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was LASHMIPATHI a direct disciple of "Sri Vyaasa Thirtha" ?

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gokulkr

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In the Bhagavata parampara that you see in Bhagavad-gita As It Is, often links are not actual diksha links but rather shiksha links - the focus is on the influence of Sri Caitanya's unique sentiment.

 

This sentiment may well be obvious even prior to Madhavendra as you suggest.

 

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From Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya Lila 4.87:<blockquote>

sakala brAhmaNe purI vaiSNava karila

sei sei sevA-madhye sabA niyojila

 

sakala brAhmaNe--all the brAhmaNas who were present there; purI--MAdhavendra PurI GosvAmI; vaiSNava karila--elevated to the position of VaiSNavas; sei sei--under different divisions; sevA-madhye--in rendering service; sabA--all of them; niyojila--were engaged.

 

All the brAhmaNas present on that occasion were initiated by MAdhavendra PurI into the VaiSNava cult, and MAdhavendra PurI engaged them in different types of service.

 

PURPORT

In the scriptures it is stated, SaT-karma-nipuNo vipro mantra-tantra-vizAradaH. A qualified brAhmaNa must be expert in the occupational duties of a brAhmaNa. His duties are mentioned as six brahminical engagements. PaThana means that a brAhmaNa must be conversant with the Vedic scriptures. He must also be able to teach others to study the Vedic literatures. This is pAThana. He must also be expert in worshiping different deities and in performing the Vedic rituals (yajana). On account of this yajana, the brAhmaNa, being the head of society, performs all the Vedic rituals for kSatriyas, vaizyas and zUdras. This is called yAjana, assisting others in performing ceremonies. The remaining two items are dAna and pratigraha. The brAhmaNa accepts all kinds of contributions (pratigraha) from his followers (namely, the kSatriyas, vaizyas and zUdras). But he does not keep all the money. He keeps only as much as required and gives the balance to others in charity (dAna).

 

In order for such a qualified brAhmaNa to worship the Deity, he must be a VaiSNava. Thus the VaiSNava's position is superior to that of the brAhmaNa. This example given by MAdhavendra PurI confirms that even though a brAhmaNa may be very expert, he cannot become a priest or servitor of the viSNu-mUrti unless he is initiated in vaiSNava-mantra. After installing the Deity of GopAla, MAdhavendra PurI initiated all the brAhmaNas into VaiSNavism. He then allotted the brAhmaNas different types of service to the Deity. From four in the morning until ten at night (from maGgala-ArAtrika to zayana-ArAtrika), there must be at least five or six brAhmaNas to take care of the Deity. Six ArAtrikas are performed in the temple, and food is frequently offered to the Deity and the prasAdam distributed. This is the method of worshiping the Deity according to the rules and regulations set by the predecessors. Our sampradAya belongs to the disciplic succession of MAdhavendra PurI, who belonged to the Madhva-sampradAya. We are in the disciplic succession of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu, who was initiated by SrI Izvara PurI, a disciple of MAdhavendra PurI's. Our sampradAya is therefore called the Madhva-GauDIya-sampradAya. As such, we must carefully follow in the footsteps of SrI MAdhavendra PurI and observe how he installed the GopAla Deity on top of Govardhana Hill, how he arranged and performed the AnnakUTa ceremony in only one day, and so forth. Our installation of Deities in America and in the wealthy countries of Europe should be carried out in terms of SrI MAdhavendra PurI's activities. All the servitors of the Deity must be strictly qualified as brAhmaNas and, specifically, must engage in the VaiSNava custom of offering as much prasAdam as possible and distributing it to the devotees who visit the temple to see the Lord.</blockquote>

 

This whole chapter is filled with the glories and pastimes of Madhavendra Puri. It is available on-line here: http://caitanyacaritamrta.com/madhya/4/

 

For example, and to explain the unique position of Madhavendra Puri, here is verse 4.195:<blockquote>Only SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu has tasted the poetry of this verse. No fourth man is capable of understanding it.

 

PURPORT

This indicates that only SrImatI RAdhArANI, MAdhavendra PurI and Caitanya MahAprabhu are capable of understanding the purport of this verse.</blockquote>

 

Indeed that special poetic verse that follows contains in the purport some information relating to the history of the Gaudiya branch of the Madhva sampradaya (verse 4.197):<blockquote>

ayi dIna-dayArdra nAtha he

mathurA-nAtha kadAvalokyase

hRdayaM tvad-aloka-kAtaraM

dayita bhrAmyati kiM karomy aham

 

ayi--O My Lord; dIna--on the poor; dayA-Ardra--compassionate; nAtha--O master; he--O; mathurA-nAtha--the master of MathurA; kadA--when; avalokyase--I shall see You; hRdayam--My heart; tvat--of You; aloka--without seeing; kAtaram--very much aggrieved; dayita--O most beloved; bhrAmyati--becomes overwhelmed; kim--what; karomi--shall do; aham--I.

 

"O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of MathurA! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?"

 

PURPORT

The uncontaminated devotees who strictly depend on the VedAnta philosophy are divided into four sampradAyas, or transcendental parties. Out of the four sampradAyas, the SrI MadhvAcArya-sampradAya was accepted by MAdhavendra PurI. Thus he took sannyAsa according to paramparA, the disciplic succession. Beginning from MadhvAcArya down to the spiritual master of MAdhavendra PurI, the AcArya named LakSmIpati, there was no realization of devotional service in conjugal love. SrI MAdhavendra PurI introduced the conception of conjugal love for the first time in the MadhvAcArya-sampradAya, and this conclusion of the MadhvAcArya-sampradAya was revealed by SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu when He toured southern India and met the TattvavAdIs, who supposedly belonged to the MadhvAcArya-sampradAya.

 

When SrI KRSNa left VRndAvana and accepted the kingdom of MathurA, SrImatI RAdhArANI, out of ecstatic feelings of separation, expressed how KRSNa can be loved in separation. Thus devotional service in separation is central to this verse. Worship in separation is considered by the GauDIya-Madhva-sampradAya to be the topmost level of devotional service. According to this conception, the devotee thinks of himself as very poor and neglected by the Lord. Thus he addresses the Lord as dIna-dayArdra nAtha, as did MAdhavendra PurI. Such an ecstatic feeling is the highest form of devotional service. Because KRSNa had gone to MathurA, SrImatI RAdhArANI was very much affected, and She expressed Herself thus: "My dear Lord, because of Your separation My mind has become overly agitated. Now tell Me, what can I do? I am very poor and You are very merciful, so kindly have compassion upon Me and let Me know when I shall see You." SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu was always expressing the ecstatic emotions of SrImatI RAdhArANI that She exhibited when She saw Uddhava at VRndAvana. Similar feelings, experienced by MAdhavendra PurI, are expressed in this verse. Therefore, VaiSNavas in the GauDIya-Madhva-sampradAya say that the ecstatic feelings experienced by SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu during His appearance came from SrI MAdhavendra PurI through Izvara PurI. All the devotees in the line of the GauDIya-Madhva-sampradAya accept these principles of devotional service.</blockquote>

Ayi Dina.

 

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I added one last quote to that last post which clears everything up. You owe it to yourself to read that whole chapter though. Then the words will have more meaning; a picture is worth a thousand words, as they say.

 

That is, it is not that Gaudiyas do not follow Madhva; they do, but they do so with a special tinge of sentiment found in the heart of Srimati Radharani. That special fine love of God manifested in the heart of Madhavendra Puri, and then came incarnate with the advent of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His personal associates.

 

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Prabhuji,

 

You have understood my post wrong. i didnt say that 'Gaudiyas' dont follow 'Madhvam'.

 

at sametime i knew that "Love of radharani towards krishna" is main core of 'Gaudiyas'.

 

since "Srimati Radharani" was not given much importance in "Dwaitham". But "Gaudiyas" gave more importance to "Srimati Radharani". I think this is the basic difference between "Dwaitam" & "Gaudiyas" (ofcourse, there may be many other differences also).

 

from your post, i understood that Lord Madhavendra puri made his disciple 'Ishvari puri' & his (madhavendra puri) devotees to realise the "sentiment found in the heart of Srimati Radharani". so "Gaudiyas" emerged principally from teachings of 'Sri Madhavendra puri'. Then came 'Sri Chaitanya'.

 

so thats what i tried to mention in my prev post.

 

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