Still doesn't make them Advaitins.
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Gaudiya Vaishnavism queries and discussion thread.
- Thread starter निताइ dasa
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
We are not Kevala-Adwaita Vadis (impersonalists). Adwaitas believe the ultimate truth is impersonal, we Vaishnav believe it is personal. Lord Chaitanya called the philosophy itself Mayavada. In-boxed the rest of the answer, because the topic itself is delicate, and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.
Could you PM me about this topic then? I'm sorry about making a touchy subject.
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Though Aupji you had right sentiment. We do share similarities with Adwaita, For example Adwaitins believe that Brahman is sat-cid-ananda, and we Gaudiyas also believe that the soul is also sat-cid-ananda (to a very minute degree).
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Sharing another one of my favourite Bhajans, written by Narottama das Thakurji. It is essentially a prayer of Mercy to Lord Hari, and is the life and soul of the Vaishnavs. It is sung in a beautiful mood by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj. Please also accept my humble translation
hari hari kabe mora hoibe su-dine
bhajiba sri-radha-krsna haina premadhina
"O Lord Hari, when will that day be mine? When will I worship Sri Sri Radha Krsna being controlled by their Love?"
sujantre misana gaba su-madhura tana
anande karibe dunhara rupa-guna-gana
"While playing a musical instrument, I will sing very sweet praises. In my extreme bliss I will describe the form and qualities of the Divine couple"
radika govinda bali' kandiba uccaih-sware
bhijibe sakala anga nayanera nire
"I will cry "Radha Govinda!" in my loudest voice, and then all the limbs of my body will become wet with the tears coming from my eyes"
ei-bara karuna kara rupa sanatana
raghunatha dasa mora sri-jiva -jivana
"Please be merciful to me, O Rupa and Santana! Also you too my Raghunatha dasa Goswami, for you are the life of Jiva Goswami"
ei–bara karuna kara lalita-visakha
sakhya-bhabe sridama-subala-adi sakha
"Please be merciful to me, O Lalita and Visakha. And those who are in Sakhya rasa, like Sridama, Subala and other of the Lord's cowherd friends."
sabe mili' kara daya puraak mora asa
prarthana karaye sada narottama das
"Please all of you be merciful and complete this desire of mine. This is the constant prayer of Narottama dasa"
hari hari kabe mora hoibe su-dine
bhajiba sri-radha-krsna haina premadhina
"O Lord Hari, when will that day be mine? When will I worship Sri Sri Radha Krsna being controlled by their Love?"
sujantre misana gaba su-madhura tana
anande karibe dunhara rupa-guna-gana
"While playing a musical instrument, I will sing very sweet praises. In my extreme bliss I will describe the form and qualities of the Divine couple"
radika govinda bali' kandiba uccaih-sware
bhijibe sakala anga nayanera nire
"I will cry "Radha Govinda!" in my loudest voice, and then all the limbs of my body will become wet with the tears coming from my eyes"
ei-bara karuna kara rupa sanatana
raghunatha dasa mora sri-jiva -jivana
"Please be merciful to me, O Rupa and Santana! Also you too my Raghunatha dasa Goswami, for you are the life of Jiva Goswami"
ei–bara karuna kara lalita-visakha
sakhya-bhabe sridama-subala-adi sakha
"Please be merciful to me, O Lalita and Visakha. And those who are in Sakhya rasa, like Sridama, Subala and other of the Lord's cowherd friends."
sabe mili' kara daya puraak mora asa
prarthana karaye sada narottama das
"Please all of you be merciful and complete this desire of mine. This is the constant prayer of Narottama dasa"
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Today is Rama Navami. I wanted to post this Bhajan this morning, but I got a little busy, so I am posting now. It is written by Tulsidasji and is very beautiful in glorification of Lord Rama:
aise rama dina hitakari
O like this, Rama does what is best for the fallen
ati komala karuna nidhana bina karana paraupakari
"O whose body is so soft, and who is a storehouse of mercy, you deliver others without any reason to do so"
"sadhana hina dina nija adhabasa, sila bhae muni nari
grhete gamani parasi pada pankaja, hoye prapti tari,
"Although Ahilya has devoid of spiritual practice and fallen, you turned her from a rock into a woman. You personally went
to her house, and by the touch of Your Lotus Feet, she attained perfection.
aise rama dina hitkari
O like this, Rama does what is best for the fallen
Ramabhadracharya speaks: "O how good is our Lord. Now, does does His mercy have any consideration of qualification?"
kaha lagi kahao natha aganita jinki tum vipadi udhari
dina dayalu bina tulasi par kahi kripa bisari
"What can I say Lord about the countless souls whom you have delivered from their misery.
O how merciful are you on the fallen that without any reason you have thrown all your Grace on Tulasi (Tulasi das).
aise Rama dina hitakari
O like this, Rama does what is best for the fallen
My Gurudeva also gave a very nice Katha today, about the glories of Lord Rama and also the dear love between Lord Rama and His brother Lakshman-chandra!
aise rama dina hitakari
O like this, Rama does what is best for the fallen
ati komala karuna nidhana bina karana paraupakari
"O whose body is so soft, and who is a storehouse of mercy, you deliver others without any reason to do so"
"sadhana hina dina nija adhabasa, sila bhae muni nari
grhete gamani parasi pada pankaja, hoye prapti tari,
"Although Ahilya has devoid of spiritual practice and fallen, you turned her from a rock into a woman. You personally went
to her house, and by the touch of Your Lotus Feet, she attained perfection.
aise rama dina hitkari
O like this, Rama does what is best for the fallen
Ramabhadracharya speaks: "O how good is our Lord. Now, does does His mercy have any consideration of qualification?"
kaha lagi kahao natha aganita jinki tum vipadi udhari
dina dayalu bina tulasi par kahi kripa bisari
"What can I say Lord about the countless souls whom you have delivered from their misery.
O how merciful are you on the fallen that without any reason you have thrown all your Grace on Tulasi (Tulasi das).
aise Rama dina hitakari
O like this, Rama does what is best for the fallen
My Gurudeva also gave a very nice Katha today, about the glories of Lord Rama and also the dear love between Lord Rama and His brother Lakshman-chandra!
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Lord Chaitanya found a manuscript for the 5th Chapter (of the whole scripture) of Brahma Samhita at the Adikeshav Temple in Thiruvattar, Tamil Nadu, South India. He then copied it by hand (no printing press those days) and took it back to Bengal, where the devotees there copied it several times.
Only the fifth chapter? Also i have read that Gaudiyas regard it as a missing part of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Yeah only the fifth chapter manuscript was found out of 100. Hmm the second part, I've never heard that before? I don't consider it part of Srimad Bhagavatam.
Did Chaitanya know who wrote it?
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
The Samhita's have no authors I think. They fall under the pancaratrika texts, which emerge from the breath of Narayana at the beginning of creation (Ramaunjacharya personally defended them in his Sri Bhasya). As far as I am aware, I don't know an author. And how can I know the mind of Lord Chaitanya?
What texts fall under the pancaratrika category? Do only Gaudiyas regard it as one of the pancaratrika texts?
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Pancaratrika texts have no qualification to be read like Vedic texts do. Quoting Srila Prabhupada:
""The scriptures known as the Pancaratra-sastras are recognized Vedic scriptures that have been accepted by the great acaryas. These scriptures are not products of the modes of passion and ignorance. Learned scholars and brahmanas therefore always refer to them as satvata-samhitas. The original speaker of these scriptures is Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is especially mentioned in the Moksa-dharma (349.68), which is part of the Santi-parva of the Mahabharata. Liberated sages like Narada and Vyasa, who are free from the four defects of conditioned souls, are the propagators of these scriptures. Sri Narada Muni is the original speaker of the Pancaratra-sastra
There are 108 Pancaratra books describing the system of worship of the Lord in His Deity form, as explained by great authorities on devotional service like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Laksmidevi, and others. Among the most prominent of the Pancaratra are the Padma Pancharatra, Narada Pancharatra, Hayasirsa Pancharatra, Laksmi-tantra, and Mahesa Pancharatra. These books provide elaborate descriptions of the Lord's expansions and incarnations, particularly the Deity forms. It provides instruction for temple worship, including the Deity forms, methods of purification, processes for installing Deities, conducting different levels of worship and different festival events, and various paraphernalia required for such worship."
Generally yes, if other schools accepted it they would have to accept things which may go against their fundamental philosophy. Althpught I am uncertain about this, some schools of Vallabhacharya etc may accept it also.
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Just a little composition by my Gurudeva which he came up with during Hanuman Jayanti for the glorification of the Vaishnavs.
जो भक्तों के गुण को है गाते ।
वो हरि के हृदय को भाते ।।
Those who sing the glories of the devotees, they captivate the heart of Lord Hari
हरि भक्त हरि को नहीं पाते ।
भक्तों के भक्त हरि कण्ठ लगाते ।।
The devotees of Lord Hari do not attain Hari, but those who are the devotees of His devotees, Lord Hari embraces them
हम पर भीषण संकट जब आते ।
हरि नहीं पर हरि भक्त बचाते ।।
When any spiritual disaster or danger comes upon us, it is not Hari, but Hari's devotees that save us
हरि का दर्शन कोई न कर पाते ।
हरि भक्त दर्शन से हरि दिख जाते ।।
No one can get the vision of Lord Hari, but by seeing the devotees of Hari, one can see Lord Hari
जो हरि भक्तों के निकट न आते ।
वे तो हरि से दूर रह जाते ।।
Those who don't go close to the devotees of Lord Hari, they stay far way from Lord Hari
जो हरि भक्तों से द्वेष रचाते ।
हरि स्वयं सदा दण्ड दिलाते ।।
Those who are envious of the Hari's devotees, Lord Hari Himself personally punishes them
हरि नाम से हरि नहीं आते ।
The Lord Hari does not come because of His Name, He comes when you call the name of His devotees
सर्व श्रेष्ठ हरि भक्त निताइ ।
बलराम गूरू भगवान कहाई ।।
The highest devotee of Lord Hari,is Nitai (Balarama) who is also Guru and God
निताइ नाम में सब नाम समाय ।
निताइ वायुलेखन श्रेष्ठ उपाय ।।
In Nitai's name, all names are there. Writing Nitai's name is the greatest way!
निताइ लीला कीर्तन और श्रवण ।
हरि को ख़रीदने का प्रकरण ।।
Listening and singing Nitai's pastimes, is the prime reason to attain Lord Hari.
जो भक्तों के गुण को है गाते ।
वो हरि के हृदय को भाते ।।
Those who sing the glories of the devotees, they captivate the heart of Lord Hari
हरि भक्त हरि को नहीं पाते ।
भक्तों के भक्त हरि कण्ठ लगाते ।।
The devotees of Lord Hari do not attain Hari, but those who are the devotees of His devotees, Lord Hari embraces them
हम पर भीषण संकट जब आते ।
हरि नहीं पर हरि भक्त बचाते ।।
When any spiritual disaster or danger comes upon us, it is not Hari, but Hari's devotees that save us
हरि का दर्शन कोई न कर पाते ।
हरि भक्त दर्शन से हरि दिख जाते ।।
No one can get the vision of Lord Hari, but by seeing the devotees of Hari, one can see Lord Hari
जो हरि भक्तों के निकट न आते ।
वे तो हरि से दूर रह जाते ।।
Those who don't go close to the devotees of Lord Hari, they stay far way from Lord Hari
जो हरि भक्तों से द्वेष रचाते ।
हरि स्वयं सदा दण्ड दिलाते ।।
Those who are envious of the Hari's devotees, Lord Hari Himself personally punishes them
हरि नाम से हरि नहीं आते ।
The Lord Hari does not come because of His Name, He comes when you call the name of His devotees
सर्व श्रेष्ठ हरि भक्त निताइ ।
बलराम गूरू भगवान कहाई ।।
The highest devotee of Lord Hari,is Nitai (Balarama) who is also Guru and God
निताइ नाम में सब नाम समाय ।
निताइ वायुलेखन श्रेष्ठ उपाय ।।
In Nitai's name, all names are there. Writing Nitai's name is the greatest way!
निताइ लीला कीर्तन और श्रवण ।
हरि को ख़रीदने का प्रकरण ।।
Listening and singing Nitai's pastimes, is the prime reason to attain Lord Hari.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Samhitas were preserved by families and go by their names.
"Each of the four Vedas were shared by the numerous schools (Shakha - branch), but revised, interpolated and adapted locally, in and after the Vedic period, giving rise to various recensions of the text." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas#Vedic_schools_or_recensions
(Kindly note that this does not make much difference, since only a few recensions have survived and the difference is not significant).