Who is the Jesus of Gaudiya Vaishnavism?

[suchandra 1]

 

This starting to become a Jesus topic rather than a topic about the who is the saviour in Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

 

Let stay on track folks.

Start another topic about Jesus if you like.

 

This topic is about Mahaprabhu - the Jesus of the Gaudiyas.

 

 

But this is the actual point - Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's life was never put in film properly - I mean really first class.

[theist 1]

 

The actual thing what happened is the picturization/film adaptation of Lord Jesus Christ's life and all the many different consequences up to all those films about Jean d'Arc and the life of the apostles, or the Name of the Rose.

Hollywoods work, that is what made Jesus really getting into peoples mind. All those films made in India are just flub compared to what Hollywood did. Are there films being made about Lord Caitanya? Only stuff you better don't look at. It is all like embarrassing laymen theater what they produced in Bollywood about Krishna-lila and Lord Caitanya. And here lies the crux - Westerners grow up with tv - because they made so many wonderful films about Jesus therefore he will always be number one in the West. Bollywood is a great disservice and a shame. And just imagine the wonderful backdrop of India's landscape they had. Now these Bollywood idiots make hundreds of stupid films in Switzerland and Austria - they think the Alps are beautiful.

 

Ah.... well films have certainly been influencial in the past 100 years in the west but I think you are GREATLY overstating their impact concerning Jesus. There was a previous 2,000 years remember when there were no films.

 

I for one have not seen one of those films you named.

[Guruvani 0]

 

 

I for one have not seen one of those films you named.

 

I have seen many films and documentaries about Jesus and to me they all had more impact than any Pastor, Minister or Pope.

The documentaries about Jesus are to me a much greater propaganda tool that even the Bible.

 

I watched a documentary about Noah the other day and it was a lot more impressive to me than any Bible story.

[theist 1]

I notice a similarity between Jesus and Mahaprabhu in the area of expanded mercy. While Mahaprabhu operated in a society dominated by vedic religion and Jesus worked in a society dominated by Judaism they both broke the monopolies set up by the priestly cast and taught that each soul, no matter their temporary station or caste in life could approach the Supreme Lord directly and develop love for Him beyond any sectarian constraints.

 

Both showed the doors of the Kingdom wide open for the most fallen.

 

Mahaprabhu taught that the Holy Names alone are sufficent for deliverance from maya even without undergoing all the vedic rites and rituals prescribed in the vedas.

 

Jesus taught that there is no need to approach the temple structure and offer slaughter animals for the forgiveness of sins. Instead he taught that we should pray to be forgiven as we learn to forgive others and thus breaking the prestly temple racket of selling animals for sacrifice.

 

I also see Jesus in Haridas Thakur.

[theist 1]

 

I have seen many films and documentaries about Jesus and to me they all had more impact than any Pastor, Minister or Pope.

The documentaries about Jesus are to me a much greater propaganda tool that even the Bible.

 

I watched a documentary about Noah the other day and it was a lot more impressive to me than any Bible story.

 

I don't doubt films have impact. But real influence lies beyond the impact of films obviously. Or even the Bible...another book I have never read. Or even church influences since I grew up an atheist with no organizational religious history.

[suchandra 1]

 

Ah.... well films have certainly been influencial in the past 100 years in the west but I think you are GREATLY overstating their impact concerning Jesus. There was a previous 2,000 years remember when there were no films.

 

I for one have not seen one of those films you named.

Could be that it is all these millions of masterpiece paintings like this one of Botticelli. Indians somehow presented only pretty much naive art about Krishna-lila.

 

http://www.uni-leipzig.de/ru/bilder/passion1/bottic01.jpg

[theist 1]

 

Could be that it is all these millions of masterpiece paintings like this one of Botticelli. Indians somehow presented only pretty much naive art about Krishna-lila.

 

http://www.uni-leipzig.de/ru/bilder/passion1/bottic01.jpg

 

Oh yeah different styles no doubt. But what inspired the paintings to be produced? Something is there beyond the patronization of the church etc. Something motivated the great western composers to produce great classic pieces in music also. It is that inspiration that I am trying to point to.

 

Also western art although very accomplished shows an emphasis on muscle structure that deemphasizes the spiritual nature of the subject to me. Sometimes that spiritual nature can come through very powertfully in simple art prominant in Indian paintings.

[Guruvani 0]

 

Oh yeah different styles no doubt. But what inspired the paintings to be produced?

 

 

 

$$$$$$$$$$

[theist 1]

<!--blockquote-->

Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534)

[theist 1]

 

$$$$$$$$$$

 

 

Oh yeah different styles no doubt. But what inspired the paintings to be produced? Something is there beyond the patronization of the church etc. Something motivated the great western composers to produce great classic pieces in music also. It is that inspiration that I am trying to point to.

 

[theist 1]

Nice thread Guruvani.

[suchandra 1]

 

Oh yeah different styles no doubt. But what inspired the paintings to be produced? Something is there beyond the patronization of the church etc. Something motivated the great western composers to produce great classic pieces in music also. It is that inspiration that I am trying to point to.

 

Also western art although very accomplished shows an emphasis on muscle structure that deemphasizes the spiritual nature of the subject to me. Sometimes that spiritual nature can come through very powertfully in simple art prominant in Indian paintings.

 

Guess you're right - Krishna is presented in the best way possible, nothing can be done better!

[theist 1]

 

Guess you're right - Krishna is presented in the best way possible, nothing can be done better!

 

I don't mean to say that. There is no limit to improvement because krsna is unlimited. But what I mean is there is so much that comes through in Indian art styles. Take you avatar for example.

 

You might be interested in the art of Frank Wesley, an Indian Christian. I like his pictures of Christ the best. Especially woman at the well of Jacob. Do a google.

[Murali_Mohan_das 0]

 

Guess you're right - Krishna is presented in the best way possible, nothing can be done better!

 

Well, it's been a while since I saw it, but "Nimai of Nadia" is pretty good.

 

http://itvproductions.net/store/product.php?productid=56

 

Still, it *would* be nice to see Mahaprabhu's life get the "Lord of the Rings" or "Ghandi" treatment in terms of dramatic presentation. With technology being what it is right now, it would even be possible to make a good film using HD (high definition) digital video that wouldn't cost a heck of a lot of money.

 

Bharadraj (noted ISKCON artist) used to work at Disney as a creative person. He's long held the dream of doing a faithful animated Ramayana.

 

Caruhasa Prabhu (also a devotional artist) has actually made some progress towards doing a live-action Ramayana and had received interest from actors such as Stephen Segal.

 

What would *really* be nice is if there was a Vaishnava Mel Gibson-type of person who would put his/her own money into doing first-class Krishna Conscious media.

[mahak 0]

Chaitanya is not really comparable to jesus, more like the combination of Lord Jesus and his Father. Haridas is REALLT like Jesus in so many wats, to numerous to discuss here, another topic, another day, perhaps.

 

As far as the meaning of guru and gauranga, yes, this is gaura nitai. Lord Chaitanya is gauranga and Lord Nityananda is Sri Chaita Guru. In fact, I vote for Lord Nityananda Prabhu to be the Jesus, falling right into her servant's discussion about balarama. There is a way to justify, if the criteria is understanding the inconceivable bheda bheda tattwa,......

[Murali_Mohan_das 0]

 

Chaitanya is not really comparable to jesus, more like the combination of Lord Jesus and his Father.

 

Do you mean Jesus the "person" or Jesus the cultural icon? If it's the latter, I agree with you, if it's the first, I do not.

 

The idea of Jesus being the redeemer for our sins and such is largely alien from the Mahaprabhu conception. Looking at their actual pastimes and teachings (as has been briefly done earlier in the thread), though, we see many similarities.

[Murali_Mohan_das 0]

Srila Sridhar Maharaja speaks of Mahaprabhu in no uncertain terms:

 

From "Golden Volcano of Divine Love" (Page 243)

 

 

So we should all fall at the feet of the great

Messiah, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. His devotees say,

“If we had to conceive of a place where Gauranga had

not appeared, we could not maintain our lives. We

shudder to think of living without such a magnanimous

friend as Sri Gauranga,” How could one live his

life without Gauranga? It is impossible. The world is

not worth living in without Gauranga.

Sri Gauranga is most magnanimous. Sri

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates the

Panca-tattva have come to raise all souls from their

fallen condition. Generally, only deserving persons

can gain entrance into Vrndavana, into Krisna-lila.

But as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Himself

has come down to cure the offenders of their

offenses and grant them entrance into Vrindavana.

Simply by chanting the names of the Pañca-tattva

and by remembering Their lila, we can be purified

even from the lowest position and prepare for participation

in Vrindavana lila.

[Guruvani 0]

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaja speaks of Mahaprabhu in no uncertain terms:

 

From "Golden Volcano of Divine Love" (Page 243)

sweet....

 

This next generation is going to bust loose and make us "originals" look like street sweepers.