Pesquisar este blog

quinta-feira, 23 de fevereiro de 2012

Sri Gaudiya Kanthahara

Sri Gaudiya Kanthahara

Jewels
1  |   2  |   3  |   4  |   5  |   6  |   7  |   8  |   9  |   10
11  |   12  |   13  |   14  |   15  |   16  |   17  |   18

"One day at noon two guests came to have darsana of Mayapura Dhama. Their names were Atulacandra Bandopadhyaya and Atulakrsna Datta, and they were both highly placed officials in the Indian Railway. . . Sri Vinodabihariji Brahmacari [Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami) then took both of the men to have darsan of Srila Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura)]. They were deeply impressed by his powerful hari-katha. . . Gradually they developed such a desire to hear hari-katha that they began to come to the matha as their work permitted. After some time Atulachandra Bandopadhyaya surrendered to Srila Prabhupada, completely renouncing home, wife, sons and everything. . . After harinama diksa, Atulacandra became Atulacandra Bandopadhyaya Bhaktisaranga. He began to raise funds among pious, wealthy merchants in Calcutta, Dehli, Bombay and other major cities. Once they heard his harikatha, these people would send truckloads of rice, dahl and vegetables for matha seva. In addition he established preaching centers and asramas in those cities, and was also editor of the weekly magazine Gaudiya. After Srila Prabhupada's disappearance he took sannyasa and his name became Sri Srimad Bhaktisaranga Gosvami Maharaj. Until his death he had great faith in our most worshipable Gurupadapadma and considered him his intimate friend. . . "The other gentleman, Atulakrsna Dattaji, also gave up his government service and came with his family to Caitanya Matha. After receiving harinama-diksa initiation from Srila Prabhupada, he began to perform ekantika bhajana (exclusive worship of the Lord). He compiled Sri Gaudiya Kantahara ("The Necklace of the Gaudiya Bhaktas"). This excellent book contains a collection of verses from the Vedas, Upanisads, and other sastras which establish the siddhanta of suddha-bhakti."
---excerpted from Acarya Kesari Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami, His Life and Teachings, by Tridandisvami Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja. pp.36,38






Table of Contents

The First Jewel: GURU-TATTVA
The Guru Principle
One must accept a genuine guru in the proper disciplic line: 1.1 - 12
A qualified guru and disciple are hard to find: 1.13
A genuine guru knows krsna-tattva, the truth about Krsna.
A genuine guru is surrendered to Krsna, and is well-versed in all the Vedic literatures: 1.14
A guru is a goswami, master of the senses: 1. 16
A pure devotee is the guru of all the varnas and asramas: 1.17 - 20
A real guru is an acarya of sambandha-jnana: 1. 21
Who is an acarya?:1.22 - 27
The "Inconceivable Oneness and Difference" of guru, Vaisnava, and Krsna: 1.28 - 31
The two kinds of instructing gurus: caitya guru and mahanta guru: 1.32.
By the mercy of Krsna, one obtains the mercy of guru: 1.36
Guru is nondifferent from Rupa Goswami: 1.37 - 39
Guru is krsna-sakti, and is known as mukunda-prestha: 1.40
Gurudeva is gaura-sakti, and gaura-priyattama, the dearmost of Sri Gauranga: 1.41 - 42
One who becomes a guru in name only commits a great offense: 1.43, 44
Mundane scholarship alone is no qualification for becoming a guru: 1.45
A nondevotee cannot be a guru: 1.46
Bogus gurus: 1.47,48
The injunction to abandon a bogus guru: 1.49 - 51
One should abandon a guru who is envious of Vaisnavas: 1.52
A materialistic, professional, family guru must be given up: 1.53
One who rejects a false guru must accept a real guru: 1.54
Why become a disciple?: 1.55
One who thinks that the guru is an ordinary man goes to hell: 1.56
He finds his attempts at spiritual progress useless: 1.57
One must approach a guru for transcendental knowledge: 1.58
Gurudeva takes one beyond knowledge to jnana-sunya-bhakti: 1.59
Sri Gurudeva is nondifferent from Nityananda: 1.60 - 61
What is the authorized sacred tradition?: 1.62
Lord Brahma: the original teacher: 1.63
Sriman Madhvacarya - the sampradaya acarya: 1.64
The Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya disciplic succession (guru-parampara : 1.65

The Second Jewel: BHAGAVAT-TATTVA
The Bhagavata Principle

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the crown jewel of all revealed scriptures: 2. 1,2
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ripened fruit of the Vedic desire tree: 2.3
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of Krsna: 2.4
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the Paramahamsa-Samhita: 2.5
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the spotless Purana: 2. 6
It is the commentary on Vedanta, Mahabharata, gayatri mantra, and the Vedas: 2.7 - 12
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of all the Vedas, Puranas and Itihasas: 2.13
One who relies on the Vedanta commentary of Sankaracarya is lost: 2.14
Srimad-Bhagavatam reveals the inner meaning of Vedanta: 2.15
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the cream of the Vedas and the very form of Krsna: 2.16 - 18
Srimad-Bhagavatam is a self-manifest, eternal reality: 2.19
Srimad-Bhagavatam is transcendental: beyond sensual experience: 2.20
There are two kinds of Bhagavatas: book Bhagavata and the bhakta-bhagavata: 2.21 - 24
The inconceivable nature of Srimad-Bhagavatam: 2.25 - 27
Srimad-Bhagavatam can only be understood through the Vaisnavas: 2.28, 29
Srimad-Bhagavatam should be studied under the guidance of gurudeva: 2.30
One should study Srimad-Bhagavatam in the light of the previous acaryas: 2.31
Those who do not recognize Srimad-Bhagavatam are doomed: 2.32 - 34
Those who are proud cannot drink the nectar of Bhagavatam: 2.35
It is prohibited by the scriptures to lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam as a profession: 2. 36
Who would not hear the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam?: 2. 37
Further prohibitions against lecturing on Srimad-Bhagavatam for money: 2. 38
One should not hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from nondevotees: 2. 39
The eighteen Puranas: 2.40
The eighteen Puranas have three divisions: sattvika, rajasika, and tamasika: 2. 41,42
What is to be known as sastra or scripture?: 2.43
What is to be known as Pa-caratra?: 2.44,45
The words of the Pa-caratra are as good as God: 2.46
Narada Pa-caratra is the cream of all Vedic literatures: 2.47,48
Narada Pa-caratra is Authorized: 2.49
 

The Third Jewel: Vaishnava-Tattva
The Vaishnava Principle
The definition of a Vaisnava: 3. 1
The different kinds of Vaisnavas: Pa-caratrika and Bhagavata: 3.2
Three kinds of devotees:
Arcan-marga, or deity worship, and neophyte devotees: 3. 3
Arcan-marga and the intermediate devotees: 3. 4
Arcan-marga and the advanced devotees: 3. 5
Three kinds of devotees in relation to krsna-prema:
The symptoms of the neophyte devotee or kanistha-adhikari vaisnava: 3. 6
The symptoms of the intermediate or madhyama-adhikari vaisnava: 3. 7 - 8
The symptoms of the topmost devotee or uttama-adhikari-vaisnava: 3.9, 11
Further symptoms of the most advanced devotee: 3. 12 - 18
The Paramahamsa Vaisnava: 3. 19
A description of the three kinds of devotees from Caitanya-Caritamrta: 3. 20
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself explains the three kinds of devotees:
A Vaisnava: 3. 21
A superior Vaisnava: 3. 22
The topmost Vaisnava.: 3. 23
Who is a Vaisnava?: 3.24
The twenty-six qualities of a Vaisnava
Surrender to Krsna is the natural and essential quality of a devotee:
The other twenty-five qualities are secondary and marginal: 3.25
The Vaisnava sees with equal vision: 3. 26,27
The Lord Himself is conquered by His devotees: 3.29, 30
A Vaisnava is supremely merciful: 3. 31, 32
The glories of the Vaisnavas: 3.33, 34, 35
The glories of the servants of the Vaisnavas: 3. 36
Further glories of the Vaisnavas: 3. 37 - 38
Without taking shelter of the Vaisnava, all knowledge is lost: 3. 39
Vaisnavas alone are really merciful to the most fallen: 3.40
The glories of exclusive Vaisnavas: 3. 41, 42
Vaisnavas are very rare: 3. 43 - 45
Out of many liberated souls, a pure devotee is very rare: 3. 46, 47
A Vaisnava cannot be understood with mundane knowledge: 3.49
A Vaisnava is paradumkha-dumkhi: compassionate for the sufferings of others: 3. 50 - 53
A Vaisnava is transcendental, supramundane: 3.54
A Vaisnava's birth, family, and nation are of no importance: 3. 57
A pure devotee is even dearer than one's own family: 3. 61
The twelve mahajanas: 3. 62
Important devotees: 3. 63
Prahlada is the best of the devotees beginning with Amburish Maharaja: 3. 64
Better than Prahlada are the Pandavas: 3. 65
The Yadavas are superior to the Pandavas: 3. 66
Uddhava is superior to the Yadavas: 3. 67
The gopis are superior to Uddhava: 3. 69
The gopis are superior to the Laksmis of Vaikuntha: 3. 70
Radharani is the best of all devotees: she is superior to all: 3. 71 - 72
The glories of the devotees of Sri Gauranga: 3. 73 - 76
The unfortunate position of nondevotees: 3. 77
Nondevotees, karmis, jnanis, and yogis are all cheaters: 3. 78
Without devotion to Sri Gauranga, "knowledge" of the scriptures is nonsense: 3. 79
Without the mercy of a devotee of Sri Gauranga, everything is impossible: 3. 80

The Fourth Jewel: Gaura-tattva
The Gauranga Principle
 
The evidence of Sruti in connection with Sriman Mahaprabhu: 4. 1
The Sruti establishes that the Lord will appear in a golden form as Sri Gauranga: 4. 2
The evidence of Srimad-Bhagavatam: 4. 3 - 7
The evidence of Mahabharata: 4. 8
The evidence of the Puranas: 4. 9,10
The version of the Goswamis: 4. 11
Sri Gauranga is the fountainhead of all avataras: 4. 12,13
He is transcendental truth: he cannot be attained by wordly knowledge: 4. 14
Sri Krsna Caitanya Tattva: the Lord's sixfold nature: 4. 15
Gauranga is the supreme truth: 4. 16
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the jagad-guru: 4. 17
Gauranga is the best of all: 4. 18
Sri Gauranga's principle, name, form, qualities and pastimes: 4. 19
Sri Gauranga delivers everyone by distributing the holy name of Krsna: 4. 20
Gauranga is the giver of Krsna prema: 4. 21,22
Who would cheat themselves out of love of godhead?: 4. 23
By the mercy of Sri Gauranga one can know the proper conclusions of scripture: 4. 24,25
Sri Gauranga's preaching pastimes: 4. 26, 27
Sri Gauranga's example and precept: 4.28
Sri Gauranga's principle and ultimate goals: 4. 29
Sri Gauranga is like a lion: 4. 30
Sri Gauranga's external reasons for appearing: 4. 31
Sri Gauranga's ultimate and confidential reason for appearing: 4. 32
Internally he has the mood of Sri Radha, externally he preaches the holy name: 4. 33
The pastimes of Sri Gauranga are eternal: 4. 34
Materialistic and demonic persons are envious of Sri Gauranga: 4. 35
Sri Gauranga in his acarya-lila is not the enjoyer of the rasa dance: 4. 36
The glories of the mercy of Sri Gauranga and Nityananda: 4. 37
The unfortunate position of those cheated out of Sri Gauranga's mercy: 4. 38, 39
Sri Gauranga appears in the form of His holy name and as His deity: 4. 40
The teachings of Sri Gauranga in a nutshell: 4. 41

The Fifth Jewel: Nityananda-tattva
The Nityananda Principle
The two main branches of the Caitanya tree: Nitai and Advaita: 5. 1
The divine position of Nityananda: 5. 2 - 6
Baladeva is the original Sankarsana: 5. 7
The pastimes of Balarama and Nityananda are nondifferent: 5. 8
The Glories of Nityananda Prabhu: 5. 9, 10
Nityananda is the savior of the most fallen: 5. 11
The desire for bhakti is strenghtened by the mercy of Nitai: 5. 12
Nityananda is Sri Caitanya's foremost preacher: 5. 13
Nityananda is mad about the service of Sri Caitanya: 5. 14
Those who have no faith in Gaura and Nitai are are offenders: 5. 15, 16

The Sixth Jewel: Advaita-tattva
The Advaita Principle
The Advaita Principle: 6. 1,2
Mahavisnu, the Supersoul of material nature, is the efficent cause [nimitta] and
Sri Advaita is the material cause [upadana] of the material creation: 6. 3
Advaita is Sadasiva: 6. 4
The meaning of the name Advaita: 6. 5,6
Advaita Acarya is a preacher of krsna-bhakti: 6. 7
He is the avatara of Mahavisnu of and is the servant of Sri Caitanya.: 6. 8
Advaita and Nityananda are servants of Sri Caitanya: 6. 9
The twofold branches among the followers of Advaita: saragrahi (those who accept the essence) and asaravahi (those useless persons who accept the nonessential): 6. 10
The Saragrahi followers of Advaita are devotees of Gauranga:
the asara-grahi (useless) are those who act independently and reject Gauranga: 6. 11
The useless followers of Advaita Acarya acted contrary
to the principles of Sri Caitanya and thus became cut off from his mercy: 6. 12
 

The Seventh Jewel: Krishna-tattva
The Krishna Principle
The Absolute Truth is one, but it is realized in three different ways: 7. 1
Scriptural judgement on Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan: 7. 2
The understanding of that nondual absolute as Bhagavan is complete, while understanding of the absolute as Paramatma is partial, and as Brahman is incomplete: 7. 3
Brahman is the effulgence of the Lord's transcendental body.
The conclusions of the Srutis: 7. 4 - 6
The conclusion of Brahma-samhita: 7. 7
The conclusion of Bhagavad-gita: 7. 8
The conclusion of the Goswamis: 7. 9
Paramatma: The yogis worship the Supersoul in everyone's heart: 7. 14 - 17
Paramatma is an "ekamsa " expansion of the Supreme Lord: 7. 18,19
Scriptural judgements on the position of the Supreme Truth
Bhagavan, is possessed of three-fold potencies: sandhini (existence), samvit (consciousness), and hladini (ecstasy). He is the Absolute Person, the origin of all energies, one without a second. He is by Himself and for Himself: 7.20
Visnu is the Supreme Truth: 7. 21
Krsna is the Supreme Visnu: 7. 22
Krsna is the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead: 7. 23
Sri Krsna is the ultimate goal of all the Vedic literatures: 7. 24 - 27
The meaning of Bhagavan: 7.28 - 30
Krsna is the cause of all causes: 7. 31
Krsna is the Supreme Shelter of everything: 7. 32
Krsna is the Original Person: 7. 33
Krsna and Narayana are one but, on the basis of rasa, Krsna is superior. : 7. 34
All the demigods beginning with Siva recognize Krsna as the Supreme Master: 7. 37
This world is maintained by an expansion of an expansion of Krsna: 7. 41 - 43
The real form (svarupa) of Sri Krsna: 7. 44
The Vedas speak of the pastimes of the Supreme Lord as the son of Nanda: 7. 45
Krsna is the root of everything. By serving Him, the universe becomes satisfied: 7. 46
The demigods headed by Brahma and Siva know Krsna as the Supreme Lord: 7. 47
Although He is one, Krsna appears in three categories of forms: svayam-rupa, tadekatma-rupa and avesa-rupa: 7.49
Two divisions of svayam-rupa: prabhava and vaibhava.
Prabhava-prakasa manifestations of Krsna's divine forms
for the purpose of performing pastimes: 7. 51
Expanding many forms for the purpose of marrying thousands of queens:
prabhava-vilasa: 7. 52
Vaibhava-prakasa: 7. 53
Examples of vaibhava-prakasa: Balarama and Vasudeva Krsna: 7. 54
The four-handed form of the Lord as Vasudeva or Devakinandana is known as prabhava-vilasa. both the two-handed and four-handed form of the Lord are prakasa-vigrahas.
Explanations about the form of the Lord in the mood of a cowherd boy in Vrndavana
and the form of the Lord in the mood of a ksatriya as the son of Vasudeva: 7. 55
tad-ekatma-rupa: 7. 56
Two divisisions of tad-ekatma-rupa: Vilasa and Svamsa: 7. 57
Two divisions of Vilasa: prahava and vaibhava.
Prabhava-vilaasa - in Mathura and Dvarakapuri,
and in the original quadruple expansion: 7. 58 - 59
Vaibhava-prakasa and prahava-vilasa forms are categorized according to different moods and pastimes. One example of this is Balarama: 7. 60
From that prabhava-vilasa, the original catur-vyuha, comes the entire pantheon of caturvyuhas which are vaibhava-vilasa features of the Lord: 7. 61
The original caturvyuha are the Lords in Mathura and Dvaraka: 7. 62
The expansions of the original caturvyuha differ in name and the placement of their weapons. The twenty four principle expansions are known as vaibhava-vilasa: 7. 63
The original caturvyuha expand into Vaikuntha for the pastimes of Narayana: 7. 64
Further expansions of the second quadruples: 7. 65
The svamsa expansions appear within the material world
to help the sadhus and destroy the demons.
The different avataras: 7. 66
Six kinds of avataras: 7. 67
Who is called svayam-bhagavan?: 7. 68
He who descends (avatari), and the different descents (avataras) of the Lord: 7. 69
The distinction between avatara and avatari: 7. 70
The avataras of the Lord are divine. They are not subject ot material influence: 7. 71
The time and purpose for the advent of the Lord's avatara: 7. 72,73
The internal purpose for the advent of the Lord: 7.74
Krsna's avataras are countless: 7. 75
The three purusavataras: 7. 76
Because he descends within the material world, the Lord is called "avatara.": 7. 77
Mahavisnu is but a partial part of Krsna Himself: 7. 78 - 81
Mahavisnu's form is transcendental: 7. 82 - 83
Aniruddha is the third purusavatara, known as Ksirodakasayi Visnu. He is also the guna-avatara Visnu. He is the Supersoul and maintainer of all living beings as well as the maintainer and rest of the universe: 7. 84
The three guna-avataras: Brahma, Visnu, and Siva.
Brahma is the avatara of raja-guna, the mode of passion: 7. 85
Although Brahma is different from Krsna he is empowered by the Lord for the work of creation just as the sun invests its power within a stone: 7. 86
Rudra (Siva): the incarnation in the mode of ignorance: 7. 87
The distinction between Krsna, Siva, and jiva: 7. 88
Rudra is one with and different from the Lord. The example of milk and yogurt: 7. 89
Brahma-samhita confirms this point: 7. 90
The difference between Siva and Krsna: 7. 91
The materialistic Rudra is always absorbed in a synthesis of the qualities of maya: 7. 92
The quality of Visnu is that he is above the modes of material nature: 7. 93
The Visnu who is situated in sattva-guna is the pastime form of Garbhodakasayi Visnu and a svamsa expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna: 7. 94
Krsna expands as Visnu just as an original candle lights other candles: 7. 95
The constitutional position of Visnu, Brahma, and Siva. Brahma and Siva are different from Krsna and are subject to His command, while Visnu is the Supreme Lord, nondifferent from Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: 7. 96
The eternal and transcendental character of Sri Krsna's birth and pastimes: 7. 98
Evidence from the Srutis about the transcendental character of Krsna's pastimes: 7. 99
The "apani-padam" verse means that His body is transcendental: 7. 100
The Lord's body is not material, but He manifests Himself by His own potency: 7. 101
The transcendental science cannot be understood by material intelligence: 7. 102 - 109
The eternal, blissful body of the Lord is transcendental substance: 7. 110
The name and form of the Lord are sac-cidnananda: 7. 111
One who cannot understand that Krsna's form is transcendental is a fool: 7. 112,113
The form of the Lord appears in eight kinds of material substances: 7. 114

The Eighth Jewel: Shakti-tattva
The Shakti Principle
The energies of the Supreme Lord are unlimited: 8.2
The unlimited energy of the Lord is divided into three principle categories: 8. 2
Three varieties of the Lord's energy: 8. 4,5
The evidence of the Sruti on the subject of cit-sakti: 8. 6
The evidence of the Smrtis on the subject of cit-sakti: 8. 7
The evidence of the Sruti on the subject of cit-sakti: 8. 8
The evidence of the Smrti on the subject of jiva-sakti: 8. 9,10
The evidence of the Sruti on the subject of maya-sakti: 8. 11
The evidence of the Smrti on the subject of maya-sakti: 8. 12,13
Two kinds of maya: guna-maya and jiva-maya: 8. 14
Material maya is the shadow of Yogamaya: 8. 15,16
Hladini, samvit and sandhini - three kinds of energy: 8. 17 - 20
Those who are most dear to Krsna are His internal energy: 8. 21
Sri Radhika is Krsna's most complete energy: 8. 22
All the Laksmis are expansions of Sri Radha: 8. 23
 

The Ninth Jewel: Bhagavad-Rasa-Tattva
The Principle of the Mellows of Divine Rasa in relation to Krsna.
Krsna is the reservoir of all pleasures, the ocean of transcendental mellows.
He appears in different ways to different devotees and manifests all the varieties of mellow rasa: 9. 1
The Supreme Absolute Truth is the personification of divine mellows: 9. 2
The five principle rasas: 9. 3
The seven secondary rasas: 9. 4,5
Srimad-Bhagavatam's version on santa-rasa: 9. 6
Being fixed in Krsna is a quality of santa-rasa: 9. 7
The qualities and essential features of santa-rasa.
In santa-rasa, a devotee wants nothing but Krsna: 9. 8
Santa-rasa+service=Dasya-rasa: 9. 9
Srimad-Bhagavatam's version on dasya-rasa: 9. 10
The Srimad-Bhagavatam on the glories of dasya-rasa: 9. 11
The glories of being a servant of Krsna: 9. 12
The version of the Srutis about Friendship, or sakhya: 9. 13
The infinite, is defeated by the finite: 9. 14
Sakhya-rasa=santa-rasa+dasya-rasa+the feeling of kinship: 9. 15
Vatsalya-rasa, the mellow of parenthood=santa+dasya+sakhya+ nurturing: 9. 16
Madhura-rasa,conjugal love=santa+dasya+sakhya+vatsalya-rasa+the desire for offering one's body in service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna: 9. 17
Sthayi-bhava or permanent ecstasies, together with different kinds of affection (rati) are transformed into transcendental mellow (rasa). In other words, rati, or affection, is the root cause of rasa, divine mellow: 9. 18
The "cause" of rasa as the two forms of vibhava:alambana - the support, or the peson who is the object of the sentiment (those things in connection with Krsna, his flute, his devotees, etc. - and uddipana - the incentive or inspiration for awakening (Krsna Himself.): 9. 19
The object and shelter are two different kinds of objects of bhakti;
These are known as two kinds of alambana: 9. 20
Sri Krsna is the best of all objects of worship: 9. 21
Srimati Radharani is the best of all the asrayas, the sources of devotion: 9. 22, 23
subdivisions of rasa: 9. 24,25

The Tenth Jewel: Jiva-tattva
The Jiva Principle
The jiva is a separated infinitesimal particle of the Lord (vibbhinamsa): 10. 1,2
The very nature of the jiva soul is transcendental substance: 10. 3, 4, 5
The jiva is a particle of a ray of the Paramatma: 10. 6, 7
The jiva is conscious atomic energy: 10. 8
This atomic soul is infinitesimal and pure in nature,
although he sometimes becomes involved in piety and impiety: 10. 9
The atomic soul inhabits the body and pervades it with consciousness: 10. 11
The evidence of Vedanta on the nature of the soul: 10. 12
Two kinds of souls - "bound" (baddha) and "liberated" (mukta): 10. 13
The soul's constitutional position and relationship with divinity:
Caitanya Mahaprabhu's conclusion: 10. 14
The soul is an eternal servant of Krsna: 10. 15
The jiva is Krsna's marginal potency (tatastha-sakti): 10. 16
The jiva is a manifestation one with and different from the Lord:
The Lord is the controller of maya - the jiva is controlled by maya: 10. 17 - 20
The jiva soul is dependent on God and eternally different from Him: 10. 20,21
The opinion of "Suddhadvaita" on the difference between the soul (jiva) and God (isvara): 10. 22
The difference between the soul (jiva) and God (isvara) is eternal: 10. 23
The version of the Srutis on this eternal difference: 10. 24,25
Sankaracarya's version on the difference between soul and God: 10. 26 - 28
Turning away from Krsna is the root cause of the soul's ignorance: 10. 28,29
In ignorance, the soul identifies with the subtle and gross body
and thus suffers repeated birth and death: 10. 30 - 31
Attainment of the lotus feet of Krsna is liberation from all material suffering: 10. 32, 33
The siddhanta of the acarya of visisthadvaita-vada:
consciousness and matter are like the subtle and gross body
of the Lord, as He is the soul of all souls: 10. 34
The siddhanta of the acarya of dvaitadvaita-vada on the subject of the jiva-soul: 10. 35
The siddhanta of the acarya of suddhadvaita-vada (Visnuswami, represented by Sridhara Swami): 10. 36
A liberated soul attains a spiritually perfect body in the service of Krsna: 10. 38
The opinion of suddhadvaita-vada on the distinct position of the eternally liberated souls: 10. 39
One who equates the individual soul with the Supreme Lord is an atheist: 10. 40, 41

The Eleventh Jewel: Acintya-bhedabheda tattva
The principle of inconceivable oneness and difference
The evidence of Sruti on the subject of acintya-bhedabheda tattva:
The principle of inconceivable oneness and difference: 11. 1
The evidence of Srimad-Bhagavatam on acintya-bhedabheda-tattva: 11. 2
The evidence of the Smrti on acintya-bhedabheda-tattva: 11.3 - 6
The conclusion of Jiva Goswami on acintya-bhedabheda-tattva: 11. 7,8
The Brahma-sutras support the view of sakti-parinamavada: 11. 9
The meaning of parinama-vada (the theory of transformation)
and vivarta-vada (the theory of illusion): 11. 10

The Twelfth Jewel: Abhidheya - tattva
The methodological principle - the "means" of appoaching divinity
Sreyas and preyas: two different paths -
The path of spiritual well-being and the path of material well-being: 12. 1
Attainment of the ultimate good is the real purpose of the human form of life: 12. 2
Three different ways: the way of karma, the way of jnana, and the way of bhakti: 12. 3
Who is qualified for taking to the paths of karma, jnana, and bhakti?: 12. 4 - 6
To be fixed in one's adhikara is a good quality: 12. 7,8
Bhakti, or devotional service is the real goal of the Vedas: 12. 9 - 12
The Vaisnava guru never encourages the path of karma: 12. 13 - 15
Materialistic karmic activities are condemned: 12. 18
The path of karma is condemned by the Vedas: 12. 22 - 24
Without the worship of Visnu, the worship of demigods is improper: 12. 25
Impersonalism is condemend in the Upanisadas: 12. 26, 27
The scriptures condemn the ascending path of knowledge: 12. 28
The followers of the ascending and descending paths and their destinations: 12. 30 - 35
The instruction of the Vedas about the ascending path: 12. 36 - 38
Bhakti is superior to karma and jnana: 12. 39
The eightfold yoga system does not lead to the highest goal: 12. 40
Controlling the mind through Pranayama is not possible: 12. 41,42
Yoga and Pranayama are only a useless waste of time: 12. 43
Who is a real yogi and sannyasi?: 12. 44 - 47
Without bhakti there is no means to attain the Supreme Lord: 12.48
Pure devotion - suddha-bhakti is the only means by which Krsna can be attained: 12. 49
The goal of bhakti and the goal of karma and jnana are not the same: 12. 50 - 53
What is the character of bhakti?: 12. 54

The Thirteenth Jewel: Sadhana-bhakti-tattva
The principle of devotional practice
Jnana-misra-bhakti: devotion (bhakti) mixed with knowledge (jnana): 13. 1
Karma-misra-bhakti: devotion (bhakti) mixed with fruitive action (karma): 13. 2
The definition of bhakti: 13. 5
The Srutis glorify bhakti: 13. 8 - 11
Two kinds of sadhana-bhakti: "vaidhi" (regulated by scripture) and "raganuga (spontaneous).
1) Vaidhi-bhakti: 13. 12
2) Ragatmika-bhakti: 13. 13
An example of vaidhi-bhakti: 13. 14
An example of Ragatmika-bhakti: 13. 15
The ninefold system of bhakti: 13. 16
Among all nine processes of bhakti, sravana, kirtana, and smarana, are the best: 13. 19
Sravana - Hearing: 13. 20,21
The gradation of what is obtained by sravana: 13. 22
The glories of sravana: 13. 23
The meaning of the word "kirtana": 13. 26
Hearing and chanting about Krsna is not the same as hearing and chanting about
mundane topics. And therefore, the material senses cannot appreciate
the transcendental nature of hearing and chanting about Krsna: 13. 27 - 29
The glories of kirtana of the holy name of Krsna: 13. 30
Kirtana describing the Lord's qualities is the final aim of all knowledge: 13. 32
The glories of the qualities of Sri Hari, the Supreme Lord: 13. 34
Nama-kirtana is the best: 13. 35
The holy name is the only way for the deliverance in the age of Kali: 13. 36
The harinama verse explained: 13. 37
Smarana - Remembrance: 13. 38
The results of remembering material subjects vs. the results of remembering Krsna: 13. 39
The results of remembering Krsna: 13. 40
Between sravana, kirtana, and smarana, kirtana is the best: 13. 41
Pada-sevana - serving the Lord's lotus feet: 13. 42
The results of Pada-sevana, serving the Lord's lotus feet: 13. 45,46
Arcana - worship of the Lord: 13. 47 - 51
Vandana - Offering obeisances and prayers: 13. 52
The glories of vandana: 13. 54
Dasyam - serving the Lord: 13. 56
The different branches of dasyam - service: 13. 59
The prayer of the servant of the Lord: 13. 61
The definition of devotional friendship, sakhya: 13. 62
Two different divisions of friendship in devotion:
generic friendship based on faith and friendship based on friendly affection: 13. 63
Generic sakhyam based on faith: 13. 64
Sakhyam based on intimate feelings of friendship: 13. 65
The definition of "atma-nivedana": 13. 66,67
Saranagati - total surrender: 13. 68
Duties and religious principles (dharma) favorable to bhakti: 13. 70 - 76
A mentality of detachment from material things is favorable to bhakti: 13. 77
Behavior for Vaisnava grhasthas which is favorable for the cultivation of bhakti: 13. 82
Fasting on Ekadasi is favorable for the culture of bhakti: 13. 83
What destroys bhakti?: 13. 85
The dust from the lotus feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the lotus feet of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by devotees have the power to bestow Krsna-prema: 13. 86
The glories of maha-prasada: 13. 87
Things unfavorable to devotional service:
Materialistic conceptions of guru, Vaisnava, and deities,
as well as equating Visnu with ordinary gods: 13. 94
Bad association destroys bhakti: 13. 95
1) Renouncing bad association: 13. 100
2) Avoiding attachment to accepting too many disciples and overendeavoring: 13. 101
3) Remaining undisturbed by material misfortunes: 13. 102
4) Avoiding lamentation: 13. 103
5) Prohibitions on worshiping other gods: 13. 104
6) One should avoid giving pain to other living beings: 13. 105
Bhakti is superior to false renunciation: 13. 106
The five places where those things opposed to bhakti reside: 13. 107
The different kinds of bad association which can destroy bhakti: 13. 111
Association with women destroys bhakti: 13. 112
Remembrance of sexual pleasure condemned: 13. 113
The power of of the material form of a woman to attract the mind: 13. 114
One should completely give up all association with women: 13. 115,116
Grhamedhi-dharma condemned: 13. 117
Tamasik and Rajasik foods are antagonistic to bhakti: 13. 118,119
Meateating is a brainless act that destroys bhakti: 13. 120,121
The senses are like seven wives, of which the tongue is the most powerful: 13. 122 - 124
Misconceptions to be avoided in sadhana-bhakti:
offenses to devotees, fault-finding, and diplomacy: 13. 125
To view devotees in terms of their birth, or to consider them ordinary materialistic persons is the practice of imitation devotees, known as prakrta-sahijiyas: This is certainly antagonistic to the development of bhakti: 13. 126
Mental conceptions of good and bad are antagonistic to bhakti: 13. 127
Worldly, materialistic persons and their readings of Bhagavatam are condemned: 13. 128
Fake, Show-bottle, and Professional Bhagavatam: 13. 129
Attempts for liberation beginning with vows of silence,
austerity, sastric study, and so on will not lead to bhakti: 13. 130
Desires for enjoyment and liberation destroy Krsna-bhakti: 13. 131
The senses are useless if not engaged in Krsna's service: 13. 132 - 137
Without the mercy of Gauranga it is not possible
to control the senses or walk on the path of bhakti: 13.138
The six kinds of saranagati: 13. 139
Without saranagati there can be no auspiciousness: 13. 140 - 144
The body of a surrendered devotee is not material: 13. 145 - 148
Humility: 13. 149
Immeasurable auspiciousness is attained by a moment with a pure devotee: 13. 150 - 152
The Srutis identify the worship of devotees
and association with saints as the only thing worth doing: 13. 153
Without sadhu-sanga, there is no other way: 13. 154
Those who have few pious credits cannot get the association of great souls: 13. 155, 156
A devotee has all the good qualities in the universe; a nondevotee has none: 13. 157
From sadhu-sanga comes faith, devotional attachment, and prema-bhakti: 13. 158
With humility and hankering for Krsna,
a devotee gives instructs his mind and prays as follows: 13. 159

The Fourteenth Jewel : Varnadharma-tattva
The principle of social order
Two kinds of varnasrama - divine and demonic: 14. 1
Divine varnasrama: 14. 2
Demonic varnasrama: 14. 3
The character of the followers of demonic varnasrama: 14. 4
The future life of the followers of demonic varnasrama: 14. 5,6
The followers of demonic varnasrama find that
their birth, their family, and their knowledge is useless: 14. 7
The four-fold social nature of the jiva souls: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra.
A description of the particular characteristics of the four varnas: 14. 8 - 11
Evidence from Bhagavad-gita on this subject: 14. 12
The activities which characterize the brahminical nature: 14. 13
The activities which characterize ksatriyas: 14. 14
The activities which characterize vaisyas and sudras: 14. 15
The Lord's intention regarding the divisions of
varna and asrama according to quality (guna) and work (karma): 14. 16
Evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam: 14. 17 - 21
Previously, everyone was a brahmana, later, according to quality and work
(guna and karma) different divisions began to arise: 14. 22
The position of caste or varna-dharma in Kaliyuga: 14. 23 - 27
The brahmanas of Kaliyuga are brahmanas in name only: 14. 28
The evidence of Caitanya-Bhagavata: 14. 29
The judgement of Sruti on how the brahmana caste was debased: 14. 30, 31
The opinion of the truth-loving Vedic ¨sis: 14. 32
The evidence of the Sruti,Smrti, Puranas, and Itihasas on the duties of brahmanas: 14. 33
The evidence of the Mahabharata: 14. 34
The evidence of Srimad-Bhagavatam: 14. 35
The opinion of Nilakantha about the conduct of brahmanas: 14. 36
Sridhara Swami's opinion: 14. 37
Mahaprabhu's definition of what a brahmana is and is not: 14. 38
The evidence of the Smrti: 14. 39
The clear verdict of the Mahabharata on the occupation of brahmanas: 14. 40, 41
The verdict of the Smrti on the occupational behavior of brahmanas: 14. 44
The Sruti's example of the conduct of a brahmana
The story of Satyakama,Jabala, and Gautama: 14. 45
Examples of the conduct of thsoe who became brahmanas by initiation.
The Srutis on the position of Vedic acaryas: 14. 46
The evidence of Vedanta-Sutra and the example of Citraratha: 14. 47,48
Examples of members of other castes who became brahmanas: 14. 49
Examples from Srimad-Bhagavatam, the spotless Vaisnava Purana, on brahminical conduct: 14. 57 - 60
The words of Brahma from the Padma-Purana: 14. 60 - 62
The seminal brahmanas of Kali-yuga are impure.
The purity of pa-caratrika diksa: 14. 63
What is meant by diksa?: 14. 64
Pa-caratrika diksa can make a common man a spiritual brahmana: 14. 65
The acarya gives initiation to a humble disciple and explains
The meaning of the mantra: 14. 66
The evidence of Mahabharata: 14. 67 - 69
The conclusion of the Goswamis: 14. 70,71
The three kinds of birth - seminal, sacred thread, and mantra-diksa: 14. 72
Sridhara Swami's remarks on the three kinds of birth: 14. 73
One who has performed the forty-eight kinds of samskaras is a brahmana: 14. 74
The samskaras in pursuance of the one Veda and the four Vedas: 14. 75
Vaisnavas are not sudras: 14. 76
Paramahamsas are above varnasrama: 14. 77
The sacred thread worn by those who are brahmanas in name only
is only the ugly conceit of the proud: 14. 78
Those who merely imitate the activities of a brahmana are not real brahmanas;
those who follow the essence of spiritual reality are genuine brahmanas: 14. 79
It is forbidden to give the sacred thread to those who are not on the Vedic path: 14. 80
What does it mean to be a brahmana in name only?: 14. 81 - 86
The consequences faced by those who are brahmanas in name only: 14. 87
Both the students and practitioners of professional brahminism condemned: 14. 88
Demigod worship and other unbrahminical activities: 14. 89
Demigod worship by brahmanas is condemned in the scriptures: 14. 90, 91
Demigod worship is called "anti-dharma" by the sastra, and is damned: 14. 92
Spiritual brahmanism: 14. 93, 94
Who is a brahmana?: 14. 95 and 96
A Vaisnava is the best of all and is the guru of everyone: 14. 97
A Vaisnava who has come from a candala family is worshipable by the brahmanas: 14. 98
Fallible and infallible classes of men; Vaisnavas are infallible: 14. 101
The difference between a devotee who is low-born
and a brahmana who is expert in studying all four Vedas: 14. 102
One who takes the holy name of Krsna has, in his previous lives, performed austerity, sacrifice, holy baths, and Vedic study, and is "saved.": 14. 103
The behavior of Advaita Prabhu, the acarya of suddha-bhakti,
instructs that a Vaisnava - even if he comes from a family of mlecchas -
is the guru of the brahmanas: 14. 104
A Vaisnava is the guru of millions of millions of brahmanas: 14. 105

The Fifteenth Jewel: ashrama-dharma-tattva
The principle of ashrama-dharma
Every soul is situated in one of the four asramas
and follows the rules of his asrama according to his nature: 15. 1
The four asramas defined: 15. 2
Different rules for the different four asramas: 15. 3,4
Rules for brahmacaris: 15. 5 - 10
All asramas are meant for serving Hari alone: 15. 11
The scriptures make concessions for the materialistic people in general: 15. 12
It is not the duty of grhasthas to become bewildered by family life: 15. 13 - 15
A grhastha may live at home, in the forest, or on the road.
The character of one who is overly attached to family life: 15. 17
The destination of such a person: 15. 18
Both women and men should avoid the attachments of family life, which are condemned in the scriptures. Attachment to Krsna is the only real dharma for the soul: 15. 19
Enjoyment of material conjugal pleasures in household life is condemned: 15. 20
The purpose of household life: 15. 21
The unholy household: 15. 22
The duty of Vanaprasthas: 15. 23
Karma-sannyasa, jnana-sannyasa, and tridandi Vaisnava sannyasa: 15. 25
A dhira sannyasi: 15. 26
A narottama sannyasi: 15. 27
Prohibition against materialistic or karma-sannyasa (karma-kanda) in Kali-yuga: 15. 28
The meaning of the word "tridandi.": 15. 29
Rupa Goswami's definition of the word "tridanda"
- one who can control body, mind, and words: 15. 31
Tridanda-sannyasa mentioned in the ancient Vedas: 15. 32
The perfect commentary on Vedanta, the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
also mentions tridanda sannyasa: 15. 33
The tridandi attains perfection according to the Manu-Samhita: 15. 34
The Harita-Samhita glorifies tridanda-sannyasa: 15. 35
Sridhara Swami mentions the position of
tridanda-sannyasa in his commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam: 15. 36
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's opinion on the tridandi verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam: 15. 37
A tridandi sannyasi maintains the sikha, sacred thread, and dress of a sannyasi: 15. 38
The evidence of Padma-Purana: 15. 39
The one hundred and eight names of the Vedic tridandi sannyasis: 15. 40
A tridandi sannyasi is worshipable by all the asramas, who should offer obeisances to him.
Failure to do so is a sin: 15. 41
A Paramahamsa Vaisnava is superior to all the asramas
and all the asramas should offer obeisances unto him: 15. 42
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya's example: 15. 43
What should be done by sannyasis; the impersonalist sannyasis condemned: 15. 44
Only unmotivated devotional service to the Supreme Lord,
Adhoksaja will give complete satisfaction to the soul: 15. 45
Vantasis, fallen sannyasi are compared to vomit-eaters and condemned: 15. 46 - 50
The behavior of those great souls who are transcendental to all the asramas: 15. 51
The Vedic explanation of "paramahamsa.": 15. 53
The pastime of breaking Mahaprabhu's sannyasa danda: The purpose of the danda is to chastise body, mind, and words, but since the Supreme Lord is a paramahamsad, who is transcendental to all material considerations there is no need for him to carry a danda - thus Nityananda Prabhu broke his danda in order to glorify the Lord's position: 15. 54
The Srimad-Bhagavatam gives the characteristic behavior of a paramahamsa: 15. 57
The mentality of a paramahamsa: 15. 58

The Sixteenth Jewel: Sraddha-tattva
The Proper Funeral Ceremony
The Seventeenth Jewel: Nama-tattva
The holy name principle
The Supreme Lord Krsna is the root of all religion: 17. 1
Krsna is the only way: 17. 2
Chanting the holy name of the Lord is the eternal and highest dharma for all souls: 17.3
The holy name is the essence of the Srutis and is worshiped by the liberated: 17. 4
The constitutional nature of the holy name: 17. 5
The Vedas sing the glories of the holy name: 17. 7a
The glories of the holy name in the Smrti-sastras: 17. 8
The holy name grants all perfection in the age of Kali: 17. 9
The ancient acaryas on the glories of the holy name: 17. 13
The different pastimes of the divine mantra and the holy name: 17. 16
The glories of Hari-katha: 17. 17
The glories of the holy name surpasses the realization of impersonal Brahman: 17. 18
The kirtana of the holy name is best of all: 17. 19
The holy name surpasses worship and meditation: 17. 20
The holy name is not regulated by time, place and circumstance -
It can be chanted anywhere and everywhere: 17. 22
The Srimad-Bhagavatam on the subject of loud kirtana: 17. 26
Loud kirtana is the best: 17. 27
Loud kirtana benefits the chanter well as those who hear the sound: 17. 28
Caitanya Mahaprabhu loudly chanted the holy name of Krsna: 17. 29
The opinion of the Vedanta acarya on the form of the maha-mantra: 17. 30
Hare Krsna is the maha-mantra for the age of Kali; to disregard this is an
offense against the holy name, which is against the conclusions of the scriptures: 17. 31-37
The Upanisads on the Hare Krsna maha-mantra: 17. 38 - 39
The Puranas on the Hare Krsna maha-mantra: 17. 40
Chanting the holy name qualifies one for deliverance: 17. 41
both in the stage of practice as well as in the stage of divine perfection: 17. 42
Things unfavorable for nama-kirtana: 17. 43
The different characteristics of the principal and secondary name: 17. 44
The secondary names and their symptoms: 17. 45
The different fruits of the principal and secondary names of Godhead: 17. 46
The principal name: 17. 47
The fruit of offenselessly uttering the principal name: 17. 48
The seven-fold results of chanting the principal name: 17. 49
The principal result of chanting the holy name is krsna-prema,
which surpasses all other goals of life: 17. 50
Nama-kirtana fulfills all aspects of bhajana: 17. 51
The pure name arises within the association of devotees: 17. 52 - 53
The holy name cannot be realized through the material senses: 17. 56
The formula for perfection in chanting the holy name: 17. 57
The formula for the favorable culture of the holy name of Krsna: 17. 58
Determination for practicing the chanting of the holy name: 17. 59
From the kirtana of the holy name, the form,
qualities, and pastimes of the Lord gradually awakens: 17. 60
The four kinds of namabhasa: 17. 61
The result of namabhasa: 17. 62
The different results of the pure holy name and namabhasa: 17. 65
The different results of namabhasa and namaparadha: 17. 66
The proper mentality of one who is taking the holy name without offense: 17. 67
Ten kinds of namaparadha: the ten offenses to the holy name of Krsna: 17. 69 - 75
Blasphemy of saintly persons is the principal offense to the holy name: 17. 76
Those who offend devotees do not chant the "real name"
and the Lord does not accept their worship: 17. 78
A person who blasphemes a Vaisnava is finished,
just as if he were cut down by a powerful trident: 17. 79
The offenders of Vaisnavas are punished forever - Mahaprabhu's opinion: 17. 80
The offenders of Vaisnavas along with their ancestors
fall into the terrible hell called Maharaurava;
The sixfold causes of such falldown: 17. 81
The blasphemers of Vaisnavas should have their tongues cut out: 17. 83
The great fault of hearing blasphemy of Vaisnavas: 17. 84
The way to cut Vaisnava-aparadha: 17. 85
The second offense to the holy name - equating the demigods with Visnu: 17. 87 - 88
The third offense to the holy name - disregarding the guru: 17. 89 - 90
The fourth offense to the holy name - blaspheming the Vedic scriptures): 17. 91
The fifth offense to the holy name.
(To consider the glories of the holy name to be exaggerated): 17. 93
The sixth offense to the holy name: to equate the holy name with other auspicious activities: 17. 95 - 96
The uselessness of auspicious activities
other than chanting the holy name of the Lord in full surrender: 17. 97
The seventh offense to the holy name.
(To instruct the faithless in the glories of the holy name.): 17. 98
The eighth offense to the holy name.
(To commit sins on the strenght of chanting.): 17. 99
The ninth offense to the holy name.
(To chant inattentively, neglectfully, lazily): 17. 100
The tenth offense to the holy name of Krsna.
(Maintaining material attachments and misconceptions while chanting.): 17. 101
The real name of Krsna can never awaken in Mayavadis or offenders to Krsna: 17. 107
Through chanting the holy name of Krsna and dancing one gains life.
"Namaparadha": 17. 108 - 109
One who eagerly dedicates mind, body, and soul in Krsna-bhakti
experiences the topmost mercy and auspicousness: 17. 111
Mercy towards living beings: 17. 113
Gaurasundara's followers preach the holy name -
by doing so, they attain the eternal association
of the Lord, who is the father of the sankirtana movement: 17. 114
Those who have taken birth in the land of India should show mercy to others
by eagerly preaching the glories of the holy name of Sri Krsna: 17. 115

The Eighteenth Jewel: Prayojana-tattva
The principle of the ultimate goal
The definition of Bhava: 18. 1
Mahaprabhu's verse in connection with bhava: 18. 2
The Lord's divine figure and is the cause of bhava, transcendental emotion: 18. 3
That Sweet Lord's nature as the most opulent Lord of threes: 18. 4
The symptoms of bhava are seen in those
who cultivate the holy name in the association of devotees: 18. 5 - 6
The practical, material, symptoms of bhava: 18. 7 - 8
Two kinds of raga-marga - in the practitioner and in the perfected soul: 18. 9
The development of prema into sneha, raga, anuraga, bhava and mahabhava: 18. 11-12
One who sees with the eyes of prema can see Krsna: 18. 14
The shelter of madhurya-rasa-bhakti: 18. 15
The direct and indirect tasting of rasa: 18. 16
The definition of "rasa": 18. 17
The qualification for madhurya-rasa: 18. 18
The prohibition for those who are unqualified: 18. 19
The separation experienced in madhurya-rasa: 18. 20
Extreme separation: 18. 23

Appendix: Pramana-tattva
The evidence principle.
Srimad-Bhagavatam describes the four kinds of evidence: Appendix 1. 1
Manu-Samhita describes three kinds of evidence: Appendix 1.2
The ancient Vaisnava Madhva Muni explains the three kinds of evidence, Appendix 1.3
Divine sound is the best evidence for understanding reality: Appendix 1.4,5 


Verse Index



next.gif - 2528 Bytes
Return to[Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library Logo]

Nenhum comentário:

Postar um comentário

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