary delivered a lecture on 'Hinduism* on of the Advent of the Supreme Lord the 12th March before a large gather, was solemnly observed with fasting and ing at Qardanibagh Thakurbari, VOL. XXXII No. 15 ] [ Rsgtd. No. C 1601

THE NARHONIST

(Sree Satianatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Gour Ekadashi Chaitra 450 0»A.

April 2. 1936.

sfrn^T in TOt:

Annifiifatioji of agsafong sufferings, May these our high aims ffourish The Service of Radha* Krishna, To gfaaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4«.8. Foreign Is. 6d. Paramahansa BhaktiiSiddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati.Goswami

Sree Gaudiya Math, P.O. Bagl)bazar, Calcutta. CONTE NTS

Subject Pag®

1. Sadhu-Sanga ( Association with pure devotees ) 337 2. Sub specie aeternitatis ( Spiritual View ) 343 3. Self-dedication ••• 352 4. The Q-audiya Mission 359 T It e B si t m (i n i s I

( Srce Saijanatosbanl)

VOL. XXXII. APRIL 2. 19% No. 15

Sadhu-Sanga {dissociation with pure devotees.)

Satsauijri' nr assnciatiou with S'idlius tion. It delivers us from the thraldom is a very good thing, iudeod the only of shaky situntions. ft creates in us a thing which can ie.ul us to t'reeclotu passionate desire for concerning our- from all troublous situation;-. Our present selves with the Unchangeable and the borrowed affinities with the perishable Imperishable. It establishes us in our and changeable tilings of the world eternal relationship with tin* Absolute. including our own physical and subtle Sri mad Mbagwat says that— bodies are the root-causes of our miseries. Whereas our aim is not only to secure the objects of our happinesses but al,so that these objects should last for i, ever, the transactions whicli we have (Skandha III A.dh. 24, SI. 25) chosen for the purpose are just those association with the seiddms dispels all which we know beyond all doubt to be nescience. perishable. Association with the sadkns swat makes us free from this anomalous posi- 338 THE HARMONIST

^ clt«I CRI^d The word ' mahi' in the said ara^ ?:%: n sloka is plural. Sree Vyasa Deva says, (Skandha X. Adh. 51. SI. 53) "Let us all meditate". He calls upon When the time for the deliverance everyone who can understand his of the yiva-soul from the whirlpool ot language to come and join him in the samsar comes, then he is brought into meditation. But the object of Sree contact with the sadhus. So pray let Vyasa Deva's meditation is not 'asat* us at least once in life make a serious but 'Sat'—'Satyara'. And in order to effort to acquaint ourselves with the prevent any misunderstanding about distinction between satsanga and the true meaning of the word 'satya' asatsdnga. Let us emancipate ourselves used in the Sloka, Sree Vyasa Deva from the clutches of our perverted wis- elucidates it further by describing it as dom which makes us look upon 'asat' as the Ultimate or Transcendental Truth. 'sat' and 'saf as 'asat'. Our real g,ood q*'—q* not sw" depends upon it. He does not call upon anyone to medi- 'Sat' has its existence in eternal time. tate on anything of -this world which is It never ceases to be. It is free from all all mundane or apara. Srikrishna has kinds of imperfections and incomplete- described His 'aparaprakrifi' in another ness. It admits of no shifting posi- Sloka, tions. The phenomenal entities are gftnqtorat qrg: g i not 'sat'. -No, not even the mind. axsfn: saW & faw srsfmwr n Because they are all changeable and aiqlqfiicR^eHTi qffo" S qn^ i impermanent. They are all 'asat'. A sadhu is not he who beguiles us into aftqjpi qrcqi it believing those very 'asats' as 'sats'— (Gita, Adh. 7. SI. 4 + 5) who abets us to busy ourselves in med- 'Saiyam Pa,ram' is free from a-U liabili- dling wifh those very 'asats' as the ulti. ty to 'vivarta,'. There is nq possibility of mate objects of our transactions. A any deception in 'Satyam Par am' at sadhu has everything to do with 'sat', any time and under any circutnstances. but not with anything else. This is stated All inadvertence is in the opening sloka of Srimad Bhagwa t, silenced in 'Satyara Param'. 'qiXfT by the Absolute's Own 'Support'—the ^ an I Substratum—which is not anything different from the Absolute Himself. «rr qr ^r* qxf n dhamna also means 'light'. The gloom (Skandha I, Adh, 1. SI. 1) or the darkness of ignorance has no SADHU-SANGA 339 place there. The knowledge Absolute is which are the offsprings of the triple or Himself. That 'Satya? is very different textured existence itself also entail from the ephemeral things of this world nothing but trouble and worry. It is made of the three qualities of Satwa, like trying to straighten the tail of a Raja, Tama and subject to the limita- dog. We should understand that it is tions of time and space. The pleasure of the very essence of one's borrowed and pain experienced in this world arise affinities with the mental and physical merely out of an interplay of the afore- world to suffer from the three kinds of said qualities and are transitory. afflictions, 'adhyatmiG*, ' adhibhoutic' and 'adhidaivic. All endeavours to relieve humanity of those afflictions in Gita Chapter II. SI. 14. the very direction of the said affinities They are, therefore, all 'asat'. Sri only tend to accentuate and promote Krishna said to Arjuna, them. Knowing, therefore, full well the evil wrought to humanity by such Gita Chapter II, Si. 16. enterprises, the sadhus keep themselves —that which is truth never ceases to be. a thousand miles away from counten- Srimad Bhagwat has compared those ancing or supporting them or- encourag- people who treat the transactions appear- ing any person to meditate upon them. ing on the planes *of the mental "and The sadhu'g spiritual eyes are not on the physical existences as— surface—the afflictions appearing on the material plane. His eyes are on the" soul. He grieves not at the objective fact 'satya', with "asses (the most foolish) that one man is suffering from leprosy, even amongst the most foolish of all or that another is hungry. He grieves quadrupeds viz., cows (gokhara). at the very wrong use made by the The, wise sa/ that- it is foolish to run soul of his free will in electing to turn after>;sen8ual pleasures which, in lieu of his back to the Transcendental Truth the little temporary relief that they (Satyamparam) and engaging himself give us, rob us of the only thing that in meddling with the shadowy region is our all in all, namely, the loving of the ''npara Praknti". He grieves service of the Lord on the Lord's own at it, because it is this which is plane—the plane of Transcendence. responsible for his affinities with the Further, our engagements to alleviate material world, the mental and physical sullerings of the people by the means and processes i 340 THE HARMONIST

gnu rrtrfe 'Axhraya Vigrnha of the Snprorao Lord it Himself. He is as such a blessing to (Srimad Bliagwat Sk. XI, us without his own seeking. His long, Adh. 23, SI 49 .) ing is to serve the Lord. His engage- And hn wmits to cut asunder tliose ment is to serve the Lord And his affini ties h\r inducinif the jiva.soul to teaching is, "Serve the Lord, the Siityam turn his f;ice towards ' cafyam Parnm', Par ■m, which alone is the remedy of not his back, and turn his back towards all our evils'". He knows that kama Moya. His nerves do not sjct so highly krodha, lobka, moha, mada, and strung over an ailing heifer as that lie iiiasfmirja are the six enemies of all must needs take its life in order to give sentient beings, and that all our edu- it a so-called relief from its sufferings.CJ cation all our charity, all onr scientific Ho does not get busy to observe a 21 progress, all our political freedom, and days' fast or to take, a vow to starve all our altruism cannot free us from their himself to death in order to bring about evil clutches. What is the good of a so-called unity between two different makin-j a nation physically or mentally communities. He leaves those works strong if it is only to prove to one to lie done by such good men as are country on the part of another as Italy fitted for them. Those works have cer- is proving to Abyssinia ? What is the tainly their own use within the region good of making improvement in the limited by time and space for giving domain of science if it is to sweep away temporary reliefs. Virtue is certainly thousands and thousands of human better than vice. Rather than a man lives by means of a single bomb sur. should be vicious, be must be taught to charged with poisonous gases ? What be virtuous But a sad/m is the Mani- is tlie good iif turning out highly edn festive Potency of the Supreme Lord Gated men from our universities il they Himself. He manifests the Plane, of are only to exploit the weak and the TranscendenOe to the jiva soul who is ignorant ? What is the good of put- willing to shake off his apathy or anti- ting food into the mouth of the hungry pathy towards that Plane, He himself if it is to make them stronger and •meditates upon, and invites us to stronger ever and ever more for oppres- join him in his meditation of the Siityam sing the poor and the lowly ? No Pnram. He does not pose to stand in his Government can be a blessing to its own independent right to do good to us. people if it is not to protect, uphold and In fact he has no independent exis- glorify the 'sadl/.u's. No education has tence at all. He represents the a value which does not inculcate its SADHU-SANGA 341 recipients to respnct ami par iii'i.|H'r should imt be supposed to submit Him- re^arrl to tlie '.srn/A//«'. No scientific self to be reduced to any Hmpe Or form invention can bo of anv benefit to the which the whims of different human society which does not, lend itself to he minds niijht wish to reduce Him to. used as a tool in the hand of the 'sm/Aus' Meditation is not possible, unless we are for the proparration of their message to blessed with a sight of Him as He is. the world a,ml for oratherinn; people to Therefore, the meditation talked of in their fold. No charity is worth the name the first Sloka of Sri mad Bhagwat, if it is not for financim; the project of which is really an index fo all that the 'yadJiv.s' to advance the cause of the follows in that b mk, is not a mere eternal wood of hninanitv. Tt is the affair of im.ifiliation or speculation. 'yndhits' alone who are in touch with Let us not engage ourselves in a mere Sahin.m Par am. who are Hie buhvorhs mimicry of meditation. We, in our against compromisinw Saft/.im Param present bound state, do not know in any way, who are capable and willin w anything about the affairs of the to brinw ns face to face with Rafi/am transcendental region. Parmmnlmard Pn.ram. So the shifting positions do not is Adhokshaja, i.e , He has reserved to represent the truth. We have all our Himself the right of not being exposed life experienced untruth as truth. We to the senses. have, therefore, mistaken 'nsadlm' for We should not look for a possibility 'sndhv..' This bodv was not before of comprehending Parnmesh,mam by it came out of the womb of its mother. means of our crippled senses and Tt will not be after death. At the a ye puppy brains The Y■ das say so. of 16 it is not what it was at the aye 5. At the age of of) it is not what it was at the awe of 16. Our experience of five years is not the same as our || experience of 16 years, and our ex. But Pnrameshwara has His eternal perience of 16 years is not the same servitors. If we try to understand as our experience of 60 years. The those servitors sincerely we can under, Truth Absolute was before everything stand something about Parameshwara. else came to be. He would remain Sroe Krishna says this to Arjun in when everything else would cease to Srimad Bhagawat Gita — exist. Parameshwara is "Paii/am Param', the Truth as He is, not a thinof ^ flstfsrT g m fltRm ^ n of mental conception. Parameslmara Gita Chapter 9. St : 29. 342 THE HARMONIST

The bhaktas are in Me and I am in have a strong and swift tendency to My bhaktas. Sreeinad Bhay[wat also run far and far away from their says the same tliinw. original object. But when we are talking upon any r(q' flcTT^I JTSTrf^ SRTff M subject our whole attention is concen. trated on it. Let us, therefore, listen Skandha III Adh 5, SI. 3. to the Transcendental Words (Shabda The servitors of the Supreme Lord Brahma) of the sad hue, so that we roam about amongst us to deliver us can do 'kirtana' Let ns again under- from the terrible afflictions of births stand that kirtana would be a mere and rebirths It is they alone who mockery of the thing of that name, by their causeless mercy can make it a mere fakement, unless it has reference possible for us to meditate upon the only to Satyam Param, a proper Supreme Lord. They can do this by knowledge of Whom we must acquire imparting to us the true knowledge from the sadhu We must do shrawan about the Name, Form, Attributes before we start kirtana. We must reject Pastimes and Paraphernalia of the all pseudo-sod/ms anddend our listening Supreme God-head, through the ears to the words proceeding from one medium of Transcendental Sound. We whose entity ('Sattva') is established can then begin the process of medita- in Bishuddha Sattva (the unmixed tion by engaging ourselves .in the manifestive essence ). 'kirtana' of the said Name, Form, Attributes, Pasiimes and Parapher. a* | nalia with a purely serving attitude. The only true form of meditation ^•5% ^ WWK available to us in the present age is swheBil d u 'kirtana When we sit down to Srimad Bhagwat Skandha IV. meditate upon anything, our thoughts Adh. Ill, 81. 23. Sub specie aeternitatis

{Spiritual View ) By E, G. Schulze

Man is in the habit n( viewing function of man in its realm is promoted life and its problems from the human or at least unrestricted. Religion is point of view. In the history of considered to be a psychological factor. religion we find tiiat man has So -ca lied th eologians are maintaining been struggling hard to attain, regain the point that religion is the "maxi- and preserve his human autono- mum of work done by man". my, i. e., the liberty to conduct the in- According to the degree of intensity dividual and social life according to with which some work is performed, it is 'principles' he arrived at in the course to be located nearer to or further From of the exercise of his rational, emo- religion. Any whoh-hearled action is tional and intuitive Faculties. Any liable to be considered as religious. If method of conduct suggested to him is we keep these facts in mind we are not liable to be approved by his enjoying surprised to read in the book of one of temper, if an extension and intensifica- the most prominent Catholic writers of tion of his conscious or subconscious life present Germany that he calls "capi. may be expected from following the talism also a kind of religion." If we respective method. The progress of take the trouble to go through the the individual and social life is seen in standard works of comparative study of the emancipation From any obstacle religion we find the Following 8 very in. dating from inner or outward influences structive definitions of what "religion" is, and dictations The so-called develop- quoted from different authors : (I) lin- ment of the modern culture is confined guistic disease,("2) di vinisation of natural to a gradual elimination of the theocen- forces, (3) totemism, (i) astral cult, (5) trical i. e., ontological "obstructions" for veneration of the dead, (6) animism, (7) the benefit of the anthropocentrical i. e., neoeuhemerisin and (8) cult of the prin- psychological position oF man. The ciple of vitality. Anybody who is likely hierarchy of values is established accord- to suppose that religion is concerned ingly. Religion is admitted as one with the ontological i. e., non-psycholo- of the factors for the cultural advance- gical Subject and respective objects is ment only under the condition that the misenconraged in his belief which is said 344 THE HARMONIST to date from mere credulity and con- to make people change their outlook, fused thought. If we ask the humanists but their motives could be explained on what axioms their system is based by the method of psycho-analysis so we find from their replies that eudai- excellently that only illiterate and and pragmatism are at the credulous people could believe the root : that everything is good and true soundness of their proposals. It is that promotes our enjoyment. Any surely irreligion in the name of religion supposition in the garb of truth is accep- that is misencouraging so much the ted as favourable to the course even if latent seeker after the religious truth. it is a mere fiction, if it promotes life- But due to the repetitive and automatic force. We do "as if" it were so. One mode of our conduct we forget to of the western atheistic philosophers, extend the doctrine of "as if' to the who felt his autonomy obstructed by the positive side. Let us virtually think theological data, suggested the method the object of religion and the poiuted- of the camel-bird. Even if there were at subject as existing in the ontological transcendental i.e., ontological facts we category and, bracketing our own should do as if there were -none, view; let us try to see everything otherwise we would become dependent inclusive of ourselves from the "as if on super-human factors and lose our ontological point of view. It is a autonomy. We act "as if" religion dialectical method as valid as the contains truth whenever vitality is method of blindly following the stimulated, we behave "as if" it is a method of viewing things as circura- fiction if vitality is restricted. The stances have made us see them. Man modern humanist lias been trying to being proud of and anxious for the accommodate himself in the world of maintenance of his autonomy has been birth, development, decay and death misled by his enjoying teiiper to over- and has agreed that his mind cannot look the fact that he takes his bondage tfanscend the relative plane. His to, i. e., dependence on. circumstances consciousness has been quieted and and relations, which condition own and automatically he is in the habit of foreign experiences, as freedom. As classifying all ontological (acts under long as man is intoxicated by the so- the psychological relative category by called enthusiasms for his own autonomy the process of generalising his own i. e., slavery to the relative knowledge limited experience. Here and there acquired through the sensuous experi- some so-called prophets stood up ence and mental analysis and synthesis against this type of —tried of this experience made by him or his SUB SPECIE AETERNITAT1S 345 fellow-man, he is not fit to revise the meetings on our plane i. e., everything pitiable condition. If doubt, scepticism inclusive the religious Subject God and pessimisms as to the plane of should stand at our disposition to fill up direct personal or foreign perception our wants. Man has been able to some begin to overcompensate the narcotic extent to control or to protect himself enthusiams, the keyhole to the proper againsto the forces of nature,' but as his solution of the problem seems within a uncertainties have become only subtler few inches of man's inquisitive groping and subtler and at the same time more fingers : intellectually the chance is poignant, he continues to appeal to given to discard all relativity, deception divine aid. Fear must arise from the and autonomy and to seek for the depen- perception of anything except Godhead dence on the Divine Autocrat. But and our relation with Him. If human immersed in life at the mento-emotional life is full of change and uncertainty, level, being in the habit of thinking we are likely to take shelter at the based on habits of thoughts and not on dialectical opposite of changelessness any immediate consideration of facts, and everlasting security. We arrive at he is content to fit into the frame.work the conception of an entity entirely of his environment and conditions different from any mundane agency and without question. Our opinion is entirely go on striving at and being enthusiastic based on family-tradition, on fear of for the union with or merging into the or desire for change, otass-prejudice, substratum of that very entity. Doubts on fear of want and poverty, and so on. may arise at times if this entity is The personal desire i. e.,,our respective really substantial and not only imagina- characteristic inclination presents to tive and Actively transcendental ; but us good and adequate reasons for our as any deviation from the firm belief in cherished opintons. It is not philoso- its real existence is realised as painful phy which makes man, but man who re.establishment of the forgotten un- makes philosophy. And as far as psy- certainty, we are too ready to be hyp- chological so-called religion is concern- notised by the psychological methods ed, it is also true that man paints him- which are stored up in the vast body of self in his deities. The search for God secondary religious b junctions. We prompted by our dissatisfaction with are trying to accept one of the- conven- life proceeds along the line of "ought- tional orthodoxies of our environment nesses" our repetitive and automatic or allow ourselves to be held by a view mode of thinking and moving is follow, and new idea which promotes sublima- ing. We are accustomed to expect all tion or transmutation of the difficulty 346 THE. HARMONlS'l into any " useful" activity towards the inner condition to this voidness by a resju'cti ve |iic'tiire ol one of the many process of mental absorption. They painted drop-scenes preventing the are then enjoying a kind of pseudo- challenging insincere activity of the peace consisting in temporary eliraina- inquisitor to make Infinite Reality serve tion of the principle of vitality his finite purposes. The History of All the time we have been in the hall semi.Religions offers the dramatic vain busy with introspection into our and breaking of the seeking attitude through others' psychological structure and the the encrusted forms established by the enjoyment of drop-scenes and even of mind's function to set real spiritual the iron curtain. We are confined to truth, acts and facts in moulds which the hall of mundane i. e., perishable in- need to be broken from time to time, as gredients, But God is constantly attract- truth loses its vitality by that process. ing us. We realise it in the form of an But these human breaking actions can. echo by the impulsive desire to gft out not pierce tlm ugh the opaque obstrue. from the hall, but we find that the door tions. It is from the Ickft for stage- and walls are firm and unshakable. machinery, i.e., by the deluding potency Then again and again we hear a voice : of the Supreme Lord, that the infinity the door is open though it seems to be of variable drop scenes is dropped or closed ; it is open for every one who is raised. An infinity of charming drop- sincerely submitting to the Truth Who scenes is ready to satisfy the enjoying out from unknown Mercy has made physical, mental or emotional temper of Himself present in the hall to tell us the man for a longer or shorter period. method to be followed for our eternal The impatient spectators may rush good. He tells us : "Come to Me. I towards the stage and tear the curtain am recruiting from you all those who they are tired to see, they may pull want to serve the Truth instead of enjoy- il»\vn one drop-scene after the other, ing material and mental objects." And ami after a shorter or longer period a move is started in the hall pro and they are tired again. Their en- contro the Messenger of Divine Pure thusiasms end in pessimisms. They Love for God. Many defying Him as therefore prefer to close the light a fqlse ecstatic prophet, few only agsem. in the hall and to drop the iron curtain bling at His Feet. All fanatics of to attain to a plane void of any desig- human autonomy revolt against Hira native characters, which is inducing Who seems for their eye to be like them, them to follow special psychological selves. But the disciples of the Divine trainings in order to accommodate their Master go towards all directions of the SUB SPECIE AETER.N1TATIS 347

^lolje, this hiill for punishment of all revealing themselves to you as tran- those who posed tlieraselves as specta. scendental founds through the medium tors, and they display in humility and of your spiritual ears, if you listen with submission to the Divine Absolute self-surrendering attitude. The Tran- Master the true spiritual attitude, scendental Sound will teach you how to seemingly moving on the same plane as see things sub specie aeternifate, i. o., the spectator. The drop-scenes and from the Absolute View. There are curtain are going to be dropped finally many pseudo-teachers who incite you to for the vision of those who have implicit strive after gross and sublime forms of faith in Kim. And from behind the enjoyment and renunciation as mask screen a voice is heard addressing all for enjoyment. But the Divine Abso- and one of them : "Listen | Listen who lute Master has come to tell you that has ears to listen ! You want to see the the only relation which can exist bet- Truth ? Listen first ! Your eyes, ears, ween your soul and the Absolute is that noses, mouths, tongues and skins and of spiritual service. This world is but your analysing and synthesising mind the perverted and reverted reflection of are in arr enjoying mood. You are the true world of the Absolute." We accustomed to look on all objects as have to acquire an entirely new know- objects of your individual or collective ledge, for we still see everything upside enjoyment. You would not hesitate to down. The Divine Master is not con- make the Subject your object, if it came cerned with the so-called altruisms of before your vision now. But the Truth this world that promote only the enjoy- does not expose Himself to your ing human temper. Man alone has the challenging mood, Re is beyond the eqnipnients to follow the Message of grasp of your senses. You are measur- Divine Loving Service. The Divine ing everything. You are ready to Master is mixing with man seemingly measure the Absolute like the measur- on the same platform devoting all his able things of this world. 1 hit I tell time for the only purpose of recruiting you that self-effulgent principles are from them the true devotees All other not to be measured by human senses. people we have to consider as non- Listen with submissive ears, and your devotees, i. e., atheistical offenders, eyes will be directed by transcendental who by enjoyino actions and inclina sounds to view things from the proper tions bereave the Lord of what is only point of view. Transcendental sounds and aloue His. The devotees alone are seem to be mundane sounds for mun- serving the Lord in the proper manner. dane ears ; but thay have the power of Through their grace and help we have 348 THE HARMONIST to approach Him. Whatever we under, tive. Mind is factum, principle of take—everything depends on the Divine ioertia as much as gross matter, and Will, on the Grace of the Divine has no initiative which belongs only to Master and the helping hand of the the soul. The soul identifies herself devotees. He is the only Means. with the mind and enjoys the world- Everything which does not point at objects through the medium of the Him, which is not done by submission senses. If the only relation between to His Divine Will, is but a failure. He soul and God is that of devoted service, alone is wise who does not look at the then it is a rational conclusion to say things of this world as the objects of that the soul given to enjoyment his enjoyment. "Let us scrutinise into through the medium of the senses in the Acar and Pracar of the so-called subtler T)r grosser form is unable to gums and we will cease to have any grasp anything which lies beyond the regard for them. The True Preceptor realm of the limited human senses. The is directing all our activity to the act of posing ourselves as lord and actor, service of tlie. Absolute. He is teach- inspector and enjoyer, is an act of nes. ing us how to make the best use of our cience. If we aim at objects we are in time. Let us use our time ! Let us this attitude actuated by ignorance. try to have a peep into the trauscen. avidya, that power of God whose funo- dence under the Guidance of Him -Who tiou is to dupe us and which will dupe is nothing less than- the Absolute and us as long as we are not prepared to Who is whole.timely devoted to the Bubmit to H?m. The world seems to be service of the Absolute. Externality our object, meant to serve ua, because offers only the mundane side of things. wS are put into this hall of time and If we penetrate into them we shall find space. But sub specie aeternitatis that transcendence is very near to us. every stress has to be given on the fact We are now in the habit of posing our- that we are meant to serve. Our eternal selves as lord, as actor, seer, spectator, inherent disposition is to serve Him. doer, etc. Having turned our back to But our whole attention has been mis- God and His Realm and having gone directed Instead of adjusting ourselves out for own enjoyment we, i. e, pure to the primary manifestation of the spiritual self, have been enshrined by Absolute manifest to us in the Absolute body and mind and are now in a dor- Person of the Divine Master and His mant condition. Mind is playing the Associates, we ate directing our atten- role of the initiating Soul, But body tion towards the diverted reflection of and mind cannot have any real initia. Vaikuntha. If we shall be enabled to SUB SPECIE AETERN1TAT1S 349 see us as servitors, we shall have a ness, is in Him. We as absoluteinifini- different view, not lording it over the tesimal proper 80ul8i should know no glittering side of the seemingly mani- other relation than that of uncondi- festive things of this'shadowy realm. tional service withdut the' expectation As long as we are continuing to move of any rewards in return as pseudo- on this plane, we are likely to go astray. religions want to make us believe. Man But He is attracting us. Krishna is wanted- to be emanicipated from the the only Bnjoyer and Supreme Attract- jurisdiction of the Absolute, and he

ing Lord> He is our only resort. Only came under the clutches of the non- by the strength of His attractioii our Absolute imagining this state as attention and outlook will be directed Autonomy. Maya—the deluding aspect from the external side of thing8 to of the Supreme Lord—has been deceiv. the true substantive Reality underlying inu us as the proper punishment for our and giving them as perversions their— unserving temperament. The soul though shadowy—existence. How long belongs to the spiritual world. She shall we be able to enjoy or rather suffer was never created as the Creationists the drop-scenes of this world ? Pessi- hold who think that soul is created mism is our end—relative pessimism. But in the moment of conception by we require our eternal home, which is an extra-ordinary act of creation by remaining, which is not liable to trans, God (according to the Catholic authentic formation. We are looking forward for dogma). Soul is in her true position everything that is promisttig us happi- the eternal servant of Krishna, the ness. Bub we don't find a permanent Attraotor Who attracts the attracted. p'.ane with permanent relations, on a He attracts spirit, not matter. The plane of impermanence. Our preseht relative plane supplies the platform for view in day-time is to transcendental the action of the law of harma ; but view, as dreams ifi^the night are to the karma does not operate on spirit. But conscious state. This world and all the idea of spirit is. nothing. Loving relations we may possibly have here are spiritual service is everything. Mental miserable, impermanent and averse to speculation is merely crippling the the service of the Absolute. But eternal truth. By an intellectual study we blissful knowledge is the character of increase only the infertile store of in- the Spiritual Body of the Lord Who is combustible straw in our brain. Mental the Real Absolute Form of permanence, activity leads to the iron screen only. undisturbed peace and bliss and progres- But we have a spiritual body and mind. sive full cognition. Pleroma, i. e., ful- They are the objpcts, God, as Subject, '350 THE HARMONIST is Healiui; with. Mental experience can Full Scope if we can attain to the full permeate only three iliaiensional planes. scope of service by the Grace of the The Absolute category is extra zoetical, Absolute Master ? "LISTEN ! " Tran- i.e. beyond-the range of human senses. scendental Sound is identical with Therefore all hasty concluisons as to the Transcendental Substance. He will the nature of God and our relation with direct us, if we submit to Him uncondi- Him will lead us only to a negative tionally, to see us as servitors in the impersonalistic pantheistic view b}' proper manner. Dependence on matter eliminating from mundane manifestive. or mind is not autonomy at all. Freedom ness all designative characters. But from them in full dependence on the the spiritual variejiatedness by far Absolute is the autonomic character of superexcels the variegatedness of the man he has to strive after in the asso- shadowy world of unwholesomenesses ciation of the devotees. Idea is and impermanence. We are meant for nothing. Intellectualism is nothing. the service of the Absolute. We revolt, On the psycholoiiical plane it does not ed against this fact and have been dis- matter much what method we are connected, dislocated. However great the following, what apotheotic or anthro- attracting power of the objects of the pomorphic goal we may be pointing at things of this world may be, the dissatis- —all these attempts lead merely to faction of man with his present condition non-Gol. If Religion would be a mere indicates the instinctive longing of his psychological fact and process, we can soul for the re-establishment of his pray to any concocted figure or non- eternal tie with the Absolute. We shall figure of Godhead. The result will be fail to understand any proposal coming always negative. But why should we from the side of the Absolute Agent, at all talk about the beauty,Jforin and if we try to follow the empirical method activities of the daughter of a sterile of interpreting the Truth in the light woman ? If God would'be nothing but a of our limited experience. There are psychological "as if" fiction,—and hid- distinctive differences in the goal and den behind all liberalisms stands the idea method of the different religions, which that there is no truth in religion.Jat all, distinctions should not be neglected. We only to avoid the final despair the find extended, limited and highest con- liberal hypocrites keep these "as if", ceptions of God and the serving attitude fictions,—it would be really better by studying the with to go to the playground for foot- an open mind. Why should we be ball in order to intensify our brute- satisfied with anything less than the force. SUB SPECIE AETERN1TAT1S 351

Non-religion is better than irreligion, Absolute. We shall then find that the for the latter makes us pose as servitors life we have been leading till now was of the Absolute while we are only a pseudo-life only. When the love enjoyers and obstructs the coming in towards the Absolute-will be the natural contact with true devotees. outflow of our spiritual heart, we shall But religion proper is an ontological realise unrestricted continuous and relation. The Name of God is no mere progressive flow of spiritual loving notion, the Transcendental Sound no service. How is it possible that we are mere mundane sound, if He comes from still busy with the intensification and the lips of the Absolute Spiritual extensions of our enjoying attitude — Master. The Transcendental Sound with strenghthening our brute.force J can take the initiative and reveal Him- We can have full confidence and faith self to us as identical with the Person, in the Divine Absolute Preceptor Who Form, Attributes and Activities of the will direct us by the Transcendental Supreme Lord. By submissive listening Sound in accordance to the degree of to the words coming from the lips of our submissive surrendering attitude. the Absolute Person "we may expect What have we to do ? Listen, listen that our enjoying temperament may be and again listen ! Listen to the Authen- corrected and we be enabled to see tic Truth not dating from relative things sub specie aeternitatis. Serving sources, removing the fingers of autono- attitude in the close association of the mic pride from our ears, which is a devotees can alone help ua towards the perfectly rational method to gain realisation of the ontological, non.psy- the spiritual view in the activity of chological plane of the service of the service. Self-dedication

(Tridandiswami B. P. Tirtha Maharaj's talk to Father P. Jobans, S. J., and Mr. Olivier Lacombe, at the Calcutta Gaudiya Math, on 26-3-36, 10-11 a. m.),

The true conception of Godhead and stitutes the system of empiric know- His religion is given in the second ledge. One who proceeds towards the shloka of th^ Srimad Bhagabata. It says Ultimate Reality by this process at last that God is one without a second ; He reaches a goal which is impersonal is the Absolute Truth ; so His religion is Brahma. Brahma is Greater than this one without a second and this religion universe. He is free from all desig- is free from any mundane defect. This native features. This is the highest con- religion of Srimad Bhagabata is estab- ception of the Truth according to the lished by the Supreme Lord Himself. impersonalist school. They proceed Human knowledge and reasoning is from this side 'towards the Ultimate limited, and so human intellect cannot Reality, which, according to them, is comprehend the true aspect of Godhead the summation of all negations. Now, unless and until He reveals Himself. there is another process which is called He reveals Himself by manifesting His the descending process which consists Descent to the plane of our present in the absolute surrender of one's prag- ignorance. matic self and everything belonging to The Supreme Lord made His the mundane atmosphere to the Initia- Appearance in I486 A. C. in order to tive of the Supreme Lord. Then the teach the people by Precept and Exam- Supreme Lord, out of His infinite ple how to approach Godhead, how to Mercy, reveals Himself to the surren- acquire a true conception of the Ulti- deror who has dedicated his everything. mate Reality in order to serve Him in This is called shrauta pantha or revela- the best possible manner. In this world tion to the aural reception. The Word, among the philosophers of the Bast and Logos or Transcendental Sound reveals the West there are two processes of 'Himself as the Transcendental Personali- approach to Godhead. One is inductive ty of the Supreme Lord to a self-realis- or the ascending process which relies ed soul through his ear, and this Tran. u^on sense experience, and the body of scendental Sound comes down in an inferences gathered by this process con. apostolic succession of reciters and SELF-DEDICATION 353

hearers of the same. One who is in tant shlolca of the Oita, Sarvadharman proper touch with the apostolic order or paritajya etc.," the Supreme Lord says the Guru is in a position to receive the to Arjuna, "you are to surrender, your Truth. In the scriptures the following anything and everything, your all, to example is cited by way of analogy. It the Supreme Lord, and He will reveal has a mundane reference to facilitate Himself to you." So we find that the our understanding the purport. If we Absolute Truth reveals Himself to one wish to see the sun we need not focus who has dedicated his all. "Give all on it the man-made lights of the world to the Lord and get all from Him," is for the purpose. It will not enable us to the essence of Lord Chaitanya's see the distant sun. The sun is a self, Teachings. effulgent thing. We see the sun only Lord Chaitanya has .taught us that when it emits its light to our unob- he, whom God favours is enabled to structed retina and by its own light. In realise Him through His Own Power order to see the rising sun, it is also or Sree Gurudeva, the Transparent necessary that we should turn towards or Manifesting Medium. Lord Chai. the east, not towards the south, west tanya has also taught us to beware or north, but towards the east and east of false prophets. All non-serving entities only, and keep our eyes open for the are pseudo-grwrwa through whom one light of the sun to come in contact cannot see the Truth. The Guru is not with our retina. Just in fhe same way opaque. The real Guru, the World if we are receptive, if we are sincere Teacher, is the manifesting 'Other Self seekers of the Truth and if we have of Godhead. In the form of the Guru an attitude of service or active submis- Godhead appears in this world in order sion, we may come in touch with the to teacl) the people Who God is, what Absolute Truth when He chooses to jiva is, what maya is and their inter- take the initiative to come within the relationship. Ouru is God in the form range of our vision. This is known as of His Own best servant. The serving bhaktimarga, while south, west and aspect of Godhead is Qurudevoii the north represent karma, yoga and jnana Counter-Whole of His enjoying aspect. margas respectively. The Bnjoyer Godhead enjoys the One who is willing to have a Enjoyed Godhead. glimpse of the Absolute Truth, is We can approach the Supreme Lord required to be earnest and then sub- as His servants. Godhead is a Person. missive. He should surrender himself The Supreme Lord Sree Krishnn- entirely. In the last and most impor- Chaitanya has taught us that we can 354 THE HARMONIST

also approach Godhead as the servants been pervertedly reflected in this mun. of His friends and parents and as dane world. Here also we have the maids of His consorts. These four relationships of servant and master, relations are characterised respectively friend and friend, son and parents, by dasya (servitorial), sakhya (friendly), husband and wife, but these relation- batsalya (paternal) and madhura (amo- ships are the unwholesome perverted rous) mellow tastes ( rasa ). In the reflections of the reality. In the sakhya (friendly) rasa we can play freely Kingdom of God these, relationships with Him in an atmosphere of equality point to God and are exercised on the where we can love Him as our equal. plane of eternal existence, unclouded We can fight with Him and climb His cognition and unceasing joy. So Lord shoulders just as friends Sridam, Sudam Chaitanya has taught us to love God- and others of Brindabana did. This is the head in one of these four different ways- conception of Friend.hood of Godhead. He has taught us that the only means The next higher is Son-hood. We can of attaining these relationships is Namn approach the Supreme Lord by serving Samkirian, the chanting of the Holy Parental mood. In that case the Name of the Supreme Lord in the Supreme Lord is served as the Divine company of His pure devotees. Nama Child and we become the associated Samkirtan. is the means as also the counterparts of His parents Nanda and end itself. The mundane atmosphere Yasoda. The highest, the most perfect, accommodates earth, water, fire and air. the most sublime, the most intimate The mundane atmosphere has the relationship with Godhead ( Sree attribute of sound In this world every Krishna ) is that of Consort-hood. In transaction is conducted by means of that respect the Supreme Lord appears sound which is the only medium to before us in His Own Specific Form communicate our ideas and thoughts. that has an inconceivable likeness to But this sound by concealing ^he truth the form of the male human figure in of the thing or person denoted by the budding youth as at the age of 15. sound brings chaotic rupture into the The unalloyed spiritual entities of world. This is the greatest defect of jivas might be enabled to approach Him the mundane sound. Take for instance as the counterparts of His consorts, the sound 'water,' The sound 'water' the gopees. We can love Godhead as is not identical with the thing itself. the Master, Friend, Child, and Beloved Lord Chaitanya has taught us that Consort of His Divine Counter. Whole. there is a spiritual atmosphere of which These four different relationships have the mundane atmosphere is the per. SELF-DEDICATION 355

verted shadow. The living sounds of individual souls. We are part and that transcendental atmosphere are parcel of the Over-Soul. Our abode identical with the things which they is not this mundane plane but the express. Speaker, hearer and talk, eternal Abode of God. We eternally observer, observed and observation have co-exist with Him in the spiritual abiding positions of relativity as distinct plane. We should not identify ourselves from the passing experience of this with the mundane entities born of flesh phenomenal world. awd blood. To the question ''Who am In a straight angle there is no I ?," Lord Chaitanya replied, ''You are denying angularity. There is no not a product of Nature ; you were not angularity of vision on the transcenden- born nor will you die. You are eternal." tal plane. That plane is the plane of In the 2nd chapter of the Gita also pure and unalloyed existence of every we find that fire cannot burn the soul, individual soul. lit this mundane world water cannot drown the soul, air cannot all existence is subject to birth, dry up the soul and weapons cannot changing existence and death, the kill the soul. It is immortal. We are triple qualities of the power of limita- souls and belong to the Kingdom of tion. But on the plane of unalloyed God. We have forgotten Godhead existence or suddha sattva, the soul has and as a punishment we have been eyes which constantly visualise the hurled down to this mundane plane Absolute Truth and every sense res- and have been wrapped up with these ponds to the Initiative of the Absolute two coatings, the gross physical body Truth. There is no defect in the angle born of parents and the subtle body of vision There is no obstructive made up of mana, huddhi, and ahamkara, limitation or measurement there. mind, intellect and perverted ego. Lord The sound of the transcendental Chaitanya has told us that the way of atmosphere is the Holy Name identical transcending the plane of these with Godhead. Unless and until we wrappers is to come in contact with elevate ourselves from this mundane an Absolute-realised soul, one who has plane bf triple qualities,—of three dimen- already transcended. We can only sions of length, breadth and thickness— be awakened by one who is awake. which is this plane of measurement, it The soul who is awake can give us is impossible for us, to comprehend the fhe Message of the Transcendental Holy Name or Godhead. So Lord Sound or the Holy Name and of the Chaitanya has tapght us that we are to Guru Who can impart the same and transqend time and space. We are we are to chant the Holy Name Who 356 THE HARMONIST is identical with Godhead. This is versal Soul dwells with our unalloyed the only true communion with Godhend, selves, that the same Soul is immanent The Transcendental Sound will enter in every soul, then and then only we into our souls* ears and purge out all the are free jivas or mukta jivas, free from ignorance which we have accumulated mundane influences. Then in whatever by means of the mundane sound. If direction our attention is directed we we listen to or chant the Holy Name, find the Supreme Lord manifest in it will dispel the darkness of ages arid every entity with all His entourage the long accumulated dirts from the in His Abode of Bliss and vice versa mirror of our hearts. If we are willing Then our human life reaches its acme. to serve Godhead, render Him our Until we realise this stage, we must confidential service we are to associate undergo some cleansing and helping with Him by chanting His Name and processes called sadkan. by hearing the Transcendental Word, The sun is fourteen' lakhs of times In the mundane plane when a sound bigger than the earth. How is it then is heard, the other senses come forward accommodated in our visual range ? It to corroborate the sound. But in the is because of the distance. So Paramo, Spiritual or Transcendental Realm, Brahma, the Absolute Infinity, is of the Word does not require corrobora- middle size Who is Krishna. He can tion by the other senses because It is accommodate Himself in our properly complete in Itself. adjusted spiritual range of vision out of Tim mind is a material thing and His infinite Mercy. He can do so always meddles with matter. The only because He is Omnipotent. He reveals way to relieve it from associating with Himsell in forms corresponding to the matter is by association with holy men, desires, of His servitors. A servitor, who narrate the Glorious Deeds of the who desires to be free from all gross Supreme Lord, to our willing ears. ideas of the mundane atmosphere for Because what one has himself realised, being eligible for His service, can one can c mvey to others, as a man realise Him as his Divine Master, who is awake can help to awaken Divine Friend, Divine Child and others. We have to approach the according to the purity and intensity transparent medium, the Guru, with of his love, Divine Lover. The Guru questions regarding the Absolute Truth Is no other than Krishna manifesting and can have our doubts removed if Himself as Guru to one whom He we are bona fide seekers of His service. favours, A human being cannot be When we realise that the same Uni- Guru. Jeeus Christ is accepted by the SELF-DEDICATION 357

Christians as their guru. In the with the apparent Ts, In order to Hindu Scriptures it is said that God- realise the real 'I', the only way is to head reveals Himself as Ouru to those pray to be allowed to love the Supreme who supplicate for His service. "Tesham Lord as Master, Friend, Son or Lover. satatajukianam etc.,'' so says the Oita. It The only proper prayer should be to means that those who have really this effect, "May Thou be pleased to understood the nothingness, perish- relieve me from this house of maya. ableness, and temporality of this mun- I will no more wilfully violate Your dane atmosphere, und are willing to perfect wishes. I will not forget Your have mediate communion with Godhead, Lotus Feet. You are my everything." are enabled to realise Him by surren- God is sentient. He can fake and can dering entirely, absolutely, cent per cent, allow others to take the initiative. If to the Lotus Fpetrof the Guru. Then we pray to Him with all humility and Krishna reveals Himself to his unalloy- sincerity. He will certainly respond ed essence, i. e., in his suddha saliva to our prayer. It is He Who gives Our unalloyed selves naturally oscillate us pure intelligence with which we towards the recipient position. By can ascertain who is who, what is what self-elected ignorance and serfdom of and which is which. He says in the may a, we are led to say that we are Oita, "dadami buddhiyogam tamn, that things of this mundane world We say is, "I am the Giver of buddhiyoga or we are Indians, Englishmen, Frenchmen, pure intelligence to him who really Americans, Chinese, etc., etc. This seeks My Guidance." Unless He delusion is produced in us by may a. imparts this pure intelligence, we can We are neither Indians, nor Englishmen, never get it. Arjuna was equipped nor Frenchmen, nor Americans, nor with his Oandiva Dhanu, a bow which any species or genus or race or class is imperishable and which cannot be of this mundane world Just as we wielded by anybody else except Arjuna, put on coats and shirts of cotton, scJ and a quiver with an infinite and we put on this gross coating of flesh unending stock of arrows and an born of parents. Inside this coating indestructible chariot, and he himself of flesh there is another inner coating possessed self-control. When he went of the mind, the perverted ego, and to heaven, Urvasi, the most beautiful inside that perverted ego there is the. celestial nymph, essayed to seduce him, doubly enwrapped real ego or 'aham* but he could reject her. The Supreme or the eternal servant of the Supreme Lord Krishna condescended to act as the Lord. We must not confuse ourselves charioteer of Arjuna. Just before the battle 358 THE HARMONIST of Kurnkshetra, Arjuna was at a loss personages who are always in touch whether to fight and kill his kin or to with the Supreme Lord. They will live the life of a beggar without fighting surely bless us. They will infuse their for the throne. He was at a loss to spirit in us which is called shaktisanchar understand what to do although equip, or infusing of patency. That which ped with the above requisites. But can have any relationship with the what did he do » He fell at the Lotus Supreme Lord is our soul. The senses Feet of his Charioteer and said, "My are superior to the body, the mind is Lord, I am Your most helpless disciple. superior to the senses, the intellect is You are ray Ouru. I dedic.ite myself superior to mind and the soul is superior unconditionally to Your Guidance. to everything. The most precious thing Instruct me at this terrible crisis as to we possess is our soul and we must offer what I am to do." From this we learn her to the Supreme Lord Who is the the lesson that though we may be only Proprietor or Recipient of the equipped with the best things of this services of our unalloyed entity. A world, we may be very learned, well- sensible person at once offers his real versed in all, the Scriptures, and entity for the service of the Supreme most intelligent, yet with all these Lord, and says, "I am Thy servant and it is impossible for us to compre- You are ray Master", and it is only hend that, which lies beyond time and then that the real response at last space. Lord Chaitanya has taught us comes from the Lord and He gives the that if we are sincere seekers of the eternal bliss of His loving service to Truth, we must associate with holy the fully dedicated soul. The Gaudiya Mission

Sree Chaitanya Math, Sree Mayapur course by the Editor at the Math for On the 30tli March, in the evening, about four hours explaining why it is Tridandiswami B. K. Audulorni Maharaj not possible for one holding elevationist explained the unalloyed mercy of and Salvationist ideas to approach the Sriraan Mahaprabhn to tlie fallen jivas Transcendental Message. Then he in making known to all the means by went on explaining how Sree Radha- which any jiva may attain to Divine kunda is the highest place, how the Love, in the shape of the unalloyed transcendental milk-maids are the best service of the Supreme Lord. servitors of the Supreme Lord Sree Sree Purusottam Math, Puri : Krishna, and how of these transcen- Editor arrived here on the 29th March dental railk.maids Sree Radhika is the He will stay here for two months foremost. to conduct the hundred.day celebration Sree Gaur Gadadhar Math, Champahati of Harikatha and Hansamkirtan and the Sri Ram Navami Tithi was duly construction of the new temple of Sree celebrated here on the 31st March when Govindaji of the Math. Pandit Radhagovinda Kavya.Puran- Sree Gaudiya Math, London : tirtha read and explained Sree Chaitanya Sripad Rashbehari Brahmachari, Bhagabat. The local people were Bhaktijyoti sailed for India on the 1 st treated to Mahaprasad. of April per S. S. "Kashi-ma.marn." Sree Gaudiya Math, Amarshi : Sree Satchidananda Math, Cuttack On 20th March, 1986, Tridandiswami Editor accompanied by a large B. B. Srauti Maharaj delivered a number of devotees, arrived at lantern lecture at the Math in course of Cuttack by .Madras Mail on the 25th which he explained to the audience the March. devotional activities of the Editor, The Yubaraj of Kalahandi, Mr. Midnapur : Tripathi, Mr. Ghanashyam Das B. a. On the 23rd March, Tridandiswami (Lond.), Pandit Tilakinath Garttu, B. H. Srauti Maharaj read and explain- Pandit Sridhar Misra, Sj. Sarat Chandra ed Srimad Bhagabatam at the house De, Sj. Sarat Chandra Ghosh, Prof. of Sj. Kangalicharau Das. "Sree Vyasa- Nisi Kanta Sanyal m. a., and other deva, after having re-arranged the gentlemen attended an elaborate dis- Vedas and composing the Mahabharat 360 THE HAKMONIST was fpeling uneasy. The Divine sage at the invitation of Sj. Prabhat ChandVa Sree Narada, Guru of Sree Yyasadeva, Das, delivered a lecture on "Duty of told him that he hnd not got the peace Mankind" on the 23rd" March, and on the of his soul due to his neglecting to next two days, read and explained the write about the Transcendental Name, story of Prahlad Maharaj from the Form, Attributes, Pastimes and Entou- Bhagabat which declares that the rage of the Supreme Lord Sree Supreme Lord will surely protect His Krishna, the only subject of hona.fide devotee from the tortures of unbelievers. spiritual enquiry Sree Yyasa was then Bishnupur and Patrasaer, Bankura : advised to write the Bhagabat and make it clear that oil jivas may attain to real At the request of numerous gentle- and everlasting peace by chanting, to men of these two places, Mahamahopa- the exclusion of all other topics, the desaka Pandit Sripad Bhakti Saranga Name, Form, Attributes, Pastimes G-oswami Prabhu, delivered a lecture at of the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna. Bishnupur on the 24th March on '"Un- On the 24th March, Swamiji deli, alloyed Devotion preached by Sree vered a lantern lecture on theAdvent of Krishna-Chaitanya Mahaprabhu". The Sriman Mahaprabhu and His Teachings. people approached him with the prayer Joykrishnapiir : that a branch of the Gaudiya Math may Tridandiswami B. S. Parbat Maharaj be established at Bishnupur. VOL XXXII No. 18] [ Regtd. No. G 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Saflanatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna Kkadashi Baishak 450 O.J,

April 18. 1936.

Annihifation of agj*fong sufferings, i May these our high amis ffourish | The Service of Racfha-Krisfma. 7o gfaaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs, 4-8, Foreign Is. 6d. Paramahansa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswah Goswami

Sree Gaudi/a Math, P.O Baghbazar, Calcutta. CONTENTS

Sttbjaot

1. Buddhism ...... &6I 3. The Absolttte Personality ...... 869 8. Sroe Krishna-Chaitaiiya ...... 371 aLl-olory to sree ouru and oauranoa

T h e B atmolitsf

(Sree Sajjanatosbani)

VOL. XXXII. APRIL 18. 1936 No, )6

Buddhism Philosophy or Religion > I (By B. G. Schulze )

Prom the liberalistic point of view ed ideas of the ontological Subject, a solution of the problem "Is Buddhism objects and the relation between both, to be reckoned as Philosophy or Reli- and, all the more, over all philosophies gion f" is impossible, as the liberalistic as products of secondary sensuous in- principle denies the possibility of a trospection into the acts and facts religious plane at all. This article before our senses and mind and the follows the principle of a rational conclusions drawn from the faulty premi method of the Comparative Study of ses of oar empirical methods, he sees the History of Religions from the non- no necessity to distort the object of -his liberal i. e., anti-liberal point of view. comparison for securing the favourable As the writer is more than convinced resnlt of a comparative study, distor. of the super-excellence of Yaishnavism tion, a method so widely prevalent as the Transcendental, Spiritual and amongst the so-called liberal and Absolute True Religion over all Reli- "orthodox" scholars of higher or lower gions with limited, crippled and restrict- intelligence, being the refuge of those 362 THE HARMONIST who see no other way to establish the sufferings and the elimination of the seeming half-believed, half.doubted sufferings," The four truths are (l) preeminence of their fold. The writer, the truth about the sufferings (dukkha), therefore, puts before the reader in the (2) the genesis of the sufferings first paragraph an exposition of the (dukkhasamudaya), (3) the elimination teachings of as con- of the sufferings (dukkhanirodha) and tained in the PaluScriptures following (4) the path which leads towards the the hermeneutic principle of keeping elimination of the sufferings (Dukkha. himself strictly to the respective pas. nirodhagamini patipada). The elimina- sages of the said scriptures. In the tion of the sufferings is the only goal second paragraph he ventures to give Gautama Buddha's teachings are an interpretation of what Buddhism pointing at. He does not care for stands for and a solution of the question anything else which does not directly if it may be reckoned as Philosophy or serve that purpose. The original Religion. The reader is in this way Buddhism is, therefore, confined within enabled to form for himself an opinion the human zoesis, within the realm of on both paragraphs whereby the latter what human senses can experience and will be approved—and surely improved comprehend. Buddha rejected all and extended— by the unprejudiced questions which required a reply from mind of any reader who takes a vital any higher authority than the experience interest in the search for God. of every sane man. "This, ye monks, Gautama Buddha started his activities is the noble truth of the sufferings : and propaganda by an exposition of the birth is sorrowful, old age is sorrowful, four "Noble Truths''. He laid great disease is sorrowful, death is sorrowful ; stress on the fact that these four basic grief, affliction, pain, sadness and principles of the Dhamma do not belong despair are sorrowful ; to be in contact to the traditional dogma. The pitakas with undesirabilities is sorrowful, to be are nothing but an explicit commentary separated from the beloved ones is of these four truths, illustrated and sorrowful, not to get what is wanted described in a graphic way by examples is sorrowful. In short, the five groups taken from daily life. Gautama Buddha of attachment are sorrowful." "This, characterized the proper task of his ye monks, is the noble truth of the mission and activities by his constantly genesis of the sufferings : It is the repeated utterance ; "One thing only, thirst, producing rebirth, accompanied ye monks, I am going to make known by likings and lust, which is enjoying to you today and on and on : the now here now there, i.e., the thirst after BUDDHISM 363

senauoas Gnjoyrnent, the thirst after by exercising all his energy he is existence, thirst after elimination of fighting, struggling and inciting his existence." ''This, ye monks, is the mind. He is producing the will to noble truth of the elimination of the awaken non-existing conducive moods sufferings : it is absolute, trackless and conditions and by exercising all final elimination, giving up, rejection, his energy he is fighting, struggling getting rid of and expulsion of this and inciting his mind. He produces thirst. (4) This, ye monks, is the noble the will to preserve existing conducive truth of the path which leads towards moods and conditions, not to make the elimination of the sufferings it is them disappear but to cultivate them the noble eightfold ^ath ; proper mode and exercising all his energy he is of viewing things (i. e the knowledge fighting, struggling and inciting his of the four truths), proper disposition mind ; proper contemplation ( a monk (i. e. the disposition of renunciation is contemplating in clear awareness and i. e. to be free from sensuous lust and consciousness on the nature of his body, desires ; freedom from ill-will ; the his sensations, his thoughts and con- disposition of not doing any harm to gregates in order to overcome desires any animate being); proper speech (i. e. and sorrow in this life.) ; proper to desist from speaking untruth, back- concentration (attainment of the four biting, rude language and idle babble) ; jhanas). [ Samy. LVI ] proper deeds (i. e. to desist from All things, realities—dhamrna—all destroying life, from taking things aggregates, processes, and sankhara are which have not been given and from anicca i. e., changeable, coming and any kind of unchastity ; proper conduct going, perishable, dukkha i. e., finally (i. e. to give up a perverted mode of they are all ending in sorrow and pain professional conduct and following the and annatta i., e. not the self. Salvation proper lines of conduct) ; proper from the realm of is the proper fighting ( i. e. a monk is producing goal of Buddhism. Everything, every in his heart the will not to allow sensation and conception belongs to the non-existing bad and detrimental sphere of the non-self. ( Ang. Ill, 134; moods and condions to be produced, Dhammapada 277-279) This is the and by exercising all his energy dogma of the tilakkhana. he is fighting, struggling and inciting According to the definition of the his mind. He producs the will to sufferings the 5 upadanakkhandha i. e., drive out existing bad and detri- the five groups of attachment constitute mental moods and conditions, and the aggregate of the first truth ; the 364 THE HARMONIST attachment to bodily form—rupa, it sorrowful and not the self. How may maybe present or past or future, own or unchangeable, joyful and self-character- foreign gross or subtle, beautiful or ised effects result from changeable, ugly, near qr far ; the attachment to sorrowful and not-the-self causes and vedana—sensuous impression and conditions ? There is no unchangeable, sensation ; the attachment to sanna immutable, etc., body, sensuous impres- —perception ; to sankkara—emotions sion and sensation perception, process or. or processes, vinnana consciousness emotion, consciousness and awareness. If and awareness. ( Samy. XXII, 48 ) a disciple has properly understood this, Bupa is the name for the 4 mahabhuta's he is tired of all these five groups, by pathavidhatu, apodhatu, tejodhatu and being tired of them, he gets rid of pas- vayodhatu. Vedana is the collective sion ; by being free from passions he is notion for the sensation of agreeable, saved and in the saved disciple the disagreeable neutral impressions. Sanna knowledge arises : "I am liberated, has to do with the perception of blue, rebirth has been exhausted, holy con- yellow, red and white. Sankhara are duct has been lived, what had to be of three kinds ; physical, lingual and done, has been done, there is no more mental processes. Vinnana is to be any world for me —thus he under, differentiated according to the process stands.'' (Samy XXII, 97) by means of which it comes into exis- The dogma of the conditioned tence i. e., conditioned by physical forms genesis ( Paticcasamuppada ) is the and the eye—by sounds and the ear—by fundamental knowledge which consti- smells and the nose—by juice and the tuted Gautama Buddha's enlightenment. tongue—by objects of touch and contact "If this is, then is also that ; if this is —by objects of mental perception and not, then that is also not. By elimina- the mind. (Samy. XXII, 48 ; Mahbj, 28 ting this, that is eliminated i. e. where Samy. XXII, 79. ib Xii, 27 ; Majjy. 38) there is avijja—nescience—there are The five upadanakkhandha are anicca, organic processes [Sankhara) ; where dukkha and anatta. The proper view there are Sankhara, there is conscious- of the reality, as it is, makes us see ness (Vinnana)-, there is name—and.form them in this way This does not (Namarupa); salayatana (the six planes belong to me, this I am not and this is of the activity of the senses ) phassa not my self". (Mahavagga I, 6. 38.48) (contact); vedana (sensuous impression The body is changeable, sorrowful and sensation); tanha (thirst); upadana and not the self, the cause and the con- (attachment, catching hold of ) bhava dition of its genesis are changeable, (coming into existence); Jati (birth reap. BUDDHISM 365 rebirth) ; jaramarann (old age and death) desires, of forms or formlessness. Birth The absolute elimination of the nes- is the process of conception and catch, cience is the basic fundament for the ing hold of the six senses. Old age elimination of the organic processes, and death is the decay and ruin of the etc. In this way the whole compound body and mental organ, (Samy. XII, 2) of all kinds of suifering is eliminated. The eight-fold path is the means All these 12 links of the causal chain towards the elimination of the Causal are properly understood by the Tatha- Chain. (Samy, XII. 27) gata, i. e. by one who has attained en- Every deed of every animate being lightenment, and he is propounding, bears its fruit according to the detri- explaining and illustrating them to the mental (akusala) or conducive (kusala) world (Udana I, 3 ; Samy. XII, 20) character of its intention. This dogma Nftscience is the ignorance of the of karmic law is combined with the four noble truths. Physical, lingual and dogma of birth and rebirth. As all mental processes are called organic deeds bear their respective fruits, deeds proceases. The 6 kinds of conscious- themselves should be eliminated by ness differentiated according to the following the eight-fold noble path senses constitute the consciousness. ( Samy, XXXV, 145 ) Sensation, perception, the process of This Samsaric world is burning ? thinking, contact and imagination are What is burning ? The forms, the called name. The mahabhutas are sounds etc, etc. the see.coneciousness, the called form. The 6 senses constitute contact of the eye with the objects, the the respective realm of the six planes sensation arising from this contact—it of the activity of the senses. Contact may be agreeable, disagreeable is established through the medium of or neutral. And what makes them burn? the 6 senses. Vedana are of six kinds *. The fire of lust, the fire of hatred, the produced by visual, aural, nasal,lingual, fire of illusions, the fire of birth, old age tasting and mental contact. Thirst is and death, sorrow, pains, afflictions, thirst after forms, sounds, smells, juice, grief and despair. (Mahavagga 1. 21, objects of touch and objects of mental i-4 ; Samy. XXXV, 28) perception. Attachment is concerned By elimination of the thirst the with sensuous desires, wrong views, whole process of causal conditions is of ritualism, the wrong view iden. eliminated and the world ceases to exist tifying phenomenal things with with the attainment of true enlighten- the true self. Coming into existence ment as to the nature of the thirst. takes place in the world of sensuous Everything, every person, every impres- 366 THE HARMONIST

sion ia changeable and sorrowful in the tion, going out ; it means the total long run. "Those who love three beings, emancipation from any kind of thirst. have three sorrows ; those who love two Nibbana is of two kinds ; Sa-upadisesa. beings, have two sorrows ; those who nibbana or kilesa-nibbana or tanha- love one being, have one sorrow ; those nibbana i, e. the state an Arahat can who don't love anything, they don't ex- attain while still living in this world perience any sorrow or pain. They are where the 5 groups still have their free from grief ; free from dust ; free limited play and anapadisesa.nibbana from despair. Whatever may be pain- or khandha.nibbana or kamma-nibbana ful, sorrowful and to be suffered in this or parinibbana i. e. the state of freedom world—all these afflictions date from from the khandhas after the decay of the attachment to something that is the body. Nibbana is called nicca i. e. loved. Where there is no love, there is eternal and sukha i. e. true happiness no affliction. Therefore those alone and joy ; it is the realm where there is are happy and free from afflictions, neither death nor birth. As there is who don't love anything in this world. something unborn, uncreated, it is possi- He who wants to get rid of grief, dust ble to get out of the born and created and despair should not love anything." world (Itivuttaka 43 ). It is the realm (Udana VIII, 8) without coming and going, standing, Rebirth can take place in the follow, production and destruction. It is with, ing five realms : Niraya or hell ; out beginning—it is the end of all Tiracckanayoni or animal kingdom ; sufferings. (Udana VIII, 1.4 ) When pittivisaya or peialoka, the world of the Gautama Buddhna was asked, if the ghosts ; manussa, the human creation ; Tathagata is ( in a state of becoming and deva, the realm of angels and gods. existence) after his death, he replied Nothing in these worlds is permanent that he did not disclose that he is ( in and eternal ; even the gods are change- such a state), that he is not, is and is able, perishable. "Even Maha-Brahma, not or neither is nor is not. Why ? ye monks, is changeable and mutable. Because it does not lead to higher know, If the noble disciple is understanding ledge, enlightenment and nibbana. this, he is tired, and being tired he turns But he revealed the four noble truths his back even to the highest and all and the path leading towards the final the more to the lowest objects." ( Ang. nibbana. (Saray.XVI, 12) The way of IV, 33) a spark of fire, of an extinct flame, can The final goal the Buddhist is striv- not be traced. Where the Sankharas ing after is called Nibbana i. e. extinc- have been eliminated, the ocean of thirst BUDDHISM 367 and lust has been crossed, all possiblities mental to the final cause. If a man of speech are exhausted, there is no would not like to follow him because more any conception, nor explanation. he did not give elucidation as to the Gautama Buddha wanted to make eschatological, ontological and metaphy- his disciples independent of his own sical question after the nature of the person. "You have to push ahead—the liberated soul and the state of his Tathagatas are only preachers !" existence, the finite or infinite condi. (Dhammapada 276). His disciples are tion of this world, the difference called Ariva, i. e. noble people, Saints between life and physical processes, or Ariyavasaka i. e. holy disciples or Gautama would compare his attitude Ariyapuggala i. e. holy people. The with that of a man wounded by a classification of Upasakas and Bhikkhus poisened arrow and still disallowing is only social. The disciples are divided the physician to remove it unless he into four groups ; (I) Sotapannas i. e. gets to know who shot the arrow, to those who entered the current. The what caste and family this man belongs, first three shackles Sakhayaditthi i. e. if he is tall or small or of middle size, belief that the personality is identical what kind of pigmentation may be with the self ; vicikiccha i. e. doubt and found in his skin, from what place he silabbataparamasa i. e. the belief in the is coming, what kind of bow, what efficacy of rites are broken when enter, instruments were used to prepare the ing into the current. (2) Sakadagamin dangerous instrument, the poison which i. e. he who returns only once again has been applied to the arrow, etc., into the kama-loka. Kamaraga i. e. etc. Long before all his questions can sensuous desire and patigha i. e. inner be solved, the poor fellow would be contest are partially overcome. (3) expired. But the doctor has come and Anagamin i. e. he who does not return. the 4 noble truths have been revealed. Shackle 1.5 are completely eliminated. We should not make any delay. (Majjh. (5) Arahat i. e. the Saint. Ruparaga 63) All opinions and views of metaphy- i. e. the desire to return to the realm of sical problems should be given up as forms, aruparaga i. e.- the desire to hindering the proper progress. People come to the formless world, mana i. e. arrive at different conclusions due to pride, uddhacca i. e. inner restlessness their ignorance of the causal chain. and avijja i. e. nescience have ceased to But who is enjoying or suffering, afflict the Arhat. attached and lust-driven ? "Who ? To deal with metaphysical problems Who is enjoying the food of the con- Gautama Buddha considered as detri- sciousness ? This question is not pro- 36B THE HARMONIST perly put. I don't say that somebody path, the direct path, the way to enjoys But if you ask me what is the salvation that leads to communion with use of that food I would tell you that Brahma." But Gautama Buddha knows due to it rebirth is made possible.' the way how to attain enlightenment (Saray. XII, 12). "Don't allow your- and final nibbana. (Digh. XIII) selves to be directed by what you know The Buddhist method of contempla. only from hearsay, from tradition, frona tion leads through the four jhanas of rumours, holy scriptures, speculations, the form-region to the unlimited realm dogma, deliberations based on the of space, consciousness not-anything apparent view of things, long- and neither.perception.nor.nun-percep- cherished views and opinions, from the tion. The jhanas are mundane—lokiya admission or denial, by your opinion —conditions and effect, only temporary that such an ascetic is your master—but relief from bad conditions. Adhicitta if you discern that such and such and Adhipanna.training are leading to things are conducive or detrimental Samatha i. e. peace, the temporary to the final course of getting rid relief from inner obstacles, and of the sufferings, then you should vipassana i.e. deep insight, the intuitive act and react accordingly. (Ang. comprehension of the four noble truths, Ill, 65) and the three characteristics of all Like a line formed by blind people, phenomena. To enter into the Nibbana one following the other, neither the vipassana is required, whereas samatha first nor the middle nor the last man and the jhanas cannot directly effect sees anything, are the words of the the entrance into the final state. The Brahmins who are verse 1 in the three production of the four Bhavansas-kind- Yedas. Their words are ridiculous, ness towards all beings, compassion, con- meaningless, empty and vain. None of joy and equanimity—are preliminary the Brahmins who is versed in the three methods before entering into the four Yedas saw Brahma face to face, and jhanas. Ethical purity, awareness of they did not say : "We know it, we see all physical and mental processes and it, where Brahma is, who Brahma is, detachment from auy phenomenal towards what direction Brahma is'5. attractive aggregate are the stages a These Brahmins are telling : "What Buddhist disciple has to go through we don't know, what -we don't see, to before he is able to attain freedom from that very thing we are showing the nescience i.e. before the causal chain can path and are saying : this is the right be eliminated. The Absolute Personality {by Tridandiswami B. P. Tirtha)

The Absolute Personality or God- of Divine majesty, glory, beauty, power, head is the Embodiment of AH Beinsr, intelligence and freedom in the fullest All.Intelligence and All-Bliss. He is degree. In His Majestic Aspect, the Eternal as well as Temporal Godhead is Naraynna in Vaikuntha, the Beginning. Middle and Ending. He is lower half of the Transcendental Sphere. the Prime Cause of all causes. He is In his Beautiful Loving Aspect, He is the Fountainhead of all manifesta- the All-Loving, All-Beautifull Krishna tions, spiritual and material. He is in Ooloka, the upper half of the Spiri- All.Love, All-Beauty and the tual Realm. In His Majestic Aspect, Absolute Truth. He is the Only His All-Loving Nature is latent, and Attractor, the Only Enjoyer, the in His All-Beautiful Loving Aspect, Only Proprietor. He is the Only His Majestic Nature is latent. Master. He is the Entire Whole, the The Supreme Lord is endowed with Central Figure of all truth, beauty and unnumberable unlimited potencies of harmony. He is the Lord of all Lords. which the three principal ones are, (I) He is the Emporium of ail Eternal His Ghit or Internal Self-revealing Divine Sentiments. He is the Guiding Potency from whom emanates His Per- and Originating Centre of. all true cogni- fect Transcendental Realm with all His tion, volition and emotion and their Divine Paraphernalia. (2) His dchit perversions. Viewed through the or external, insensate, deluding Mayik lenses of unsubmissive cognition, He or limiting Potency. It is the power of manifests Himself as Brahma. It. is darkness that ever dogs the steps of His Negative Effulgent Aspect. Through the pure effulgence of His Internal unsubmissive cognition and volition, Potency. The manifested mundane He is Paramatma, the All-Pervading worlds, the material mind and body, Over-Soul, the Partial Immanent passing time and space accommodating Aspect of the Supreme Lord. Through limited entities, the elements of Nature submissive cognition, volition and and their properties, the stellar systems emotion, under the lead of the last, etc., Constitute the sphere of deluding He manifests His Own Entity of experience which is the product of this Bhagawan posseised of the six attributes Mayik Potency. (3) His Marginal or 370 THE HARMONIST

Borderline Jiva Potency, lying on the distinct from Him—a fact which is quite line of demarcation between the Ghil inconceivable by the perverted cogni- and Achit Potencies, which gives rise tive faculty of the conditioned soul. to all Jiva souls. The individual soul is The Supremo Lord is the Absolute. an atomic part of His Borderline He does not care to accept the services Potency. Although the individual soul of His extraneous potency, reserves is essentially spiritual, he is exposed, by tiie right, of not being exposed to or reason of his infinitesimality and margi- come under the jurisdiction of perver. nal position, to the simultaneous attrac- ted human experience and is beyond tion of Chit and Achit Potencies at the the scope of time and space, which are opposite poles. The Achit Potency the manifestations and creations of His which is foreign to his nature can have Powers, He need not be anthropomor- no hold on him until ho exerts bis phised nor apotheosised ; by so doing, utmost against the dictates of his nature He is blasphemed. In the Absolute for submitting for eternity to its known Realm the entity is identical with name, unwholesome foreign domination. He form, attributes and action, which is is then, conformably to his stubborn quite different from our experience of the wishes, put into a kind of waking dream mundane non-absolute plane. 'Krishna' by Maya under whose influence he is identical with His Name, Form, identifies himself with a material mind Attributes, Paraphernalia and Pastimes and body in which he is imprisoned for in His Realm of Goloka. He manifests the purpose, and is filled with an himself to this world in His Eternal insatiable ambition of lording it over Transcendental Form of the Divine the phenomenal world by his enjoying Name or Sound on the Holy Lips of and abnegating, optimistic and pessi- the Divine Master and to the aural mistic moods. These three Potencies, reception of submissive souls of like the rays of the sun, emanating devotional aptitude helped by the from Krishna, exist in Him, ate not special grace of the Divine Master. separate from Him, nor identical with It is never possible for man to have Him, but He exists in each of them any conception of His Real Nature by as the Indwelling Guide. Hence they the manipulation of experience gained are simultaneously distinct and non. by his assertive initiative. Sree Krishna-Chaitanya ( Brief Outline of the Divine Leela ) ( By Tridandiswami B. P. Tirlha )

I. Birth and Parentage : serpent which slowly made off after On the evening of February 18, 1486, detection. when the full-moon was eclipsed and The Child would weep if no one loud chant of the Name of Hari sur. chanted the Name of Hari in His hear- charged the sky. Supreme Lord Sree ing. He would dance in many enchant, Krishna.Chaitanya made His appear- ing poses as soon as He heard the chant ance at Sridhum Mayapur. His father of the Name. Ladies of the neighbour, hood loved to chant the Name for the was- Jagannath Misra His mother purpose of witnessing the Dance of the Sachee Devi was daughter of Nilambar Child. Chakravarty. The Lord was abducted by two II. Infancy : thieves who intended to rob Him of His The Lord was named 'Nimai' from gold ornaments. They carried Him on the neema tree for keeping off the god their shoulders a long distance but by a of death who had snatched away eight strange misapprehension they brought children from His mother's bosom. Him baok to the House of Jatjannath Nilambar Chakravarty named Him Misra supposing it to be their destina. 'Visvambhar'. tion. The thieves put Elim down and When such articles as fried rice, made good their escape on detecting gold, silver and a copy of Srimad their blunder. Bhagabatam were placed before the III. Childhood: new-born Baby, He stretched out His His parents heard the sound as of little Arms and took the Bhagabatam, tinkling anklets from the bare Feet of As the Baby learnt to go about the their Child tripping into the inner yard on His Knees and Hands, it filled apartment to fetch a book for Jagannath all beholders with a new kind of joy Misra. and love for the Child. They observed the Divine Footprints Sachee and Jagannath found their of Vishnu all over the room of the Baby little Baby couched on a terrible coiled and conjectured that it was Gopala, 372 THE HARMONIST

the tutelary Deity of the family, who observed by fasting ) the Child began walked about the room and thus left to cry so vehemently that He could not His Footprints to please them. be consoled until He was given the A Brahman pilgrim accepted the offerings to "Nfishnu prepared by Pandits hospitality of Jagannath Misra, The Hiranya and Jagadish who lived two Brahman cooked food with his own miles away. hand and sat down to offer it in medita- His childish pranks annoyed some of tion to Bala Gopala (i. e. Cow-Boy or the Pandits who used to bathe in the Boy-Krishna), the Object of his worship Ganges. One day being disturbed in when Child Nimai appeared before him their bath they went in a body and and ate a morsel out of it, to the great complained to His father who accom- displeasure r11 Misra and his family. panied them to the bathing place for The Brahman was requested by Misra chastising his Son Whom he could not to cook for the second time to which find there ; but Misra thereafter found he agreed after a little hesitation. But Him at home just returning from school to the utter chagrin of the family, the unbathed and His Body spotted with same mishap occurred again. Thrice writing ink and could not understand did the Brahman offer his food to the how the bathers could have been dis- Deity, thrice did Nimai appear before turbed by the Child on that day. The him and ate up the same. The Lord girls, whose articles of worship were also was pleased to show the Brahman His alleged to have been removed by the Divine Fourarmed Form of Bala.Gopala, Child, brought similar complaints that revealed to him the cause of His appear- very day against Nimai to His mother ance in the world and warned him not who softened them with her endearing to divulge the secret. Thenceforward words of affection for them. the happy pilgrim became a regular Nimai obtained a promise from His visitor to Misra's house at the conclu- mother that she would observe fast on sion of his day's begging tour, the Ekadashi Day. The Child learnt at sight all the The Child feared none but His elder letters of the alphabet, simple and com- brother . He knew Nimai pound, and to read and write the vari. to be the Boy.Krishna and loved Him ous Names of Krishna with great ease. as such. Viahvarupa spent nil His time He wanted to have such things as the with the devotees at Advaita's house. moon and the stars and would not cease Sachee Devi uaed to send Nimai to crying till He heard the Name of Hari. fetch Vishvarupa home for his meals. On an Ekadashi Day ( Lord's Day The devetees were thrilled by the SREE KRISHNA-CHAITANYA 373 sweet words of Nimai when He appear, of holiness or unholiness is a delusion ed in their midst at the house of of the mind How can I distinguish Advaitacharyya. Vishvarupa renounced one from the other when I am debarred the world on the very eve fixed for His from study ?" But no one understood contemplated marriage and became a the real meaning of these words. On Sanyasi under the name of Sree another occasion the Child was given Sankararanya. The ^rief of Sachee- fried rice with sweetmeats to eat. But Jagannath at his conduct knew He began to eat clay instead. Sachee no hounds. The hearts of the devotees Devi saw this. When asked why He were also filled with sorrow of separa- ate clay, the Lord replied, "I see no tion. Advaitacharyya insisted upon difference between clay and sweetmeats their not indulging in sorrow and gave as the one is the transformation of the them the assurance that Krishna Him. other." "Who taught You this dry self had always appeared in the world wisdon of abstract reasoning, naughty in response to their prayers. Child f" said Sachee Devi, "Don't After Vishvarupa's renunciation, You see the difference ? Eating cooked Nimai gave up His turbulence and rice nourishes our body, while eating turned all His attention to study. He clay undermines our health." "How kept Himself always by the side of His can I know the difference as I am disal. sorrowing parents. His wonderful lowed My studies ?" was the ready memory and keen intellect gladdened retort. Sachee Devi persuaded her the hearts of all. Apprehending that husband to send Nimai to the Tole Nimai might follow the example of His (Grammar School) of Gangadas Pandit brother if he read the Shastras. Misra without any further delay. Purandar thought it prudent to put a IV. As Student ; stop to His further studies. This made Jagannath Misra lost no time in the Child more wayward than performing the investiture ceremony of over. his Son with sacred thread and in One day the Lord was seen seated getting Him admitted to the Ghatus. upon a pile of rejected cooking pots. ■pathi (Grammar School) of Pandit Sachee Devi implored her Son to come Gangadas. Nimai made rapid progress in down from that unholy heap of refuse. his study. The senior boys like Murari But the Lord without budging an inch Gupta, Krishnananda and Kamala said to His mother from His seat,— Kanta were puzzled by His riddles in "How could these pots used in cooking Logic and being unable to stand before offerings for Vishnu be unholy y The idea the extraordinary intelligence of their 374 THE HARMONIST

Junior, they were found more often to Devi, daughter of Ballbhacharyya was beat a safe retreat. a source of great joy to His mother. The Lord was an ideal Brahma- He strolled round the city with His charin and duly worshipped Vishnu pupils inviting learned discussions ; but before He partook of His offerings. He although Navadwip was then the strong- wrote annotations of Kalap Vyakarana, hold of innumerable learned Pandits a great Sanskit Grammar, but they are and scholars far-famed in Philo. lost. sophy, , Grammar and Rhetoric, Misra Punmdar dreamt that his Son none of them dared to confront Nimai Nimai had become a Sanyasi (Monk) Pandit in literary disputes. and saw that He was going on His way VI. As Householder ; to Puri dancing and chanting the Name As an ideal householder, His door of Krishna with millions of followers was always open to charity and hospita- He constanty prayed to Krishna that lity to chance guests and Sanyasis his Son might stay at home and have a (Monks). His consort Lakshmi Devi family. The joy of Jagannath Misra attended to household duties which and Saohee Devi knew no bounds when delighted her mother-in-law. they gazed at the Beautiful Face of The Lord entertained Srimad Isvar their Child ever smiling on them, which Puri, a Vaishnava monk and disciple of made them forget all their anxieties Sriman of Madhva about Hi.n. Misra Purandar passed cult. The Lord had a long discourse his days happily till, all of a sudden, ho with His venerable guest about the departed from this world. The grief merits of "Krishna Lilararita" a book of the Lord at the departure of His written by the latter. father was inexpressible. He consoled One afternoon, while roaming about His mother Sachee Devi in her aad the city, the Lord reached the house of bereavement with encouraging words Sridhar. This devotee was extremely and by displaying His constant love for poor and earned his livelihood by selling her. sheaths and - spathes of banana trees. V. The Lord's Academy and Marriage : The Lord asked him for a gift of some The Lord disapproved the cramming vegetables, but not knowing in Whose system of teaching then adopted by the presence he was, the Brahman refused Pandits of Navadwip and started His Own to consider parting with any portion of Chatuspathi in the house of Mukunda- the little stock he had, without payment. , an opulent citizen of Nadia. But after a great deal of argument, the His marriage with Lakshmipriya Lord managed to obtain His daily SREE KRISHNA-CHAITANYA 375 consumption of vegetables from this tolling him that chanting of the Name Brahman devotee. of Krishna by being free from the ten VII. Deliverance of the "Digvijayee'': offences is both the means as well as One evening the Lord met the the End of spiritual existence. The Lord Digvijayee (conqueror of all quarters ) commanded Tapan Misra to go and live Pandit named Keshab Bhatta of Cash- at Benares, where He would meet him mere, on the bank of the Ganges. The again in a few years. It was during Pandit was asked to compose a hymn His sojourn in East Bengal that in praise of the Ganyes. The Pandit Lakshrai Devi, His beloved consort, displayed his poetic genius before the left this world. The separation from Lord. After a short discussion on the Her Lord was too much for Her to bear. merits and demerits of the piece, the The Lord returned to Navadvvip with a Pandit was worsted by the Lord in the large fortune. He consoled His mother presence of His disciples. This discom- for the untimely departure of her fiture had a strange effect on the daughter-in-law an^l married, for the Digvijayee. It was the turning point second time, Vishnupriya Devi, daughter of his spiritual life. He perceived that of Sanntana Misra, the Raj-Pandit. The the object of learning was not wrangling wedding expense on a princely scale pedantry which begets intellectual pride was borne by Buddhiraanta Khan, an and vain glory, but devotional service influential citizen of Nadia. to the Supreme Lord which is the IX. Piligrimage to Gaya and Initiation : eternal function of all jiva.souls. It was at this time He travelled to Thenceforward he became a true devotee Gaya with the ostensible purpose of of the Lord. This spectacular victory in performing the funeral rites in honour literary tournament established the of His departed lather, and there He fame of the Lord as the first and fore- took His spiritual initiation from the most Pandit of the day. same Isvar Puri whom He had once VIM. Sojourn to East Bengal : entertained at His House. He returned The Lord went to East Bengal for to Navadwip fully saturated with Divine acquiring wealth by His teaching. Love for Krishna. The devotees of Thousands of Brahmaus flocked to Hirn Navadwip were joyfully surprised at for study. While in East Bengal He this wonderful and sudden change of met Tapan Misra—a sincere seeker Niraai Pandit. after the Absolute. The Lord instructed X. Activities after the Initiation : him about the Highest; Goal of human He unbosomed His heart's grief to life and the Means of attaining that End all those devotees such as Advaita- 376 THE HARMONIST

charyya, Sribas Pandit, Murari Gupta, the hands of the anti.devotional erapiri- Mukunda Dutta, Gadadhar Pandit etc., cista, joined the banner of the Lord in at separation from Hia Beloved Krishna preaching the Holy Name of Krishna of Whom He had a glance at Kanai from door to door. One day while Natahala on His return journey from preaching the tenets of the Lord they Gaya, and aaked them how. when and encountered Jagai and Madhai, two where He would find His Beloved. He notorious drunken ruffians of Nadia. explained to His pupils that chantina Indignant at the sound of the Holy of the Name of Krishna ia the ultimate Name they assaulted the two preachers Goal of all learning and Himself taught with stones which drew blood from the them how to perform Kriahna-Kirtana forehead of Nityananda Who interceded He narrated to Hia mother all those with the Lord for pardoning them and terrible sufferings that the jivaa have to ultimately captured their ruffian hearts. undergo in their births and rebirths in They became the true devotees of the their mothers' wombs and asked her to Lord. Iron was transmuted into gold chant the Name of Krishna without by the miraculous touch of the Philoso- interruption. pher's stone. The Lord used to spend the whole Henceforward the Lord held ''8ree night with devotees in chanting the Nama-" ( constant chanting of the Holy Name in the house of Pandit Name ) every night at the house of Sribash. Deeply mortified at the non- Sribash Pandit, in the company of all devotional attitude of the people of the Hia sincere followers. No extraneous world, the Vaishnavaa, under the lead element was allowed to peep in, or of Advaitacharyya, earnestly prayed for enter the compound. One day an old the immediate manifestation of Hia ascetic, living entirely upon milk, ob- Divinity and the Lord revealed Himself tained entrance into the fold, but was one day with all His Magnificence and turned out by the Lord as a foreign Glory, Power, and Beauty, Intelligence element and sightseer. He waa redeemed and Freedom, in the Viahnu-teraple of by the Lord as he accepted the chaatiae- Sribaah Pandit and vouchsafed the ment with good grace and surrendered boons solicited by Hia devotees. himself entirely to the Lord. It was at this time that, Nityananda, One night when the Lord and His the Other Self of Sree Chaitanya, after devotees were lost in the ecstatic dance finishing Hia travels all over India and and chanting of the Holy Name of Thakur Haridaa, the Naraacharyya, Krishna, the only aon of Pandit Sribash after suffering untold persecutions at breathed bis last. Sribaah'a love for the SREE KRISHNA-CHAITANYA 377

Lord was manifested in his perfect self- the huge demonstration and the loud control and strict forbearance at the chant of the Name which rent the departure of his only son. The Lord sky. Nimai Pandit, however, gave was apprised of the occurrence, went him all assurance of safety. The Kazi, inside with the devotees and revealed thus pacified, promised the Lord to the mystery of his departure from the abstain from any further depredation lips of the departed boy. or outrage on the Lord's religion and From this time forward till His to punish any delinquents with social renunciation He preached His Doctrine ostracism. The Kazi was so much of Nama Samkirtan in important towns moved with the Truth, Beauty and and villages through His disciples with Harmony of the Doctrine of the Lord the result that, thousands of people that he gladly joined the banner of joined His banner and were re-estab- His Samkirtan party. lished in the natural function of their XI. "Sanyasa" or Renunciation of the unalloyed souls. World: The complete success of His Doc- The chanting of the Name of trine as well as the Magic of His Krishna swelled the ocean of ecstatic Name had their repercussions through- joy in the hearts of the devotees of out the length and breadth of the the Lord. His all-embracing Doctrine country and roused the jealousy of of Divine Love for Krishna which some Pandits belonging to the anti- opened the gate.way of the Spiritual devotional school who brought a com- Realm to one and all without distinc- plaint against Him to Ghand Kazi, tion of caste, creed or community, fell the Governor of the city. The Kazi flat on the hardened hearts of some made great havoc and violence not of the unbelievers of those days who only upon the Vaishnavas but also began to scoff and even went so far against the holy prapaganda of Nama as to threaten Him with assault. The Samkirtan. The Lord took out a pro- Lord took cognisance of the fact and cession of Nama Samkirtan in which prescribed a desperate remedy for the almost all the citizens of Navadwip corroding malady. He made up His joined, each carrying a lighted torch. mind to renounce the world. The news This immense procession took the route spread like wild fire in the city from of the Ganges and passed through the one end to the other. In vain did villages of Ganganagar, Barakona Ghat He try to console His mother. His and Shimulia till it reached the house consort and His beloved disciples. It of the Kazi who was frightened by was, as it were, a bolt from the blue 378 THE HARMONIST

when i'np wintry morning they

XIII. Pilgrimage to Southern India : coast. At Rangakshetra the Lord In Southern India the dearth if stayed for four months of the ramy pure theism was hardly less ttian in season on account of Ghaturmashya at the North due to narrow sectarianism the house of Venkata Bhatta who and rigid caste-rules. To deliver the belonged to the Sree Vaishnava people of the South from those suicidal Community of Kamanuja. The whole prejudices, the Lord proceeded with family of Venkata by the influence one Kaln Krishnadas on Hhs pilgrimage of His Discourse became worshippers to the South, He visited Alalnath at of Sree Krishna, Venkata's son Gopal Brahmagiri, Kurraadeva at Kunna- Bhatta, a disciple of Ids uncle Srila chalam near Ohicacole in the district Prabodhananda Saraswati, the famous of Ganjam where He delivered a author of Chaitanya Chandramrita and Brahman named Kurraa and another ciadharasasudhanidhi, is one of the six leper Brahman Vasudeva. He met Rai Goswamis of Brindaban and composed Raraananda, the Governor of Vidya- the famous Vaishnava Srariti of nagar, on the bank of the Godavari, Haribhaktivilas. The Lord visited and had a long discourse with him Shringeri, Udupi, Todii Gokarna and on the subject of the summum bonum other shrines on the western coast. and how to attain it. This famous At Udupi the Lord by learned contro- discourse is the brightest self-luminous versy with the head ot the Math guiding star in the firmament of established unalloyed devotion to be Vaishnava philosophy, beautifully set in the means as well as end of all the Chaitanya Charitararita of Sriia spiritual activities, and rejected the Xaviraj Goswarai. From Yidyanagar wrong process of Karma (fruitive work) the Lord went on to Manyalgiri in and Jnana (empiric knowledge leading Guntur, Ahobilara in Karnal and to Impersonal Aspect of Godhead ). in Cliittur districts. He then During His sojourn in the South the visited all the shrines of the Tamil Lord procured two most precious works territory and also f'anjeeverara, Sree of the Gaudiya Vaishnava literature Rangam, Madura, Sheyali, Kumbha- viz., (1) Brahmasarahita ( a conclusive konam, Tanjore in the Tinnevelly treatise on the Highest Excellence of district. He then visited Janardana, Krishna and His Pastimes ) from the Ananta Padraanava, Adikeshah and temple of Adikeshab and (2) Krishna Kanya Kumari in the Travancore State. Karnamrita ( a spiritual mellow lyric Thence He went to Payashvini and on the Form, Attributes and Deeds visited many shrines on the western of Krishna ) from Krishnavenna, SREE KRISH N A-CH AIT ANY A 381

Wherever the Lord went, He preached Lord performed the purification cere- the super.excellence of the Name of mony of Gundicha Mandir (representing Krishna over all other forms of devo- the heart of a devotee) every year with tion, and turned the souls of the His followers both of Bengal and Orissa Buddhists, Jfdna, Mayavadins ( salva. on the eve of the Car Festival of Sree tionists ) and Smartas ( elevationists ) Jagannatha Deva He gave all of to the path of Bhakti (unalloyed devo. them the true conception of (I) the tion ). Highest Excellence of Krishna, (2) the On His return to Puri, via Vidya- highest excellence of unalloyed devotion, nagar and Alalnath, after a lapse of (3) the special features of the three two years, the Lord met grades of devotees in terms of chanting Puri, Daraodar Svarup(His Alter Ego) the Name ol Krisna (a) without offence, from Benares, Govinda, a disciple of (b) with fourfold service and (c) with Sree Isvar Puri, Pandit Kashishvar confidential love, and the respective and many other Brahman Pandits of functions of those three kinds of Orissa. King Prataprudra of Orissa devotees to one another and to God. surrendered himself unconditionally The Lord warmly embraced His disciple and with all humility at the Lotus Vasudeva Dutta when he prayed for the Feet of the Supreme Lord and became wholesale redemption of all fallen jiva a devout follower with all his family souls by taking upon himself the sins through the intercession of Sarbabhaurna and offences committed by them in this Bhattacharyya and Rai Ramananda. and previous births and undergoing The Lord now settled down at the eternal damnation on their behalf. His house of Pandit Kashishvar at Puri and prayer was granted. The Lord redeem- sent Kala Krishnadas to Bengal to let ed Amogha, son-in-law of Vasudeva His devotees know of His safe arrival. Sarbabhaurna, from his non-'devotional The Bengal devotees hastened to Puri aptitude aud saved him from death. for a sight of the most Beautiful Face XIV. Pilgrimage to Brlndaban. of their Lord, and were exceedingly The Lord stajrted for Brindaban on delighted on meeting Him again. the Vijaya day by way of Bengal and Thakur Haridas also came with them went up to Ramkeli in the district of and was given a small cottage near the Malda, via Panihati, Kumarhatta and temple of Sree Jagannath Deva Vidyanagar. He redeemed the two to perform his Bkajan (intimate brothers Dabir Khas and Sakar Mallik, service of Krishna) by chanting the ministers of Hossaim Shah, Moslem Name three lakhs of times a day. The King of Bengal and changed their 382 THE HARMONIST names to Rupa and Sanatana. The The Lord circumambulated the twelve Lord commanded them to proceed to groves of Mathura and Brindaban Brindaban for reclaiming the forgotten deeply saturated with Love in Separa- shrines and pastime.centres of Sree tion for Krishna. The Lord removed the Krishna, the Lord of Love The Lord hallucination from the mind of then retraced His steps (o Santipur via Balabhadra Bhattacharyya when one Kanni Natshala, as suggested by Sana- night he had mistaken the fisherman tana and predicted by Nrisinhananda on the Jamuna for Krishna, ids boat Brahmachari of Navadwip, giving up for the Kaliya serpent and his lamp His idea of proceeding to Brindaban. for the crest-jewel in its hood. The After instructing Raghunath Das, son Lord then left Mathura and returned of Gobardhan Das of Saptagram, to to Kashi via Prayag. On the way He observe yukta vairagya (i. e, proper instilled Love of Krishna into a Pathan use of everything so as to be conducive Prince Bijlee Khan and his following to the service of God), the Lord return- who were thenceforward known as 'the ed to Puri, Pathan Vaishnavas'. At Prayag The Lord then set out tor Brindaban (Allahabad) the Lord met Rupa through the jungle route of Jharikhanda Goswami and his younger brother (Ohhoto Nagpur and Orissa Garjats) Anupnma. He also met Pandit Baghu- with Balabhadra Bhattacharyy. Through- nath Upadhyaya with whom He had out the journey across the dense an interesting talk on the excellence of forest the Lord incessantly chanted the the Transcendental Name, Form, Name of Krishna, The wild beasts of Mellowness and Realm of Krishna. The the forests, when they saw His Beauti. Lord instructed Sree Rupa Goswami at ful Figure and heard Him chanting the the Dashashvamedh Ghat on "Krishna Name, forgot their animal nature and Bhakti Rasa'' (mellow principle of loving followed Him with an yearning of deep devotion to Krishna) and sent him to affection, the tiger kissing the deer Brindaban whence he was to meet the under the influence of Divine Love. Lord once again at Puri. Arrived at In this manner the Lord reached Benares the Lord stayed at the house Benares where He put up at the house of Ohandrasekhar. Sanatana Goswami, of Tapan Misra for a few days. Thence having made good his escape from He went to Mathura and accepted food prison at Gauda by bribing his keeper, which had been cooked and offered to was hastening to Benares to meet the Vishnu by a Sanoria Brahman, a Lord. When he arrived at Benares disciple of. Sree Madhabendra Puri. in the garb of a darbes (Muhammedan SREE KR1SH N A-CH AIT AN YA 383 fakir), Charnirasekhar could not XV. How Prakashananda Saraswati recognise him until he was made became a devotee : known by the Lord. The Lord now During His stay at Benares, the taught Sanatana the inner truths Lord accepted an invitation at the house of the Vaishnava Philosophy of a Mahratta Brahman who was a consisting of: devotee of the Lord, where He met (1) the knowledge of Relntionship, Prakashananda Saraswati, the most (2) the true conception of the real formidable exponent of the Pantheistic nature of the Absolute Personality of school of thought at Benares, with his Godhead and the jivas, innumerable following. In reply to (3' the Majestic and Loving Aspects their ^uery as to why He had refrained of Krishna, and the respective devotion from performing the duties of a Sanyasi, al services to Each of Them, the Lord said that He had no right to (4) the means or process of attain- read and understand the Vedanta by ing the summum bonum, sadhan bhakti His limited empiric knowledge, that or devotional practices. It is of two the Truth reveals Himself to a sincere kinds, (a) devotional practice under seeker of His service when one submits shastric or scriptural injunctions known oneself unconditionally with all humili- as baidha sadhan bhakti and (b) sponta- ty to the bona fide Spiritual Guide i. e., neous inclination for the loving service One Who wields the Divine Power of of the Lord of Braja under the guidance enabling a person to realise the Absolute. of any of His devotees in Braja ; this is That accordingly He had sought the known as ra^anuga sadhan bhakti, shelter of the Feet of the Divine Master (5) the summum bonum—ti e Divine Who, out of His causeless mercy, had Love for Krishna—the Highest End of given Him the Holy Name of Krishna spiritual existence. and had directed Him to chant the These truths as taught by the Lord Name incessantly, as He was doing. to Sanatana and Rupa Goswami re- The result had been that He was fully present the highest level of Vaishnava intoxicated with Divine Love for transcendental literature and philoso- Krishna, the Name being identical with pliy. The Lord sent Sanatana to Hiin, His Form, Attributes, Parapher- Brindaban under directions to meet nalia and Pastimes. Compared to this Him subsequently at Puri. He also ocean of Krishna-Prema—the summum sent Subuddlii Roy, a Bengal Chief to bonum of spiritual existence—Brahma, Brindaban, instructing him to chant nanda (the so-called bliss of undifferen. the Holy Name of Krishna incessantly tiated ) is hut a drop, not to as the only expiation of all sins and speak of the fourfold objects of virtue, offences. Subuddlii Roy had lost his wealth, lust and liberation that are caste by being compelled to djdnk sought by the elevationist and libera. desecrated water from the hands of tionist schools, which are worthless Moslems. He had been prescribed the straw. Chanting the Name of Krishna fatal penance of committing suicide by is both the Method as well as the End swallowing hot ghee by the Smarta of all genuine spiritual endeavours. Pandits of Benares. The Vedantasutras are the Words of 384 THE HARMONIST

God and are, therefore, free from the tions of the aphorisms given by the fourfold delects of (I) error, (2) inehria. Lord made an indelible impression on tion or inadvertence, (3) inadequacy of the minds of His audience and they dis senses and (4) deception. They speak tinctly understood the ulterior motive of the Eternal Personality of the Abso. of the Pantheistic commentaries of the lute Who is All.Being, All-Intelligence Brahmasutras. They accepted the cult and All-Bliss. He is endowed with His of pure Bhakti ( unalloyed devotion ) Plenary Potency manifesting Herself in and joined the congregational chant of threefold form viz : (1) Divine Internal the Holy Name as propounded by the Potency, ( 2 ) External or Deluding Lord. With the deliverance of Prakasha. Potency and (3) Marginal Potency from nanda, the whole following of the which spring respectively, (l) the spiri- Benares school accepted the path of tual realm, (2i the mundane realm and the Bhagahatam or the Nairaisharanya (3) the jivas. Being marginally placed, thought. The Lord returned to Puri iivas posses an alternative choice by the Jhari Khanda route. between Divine Service (i. e. devotion) XVI. The conciudinj; period of the Divine and enjoying the phenomenal world Leela ( like the kanni ) or renouncing them Thenceforward the Lord resided at (like the jnani) for merging their indivi. Puri till His Disappearance in the' duality into an abstract Brahma. Jivas forty.eighth year of His Career which are eternal servants of Krishna in their divides into two halves viz., (1) His unfettered state. Both jivas as well as Career as an ideal Householder and (2) the mundane and spiritual worlds are His Career as a bona fide Yaishnava simultaneously distinct and non-distinct Sanyasi Preacher. As Sanyasi His from Krishna. Like the rays of the Career is divided into three periods viz., sun, they exist in Krishna, they are not (l) the first six years when the Lord separated from Krishna Who exists in preached His doctrine of unalloyed them, but at the same time they are devotion through the length and breadth not identical with Krishna Who is of India, reforming and assimilating the Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omni, multifarious wrong cults into the fold of present. This is known as the Achintyn pure Vaiahnavism, (2) during the next Bhedakheda Doctrine, it is Achintya six years the Lord cultivating active because this doctrine is inconceivable to contact with His devotees at Puri as limited human understanding. The Teacher expounded the esoteric of Yedanta or the crest jewel of the Yedas loving devotion as practised by the is replete with this doctrine of Absolute congregation of His highest devotees, Truth, and Srimad Bhagabatara is the and (3) the concluding twelve years immaculate and authoritative com- which the Lord devoted exclusively to mentary of the aphorisms of the Yedanta, the tasting of Krishna Prema in the because the compiler of the Brahma- shape of Love in Separation in the sutras and the commentary thereof, inviolable privacy of His Sanctum in the being the same Divinely commissioned constant company of two associates— person viz., Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Sree Svarup Damodar and Rai Vvasa. The simple and clear exposi- Ramananda. VOL. XXXIJ No. 17 j [ R«gM- No. C 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Satjanatosbam

FORTNIGHTLY-

Oaur KkadaHhi Ttnishak 450 O.A.

May 2. 1936.

fa atqi^-an'TTT TTi^TsfaprrBi'TTii it AunHufcitiou of ayjalong sufferings, Mag these our high aims ffourish 7he Service of Racfha* Krishna, 1 o glaaden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4«8. Foreign Is. 6d. Paramahama Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraawati Goswami

Sree Gaudi/a Math, P.O. Baghbazar, Calcutta. CONTE N TS

Subject I*age

1. Buddhism 386 2. Sree Gaudiya Math 391 3. Bhakti '02 4. A Letter 403 5. Svoe Vishwa Yaishuava Raj Sabha 405 6. Gaudiya Directory 407 ALL-OLORY TO SREE GURU AND OAURANOA

Tlu Bat munis!

(Sree Sajjanatoshani)

VOL, XXX11 MAY 2. 1936 No, 17 'I

Buddhism Philosophy or Religion ? II ( By B. G. Schulze )

Gautama Buddha's position as philo- visible letters, carrying mere mundane sopher has reference to the historical reference, a protest against such corrupt and metaphysical situation of the views becomes necessary. The problem is country at that time. If the tradi a little complicated. We need not cast tional dogmata are presented and away the baby with the bathing.water. illustrated by the' wrong practices If the system in actual working is cor- of those who, as professionals, stand rupt, the principles i. e, the dogmata for the maintenance of the same,, a are Absolute Truth, the representations reaction against the valuation and even in themselves relative, it is then our substance of the dogmata is to be ex- task to seek the Mercy of the Absolute pected. If people claim a birth-right Truth for being enabled to serve Him on the monopolic exposition of the by our living practice. If mind in a Scriptures, or on the other hand, if the speculative manner has been distorting Scriptures themselves are regarded as the Truth and we—on relying on the a collection of sounds, represented by whole as Truth—are disappointed in 386 THE HARMONIST the long run, we are liable to react in method of giving Him as such our un- an affected mood and darkened vision reserved hearing. and to discard the usefulness of the In case of the pseudo-religionists we substantive principle itself. We may are likely to be deceived by their then like to pose as autonomic free apparent assurance that they keep to agents at liberty to try for a solution of the Tradition proper and really want the problems of life and after-life on our to point at the ontological problems. own hook—and to make a show of otlr But Buddha is quite plain in telling us meaningless independent position. that his message is not to give elucida. Having no taste for the living service tion of the ontological problem but of the Absolute, we fail to accept the simply to show the way for the psycho- ideal of service offered by the Absolute logical elimination of the experience of Himself in the Personality of Sree sufferings on the psycholoudcal plane. Gurudev and His devotees. By living It is an undeniable fact that this world conduct and serving attitude towards is a place of infinite miseries without the Person who is given to the service any permanent happiness, that we of the Absolute we may have the only suffer as long as we continue to cherish chance of understanding the spirit of our enjoying temperament, that the the Spirit of the dogmata which other- elimination of the enjoying tempera- wise seem to be nothing but a collection ment will mean the end of all sufferings. of mundane miscellany. These books, But as to the motive, path and method however, require us to be ready to leave Vaishnavism differs from the psycholo- aside our previous opinions and preoc. gical egoistic method Buddha was cupations, and to surrender uncondi- suggesting not as the remedy but as tionally to the Personality of the consummation of the disease at a Divine Teacher for His service knowing special stage of the disposition of the ourselves at the same time to be quite people, which should not be unduly unfit for this service. In this case the generalised as the curative method for Truth Himself exerts His Own teaching all times. God has always made Truth Initiative and makes us know the known fully to all submissive seekers transcendence of sounds covered by the after Him. He has made Himself mundane letter of traditional dogmata. accessible to present-day mentality If tradition is tradition of untruth, we since the time of Buddha. Why should shall be eager to throw it to the dogs, we screen our vision that we might use —if Tradition is really Tradition i. e. oil-lamps for groping in the immensity Truth, we shall have to adopt the proper of the dark void, the psycho-analytical BUDDHISM 387 method, if we have got to walk in the non-substantive functions and processes self-effulgent light of the sun ? "We —why are we then dissatisfied with should view things in the proper light that very state ? Rejection and con. of our practical need which is supplied tradiction is possible only between limi- by real contact with the Absolute ted, opposite categories. The very Person in the Eternal Role of the only interest in the elimination and nullifica- Giver of His Own whole-time service. tion of the present impermanent situa- We don't deny that it is possible to be- tion indicates that the agent proper has numb the enjoying temperament tempo- been dislocated from the proper plane rarily by the method of the eight.fold and"shifted to a relative plane of futile path—but we know also that the desire opposite characteristics. If we understand for mundane enjoyment which leads that such and such a thing or function unto death is only sublimated and trans- cannot be the proper self and if we are formed into living death ; desire after getting tired of all their relativities, we peace of mind is after all again desire— are going to be liberated from the and should logically and fortunately intoxicating influences. The world lead again to sufferings—as it does ceases to inflict upon us and we seem to actually, as the relief is only temporary be liberated. But the notio.n of free —though it may seem to be eternal for dora requires a settlement of the "from*' the time being. A temporary means and and '"for". Can my desire in itself be the eight-fold process of psychological uprooted only by the elimination of training in time—can never lead to a the objects of this world—while it really permanent and desirable state. continues as desire to be liberated ? But as long as we have neither know- Though the paticcasamuppada is not ledge of or belief in the objective i. e. quite intelligible to the writer and he substanttive, non-relative existence of can refer to the fact that the Buddhists an ontological plane, we are unable to from the time of Buddha's disappear- proceed in a supra-psychological way. ance till the present day have been All psychological congregates, proces- differing greatly as to its proper ses and sankhara are anicca, dukkha meaning and have not been able to and annitta. Any sober introspection supply a satisfactory solution of its should make us realise this fact. We logical discrepancies—he is ready to arrive at the nihilistic conclusion. But accept the suggestion that it has to do are we allowed to carry it to the plane with psychological factors which may of ontological references ? If "we" are be properly realised only in course of really nothing but an agglomerate of a respective psychological training. 388 THE HARMONIST

Taking the psychological truth for plane. The Buddhistic method consists granted—the proposed process of the in inciting the thirst for elimination of elimination of avidya promises only thirst, obviously a contradictory the elimination of the psychological process Karma is effective as long attitude that this world offers us only as there is any movement on the impermanent, non.selfish and sorrowful psychological plane it may be in satis, objects, but we don't get rid of the nes- faction or dissatisfaction with the stay cience about the existence or non-exis'. on it. The cessation of any form of tence of theontological plane and of our perception means only the end of per- ontological i. «. proper function. The ception and infertilisation of the psycho- mere elimination of the psychological logical plane, but itdoes notat all include process cannot mean the uprooting the removal of the ontological agent of any rebirth, for it is obviously the from that plane. It is only a process of agent proper who decided against his negative exclusion of consciousness of the inherent disposition and came, there, fact by making the fact super-conscious. fore, under the influence of the non- We quite agree that any attachment proper relative psychological obstruc- and love for anything in this world is tions. As long as this positive entangling us only in the miserable nescience continues, real cessation of experiences of the unreliability of auy the enjoying temper is not to be suppos- relation But it does not mean that ed, and any change—as radical and attainment and love on the ontological extreme it may be—on the psycholo- plane are as well unwholesome. We gical plane can have no reaction on the rather hear through the living channel position of the ontological agent. of the living tradition of Truth Abso- Psychological nescience of the mind lute that the very existence of the is different from the ontological nes- unwholesomeness here hints at the sience of the absolute infinitesimal soul superexcellency of perfect wholesome- proper who does not belong to the ness there just as shadow indicates the psychological plane. The law of Karma existence of light ; and the intensity cannot be abolished by extinguishing of the shadow corresponds to the the psychological principle of action ; intensity of light. So we rightly the law of Karma acts on the psycho, cultivate right attachment to every- logical plane only ; it does not effect thing by actual reference to the now- the spiritual soul if. she is free from to.us transcendental but the only real wrong misidentifications with the position till we are enabled by the agencies of the mental and physical Grace of responsive acquaintanoe, BUDDHISM

penetrating through psychological We are not keen on getting cured of nescience, see through the mundane our mental diseases but our spiritual symbols to their true substantive nature, disease of misidentifying our soul with which have reserved the right of body and mind as result of our wrong incompatibility with the psychological choice to go out for our own unnatural plane. That ontological plane is the enjoyment instead of serving the plane of permanence and bliss as it is Supreme Lord in loving attitude as the plane of service and the source of we are meant for, is to be cured. And the longing of the real soul for the we require a doctor who is living on gradual elimination of any enjoying the spiritual plane. He alone can disposition. All other so-called perma- make the soul awake from the intoxi- nence is a temporary relative perma. cated state' Opinions and views of nenoe, called so for the reason that it the metaphysical problems we should is contrasting to the primary restless- really disencourage, for they are simply ness of unsublimated thirsts and misleading us. And all so-called passions. small ,{m" masters we should abandon. Buddha himself aid never deny the exis' We shall like to take shelter at the tence of a transcendental super.world. Blessed Feet of Him, Who is the He wanted to keep his adherents away Giver of the full conscious realisation from all mental speculations about that of the ontological relations. We shall plane. Later "followers" misunder- like to associate ourselves with those stood him and established the system who as His disciples devote themselves of sunyavad or relative nihilism. What whole-timely to the spiritual service Buddha thought really is a question of the Absolute Persons. The Divine of controversy amongst his followers Preceptor is the Spiritual Absolute many of whom took the bold step to Person in His Own Eternal form of deify him to be the Supreme Lord. Whole-Time Service to the Supreme The body of the Buddhist scriptures Lord Sree Krishna. He alone can seems to suffer from serious interpola- supply the proper method of coming tions by those who managed to make out from this world of miseries not for Buddha support their heterogene views. the vain purpose of negative coming But if we take it for granted that out but for the purpose of attaining Buddha used really the parable of absolute spiritual service. Liberation Majjh. 63. in the way in which it seems and salvation are psychological errors now, so we shall like to say that the fostered by the enjoying temper, they parable fails to present the real fact. have no value for the devotee, who 390 THE HARMONIST

is told by the most reliable source, i.e. dental Subject God, the Infinite Abso- the ontologioal representative himself— lute, the serving subjects i e., the infini- that he is in his proper nature not an tesimal absolutes and the connecting enjoying he—but a serving she, that the link between them i. e. unconditional function to attain all psj chological loving serving attitude. Buddhism, manipulations means but an irreparable therefore, in its present incomplete Joss of time. To submit to any psycho- state, has no right to be called "Reli- logical method is simply suicidal. It is gion", which word is derived from the better to die from psychological pains verb ' re-ligare'' i.e., to re-bind, sc. the and to persevere in praying to God to dislocated objects to the proper Subject. make us find out the Transcendental Historical Buddhism is probably the Preceptor and His disciples and in long- perfection of mundane psychological ing for the unconditional loving service philosophy. The higher mundane cate- of the Absolute. It is better than to listen gory is fit to enlighten the lower. a second even to the wrong doctrines Amongst the blind the one.sighted may derived from no other authorities than be called king. But what of the full, the same psychological apparatus we sighted ? Buddhism can be understood .ourselves possess and the incompetence and interpreted properly not by the of which is open to every sane human liberalistic attempts, but only in the non.speculative, non-intoxicated brain— light of Vaishnavisra as the highest for we can be assured that God will category of religion, nay, as the Religion. never forsake those who really seek for Listen, who has ears to listen,- to the the service of His own. Buddhism is proper message the Harmonist as one a philosophy, unable and unwilling to of the loud-speakers of true Yaishna- give any hint at the Absolute Transcen- vism is broadcasting. Sree Gaudiya Math

An Historical and Descriptive Sketch

{By Mahopadesaka Sripad K. M. Bhaktibandhab B. L.)

From Lord Sree Krishna, Cause of scope of the question of the intercep- all causes, the preceptorial line flows tion of historical time. The absolutely eternally in the following order of pure current of transcendental know- spiritual succession,—Sree Madhavendra ledge has ever coursed through Puri who is the first seed of the tree of the preceptorial channel of the highest Prema-Bhakti. Then comes Sree Iswar order of transcendental teachers. To Puri and after him Sree Chaitanya disseminate and give full scope to the Deva, the Absolute Himself, mani- actual practice of transcendental knowl- festing the Leela of being Recipient of edge by following in the footsteps of the transcendental knowledge in the Sree Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis line of Brahma. From Sree Chaitanya representing the fullest exposition of the same preceptorial order is continued the Doctrine in the Personality of Sree through Sree Sanatana Goswarai, Sree Krishna-Cbaitanya, refuting all misin- Rupa Goswami, Sree Raghunath Das, terpretations and answering all oppo- Sree Jiva, Sree Krishnadas Kaviraj, nents. is the mode of activities of Sree Thakur Sree Narottain, Sree Viswa- Gaudiya Math. The Gaudiya Math in nath Chakravarty, Sree Valadev pursuance of the Teaching and Prac- Vidyabhusan, Yaishnava Sarbahhauma tice of the six Brindaban Goswamis, Sreela Jagannath, Sree Bhaktivinode keeps strictly aloof from the evil Thakur, Sreela Gaurkishore and His company of the Salvationists (or Divine Grace Prabhupad Sreela Bhakti gnostics who are opposed to the prin- Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur. ciple of devotion ) and elevationists This is the "Bhagabat Parana paryya'' (who are engrossed in sensuous or the Divine Preceptorial Order. This exploits). order of succession is quite dissimilar According to the Teaching of Sree to the succession of preceptors and Krishna-Chaitanya the fully surren- disciples according to the rules of dered cent per cent servitors of Krishna Pancharatra and the Smartas, In the are alone fit to be designated sadhus or transcendental succession there is no devotees. All others are non.devotees 392 THE HARMONIST or anti-devotees (a.sadhus). The estate is opposed to the fundamental Teaching of the sadhu is attained by listening to of spiritual scriptures. The Smarta transcendental discourses of the Brahmans have turned the functions Absolute from the lips of sadhus and of initiation, preaching of the scriptures, by chanting the Name of Hari under worship of Sree Vigrahas, and the other their guidance by giving up all pre. forms of the Divine service into a mono- dilections for unspiritual thought and polistic means of earning their livelihood conduct. Subsequent to Srinihas and social privileges by the adoption of Acharyya Prabhu, Sree Thakur the hereditary principle. Theistic edu- Narottam, Sree Shyamananda and cation thus came to be monopolised Sree Rashikananda Murari kept up the and bartered in exchange for worldly true doctrine of Mahaprabhu fully advantages by the hereditary gurus. propounded by Sree Rupa Goswami. The genuine Vaishnavas who have Later on there came a time when always been very few in number occu the pure doctrine of Divine Love was pied with their Bhajan did not ex- misrepresented and mis-practised in perience the Divine Call to remove the diverse ways, and from out of such dirts that rapidly accumulated round apostacies new doctrines sprang forth the Vaishnava tradition. In this way under the name of the Religion of Love the current of the genuine preceptorial which came to be mis-identified with teaching remained withdrawn from the the principles of the elevationist and view of the people and its principles and Salvationist schools. Sree Viswanath practices were utterly forgot. The Chakravarty and Sree Valadev Vidya- magnitude of the evil brought about its bhusan who appeared at a subsequent own remedy. At the moment of greatest period, re-asserted the true standard of depression Sree Thakur Bhaktivinode the Doctrine against enemies and pseudo- by the Will of the Supreme Lord made followers. Then followed a period of his appearance in the Divine Precep. stagnation, the dark age of the Religion torial Order in succession to Sreela During this period of gloom the count, Jagannath Das Babaji the then univer- less forms of pseudo.Vaishnavism once sally recognised spiritual leader of the more obtained possession of the stage. devotees of Brajamandal, Gaudamandal The office of the Saviour Acharyya in and Kshetramandal, for making the the preceptorial order gradually came genuine Teaching of Supreme Lord Sree to be usurped by the most unworthy Krishna-Chaitanya once more available hereditary discendents of the former to the people. Sreela Thakur Bhakti. Acharyyas. Hereditary Acharyyaship vinode was a most prolifiic writer and SREE GAUDIYA MATH 393 his more important published works on against public order and decency that the subject of pure devotion in different were practised with impunity by the languages run up to the neighbourhood pseudo-Vaishnavas in Brajamanda! in of a century. He edited religious the name of religion. Among the re- periodicals, rediscovered and edited the forms undertaken in this quarter by standard works of the school, identified Sreela Thakur Bhaktivinode may be the birth-site of Mahaprabhu and the mentioned the fact that he put a stop to other sacred places in Navadwip, reviv- the brigandage practised by the ed Sree Viswa Vaishnava Raj-Sabha notorious Kanjhor gangs who made it founded by Sree Rupa and Sanatana, extremely unsafe for the pilgrims to re-instated in its pure from the congre- visit the land of Braja. gational chant of the Holy Name and Sreela Gaurkishore Das Babaji commenced an active preaching pro- Maharaj who attended the discourses of paganda from the pulpit. Sreela Thakur Bhaktivinode as well Sree Viswa Vaishnava Raj-Sabha as Sreela Jagannath Das Babaji had was revived in 1883-84 A. C. Sree been living in Brajamandal for a long Navadwip Dharna Pracharini Sabha was period before they ultimately settled founded in 1893-94 A. C. Maharaja Bir down in Gaudamandal in order by chandra Manikya Bahadur of Tripura their conduct to bear testimony to the and his successors have been the presi- truth of the doctrine of the identity of dents of the latter institute since its Sree Gaudamandal with Sree Braja- establishment. Sreela Thakur began mandal. The revolution in religious to publish the 'Sajjanatoshani' as a thought that was brought about by bilingual religious monthly, in Bengali these pccurrences which ushered in the and English, from 1881-82 A. 0. The new Movement is now known all over propaganda was extended to Kshetra- the world. To Sreela Thakur Bhakti. mandal (Puri) where in 1871-72 A 0. the vinode all mental speculation, historical 'Bhakti Mandapa: was founded in the secularism, allegorical interpretation, temple of Sree Jagannatli Deva by his the points of view of elevationism and initiative for broadcasting the genuine salvationism alike appeared as mere principles of Vaishnavism and reform- rubbish by close scrutiny in the light of ing the abuses of Sanatana Dharma. the pure Bhagabat Dharma. His In furtherance of his purposes Sreela precepts and examples, though they Thakur Bhaktivinode attacked the have since met with many setbacks in evil at its source by undertaking the slights and insults, have always main- suppression of the worst transgressions tained intact their fundamental features 394 THE HARMONIST of uncompromising relinquishment of that period for establishing the of 'asat sanga' and a preservation of superiority, nay uniqueness, of the the absolute purity of Divine service in doctrine of Achintya-Bhedabheda- the shape of pleasing the Senses of Siddhanta ( the inconceivable simul. Krishna. This consummation has been taneous dualistic and unitary relationship due in no small measure to the Trans- of the Jiva soul to the Over-Soul ) cendental Personality of Sreela Bhakti enunciated by Mahaprabhu, as provid- Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, ing the true point of view of the the Pounder.President of Sree Gaudiya Vedanta philosophy. Smartas and Math. pseudo-Vaishnavas in a final attempt Sreela Prabhupad after His initia- to preserve the hereditary principle of tion by Sreela Gaurkishore Babaji preceptorship dared to disparage even devoted Himself to ceseless chanting Sreela Raghunath Das Goswami by of the Name of Krishna in Sridham declaring that he belonged to an in- Mayapur, the birth-site of Mahaprabhu ferior 'caste'. Sreela Prabhupad des- revealed by Sreela Thakur Bhakti- troyed this pernicious propaganda at vinode. Closely associated by birth the root, by His printed discourse on with Sreela Thakur Bhaktivinode, 'Brahmana o.Yaishnaver Tnratarnya perhaps the greatest of the Vaishnava Bishayak Siddhanta' which was read Acharyyas, favoured by initiation by by Him at a mammoth gathering at Sreela Gaurkishore Das Babaji, the Balighai Uddhabpur in the district of visible form of spiritual renunciation, Midnapure on 8th September, 1911 AC. the eternal aptitude and desire for the for publicly exposing the rottenness of service of Krishna that are inherent in thought behind such pernicious blasphe Sreela Prabhupad found the fullest mies. In the same year, at the special opportunity of identifying Himself with request of late Maharaja Sir Manindra the discourses of Sree Chaitanya, the Chandra Nandi of Cossimbazar, He highest service of Sree Nama. The attended the Cossimbazar Sammilani prayer-songs of Sreela Narottam where by observing a four days' fast in Thakur, Prema Bhaktichandrika, Sree order to remain aloof from the associa- Chaitanya Shikshamrita and the works tion of pseudo-Vaishnavas, He con. of the Brindaban Goswamis were His demned all doctrines inimical to those loved companions from His school days. of unalloyed devotion preached by Sree In 1895 A. C. He wrote His 'Bange. Rupa Goswami in a short speech which samajikata' in which He has given us a was violently interrupted by the party short history of the religious societies of vested interests. In order to carry SREE GAUD1YA MATH 395 on His propaganda on His Own lines, at that place. In 1922.28 A, C., He Sreela Prabhupad established the had commenced compiling: a Vaishnava Bhagabat Press at No. 4 Shawnagar Encyclopedia, the Vaishnava Manjusha. Lane, Kaligha', in April.May 1923 A.C. For collecting .materials for His Ency- In Oct.-November 1912 A.C. He visited clopedia, He had travelled extensively the birth phices of the close associates of and visited the religious centres of Mahaprabhu in Rarha. The printing Southern India sanctified by the Oust press was removed to Brajapattana, of the Lotus Feet of Mahaprabhu. Sree Mayapur, from where Sree Chai. In November-December 1918 A. C. tanyu Charitamrita, Srimad Bhagabat Sreela Prabhupad established Sree Gita with the commentary of Sreela Bhaktivinode Asana at No. 1 Ultadingi Viswanath Chakravarty Thakur, Gaura- Junction Road, Calcutta, and in krishnodaya, Navadwip Panjika, Sri. Magh re-inaugurated the Sree Viswa dham Tatva and several other works Vaishnava Raj Sabha. During the period were published. After the disappear, 17th August to 8th Sept. 1919 A. C. ance of Sreela Thakur Bhaktivinode in congregational chant of Hari Nama and June-July 1914 A. C. Sreela Prabhupad regular discourses on a grand scale were began to edit the Sajjanatoshani from held in the form of a public festival the Peby..March 1915 A. C. (Mahotsaba) in the Bhaktivinode Asana. number of that year. In June- This was the beginning of the present July 1916 A. C. He founded the Annual Celebrations of Sree Gaudiya Bhagabat Press at Krishnagar. Math. On the 27th March, 1918 A. O. on In March April 1919 A. C. in connec- the Anniversary of the Birth of Maha- tion with the Anniversary Celebrations of prabhu, Sreela Prabhupad accepted the Birth of Sriman Mahaprabhu, Sreela the triple-staff of formal renunciation Prabhupad held the first Bhaktishastri () and established Sree Chai- Examination at Sridham Mayapur. In tanya Math where He installed the Sree 1905-6 A. C. the Sarbabhauma Examina- Vigraha of Mahaprabhu and for the tion embracing all branches of devo- spread of the Teaching of Mahaprabhu tional literature was introduced and a set up permanent preaching centres school of theistic culture was established or 'Sree Bhaktivinode Asanas' in at Sree Chaitanya Math under the name ^ different places. As early as 1901-2 of Paravidyapitha. In 1920 A. C. cir- A. C. while He was staying at cumambulation of Sree Navadwip- Puri He had given regular dissertations dhama was re-started. On 6th Sept. on the Teaching of Mahaprabhu 1920 A, C. Sree Vigrahas of Sree Guru- 396 THE HARMONIST

Gauransfa-Gandharbika-Giridbari were nanda Math of Cuttack, Sree Ekayana installed in Sree Bhaktivinode Asana Math of Harashakshctra, Sree Rama- where the first Branch Centre of Sree nanda Gaudiya Math of Kovur, Sree Chaitanya Math under the name of Gaudiy Math of Madras, Sree Jagannath Sree Gaudiya Math was established Gaudiya Math of Mymensingb, Sree The establishment of a Temple and Gaudiya Math of Bombay, Sree Saras- Math at each of the nine Dwips of wat Gaudiya Math of Hardwar, Sree Navadwip was also decided upon. In Gaudiya Math of Patna, Sree Gaudiya 1920-21 A. C. Sreela Prabhupad began Math of Gaya, Sree Kunjabehari Math the publication of the Vaiahnava of Sree Radhakunda, Sree Braja.swan- Manjusha with financial help from anda sukhada-kunja, Sree Goatha Maharaja Sir Manindra Chandra Nandi Behari Math of Seshasbayee, Punjab, of Cossimbazar. Branch centres of Sree Gaudiya Math, Darjeeling, These Sree Chaitanya Math were rapidly Maths serve as centres of congregation established in different parts of India. of devotees and chant of the Name of The various Brancb Maths a ere Sree Hari, as places of public religious established in approximately the discourses, as training centres of whole, following order of time ; Sree Madhva time recruits and householders in the Gaudiya Math of Dacca. Sree Puru, practice of devotion. Sreela Thakur sottama Math of Puri, Sree Gaur-Gada- Bhaktivinode conformably to the Wish dhara Math at Champahati—the nativi- of Sree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that His ty of Dwija Baninath. Modadruma Name should be broadcasted through- Chbattra in Modadruma—the nativity out the lengrth and breadth of this world of Sreela Brindaban Das Thakur, Sree laid the basis of world-wide propaganda Sanatana Gaudiya Math of Benares, that is being carried on by Sreela Sree Paramahamsa Math of Naimisha- Prabhupad in our day. His activities ranya, Sree Saraswata Asana of have removed the last obstacles and no Calcutta, Sree Vyaaa Gaudiya Math one doubts that the fulfilment of the of Kurukshetra, Sree Tridandi Gaudiya Wish of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya is Math of Bhubaneswara, Sree Brahma within sight. The Teaching of Maha- Gaudiya Math of Alalnath, Puri, Sree prabhu was carried beyond the shores of Knshna-Chaitanya Math of Brindaban, India by two Sannyaai preachers Tri- Sree Gaudiya Math of Delhi, Sree dandiswamis B. P. Tirtha and B. H. Gopalji Math, Prapannasraraa of Arala- Bon who were sent out to London with jora, Burdwan, Sree Rupa Gaudiya Sree Sambidananda Das M. A. ( later Math ;of Allahabad, Sree Satchida. Pratna.vidya-visarada and Ph. D. of SREE GAUDIYA MATH 397

London University ) on the lOth of Gaudiya Printing Works were estab- April, 1933 A. C. The London Gandiya lished in 1923 A. C. and located at Math Office was at once established and 242/^, Upper (Circular Road, from Missionary work begun by a series of where they have been removed to their public lectures by Bon Maharaj in present location at 14/4, Kaliprosad London, Oxford, Cambridge and several Chakravarty Street, Baghbazar, other cer tres. In 193-1. A. C., at the Calcutta. The third and fourth Gaudiya instance of many English friends, the Bdithms of Sreo Chaitanya Charita- London Gaudiya Mission Society was mrita were rapidly brought out with established under the Presidentship of the generous financial help supplied by the Most Hon'ble the Maquess of Zet- two munificent donors Sj. Gopal land now Secretary State for India, Chandra Roy Bhaktiratna and Sres- and as a sequel to Bon Maharaj's tharyya Sakhicharan Roy Bhaktivijaya. successful preaching in Germany, a The masterly Gaudiya Edition of Sree Gaudiya Math Office was shortly after- Chaitanya Bhagabat has since been wards established in Berlin. published by the Gaudiya Printing Works Sree Sambidananda Das M. A., has with the donations of Sj. Ambika Charan obtained the Doctorate of the Uuiver. NathandSj. Avidyaharan Das Adhikari. sity of London for a thesis on the Sreela Prabhupad set out on the Gaudiya Vaishnava Religion. On the circumambulation of the Gaudaman- 8th of September 1935 A. C., Bon dal with a large company of devotees Maharaj returned to India with two on the 29th January 1925 A. C, It was Germanidisciples when the citizens of deci led to install 108 Foot-prints Calcutta accorded him a most cordial shrines of Mahaprabhu at those places welcoraq. Maharaja Sir Bir Bikraraa that have been sanctified by the Dust of Kishore Deb Barma Manikya Bahadur, His Divine Feet. Foot-prints Shrines K. o. s. I. Dharmadhurandhara, the were accordingly set up at Mandar and present President of Sree Navadwip Kanai Natsala on 13th and 15th Dhama Pracharini Sabha, has expressed October 1929 A.C., respectively, at his intention, conformably to the wish Jajpur on 25th December 1930 A. C. at of Sreela Probhupad, to construct the Kurmakshetra on 26th December 1930 Temple of the London Gaudiya Math. A. C. and at Singhachal, Kovur and The Weekly Journal "Gaudiya" is Mangalgiri on the 27th, 29th and Slst the mouth-piece of Sree Gaudiya Math. December 1930 A. C. A Foot-prints It was started by Sreela Prabhupad shrine was erected at Chhatra Bhoga on on I9th August 1922 A. 0. The the 2nd April, 1934 A. C. 398 THE HAKMONIST

In 19B2 A.. C., Sreela Prabhupad The history of the foundation of trayelled all over India from the Sree Gaudiya Math in Calcutta and its Himalayas to Cape Comorin, broadcast- activities is closely associated with the ing everywhere the Message of Maha. name of its Secretary, Mahamahopa- prabhu. Pandit, Sree Adamar Yitthal- deshaka Sripad Kunjabehary Vidya. acharyya Dvaita Vedantavidwan of bhusan. It was at his instance and Udupi has recorded his impressions of through his earnest efforts that Sree this famous tour in his ''Saraswati- Gaudiya Math was established by His Digvijaya*' written in simple Sanskrit Divine Grace in Calcutta for serving as verse. It was a tour of conquest of the the headquarters of the extended hearts of all religious persuasions. preaching activities of the Mission. In Sree Sajjanatoshani began to be 1930 A. C., Srestharyya Sreela Jaga. published in English with the alterna. bandhu Bhaktiranjan (J.B.D.), a big tive title of the "Harmonist' from merchant of Baghbazar, Calcutta, Sree Gaudiya Math, Calcutta, under provided at his own' entire cost the the editorship of Sreela Prabhupad present magnificent edifice with its from *1927 A.c. A Fortnightly Hindi noble temple, spacious lecture hall and Periodical, the "Bhagabat", was started resirlential accommodation for the from Sree Paramahamsa Math of inmates. On 5th October 1930 A, C. Naimisharanya in 19B2 a. o. The Sreela Prabhupad formally installed "Nadia Prakash" ( in Bengali ) which the Sree Vigrahas of Sree Sree Guru- was started as a Bi-weekly was turned Gauranga-Gandharbikn-Giridhari Who into a Daily Paper, as the organ of where taken in a beautifully decorated Sree Chaitanya Math of Sridham Rath (car) accompanied by an enormous Mayapur. Besides these, the fortniahtly Samkirtan procession from No. 1 organ "Paramarthi" m the Oriya Ultadinyi Junction Road in the newly language and the monthly organ constructed temple of Baghbazar, This "Kirttana" in the Assamese language event was celebrated by the holding of are beinor published from Outtack Sree a theistic exhibition lasting for over a Satchidananda Math and Assam Goal- month. Sreela Bhaktiranjan does not- para Prapannasram respectively. The stand alone in the construction of big Nadia Prakash Printing Press and the edifices for the Mission. He has been Bhagabat Press have been established preceded and followed by other pure at Sridham Mayapur and Krishnagar souls in similar pious work, by Sj. respectively for coping with the expand- Pannirulu Pillai Dharmapran in the ing publishing activities of the Mission. construction of a Lecture Hall for SREE GAUD1YA MATH 399

Madras Gaudiya Math, by Sreshtharyya Nath Singh Bahadur M. L. c., and Sj. Sakhicharan Roy Bhaktivijaya in Maharaja Sir Sree Bir Bikram Kishore building the biggest Temple (in Bengal) Deb Barma Manikya Bahadur K. c s. I., at Sridham Mayapur on the Birth-site Dharmadhurandhara of Tripura, have of Sriman Mahaprabhu, by Maharaja successively presided over the anniver. Sir Sree Sree Bikram Deo Barma sary functions in commemoration of the Bahadur D. Litt., Harijanashraya of services of Sreela Jagabandhu Bhakti- Jeypur (in Andhra) in the construction ranjan. The Gaudiya Math of Calcutta of the new Temple of Madras Gaudiya continues to hold its annual celbrations, Math, by the (Srestharyya) Zemindars which extend for over a month com- of Baliati in the construction of the mencing from the Jhulanjatra festival great Temple of Sree Madhva Gaudiya and include the observance of the Math at Dacca, by Sj. Avidyaharan following festivals viz: celebrations in Das Adhikary in the construction of the commemoration of the disappearance of Lecture Hall of Sree Chaitanya Math Sree Rupa Goswami, the Advent of Sree ( Sridham Mayapur ), by Sj. Madan- Baladeva, the Advent of Sree Krishna mohan Bhaktisudhakar in the construc- Nandotsab, the Advent of Sree Advaita tion of the Temple of Sree Chaitanya Prabhu, the Advent of Sree Radhika, Math and by Sj. Krishnaprosad Das the Advent of Sree Yamanadeva, the Adhikari Bhaktibhusan in the construe, Advent of Sreela Thakur Bhaktivinode. tion of the Temple of Sree Tridandi Certain other special functions, Sree Gaudiya Math at Bhubaneswara, Orissa. Govardhana Puja or Annakut Mahotsab, Sreela Jagabandhu Bhaktiranjan, the Advent Ceremony of Sree Vishnu, donor of the Sree Gaudiya Math priya Devi and Sree Vyasa Puja or Temple, passed away ofi ]9th November Acharyya Puja are also held here on a 1930 A. C. The anniversary of grand scale. his disappearance is celebrated at Sree Persons unable to differentiate bet. Gaudiya Math, Calcutta, on a magni- ween the morphological and ontological ficent scale. In gratefuil appreciation aspects of the propaganda of Sree of the activities of Sree Gaudiya Math Gaudiya Math are liable to be fascinat the Hon'ble Justice Sir Manmatha ed and deceived by the former. Nath Roy Chowdhury Kt., of Santosh, The Gaudiya Math aims at the President Bengal Legislative Council, following ; — Hon'ble Sir Bijoy Prasad Singh (1) To show the light of Transcen- Roy Kt., Minister, Self-Government, dence by eliminating all dirts of empiric, Bengal, Hon'ble Raja Sj. Bhupendra ism and mundane bearings. 400 THE HARMONIST

(2) To serve Sree Hnri along the many errors leading to averseness to graded devotional path after acceptance the spiritual service of Godhead the of the Daiva Varnfishrama Dharma revival of which is the special function favourable to the attainment of Parama- of the Gaudiya Math in the present hamaa Dharma lying beyond the range age. of the former. To relinquish Varna- (4) Showing that imitation, hypo- shrama Dharma at the immature stage crisy, unlicensed dealings, abuse of free and to accept "Adaiva Varnasharama" will and mental speculations do not are both uncongenial to the teaching of constitute Vaishnavism, but that sinceri. Bhagabat Dharma ty of the pure soul, openness of heart, (3) To show that the difficulties of thorough and whole-hearted submission the present age are due to the fact that to the spiritual Preceptor both in people have given themselves up to precepts and practices constitute the Jada Saguna Upashtma, to elevation- backbone of Vaishnavism. ism and salvationism, to the attainment (5) Showing that search after in. of lucre, enjoyment and name under vidious forms of popularity or gratifica- cover of seeking spiritual bliss, to tion of the senses of Godless multitude hypocrisy under cover of lonely devo- is not Universal Love, but rather malice tional activities (Nirjana Bhajana), to prepense. To show that the preaching denial of the right of enjoyment of the of the Absolute Truth, though not pleas- Sole Enjoyer in the name of immorality ing to the public taste, unfalteringly or superceding morality, to Ajukta in precepts and practices, is the real Vairagya, to enjoy even the Only Universal Love and benevolence to the Enjoyer Krishna, to sensuous enjoy- Jivas. ments in the name of devotion, to (6) That offences against the reflec- cherish perversities of devotion through tions of the Name are not the pure the channel of enjoyment, to consider a ehanting of the Name ; that pure chant- Sadhak (one on the way of devotion ) ing of the Name leads to Transcendent- and Siddha (self-realised) as equal, al Love. to consider pecuniary contributions to (7) That to put the spiritual and the purely theistic organisations as the mundane into the same category is identical with the performances of the detrimental to the attainment of pure materialistic altruists, to consider the Love. Pure Love is unique, so also the preaching of the Name of Hari as in. Object of Love and the means of attain, ferior or equal to transitory social altru. ment thereof. That devotional Love is istic performances. To rectify all these the normal function of every soul in SREE GAUD1YA MATH her unalloyed spiritual state and not readers, lecturers, singers, etc., to functions of the gross or subtle bodies pander to the atheistic tastes of the that enwrap the soul in her conditioned populace is fraught with the gravest state offence against the Name, which, instead (8) That to think of Archa.vigraha of doing eternal good brings irremedi- as made of stone, or to think of a able evils upon all parties Vaishnava Guru as an ordinary mortal, concerned. to think of a Yaishnava as belonodng (10) That Sree Sree Radha- to a certain caste, to consider the wash- Govinda,the Absolute Divine Couple, is ing of the feet of Vishnu and Vaishna. the only Object of our worship that vas to be the same as ordinary water, the way of worship shown by the to consider the Name and Mantras of transcendental milkmaids of Braja is Vishnu as identical with ordinary tnun. the only way as well as the Goal, for dane sounds, er to consider the Supreme a prospective recipient of transcendental Lord Vishnu as equal to other subordi. love. That the same is not attainable nate deities is not only unfavourable except through complete sincere sub but detrimental to the attainment of mission to the lotus feet of the real devotion to Godhead. spiritual preceptor ; that chanting the (9) That no true culture about the Name of Hari by being freed from all Name, Pastimes or the Personality of offences by such full submission is both Krishna can be had with the mundane the process (Sadhan) and Goal (Sadhya) intellect. That the pretence of chanting of the only desideratum, viz : Krishna that is indulged by the mercenary Prema. Bhakti ( A\short discourse by Editor )

Bhakti is often misunderstood. Such getting the propriety of conduct of a misunder-standing may be of different kanistha adhikary (neophyte) towards kinds. Those who are very much the highest order of devotees, presumed addicted to the pleasures of the flesh to find fault with the conduct of are liable to mistake such pleasure as Mahaprabhu Himself in taking the name love of God. Most people now-a-days of Gopee instead of that of Krishna. are anxious to acquire wealth and fame Similary Sribash Pandit's conduct in and other good things of this world. requiring the assistance of a scavenger They often profess appreciation for the for removing wine, meat and other religion of love that was preached by articles for the taraasik worship of the Mahaprabhu Sri Krishna Chaitanya. goddess of worldly desires, that had Mahaprabhu, as is well known, was been placed at the door-steps of his opposed to barren asceticism. This house by Gopal-Chapal in order to attitude of his is much liked by all discredit him in the eyes of the people, persons who live a luxurious life. But has also been misunderstood by certain bhakti or devotion is not bhoga or persons who consider that it is the enjoyment of the pleasures of the senses. business of human life to grow rich and There cannot be a greater calumniation live a life of pleasures. The pure of a pure devotee than to call him a devotees, by their sharp rebukes, direct worshipper of the goddess of worldly our attention to the gravity cf the prosperity. The conduct of a devotee offence of misunderstanding and is unintelligible to both bhogis (epicure- misrepresenting the conduct of pure ans) and tyagis (ascetics). It is also not devotees, which is the greatest possible less unintelligible to those who study obstacle in the way of the attainment of the shastras by themselves or under love of God, although it is liable to be teachers who are not true devotees. regarded as comparatively trivial by Few people are sufficiently open-minded most people. It is, therefore, necessary to be prepared to recognise the great not to rashly declare such conduct of mercy of Mahaprabhu in rebuking the the pure devotees to be prompted by student, who had studied the shastras malice or anger specially as it is in under a teacher who had no idea of reality the most unambiguous expression religion, when the said student, for- of the highest magnanimity. A Letter

Dear Herr Schulze, manufactured in the factories of I have the good fortune to read degenerate hopes and special privilege- your article in the Harmonist of hunters who want to strut about with December last Excuse me, if I put their hall-marks of caste, nationality in black and white here thoughts that or creed, as well as their particular have flashed on me after going special prophets. But Sree Chaitanya through it. Gharitamrita says, "Whoever -fully I think, your way of approaching serves is alone great, those who are the subject is commendable. A western opposed to His service are insigni- mind is naturally more fit to know ficant and worthless.'' about the complicated tissues of empiric WTO 5^ 3TT 1" thought-tanule that is daily enmeshing Speculative ventures in the West European culture in its mad pursuit in the domain of philosophy are, tclay, after things of the mind. It would, of in a state of bankruptcy. But under- course, be a Titan's task to disentangle lying all sincere philosophical specula- them, and it is certainly beyond human comprehension how we can try to do tions there may sometimes be found a tendency, though fruitless, to discuss that with any hope of success while we the unalloyed truth. There is a nice are in the grip of it. The help must come from somewhere which is not shloka in the Bhagabata. within Maya's sphere. Grace is that 'BTTrRT gRcftft HlfcOfd help. But grace, as it is popularly understood, is something quite different sqqffq gVri qniafort n from the true commodity. Grace is Godhead's pure potency as manifested 'There are people who say they do in relation to His Own servitors and not believe in the existence of the soul, through them in relation to the world considering themselves, in their self- at large. The make-shift grace of an delusion, as separate entities. Yet they eighteenth century deist is nothing but do not desist from speculating about a mis-nomer. There can be no unwhole. it.* Herein lie the significance as well some exploitation of nepotism in the as the irony of fate of all human Bealm of the. Absolute, It can be speculation. 404 THE HARMONIST

Vaishnava philosophy, given to the tive. Scholastic philosophy of medieval world in its most explicit form by our India was so long regarded like archaeo- Sree Gurudeva, has a special significance logical curios de-fossilised by certain for the speculation.ridden world of Pundit adventurers from the West to today. In the midst of the huge be exhibited in their manuscript forms turmoil of conflicting currents of in society studios. But Prabhupada thought. He alone stands like the has shown them as living principles in guiding light on a rock in a storm- the organon of spiritual life In Him tossed sea, ever pointing towards the Acharyyas of the days of yore live Baikuntha. I think, all honest specula- their lives eternal. For He perfects and tive idealists or realists will find their expands their teachings. And we can missing link, if the.y can have.the good understand them only through Him. fortune to hear His words. The Europe wants to find true India. baffliny tragedy of a Hamlet's or There are great souls there who are Faust's life will no more need to be seeking their spiritual regeneration acted. For all divergent types of from her. But where is that India of life principles are enabled to find their the Upanishads, of the Bhagabat Gita true direction :in His teachings. His and above all, of the Sriraad Bhagabata, words are the vocal Body of the Abso- to be found ? Certainly not in the lute Self. They are the quintessence hybrid teachings of the so-called spiri- of all philosophies that have ever tual up.starts who through their com. sought to find out the Truth with an promising cults of ego-worship have iota of real sincerity. In this His mode sought to delude the world. Of course of preaching, in its comprehensiveness the make-shift spirituality of these and universality of appeal, is a thing mushroom apostles has an enchanting quite unique even in true Acharyyas effect on those who do not know that like Ramanuja and Madhwa whose spiritual regeneration, the eternal later day representatives have gene- resurrection, is not tantamount to self- rally appealed to people, who were deception. And it is for these novices immediately related to them as that our Srte Ourudfiva in His infinite disciples, in the light of a particular mercy has raised a clarion voice which school of interpretation. But Prahhu. should reach every corner of the world. pada, in spite of His deeply absorbing Some may misunderstand His mode of interest in their philosophies, have preaching. But it has a simplicity, always thrown such light on them as perspicacity, directness and thorough- to show them in their proper perspec- ness, all its own, which is sublime. SREE V1SHWA VAISHNAVA RAJ SABHA 405

Through Him we have the cleurest have so often tried but failed to find undistorted view of the Absolute. In through their perverted speculation. Him lives the eternal India of the Let His Will be done. Vedas, He alone, m this age of For God's sake brother (excuse degenerate self-seeking, has tried every me if I have the boldness to accost you available means to bring home to every so), don't take all these as sentimental human soul the innermost teachings of nonsense—exaggerated effusions of an the genuine Vedic Shastras and have impotent enthusiast. We have tried saved them from being mixed up with to understand every word of it through and mistaken for the spurious ones. a life of submission unto Him Who is But where is that John who will the eternal Object of all service and announce this Great Advent to the love. Degenerate fool as I am, I have world ? Misgivings " overweigh weak no entry into the esoteric significance hearts like ours. But He is of this Great Advent. For my self, yet as Perfection's self-manifestation purification here I try to give you as all-Service, He is all-Grace ; some of my very crippled ideas about that grace which the so-called theistic the exoteric aspect of this Sublime philosophers of the Bast and the West Life.

Sree Vishwa Vaishnava Raj Sabha ( The Gaudiya Mission )

Sree Parushottam Math, Puri ; her Beloved on thetne banks of the On April 3, the Mahanta of Kalindi. Sree Rupa Goswami wrote his ''Siddhabakul" Math, paid a visit of •'Bidagdha-Madhab" at Siddhabhakul. courtesy to editor. When Thakur On April 6, Mr. J. N. Dutt, Bar.at- Haridas came to Nilachal, Mahaprabhu Law, came to see editor, the subject assigned him this place for his bhajan. of their talk being that present day It was also in Siddhabakul that Sree scholars find it difficult to understand Rupa Goswami resided during his visit the nature of unalloyed devotion to to Puri and it was here that he put in Sree Krishna propounded by Mahapra- black and white the innermost thought bhu owing to their minds being con- of Mahaprabhu in the couplet expres- taminated by ideas of elevationism and sing Sree Radhika's longing for meeting salvationism. 406 THE HARMONIST

On April 11, Mr. K. L. Gupta, m.a., the Math, has been reading and b.l., Advocate, Mr. S. K. Mukherji, explaining the 11th Skandha of Srimad

Solicitor, and Mr. A. N. Pal Ohoudhury; Bhagabat. Retd. Deputy Mgt. and Zemindar met Midnapur : the editor. The subject discussed was On April 12, Tridandiswami Srimad that of all engagements the best is the B. B. Srauti Maharaj delivered a service of the All-pervading Lord lecture on "Sanatan Dharma" under Vishnu, that the service of Vaishnavas the presidency of the Yubaraj of is superior to the service of Vishnu Kotaigara State Sj Aparnakinkar Pal Himself and that the only condition Choudhury, m.a., b.l., at the Bhadre. for eligibity to this service is complete swar Natyamandir of Bhadrakali. More self-surrender to the Divine Master. than 2000 people assembled to hear the On April 16, the German devotees message of Swamiji. Herr E. G. Schulze and Baron H. E. Upadesak Pandit Anadikrishna von Koeth arrived at Puri from Calcutta. Brahmachari of Amarshi Gaudiya Math On April 24 the 'Chandan Jatra' on being invited by Sj. Bhimacharan festival was duly celebrated All the Giri, read and explained Srimad devotees of the Math headed by editor Bhagabat at his residence on April 25. went to the Temple of Sree Gopinath On April 21, Tridandiswami B. B. where Mahamahopadesaka, Pandit Srauti Maharaj discoursed, about Lord Ananta Vasudev Vidyabhusan sang the Hari at the house of Sj. Hriday Chandra prayer-song to Sree Gopinath. Chanda. Sree Chaltanya Math, Sree Mayapur : Danlatpur, Khulna : On April 10, Prof. Panchanan On April 5, Tridandiswami Srimad Sarkar, m.a., paid a visit to Sridhatn B. P. Aranya Maharaj delivered a and had a talk with Srimad Audulomi lecture on the "Gift of Sriman Maha- Maharaj regarding the Divinity of the prahhu" in the Daulatpur College. Sj. Visible Form in which the Supreme Dwijapada Banerji, m.a., Professor of Lord is pleased out of His infinite Philosophy, presided at the meeting. mercy towards bound jivas, to descend Sree Jaydev Quudiya Math, SrinathPur : to the mundane plane through the On April 27 Sri Krishna-Samkirtan Medium of His Own Self as the Eternal was performed here by the devotees of Supreme Teacher of all spiritual entities. Sree Chaitanya Math, Sree Mayapur. Sree Qaudlya Math, Calcutta : Sree Qaudiya Math, Madras : From April 15, '.Mahamahopadesaka On April 12, the devotees of the Pandit K. Vidybhusan, Secretary, of Math were invited by a prominent GAUDIYA DIRECTORY 407 merchant of the town M. B. Ry. the important persons of the town were Muthiappan Pillai Avl. to read and present in the meeting. explain religious scriptures and sing On April 21, Swamiji with his party religious songs at his house. of Brahmacharis arrived in Manirarhpur Jessrore District. where on the next day he delivered a Tridandi swami B. P. Aranya lecture on "Sanatana Dharma" in the Maharaj has been preaching the courtyard of the local school. Sj. Pulin doctrines of Sree Sree Mahaprabhu in Behari Bose presided at the meeting. this district. At the requst of the On April 24, Swamiji delivered a public of Jessore, Swamiji delivered a lecture on ''Sanatana Dharma" in a lecture on "Advantages of Human meeting held in the Trimohini Katchary Birth" in the town hall on 20th April, of the well-known zemindar of Narail. under the presidency of Sj. Bishvam- Zemindar Sj. Dhirendra Nath Roy bhar Majumdar, Dt. Addl. Judge. All was present in the meeting. mi* XXXTT Ife; 19 ] [ ^ w 60T

THE HARNONIST

(Sree Saiianatosbanf

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna Ktcadnshi Jnistha 450 O.A,

May 17, 1936.

Annihifation of ageafong sufferings. May these our high aims ffourish The Service of Radha* Krishna, 7 o gfadden the hearts of true devotees tt iSmm m m « —nimiiB

Annual Subscription Editor-in-cbief Inland Els. 4-8, Foreign 7s. 6d, Paramahansa Bh^li Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswaii Goswami

Sree Gaudiya Math, P.O. Bagl)bazar, Calcutta. CONtE NTS

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1. Gaudi>a Math and History ... 109 2. The Indiyidual Soul ... 414 3. Janmastami or Jayanti ... 416 4. Gaudiya Math and Eugenics 421 5. Lights on Vaishnavism 430 6. Sree Viswa Vaishnaya Raj Sabha ... 432 ALL-QLORY TO SREE OURU AND OAURANCJA

Tie B at m0Iti$f

(Svee Sajjanatosbani)

VOL, XXXII. j MAY 17. 1936 No. 18

Gaudiya Math and History

When the sun peeps through a and sunset which cause the phenomena window into a dark chamber it can of day and night and the aspect of be seen as a ball of light smaller the truth presented by empiric history. than the aperture of the open window. In neither case does the experience This does not prove that the sun is of the race directly relate itself to really so small. Everyone has had an the Absolute Truth. The sun of the opportunity of witnessing sunrise and truth is always bright infinitely big sunset. But even a child novv-a-days and absolutely unchangeable. It sends knows that the sun never really rises its rays of light unconditionally and nor sets. The sun is seen to be in full profusion in every direction. moving, but it is the earth whose The faculties of man see the truth movement causes this illusion. Unless as an object which has a beginning, these things are properly understood, a middle and an end, and is constantly mistaken impressions produced by changeable. It also appears as very direct perception cannot be removed. small in magnitude. These impressions There is an analogy between the are sought to be recorded in empiric impression produced on the uninformed history exactly as they are experiejjced obeerver by the spectacles of sunrise and this account is regarded as true. 410 THE HARMONIST

It is more or less true as a record improving his worldly condition. In of direct experience. But the experience this world the present of man depends itself is not true in the absolute sense. upon his past for his progressive exis- It is only possible for a person who tence. We can never be sure of our is located in a fixed position in space position in regard to any institution to receive the true impression of the till we have learnt the history of its nature of the sun which is then evolution. We are then in a position constantly and unchangeably present to make use of it in an intelligent to his view. manner for gaining our purpose. Besides there is also need for There is a real distinction between proper instruments for the due obser- civilized and uncivilized ■ peoples. vation of the distant luminary. It has Uncivilized man depends more on first been possible only with the help of impressions - of phenomena. The child the nost powerful telescopes to obtain is naturally foolish, The adult is as a closer view of the sun as it is. a rule much wiser than the child Careful observation by means of suit- because of his greater experience of able instruments carried on by a very life. In this world even the wisest large number of distinguished persons man requires facilities for the proper has enabled us to build up the modern exercise of his powers and faculties. science of astronomy. It is only by The civilized man possesses extended putting together all this extended scope for such purpose and is also experience that the phenomena of endowed with greater knowledge for sunrise and sunset have been provided exploiting his greater opportunities. with a reasonable explanation that is In this manner man is progressing different from the impression of a in knowledge and power and happiness person who relies on his unaided through the Ages. History is the record direct vision. as well as the principal condition of History has supplied us with an this progress. The method has been account of the experience of the race applied with extra-ordinary success in from (period of antiquity. This account the past and we expect to apply it has become extended by being regarded with equal success in the future. This from different angles of vision and fact is well-known to everybody. through improved instruments. By There are, of course, many obstacles means of history we are trying to in the way of human progress. There understand the nature of social and are also many actual set-backs. Civili- dolitical institutions made by man for zation is destroyable by adverse circum- GAUDIYA MATH AND HISTORY 411 stances. But the present Age is, never- The history of man as known to theless, more advanced than every us at the present moment is briefly other Age known to history. This as follows. improvement has been achieved by We do not know whether there means of the cumulative past civilized are men outside our earth. Mars is efforts of the race. For the same suspected of being inhabited by a race reason it is very likely that the wheel like man. An examination of the of progress will not stop nor on the strata forming the surface of our whole really go back again. planet shows a certain sequence in This optimistic view is supported the appearance of life on this earth. by the hard facts of every.day.life. This is the basis of the acceptable The destiny of man is thus found to portion of the evolution of man in be made or marred by himself. The the theory connected with the name poverty and the various miseries of a- of Darwin. Man certainly did not backward peop'le are the results of an appear on this earth till millions of unwise past. It is not possible to years had passed from the time when undo the effects of one's past life the first forms of life appeared in except by means of prolonged expiatory this globe. But even so the date of activities on the right lines. There- appearance of the first man on our fore, history has also another and earth cannot be ascertained with any equally useful lesson to teach all of approach to approximation. Present us. The future of man individually civilization is probably not much older and collectively is found to be altoge- than a hundred thousand years. ther uncertain. Mundane progress Recorded history extends to an anti. carries within itself the seeds of its quity which is less than ten thousand dissolution which may overtake it at years old. any moment. The causal chain, the The unrecorded pre-history of man basis of evolution, means also that has also been partially recovered by the necessary evils are carried from inference and a certain amount of link to link as a matter of course material assistance furnished by imbed- in the same manner as the relative ded bones and implements. Man good is similarly carried. This is the gradually learnt to make a fire and real picture of the substantive character the use of metals. He then invented of the series. Is it a progress towards the art of writing. From that moment real, i. e. permanent and unmixed, civilization progressed consciously and good ? by concerted effort. 4t2 THE HARMONISE

The modern state and societj have from the past. The uncertainty of their basis in the nature of man. all calculations on the subject of life They can also be traced, in one form proves the reality of its living existence. or another, to the beginning of the History has always an honoured place historical period. On this view the in human affairs for promoting this divisions of the historical period as unsatisfied interest in life. ancient, medieval and modern cannot The Gaudiya Math does not propose he regarded as tenable. Very much to abolish the study or writing of of the ancient is modern and vice empiric history for its own limited versa. The so-called modern Age does purposes. It, however, pleads the not possess any measure of a distinc. practicability of avoiding the merely tive civilization that is wholly its own. negative and tentative use of the Still there has been continuous change historical method that is insisted upon tending to improvement cmto deteriora. by the blind vanity of a class of tion. Historical evidence does ndt modern historians. Tentative history support either the cyclic or the linear confines itself to the account of events view of progress of material civilization. taking place in limited time and locality Nevertheless, history presents us by the faulty agency of human beings. with dynamic personalities, forma of All these factors are destined by their activity and varied situations in a very nature to pass away. These are connected narrative. Those historical not the eternal verity. This history personalities, activities and situations has a purely negative value in respect do not recur. History does not repeat of the Truth Absolute. It is a misfor- itself in any real sense. What it does tune, which, however, admits of being is to acquaint us in a tentative and remedied if it is perceived in its true erroneous manner with the working perspective. But there is another of this phenomenal Nature. This history which is immune from this acquaintance enables us to deal with fatal defect and which supplies us it with apparently less chance of with real tidings of the Positive committing mistakes. It does not Absolute. eliminate, either more or less, the Empiric history, being merely nega- chance of mistake, in as much aa human tive, is purposeless unless it points to judgment itself happens to be by its transcendental history. It can be and nature radically defective. It is by no must be rescued from this unneces- means legitimate expectation that the sarily harmful defect by being sought future should be merely a deduction to be related to positive history. When GAUD1YA MATH AND HISTORY

it is so related it acquires a secondary him by his initial consent in the shape but real value. No event on this mun- of mundane limitations. dane plane is purposeless, or the out- Religious thought and method alone come of the inter.play of blind forces. have access to the positive plane of the The way in which history is being Reality. Empiric history is used by written makes the affairs of man appear the Gaudiya Math for the positive as the result of circumstances that are purpose. But the Gaudiya Math does produced by the working of the laws not confine itself to the task of spiri- of inanimate Nature. According to tualising or rectifying empiric history. this view man cannot be held fully It performs also this portion of its duty responsible for the consequences of only in the measure that is necessary his activities. Such a conclusion for its positive purpose. This task of strikes at the very root of the most revising minutely all the vagaries of cherished principles and hopes of empiric history does not require to be humanity and calls for serious reconsi- performed as primary spiritual function. deration on this teleological ground The nature of abuse of the empiric alone. historical method will manifest itself The Gaudiya Math represents the as soon as the plane of true vision is religious thought in its pure form reached. Therefore, the Gaudiya Math which has always differentiated itself directs its activities to the elucidation of from all forms of mundane thought, the history of Divine Events appearing including the historical. deligious in this world from time to time by the thought offers the positive view of method of Descent. The transcenden- transcendental events. In doing so it tal record of these Divine Events is liable to be supposed by angular view provides the positive and only effective to be performing at times the function help for lifting man to the plane of of empiric history. As a matter of the Reality. fact its treatment of even mundane There is no necessity for separate events transcends and perfects the elaborate rectification of empiric history. empiric historical method. Religious It will be effected automatically on the thought is the only true synthetising rectification of the judgment of the force in this world. It cannot, tbere- individual who has to study empiric fore, be amenable to the empiric histori- history for the spiritual purpose. It is cal method. It relieves man from all not the purpose of the Gaudiya Math methods that tend to confine him to to abolish empiric history but to enable unwholesome limitations imposed upon man to make the proper use of it for 414 THE HARMONIST the positive purpose. The Gaudiya dental events whose real meaning can Math provides unstinted facility for the be taught only by persons who have proper study of the history of transcen- access to them.

The Individual Soul ( By Tridandiswami B. P. Tirtha )

The Supreme Lord is the Absolute the service of the Absolute Infinity. Person. He is vested with innumer- They are free or liberated souls. Those able potencies of which three are funda- who choose to abuse their free will by mental viz., (1) His original internal submitting to the domination of His potency identical with Him giving rise external potency, forget their real to the Transcendental Realm with all nature, identify themselves with their His Paraphernalia, (2) His external physical mind and body and seek to deluding potency which is related to lord it over the phenomenal world in the internal potency as the perverted their enjoying mood and renounce it in reflection of the latter giving rise to their pessimistic attitude. Bound or this mayik universe with mind, body, conditioned souls are enthralled by the elements, time and space, and (3) His threefold qualities of maya, the deluding borderline jiva potency giving rise to potency of the Lord serving as jailer of an infinity of essentially spiritual enti- the prison-house of this material world. ties, infinitesimal in magnitude and But free souls who are naturally im. susceptible to domination by His inter- mune from the jurisdiction of the nal or external potency according to deluding potency are cognisant of the the initial choice of each such entity. abject plight of fallen souls and the There are two distinct categories of cause of their misfortune in refusing to jiva soul viz., (I) freed and (2) bound. submit themselves entirely to the Those who are conscious of their own guidance of the internal potency ( spiri- real nature and willing to make the tual preceptor ) for serving the Supreme best of their free will engage themselves Lord of All Love eternally with absolute in the eternal service of the Supreme confidence. A fallen soul can get rid Lord as subservients of His internal of the clutches of maya if he realises the potency Who can make them realise defective nature of his sense-perception THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL 415 and listens to the Transcendental cal, moral and mental condition of the Words of the bona fide Transparent -people by empiric attempts which are Master with submissive spirit, honest often militant against one another. As enquiry after Truth and serving Salvationists they try to get rid of this temperament. As spiritual beings, all chaotic disorder relying solely upon individual souls possess the faculty of their own sense-experience and try to free will divinely bestowed upon them ascend to or arrive at an apparent con- by Q-od. They can abuse this gift of sciousness where the observer, observa- God or can make the best use of it. tion and observed—knower, knowledge The Supreme Lord does not interfere and knowable—are merged into one with His gift viz., the jiva's freedom of undifferentiated Brahma or the Great choice. With this gift one can realise which is void of any name form, God and His Kingdom. This is the attributes and action, or to attain best use of it. With it one can forget nirvana, which is cessation of all per- Him and pose oneself either as an ception (self-annihilation). But those enjoyer or a renouncer of the world. who are fully conscious of the deceptive He thus becomes a Icarmi (elevationist), nature of these two theories, adopt the or a, jnani (Salvationist), or a yogi (asce- descending or revealed path and tic). Freedom in man enables him to surrender themselves entirely to the discriminate between God and non-god Lotus Feetot the Absolute Person and or maya or illusion. The path of God realise Him and His Name, Form, is the positive path of devotion and the Attributes and Pastimes in His Blissful path to non-god is karma (fruitive work), Realm and engage themselves in His jnana (dry wisdom) and yo^a(asceticism) eternal confidential service under the and the various other mixed empiric guidance of the Divine Master. attempts. Those who rely upon their This is -known as unalloyed devotion own exertions are either elevationists which is the eternal function of the or Salvationists. As elevationists they proper entity of all individual try to elevate or ameliorate the physi- souls. Janmastami or Jayanti

( By Kishori Mohan Bhakti.Bandhab )

To denote the "Tithi" (Lunar date) "There is a great difference between my of birth of men or the advent of the birth and that of others. I am the incarnations of God, it is necessary to Lord of all sentient beings, without give a name to that at the same time. birth and without death. I come to But the very word Janmastami or this world according as I desire, whereas Jayanti itself denotes the "Tithi" of the jeevas are hurled down into this the birth of Krishna. The word world and are born under the influence

Janmastami or Jayanti has its exclusive of My deluding energy v Maya. I am use for the indication of the birth tithi the Lord of Maya but the jeevas are of Krishna alone and none other. When under her clutches''. the planet Rohini appears in the It is, indeed, a mystery and some, Krishnastami tithi of the month of what revolutionary to learn that what it is called Jayanti. It is so said is without birth should be born, what is by the sages in as much as any man beyond the range of time and space can become a master of this world and should make His Advent felt at a cer- acquire great virtue provided he tain time and place. A compatibility worships it ( tithi ). But mundane or consistency of the type is only literatures of the present day have made possible in the personality of Krishna a very bold attempt to attach the word alone. An inconceivability that is Jayanti to the birth tithi of mortal beyond the range of comprehension of beings, in imitation of the unrivalled gods and other mortals is possible only birth tithi of Krishna. in the Omnipotent Krishna. There God is known to be without any should not be any restriction to the birth ; He has no father nor mother. limit of power of the Alpowerful, inas- But Krishna is such a Personality that much as any limitation of His Power although without any birth, He can will be a contradiction in terms. Any manifest the Leela •pf eternal birth attempt in that direction will tant- according to His Own sweet will. This amount to atheism ; because curtailment statement has been corroborated by of a little bit from the Omnipotence of Krishna Himself in the Geeta ( Chap 4 Krishna is to make ,Him inferior to Sloka 6 ), where He says to Arjuna, Krishna. The song of Krishna in the JANMASTAMI OR jAYANTI 417

(Jeeta declares that whosoever is in a will. The main cause of Krishna's position to understand the mysterious Advent in this world is to give spiritual nature of the birth of Krishna is delights to those loving devotees who privileged not to suffer from the pangs remain in anxious expectations of His of rebirths, A very fine declaration, Sight. indeed ! The Geeta says that Krishna takes He is the Lord of time and, though His Birth into this world in different He comes down here within the range ages to save and protect the sadhus, of any historical time, never becomes (devotees) to kill or destroy the a-sadhus subject to it, rather the latter is ever (non-devotees) and to establish the distantly subject to Him. When He nature of the proper religion of jivas. oomes into this world, He comes with His But this function is not the function of eternal realm. Hence even the shadow Krishna Himself. These functions of anything of this world can never are performed by the Descent of the come in contact with Him. Ordinary Portions of His Portions, like Rama, run of people may think that when Nrisinha, , , and others, of Krishna has come into this world, He Whom Krishna is the Fountain-Head. is, thereby born within limited time Even human beings inspired with the and space. He caii thereafter be power of Krishna can perform many of measured like things of this world. It is these functions at times. Just as it is by such unwarrantable assumptions that not necessary for the Emperor to inter- very great personages of this world and fere personally for the maintenance of even the creator Brahma himself err peace and order, which function is per. in understanding the nature of the formed by his executive officers, so, for Leela of Krishna. The inconceivable the maintenance of peace or the removal nature of Krishna can only be under- of disturbances of this world, it is not stood through His Grace after complete necessary for Krishna Himself to come submission to Him. down into this world. The sole object Fire is known to be always present in of His Descent is to give spiritual love a latent form in wood and firestone ; to His loving devotees—a function that but its presence is not felt except by cannpt be performed by any one except actual friction between the two. So Krishna Himself. herd friction is the cause. Like fire Like subordinate Wings following the manifesting itself by the friction as its Emperor in his march for a conquest, cause, Krishna manifests Himself in the various Divine Portions of Krishna this world according to His Own sweet as for example Narayana, Yasudeva, 68 418 THE HARMONIST

Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Anirudha, people, it should not be inferred, there- Matsya, , and others, come fore, that Krishna is born at that down to this world along with Krishna. particular time and that He had no Hence in Krishna's time and thereafter existence before. He is eternal and we notice in Vrindaban the various His Advent into, and Disappearance Leelas of these descended Portions. from, this world are also eternal. He Mentions of these Leelas are to be found has got His eternal Leelas in the in the cases of Brahma, Sridam of realm of eternal Vaikuntha and to Mathura and others, in the Bhagabatam. give felicitations to His loving devo- In the Leelas of Krishna we notice tees here He brings down all those many asuras killed by Him : but thoy Leelas into this world. Human beings were not the functions of Krishna Him. have their births and deaths, their self but were done by His Plenary gross bodies are destroyed ; but the Portions who are in the Fountainhead. case is otherwise with Krishna Whose To be able to come to this conclusion is Body and Personality are identical, to be in a position to follow the doc. In respect of His being born in this trines laid down in theGeeta. Sparks of world as the Son of Vasudeva and fire that can destroy a village or a town Devaki, we must never forget that can again enter into the fire itself from Krishna's Birth is not like that of an which they came. So the descended ordinary son born from the womb of Plenary Portions of Krishna can destroy his mother. The sun appears in the the miseries of human beings but the eastern horizon, but for that the latter function of offering spiritual love to cannot be called the mother of the His loving devotees rests entirely with former. Similarly, because Krishna Krishna Himself. appeared or manifested Himself in the Because the sun is seen in the persons of Vasudeva and Devaki, the morning of a particular day when he latter are by no means to be taken as rises in the east, it should not be parents of Krishna in the mundane inferred that he is born on that parti- sense. Krishna appeared in the pure cular day. He rises daily and when he essence of cognition (vishuddha sattva) comes to the notice of a particular man of Vasudev and Devaki. Worldly for the first time the latter thinks that children are born as naked ; but when he is born on that day. Simply Krishna made His Appearance in this because Krishna makes Himself visible world He had on His person yellow to the eyes of men at the particular clothing, a crown on His head, and time and to a particular section of various ornaments and with JANMASTAM1 OR JAYANTI 4V9

(conch shell), (disc), gada (club) to the seventh child of Devaki, Kdmsa and padma (lotus) in His four Hands. was deceived into the belief that there Ancient astronomers ascertained by was a miscarriage. calculation that Krishna was born five The eighth time Devaki held thousand years ago during the transi. Krishna Himself in her womb as a tion of the Dwapara Yuga into the result of which His effulgence fully present Kali Yuga. illuminated the whole prison-house. was the King of Yadavas Anticipating the birth of his own doom, and Kamsa was his son. Devaki was Kamsa always deeply brooded over the sister of Kamsa. Kamsa, who was Sree Hari in the womb of Devaki, in very atrocious, having dethroned his his inimical spirit, and felt His Presence father, himself became the King. After everywhere in the world. Brahma, marriage with Vasudeva, when Devaki Shiva, all heavenly gods and sages, was being carried in a chariot with like Narada and others, came to the Kamsa as charioteer, the latter heard a prison-house to pray Sree Hari in the heavenly voice to the effect that the womb of Devaki. Krishna appeared in eighth son of Devaki would be his the form of Sree Narayana, with four Death. The voice excited Kamsa to hands in the prison-chamber and make an end of Devaki, thus mys. advised Vasudeva to carry Him from teriously declared as the cause of his there to the private chamber of Yasoda future doom then and there ; but the (wife of Nanda) in Gokula on the other persuasions of Vasudeva ultimately side of the river Jamuna then flowing prevailed upon him. to desist from such with rapid currents during the rainy heinous crime. Grave suspicion subse- season. quently led King Kamsa to throw both Mysterious are the ways of Krishna. Vasudeva and Devaki into prison and The sentinels on watch at the prison, to kill one after another six children of gate fell deeply asleep, the prison-door Devaki no sooner they had been born. unlocked, the river became easily Her seventh child was mysteriously fordable and with the new-born Child withdrawn from her womb and placed in his arms Vasudeva waded to the into that of Rohini, another wife of home of Nanda and exchanged Krishna Vasudeva, then living in the house of with the new-born daughter of his most intimate friend Nanda Yasomati, who was brought over to the Maharaj of Gokula through the prison chamber to be passed off as the influence of Yoga Maya, the Internal eighth child of Devaki. When Kamsa Rnergy of Krishna, Thus with referenoe heard about the birth of the .eighth 420 THE HARMONIST child of Devaki he at once ran to the of a loving devotee to serve the Lord prison and, disregarding the piteous of his he^rt, Krishna, are always barred entreaties and requests of his sister by mountains of obstacles and diffi- Devaki, forcibly snatched away the culties. To forget Krishna is to embark daughter and vehemently dashed her on the propagation ot atheism ; but at against a stone slab. The daughter^ the idea of the real possibility of the who was no other than Yoga Maya, Advent of Krishna all atheism is driven the Internal Energy of Krishna,slipped away. Terrified at the idea, Kamsa, from Kamsa's hands and ascending in the personification of malice, attempts the air and displaying there her ten to have the aptitude of devotion nipped handed figure, declared to Kamsa that in the embryo ; and failing there, he his Death must have been surely born runs mad and vainly seeks to destroy somewhere else and that it would be of whatever goes to help the cause of no use to him to kill either herself or devotion. Kamsa, the prototype of other new-born babies. This etherial atheism, while trying to throw the voice induced Kamsa to set free devotee into the prison, struggles to Vasudeva and Devaki from the prison perpetuate his own existence, but all and, in consultation with his minister his attempts imperceptively prove to and other officers, to devise means for be a failure, and, in the long run, with killing new-born babes of the kge of ten the Advent of Krishna, he is blotted days and above. out of existence. Eiranyakashipu performed great The Advent or Manifestation of austerities ( tapas ) to receive boons Krishna in the pure essence of the soul from Brahma and utilised all the does not depend in the least upon the political and diplomatic resources at his corporal freedom or bondage of any command to put an end to his own sentient being. As king, Kamsa son Prahlad but he could not even thought himself to be all-powerful over make a guess about the cause of his the corporal body, and tried to make own doom. Similarly king Kamsa, in Vasudeva and Devaki prisoners in the his mad attempts to kill all possible body. But through the grace of agencies of his impending destruction, Krishna Himself, the wicked king was could not even conceive the whereabouts fully deceived and brought about his of his own .Destroyer whom he knew to own ruin in the long run. None can be hidden away somewhere. shut up God Himself within the prison The Birth of Krishna has many cell that seems to be at the disposal of things to teach us. The aspirations atheism. He is always nursed and GAUD1YA MATH AND EUGENICS 421

nurtured in the devotee's house. For Vasudeva and Devaki in the prison, this reason no sooner did Krishna chamber when all the surroundings appear in the pure cognitive essence thereof were surcharged with an atmos. of Devaki than He was carried to the phere of atheism in the land ol king house of Nanda in by Vasudeva Kamsa, Hence a life without the who is the pure essence of cognition. Advent of Krishna in him is not worth Even when there is the darkness of a farthing. But to enter into the atheism all around, Krishna appears in Madhura Leela of Krishna requires a the heart of the loving devotee. This preliminary admission into the precincts is the lesson that we can derive from of the Audarya Leela of Sree Gaura- the birth of Krishna |as the Son of Sundara.

Gaudiya Math and Eugenics.

Beauty, strength and health, of body The desire for perpetuating the and miod, are coveted by every person pleasures of this world is not wise in in this world. Everybody is aware as much as it happens to be bahed upon that these are not unmixed blessings. avoidable ignorance of the nature of But if a person is asked to name the such pleasures. Sensuous pleasure is possessions that he or she desires, he or not the cure of sensuous pain. They she will fail to find anything more covet- are the complementary and mutually able than these three. The benefactors aggravating aspects of the same malady. of the race, therefore, apply themselves If we want to banish pain we should to the production of beautiful, strong be prepared to banish also pleasure. and healthy men and women. The Eating is a source of pleasure. Science of Eugenics has become the There is a great variety of tastes. The most cherished study of the twentieth same taste is not uniformly pleasant. century. Germany has declared its Every taste has its proper scope. Even official adherence to the conclusions of the most repulsive is not bad under all this Science, which that country is circumstances. Good cooking combines trying to enforce on its people by legal the various tastes in the correct sanction. assortments and proportions. Nothing 422 THE HARMONIST is pleasant or painful for long and in These worldly good things are not itself. The Scriptures say everything only not good, but they become posi- is potentially painful, as otherwise, no tively harmful to their possessors the relief would be necessary. Persistence moment they are considered as valuable is painful, or in other words, the very in themselves. Everything in this world principle of life or conscious existence may, of course, be used for the purpose is the cause of misery. The pleasures of our real well-being. Health, beauty of life are complementary forms of and strength-, of body aud mind, may pain. also be so used. Those who possess These considerations have an inti- one or more of them almost always mate bearing on the yuest of worldly come to value them for their own sake. beauty, health and strength. A thing is Why are these symbolic values so beautiful only for a moment to the fancy much coveted on their own account ? Is of some particular observer. Strength is it not because they are supposed to be also realised as accidental, uncertain a source of immediate as well as pros- and partial freedom from greater and pective pleasures to their possessors specific forms of weakness and for the and to others ? It is impossible for time-being. Health is momentary man to avoid being enamoured of their immunity from certain forms of disease enjoyable use. Man is thereby either and a source of no less discomforts and raised to the status of celestials or mischief than any kind of so-called degraded to the condition of the disease. Health is worse than disease demons. Those who possess great as it is fond of its shortcomings. It physical and mental endowments are is the period of stagnation. either unmindful or hostile to the Before we apply ourselves to the task real claims of life. The gods belong to of improving the breed of the race, it the former, the demons to the latter should be our duty to be fully con- category. vinced that the possession of health, It is not desirable, nor practicable, strength and beauty can ensure our to be deprived of health, beauty and real well-being. The gods are said to strength. An ugly, weak and diseased be endowed with all these covetable person is not eligible for the real fun possessions, also the demons. The tion of life if he is envious of those who Scriptures declare that it is those very possess those covetable things. possessions that have made both gods No really wise man should unduly and demons inferior to man in the scale care for these baubles for their own of being. sake. The attractive qualities of the GAUDIYA MATH AND EUGENICS 423 body and mind have no abiding value, man must seek to live for the pleasures that- is to say no value for the soul. of this unnatural existence. The senses They are also not so desirable as they and appetites are wholly misleading. seem to be at first sight. The soul alone Whatever glitters is not gold. It is is really beautiful. The spiritual prin- certainly never the purpose of human ciple is alone possessed of all real life to try to secure a fund of deceptive beauty, strength and spontaneity. and degrading pleasures of body and Those qualities cease to be valued, are mind. The pleasures of the mind are wholly lost sight of, as soon as the not qualitatively different from nor corresponding earthly qualities are cul- independent of those of the flesh. tivated by the isolated method that A person who is endowed with a is followed by the natural sciences. keen eye only for the beauty of the The Upanishad makes a categorical flesh need not congratulate himself on distinction of opposition between the the possession of a faculty of abiding good and the pleasant. Whatever is value. The soul is possessed of the pleasant is not good. Man covets what perfect eye for beauty. The eye of is pleasant. Man is ignorant of the fact flesh, that pretends to find beauty in that it is not good for him to follow non-soul, is under a cruel delusion. such pernicious course. Sensuous living Those who are eligible to see the beauty shoqld be avoided by all means by those of the soul, have no attraction for a who want to attain to the life that is principle which is worse than a counter- proper for man. A. life of abstinence feit, All so-called beauties of this world is not desirable. These opposite courses are the obstinate and unaesthetic denials are equally harmful and are really the of real beauty. One with a particle complementary aspects of the same un. of genuine inclination for real life can desirable process. What is necessary is have nothing but unmixed repugnance to seek after the good which is neither for the deluding perversions and pleasant nor painful. shadows that go by the name of beauties Is beauty necessary for man ? What of this world. good does it bring to him or her ? It These statements may appear to be makes m£(h attractive in the eyes of opposed to most current notions of a himself and his fellows It provides him scientific Age that is so cautious and with greater scope for indulging for a so unwilling to subscribe to views that time in the pleasures of life. Both are unsupported by the testimony of these alternatives are evils to be shun- reason and the senses. But natural ned on the path of a worthy life. No science itself has no access to the Beality. 424 THE HARMONIST

The body and mind are not helps the midst of the orgy and think out but obstacles to the realisation of the our proper course in a dispassionate real life. If the body and mind or the manner ? What is the real value of obstacles, are pampered, how can we a fair skin, of well-developed muscles, expect that the adoption of such course of perfect immunity from disease, of the will necessarily enable us to progres. best of features ? They stifle to death sively realise our proper function ? The our very souls, if they are supposed body and mind stand between us to be our permanent possessions. The and our souls. They and their good soul desires to be freed from his present and bad points are really the black unnatural hankering for those so*called art of the cruel Enchantress who good things that make him forget his keeps us tied to the concerns of the real function. He has no affinity with non-soul by their means. anything of this world. He wants to This world is not our abiding place. be relieved of all abnormal worldy Neither are our souls human beings. affinities. He wants to be left to him- The human life imprisons our proper, self, to know himself, to have a function selves in the double dungeon of the worthy of his perfectly pure nature. human body and human mind. Is it This world and its concerns can supply our duty to seek to be reconciled to no occupation that is really acceptable this prison.life ? Is the prison.life to him. In these circumstances he to be accepted as our own proper life wants to know in all humility what he is and embellished as such ? No person to do. He does not want to stunt himself. in his senses can be expected to be Is it really necessary for the pur- in love with a life of captivity. Why pose of the soul to live and multiply should the scientists declare in favour for propagating and intensifying the of its retention ? Q-olden chains are conditioned state ? Why should the not better nor more useful than iron possessions of the body and mind of fetters. Whatever keeps us away man incite us to surrender our soul to from the normal activities of our souls their pursuit ? If our souls are really is to be shunned as deadly poison. convinced of the utterly illusory and Had it been really beneficial for us degrading nature of all worldly posses, to have an abundance of the so.called sions, why should we not rather seek good things of this world, why should to be enlightened about the proper use Providence set Himself in opposition of those possessions ? to our laudable endeavours, for attaining The greatest obstacle that stands the same ? Should we not pause in in our way, both as individuals and GAUD1YA MATH AND EUGENICS 425 comrnunities, for devoting our. selves to The ordering of this world is not in the pursuit of the good, as distinct from the hands of man and is also absolutely the pleasant, is vanity. We are vain faultless and requires no raodificatipn of high birth, of opulence, of superior for the better. The changes, that knowledge, of personal beauty. We perpetually overtake the affairs of man, accordingly devote ourselves with a are intended by Providence. Therefore, singleness of purpose to the congenial to vent one's malice against any occupation of augmenting and safe- entity as being the cause of what guarding these ephemeral and corrupt one may regard to be one's misfortunes, possessions. The civilized nations are is unphilosophical and foolish. Every, specially liable to such short-sightedness. body reaps as he or she sows. But The valuation of worldly possessions at everybody is given what can really be their proper worth must not be con- turned to his or her eternal good. If founded with their undervaluation that it is regarded from the point of view is prompted by the bitterness of dis- of the Giver, which is also right point position engendered by failure to secure of view, there is no ground for being them. dissatisfied with the arrangement of The Gaudiya Math does not ask this world. any one to renounce his or her worldly The Gaudiya Math is opposed to possessions. But if the acquisition of all those ideas that underlie revolu- beauty, strength, health and other tionary and reforming activities worldly possessions be pursued in the prompted by contempt for or malice manner that is detrimental to our well- against our fellowraen. The Gaudiya being, such engagement would be an Math does not maliciously quarrel with unmixed evil. The Gaudiya Math does the status quo. It wants to understand not advocate the abolition of any racial why it should be what it is. It wants distinction or any historic institution. to understand how we could properly Every one is assured by the Gaudiya adjust ourselves to our environments Math in the undisturbed possession of by a policy of real charity and good all his or her present earthly advan- will and by means of whatever worldly tages and opportunities. The Gaudiya possessions Providence has allotted to Math has no policy of persuading any each of us for the purpose. person to neglect any duties of this There can be no reasonable opposi- life. The Gaudiya Math wants to tion to such a proposal. Let every one allow our earthly sojourn to take its keep what he or she has, but let own course. all persons only lend their fully 426 THE HARMONIST unprejudiaed ear and judorjnent to the cause of all our troubles, as it ia at true tidings of the soul. Seif-realised present, it will become the source of teachers can inform us of our real unmixed happiness. The pleasant is, desideratum. He brings the tidings of however, never the good. The two a most wonderful realm of which all of are distinct and incompatible with one us are the eternal dwellers. We are another. The body craves for pleasure. exiles in this land of delusion which Its demands can never be productive of is so full of misleading joys and sorrows. good. Enjoyment of pleasure is obstruc- We should be interested iu the unknown tive of the joy of the soul. land of our nativity. We are bound to The Gaudiya Math does not recom be selfish and malicious if we learn to mend asceticism. Just as no purpose unduly cherish the conditions of living of the soul is served by following the in this world. Our proper selves are course of sensuous enjoyment, there neither selfish nor malicious. We want can be no relief for the soul if we to know why we are at all on a plane simply give up all worldly pursuits, or where we are subjected to such harmful choose to court misery and privation. and uncongenial degradation. If the mere adoption of either of the The physical body is the root-cause method of enjoyment or abrogation of all this degradation. Every form of would help us to attain our good, malice emanates from this rotten Providence would not have made the source. Why are we so much enamoured affairs of this world of a mixed of this unnatural and uncertain posses- character. There must be a real use of sion ? Notwithstanding all the efforts both worldly prosperity and worldly that we incessantly lavish for the pre- adversity. Those who are just now in a servation and improvement of this bad worldly position need not suppose most valued of all our earthly posses- that it is their duty to get rid of this sions, the troubles of the physical misery or that the performance of such body never cease. In order to meet duty is conducive to their good. the endless demands of the flesh we There is a consensus of opinion accumulate those possessions that among the historians of India that the plunge us into greater depths of sorrow poverty, loss of political power and and delusion. moral degradation of the people of India There are scientists, philosophers have been the result of their culpable and even religionists who hope to be neglect of worldly affairs under the able to improve the physical body in influence of a religion which inculcates such manner that instead of being the worthlessness of worldly pursuits. The GAUDIYA MATH AND EUGENICS 427 religion of India and of every country The soul has nothing to do with "such discourages worldliness but not the pleasure or pain. The body and mind are proper pursuit of worldly occupations. constitutionally subject to both. The The quarrel is over what constitutes soul is deluded into supposing, by propriety of conduct. In India, as allowing himself to be ruled by body elsewhere, different systems of pbilo- and mind, that he is also unavoidably sophy offer different interpretations of subject to pleasure and pain. the teaching of the various religious So long as the body and mind per. Scriptures. It is possible to find the sist to dominate the soul he cannot see real solution by the study of the the consequent experience of pleasure Scriptures. and pain incidental to such connection or This life is neither good nor bad in in its true perspective. The soul may itself. It can be made good or bad by of course be subject for a time to the use that is made of it. It is useless pleasure and pain against his own seek- to quarrel with the actual present. We ing. This is not harmful for the soul. have to take our affairs as we find them But it is quite another thing to accept and go to work with our present oppor- such subjection as the desideratum. tunities and equipments. But what If pleasure is sought, pain cannot be should be our goal ? Should we set avoided, neither can the permanence of out on the quest of pleasure, or on the the pleasurable state be desired. Few quest of good ? Are the two the same ? Epicureans are consistent enough to Empiric Science and empiric Philo- care to think out the real nature of the sophy seem to be inclined to favour the entity which they declare to be desir- view that the pleasant is good, that the able and natural. pursuit of pleasure is our legitimate and What would really suit both Epicu- only business. In rejecting1 the view reans aud Stoics is, however, neither that pleasure is the end of human life, pleasure nor pain. The term 'happi- the Gaudiya Math does not accept the ness' has been invented to express the pessimistic view of life. There is a very desideratum. But happiness also has real and highly beneficial usq of human always been defined by its advocates as life. That use is free from all hanker- constituted of physical and mental ing for earthly pleasure and.pain. Those states. The state of this so-called who seek for physical and mental ease happiness is sought to be attained become the slaves of sensuous impulses by physical and mental activities in gross and subtle forms. This is in the form of those activities and detrimental to the interest of the soul. • not as ao eotity apart from and 428 THE HARMONIST incompatible with the pleasurable intellectual control over one's senses experience. No empiric psychologist can (feeling and willing) before one can be consistently admit any function of the considered fit for producing offspring. soul as distinct from the body and mind. According to this school every male The production of offspring can be has to undergo, till the age of thirtytwo regarded as a duty only by those the necessary training under a proper persons of either sex who do not want instructor who is to teach him self- to incarcerate their progeny within control by habituating his pupil to a physical and mental casings for the course, of absolute ascetic obedience to gratification of a sensuous appetite himself. The kind of life that is led by merely because it is unavoidable in the the student in the home of his gutu is state of incarceration. It can never be regarded as the real training and more one's duty to produce consequences that important than any course of intellec- are altogether detrimental to the tual instruction. The guru has entire interests of one's soul. The more one is charge of the education of his pupil and anxious to pursue the objects of one's his sanction is also required for the sensuous gratification for the sake of entry of hia pupil into the state of wed. such gratification, either in the direct lock. The codes do not provide for the or in the vicarious forms, the less is he tranining of girls in the same way. or she likely to be aware of the nature The education of girls is left to house- of the duties for the performance of holds to which they respectively which he or she has been put into this belong. world by Providence. This non-theistic scheme of edu- In India we find two distinct codes cation is not advocated by the theistic of religious regulations for affairs of smriti. The spiritual codes set the this world both of which profess to be in object of pupilage outside the bounds conformity with the spiritual purpose of this earthly life. That object does of life. The smriti that belongs to not relate itself to the material needs the non-theistic school glorifies the of the body and mind. The activities mixed svattika ideal. That ideal is of feeling and willing cannot be isolated somewhat similar to Eudamonism. from knowing. Every act is coloured Feeling and willing are to be regulated by elements of all three principles. by the intellect which prevent them The activity of feeling yields the from following any irrational course. sensations of pleasure and pain which It is, therefore, necessary for a person, in their turn, stimulate the activities of according to this school, to acquirev the will and intellect. It also supplies GAUDIYA MATH AND EUGENICS 429

the objective direction to those feeling and willing and with correspond" activities. Similarly willing,which is the ing sense-organs of this physical body function of the efferent senses, seeks and mind. The term smriti was to get rid of the sensation of pain by borrowed by the uon.spiritual codes its activity under the direction of from the spiritual series intellect and experience. While The satvata smriti prescribes knowing supplies the concrete direction training under the guru but not of the to actions prompted by feeling and mechanical kind laid down by the non. experience. The outlook of all three spiritual smriti. By merely accustom, is confined to the scope of this life. ing the pupil to a life of hardships The view, that the best result is certain qualities may, imieed, be obtained by balancing the three, one produced or encouraged at the expense against another, is irrational. If of their complements. The satvata knowing is allowed to have absolute smriti wants to resuscitate the func- lead of affairs, it quickly finds out that tioning of the soul on his own plane all activities of feeling and willing are where he is free from any reference to productive of ephemeral and undesirable the supposed life that is available to results. It thereupon seeks to assert him in the conditioned state. The itself by counselling a policy of absten- propriety of performing any activities tion from feeling and willing. As the of knowing, willing and feeling is knowing faculty constitutes the dis- judged by its relationship to this tinctive principle of the state of man, purpose. such claim on the pa'rt of the intellect The spiritual mode of living is not is not 'also unnatural. The objection producible by any worldly contrivance. to gnosticism is due to the utter The means for the same is also spiri- barrenness of the result attainable by tual. The bona fide guru is the spiritual the same. It amounts to nothing less agent for reawakening the soul of his than self-destruction. disciple. The whole purpose of life The way out of this difficulty is is attained automatically as soon as declared by the satoata smriti (spiritual the disciple attains spiritual enlighten- reminiscences). The regulative codes ment. The spiritual pupil is never are called smriti, or reminiscences, on controlled mechanically. The guidance account of their professing to derive offered by the hona fide guru is of their authority from the Veda, i. e. the nature of the spiritual service of revealed knowledge, aa distinct from his own pupil. Novitiate consists in the knowledge that is associated with willingly walking in the path of the 430 THE HARMONIST

services in which the pupil is instructed intellectual offspring. Marriage is an by the advice and ideal conduct of the act of service and is undergone for the gihru. The pupil is always perfectly spiritual benefit of all entities. Such free to accept or reject the same. Such ideal of marriage may not be attractive free submission of the pupil to the it may even appear to be un-successful, guidance of the bond fide guru is to the jaundiced vision of conditioned possible on the spiritual plane. souls. But the Gaudiya Math is in a Marriage in the case of a person position to satisfy all sincere enquirers who is spiritually enlightened is not any regarding the propriety of following affair of this world, nor has it in view the course that is prescribed by the the rearing of healthy, beautiful and satvata of India.

Lights on ^

Mahaprabhu Sree Krishna-Chaitanya unalloyed souls. He declares the mind is unique among the prophets and to be not only distinct from the soul, avataras among many other reasons, but the mental function as the only for the fact that He alone has declared enemy of the soul function. The func- unhesitatingly against the blind dogma- tioning of the mind can be got rid of tisms of sects and individuals alike. by turning the senses of the soul He is the most unambiguous Preacher towards the concrete transcendence, of the Absolute as distinct from tem- and by no other method. So long as porary and therefore, the seeming truth the mind continues to function on the that is propagated by the so-called data supplied by the channels of the gropings of the race of the egotists physical senses seeking to enjoy who give themselves out to be avataras objects of mundane phenomenon, there and prophets on the bankrupt can be no question of the spiritual resources of the blind speculations of function. The Descent of the Absolute their puppy brains. Mahaprabhu sternly to the plane of the eclipsed soul in the distinguishes between such impious Form of the Nama or the Divine ravings and the expression of know- Sound identical with the Absolute, ledge that is a corrollary of the trans- supplies the awakened soul with the cendental spiritual service of the Object of his service (not enjoyment), Absolute, "which is the eternal and notwithstanding the persistence of the only proper or natural function of all physical sense-organs which are LIGHTS ON VA1SHNAV1SM 431

disposed to regard the Transcendental thing as reading of the Sakuntala, Sound as ordinary mundane sound for Reading of the Geeta is not super- the reason that He has been pleased to fluous for the siddlia, on the contrary manifest His Descent to the plane of it is the eternal function as well as sense-perception. The awakening of support of the siddha state itself. And the conditioned state is effected by the once again let it be repeated that mercy of the transcendental agent of the meaning of the Geeta is never the Absolute viz., the spiritual accessible to the conditioned soul by guide or the sat-guru by means of the his intellectual, emotional or medita- mantra or special application of the tive enterprises. The caricature of Nama by the agency of the guru to the dhyana or tapa on the physico.mental submissive disciple. This is briefly plane can have no spiritual value what, speaking the epistimology of the Vedic ever. The empiric postulation of a or Shrauta method of realising the so-called inner consciousness makes no service of the Absolute. difference as to the result of pursuit of From the above it will appear that such course. the sine, qua non of Vedic Theism, The personality of a real Vaishnava promulgated by Mahaprabhu in the is categorically different from the least ambiguous form, consists in this pseudo.personalities of those who are that it honestly seeks to be in actual confined by Maya to the physico.mental touch with the Absolute Reality. Mere plane of existence. The Vaishnavas mental aasuraptions, whether reached are Absolute-realised souls who are by the process of emotional, volitional never subject to any mental aberrations or intellectual effort, or by any of the kind that are unavoidable in the combination of them are discarded as conditioned state. The shedding of useless and obstructive of such purpose. tears by a Vaishnava is not a neurotic The atrna is distinguished from the feat. 'Bkava', ' Anu-bhava', 'Sthayi- physico-mental ego The atma realises bhava' are not mere technical labels but his nature by the awakening of his the language of the transcendental function of eternal loving spiritual or plane identical with the Reality. transcendental service towards the The writer has not sought his (lights) Divine Pair, Sree Sree Radha-Krishna from the writings of Sree Rupa Goswami, (Erishna-prema), in and through the the authorised divine exponent of the prior or preferential service of the Teachings of Mahaprabhu. Under the sat-guru or Sree Radhika and Her inevitable urge of narrowness and mis. agents. guided hostility to the Teachings of The words of the Gleeta are the Mahaprabhu outlined above, which are Word of Godhead andcannot be read or prevalent among all souls who happen heard by any mundane sense-organ. to be under the cultches of Maya being Reading of the Geeta by the pure devoid of real love for Krishna and the devotee and reading of it by the Vaishnavas, the writer has been pleased empiric savant (?) are performances of to refer to the Teachings of Mahaprabhu diametrically opposite characters. as the 'orthodox individual Vaishnava Reading of the Geeta is not the same view' as distinct from his own superior 432 THE HARMONIST

'universal realisation'. The writer has the level of Krishna'. Does this attitude not failed to take the reader into his deserve to be acclaimed as 'the dedi confidence as to ttie method by which cation of the whole nature to Krishna' r his universal view has been realised. It It is the unrepentant dis-ingenuous lias been achieved by 'the proper way 'assertion' of the utter ignorance of one's of rea ling the Geeta' which is thus des- unregenerate empiric nature against the cribed : 'One should understand as far Supremacy of Sree Krishna. The reader as possible, meditate on what one has is also referred to Srimad Bhagbat understood and then put it into practice ( 10/2/3.2-33,10/14/3-4) which clearly in life.' This is the empiric method distinguishes between the paths of pure and simple. The writer has also empiric knowledge ( Jnana ) and trans- described his process as 'an attempt to cendental service ( Bhakti ), raise himself and his understanding to ( Advance, April 12 )

Sree Viswa Vaishnava Raj Sabha ( The Gaudiya Mission ) Advent Celebration in Sree Mayapur : Sree Brahma Gaudiya Math : Alalnatb : On May 5, the Advent of Sree From May 4-to 6, the Advent tithi Nrisinhadeva was celebrated in the of Sree Nrisinhadeva was observed Temple of Sree Nrisinhadeva. The with Mahotsab. Religious discourses tithipuja was duly performed by the and sanlcirtans were perfromed every devotees who came to the Temple sing, day. On the last day Mahaprasad was ing sankirtan songs. Pandit Radha- distributed to all present. govinda Prabhu expounded from Sri- Poona mad Bhagabat the instructions of On May 6, Tridandiswami Srimad Maharaj Prahlad to the boys. Bhakti Vilaa Gavastinerai Maharaj In the afternoon about 300 people were delivered, a lecture at the "Agnihotra treated to Mahaprasad. Mandir" on the "Duty of Mankind". Sreedham Mayapur : The people of the town are taking an On May 15, the teachers and students awakened interest in the Eternal of Dharmadas Trust Model U. P. School Message of Sriraan Mahaprabhu, Kalighat, Calcutta, numbering about Sree Purushottam Math, Puri 100, went to Sree Chaitanya Math at On May 9, the Editor gave a discourse Sreedham Mayapur. In the morning they on "The Grace of Sree Krishna and the visited all the places of importance. Grace of Sree Krishna Chaitanya" at In the afternoon they all assembled the Math premises from 6 to 9 p. m. in the Avidyaharan Natyaraandir On May 12, Mahamahopadesak when Tridaudiswarai Srimad Bhakti Pandit A. C. Banerji, Bhaktisaranga Kebala Audulorai Maharaj explained Goswarai had on interview with H. E. the significance of all the places of Sree- the Governor of Orissa. He had a talk dham Mayapur and the 'Teachings of with His Excellency about the activities Sriraan Mabaprabhu'. of the Gaudiya Mission. Al.l--Ol.ORy TO SStJE OUItll AW OAtlKAWOA

'f It ttt il I m 0 H t s t

< Svcc SaJlanatosbaiit)

VOL. XXXtl. | MAY 31, 1936 Ho. 19

Sreedham Mayapar

It is necessary t.i recoRnixy the refuse to accord d*o respect to itn|H»rUiier or fiicetlhirm Mnyapor for breedImm Mayapor, arc prevented hy a universal ]»ur|ji.>se. buch inipor(siiCt* the Divinity Himself trnm having any is not claimed for any nyinriane tract inclination for His service. This is the yf land. It is chiimod on hcdmlf of the greatest puniahment for the soul, spiritual pis tic ol the lllternsl Mnnifys- Rliisphemy is the worst, offence that Itiijon of the Activities of the in poaiible for the conditioned soul to Divinity. commit ngniciKt God, heoauso »n ex tan- Even Mdind' acocpfanco of l he nation of such offence he cannot put claim on heiinlT of (Jin spiritnsl entity forward the pica of ignorance. is Imund to redound to the spiritind Bree. Krishna-Cliai^anya has at ^Bsed welLbeing of the person who sincor'dy the tmnscendobil natore of everything offers liis) hoiti^t" l.o ( he trMnscondantnl pertainitig to the Divinity in a more Divine Rm»1 in lu"which fit present he explicit form than any other teacher haa no access. of religion. lie has siravHanconsIj Those who, wilfully'dinbidieving the stressed the spoeific nature of the Name leKl.itoony of tho pure dfivot.wes who have Form, Attributes, Activity and En- nccea's to the plane of transcBiulonce, tonfage of the Absolute. 434 THE HARMONIST

Those who objeej: to the ■ 'Namft' has taught his followeVs that God is Krishna through wilful ignorance of any immdane entity f If Gbd is Crans. its transcendental nature thereby oona- cendental, oan His Realm be mundane ? mit a deliberate offence against the God always remains beyond the reach Name. of our thoughts. Wc cannot have «my Sreedham Mayapur is not any man* access to Him i. e. to anything pertain- dane nomonclatcre. it is the spiritual ing to Him. name of the transcendental abode of This mundane world is not the Mahaprnblm Sroc Krishna.Chaitanya Realm of God. In this world God is Who is Same as Krishna. transcendent and immanent.. G

8Ui)er.uiui:

pleased to oall the old atown of Naba* the sight of God in His most Magnani- dwip, do so under the impression that mous Form of the Supreme Teacher of Sroedham Mayapur, the Eternal Abode Ilis Qwn Service. ef the Divinity, is subject to the juris, This.epist^mologioal quest is ideuti- dictiou of their mundane .judgment osl with the quest of Sree Krishna or Thoy would be well-advised if they the Absolute Knowledge. Om Vishnupad Sreela Gaur-Kiahore Das By I'ruf. Niahikan la Saeyal, m. a The iafirtitosiraal dtesodatod pnrticla infiuilesimal ontity ia gradually enabled uf the power ol the Absolute, that to hnd his footing and function in the tnanifoala himself on tho borderline reupective spheres. between the spiritual and the mundane The mundane is not independent of spbores, ia all-epirit in essence. In the spiritual sphere. It cousiata of two other worda he baa hia uwu unalloyed difltinct oouatitueuts via., stjini-coiidoi- spiritual body and senatw which are oua and iinixmsciouu entities. The ideubical with bia tntiby. It is ^oth scmicmiiacious cutitica,'dwelling in the natural as .. M as oaoy for hi in to tnumiano sphere, do not possess real seek incorporation in the spiritual conscitmauess. Tboy possena only sphere. He may or may not be incorporat- nlindowy or deceptive consciousnese. Tbo ed in the realm of the spirit even wli4ii apparently aemt^otiscious entities are be aeoka for the aame. Ue may also termed "jiva-ioaya' while the unconsoious seok to function ia the muudtgao sphere. entities are 'joda-inaya'. 'Jiva.mnya* is But he nmy -not obtain the automaitc related to 'j ad a. may a' enjoy er and fulfilment of bis wish Also for this pur- enjoy ml, measurer and ueasurcd. lord pose. Nsverthelosa it is far easier for and dcrvanl. him to obtain a looting in the spirUual ThJtertn 'to measure' and 'to en joy' tbau in the mundane foalm. are ia tho above ho use synonymous. This imlniteaimal particle has i>er- Thoy deiioli* th^ activity of the tuun- fcci freeilom of choice bntwoen two drtiiB mind misidentihed by the soul in Incompatible and alternative oonrsts oE tho conditioned state as bis.own, 'I'lie conduct. He may choose to serve the infmitesiioal Mwolutc is said to Absolute or, in the alternative, to domi- wish for a fouling in the spiritual sphern nale over (tiiea6urc)t}ia "hon'absolutes. when lie is inclined to lesm to serve He is nliable to realLso cither of those the Absolute Iiif.mty under His uncondi- wishes till he is prepared to undergo a tional gmdam.'^. He da said to wish process of progressive acclimatisatiou to function in llm mundane sphere if to either sphere tinder proper guidance. bd is indined to Jearn to lord it over # * • » Hia only by streuuoua whole-hearted the entities of this material world. This endeavour, 1 Jacked by the guidance of a lallur funeticn »!«, however, not practic- power far superior to himself, that the able bill he is eudowod with a second SREELA CAUR-KISKORE OAS 437

ego end material organs by means of Divine category of ^plenary power and* which he is enabled to establish contact as such it was never possiblo for the with mnodaDo entities. This second oonditions of the physical or mental ■ego is ^iva-maya'. It is so oonstitated spheres of this mnndane world to exer. tliat the suol can identify himself with else any control over Turn. But he its entity and* through its means estab- chose to appear "to the perverted lish the relation of lord, onjoyer or view ot worldly people in the likeness 'measurer' with the entities of this of a mortal being destitute of all good world. and bad qoalitles and given to the By the above process this mundane severest ascetic practices. •It was to0Ibis* vaishnava asoetio civilization has been built up. It slinuld V be possible to retrace our steps, by a t'lat the Editor of thi^ journal, waa system of corresponding activities, to- directed by Sreela T'hauur Bhaktivinodo wards the service of the Absolute lafini. for receiving his spiritual enligbten- ty. But so long as a person oontinaes ment. The Editor was then passing to be enamoured oi the state of lordship as a young man of high lineage possess- over 'Nature*, ho is not likely to go in ing a handsome physical appearance, a for the alternative course. keen and trained intellect and the Sreela Ganr-Kisbore Das Babaji was purest morals. From the. worldly point known to the GandiyaVaishnava of view he was tliu4 the exact contrast oommunities of both Nabadwip and of the.person to wbom he was seut for Braja as a self-realised soul and for his his spiritual guidanoe. severe asceltsm. He was utterly lacking Sreela Gaur.Kishore Das Bahaji iu all those qualifications that are promptly refused to bavo anything valued by worldly people. to do with the deputed supplicant of his A vaishnava ascetic does not belong mercy on the ground that Krishna would to the category of the destitute, unem- never accept a person so utterly unfit- ployed and stupid people' of this world. ted for His service. It seems that the Sreela Qaur-Kishore * Das Babsji had earthly merits .of Editor were lus spiri- also nothing in ooquUon with that objec- tual drawback: But as Editor was nob tionable type 'of the .Babajis of Naba. prepared for such a rude jerk to his dwip and Brindavan who are the very vanity, it was with the greatest difficul- worst speoimona of fallen bnmanity. ty that he could retain bi& better judg. Sreela Oaur.Kishore Das Bahaji did not fhent and rightly guess- tho hidden pur- also belong to the category (f the inSnit- pose of Sreela Thakur Bhaktivinode.in eeimal absolutes. He belonged to the sending him to a person who is nut to 435 THE HARMONIST be oaptivAted by Me good morals and iuttm&te associates and eleotdd reoipjenta Jhfgli intelleotoal oguipment. of the special meroy- of Svcola Gaur- To his worldly oontemporhrics Sroola Kiuhore. But it so happenedf that none Qanr-Kishore Dhb Babaji appeared to of them could long retain in taot tliolc have bad very few and simple occupa- artiftoial modes of living, 'and all, of tions. He passed all his time in a tiny them fell away even fcon: the npath of shed, ate raw earth and simijar food, oniiuary morality. dispensed with all covering For his body Those persona hud uot and as a and seldom spoke to any visitor. 1 natter of fact very fow persons of this TV\« UAVlot cm vtmcVmg tVie world Wv^any Idea oi the real nature above rebuff did not give up the of apirilnal oommunion with the Divine attempt of obtaining bis meroy. tfis Master. Spiritual disoiplbship is realised aincority was tuaL'*d and rewarded after by the disciple being raised to the plane due trial of hie persevereanoe. He of spiritual cemmunion with the Divine happened to bo tho on'7 disciplo that Master. This oommunion is not intor- Babaji Mah&raj ever bad. ruptablo by any interval, of time or After having received the meroy apace, and is practised on a piano and by of Babaji Maharaj, Editor experienced moans' of initrumontals whose nature sucli a complete upsetting of his out. and existence are utterly iyoomprehen. look on life that for a ydar he could feel sible (0 (ho uninitiated. no interest in any other affair. His'days I was not, therefore, surprised on and nights were fully devoted to living going thkough tho letter of Professor oommunion with the Divine Personality Bauver of Zeko-Slovakia to the Editor of the Gnru'in the privacy of a solitafy requesting information about tho number room wbiob be had built for himself at of disciples, the details of publications Srocdham Mayapnr, and other particulars about the Gaudiya From this time to the disappearance Mission, in order to be enabled *0 form of Babaji Mabaraj, Editor seldom met an idea of the nature of the purpose, his saviour at the lather's abed and, method and popularity of tho oiuso. It when he met Babaji Maharaj at bis is the moat illogical of blunders to seek plaoe, did not spend much time in his to be acquainted with the activities of a company. But tiiere were a number religious Mission by the statiatioal of persons who stayed at all time* with method. No human ingenuity oan Babaji Maharaj and practised anatorities enable a«person to force an entry into in iinitstion bf hia oondnot. These the realm of'the Absolute. The cause- persons regarded themselves as the less mercy of the pure devotee oan SREELA GAUR-KISHORE DAS alone acquaint us with his real among them according to tho Shastraa personality. was eligible to iouoh his body unless, There is no worldly meaos of they bad been uncontaminated by understanding the ways of the soul carnal association with loose women on his own plane of unalloyed at least the previous night. This cognition. statement produocd the strange etfeot When Bahaji Maliaraj was pleased of dissuading all those persons from to disappear from the view of the laying their hands on the transcenden- people of this world, an attempt was tal remains of the great saint. made hy those very persons who used Editor was enjoined by Srsela Babaji to ))c in attendance upon him to commit Mahrraj not to stay in Calcutta which a horrible offence against his holy place was described by him as the peat transcendental body, which appeared of Discord (Kali), nobody there to them to be a corpse, hy causing it possessed any spiritual inclination. to be dragged along the streets of the The busy life of a great modern city town of Nabadwip by a rope fastened absorbed In the pursuit of wealth js to the neck, in pursuance of a verbal particularly unsuited for fostering instruction to that effect loft to them spiritual interest. by Babaji Maliaraj himself. It appeared But Editor did not neqeive the that Babaji Maharaj had told them advice in its literal sense. He could that as he had never served God his understand that those words wer» body would be purified by contact expressive of the most profound with the pure dust of lloly Nabadwip concern for the spiritual well-being of if his bod/ was dragged throrgh its the citizens of the prenfier city of streets by the hnnds of sonvengcrs India, who had no time or, inclination pulling it hy a cord fastened round his for giving their serious thought to the neck. Editor who was at Sreedhatn needs of their souls. He accordingly Mnyapur at the time of the disappear, conceived the resolution of preaching ance of Babaji Malik raj arrived just the tidings of the TrnnHcendentnl in time to he able to prevent those Service of Krishna to the peoples of rascals from carrying cut their horrible all tho great cities of the world and to sacrilege. He told them that Babaji make Calcutta the head-quarters of ihiK Maharaj ha^ lamented the iate of 'bad propaganda. He has' wdrked for the men like tlmmselves by such instruc- realisation of.this idea in tho face* ot tions regarding the disposal of bis own the greatest public indifference to the transcendental body and that none concerns of the soul. THE HARMONIST

The utteranoeft from the presa so that the Name on .that* piano is and the platform of thb Editor have identical with the object itself^ Ewery sinoo been carried to the remotest parts activity of the pure devotee is* obarao- of India, to Bnrma and Europe, by the terized by both fullness as well as indi- agency of a large pumber of dedicated viduality. By taking the- Name of sonla who have joined the Mission. Krishna the devotee serves Krishna in It is not possible to bring out in every way. The devotee ia constantly detail the bearing of the doings of engaged in chanting the Name of Sreela Babaji Maharaj on these activi. Krishna as he does nothing but the ties of the Editor within the limits of Service of Krishna and as tho perform- a ahort article, nor to. explain t)ieir ance of every form of His Bervice is a connection with the condnot and performance of all its forms. It is tc writings of Thaknr Bliaktlvinode who this transcendental plane of the activi. initiated the movement for the propa* ties of the plenary cognitive energy of gation of the Teaching of Mabaprabhu Krishna that the performances of Sreela Sreo-Krishna-Chaitanya. Empiric critics Babaji Maharaj as well as those of Sreela have not failed to detect'serious Thaknr Bbaktivinode belong. It is not discrepancies between the doings and possible to understand how both of them aayidgs of^the 'Editor and the words are oonstantly engaged in the service and condnot of Srccla Babaji Maharaj of Krishna in every possible- way, till and Thaknr Bbaktivinode. But such one is admitted to the'very highest plane misunderstanding is only ono more of the transcendental service by their instance of the failnrc of the attempt special mercy. of worldly-minded people to and eft. It ip not possible to understand the stand tlie transcendental careers of real nature of the praotioe of ante.rities pnre devotees with the resources of by Sreela Babaji Maharaj unless we are their limited misguided judgment. lifted to the plsne of his transcendental Sreo Krishna-Ohaitanya stresses the activities by being inclined to submit supreme necessity oi aerying the Trans- unconditionally to the gaidanoo of the oendental Name of Krishna appearing plena'ry power of Krishna or the Divine on the lips of His pore devotees for the Master-(sat-gnru) by "his special mercy. purpose of attaining to the transcenden. This is the result of spiritual initiation. tal plane of unclouded judgment of. our The eligibility to confer tho fullest

awakened soulsw On that.plane there measure of enligbtenmont is certainly is activity of the cognitive energy of a large claim to lie made on behalf of Krishna, which is an undivided whole, any empiric teacher. But it ia the GAUDIYA MATH AND LAW 441

irredaoiblotmoiaiaQi claim on bobalf of a Sonnd on the lips of His Power or tho real teacher ol religion. Tt is menuin^* Saviour' Guru.- The Name is the less for any person to pose as a teacher of Supreme Teacher. The power of the religion unions ho is in a position to liTt Name, by rfieaas of whose agency the his pupil In the plane of his irunsoenden- Name manitcata Uimsolf, is tho Guru. tal discourse. This function enn bn per- The Guru or power of'Kmhna lifts the formed only hy the power of Krishna Of soul to the plane of tho Tmnsoonden- QoJ Himself. Krishna is the Supremo tal Name and hIso establishes and World-tCAoher. He teaches all souls by maintains contact of the stml with HppeHring in the Form o" the Divine Krishna,

Gaudiya Math and Law ( By Tridawfiwami Uhakli HriAoy Bon Maharaj )

Tlie rnoilem Legislature refrains limitaticc, besides insulficiency of from interfering with what it considers * power, of the power of the modern as the purely spiritual concerns of the Legislature. people. Religious service and doatrine The view .that religion * is extra are regarded as such purely spiritual politioal is due bo misconception of the affairs. The settleraeiit of these is nature of both Pofitioi and Roligiorf left to the congregations without any Religion includes Politics. Politics is Attempt at regulation. subordinately linked to Religion. The This policy is bused upon political modern Logialnturc professes td bo expediency. No thorough-coing jurist concerned with purely mundane can bo inolinod to aocepl any definite afTairs. Tt assumes that thoro are limitntinn to I ho powers of the Legisla- atfnirs which can he managed without ture. If the LogisUturc chooses to reference to Religion, or in other words abstain from interfering in certoin that the law may safely refuse to tak« forma of religious' affairs swob absten. oogoiuance of Urn reality of trouscen- tion cannot be legally regarded na an dontal existence. Law will thereby abdication of its responsibility for . tho -have the opportunity .of bjing a definite welfare of tho body-politic. In a and iotelligiblH means for the attainment democracy the Legislnture is"guided by of purely secular objects which public opinion. That is the only are equally definite and intelligible.* 60 THE HARMONIST

Why should all persona eat good State must ge and leave * •alone, the food > Bocauao if we eat bad Food we individnal to find his .and Ker natural wouldi among other undesirable con- and nnhampered aphsro of 'activity in sequences, thereby damage bur health. an environment of uncoventicfo'al Why should wo not steal ? Because freedom. thereby our lives and properties will The past cxperionce of the race be rendered insecure Why should *wo doea not give any definite answer to not commit admtery ? Because it is the questions that arc put to it. It subversive of domestic peace and assents and dissents at Uie same breath happiness and orderly progress. These to every proposition. This is the nature secular answers are found to be quite of such experience. All schools are in convincing and satisfactory to thoso a position to draw their argumetus who are managing to live without froip the experience of the race by looking beyond tue 'living* present. suppressing the other side of the issue But there is one puzzling difficulty, which, be it said to its credit, cxperi- the one drop of gall in this brimful once in the shape of History always tumbler of pure honey. There are tries to present to its questioners. unfortunately a number of persons who The savage state progresses into cannot but steal on a big scale! There the civilized The civilized man in his are very " fbw persons -yho are wholly turn is apt to fall in love with the free from thicvishbcsa. No person is state of Nature whicfi is hardly distin- altogether truthful nor free from guiahahla from' undiluted animalism carnal thoughts and activities of an worse than savagery. Is animalism to objectionable character. This undeni- be the coalifulion of the gor.l of human able foot spoils those schemes of progress from primitive savagery unalloyed worldly Celioity dreamt of by ihrough the long Ages by the method jurists who fight shy of religion. of describing the vicious circle ? When this difficulty is discovered Man has, had always two ideals to be insuperable there forthwith before him. He '.s eternally confronted arises the atheistic school with the with "the necessity for making his choice ready suggestion that Law is the cause between the good and the pleashrable. of the ovil which it pretends to seek to He has tried to distinguish between the eradicate. If Law itself is abolished twq. Good, may not also be plensnrable. there would be no evil and no neqossity But good is good even if it Is not of Law for the suppression of evil. pleasurable. In the .conditioned state Ghvernment is the real evil. The there is a very groat attraction for the GAUDIYA MAtH AND LAW 443 pleajjurablp. Thoro is. therefore, no the latter ie punisbod by Law. In the woniler man would he tempted to case of property, wbioh has no mind of hope that the two may after all bo its own/it is placed at the 'disposal of ideulical. The Upaimhacl knows entities possessing a mind. The ordi- better when it oliHractonzes pleasnro aa nary convention of all civilized societiwB" tho result of iMindune octiyity and fts is that every person is entitled to erijoy the omiso "f all sorrow, neither of which whatever properly belongs to him by can be got rid of till oub obtains the tho existing cuatoins of the conntry to ajoht of the good. The sight of tho which he belmigs. It has not yet been good is productive of happineaa which found possible to formulate any nnivor- is not produotivo of sorrow. sally aocoptablc principle on which If the Legislature confines itself to property may be forced to be owned by the opicuriftii view of the world it will individuals and oopri"UKntie3. But be betrayed into passing measuros for generalisation from the practice of most augmenting the pleasures of man. countries lends to derive possession This will be tho wrong course Co from produotion and exohango. This follow for Legisluluros, as it will be tho view entitles every person to the absd- coming course for individuals. Tho hite enjoyment and disposal of tho ooarso that is ordinarily followed by products of his labour, by the method of both is tb.it which is suggested as exohango by froe contract. The State expHdient by the posture of affairs for representing the community takes a the time being. This is unconditional share of the posscssinns of individuals surrender to (lie pimuit of pleasure. for gnnrantooing Hie rights of property Order, peace and plenty arc some of to their proper possessors. But in those desirable oonditions. Hut they pmctico neither ownership nor dispiml do not make mao really happy or good. of property is capable of being clearly They an* only conditions which yield traced to production and oxohmnge results nooording to tho use that is which are effected by the enraplox made of them by .individuals and co-operation of many iodividuals and communities. communities, is not possible to settle Tire oatabliahment of the socurity of poasoaaion by the estimated vnluos of person and property is one of the funds, different forms of service on any method mental objects of legislation. Person that.would be aocoptablc fb oil. includes both tho physical body and the Tiu§ being so the State is only ia a mind. If any violence i:< oP'ered to tho position to accord its recognition to bndy or mind of one person by another ftoccptfiblo facts. In civilized couutifos THE HARMONIST

the ttaius quo i8n always modifiable by Tbe Gaodiya Math invites jurists legislation by reproaentatiVe aeeembliee. and Ld^islatares to take note of this Tim eolation of the diffioalty id thereby radical defect in the arrangements by relegated to the activity of large ossom. wbioh law is being raannfncturcd* and blio» relying, for reaching a decision, imposed on individuals ami bom in unities, on a majority vote in tbe last resort. la the process really Ic^s unreasonable This may bo a very convenient arrange- tlxfn undiluted savagery which it ment from the business point of view, ostensibly seeks to replace ? Ts it not bat it duos not guarantee even n mini, really wnnw? than savagciy on aocount mum reasonableness of the conclusion of its grcaier Power for misohief due to reaohed. its superior organisation and superficial The prooess of legislation ultimately counterfeit gloss v shifts the respc^sibility for the roguln- 'Tf the majority vote is i-eally conclu. tkm of national affairs to a single person sive why is not individual opinion who is made practically irrespontrible equally valid f Mere summation of for his acts. Law only masks the differing individual opinions does nut necessity of handing all power ulti- cruate the real unity of conviction. mately to an individual. Law. docs not Tho praclioa) success of the method is telr him what he is actually to do in not to (he poinl at all. Every method any case. Ho is allowed praotioslly is considered sucoesaful by ilsapplicants unfettered discretion in all affairs. - This and as confidently oondemned by its is how every question has to be settled, oppoiiedVi. His Majesty's opposition is (or the reason that it Is impossible to not an mmeoeasary nor a mischievous ascertain th.i (rue course to be followed superfluity. 'The mischief of tho majori. to the cotnnlote satisfaction of oven (wo ty vote syateni is sought to be nullified persons The discussions in Legislatures by the rigorous disoipline of (wrty have only an educative volne of a noga. organisation which conoentrf.les oil vivo chnvuoter and are not intended to imwer in the-bands of a single conveni- offer any positive speoifio guidance. No ent individual. nsefnl activity is possible exocpt by the Law passed hy a modern Leg is- method of ahsnlutism. But the oombi. lature^need he regarded as particularly nation of the absolnte initiative of an reaaonable, nor be accorded thg rever- individual wUh freedom of disonasion Joy ende that is dna to the Trutb alone. mr.ny docs not offer tbe. roqnirwmenta But unless Law is really in line with of the aoieutiffo soluUon of the problem tho Absolute should it-ho at all imposed of legislation. upon those who may consider it to bo GAUD1YA MATH AND LAW 445

Tnisolietvous ? .Tr it neoesaary to do' so irrationality and tyr&my in the - name for tho well-being of the individual and of Law. aociety ? But no.'discuHsioii oan bo really free The Q-andiya, Math doea not propose unless it is directed to tho Absolute. to .abolish Tiaw or auy oxistiug inatitn- Can the Legislature escape the charge tirui. It seekS to understand the real of favouring a policy of gagging if it nature of tho fimel ionofall inatitutiOna loaves (ml tin prma-pU all roforrncc to If any of thetn happens to be opposed the Absolute from iU discussions ? The on prinoiplo to'tbo oonclusions of dis- Executive, is not expected now-a-daya interested reasoning, the tn-;t requires to ho bound by the talks of tho Logis- to bo made known to those on whom Intur". Unless the talk in the Legis- such institution relies fm- support.. lature widens itself to the full outlook There is uo worse tvrnnny than the sya. of affaire, it cannot bo expected to in- tfiinatic out,rage l.hat is practised on fluence the decisions of even the really reason and goodness by a fictitious opeti-minded Executive. If the talk is Law, The mere show of handa should directed to tho Absolute it would he not be allowed to shield the porpetra. neceasury for tho Executive to attend to tors of such outrage from monnlcsa il fully. public exposure from the point of view Party voting has taken the^plac® of of nuprejoiiiced rationalism. The pub- unbiased rffectivq. discussion of lic should want to bo fully enlightened measures of public dinporlanee by tho rogHrdiug every.lliing lliat, is to he rosponsible-rcproacntfttivcs of tho people. done in its name. The diffidence of Mrtintenmice of "party is no proper funo. the public in its own enpneitr to under^ tion of the representative® body. t The stand r very thing Is the great stumbling- modern roprescntativo Lagislnturc cap- block and prevents really free discna- nut deserve to survive unless it can find sion that is not gagged by Law. The the way for being really useful. sacred duty of supporting perfect free- There cannot be any usefi.l discus, dom of discussion of every issue should sion unless it is properly oondaoted. bn conscientiously pi rformed by every An expert in Lho nnrrow worldly sense public speaker • an'd by every member is alwnya a particularly incoinpotent of the public. Tne freest apoaking person to have tho guidance of legisla. should be demnnded from "all persons tive measures. He is a' very uacful who want to pcrsuado and riot subordinate, but a very, unwise auWe. (o dictate to the public. There is The ideal lender of legislation is one uo other way of getting rid of whoso range of vision embraces, withonf. THE HARMONIST prejudice, all ekfca of a questicm. This till the death of a person. Many great is not possible unless the person in persona do not survive their period of quostioii has a real grasp of the whole success. But a very fortunate few issue. But tbo greatest statesmen are have been almost uniformly uuocosnful. almost as far off from the reality of an These last arc tho oxoeptions, who issue as the most uninformed member serve to keep up the delusion. Tbo of the body.poliiio. That which ouAblos Ways of Providence romain inaemt. the successful atateAinan to pose as a able as ever. capable loader is at the long oud nothing The mililary sohnoo which was but blulf pure and simple. No one used by Napoleon Boanparte has not roally understands tbo course of events. been equally successful io the hands Therefore, nothing oan be auocossful of another command or. His success excopt success: has not been explained. No suoocss Those who have had anything to oan be explained. Any one, who is in do with the affairs of the State are in a a position to oomparo tho record of any position to undcretnnd why this must be event with his personal experience of so. The great events of Htstory are its actual occurrence, knows very well not shaped by tho groat heroes to how no roeord can ever convey the whom they are attributed. Napoleon idea of the thing as it is. Nature Bonaparte never said a wiser thing sometimos brings about west political than whan he declared that (hu on use of changes hi this world. She employs a his success was that he always marched numbei*o{ moit as her instruments fur with the prevailing forces, He did not tho purpose. Thoughtless spectators try to oppose or regulate the course.of wrongly give tho credit to these events. That is the secret of tho highest persons. But everybody knows that statesmanship. But events may turn the praises heaped upon anyone are out :it any moment to be unfavourable wholly undeserved and should bo ror tho reputation of their luckiest given to a. quite different typo of an favourites. Tbero -is,nothing so fickle Entity Who is rjally behind tho whole as pood fortune. Napoloon himself affair. lived lo realise this bitter truth. - This is not mystioism. This world Suoocfisful persons have been is not false. The generalisations of naturally ^uccoasful also in their empiric Science are not reasonable. hiogniphors. There is uothing^easior They are unintelligible. They are than to praise a man for his success. hypothetical. They' arc clover state, Praises are prudently enough reserved ments trying to do duty as « !Jort of GAUDIYA MATH AND LAW 447

80>o&])od explanation of corlain really The . prejudice that, is ordinarily nnftcoo«nta.i)le occiirrencea, to be dis- exhibited towards theocratic govern, carded as soon as more clever hut mcnt. need not breed apathy for the equally tentative axpknatioas can bo Truth nimaclf. If the priests become sugfteated to lake their place. Every departmental in thBir views they scumliet gropes in ntle.r darkness nod thereby rightly forfeit the opportunity his so called disofiverirs do not tend to of joining those who wont seriously to dissipate the dorkneaa. The legislator get rid of their limited vision and and jurist are no oxcept'ona to this limited function. Ho alone should be rule. regarded ae a preacher of the Truth, This aliara performance must be who iry his conduct fully acts up to regarded as sham. Man must b« helped this univflrsal need. If ho does so, be to coinednlo bis own in the real sense. becomes identified with the public He must be enabled to nnderstaml what interest in the comprehensive sense. these things really mean for Inrn. He In every Legislature there is need must expect to know, particularly for the honoured presence of a nnmbee from those who pose themselves as of really enlightened servants of capable informants, what lasting benefit Godhead uj guide its deliberations to a will acoruo to bim from the adoption real conclusion. No uflfwrtunate of any proposed cni'nsel. But no one experience of the pa it should prevent of his expert informants thinks it his I ho race from devotedly clinging to business to meet this all-important this saving Truth. The mistakes of aspect of his requirements. the past require to ho avoided. That Legislators arc no loss in the hands is all Godhead sends TTis servtfuts of Nescience than any other people of amonl' I ho people of this world who this world. The reaped that is are attrtohed to ephemeral pursuits and demanded for the Law is not to be false ideals. Those servants of Godhead given to really bid law If Law does are empowered to win our hearts to the not really oare to mideratand either its exclusive loving service of the Truth, purpose or method, the public need liy their examples and living words. not be asked to retain their anporsti. Law inspired by the desire to ssrve tions reverence for a fiction. There Godhead on the spiritual pjane differs, should be un attempt to help the as regard * both form and purpose, public to find their legs. Real help in from law that is tolerotcd in the this matter can come only from one present state of onr ahaolute ignoranoc quarter. of the real well-being. The diatinction THE HARMONIST between the spirku&l and Beool/tr does sooalar law is doc to the megleot of not necessitate the separation oi the spiritual interosts by both • clergy and Ohuroh and the State, but the hartnoni. laity. There onn bo no ofricial, nor ous wedding of the one with the other hereditary, rood to the serVioc of tiod. for the service of the Truth. The On the spiritual plane coercion is out of servant u( God is to he served by ev.ery the question. The regulation of spirit mil entity, in as much as he is entitled to affairs by means of rules and injunctions carry out in a conscious rannner the are not for those who are on the apiri. Will of God Himself. There cannot tual plane. The individual soul in his be any department outside the jumdlo- natural oondiliou is a perfectly free tion of such a person. agent. lie is the willing exclusive . The State is not identical with .the servant of the Absolute, in the condi- Church. At present the State applies tioned state ho is the half.willing servant itself to the management of the torn porn I of the deluding power of Truth. He affairs of humnnity in the way that is can never get rid of the sense of his understood by the generality of the need for the uaconditional service of pooplo. The Church is similarly en- the truo servants of the Divinity, oven trusted with the duly o& guiding in his conditioned state. As soon as he humanity to purely^ spiritual living. really elects to servo God.Jio finds him. The temporal affairs* should not go self on a plane where be *ia naturally against the purpose of the Church. A willing to bo fully and oontimuiualy minimum of spiritual education for the instrudlod in tVie same. This spiritual State thus becomes necessary. Unless pupilage is oburaotdriaed by unroaervwl the Slate pursues a policy diroctod'* to longing for the Ssrvioe of the bona fid* the exolumvo service of God re pre- servant of God. sen ted in its su bstantivo form by thu The Law of the real Church L not conduct of the real clergy called by the made by any erring agency ami is yiot Will of God, there can be no poaaibility cnforciblo on any one who docs not for man to understand -how to order the accept tbo same by the fullest convic- affairs of this world for the interest of tion of rationfl oeoessity. The discipline all. tif the Ghurob, thorofore. bears only an The Law, which is unnaturally vain external resemblance to coerciye regu. of its secular character, is a product of Idtion. Coercive law is fpr those who the deluding energy of -God. • Jt is the do not pffer their unreserved service to most mischievous of all the offspring of the servontSi of pod* to thoso who have the atheistical impulse. The regime of not folt the spiritual oall. The purpose GAUDIVA MATH AND LAW

of such coercion ie to enable those, not as a-concession to an old supersti* who wish to avail thumselves of the tion. The sorvaot of God deMrves to s&mc, to attain the loogiop; for the un. be heard with full and reverent atten- reserved willing service of the servants tion by all.' Those, who are not in a of God. position to follow the thought of the There cannot be any compromise Scriptures, but are not also quaokishly with those who are opposed to the un- disposed to jnsist *011 -really imperfect conditional service of God on the spiri- and irrational solution^ of secular prob, tnal plane. The Lcgislntut .1 is the plane lems being accepted as perfect and where worldly affairs are debated by rational, cannot be unwilling on princi- the leaders of the laity, with the object ple to extend their patient hearing to oi arriving at a workable agreement. the. voice of Truth Who alone can rc. The participation of the servants of move the doubts of all sicoere seoUera God in'thu affairs of such an assombly of Hia unreserved service, by His Own cannot diminish the usefulness of these special Potency. discussions in any way. Even secular The moral plane offers a tentative disenssinn cannot but sock, although and apparent solution of the difficultios vainly, to bo conclusive. The problems *of tho mundane sojourn. The secular of mundane existence arc incapable of law is not in a position to oonform fully solution if the (mmdano outlook refuses to the requirements of 'othftUvi living. to modify itself. Ihero is bound to bo The exponents of the desirability of reasonable opposition to every form of ethical conduct are also found to b? mundane solution. The voice of the hopelessly at variance with cno another Truth Who over proposes the real solu. and with themsoives. The othioal solu- lion of all mundane problems, should tion is not categorically difforont from be admitted in these asaemblios at least tho legal or any other forr- of quasi, on an equal footing with recognised violent pseudo-rational settlement of secular opponents who arc wolooraod by worldly problems. every Tiggialatnro. There is undouhtedly such a thing The words of the servants of the as the juristic s?nsc. But this sense Truth can be understood only hy the cannot find tho fullest scope for its fnllcat oxcrciso of the rational faculty. operation due to the defective nature Thoy arc not intended to l;e imposed of our present faculties and. our present dogmatically on any unwilling entity. environment. The juristic sense, like The Legislature should .hpdour the every other sense, seeks to create an servant of God on this principle, and unfettered scope for its expanded 67 450 THE HARMONIST activity. But doe» the thwarted juristic nature of all oonstruotivo uttompis by aenso really poaaesa thd power for effect- our present faculties, for the amaliora* ing the deliveraaoc of itself (?) from tion of the worldly state. Neither is it the conditions of present existence ? binding upon anybody to "accept iVhat No branch of secular knowledge can he docs not fully andoratand, even exist without the obstructive help of the although it, may bo due to negligence or other branches. The Legislature offers prejudice. a platform where they can meet togo. The difficulty of bogus experts is not ther for accepting that degree of cur- confined to the clergy. A person who tailment of the full claim of each which is not a bond fide servant of God has no will make it possible for society to work business to put on the garb cf a clergy, at all by their so-called scientific advice. man. But tho desire fur the chtap The experts never profess to be really fume of sanctity tends to stimulate the satisfied with the deoiaiona of the Legia. evil ambition of insincere persons for lature. The expert is autocratic by passing theraaolvoa off »« servants of reputation and lemperamont. He ia tho God. The Legislature is fully oorapefcent last person to allow the results of his to withhold its respect from such reaearclies to be questioned by any mis- persons. cellaneous majority of the people. The But no Legislature should neglect legal expert cau not bo expected to have to provide for tho spiritual education more respect for the performances of of the people in a really ollioient manner. the Legislature than any other experts. The LogislHtme cannot avoid this duty There should be experta ou the Lcgis. without stultifying itself. A ais-united lalure for safeguarding the intcrcsta, of and powerless Ohnrch is a matter of tho soul in an effective manner. They congratulation only to an indolent represent tue Uhurcli and its teaching. Legislature. No Legislature can long The Legislature is justified in refusing remain indifferent to a Church whicli.it to listen to persons who, iu its opiuion, cannot appreciate. it is. of course, have no real exlvioc to uffer. The Legis- quite possible fo. tho Legislature, with lature need not be superstitiously reve- even the host of intentions, to mis. rent to the clergy. But neither should mauagc spiritual affairs even, if it the Legislature reject the advice of the oliooaes to uesuinu reBponaibility for tho clergy on a/iy narrow principle. It is same. Bqt iu such ease the responsibi- not possible to follow the analytic lity fur mismanagemenb re&ta beVerthe- aspect of spiritual thought without n Icss on (he shouldqra of the erring living realisation of the utterly futile Legislature. No Legislature can perform THE ALVARS 451 tbia duty it it followa the guidanoe of to find tho proper adviser. This is tho leaders who are habituated to ignore teaching of all true religion. No the spiritual aspebt of affairs. Tbo discoveries that have yet been made by bonafide servant of God is ronlly infal- the empirio sciences are also inoom. lible not in the mundane, hut in tho patiblo with this conclusion. largnr and real tepee of being free from Unless the law-mn-king machine is all narrow prejudices. It is the business set in order; the world cannot enter of every Logialaturo to seek for the upon the real reform of the affairs of guidance of the servant of God for the nations with any prospect of sucooas. enabling it,to manage its affa'rs in the Tho affairs of the world cannot bo left light of his unbiased judgment. If to themselves, . nor commuted to any fjogialaturo is really inclined lo bo admittedly faulty, unacceptable and guided by its higheftt and only pcraia- ineffective institution, for long, without nont interest, God will grant its prayer tbo risk of an appalling catastrophe.

The Alvars

Knlasekhar {Ihi Hhabahatulhachhid Dan Bhaktieantri)

Kalasokhat Alvar is n Royal Saint. » powerful military force consisting He was burn in the Royal family of of Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery .and Travaucore in the 27th year of Kali the oommisarial Remount -and he Ago. The lino of kings in which he compelled the neighbouring chiefs by appeared was very pious and righteous. the might of his arm to submit to his It is said that be descended from the suzerainty. His internal administration Kaustnbba Gem of Stee Maha.Vishnu. was ohoraoterized by vrtuo, justice, It is well known in '.be Hindu Scrip, peace and happiness, the weak feeling tures that the Ruler is for tue time strong, and the strong weak, under his being God's authorised vassal He is keen oye and watchful care. to administer the country as. a trust for King Kulasekhar. was conversant his Lord. Ktilasekfaar was not only iu Rcciayan^, the Puranas and other Ruler of Kerala-country but also of the scriptures. He possessed perfect Cholas and of the Pandyas. He possessed mastery over the Sanskrit language. 452 THE HARMONIST

He was worldly-wise but spiritually nat'h and join the pure •devotees there blind. His so-called wisdom consisted for good. Thus love-and affinity for in Belf>conceit Hrrogating all perfection, God enkindled in him craving Jot. all thought, act and even being to one's association with holy porsobagos. lie one pereonnlity, forgetting that the invited learned men, wise' men, and latter is unsteady mid of an evanescent sages and devotees from different places character, that life is Imt a slmrt lease to his Capital and read with thom oil on the globe, whose secret strings and the sacred scriptures aud culled Erom springs are in the hands of a Mighty tliem the best geuH and strung Power and Inscrutable Providence. together a. garland of poems, the This truth is not perceived by us -when Mnkundainala, which exists to "ais day. we .ore dooply engaged in worldly From tho ocean of holy literatures he affairs, hut the truth dawns to him acleeted Ramaynna fur his daily recital. who receives God's Grace. The Grace Sree Biunu was to him no other than God is not attained by requiring God to Uimsalf. On many occasions in course manifest this free and sovereign gift at of his recital of the Ramayann, ho our bidding and convenience. Our resolved to chastise Havana, King of duty lies in loyalty and allegiance to Lanka. Ouoe he commanded bio army to Him and patiently awaiting for His proceed with him whore .Rama was Morcy. fighting alone on the shores 'of Lanka. o Kulasekbnr was to become » Saint The king's ministers and associates - and savionr to uplift fallen huuianity. wore grc£t)y frightened and thought of God's mercy began to pour on him a means to rescue him from the itnpos. unconditionally nod he gradually felt a siblo crnsads of his infuriated resolve. a revolution working in his inner nature. They hit upon a plan and seorotly sent By God's Grace ha began to see the A party in advance of the king, instruot- world and its affairs in their true ing them to meet the king aad hm perspective. He realised how men army from the opposite direction while are slaves to their passions and bodily ho was on the maroh. The party met joys, how they are alienated from God, the king as arrauged while be was and how tbny identify the body with marrohidg with furious spood and the soul. related to him the gladsome nqws of Love to God and coutompt for- the Sree Rama 'Chandra's glorious, vjotory world did thus daily gain breadth* and and happy meeting with His darling depth in him ; it became his daily sigh consort Sroo 'Sito. Dqvi. On hearing and constant cry to run to Srcc Ruuga- tho tidings, the joy of the K>Dg know no THE ALVARS 453 boundin ; be believed their tale nod aoousatipn I propose this ordeal. Lot returned home in triumph. a vessel with a venoinous cobra in the The recital of the TVanwyana same be brought here. I shall thrust attciuled with regular performance of my bond into the vessel. XI the dovotees nil the important events of the Divine are straight in thought., word and deed, Leela of Sren Rnuja Chandra with pomp I cannot be hit by the cobra. But if and rejoicings went on as usual. All they arc crooked, it will ceriamly bite these iinporlanl celebrations ended with and kill mo". Accordingly a vessel Biimptuous feeding of the Sreo Vaishnavn with a cobra in it was brought, to the sages and Is iy. king who plunued his hand into the The urninisters noticing growing vessel of death bnt wac unharmed. The disorders in the administration by the ministers were put to shame. They king's njjgleet of state affairs, planned a hung their heads low. They fell at the remedy to stop the evil by holding tho feet of the king and confessed their guilt. King baok from association with those The king pardoned them and ordered saintly persons, This inoronsed the thorn to venerate and adore the holy kina's ardour to join the Sreo Vnishnavas personages. at Srcc Uangam. He ordered prepara- Tho khig, being disgusted with the tions to bid adieu to bis earthly kingdom behaviour of wordly people, tUoyght *of At this the ministers got dishonrtened retiring to a holy shrine for the rest of and tried other means to get rid of the his life. Ho entrusted his son vsisbnavas. They were so vile and DridliavraU with tho charge of his crooked in their behaviour that one day government and, accompanied by his they secretly removed a precious neck- daughter went to the shrine, of l^ree lace of the Deity and reported the, KHngara. There he gave his dHughtcrio matter to the King falsely alleging marriage with Srec Ranganath and that tin. Sreo Vaishnevas were the passed his days in condacting the offenders and prayed for their trial and manifold services of the Deity >.nd His" punishment. The Kiog heard them devout servonts. He wen., on pilgri- patiently and at jabt spoke loudly, mages to the holy places and recorded "Hear me, my miuistera, the dovotees his Divine realisations in Tamil and of God are above such conduct. It is Sanskrit in his ''Perumel Tirutnali" and impossible for them to commit such ''Mukundamala Stotraifl" He departed heinous offence. To prove the innocence from this world at the uge aif of the devotoos and thr falsity of your sixty-se ven. Sree Vishwa Vaishnava Raj Sabha

•The Gsodlya Mission

Interview with Oovernur oi Orissa tionists, we being very busy for uU$in. Pandit A. C. Banerjee, Seovotary, ment of pleasnres fur ourselves, deprive Srec Vishwa Vaishnava Raj Sabha, Lad thcA-hsohite of having our services for the honour of nn interview sn May 12, Him. Hence they should he rejected with His Excellonoy Sir John owing to the parado;; on that the Austin Hubbook K. C. S. I., i. C. S. impulse toward» pleasure, i* too much Governor of Orisan and in the couyse of prevalent, defeats its own ain. " his conversation with His Excellency^he His Excellency admitted that love mentioned the activities of tho Gaudiya can have no place unless we accept Mission in India and abroad with a God as an eternal spiritual blissful short sketch of the life and precepts of Personality and was further delighted His Divine Grace Paramahamsa Sree to know the various devotional activities Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta fearaswati of the Mission. Goswami Mabaraj, President,, of Sree ( A. B. Patrika, 15-5-36. ) Vishwa Vaishnava Raj Sabha. He further added, "The Mission is out Visfana Temple la London and out religious rxnd its principle is Tridafldiswami B". II. Bon is staying purely based on Divine Love which is at the' Gaudiya Math, New Delhi. the final object of spiritual existence He recently rebuned from Simla after of all human beings. Religion in its makiqg off ores to raise funds for the true sense of faith in the Absolute and constructing of a Vishnu temple, a practice thereof up to its consummation Hindu Home and a Lecture Hall in cannot he the birth.right of a few Loadou. He is already in toivh with selected classes of people. It is open some of the Princes and financial to all dasBCs of people . irrespective of magnates of India in this oonnootion, their oaste, creed, sex, age or social aud hopes to make an early announoe. status. It also believes in the Person' ment of the scheme and. the nainos of ality of Godhead. (he financiers who are generously dis- "Out of the three thoughts karma.) posed to place funds at his disposal. jnutia and ''hakti, devotion, da of Sir Evelyn Wrench C. M. G., LL. D., surpassing excellence, as in both the fouudcr and "Secretary- of tho overseas process of the elevationists and Salva- League and ex-Editorof the "Spectator', SREE V1SHWA VAIS11NAVA RAJ SABHA 4SS welcomed tue establisbinent of a Hitftiu writiug "his "interest ifl tho proposal to temple id London most obrdially. He build a Hindu temple in Londou," and was sure tBat it woald help tho English he "dosfros to do anything in his power people to uildoretand the Hindu point to draw his country and Indio closer of .view. Sir Christopher Robinson, together'*. His*Grace the Archbishop Secretary of the All Peoples' Adsocia- of Tork is ready to. give his name"as tlon, hopes that tho Gandiya Mission a sympathiser with the project of the will meet with the active sympathy of Swami Bon. The Right Reverend the' all creeds in Great Britain, Lord Bishop of London has expressed Tho offe>» made by tho "Maharaja of in writing his interest in tho 'buildiug Tripata tc Swahni Bon of the Gandiya of a Hindu tompjo in JLoudou. MTssion tn bedr the entire cost of The Right Hon'hle the Marquese of orooting a temple for the Hindur in Zetland has expressed his warm sym- London, where the imago of Sree pathy of tho project of a Temple and Bhagawnn Vishnu will be inatallod Hall fur the Hiudus in London. He with solemn religioua rites, Swami observes that this project would prove Bou whs in London during the to bo a great convenience to members last winter to onliat sympathy for this of the Hindu oommuuity visiting this project, and he baa received no small country (England). He feels euro that measure of support from the church, Bwami Bon will moot with cordial nobilities, ex-oivil and military officers support from leading members of the of Indiu, distinguiaheo educationists Hindu community. and journalists iu England. Tho present project of the Gauniya Mission Solar Eclipse Fair at Karakshetrs is to build in London a Hindu torn pie with an Ashram and a Lecture Hall. The Gandiya Math at Kurukshqtra The~e was some apprehension iu the is making preparations this year to minds of the aupporlera of this ache me present the clay model representation of whether the Church of England which the battle of Kurukohotra to the visitors is opposed to idolatry will countenance who will Hssemhle there fur bathing at the installation of the image of Vishnu tho Inko Dwuipayon on the occasion of in tho heart of London. But happily the ensuing solar eclipse on Friday, tho the times have charged u.ul Swami 19th June next. Carpenter^ and artisls Bon's proposal has reoeired the absent have been requisitioned from JBcognJ, of tho Church. His Grace tho Archbi. who are constructing a lofty car, which shop of Canterbury has expressed in will be beautifully painted and richly 456 THE HARMONIST decora tad, and in which an image of tiro hours about the fotb vaishnava Partha, sitting over the car facing the aarapradayaS, Kaurava army, rthandoning Gaodira in On May 21, Sditor spoke on Brahma, a mood of dospondonoy with Park ha Paramatma and Bhagabat). • Sj. (Jiiru. Sarathi standing by,, ready to preach praaad Dan, D.S.P., of Puri met Editor the immortal taita will be faithfully on this day. tcproaonted, SltiKul doll-makers from Trfdanda-Sanyas Krislmagar have boon taken #lo pi spare At Sree Puruahottam Math, Puri, these idteges. The fair will continue on May SO.tJripad Sarbeswar Brahma, from thh 7th to the 22nd June, at Kuro- cbari en^prhd the Sanyaa Asram with kshetra. The Qovenynont are niakiug permission from the Acha-y. -of lltn adequate sanitary Arraugoment and also Gandiya Mission. for the supply of pure drinking water BsUchuck, Mldnapur: for the convenionoc of the jrilgrima. On May 20, Tridandiswami B. B. Sree Purushottam Math, Port; Srauti M aba raj delivered a lecture in the On May 20, Pandit Gaurdaa Kavya- local High Sdbool on "Duty of Studcata". vyflkarantivtha, Bhaktmiitri read and Srce Ramananda-Oaadlya Math, Kovur: explained Sri mad Bhagabat at Tridandiswami B. P. Tirtha Mabaraj Sedbunibas. is stayiug.here for over a month and is On May rM, 8j. Sacitioath Key spreading the gospel of Mahaprahhu Choudhury, Zemindar of Aloa, Mymen- by lecturts and discourses. On May singh, and Panda Sj. Hnnutuan 21, Sv.amtji icad and explained the Kkuulia and ( i.her respectable gentle, narrative "of Prahlud Malmrnj from meni came to the Math to hear Hari- Srimad Bhagabat at the huuftc of Sj. katha (rum j&illor Whu spoke for nearly M. Krishna Hao Garu. VOL XXXII No. 20J [ Regtd. No. C 1601

THE HARMONIST

(Sree Saijanatosbani

FORTNIGHTLY-

Krishna Ekadaahi Aahar 450 O.A,

June 15, 1936.

5ftqT|«=n;cRT Toil

Aunihilation of ages Cong sufferings. May these our high aims fCourish The Service of Rafha* Krishna. 7o g fad fen the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4=8. Foreign Is. 6d. Paramahansa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraswati Goswami

Sree Caudiya Math, P.O. Bagl^bazar, Calcutta. CONTE N TS

Subject I'age

1. Sree Nama 457 2. The Alvars 463 3. Gaudiya Math and Trade and Commerce ... 465 4. Misunderstanding of Impersonalists 478 5. Is Current Hinduism Antivedic 474 6. Sree Viswa Vaishoava Raj Sabha 479 ALL-GLORY TO SRER OURU AND OAURANOA

Tie Hatmani$f

(Svee SaJJanatosbarrt)

VOL. XXXII. ^ JUNE 15.1936 No. 20

Sree Nama ( By Prof. Nisi Kanta Sanyal m.a. )

The Divine Name of Krishna mani- necessary to take due account of their fests His Descent to this mundane objects for the purpose of arriving, at plane on the spiritual lips of His pure the real truth. devotees in the Form of the Transcen- In our present conception of things dental Sound identical with His Entity. a name is offered to an object for our But the descended Sree Nama has temporary understanding, which is similar characteristics with the ordi. different from the self-manifestive nary symbol of mundane description as (chetan) objeet-in-itself. The very con- well as the Transcendental Entity. ception of objects, represented by ordi. The name or nomenclature of any nary nomenclature, is not derived from perceived object of this mundane world the object itself by the ear, but is is quite different from the object itself, secured from other senses. The object- whereas the descended Sree Nama is in-itself cannot be known either by the not different from, but is on the con. ear or by the other senses severally. In trary, identical with the Object. The mundane name or symbol for labelling truth of this statement can be and has the objects of sense-experience we miss been challenged by the empiricists. It is this actual transcendence. We are 458 THE HARMONIST merely put into this phenomenal world mundane impressions are not to be by its means. confused as being identical with trans- Sree Nama is meant for transcen- cendence. If the senses could reach dence only. This should be the first Him then the word 'transcendent' thing to inark. By descended Sree should not be used. The name would Nama we do not, however, get imme. be mundane. diate and direct access to the actual We cannot get rid of mundane asso- transcendental objects But the ciation if we confusedly think that the symbolized transcendental sounds are transcendental sound is in the same not to be isolated from the Transcen- category as ordinary sounds. It is dance Himself. similar but not identical. Where then The taking of the unrestricted. lies the difference between the two ? (Vaikuntha) Nama destroys all sins. * Their similarity is to be taken up for Vaikuntha Nama is not to be our consideration. But as the relation confused with symbol sounds of our of identity between sound and object lexicons. All the names that are found is ignored in mundane sounds, we must in our dictionaries mean objects that not extend their similarity to this should be conceived through the characteristic. Tranacendantal name is senses. Or, at any rate, they mean identical with the transcendental figure, that the attributive reference of the attribute, activity and environment. objects could be secured through the The seeming faces do not differ from senses. These names or symbols are the other faces, restricted by being made to depend for The ear is apt to receive informa- their meaning on corroboration by tions that are not presented to the other senses. They require fresh other senses. The thing to be seen by examination to get the full attributive the eye has to be brought in contact reference. As transcendence is beyond with the retina by means of light ema- the reach of our senses, we need not nated by the object for the possibility think that it should be brought of association with the object. But automatically within their range. We the very objects are described to the need not think that the transcendence ear. The ear has the distant most has submitted to our present senses potency for the reception of the when we have to think about the impression of the objects. Therefore, unrestricted name. There is a simi, aural reception has preference over larity with the mundane. But the every other mode of approaching (faj: i at: ) object. SREE NAMA

In as much as this phenomenal inadequacies and confusing expositions existence is the reflection or covered are offered. We find that we have to aspect, eclipsed by a foreign agency constantly rectify and even to change viz., ignorance by the peculiar potency the direction of these speculations and of nescience which shrouds the soul, to discard the older conceptions. it obstructs our vision by presenting The mind is the telegraphic centre the opaque faces of the Reality. The of the sense impressions. If we allow object of our sight is kept out of our free play to the mind we are debarred reach by the screening agency. from seeing things beyond our senses. The ear has got its own different This applies equally to mundane aural chamber. If we enter into any one impressions despite the preference that chamber of our senses we are deprived has to be awarded to them by the of the benefit of the other chambers- philosophers. In every department of Mind deals with limited object which speculative enquiry we have to give have two faces. The transcendental preference to aural reception. face differs from the mundane. By an As a matter of fact all sense-impres- unwarrantable assumption the mundane sions are limited. This leads us to limitations are supposed to be the think that it is our business to impose property to be anthropomorphised when limitation on everything. We must the mind is asked to hear about trans, not misunderstand the use of the term cendence. This is wrong on the part 'limitations' in this connection. We of the mind. The transcendental need 'limit' a thing when we suppose that not be molested or twisted according it has got its four walls. This is the to the bitter experience of this world. defect of the mundane process of limita. We profess to desire that we should tion. Tue very defects of mundane extend our scope of investigation and limitation should not be carried to transcend the limitations under which transcendence. we are placed at present. But when But the principle of limitation has we are put in a particular chamber we got its beautiful aspect which should cannot do so in practice. Then we not be ignored in the transcendence. take recourse to speculation. The mind For example the transcendence ever is the agency for summing up the predominates over sattva, rajas and impressions received through the senses. tamas. This is not defective limitation. The mind sets itself to speculate It constitutes the highest excellence of on the basis of the totality of these the transcendence, its excellence par impressions In the result all sorts of excellence. Thorny shrubs have got 460 THE HARMONIST no efficiency here. But in the tjroves mantra.diksha (effecting spiritual of Braja they are objects of the highest enlightenment by imparting the trans, beauty and efficacy. Thorny shrubs cendental name to the submissive soul) are taken here by camels. But we all is necessary. do so there. There is no inadequate or But it may be asked how am I to undesirable limitation there. Here know that the Sree Murti is really limitation gives very bitter experience. transcendental ? I may insist that If we purloin some property belonging I do not like to be dissuaded by to another person, it is very undesirable. the assurances of others and that The thief also feels in the same way. I should see everything with my In that world there is no such limita- own eyes. But by relying upon my tion. In that world there is every sort eyes I turn an empiricist (adhyakshika) of beauty in the so-called defective like many a giant intellect as well as things as we find them in this world. the less intelligent people. The defect of limitation is not allowed We are appealing to all empiricists to go to that region. We are not for giving us a real hearing, but, they required to carry the mundane ideas in do not lend their ears to our appeal due toto. Unalloyed activities and things to their present judgment prirha facie are the associated agents which accom. uncompromising and aggressive charac- pany and should accompany us when ter and apparent denial of their compe- we reach there. The name should point tence to understand the subject matter out the object but not the limited object of our appeal. The empiricists have or idol. If we worship Sree Murti we got the power to attend to transcendeo- should not idolize. No intelligent tal discourses. We are asking for all person should accept the idol as object empiric ears. We shall talk to them of worship. at first in the empiric manner. One There is no worse slander against has to pass through a narrow stream— Vishnu than to suppose that His Body the transcendental sound—supplied is mundane. * I am a vaishnav. H with all sorts of equipments to enable Vishnu is regarded as phenomenal I one to go with the stream. If 01 e is enwrap Vishnu with ray whim. I cannot dissuaded one cannot chalk out the get the true light of the object. So real truth. One has to hear all these things till one is fully satisfied apd to question till one is satisfied. Whatever ii is said to an empiricist is not all (*:*: anfo «|^) empirical. Every precaution is taken SREE NAMA 461 in using the analogy. The transcen- He comes to us as a telegraphic message dentalist uses language that is bearer. But there is every possibility intelligible to both. of putting wrong interpretations on his One should be very careful about words. There is great difference one's diet or acquisition. I have got between the Sankarite and Vaishnava experience of this world, so have interpretations. The house.holder vaish- others. If a person pose as a trans- nava need not be aider and abetter of cendental teacher he speaks in a any really wrong practices. corresponding way. There is then a If I am not liberated, I am simply difference. But the person who wants to undone. I cannot approach the true hear from a real transcendental teacher precptor except by ins mercy. He must first find out whether the person will gradually show that Krishna is the ia twenty.four hours in touch with Subject of all transcendental discourses. transcendence or is concerned all his It will be the highest aesthetic culture time with mundane objects. If he which is not available on the mundane gives all his time to transcendence, we plane. If a person communicates any- should only then hear about transcen- thing that he has enjoyed in this world, dence from him. Otherwise, it will be it will be of no help, but a positive like hearing the phonograph or talky. hindrance. If any so-called preceptor There is a ^reat difference between disregard the vaishnavas we should pseudo-talker and bona fide talker. shun his society. # The latter is perfectly immune from A person who is not fully engaged all mundane desire (niskinchan). * in the service of Vishnu is non.devotee We shall come in contact with a or covered vaishnava (a-vaishnava). person who can talk transcendence For this reason the professional priests truly, if we are fortunate, in which case Krishna will send His message.

(5: *»; fa: jjiJKVWfoHW ^iitqfagcu HiTRa; I ii (IT: afjjWJTfaFaw qferfar fadfaH n ?ITOT f Tlf?! ^Ml

WST I are to' sffawnjar* i i 'S'^Tr ^ JWl" TO TOT <11: II (*tt: 462 THE HARMONIST

(devalas) should not be accepted as Transcendental Nama is to be tar- gurus. They wish to misappropriate getted. He can be approached by our offerings. unalloyed soul. No anthropomorphic The Transcendental Nama is to be reservations should accompany us. served. If we serve ordinary nama we Krishna is served in five different will be put to all sorts of trouble. By ways. He is the Emporium of all the excessive shouting of the ordinary nama rasas (mellowness incidental to different billiousness will increase. If we suppose kinds of personal relationship). We Hari to be a lion, I invoke a lion by should have access to transcendental chanting the name, or a lentil if I rasa. Bati (loving attachment) will suppose that to be the meaning of the turn to rasa, the order of progressive word Hari. True Hari is given a wide realisation being saraddha (firm faith), berth by such chanting. rati (loving attachment), rasa (leaven- By the word 'Hari' the Transcen- ing mellowness). dental Hari should be meant and no With the appearance of rasa we word targetting any object of Nature. realise the state of loving devotion It would be offensive lack of due atten- (prema-bhakti). There is no English tion (anabadhau) if we do so. When word for prema So it is better to use the transcendental word Hari enters the word prema. my brain I am undone if I suppose it The definition of prema is found to be an object of my enjoyment. I in Bhakti-rasamritasindhu. • thereby commit an offence against Sraddha is implicit faith. Sree - the Nama. » Nama is the Rescuer from the present Hari is quite different from the con. pitiable condition when we are coctions of the human brain and the engrossed on the plane of the physical objects of his sense.perception. If we tabernacle worshipping at the altar of really get the conception that Hari , socialism and other schemes does not serve us we do not fall into of temporary physical amelioration. the error of supposing that He is lion, Those who pose as our own (swajana) etc. In His case the object is identical on the strength of the relation of the with the Nama. If we entertain any physical casing are thieves and robbers. other conception we are deprived. The We should have no association with

C >0 •nf? (I (& 3ilf^ «|^) («|: *5 fe: ^ W s&TO) THE ALVARS 463 them. The Transcendental Sound saves The non.reversion (anavritti) that our souls from recurring births in the results from constant chanting of the flesh. (1) word (shabda) is absolute. One has The Transcendental Sound is the beginning of everything. (2) not again to be incarcerated in flesh. The Transcendental Word (Shabda) This is emphasised by the Gaudiya is identical with the Object (Shabdi). Acharyyas. (4) Another pertinent aphorism of the Brahma-Sutra enjoins repeated chan- ting of the Word. (3) 1. (sgrcra ) Q f?i •fhcrfei?! in i 2. dtwwfl (sigre* ) 3. ( HSB* ) esi nfii n (yfsa^qr) («c^i itnirfq in

The Alvars Vishnuchitta By Bhababandhachhid Das

Saint Peri-i.Alvar or Vishnuchitta any return. Innate tendencies for the is the Avatara of Garuda according to service of God are generally attributed our scriptures. He made his appear, to the'special grace of God. This has ance in the city of Sree Villiputtur near been proved in the cases of Saint South Madras in the month of Jaistha, Prahlad and Dhruba who were votaries Kali 46, of Makunda as father and of the Supreme Lord from infancy. The Padma Devi as mother. According to mighty torrent of devotion of Sree some the date of his birth is 3056 B. C. Prahlad subdued and overpowered all From his early years he intuitively the demoniac efforts of Hirahya- devoted himself to learning and propa- Kashipu. It is said that a saint is born, gating the Holy Veda and ever engaged not made. himself in performing highly meritorious Our Saint realised that the entire ceremonies called Jajnas which were life ie to be devoted to the service of meant for the service of God without God and thought what particular form 464 THE HARMONIST his service to God should assume and Sadhus, Pandits and Philosophers at his thought within himself how the Avatara capital, to know what constitutes the of Sree Krishna was resolved upon for summum bonum for man and how the the threefold purpose of saving the same is to be secured. The king also godly, destroying the ungodly and estab- arranged a precious offering for the lishing the true religion in the land. real Saint. It flashed in his mind to devote himself Vatasayee Bhagawan wanted that to the duty of supplying flowers and his votary should attend the meeting wreathes daily to Sree Krishna at Sree and be thus His mouthpiece to proclaim Villiputtur in His Archa Form of Sree to the world once again the eternal Vatasayee Bhagawan. truths, for mankind ia forgetful and During this time a king by name require constant reminding to save Deva was reigning at Kudal them from evil pursuits and wed them in South Mathura. He was famous for to religion and God. As a result the his wide conquests and righteous rule. Saint had a dnam in which Vatasayee On a certain night the king went appeared and commanded him to attend through thestreetsof Madhura wragoiiia the Council and win the prize intended on a round of inspection. He saw a for the victor. Being thus bid by the Brahman pilgrim sleeping by the road Supreme Lord the Saint arose in mixed side. He roused him and asked him wonder and surprise. Without delay who he was. The Brahman replied that he journeyed to the royal assembly. As he was returning from holy pilgrimage he entered the royal court, the king to the Ganges. At this the king begged rose from his throne and fell at his feet. to hear from him edifying instructions. The king then escorted him to the The pilgrim spoke as follows :— Council of wise men. Thus a splendid "Labour eight months in the year to reception was given to him, which live happily at home during four months excited surprise and resentment of the of the rains. Labour hard half the day other wise men present. Our Saint being to spend the night happily. Work in prayed for instructions delivered a manhood to provide for old age. Utilise religious discourse on the truths of present birth on this earth to secure Vedanta like who was well- eternal good hereafter". versed in all the shastras by the inspira. The king listened to the above tions of Brahma. .The audience heard with raptattention and realised the him with astonishment and attention moral contained therein. It made the and nobody dared to raise a word of ^ing convene a meeting of all the protest. His instructions had the desiced GAUDIYA MATH AND TRADE AND COMMERCE 465 effect on the heart of the King and all Chief, and offered to him the precious present. The miracle repeated itself. prize. The whole audience from the king The Supreme Lord, the All knowing, downward stood up and involuntarily the All-powerful, the All-protecting, was fell at the feet of the Sage. With great greatly delighted to witness the honour honour and pomp he was then placed shewn to His servant Vishnuchitta who on an elephant and taken round the brought all the prizes to the Lord for city amidst loud acclamations followed His service. Our Saint was so sober by a grand procession swelled by the and sincere in his service that he never Pandits, ministers, and retinue of the swelled with pride. Ke contiued to king. The king bestowed on him the live as before devoting himself fully title of Bhattarpiran or the Brahman. to the service of the Lord.

Gaudiya Math and Trade and Commerce

The exchange and distribution of producers nor consumers. In such wealth are secured on the bfjsis of circumstances neither the interests of mutual agreement between the buyers producers nor those of consumers are and sellers of commodities by which likely to be respected. The interests of the terms of such exchange are settled. the producers and those of the cbnsu- Economists suppose that the prices of mbrs of wealth should be capable of commodities are also determined by being mutually adjusted by some more demand and supply. It is difficult to suitable method. Direct contact between estimate the scope of operation of these producer and consumer is, however, influences by statistical evidence. The impracticable in large scale production rate of exchange appears to be affected and by the fact that producers by the official forecasts of demand and are separated from consumers by vast supply and by the interests of the distances. speculators. The producer also complains that Consumers and producers have the adverse interests of the broker blamed the above arrangement on the prevent him from understanding the ground that prices are thereby actually real demands of the consumer. The settled by middlemen who are neither consumer thinks that he has to pay a 69 466 THE HARMONIST price at the arbitrary dictation of the out to indiscriminate marriage, result- middleman ignorant of his real needs as ing in greater over-population. well as the conditions of production. T have gone into these familiar The result is extreme uncertainty of contentions to visualize the hopeless- prices and the absence of reasonable ness of ensuring the proper distribution purpose in the production and di.stribu= of wealth, even if we accept the view tion of commodities. that the interests of the consumer are Communists and Socialists regard not opposed to those of the producer the present mode of distribution of by overlooking the anomalous fiiCt that wealth by the agency of professional it is the interest of the former to middlemen as the cause of the poverty demand an abundance of necessaries of the masses. Failing to suggest any and luxuries at a comparatively small better method of distribution by the sacrifice, while the latter equally seeks retention of free contract, they fall to get the highest prices for the pro." back upon State control for ensuring a ducts of his labour. As every person sufficient supply of necessaries and is both consumer nnd producer there moderate luxuries for the poor. They may not appear to be any thorough think that such a policy is practicable going opposition of interests between and not opposed to the economic the two sections at any rate in theory. interests of either producer or The exigencies of large scale production consumer. involving minute division of labour and But the advocates of free exchange the employment of middle men, may be point to the total loss of free individual blamed for making the interests of the that would result from effective and one appear to be incompatible with detailed State interference. They think those of the other. Without large scale that the machinery of the State would and localised production it is not also be rendered too cumbrous by being possible to increase the total out put saddled with this enormous responsibi- of wealth available for distribution. lity aud even break to pieces under the Thus it is more or less a vicious abnormal pressure. Moreover, if necessar- circle. ies are assured to the produoer, the If the consumer is assured an abund- latter will be disinclined to put forward ance of necessaries and luxuries, it his best efforts for increasing his produc- would quickly lead to over-population. tion of wealth, as such lethargy will not If the consumer is stinted it does not then affect him adversely. And lastly check, the growth of population by any a great encouragement will be held decrease in the rate of birth but by an GAUD1YA MATH AND TRADE AND COMMERCE 467 increase in the rate of mortality for and the luxurious dining table may want of proper nourisliraent, etc. after all be at the root of much of the The desperate remedy of this besett- evils of this world. ing malady, that is being confidently Should the pumpering of the body recommended uow.a.days for the accept- and mind be regarded as the end of ance of the race, is artificial birth human life v Or, is it only a means to control. But this is bound to react the end ? In regard to lower animals most prejudicially on the morals as well we have recourse to that mode of breed- as physical and mental health of the ing and nourishment which is promo, race. Eugenic marriage is in course tive of the purpose that is fulfilled by of being enforced by the State in any particular species in the general Germany in preference to marriage by scheme of our affairs. Health is a free love, This should reduce the con- good thing. But health itself would be dition of the family to that ot a breed- useless if it be the cause of barrenness. ing estfiblishraent of well-fed and well- Health would be a nuisance, if it is the groomed cattle. cause of vice and inutility. The failure to find any proper What is the real purpose of human remedy for the evils of so-called life ? Is it the attainment of a long inequitable distribution is due to the and healthy life with highly developed ill-considered assumption that the end mental powers and command over an of the consumption of economic goods abundance of gross and refined worldly is to secure a healthy state of body and comforts ? Are gratification of the mind. But does ' the consumption senses and the satisfaction of hunger of economic products really make men and appetite by the consumption healthy and happy r of wealth, the worthy objects of A man cannot he healthy and life ? civilized by eating and drinking and The famous ancient social philoso. sight-seeing. It may make him a brute. pher of India, Manu, gives his clear Supposing that he might be made verdict on the point. If, says he, healthy and civilized by such artifical wealth is consumed for the purpose of means, which is extremely improbable, appeasing hunger or for the gratifica- he will have nevertheless failed to attain tion of any sensuous appetite, it will the level of human life as distinct from have the effect of stimulating proneness the life of the brute. The Hindus are to hunger and sensuality. A number ridiculed by civilised peoples for their of recurring bodily discomforts, neces- 'Kitchen' religion. The good kitchen sarily reacting painfully* on the mind, 468 THE HARMONIST necessitate the taking of food and the will restore us to our natural spiritual consumption of other forms of wealth. condition, by being freed from the These discomforts of the body and mind trammels of the body and mind for are not considered to be good and good ? desirable. If the consumption of food Manu's view implies all this. The and other goods, while affording Gaudiya Math insists on the necessity temporary relief, tends in the long run of self-determination before we commit to aggravate those discomforts, should ourselves to any form of activity, we persists in such unwise course ? however, natural and inevitable it may How do we know that Manu is not appear to be at first sight. Am I body right after all ? or mind r 1 do not know. I feel I The Gauiliya Math offers the folio, am both, and also potentially greater wing analysis of the position. The than both. The Scriptures say that I physical body misused is the source of am soul, neither body nor mind. The all 'evil. The apparent interests and soul is theoretically the present needs of the physical body are incom- proprietor of his body and mind. The patible with those of the soul. If the soul requires to be counselled by a free physical body is pampered sensuality is soul who is not under the thraldom of increased. If the physical body is body and mind and who understands starved, disease and death follow. If the method of his deliverance. The the physical body is moderately fed means must be no other than the proper and nourished, health and long life are use of the body and mind. Because at obtained. But health and long life are present every activity is to be performed no concerns of the soul any more than by their means. sensuality, disease and premature death. If food is taken in the proper Why should we care at all for any of manner it should not increase one's those results T If the soul is really desire for consuming more and more immortal, why should we care for these food. It should lessen the animal urge temporary so-called interests ? If we of the propensity, instead of augment- begin to care for the so-called life, for ing the same. The proper use of food its own sake, it at once leads us into can be practised by only the awakened that interminable series of difficulties soul. Such use should gradually which must necessarily attend upon the eradicate all sensuousness, enabling the state of self-forgetfulness, Should we soul to function in his perfect way by not learn that use of the present life, the agencies of the properly controlled as it happens to be in our way, which body and mind. GAUDIYA MATH AND TRADE AND COMMERCE 469

The point that ia overlooker! by served. The passion for equality, no those who desire to equalise the riches less than for domination is the negation of all, is that the improper use of riches of the spiritual disposition. is at present both unavoidable and In this world every one is in the universal and produces only mischief state of perpetual want. Every one in some form or other. The equali- covets the service of all others on his sation of possessions is no cure of the own temporary account. No one in evil. The wrong use of wealth, irres. this world really renders even any pective of possession, is the disease. temporary service to any entity. All No two persons are equal in every so-called services are rendered in respect. Why should they be treated consideration of receiving greater ser- as equals ? Inequality is regarded as vices present and prospective. The a crime because the inferior aspires purpose is not one of service but of to be elevated to the status of his enjoyment of others. This principle of superior without acquiring the latters barter and desire for mastership over superior, qualities. Such desire for others characterizes all current inter- artificial equality is the sign of a course of the world. The acquisition malicious disposition. There can be no of worldly riches, which is effected by such abnormal hankering- on the barter, serves only to increase our spiritual plane. wants. Ihe hypocritical renderer of The soul in his unalloyed state is so-called service is thus rightly punished naturally desirous of serving each and by being placed in the state of greater every entity. He is 'humbler than the want by his supposed gains in exchange blade of grass'. He stands lace to face of the services rendered. with the souls of all entities. He know^ The Science of Economics imagines that the soul of every entity reciprocates that it is making a particularly hopeful the Perfect Activity of Godhead. God. announcement when it asserts that both head expressess Himself in the concerted parties to economic exchange or barter activities of unalloyed entities Every, are gainers by such transaction, as each thing serves only Him either willingly party thereby gets more easily what he or unwillingly. The emancipated soul really wants. But each party to an also realises that the service of Godhead economic transaction wants nothing but has to be attained in the form of the the gratification of his senses. When associated service of all entities. If the one is supplied with the means of his service of a single entity is left out. of sensuous gratification its enjoyment only one's calculation. Godhead is not whets his desire for more enjoyment. 470 THE HARMONIST

Tliern is very little to choose The natural desire for the preserva. between a civilized and an uncivilized tion of one's entity requires to be made party in this respect. The civilized effective by seeking for existence that is trader is probably the more deluded of really free from all undesirable hostilities. the two. He practises animality but No one should want to be saddled with advertises such conduct to be spiritual. the physical body and limited mind for The Gaudiya Math makes a distinc- the perpetuation of ones conditioned tion between the service of God and state. Every one is anxious for the the gratification of one's senses and real lasting improvement of his present appetites. It is the nature of the soul condition. This discontent should not to offer spiritual services to the Absolute. mislead us as to desire so-called material It is in his abnormal state that the soul prosperity. That is not improvement. seeks the gratification of his senses, by It is real degradation to hanker for mistaking himself to be non-soul. He material prosperity. Our natural dis- can seek the gratification of his senses content with the present condition only by being endowed with his mun- requires to be carefully analysed and dane casing, and his mundane egoism. purified. The discontent, that is due These mundane adjuncts enable him to to our unfulfilled longing for mastership set out on the wild.goose.ohase. His leads us to the quest of the gratification unnatural desire for being master in his of our senses for physical and mental own right can be seemingly gratified amelioration. This kind of discontent only in this abnormal way. Such is harmful for the soul. There is irrational desire cannot be really grati- another and wholly different kind of fied. Ho is only thereby subjected to discontent. It is anxious to serve God the mundane delusion, or, in the alter- instead of unnaturally seeking to be native, withdrawn into the void by the master in one's own right. This last temporary abeyance of his individual form of discontent is a real asset. It is entity. one's duty to cultivate such discontent The soul, even in the oonHitioned by all means. It is only for this purpose state, does not desire self-destruction. that Providence has mercifully provided Krishna does not give him any evil the trials and tribulations incidental to even when he covets the same. Karaaa their otherwise unwholesome mundane and the other Demons who were sojourn. If Providence had given us, hostile to Krishna, were punished with instead, only uninterrupted mundane temporary abeyance of their individual felicity, our spiritual natures would have existence. remained dormant and unsuspected. GAUD1YA MATH AND TRADE AND COMMERCE 471

The performers of mundane altruistic attaining mastery over Nature. Such activities harm themselves as well as teaching and expectation are opposed those whom they want to help. By to the interests of our souls as they such vain deeds they gain for therasel ves lead to degradation, misery, birth and equal worldly felicity. This is their death. There is nothing unjust or punishment. But all this acquired cruel in this dispensation. Such felicity is fortunately an ephemeral punishment is the greatest possible possession and it is the discovery of mercy to our real selves. It is wholly this which should dissuade of expelled undeserved magnanimous recognition Adams and Eves from Paradise from on the Part of Providence of the eternal the unreflecting pursuit of sensuous needs of our souls. Let us not miss the pleasures. real significance of our mundane sojourn It is necessary to realise that we and thereby fail to make the beat use are souls who have no material wants of our opportunity. and no mundane limitations ; whose Trade and commerce need not be nature is to serve God by all our facul. deflected from their present course for ties on the transcendental plane of this purpose. On the contrary they Absolute Reality. The speedy attain- require to be pursued by all manner of ment of this natural uncontaminated proper use of the faculties and environ- state is the only possible rational goal ment given us by Providence for the of all our activities. This only desirable realisation of our real lasting food Let consummation is prevented by the us not be captivated by the prospects cultivation of our mundane nature that of the seeming optimistic outlook that has been superimposed on us by the successful commercialism, in thet worldly deluding potency of God for ensuring sense, offers to our conditioned our perfect freedom although it may aptitudes. Let us dive below the sur- and does actually occasion the wrong face and seek to find the proper activity use of our freedom. God1 does not give of our real selves. us what we desire but what is necessary As soon as we begin to suspect the for our real happiness. The mundane rottenness of all worldly possessions as sojourn, sanctioned God, is a means such we should be anxious to make the of curing our evil mundane propensity. proper use of those impulses and Let us try to understand a little more aptitudes that seek their satisfaction by fully how this is so. commercial activities. This internal We are normally taught to perform change will enable us to be adjusted every form of worldly activity for now and here to the eternal situation. 472 THE HARMONIST

Thn^ alnnc may wi1 licgin to acquire tunity thrown in our way by benign those real riches that last for ever but Providence for enabling us to serve the are iuvi. sibleto those who arc perversely Absolute and all entities on the plane addicted to temporary mundane values. of our souls. The rivalry between the The Absolute Plane is full of rich and poor should be shifted to the boundless wealth and offers unlimited plane of competing service of God scope for the real use of wealth. Worldly which will redound to the eternal riches are the perverted reflection of unmixed happiness of all concerned. real wealth. Let us not, therefore, The external arrangement of human contemn wealth, but, try to acquire real affairs will not he materially disturbed riches by maldny the proper use of our by the universal adoption of the. resolu- present possessions and opportunities tion to serve God thereby. That ever which are of the nature of a passing remains entirely in the Hands of Provi- shadow. Spiritual efficiency has also dence. The adoption of the spiritual its degrees and gradations. It is, process need involve no external change however, the only real efficiency. at all. But the evil will have been Mundane efficiency is as deluding as cured at its source and the way for the mundane possessions which are acquired real universal progress towards the by such efficiency. The discovery and natural state of perfect felicity thrown adoption of the proper method of open to the free acceptance of all sincere acquiring and spending worldly riches, souls. This world will not be aboli- which is equivalent to the practice of shed, but our attitude towards its con- the service of God, will enable us to cerns will lose its unwholesome get out of the clutches of the deluding character and be a means for the attain- potency. We must seek for worldly ment of the life eternal on the natural riches for serving God therewith. By termination of the mundane sojourn. the adoption of such policy our material This is the Message of Supreme Lord prosperity will prove the greatest of Sree Krishna-Chaitanya that is being blessings instead of being the greatest propagated by the Gaudiya Math for of curses by its thoughtless handling. establishing the universal association of Poverty itself is not. also an evil to be the souls of all entities in the service of shunned but the equally great oppor- the Absolute. Misunderstanding of Impersonalists

The mental speculati mist i* found if the chanting of Nama converts a to reserve himself in well.disciplined mind to restlessness, which is shown by civic aspirations to offer the results of shouting etc., how can it be reason- all such activities to the Supreme able to adopt such chanting of Authority and to desert all activities Nama ? of self preferring the high sounding In support of the statements for the knowledge of absorption. Ail these lover of the Absolute, it is said that fourfold aspirations were belittled by one has carefully weighed and rejected Sree Krishna Chaitanya in the conver- the opposite situations of mere con- sation that took place by the mighty templation of mind and impatience due flow of the Godavari four hundred and to the most covetable situations. So a quarter of a century back. To support closer deliberation is necessary to these statements it is premised that examine the two different modes of Love of Krishna ignores and dimini- activities when we are in need of shes the worth of the explorations of approaching the Absolute deserting the the mind and conscience and invigorates undesirable situation of temporary the approaching of the transcenden- things and defective observation of tal situation of the loving Attractor. local disturbance. Without unduly In the useful chanting of the Name of decreasing or minimising the considera. the Absolute, Love is found to show tion of purely local interests, we should its full fledge. The very chanting of stick to our resolve to see our way to the Nama exhibits a frantic disposition put a stop to less profits suggested by which stupefies the mind occupied in our fellow workers. This comparative accruing gratification of senses. It solution instigates us to adopt a process leads to an apparent unmindful tem- which, although it may appear to be perament, and a chanter under its quite unnatural at the very outset, influence is found to cry, dance and happens nevertheless to be the only sing. He is apt to show unceasing remedy behind the seeming aspect of restlessness, as opposed to the con. the thing. teraplative situation of reservists or A hasty observer is not likely to gnostics. gain much by the apparent sight of It is argued that concentration of the solution if he deals with the matter mind is to be indispensably sought, and, by assuming that it is like the facilities 474 THE HARMONIST inherent in non-Absolute objects. The conceptions of people busy to secure very concentration of mind, though temporary by deserting the eternal needed to dispel the devilish enterprise pleasure. This would show the apparent of selfishness for gratifying our senses, sight of the redresser seeking to dictate and, when we are determined to have by his the then exploitation the practice the untampered solution of having the of the Absolute Region of the transcen- eternal benefit, it should welcome such dentalist who has a dynamic enterprise resultant startling activities for grati- quite opposed to the sober temperament fying the senses of Krishna, which are of designers of enjoyment or profit for quite opposed to the speculative themselves.

Is Current Hinduism Antivedic

Hinduism claims to be based upon a discovery have on the position of the Veda in the scriptural sense. The those historians who suppose Krishna, different sects of the Hindus claim to worship to be post Vedic and the represent different aspects of a common religion of the Puranas different from religious heritage. the Vedic, due to their faulty chronology The current historical ( western ) and ignorance of the esoteric teaching conception of the course of evolution of the theistic Puranas by which the of Hinduism is based upon the view inter-connection between the different that the Puranas are later than the modes of Vedic worship is explained. Rig Veda Samhita. This theory falls to Vedic religion is eternal. This is the ground if the Puranic tradition philosophically sound doctrine. The proves to be older. origin of the Vedic religion has not been If Krishna belongs to 5000 B. C. traceable historically. But historians in and if He is identified, not with exercise of their anti-religious rational- Vishnu but, with the Ultimate Truth ism are disposed to believe in a historical or Haratattva in the Puranas and if the beginning and evolution of Hinduism. tradition of these Puranas is also older Is it incumbent on the historian to than 5000 B. C., what effect would such refuse to believe the statements of the IS CURRENT HINDUISM ANT1VED1C 475

Shastras and to manipulate and approached by western thinkers with interpret their evidence to suit their any serious belief in its possible validity. atheistic view ? Js it not much more Pargiter has rightly protested against easy as well as rational to seek to supposing the religious thought of understand the Shastras by their ancient India to be its secular history. internal testimony ? It is possible to Religious thought should be regarded understand their point of view, if only as really such and should be examined we have the patience not to oppose from the purely religious point of view. their claim to transcendence which is If this had been done in regard to the basis of the Vedic religion. Srimad Vaishnavisra scholars would have more Bhagabat offers the transcendental than sufficient grounds for accepting exposition of the Vedic religion as a the view that a really living religious whole. We find in this unique tradition exists to this day among the_ treatise the complete reconciliation of Hindus which is in a position to the ritualistic worship of Sree Murti explain its own principles and also its (not images) and the practices of own past history to the satisfaction of meditation, fruitive activity and austerity unprejudiced persons. having their common basis in the Trans- Religion has a very peculiar connec- cendental Word or Sabda Brahma. tion with the affairs of this world. It is not only unnecessary, even on This is not admitted by empiric the imperfect and wrongly interpreted historians who rely entirely on the evidence that we possess, but positively statements of contemporary secular disingenuous to refuse to accept the witnesses. It is the wrong method theistic version of the Vedic religion on for ascertaining the nature of the the ground of the absence of historical religious thought of the past. The evidence Empiric or pseudo rational- method that is really applicable to the ism has always been the avoweri foe case is just the opposite of this. All of theism. Evidence of such hostility unprejudiced historians of the Vedic in the past should not be accepted ijs religion should admit as relevant only proof of the non-existence of theism. the evidence of the unpolluted sources. No historian should allow his atheistic The testimony of Srimad Bhagabat prejuclices against the testimony of the is the most intelligible body of evidence theistic camp to lead him to ignore the that we possess for this purpose. The very existence of such testimony. scientific study of Hinduism should The truth is that the real religious be regulated by a standard of values. thought of India has not yet been It should begin with the careful study 476 THE HAKMONIST of Srimad Bhauabat wliicb supplies reason, to all persons who are really a workable standard and the clue to the acquainted with the scriptural inter, transcendental religious thought of pretation of the Vedic thought. India. Dr. R.. C. Mazumdar's Dacca With real insight, gained b)* such speech on the 'Evolution' of Hindu method, into the Vedic thought it religion follows the empiric historical should be possible to classify the method. The vast difference between religious books of India by their the Vedic thought as it is and the thought relation to one another. This tantative and misleading so-called is needful for ensuring the impartiality historical conception of the same is of any investigations into the history exemplified by almost all the major- of Indian religious thought. The conclusions of the said speech. chronological method should not be Dr. Mazumdar opines that the applied to religious history. True worship of Shiva and Shakti is traceable religious thought claims to be indepen- to the third Millennium B. C., on the dent of mundane time and space It evidence of the Mahenjodaro finds. The is possible, nay almost inevitable for shastric worship of Shiva does not lead most persons of twentieth century to mastery over material eneagy. Those India, possessing advanced empiric who worship Shiva and Shakti are also knowledge of the Hindu Scriptures to internally divided into hostile groups on be completely ignorant of the actual account of differences of interpretation. nature of the Vedic religion. On the Shiva and Shakti have their distinctive other hand a person possessing no positions in the Vedic thought, which such misleading knowledge (?) of the is fully aware of the danger of anthro- Hindu Shastras may possess real know- pomorphic and pantheistic tendencies ledge of the subject.mattFr of the and does not encourage them. Vedic Vedic religion. It is not given to knowledge of the gods is obtained by the historian, trained in the methods a method that is quite different from of inductive empiric investigation, even the empiric. It would be more reason- to suspect the possibility of such an able to suppose that the prevalence of occurrence, although it is in accordance the Vedic thought in the third with the most fundamental thought millennium B C., is established by the of the Vedic religion itself. Mahenjodaro finds. It would not be safe The conclusions of the empiric to affirm that the age did not get its historians of Indian religion are there- ideas from the same source from which fore unacceptable, tor a very cogent the Vedic got theirs viz., the IS CURRENT HINDUSIM ANTIVEDIC 477 transcendental teachers ut religion, Dr. Mazumdar states that the who belong to no age or country even bhakti cult is not Vedic thought, that in the leas historical sense. it arose in the period of rebellion against Dr. Mazumder distinguishes the Vedic thought and is essentially between Hinduism and Vedic culture*. opposed to the latter He has supposed The modern conception of 'culture* is Shaivaisra to be bhalcti cult in the same neither Hindu nor Vedic. Neither is sense as Vaishnavism. These views it necessary to suppose that the Vedic are not found in any of the Puranas. religion is found in the Samhitas and Shaivaism like all other cults within the not in the other Hindu Shastras. The Vedic fold is of two kinds. One variety teachings of the Rig Samhita has been folio ws the path of knowledge. Another explained by vaishnava commentators variety follows the path of bhakti. Shiva to be identical with that of the is worshipped as impersonal God by Puranas and the Tantras. Are we to those who follow the path of knowledge. suppose chat these commentators are Buddhists and Jains are rationalistic irrational persons, simply because they and, therefore, anti-Vedic. Those who follow the Vedic method ? These follow the Vedic thought always profess commentators are relied upon by Sree to be transcendentalists, even when in Chaitanya. practice they are often found to conform According to the commentators to empiric ideas. The protest against there is no difference between the Vedic thought is as old as the Vedic religion of the Brahmanas and that of thought itself. The protest was directed the Upanishads >o the postulation, not only against abuses but also that there have been two divergent against the doctrine of transcendence lines of thought in the Hindu religion From the point of view of the Vedic from the beginning as represented Religion, Buddhism and are respectively by the Brahmanas and the systems of speculative philosophy and Upanishads, is not in accordance with not religions. The Vedic thought does the evidence of the literatures them- not identify religion with morality or selves. The commentators of the Maya- austerity which were the methods of vad and Vaishnava schools differ in Buddhism and Jainism for the attain, their interpretations of the Upanishads. ment of self.extinction which, according But no commentator declares that the to the vaishnava or theistic Vedic Upanishads teach a religion that is thought, is utterly condemnable. different from the religion of the The view that Shaivaism evolved round Brahmanas. the Vedic god Rudra is not that of the 478 THE HARMONIST

Shastras. Rudra and Shiva are distinct Chaitanya is untenabe on the evidence of conceptions. The worship of the image Gaudiya Vaishnava literature, the point of Shiva as God is polytheistic. The of view of whicli is that of the general worship of the phallic symbol, as practis- body of the Hindu Shaatras. Chaitanya ed by the gnostics is also anti-theistic. taught the highest form of Divine The theory that Bhagavatism was worship practised by the transcendental 'founded' by Vasudeva-Krishna is milkmaids of Braja recorded in the opposed to the view of the Hindu Puranas. Kamananda and Kavir cannot Shastras. Vasudev and Krishna are be classed with Chaitanya. They are Divine Persons and not human beings. impersonalists and not devotees This is the Shastric conception all along. Chaitanya represents the theistic Vedic The name Krishna does not appear in thought in its purity. He condemned explicit form in the extant Vedic Buddhistic thought as it is opposed to Samhitas. But the Puranas are older the Vedic. Ramananda and Kavir than the Samhitas and their informa. may be classed with the Buddhists. tion supplements that of Samhitas on Dr. Mazumdar's description of the faith the same level of authenticity. It is, of Sree Chaitanya is opposed to the therefore, unnecessary to suppose that testimony of Ghaitanya's associates. Bhagavatism was later or earlier than Chaitanya was not 'reformer' of society. Vaishnavism or Shaivaism. They are He was a revivalist of pure theism and equally ancient. If the Puranas are the great preacher of the highest form regarded as part and parcel of the of the same. Vedic literature there was no necessity Nanak is an impersonalist and his of Bhagavatism 'being reclaimed within views are essentially the same as those the Hindu fold by the identification of of Ramananda, Kavir and Buddha. of Krishna with the God Vishnu'. Islam as professed by the impersonalist Moreover Krishna and Vishnu are also school is similar to classical gnosticism. distinct conceptions. Cowherd elements Impersonalistic Islam and Nanak pro- are found in the Puranas and are part bably got their gnosticism in different and parcel of the Krishna conception. degrees thtough the Buddhists from the They are absent in southern Itidia early Vedic impersonalists. Islam Vaishnavism because there the worship influenced Nanak directly. of Krishna is comparatively speaking The and the Theso- unknown, even to this day. phical Society are rationalistic and The idea that Vaishnavism was closely resemble the gnostics. Ram developed into a purer faith by Krishnaism does not appear to be a VISWA VA1SHNAVA RAJ SABHA 479 systematic cult. All these are opposed They find a place in the comprehensive to Vedic Theism. The term 'Hinduism' Vedic literature and are of help in is a recent word which denotes the Vedic the elucidation of the theistic thought thought as well as all these divergent by being with the anti theistic creeds. It is possible to understand contrasted process which is con- these divergences from the point of view sciously employed by the theistic of the theistic thought of the Veda. writers.

Sree Viswa Vaishnava Raj Sabha

Disappearance of discourse was the "Super-excellence On May 25, Brahmachari Adhir of the Teachings of Sreeman Chandra and on June 10, Brahmachari Mahaprabhu". Sivananda passed away from this world On June 10, the newly built temple on the path of service of the Supreme at Baliati was opened by Editor and Lord. the Sree of Sree Sree Radha- Sree Madbwa-Qaudiya Math, Dacca : Govinda were enthroned therein. On June 6, Editor accompanied by Several thousands of people were a large number of devotees started for treated with Mahaprasad. Dacca, arriving there next afternoon. On June 13, Herr B. G. Schulze On June 7, Editor visited the lectured in English on "Why I became Buildings of the Math and Temple a Vaishnava'5 in the Lytton Hall of the under construction. In the evening He Dacca University. The hall was fully spoke to a big gathering on the know- packed up. Dr. J. 0. Ghose introduced ledge of Divine Relationship. tlie speaker to the audience. On June 9, Editor arrived at Baliati On June 15, Editor and party with about 200 devotees. Editor was returned to Calcutta Gaudiya accorded a grand reception and two Math. addresses were presented to Him on On June 14, members of the local arrival, to which He gave a suitable Bar arranged a meeting at the Dacca reply. Bar Library Hall where Heir B. G. On June 10, the Sub-Divisional Schulze delivered a lecture on ' What Offtcer of Manikganj came to hear Gaudiya Math stands for" in English. Sarikatha from Editor. The Subject Everyone appreciated the points of 480 THE HARMONIST view that was most ably set forth by Thakar Bhaktivinode Institnte ; Sree the lecturer. Mayapur: Sree Swananada-Saktiada-Kanja, On June 22, two interesting lectures $>warupganj: were deliveid at tbe Institute, one by On 19th June, the anniversary of Tridandiswami B. B. Srauti Maharaj the tithi of the Disappearance of and tbe other by Mr. 0. R. L. Thakur Bhaktivinode was duly observed. Kapoor m. a. Editor was present. Hundreds of people honoured Mahaprasad and Darjeeling : attended the discourses and melodious On June 26, Editor accompanied by samkirtan. Mahamahopadesaka Pandit Ananta Sridham Mayapnr: Vasudev Vidyabhusan, Mahamahopa- On June 19, Editor arrived at Sree desaka Pandit Aprakrita Bhaktisaranga Mayapur. He spoke about Lord Hari Goswami, Tridandiswami B. B. Srauti at the Thi.kur Bhaktivinode Research Maharaj, Upadesaka Pandit Parama- Institute. Bishvambhar Dayal, Advocate uanda Vidyaratna, Bhaktikunjar and of Rae Bareli arrived from Calcutta. Sripad Sajjanananda Brahmachari Editor spoke to him for some time in started for Darjeeling. He arrived English. there next noon for installation of Sree Solar Eclipse at Kurokshetra : Murtis at the local Math. A grand theistic exhibition was held at Sree Vyas Gaudiya Math in connec- Sree Satchidananda Math, Cuttack : tion with the solar eclipse celebration The annual celebrations of the under the supervision of Tridandiswami Math have commenced from June 24. B. H. Bon Maharaj and B. S. Giri Tridandiswami B. P. Tirtha Maharaj, Maharaj. Swami Bon declared the Tridandiswami B. P. • Bodbayan exhibition open. Giri Maharaj delivered Maharaj and Tridandiswami B. B. a lecture on, "Theistic Exhibition and Yayabar Maharaj arrived here on June Gaudiya Math*' at the Radio Station on 25, and are delivering lectures and 19th June, reading and explaining religious Sj. Sakhicharan Roy Bhaktivijay scriptures. has electrified Sree Chaitanya Math On June 27, Tridandiswami B. P. and Sree Jogapitha Srimandir. He is Tirtha Maharaj delivered a lecture on electrifying the road from the House of "Goal of Human life" and on June 28, Sriman Mahaprabhu to Sree Chaitanya on "Divine Love*' at the Ramchandra Math. Bhawan. VOL. XXXII No. 2t ] [ Regtd. No C 1601

THE HARNONtST

(Sree Salianatosbanf

FORTNIGHTLY-

Qaura Ekadaahi AaJiar 450 O.A.

June 30, 1936.

FT®1! ySPI^hinTt II Annihilation of age-long sufferings. May these our high aims ffourish The Service of Radha- Krishna, 7 o gfadden the hearts of true devotees

Annual Subscription Editor-in-chief Inland Rs. 4«8. Foreign Is. 6d, Paramahansa Bhakti Siddhanta Single Copy 3 annas Saraawati Goawami'

Sreo Caudiya Math, P.O. Bagl^bazar, Calcutta. CONTE NTS

Subject Page

1. Sree Nama and Sree Guru

2. The Alvars

3. Gaudiya Math and Science

4. Sree Advaitacharya 4^8

5. Unpopularity of Religion ...... SOI ALL-GLORY TO SRBR OURU AND OAURAMOA

T li e B ^ t m o n t s f

(Svee SaJJanatoshani)

VOL, XXXII. JUNE 30, 1936 j No. 21

Sree Nama and Sree Guru

Why must I worship only Krishna And why should I "take" the name and not or Kali, Ramachandra Krishna and suppose it to he a 'religi. or Baladeva ? Why must I call the ons' or even useful function ? Why Absolute by the name Krishna ? What should t go on repeating the "Word" is the harm if I simply call him Krishna with a loud voice even if T "Absolute" ? What is the harm if I admit Krishna to be the only name of call the Absolute by any name that I the Absolute ? like so long as I mean the Absolute ? The x'eply to all these and other Do we not name the objects of this similar questions can be given in only world in that manner ? What is the one form viz., by describing the nature necessity of quarrelling over a mere of the Absolute. The function that has name ? Will it be necessary or possible to be performed towards the Absolute to make all nations, speaking different is derived from and has an intimate languages, to agree to give up their bearing on the nature of the Absolute. nomenclatures of the Absolute in The Absolute is the relative of all favour of the name Krishna which relatives. So a very opposite objection is to be found in the Sanskrit might be taken to the very conception language ? of the Absolute if it is really unrelated 482 THE HARMONIST to ourselves as supposed non-absolutes. Absolute towards his dependent It is, therefore, necessary to begin any or predominated counter.whole. The description of the Absolute by a defini- Subject is One. Plurality is the result tion of the concept. of the activity of this Subject towards The Sanskrit word 'vastu' which the counter.whole. The counter-whole is conveys the positive notion of the expansible. This expansion is brought Absolute, may be rendered as substance. about by the initiative of the Absolute There is another Sanskrit term for the and thus the unity of ihe ultimate Absolute. It is Para-tattva literally the entity remains intact and is fully ultimate 'reality as it is'. What are manifested by its various activities. the explicable implications of 'vastu' There is a plane of the Absolute and 'para-tattva' ? The word "Vastava and another dependent plane of the non- Vastu" has been used by Sriinad absolute. The absolute plane is the Bhagabat to denote the Absolute The plane of pure cognition. The relative phrase means 'real or substantive plane is that of apparent or deceptive substauce^ cognition. In the intermediate position 'Vastu' means more nearly 'thing' between the two planes the plurality of or rather'the whole thing.' 'Vastu' is the individual dependent infinitesimal the subjective nature of the object of souls form the link whose activities real knowledge. Subject, object and connect and disconnect the two planes. their mutual relation make up the con- The planes are the products of the ception of 'vastava vastu'. The three positive and negative transformations' of are an interdependent complete unity. the counter-whole. If the subject is a cognising entity, he Can we have the actual view of the exists in his fulness in co.relationship whole arrangement by taking our stand with the object of his cognition, the on the line of demarcation between the connecting link between them being two planes ? That is our natural posi- the activity of cognition. When the tion, but it does not afford any standing cognising subject is not the object of ground. We have to seek a standing cognition of any other entity then it in the one or the other plane. We are is absolute subject. This is the nature free to make our choice as between the of the Transcendental Absolute or two planes. We do not, of course, obtain Krishna. The object of absolute cogni- the same view from both stand points. tion is the counter-whole of itself or the We can now introduce a term dependent absolute. The activity of which is used by Kant although without cognition is the function of the the least suspicion that he was SREE NAMA AND SREE GURU 483 subacribing to tho abovo iinplicationti of As a matter of fact the admission of the conception. Kant was aware that transcendence logically takes us out of it is not possible for us to know any the scope of all possible achievements thing as it is in itself by the resources of of our present resources. It is Super- our present understanding. He, there- mundane. We are accustomed to fore, postulates the notional existence depend upon our present equipments of plane of transcendence with which and to make the best possible use of we can have nothing to do in practice. these. How is it possible for us to try His transcendence is sought to be to do something for which we are brought quite unsuccessfully into unequipped ? relationship with the plane of mundane The Indian transcendentalists possess cognition by being regarded as a kind a great literature on the subject. of progressively realised goal of every According to this literature the connec- cognitional act. it is not possible to tion between transcendence and our know anything of transcendence if we present faculties is established by the try to have a glimpse of it by retain, descent of transcendence. The whole ing our stand in the plane of our resource of our present equipments present cognition. becomes applicable to the transcendental Having once reached with Kant the quest with necessary modifications when conception of transcendence in the the transcendence chooses to present above mamier it becomes our next itself within the scope of our observation. duty to try to find the method of Can we accept this doctrine of descent approaching the same in a logical of transcendence ? Why not ? Is it manner. very different from the admitted unin- The method must be different from telligible appearance of the mundane the processess of introspection and environment ? Do we produce the objective observation that are available mundane environment by our initiative ? to us at present. If it he so can it It is the thingo ngiven. Without it we serve any useful purpose to perservere would have no subject-matter of enquiry. in the quest P But do we, therefore, reject the oppor- Right, but can we also give up the tunity of making ourselves acquainted quest without stultifying ourselves ? with the phenomenal world ? Our If we cannot evolve the process by our present equipments are also a gift of own efforts will it be against the princi- the unknown agency. If we have to ple of reason to take help from the get rid of all help should we not also proper quarter ? refuse the help of our defective foreign 4»4 I HE HAKMONISI

equipment,s ? The Imiian ti'Hu^cendeu- that are on the level of the mundane tali.sts pro[Hise that we should simply plane and with which the soul lias learn to use our own proper equipments been provided by the unknown agency for bein<; enabled to function on the as the result of his active revolt against absolute plane of pure cosrnition, which the dictates of his own spiritual nature. is cognate to our nature. Is it not really the most futile of all Europeans may object to the patent follies to hanker after the things proposal on the ground that the pursuit of this world ? Is it scientific to do- of such a course lias not brought any so ? Is it not rather the abuse of the good to India; and on this historical scientific method to apply the same fact they may bo distrustful to without providing against the obstruc- learn anything about it from such tion of equipments and environment ? source, even if they have to learn about The Guru is neither Indian nor it at all. European nor any inhabitant of this Their objection applies specifically mundane plane, We ourselves arc to the doctrine of the Guru or the spiri- neither Indian nor of this world. The tual preceptor as the medium of the Guru is mistaken for an Indian or a appearance of transcendence in the form European by the fact that the transcen- of the sound or spoken "Word". The dence discloses itself to our view in the Indian transcendentalists hold that likeness of the objects of our sensuous Krishna is the Divine Word, and that appreheusiou. If we seek the help of it has no efficacy if it is learnt from transcendence lie comes to us in the one who is not a transparent medium form of the Indian or European, or Guru. The Guru is the soul or in although he is neither. The transcen- his unalloyed spiritual state. dence comes to ns on the level of our Let us now revert to the description present apprehension without ceasing with which this short discourse was to be transcendent. begun. The Guru is the unconditioned The Guru speaks the language of soul who has his footing in the transcen- transcendence apparently in the voca- dental plane. He is in the unalloyed bulary of this plane. But neither the Spiritual state, as the transcendental Guru nor his words are less than trans- plane is on the level of his own spiritual cendental although both appear to be equipments. On this mundane plane the as defective and inconclusive as the spiritual faculties of the soul are snb. fettered souls and the manufactured jected to various limitations by means languages of this benighted plane. We of the adventitious foreign equipments cannot also be in real touch with the THE ALVAKb 485

Guru and fus words until wc Irani the personality of the (iuru as the use of our spiritual equipments by the descended trauseeiidental agent of the submissive recognition of their living. Absolute carrying the living message of We are then enabled to realise the redemption to all souls

The Alvars Tirumangai Alvar Hy BhaOabamiarJicUhid. Dan ithnJr.iisasivi

The great transcendental Saint 'Toraharakkun' i.e., 'Tarkachuramani'. Tirumangai Alvar was born in the I le had such great skill in debate that eighth century A.C. in Tirukkuraiyalur nobody could defeat him. The second near Tiruvali, in the month of disciple was 'Tarduyan' i.e., opener of and Krittika asterism. He was the doors. He could open all kinds of descended portion of the Divine locks, however, strong they might he by Saranga Bow of Sree Maha Vishnu. blowing with his mouth. The third was From early boyhood Tirumangai ;Nerelai Merippan' i.e., checker of movo- devoted himself to the service of the ment. He possessed the power of stop- Supreme Lord He was pious, chari- ping the movement of any body by table and generous. He journeyed to touching his shadow. And the fourth many places of pilgrimage in the com- was 'Nilmel Narappan, i.e., walker on pany of the sadhus listening with water. He had the power of walking undivided attention to their pure divine on the. surface of water. Saint Tiru- discourses. He also loved to compose mangai after visiting many places of pil- poems in praise of God. grimage arrived at Sree Rangatn with Time glided on. He acquired pro. these four disciples. The temple of ficiency in the shastric lores and flushed Sree liangam was then in a dilapidated into youth with exuberant health. condition and had become the havitation During his pilgrim journeys many of the birds and beasts of the forest. persons were attracted by his learning Dense bushes and shrubs covered the to associate with him and became his the whole place and made it the favourite disciples. Four of them possessed haunt of ferocious animals. The priest supernatural powers. One of them was came in the day time for performing 486 THE HARMONIST the worship of the Deity at the temple of Sree Ranganath that stands peri) of his life. Pained at heart hy the there to this day. After sufficient funds siyhto of the mined shrine,/ Tirnman«ai~ were obtained in the above manner made up Ins mind to 1)uild a new temple Tirumangai began the construction of of the Lord, With this end in view he the temple on which he employed the approached the rich men of the country most skilful architects and masons of with the prayer for their financial help. the whole country. By the hard labour of But the rich chose to regard him as a thousands of workmen for four years, hypocrite and he was turned away the first of the concentric enclosures disappointed from every door. was built. It took six years for the Tirumangai felt badly distressed completion of the second, eight years but these difficulties only strengthened for the third, ten years for the fourth, his heart's desire. He determined to twelve years for the fifth, and eighteen engage the super.human powers of his years for the sixth rampart. The temple four disciples to collect funds for the and other buildings were completed in erection of the temple or in other words sixty years. The saint was now an to do good to humanity without their old man of eighty. On perceiving the knowledge and in apparent disregard of wonderful success of his activities the the dictates of their conscience. He neighbouring Rajahs opened their purse instructed 'Tarkikchuramani' to call at strings to help the saint till the cons- the houses of rich men and to hold truction of the inner portion of the them in the meshes of his controversial temple was fully carried out. Some discussions. His second disciple was were attracted by the opulence of the to seize the opportunity for opening the saint and some through fear hastened doors of their treasuries and his men to help him thus acquiring religious would then remove their contents. The merits. Tirumangai is held to have third disciple made collections from served the Supreme Lord with the wealthy travellers by stopping them on greatest devotion. He had no desire their journey. With the help of the for his own pleasure or gain, and not a fourth disciple the saint brought away farthing of the collected funds was the vast accumulations of the royal utilised for any other purpose. treasury of the king's palace which was When the construction of the surrounded by a moat. In short Temple of Sree Ranganath surrounded Tirumangai employed the services of a by seven ramparts was completed gang of robbers for procuring vast sums Tirumangai remunerated the employees of money for building the wonderful with due consideration till not a THE ALVARS 487 farthing was left on his hands. At this Their souls will have rest at the feet of moment about a thousand of robbers who Sree Ranganath. Be not worried, it is had also helped in this great work, better to afford them the chance of approached Tirumangai and demanded going to Vaikuntha than to give them all the money that had been collected an opportunity of indulging in acts of by them. Tirumangai whispered some, roberry and hostility to the vaishnavas. thing to his disciple 'Jaloparichar*. A We accepted their help for the service huge flat-bottomed boat had been used of the Lord. If anybody imitates such to convey stores when the temple was practice for one's own aggrandisement, under construction. 'Jaloparichar* now it will be a heinous offence and the brought up this great boat and asked path to hell. There is no doubt about the robbers to get on board, so that he it". Those robbers were drowned in might take them to the place where the the north branch of the Kavery and the treasures were kept. The boat was place is still known as Coleron. Tiru. taken to mid.stream of the Kavery and mangai composed poems in Tamil which was sunk with all hands. The disciple have come down to us. He loved iGod (Jaloparichar) walking back quickly for serving His Pleasure and not for his over the surface of the water. Those own advantage. Perfect self-abnegation robbers had planned to take the life of ruled his mind, and single-hearted the saint. On the return of Jaloparichar service of God swayed his heart. He from his holy mission the saint said to has left us, but posterity continue to him, "The robbers have had a pious end admire and adore him with the high in the sacred water of the Kavery. reverence that is due to a true saint. Gaudiya Math and Science

Inductive Science may be defined purpose. It is prepared to admit only the as the attempt to extend and systema. testimony of verifiable experience. It tise the experience of phenomenal refuses to believe in statements and pro- Nature by careful aeneralisations from positions that are not susceptible of observation and experiment. These close verification. generalisations are then utilised by Let us illustrate the position by a their application to the affairs of man. concrete example. Science does not yet The object is to harness Nature to the admit the existence of the soul. The service of man. The success of the qualities that are attributed to the soul method has been phenomenal. The by the Scriptures cannot be verified by application of electrical power may be the methods of observation and and said to be still in its infancy. Man is experiment. The existence of the mind hoping to cross the vast spaces that at is admitted, because it happens to be a present isolate him from the rest of the subject of common experience which Universe. The Science of Astronomy admits of definite verification. If the has added to his knowledge of the dis- sun could be seen by only one person tantmost stars. He is diving deep into how would it be possible for other the structure of matter by his analytical persons to admit its existence on the exploitations. The phenomenon of life unsupported testimony of that single is being investigated, The structure, individual ? If by any method it were growth, disease of the human body and possible to make the sun visible to all mind have been subjected to a search, other persons, who agreed to adopt the ing examination. The results obtained method, there would be no difficulty in the different fields of investigation in entertaining a scientific belief in the are being co-ordinated for deducing the existence of the sun as an observed refrom a fuller view of the world than phenomenon. was possible in any previous Age. The concurrent testimony of the Science represents the positive and senses of many individuals establishes realistic method. It makes imagination the truth of a scientific proposition. This and inference strictly subordinate to testimony is always verifiable on the observed facts of our experience, before reappearance or by the reproduction of accepting them for any practical the required conditions. Scientific GAUDIYA MATH AND SCIENCE 489 knowledge subjects itself to these tests finds itself at war with modern for ensuring its validity. It is by strict thought. adherence to this method that, the Science itself does not claim to be present wonderful progress in our infallible. Its generalisations are liable knowledge of this phenomenal world to be modified in the light of wider has been possible. It is the method of and more exact experience. The hypo- all rational people in every affair of thetical nature of scientific knowledge life all over the world. has proved to be the source of its real But it is different from the medieval strength. Dogmatism, which is the method known as , child of ignorance, is retrogressive. Columbus and Glallilio were disbelieved Knowledge is progressive. One who by the scholastic wise men of that imagines his knowledge to be final and period, who refused to admit the truth absolute, will rapidly fall behind those of their proposals that appeared to them who are always prepared to improve to be opposed to the testimony of the their knowledge. This apparently was Bible. The Bible was regarded by the plight of those Roman Catholic those savants to contain the absolutely theologians who thought that they were true account of the world. The person infallible. who knew his Bible correctly was The Gaudiya Math does not subs- supposed to be infallible. This was the cribe to the dogma of papal infallibility scholastic method. Columbus and as opposed to modern scientific thought. Gallilio were not convinced of the But at the same time the Gaudiya Math error of their conclusions by this theo- does not admit the scientific necessity logical argument. The result was that of being satisfied with mere hypotheti- Gallilio has become the pioneer of cal and mistaken knowledge (?) which modern research in the Sciences alone is available by following the of Astronomy and Physics, while method of the Inductive Sciences. Columbus discovered the Continent of There is a higher method hy which the America, despite the opposition of the Absolute Truth is realisable. This learned of that period. realisation is also neither any limited The Roman Catholic Church claims nor static quantity. It is not like mun- to be infallible. The scientists of dane experience which is the basis of Europe refuse to admit such claim all scientific knowledge. Science can- which they consider to be preposterous not be dogmatic because it cannot know in any person or group of persons. anything as it really is. But would it The Roman Catholic Church thus be, therefore, wise not to wish to know 490 THE HARMONIST what things really are in themselves ? clutches of that potency of God who Is scientific knowledge progressing offers an untrue impression of the reality towards or away from this goal ? that encourages the assertive approaches Limited knowledge can have only a kind of our limited and deleotive faculties of limited use. Hypothetical progress and organs of sense. The impressions in knowledge is one of the passing of the phenomenal world thus serve to events of this unintelligible world. keep up our progressive belief in the Why water boils at 100 degrees value of pursuing a course that can centigrade is answered by Science by a never lead to the truth. Scientific detailed description of the process of knowledge is the fruit of following this boiling. There is no question of finding self-contradictory course. The fatal the first cause in physical Science. defect of all scientific thought is that Empiric Ethics, in its investigation of it is not aware of its unsuitability for the nature of so-called good and evil, the realisation of its proposed goal viz., follows an exactly similar course. The the truth. By mere perseverance in moral standard is derived from the the wrong course only delusions are constitution and working of the mind. confirmed and elaborated. These That which fully satisfies the demands delusions serve a purpose of their own of the faculties of the mind is postulated in the economy of the world as perceiv- as the ideal good conduct, although it ed by our present faculties. is never possible for the mind to be The phenomena of birth and death, satisfied by any conduct for long. The specially the latter, force upon man in ethical question, which is of the highest a practical shape doubts regarding the importance and is supposed to be at wisdom of remaining contented with the root of the distinction between man the possibilities of this wild.goose-chase. and the Mower' animals, is not regarded No one welcomes the prospect of as possessing any value in itself by annihilation. No one likes to be at the the empiric Science of Ethics. mercy of an alien entity. If we begin There must be something radically to exist only by sufferance and are com- wrong about a method that aims at pelled to cease to exist at death, producing inconclusive and undepend- empiric scientific method of living would able results. The inductive method is be in perfect keeping with the require- vitiated ab initio by its complete depend, ments of such a position. But our ence on our present defective equip- rational nature revolts against such a ments. When we exercise our faculty of meaningless conception of human life. perception we find ourselves in the The ethical instinct is not silenced by GAUD1YA MATH AND SCIENCE 491 the argument of this 'observed fact'. scientific method itself. The reasons It is not satisfied that it should die, by why Science cannot extricate itself from being told that such has been the case the defective conditions of our present in the past, and by being supplied with existence by its own exertions, have an accurate description of different been indicated above. In the quest of ways in which death has actually the Reality a corresponding method occurred. It demands to know why it that is not hampered by the conditions should at all yo through all these pro- of mortal life is necessary. It is cesses for the fun of going through them, possible for us to have such a method. which is so sufficiently inviting/ to the This is the tidings of the revealed empiric Scientist. Scriptures and of the Gaudiya Math. The Grandiya Math does not, there- The Scriptural method thus supplies fore, propose to stop all scientific specu- the conclusive answer to the problem lation. That is the modus operendi of of truly rational living. This does the body and mind of man in the condi- not mean that it is a substitute for the tioned state. It cannot be changed by scientific method. There is a use for the fiat of anybody. The Roman every process including the scientific Catholic Church has failed to stop the in the absolute method. Every form operations of Nature and of the mind of activity is to be retained but is to be and body which are subject to the laws expanded ami freed from its unneces- of Nature. This has vindicated the sary handicaps and wrong orientation. irrationality of its attempt to abolish At present Science employs itself in scientific thought. The Ghmdiya Math committing us to activities that can views empiric Science differently. It never lead to the truth but only to offers no alternative method which will further delusions. The acceptance of enable scientific thought to be directed the right method of quest should enable towards the Reality. It wants to make Science to get out of this necessity. both scientific method as well as scienti- As lontr as man continues in the condi- fic knowledge to become fully scientific tioned state he will stand in need of by harnessing them to the real purpose scientific activity. But the abuse of of human life which is altogether un- that activity is not necessary, and is knowable to man if he sticks to the harmful. The taboos exist and will empiric method and purpose. continue to exist as long as man is It is not possible to effect this placed in this limited plane. The taboos improvement as the result of progress that are imposed by the Scriptures that is attainable by the pursuit of the have reference to the inadequacies of THE HARMONIST our present terminable existence. They mundane wisdom is irrelevant to the are neither unnecessary nor unreason, spiritual issue. It is the complement able. of mundane ignorance, the two together does not find its scope constituting our present unavoidable within the limits of scientific thought. ignorance of the Reality. Mundane The attempt at securing completion of wisdom seems to be different from knowledge is avoided on principle by mundane ignorance, because it promises Science. This is necessary within due to enable us to secure temporary relief limits under present circumstances. (r) from our ever-varying difficulties But can such necessity be submitted to VVay should we remain willingly by the contented assumption that ignor. confined to these real miseries ? Why ance is desirable ? Science appears to should we not recognise the imperative say that it is unnecessary to raise this rational necessity of obtaining a foot, question. The Scriptures say that ing on the plane of the eternal Science must not be permitted to shelve verities ? the consideration of the issue that can Why for example should we oppose alone provide our activities with a the method of unconditional submis- conclusive purpose. It is Science which sion to the Absolute and His agents is intolerant of rationalism by pedanti- proposed by the Scriptures, and at the cally affecting to regard the problem same time desire to submit uncondi- of the Reality as being of no concern. tionally to the blind laws of Nature ? The Gaudiya Math does not con. This latter course meets with the tend that by the adoption of the unqualified approval of modern scienti. Scriptural method our mundane wants fic thought. The only reason for such should be satisfied. Mundane want is approval is the argument of a cruel due to temporay conditions. Such necessity. Should the rational faculty want by its very nature cannot be be stifled to death because it is nece. fulfilled. It is not necessary to seek ssary to do so in order to follow uncon- for its fulfilment. But the permanent ditionally the laws of Nature ? Why instinct expressing itself distortedly in should we not desire to give up this such wants is capable of real satisfaction, suicidal policy ? so much so that the conditional pursuit Unconditional submission to God of our permanent need in the environ, is recommended by the Scriptures on ment of the Absolute Reality should be the perfectly rational ground that it the ultimate goal of all activity even can ensure the fullest scope for our of this limited plane. Therefore, rational existence. Wp cannot be SREE ADVA1TACHARYA 493 independent of the law of Nature as Math in pursuance of the teachings of of those of God. We are free to avail the Scriptures. of the one or the other for the fulfil- It is not possible to serve both God ment of opposite purposes. Both and Mammon at one and the same Nature and God are infinitely more time. By following the Scriptural powerful thwn ourselves. The question method we can learn that use of our before us is, however, not one present temporary equipments in m of rebellion against either, which would temporary world tint will help us to be an undesirable and whimsical feat, regain the full exercise of our permanent but to make our choice for submitting faculties for the eternal service of unconditionally to one or the other. God, By following the scientific method We should not accept the abject we are pinned down to the wrong use of thraldom of inanimate Nature. We our present defective equipments for should choose the unconditional service securing sensuous gratifications which of God which is offered by the Scrip, only sink us deeper and deeper into tures and advocated by the Gaudiya undesirable ignorance and miseries.

Sree Advaitacharya

Invocation of Advaita Sree Mayapur where he had his tol or The invocation of Advaita is the private academy at which he taught cause of the Appearance of Sree his pupils without fee. But we donot Krishna Chaitanya. This is the doctrine find that he was doing this work when of mediation. we meet him in the narratives of Thakur The fact of the case are as follows. Yrindavan and Krishna Das Kaviraj Advaitacharya was a devotee of Goswami, our main authorities for the Krishna. He had settled at Santipur history of the Career of Sree about eight miles south-east of Sree Chaitanya. Mayapur, the birth-place of Sree We find instead that his whole Chaitanya. At Santipur he married attention was being devoted to the Devi who was also a devout single purpose of bringing about the Vaishnava. Advaita had a house at descent of Krishna for the deliverance 494 THE HARMONIST

of the people who were averse to and interference with their freedom to Krishna. choose their own course ? The method v hicli Advaita adopted Hut until Krishna appears in this for the purpose was as simple as it was world the people have no chance of reasonable. He made it the object of deliverance. Unwilling persons are all his activities. As a worshipper of afforded by the descent of Krishna the Krishna and a house-holder it was Ids chance of serving Him in an imperfect duty to worship Him by tie method of manner. These services produce a archana. He found from the Shastras cumulative effect on their judgment that the best mode of archana, the one which is thereby made dimly aware of that induced Krishna to grant the the actual existence of the spiritual wishes of His worshipper, was plane. Thereupon the person has an performed by the offering of water and opportunity of reconsidering his choice the spray of tulasi (basil). He adopted of course as between a life of aversion this method of worship for his purpose. to Krishna, and one devoted to His His worship was an invocation of service. He is, of course, free to choose Krishna by the method laid down in the one or the other. the Shastras, As soon as a person chooses freely to The performance of archana did not follow the path of non.service, i. e. one occupy his whole time. He expounded of indifference or active aversion to the Qeeta to the Vaishnavas residing Krishna, lie is forthwith deprived of at Nabadwip and discoursed to them his state of awareness of the lordship about Krishna during the hours which of Krishna and of his own status as His were not devoted to his private servant. Such awareness is at once worship. overlaid by the operations of an adventi- This was the method of Advaita's tious awareness which is recognis- invocation of Krishna. The process of able by himself as being essentially invocation has a bearing on the descent inconclusive and self-contradictory, but of Krishna. Why does Krishna appear which falls into line with the require- in this world ? The view that He comes ments of his original choice. This down for the deliverance of the people awareness makes him suppose, at any does not contain the whole truth. The rate tentatively, that he is 'the lord of people do not wish to be delivered. all he surveys'. This is a false view of Does Krishna act on His own initia- his position and relationship with his tive ? Would it not, tantamount to environment. But this view cannot forcing deliverance on unwilling persons also be laid aside without stunting all SREE ADVAITACHARYA 495 his possible and necessary activities. is to be supposed to be the only cause He has no idea that it is possible to of the Appearance of Krishna ? entertain any other view of his duties The Earth and Devas were experienc- and responsibilities except what is unin- ing in the Dvapara Age the necessity telligibly suggested by the state of his of the Appearance of Krishna. They present awareness. It is in this manner accordingly proceeded not to Krishna that the conditioned state is brought but to Kshirodashayi Vishnu with their about and perpetuated by its own prayer for deliverance. Kshirodashayi conditions. Vishnu is the portion of the portion How may the soul regain his original of Maha-Vishnu. Advaitacharya is the awareness of the nature of the service same as Maha-Vishnu. Therefore, there of Krishna and the actual existence of is no difference in proceedure in the the plane of His service, under these two cases. circumstances ? There is only one, but most signi- This is the rationale of the mediation ficant distinction between the invoca- of the devotee for the deliverance of tion of Advaita and the invocation by the conditioned soul. The mere media- the Earth and the Devas. Advaita is not tion does not assure his deliverance. acting on this occasion as Maha-Vishnu That function always belongs to or Lord of this mundane creation, but Krishna. It only creates the chance as a devotee of Krishna. He is playing for the conditioned soul to reconsider the same role that is played by the his choice by being made aware of the Earth and the Devas in the other case. actual nature of Krishna and the plane Why is this so ? of His service by means of His Descent It ia the soul of man that prays for to the mundane plane. deliverance. But the soul by abusing These considerations do not prove his freedom of choice has become un- that the invocation of Advaita and of willing to pray. Is it sufficient for the no other person is the cause of the purpose of his deliverance if the prayer Appearance of Krishna. is offered by a proxy i. e. by another When Krishna appeared in this soul on behalf of the perversely disposed world in the Dvapara Age, His Descent person ? was brought about by the prayer of the God is always counselling the soul Earth and of the Devas addressed to in the conditioned state to pray for his the third of the Purusha , who deliverance. This is the function of the rests in the Ocean of Milk, How could Kshirodashayi. As soon as the soul this be so if the invocation of Advaita recognizes in Kshirodashayi his Lord 496 THE HARMONIST and the Object of his prjer, he is for guiding their individual courses. delivered from the error of his state of While Karanarnavashayi or Maha- unawareness of the existence of tlie V ishnu is the fountain-head of mundane eternal plane of His service. He awakes creation and the Originator of the to the fact that all his activities are mundane sojourn of all conditioned performed, are possible to be performed, souls. All these three are even in the state of his unawareness, the same Person differing only in respect by the power of his Lord, the Same of their functions, the functions of Who is always speaking to his heart for Kshirodashayi being derived from that turning to Himself and His guidance of Garbhodashayi and the function of for the attainment of the true function the latter beina similarly derived from of his proper entity. that of Karanarnavashayi. Is not this function of Kshiroda. Kshirodashayi is nearest to the souls shayi identical in its nature with of all entities in the sense that He can the function of the devotee ? The be approached by each individual soul devotees are devotees of Kshirodashayi for his own specific purposes. And, and they are only mediums acting therefore, it would not be any infringe- and speaking on His behalf for ment of the principle of the complete the fulfilment of His Divine freedom of will of the individual soul if Purpose. he seeks to avail of the mediation of Kshirodashayi is God speaking to Kshirodashayi Vishnu. This would also the heart of an individual for his indivi- be the only proper and unavoidable dual guidance. Similarly Garbhodashayi procedure for any person if he really is God speaking to the heart of indivi- wants to serve Krishna under His dual worlds of this mundane creation Guidance.

11

It is not possible to obtain the There is an innate tendency in Mercy of Sree Ghaitanya except by human mind towards monism. The the qualifying grace of Sree Advaita- Ultimate Cause is readily admitted as charya. It is the purpose of this short being One without a second by the article to study the rationale of this force of this universal tendency. This is doctrine. also supposed to be the most fundamental SREE ADVAITACHARYA 497

principle of Theism. According to The Scientists are bound to reject the Teaching of Sree Ghaitanya, the very conception of a first cause. monism, as the inevitable product of In place of a first cause they can offer speculative philosophy, is the most only the cyclic theory of evolution. uncompromising denial of Theism. The material principle is in the state Monism is opposed to . of perpetual evolution. This evolu- The 'First Cause' of the monistic tionary activity is experienced as in theory is the unevolved material prin. this changing universe. The mind of ciple either in gross or subtle form. man was produced at a definite stage It is either electricity or contentless of the universal evolutionary process idea. The former view is ordinarily and it has sincebeenevolvingon the lines known as Materialism, while the latter of its constitution. It is this movement is designated exclusive monism (kevalad. which is all in all. vaitavad). If space and time can be Sharply contrasted with the above shown to be products of electrical is the theory of . The energy and the mind as a bye-product creationists distinguish between creator of the same, we obtain the doctrine of and created. This world is supposed gross matter being the first cause. It to have been created by the mere wish is possible to try to establish the truth of the creator out of nothing. It is of this view by the laboratory tests. more compatible than the former view Kevaladvaitavad is similarly established with the supremacy of God. But as by introspective analysis of the mental God is not in the category of effect, function. He is for that very reason wholly The ontological difficulty in accept, unconnected with the sphere |of human ing either solution is that both methods interests. If the cause is wholly sepa. assume the cause to be the previous form rated from effect, its relation to effect of the effect. It is only the study of ceases to be intelligible. The theory effect. It is not possible to study cause while it is able to avoid one difficulty as cause. How can electrical energy falls into another that is not less serious. be ontologically acceptable as cause ? If the effect is completely separated It would still be quite open to us to from its cause and if God is also the ask, "What is the cause of electricity ?" only cause, is such a theory consistent We would not be satisfied with the with the responsibility of any indi. answer that it is the cause, simply vidual for his actions ? because it is the smallest constituent Sree Krishna Ghaitanya teaches us principle of matter. that the solution of the dilemma 63 498 THE HARMONIST is supplied by the principle in God that corrosponding to the specifications of is the cause of material substance. God created potter, clay and appliances is potter ; God is also clay and appli- should be traceable in the cause as ances of the potter. He is the prin- causal principles. ciple corresponding to material clay. This provides the solution of the He does not create clay out of nothing. problem whether matter or mind or soul is But He is not the material clay. He the ultimate reality. They are all ultimate is the cause of both material and principles but not as created matter epirifual clay. There is also the dis- or mind or as dissociated individual soul. tinction between creator and creation Advaita is the causal material principle in the spiritual world. The creator of identical with the causal efficient the spiritual world is the creator of the principle without losing His distinctive material world. He creates out of character as material cause of creation. Himself. He is causal potter, causal So long as we neglect to study the appliance and causal clay. He is material principle in its causal aspect distinct from created potter, created it is never possible for us to arrive at appliance and created clay. the real knowledge of the ontological Creation is expansion and projection principle of unity. of spiritual power within itself. Spirit, There is distinction between the ual power is endowed with its own Possessor of power and power. God is distinct will and body obeying its Possessor of power. God's Divine subordinate will in a complete subser- power is again distinct from the mani- vient personality. Expansion of festations, extensions and projection spiritual power does not affect its of power. Power is not cause. Power original personality. Original subordi. is adjunct or attr hute of cause. Power nate will and original body of spiritual is possession, cause is Possessor. Power power are the sources of the expanded is not Absolute. offshoot of power. We are of the essence of God's The creator is neither will nor spiritual marginal power, we are not of power, nor the combination of the two. the essence of God Himself as He is the one undivided cause behind Possessor of power. will and power. He is the Synthesis. Advaitacharya is God's Aspect He is One without a second. The potter, of Creator as (spiritual) material Cause. appliance and clay at their source are one. He is distinct from its efficient Cause The cause can manifest his per- who is Maha-Vishnu, Portion of Portion sonality of creator. But the principles of Nityananda or Sree Baladeva. The SREE ADVA1TACHARYA 499

Portions o( Divinity are Possessors of of bondage is effected by Advaita. He power. Sree Ad vaitacharya is neither is thus the last Link in the series and power nor the manifestation or exten. closest to the conditioned soul. sion or shadow or product of the shadow But Advaita does not belong to the of power. He is Possessor of power. plane of physico-raental activity. This Our physical body and ignorant discourse cannot make us acquainted mind are the products of material with the real nature of the Divine energy which is the projection or Personality of Sree Advaita till the shadow of Divine power. Our souls operation of the secondary ego ceases are transforenations in the shapes of by His Mercy permitting the revival of infinitesimal detached particles of mar- the transcendental body and mind of ginal power. Maha-Vishnu wields the the unconditioned soul, of which also power of causing the incarceration of He is the specific source. This all jiva souls in the double material revival is effected without the imme. casing of the physical body and inert diate destruction of the physical body mind. He is both efficient and and mind. But on the manifesta- material Cause of the worldly sojourn tion of the spiritual body and mind of co/iditioned souls Advaita is the physical body and mind no longer Maha Vishnu as material Cause. He function by their own initiative in as is apt to be overlooked by the crea- much as the soul now resumes his energy tionist theologians who jump at once to that was delegated to the mind and body. the efficient Cause But Advaita is Under the circumstances the function the Link between the conditioned soul of the physical body and mind is effec. and the efficient Cause. ted simply by the force of inertia and In the conditioned state the soul the soul now withdraws from all active misidentifios himself with the physical participation in the performances of body and mind. This misidentification is the former which are thus left without caused by the desire for such misidenti. any real spiritual initiative. fication lending to the' consummation But invisibly to worldly spectators of such misidentification. After the the revived body and mind of the soul misidentification has been consummated now act as if through the agency of it is not possible for the soul to cease to the physical body and mind which no misidentify his entity till the Cause of longer obstruct their operation in obedi- this misidentification is pleased to ence to the will of Advaita. This is how revert him substantively to his proper the Mercy of Advaita acts in the redemp- marginal position. The consummation tive process of the conditioned soul. 500 THE HARMONIST

The above view is different from establishes connection between the those of extreme creationsim and ex- neophyte and transcendence by the inner treme materialism without ignoring the revived spiritual principle covered rationale of their respective stand points. to the view of external observers It is only by the Mercy of Advaita by the physico-mental casing. The representing the connecting divine link unwinding of the bondage of physico. between the resources of the conditioned mental principle is possible only by state and the plane of the spiritual spiritual activity set free by the pro- endeavours of the neophyte that it is gresive loosing of the hold of the possible for the conditioned soul to take physico-mental casing by the mercy the first forward step in the path of of Advaita in the increassing measure spiritual pupilage steering clear of the of one's spiritual need. The positive Scylla of monism cum materialism and inspiration is supplied by the manifes- the Charybdis of creationism. Other- tation of the transcendence in the wise the conditioned soul is bound essence of the physico-raental casing to oscillate helflessly between the two of the conditioned soul by which he is poles. The Mercy of Advaita imparting enabled to realise in a tangible from of the first experience of transcendence the nature of the ontological synthesis can alone loosen the dead grip of the in obedience to the will of Advaita. mind and physical body on the soul. The identity of the (divine) material So long as physico-raental principle cause with the divine efficient cause on continues to retain its hold on the soul the plane of the Absolute does not there can be no question of any real require the curtailment of the full progress or even a beginning of spiritual requirements of either principle. In endeavour. other words there is such a thing as With the above analysis is closely the material principle in the causal connected the significance of that form in the Creator Himself, which is at mode of ritualistic worship which present incomprehensible.to us. The forms the centre of the Varnashiaraa realisation of this unity is possible institution. Ritualistic worship of the throUiih the Mercy of Advaita Sree Murti as Aroha is not symbolic in (literally the Divine Synthetic the exclusive monistic sense. It Personality). Unpopularity of Religion

It is a very old problem. Religion elaborate precautions for personal appears to have been extremely safety. unpopubir at the time of King Psrikshit A greater thought suggested itself who reigned in India shortly after the to the King on hearing the prophecy Great Mahabharata War during the about his impending end. "Life is third millennium B.C. after all so very uncertain. Is it possible The Bhagabat Purana presents us to realise the purpose of life and achieve with the following pathetic story of the same in a week's time ? If there the last days of king Parikshit. is a really intelligent Person behind King Parikshit was informed that this worldly show He must have he would die by the bite of a most arranged for the possibility of this, as venomous serpent at the end of seven otherwise, the creation would be radi- days. As it happened to be the cally purposeless and there would be effect of a course which had been hurled no meaning in endowing man with the against the great Emperor by an angry faculty of curiosity for the truth." Brahmana, he realised that there was King Parikshit formally renounced no escape from the impending doom. his empire and prepared to wait for King Parikshit might thereafter death by starvation if his problem was have taken any precautions, if it was not solved within the week that was at all necessary against Takshak, the left of his life. He took all possible serpent who was anounced to be the measures for succeeding in his object. biter, and humanly speaking, he He called together all the great men should have been as safe as any other of his realm who enjoyed any reputation person of his wide dominions. But for leading a religious life. He placed king Parikshit did nothing of the kind. his problem before this great assembly. He was not more superstitious in such What King Parikshit asked the matters than most of us. He was a assembly has been handed down by the very brave warrior and was not afraid author of the Bhagabat. The King of death at all. He knew that death asked, "Can you tell me, most revered cannot overtake a person before his sages, how I may be secured affectively time and he, therefore, simply ignored and for good against all fear of death that aspect of the matter which would by sure method, in course of seven have led less brave men to take days ?" 502 THE HARMONIST

The fissemblv was (lumb.founded. Parikshit formally submitted his None of them had heard any question question to the great saint. The answer like that of King Parikshit before. of Shukadeva in terms of modern They had been leading lives of syste- thought was as follows : matic religions sadhan ( endeavour ) "Your question, 0 great King, for years acoordinj to the prescription deserves all praise. I have been roaming of the shaatras, and had not been able over the whole country in search of to reach any solution. How was it a person who might ask this very to be possible for the King tn achieve question. But I have not yet come the result in so short a time ? across such another. Just at this psychological moment I shall tell you the reason. It is the Hand of unseen Providence guided pertinent to your question. Why are to the very spot the one person then the people of this world living their living who could give the true answer precarious life under the shadow of to the great question of King Parikshit. deat.li ? Have they no hand in this Shukadeva was known all over the matter ? Quite the contrary. They country as having realised the know- are responsible for their present miser- ledge of the Brahma. able condition. Shukadeva was an exceedingly The soul is not subject to birth or handsome boy. As he roamed all death. This is written in the shastras. over the country and his form was All persons must have heard about familiar to every household. Fie would it many times in their lives. The never stop at any place. This saintly soul is not subject to the pains of boy now suddenly presented himself the body nor to the tribulations of at. the assembly of those learned the mind. This is also known to divines. All those holy men with most persons thanks to the unceasing one accord stood up by a spontaneous efforts of the saints to bring the impulse of unmixed reverence at the divine knowledge home to every person. sight of the nude boy sage. King But does anybody believe really in the Parikshit experienced the certain hope truth of the message of the shastras ? of the impending solution of his What do we find ? If any person question, as he offered Shukadeva the is afflicted with any ailments of body homage of his soul and when the or mind he runs to a physician or latter had assumed the seat of honour to a friend who is in a position to at the assembly and had agreed to help him in his difficulty. Every stay with them for a while, King person wants only immediate relief in UNPOPULARITY OF RELIGION 503 seeking for advice and bolp. Does any if you substitute tim word, malice for person ask his physician why he is love wherever the word occurs in the liable to be afflicted with bodily current Vocabulary of this world. You malady ? Does anybody enquire why need make no distinction between he should have a body which is subject pessimist and optimist. The Stoio as to such afflictions ? well as the Epicurean agree in advocat. What prevents any person from ing the gospel of hate. putting such questions ? fivoryb )dy You will be surprised to learn that id in love with his body. Everybody those who are versed in the Shastras identifies his entity with his phytdoal and pass as h dy men in their own body. No person wishes to be relieved estimation as well in the esMtnation of his body. Every one wants to of the generality of the people are retain his body for eternity. Even a equally- deluded and practise hate in very old man also, wishes to live for the name of love. thasake of his decrepit body. Such To practise the rplations of body is our great affsotion lor the body of and mind is to practise malice. To flesh. practise the relationships of the soul is Everybody asks a thousand ques- to practise love. So long as we continue tions about his body, but not a single to mistake the body and mind to be our question is asked about the soul. soul we naturally regard it as our duty Such is the world. All persons are to practise malice ancl to take our satisfied with palliatives an i hypotheses grpat^st enemies to be our dearest which are worse than .misery and friends. Tnis pitiable condition of icnoriuoe. No one wants freed un from the soul is comparable to that of a msery and ignorance. No one is person possessed with a vampire. In prepared to li-ten to any serious his terrible infatuation he supposes the proposal for tne elimination of misery monster that sucks his life-blood to be and ignorance. the worthy object of his absorbing love. There is another peculiarity which The tragedy is not lessened by the fact is stranger still. No body wants to that tne soul even in the state of love. Everybody wishes to hate. Malice delusion is not realy harmed by the is the cherished virtue of all persona machinations of the power of evil. The in this world. It is exhibited against soul suffers by proxy as in a dream. one's own self. Malice goes in this The pity is that it is so easily avoidable. world under the name of love. You It is the greatest possible calamity and will not be very far from the truth degradation for the soul to choose 504 THE HARMONIST freely to practise malice for its own sake. also be an unpardonable offence against This malicious disposition which goes the freedom of the soul." band in hand with ignorance is of Utter indifference to religion is not the nature of a malady and can be got the monopoly of this particular awe. rid of by prolonged submission to very Tl^o capacity for irreligipn is innate careful and very rigorous treatment. in us. In this world we choose freely As the disease has been brought on by to cultivate this wrong capacity. We the free choice of the soul, it is suppose that by neglecting religion it necessary in the first place for the soul will be possible for us to lead a success- who experiences the affliction to decide ful life. We believe more or loss that freely as to whether he is really willing religion is not the proper function of to follow the course that will ensure the modern civilized man being incomp. radical cure af his malady. The afflicted able with the pursuit of amenities and soul is in a position to recognise that palliatives in stead of seeking for our he is in a diseased condition at all if he natural state that is free from malice, likes. One fatal peculiarity of the ignorance and misery by following the disease of worldliness is that it deadens counsel of religion the soul's disinclination to get rid of This life is the gift of the deluding the state of lovelessness. power. It is not our real life. If we I am, therefore, most agreeably exercise our unprejudiced judgment surprised to come across a person who we should be able to be satisfied of the is aware that he is not in his normal truth of this. If we are disinclined to state and wishes to know why he is in be rational to be true to our real self, such a bad condition and whether there we cannot avoid the unwholesome is any method of avoiding the miseries consequences of perversely following an incidental to such existence, not tempo- irrational course against our own rarily, nor apparently, but for all time better judgment. Shukadeva did not and completely. think that such a person Would afc all Because unless the soul is really in- benefit by listening to discourses about clined to learn the truth it is sheer Qud which can alone restore our loving waste of time and energy to seek to disposition and faculty of real enlighten him about the same. It would knowledge.