Sri Guru Tattva: Sraddha-tattva

quinta-feira, 23 de fevereiro de 2012

Sraddha-tattva

The Proper Funeral Ceremony

16.1

prapte raddha-dine'pi pragannam bhagavate 'rpayet

taccheneraiva kurvvita sraddham bhagavato narau

Even on the day of sraddha, a devotee should first offer the food to the

Lord and then perform the sraddha ceremony with the Lord's remnants.

(Hari-bhakti-vilasa 9.294)

16.2

vinrorniveditmnnena yantavyam devatmntaram

pitrbhyascmpi taddeyam tadanantyaya kalpate

The demigods should be worshiped with the food offered to Lord Visnu.

Even the forefathers should be offered the remnants of the Lord. This gives

unlimited benefit. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 9.297)

16.3

bhaksyam bhojyasca yatkiscida nivedyagrabhoktari

na deyam pitndevebhyau prayascitti yato bhavet

Without offering food first to Lord Visnu, who is called agrabhokta, or

the prime enjoyer, one should not offer anything to the forefathers, otherwise

he has to perform atonement. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 9.314)

Vaisnavas are Forbidden to Hold or Wear Kusa Grass

16.4

sarkalpam ca tatha danam pitndevarccanadikam

Visnumantropadintascema kuryat kusa chararam

If a person is initiated into the Visnu mantra then he should not make a

resolve for any fruitive activity, nor give charity (for material gain), nor engage

in the worship of forefathers and so on; and he should not hold kusa grass.

(Skanda Purana)

Vaisnavas Need not Perform Funeral Rites or Offer Oblations to Forefathers

16.5

kia dattair bahubhiu pindairgayasraddadibhir mune

yairarccito harirbhaktya pitnarthasca dine dine

O sage, for those who everyday worship Lord Hari with devotion for the

satisfaction of their forefathers, what need is there for them to give away many

oblations in charity, and make pinda-dana at Gaya by performing the sraddha

ceremony? (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 9.308)

Lord Caitanya's Internal Reasons for Performing the Funeral Ceremony

16.6

prabhu bole 'gaya yatra amara

jata ksane dekhilmh carara tomara

tirthe pinde dile se nistare pitngara

sei jare pinda diye tare sei jana

toma dekhilei matra koti pitngara

sei ksane sarva bandhu pmya vimocana

ataeva tirtha nahe tomara samana

tirtharo parama tumi mangala pradhara

samsara samudra haite uddharo amare

ei ami deha asamarpilmn tomare

krsna pada padmera amrtarasa pana

amare karao "tumi ei cahi dara"

Lord Caitanya said, "As soon as I saw your lotus feet my visit to Gaya

was successful. If one offers oblations to forefathers at the holy places then they

are liberated, but only the person to whom the oblations are offered. But just by

seeing you millions of forefathers immediately get liberation from all bondage.

Therefore the holy places are not equal to you, rather you are auspicious even

to the holy places. Please deliver Me from the ocean of samsara. Now I have

surrendered Myself to you. Please make me drink the nectar of the lotus feet of

Krsna. I want this benediction. (Cb. Adi 12.49-54)

Vaisnavas Must Deceive the Smartas for Their Own Good

16.7

svabhavasthaiu karmajadmn vascayan draviradibhiu

harer naivedyasambharan vaisnavebhyau samarpayet

One should trick the non-devotees by giving them unoffered items or

wealth, but one should offer the Lord's prasada to the Vaisnavas.

(Hari-bhakti-vilasa 9.327)

Funeral Ceremony of the Karmis is Demonic

16.8

yastu vidya vinirmuktam mhrkham matva tu vaisnavam

vedavidbhyo 'dadadviprau sraddham tadraksasam bhavet

If a vipra, thinking an uneducated vaisnava a fool, offers sraddha to the

brahmanas who know the Vedas, then such sraddha is called demonic, or

raksanasraddha. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 9.316)

The Behavior of Advaita Acarya

16.9

acarya kahena, "tumi na kariha bhaya

sei acariba, yei sastra-mata haya

tumi khaile haya koti-brahmana-bhojana"

eta bali, sraddha-patra karailm bhojana

Advaita Acarya replied, "My dear Haridasa, do not be afraid. I shall be-

have strictly according to the principles of the revealed scriptures. Feeding

is equal to feeding ten million brahmanas. Therefore, accept this sraddha-patra."

Thus Advaita Acarya made him eat. (Cc. Antya 3.221-22)

The Characteristics of a Staunch Devotee

16.10

evamekantinam prayau kirttanam smararam prabho

kurvatmm parama pritya kntyamanyanna rocate

The unalloyed devotees who generally engage in performing kirtana and

remembering the Lord with great love take no interest in other prescribed activities.

(Hari-bhakti-vilasa 20.382)

Thus ends the Sixteenth Jewel of the Gaudiya-Kanthahara, entitled Sraddha-tattva.

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Guru Position Paper

Dear devotees,

Please accept our dandavat pranams. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Since the departure of our beloved Gurudeva, Nitya-lila pravista Om Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, the Sannyasa Council in consultation with the members of the Bhakti Trust International, senior math commanders and eminent preachers, has begun the process of developing and codifying the principles and aims of our sanga, known as the International Pure Bhakti Yoga Society. Sri Guru is always present in his instructions and within the hearts of sincere disciples. We pray fervently that Srila Gurudeva guide us in our humble attempts to fulfill his mano bhista. Our discussions thus far have resulted in two papers that are being presented for your consideration.

Our Society, as envisioned by Srila Gurudeva, has many responsibilities and yet has a distinctive inclination towards encouraging individual initiative and decision making on the local level. The institution or society has as its primary responsibility, the preservation and teaching of the eternal spiritual principles conveyed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through our guru-parampara . The form that our society takes and any guidelines and bylaws that we may adopt, are meant to follow and uphold those principles.

Thus you will see in the two papers that are presented, that there is little in the way of rules and regulations. The topic is mostly guru-tattva and how we are responding to the complexities of that issue now that there are multiple devotees taking on that role within the same society. The emphasis is to clarify our spiritual relationships and our mutual goals. The processes by which we achieve these may be adjusted according to time, place and circumstance, as long as the original principles remain fixed as our guiding beacon.

The first paper on guru-tattva was written to be presented at the Vraja-mandala Parikrama of 2011. There were some issues that had not yet been discussed by the international body of sannyasis and senior devotees. We waited for those meetings to be concluded so that a summary of those discussions could be given at the same time. These meetings addressed the practical application of the guru-tattva paper based on the experiences gained and input received from members of the world-wide sanga over the last 9 months. The second paper is a summary of the meetings held in Govardhana during the parikrama in November, 2011.

These papers will certainly stimulate discussion and responses from devotees around the world. That is a good thing. Please keep the discussions philosophical and respectful. The discussions may center around guru-tattva or they may explore other areas of personal and sanga development. This is a challenging and exciting time. Let your voices be heard.

Aspiring for the service of Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas,

Swami BV Vaikhanas