Overview
In early 2001, a website run by a group of young men claiming to be followers of Madhvācārya made disparaging remarks about Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda and called into question the validity of the entire Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. In response to this, Srila B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja requested his disciple, Swami B.V. Giri to write a number of articles countering the claims of these young Madhvas. After posting these articles, Giri Maharaja then travelled to Uḍupī, interviewed the leaders of the aṣṭa-maṭhas (the eight major maṭhas in the Madhva sampradāya) and attained letters from them in praise of Śrīla Prabhupāda and the Gauḍīyas.
ānanda-tīrtha-nāma sukha-maya-dhāma yatir jīyāt
saṁsārārṇava-taraṇīm yam iha janāḥ kīrtyanti budhāḥ
May that great sannyāsī, Śrīla Ānanda Tīrtha (Madhvācārya) be ever victorious. He is like a boat to cross the ocean of the material world, and the wise men in this world praise him. (Prameya Ratnāvalī by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa)
The contents of the following articles are in response to a group of young men claiming to be the followers of Śrī Madhvācārya who recently insulted Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda and challenged the siddhānta of the Gauḍīya sampradāya. Many of their points are due to a lack of knowledge of Gauḍīya siddhānta, whilst other arguments appear to stem more from the fundamental defects of conditioned souls, such as malice and envy.
In contrast to the vitriol of these persons, the senior-most leader of the Madhva sampradāya, H.H. Viśveśa Tīrtha Swamijī of Pejāvara Maṭha, has glorified Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda as follows:
“Just as Bhagiratha brought the Ganga to India, Swami Prabhupāda brought the Bhakti-Gaṅgā to the whole world.” (Opening of Prabhupāda’s puṣpa-samādhi, Māyāpura 1995)
Along with this, letters of appreciation from five prominent Madhva leaders may be found here: Uḍupī Asta Matha Letters PDF
The articles in this section are as follows:
- The Validity of the Gauḍīya Paramparā
- The Divinity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
- The Ontological Position of the Vaiṣṇava over the Brāhmaṇa
- The Supremacy of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
- A Word to our Madhva-Vaiṣṇava Brethren PDF (From The Harmonist, 1935)
- Conversations on Mādhavendra Purī
- Brahma’s Illusion
We will analyse each of these issues individually and present the conclusion according to the Gauḍīya viewpoint. In each chapter the oppositions various arguments will be presented, followed by our refutation. Our sole aim in presenting this thesis is to show our own community of Vaiṣṇavas that we indeed have valid and conclusive answers to such objections.
Although we may speak very strongly in our rebuttal, we would like to make it very clear that we find no fault with the great Vaiṣṇava Śrī Madhva Muni himself. We regard him as one of our sampradāya-ācāryas and offer him all respects. It is the opinion of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas that the teachings of Śrī Madhvācārya are a vital step in the evolution of theism which culminates in the philosophy of divine love expounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
We do not claim to be a great vidvān (scholar), nor do we claim to have much knowledge in philosophy and history. We simply pray at the lotus feet of our revered Gurudeva, Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja and the predecessor ācāryas in our guru-varga such as Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, Śrīla B. R. Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla B. P. Purī Gosvāmī, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa to bless us with inspiration.
Praying for the mercy of Hari, Guru and Vaiṣṇavas.
Tridaṇḍi-bhikṣu
Swami Bhakti Vijñāna Giri
Article Series Links
- Tattvavāda and Gauḍīya Siddhānta by Swami B.V. Giri
- The Validity of the Gauḍiya Paramparā and It’s Link With Madhvācārya by Swami B.V. Giri
- The Divinity Of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by Swami B.V Giri
- The Ontological Position of the Vaiṣṇava over the Brāhmaṇa by Swami B.V. Giri
- The Supremacy of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam over the Vedas by Swami B.V. Giri
Related Articles and PDFs
- Letters from the Madhva-Maṭhas in Udupi in Support of Śrīla Prabhupāda and the Gauḍiya Sampradāya
- A Word to Our Madhva Brethren (Originally published in The Harmonist, Vol. 31, May 1935)
- Letters in Response to Articles on the Gauḍīya Sampradāya and Madhvācārya
- Speech by Śrī Viśveśa Tīrtha Swamijī of Pejāvara Maṭha
- Conversations on Mādhavendra Purī by Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha
A Letter to the Editor of the Navbharat Times
In this letter from 1958, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda writes to the editor of the Navbharat Times newspaper complaining of certain philosophical mistakes in an article published on Janmāṣṭamī – in particular, he protests that the article states that Śrī Kṛṣṇa was a ‘human incarnation.’ This letter was published in Śrī Bhāgavat Patrikā (Vol.4 Issue 5), the Hindi journal of the Gauḍīya Samiti in October 1958, and has been translated here for the first time in English.
Pilgrimage with Swami Narasiṅgha – Part 7: Keśī Ghāṭa
Continuing with our pilgrimage series, this week Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja takes us to Keśī Ghāṭā where he tells us about Madhumaṅgala’s meeting with the Keśī demon, what Keśī represents, and how Śrīla Prabhupāda almost acquired Keśī Ghāṭa. Mahārāja also narrates his own experience. This article has been adapted from a number of talks and articles by Narasiṅgha Mahārāja.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 61-65
In verses 61 to 65 of 'Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram', Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja narrates the pastime of Śrī Caitanya at Caṭaka Parvata In Purī and explains how the scriptures produced by Brahmā and Śiva are ultimately searching for the personality of Mahāprabhu who is merciful too all jīvas, no matter what their social position.
Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā
With the forthcoming observance of Śrī Rāma Navamī, we present 'Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā' written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda from The Gaudīyā magazine, Vol 3. Issue 21/ In December 1924, after visiting Benares and Prāyāga, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura visited the birth-site of Śrī Rāmācandra in Ayodhyā.
A Letter to the Editor of the Navbharat Times
In this letter from 1958, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda writes to the editor of the Navbharat Times newspaper complaining of certain philosophical mistakes in an article published on Janmāṣṭamī – in particular, he protests that the article states that Śrī Kṛṣṇa was a ‘human incarnation.’ This letter was published in Śrī Bhāgavat Patrikā (Vol.4 Issue 5), the Hindi journal of the Gauḍīya Samiti in October 1958, and has been translated here for the first time in English.
Pilgrimage with Swami Narasiṅgha – Part 7: Keśī Ghāṭa
Continuing with our pilgrimage series, this week Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja takes us to Keśī Ghāṭā where he tells us about Madhumaṅgala’s meeting with the Keśī demon, what Keśī represents, and how Śrīla Prabhupāda almost acquired Keśī Ghāṭa. Mahārāja also narrates his own experience. This article has been adapted from a number of talks and articles by Narasiṅgha Mahārāja.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 61-65
In verses 61 to 65 of 'Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram', Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja narrates the pastime of Śrī Caitanya at Caṭaka Parvata In Purī and explains how the scriptures produced by Brahmā and Śiva are ultimately searching for the personality of Mahāprabhu who is merciful too all jīvas, no matter what their social position.
Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā
With the forthcoming observance of Śrī Rāma Navamī, we present 'Prabhupāda Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Visit to Ayodhyā' written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda from The Gaudīyā magazine, Vol 3. Issue 21/ In December 1924, after visiting Benares and Prāyāga, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura visited the birth-site of Śrī Rāmācandra in Ayodhyā.