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Namaste all. Happy auspicious Guru-vaar to you.

 

The Fifth Sampradaya

-------------------

 

There are great authentic Vaisnava teachings in the Brahma, Kumara,

Sri, and Rudra lines. But all sampradayas reach perfection in Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

To present the perfect philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Sri

Mahaprabhu,

extracted, synthesized, hormonized, and beautified the essential

truths contained within the four existing Vaishnava Sampradayas.

 

Lord Caitanya accepted two principle from each of the four

Sampradayas, and blended these into a new banner, which was named by

His followers later "The Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya"..

 

This Sampradaya is meant to hold the highest conception of all the

pre-existing Sampradayas.

 

Sometimes Lord Caitanya's Sampradaya is also called The Fifth

Sampradaya.

 

"From Lord Gaura Raya the Sampradaya was called the

'Nimai-ananda-Sampradaya.

 

Seeing the Vaishnava devotees of Lord Caitanya in Bengal, people used

to say they were from the Nimai-Sampradaya.

 

Because Nimai distibuted Prema-Ananda through out the world,

His Sampradaya was known as " Nimai-Aanda." (Bhakti Ratnakara)

 

"From Madhvacarya (Brahma-sampradaya) Lord Caitanya took his complete

defeat of Mayavada philosophy, and his worship of the deity of

Krishna.

 

>From Ramanuja (Sri-Sampradaya) Mahaprabhu accepted two teachings:

the concept of pure Bhakti unpolluted by Karma and Jnana, and Seva-

service to Lord's devotees.

 

"From Vishnu Swami's (Rudra-Sampradaya) teachings, Gauranga accepted

two elements:

the sentiment of total dependence on Krishna and the path of Raga

Bhakti, spontaneous Divine Love.

 

>From Nimbarka (Kumara-Sampradaya) Sri Caitanya received two great

principles:

the necessity of taking exclusive shelter of Srimati Radhika

(yekAnta-rAdhikAzraya), and the exalted mood of the Gopis' Love for

Sri Krishna (gopI-bhAva, a fraction of which is also called manjArI

bhAva)." (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya)

 

In addition to unifying all the existing Vaishnava Sampradayas of His

time,

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu also incorporated the Advaita (Mayavada)

Sampradaya, the Impersonal Conception of the Absolute Brahman,

under the all incusive banner of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

 

By propagating the concept of Acintya-bheda-abheda tattva,

(inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference of the Absolute

Truth),

the most munificient Lord Caitanya uniquely unified the two completely

opposite views of Absolute Brahman, namely God is Personal and God is

Impersonal.

 

Adherents consider Gaudiya Vaishnavism the Crown of the Vaishnava

traditions, for it adds the unique mellow of 'sweetness'.

 

Gaudiya Vaishnavism emphasizes the Madhurya Rasa - Sweet intimate Love

of God, as opposed to other Vaishnava traditions which stress on the

distant Aishwarya or majestic approach to God.

 

The two most important contributions of Lord Caitanya are

His doctrine of Acintya-bheda-abheda tattva and

the sweet conception of Madhura Rati - an intimate relationship with

God in Conjugal mood of Vraja Gopikas.

 

Madhura Rati of Vraja Gopis stresses pure Bhakti, selfless Divine

Love, serving God in an intimate personal way as Divine Beloved.

 

Gaudiyas have become the blessed Gopis!! (not just Manjaris)

 

Lord Caitanya appeared in the material world for two reasons.

 

prema-rasa niryAsa korite asvAdana |

rAga-marga bhakti loke korite pracarana ||

rasika-zekhara kRSNa parama-karuna |

ei dui hetu hoite icchara udgama || CC 1.4.15-16 ||

 

"To taste the essence of prema-rasa, and to preach raga-marga-bhakti

to the world -- due to these two reasons,

the desire of Sri Krishna, the King of relishers and the most

merciful One, to descend to this world arose."

 

To enjoy the essence of Prema Rasa (prema rasa niryAsa AsvAdana), i.e.

Madhurya Rasa of Radhika and Vraja Gopis and

to preach the path of Raganuga Bhakti (rAga mArga bhakti pracAraNa).

i.e. following the sentiments of Vraja vasis (devotees of Vraja)-

for these two sublime transcendental activities, Lord Caitanya became

famous as -

Rasika-sekhara (Supreme Relisher of Rasa- Divine Bliss)

and Parama-karuna (Supremely Merciful)!

 

Caitanya Caritamritam. Adilila 4.15,16

 

(Adapted from the book, "Appreciating Navadvipa Dhama" written by Sri

Mahanidhi Swami)

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

 

, pyari_h <no_reply> wrote:

>

> The Supreme Lord, moved by the devout and reverential homage of his

> disciples in accord with scriptural prescriptions in countless

former

> births, incarnates out of compassion in the form of Sri Guru;

> he thereby comes within the orbit of sight, freely transmits to them

> the wisdom concerning Ultimate Reality, and enables them to cross

over

> the ocean of sorrowful samsara, the realm of conditioned existence.

>

> - Gurvaashtakam, Adi Jagadguru Sri Shankara Acarya