Jagat

Another Side of Thakura Bhaktivinoda Pariśiṣṭa (An Additional Topic):  "What Changed the River’s Course?" By Gadadhar Pran Das  Email: gadadhar_das000@yahoo.co.in  After completing thirty chapters and assuming that our writing task was done, one reader put forward a good question: “Although the guru parampara of Thakur Bhaktivinoda that is described in your book appears to be genuine, why don’t more of his followers know about this?” Yes, we considered, he is right. Here is a matter that merits explanation. But before we attempt to uncover the Thakur's legacy, we should say a few words about what was going on in the beginning. Because from Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s time there was a traditional system in our Gaudiya Sampradaya that was much more in practice in Bhaktivinoda’s period than it is today: Vaishnavas were accustomed to take diksha from a Goswami parivara, a family line of Vaishnava Acharyas that descend from one of Gauranga’s eternal associates. Not only does Thakur ...

Radha Raman Ju's abhishek in 2011. Photo from Vrindavan Experience. Here we continue with the arcana path. This is an explanation of the rationale of  Āvaraṇa-pūjā . Anuccheda 285 The Devas in Āvaraṇa-pūjā are Eternal Associates of Bhagavān श्रीनारदपञ्चरात्रे चैवमेव श्रीनारायणवाक्यं श्राद्धकथनारम्भे— नाचरेद्यस्तु सिद्धोऽपि लौकिकं धर्ममग्रतः। उपप्लवाच्च धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति नारदः॥ विवेकज्ञैरतः सर्वैर्लोकाचारो यथास्थितः। आ देहपाताद्यत्नेन रक्षणीयः प्रयत्नतः॥ इति। A similar statement about the significance of not abandoning Vedic karma is made by Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa in the Nārada-Pañcarātra at the beginning of His explanation of the śrāddha ceremony for the forefathers: O Nārada, even a perfect being who does not first execute his socio-religious duties brings about a deterioration of religious principles through the disruption of social norms. Therefore, all discriminating human beings should carefully attend to social duties as long as the body remains...

This is another important passage that discusses the necessity for initiation in relation to deity worship. Jiva Goswami raises the question of necessity for initiation if the mantra is stated to transcend such requirements. Note that the famous śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi  vers e is the principal response. Anuccheda 284 Difference Between Mantra and Name ननु भगवन्नामात्मका एव मन्त्राः। तत्र विशेषेण नमःशब्दाद्यलंकृताः श्रीभगवता श्रीमदृषिभिश्चाहितशक्तिविशेषाः, श्रीभगवता सममात्मसम्बन्धविशेषप्रतिपादकाश्च। तत्र केवलानि श्रीभगवन्नामान्यपि निरपेक्षाण्येव परमपुरुषार्थफलपर्यन्तदानसमर्थानि। ततो मन्त्रेषु नामतोऽप्यधिकसामर्थ्ये लब्धे कथं दीक्षाद्यपेक्षा ? A question may be raised as follows. Mantras contain only the names of Bhagavān. The difference between the name and mantras is that the latter contain certain special words, such as namaḥ , “obeisances to You.” Furthermore, they are infused with specific power, either by Bhagavān or the great sages, and establish a unique rela...

This section is split between a discussion of additional devotional activities that are included in  pāda-sevanam , namely living in the Dham (281.1), worshiping Tulasi Devi (281,2) before turning to arcana, which continues over the next few sections, including an important discussion of  necessity for  dīkṣā   (281,4). This is where the idea of taking initiation in order to establish a "particular  or specific relationship." (283.3) Anuccheda 283 Pāda-sevā (Concluded) and Arcanam 283.1 Living in holy places अत्र पादसेवायां श्रीमूर्तिदर्शनस्पर्शपरिक्रमानुव्रजनभगवन्मन्दिरगङ्गापुरुषोत्तमद्वारकामथुरादितदीयतीर्थस्थान- गमनादयोऽप्यन्तर्भाव्याः, तत्परिकरप्रायत्वात्। यावज्जीवं तन्मन्दिरादिनिवासस्तु शरणापत्तावन्तर्भवति। गङ्गादीनां तत्स्थप्राणिवृन्दानां च परमभागवतत्वमेवेति पक्षे तु तत्सेवादिकं महत्सेवादावेव पर्यवस्यति। ततो गङ्गादिष्वपि भक्तिनिदानत्वं भवेत्। Devotional activities, such as beholding, touching and circumambulating the deity, following...

The immediate subsequent subject after surrender is service or surrender to the Guru. Anuccheda 237 Guru-sevā is the Key to Success तदेवं शरणापत्तिर्विवृता। अस्याश्च पूर्वत्वं, तां विना तदीयत्वासिद्धेः। We have thus described the path of surrender. One must first come to the point of surrender, for without it cannot attain the sense of belonging to Bhagavān. तत्र यद्यपि शरणापत्त्यैव सर्वं सिध्यति, शरणं तं प्रपन्ना ये ध्यानयोगविवर्जिताः। ते वै मृत्युमतिक्रम्य यान्ति तद्वैष्णवं पदम्॥  (ग.पु. १.२२७.३६) इति गारुडात्, It is true that all perfection comes simply through surrender, as stated in the Garuḍa Purāṇa: Those who have forsaken the paths of meditation and yoga and taken refuge of You transcend death and attain the supreme abode. (GP 1.227.36) तथापि वैशिष्ट्यलिप्सुः शक्तश्चेत् ततो भगवच्छास्त्रोपदेष्टॄणां भगवन्मन्त्रोपदेष्टॄणां वा श्रीगुरुचरणानां नित्यमेव विशेषतः सेवां कुर्यात्। तत्प्रसादो हि स्वस्वनानाप्रतीकारदुस्त्यजानर्थहानौ परमभगवत्प्रसादसिद्...