Overview
For the upcoming disappearance day of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, we present the following article, from the publication, ‘Guru-Tattva Prakāśika – Questions and Answers on the Guru Principle.’ This is the introduction to Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja’s commentary on Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja gives a brief description of the life of Cakravartī Ṭhākura as well as his literary contributions.
viśvasya nātha-rūpo’sau bhakti-vartma-pradarśanāt
bhakta-cakre vartitatvāt cakravarty-ākhyayābhavat
Because he has revealed the path of bhakti, he is identical with Viśvanātha, the Lord of the Universe; and because he was prominent within the circle of devotees, he has the appellation ‘Cakravartī.’
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura is perhaps one of the most influential ācāryas in the Gauḍīya sampradāya since the time of the Six Gosvāmīs headed by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī. Making distinctions between one pure devotee and another can be dangerous, but suffice to say that the writings of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura are seen to represent the pinnacle of achievement and realisation amongst the followers of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This earned Viśvanātha due respect and recognition as a rasikācārya in the truest sense of the word – one who is expert in understanding and relishing the highest mellows of love of God (kṛṣṇa-prema).
Only a few details are known of the life of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. We know that he was born in 1638 to a brāhmaṇa family in the village of Devagrāma, Nadīyā, West Bengal. After studying Sanskrit, he moved to Saiyadabad to study the bhakti–śāstra under his guru, Śrī Rādhā-ramaṇa Cakravartī and was initiated with the name, Hari-Vallabha Dāsa. Although married, he eventually left his home and travelled to Vṛndāvana where he remained for the rest of his life.
His greatest legacy is his literary contribution, inspiring and guiding Vaiṣṇavas of all adhikāras (qualifications) towards the ultimate goal of life, śuddha-bhakti (pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa). However, Viśvanātha’s paramparā is important, because nobody can become a bona fide spiritual guide (guru) without belonging to the lineage of a bona fide paramparā. Viśvanātha declared himself as a disciple of Rādhā-ramaṇa Cakravartī and his guru-paramparā at the beginning of the Rasa-pañcādhyāya section of his Sārārtha-darśini commentary on the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as follows:
śrī-rāma-kṛṣṇa-gaṅgā-caraṇan natvā gurūn uru-premnaḥ
śrīla-narottama-nāthaśrī gaurāṅga-prabhuṁ naumi
Feeling great love, I offer obeisance to my guru, Śrī Rādhā-ramaṇa Cakravartī and to my parama-gurus Śrī Kṛṣṇa-caraṇa Cakravartī, Śrī Gaṅgā-nārāyaṇa Cakravartī, Śrī Narottama Ṭhākura and Śrī Lokanātha Gosvāmī, and I offer my obeisance unto my Lord, Śrī Gaurāṅga.
Among the many writing of Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam, eight ślokas glorifying the spiritual master, are supremely effulgent with guru–tattva – the truth regarding the position of a bona fide guru, or spiritual master. Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam, also known as Śrī Gurudevāṣṭakam and Śrī Guru-tattvāṣṭaka, appears first among the groups of prayers in the book, Stavāmṛta-laharī (‘Waves of Ambrosial Prayers’).
A list of prayers included in Stavāmṛta-laharī are as follows:
- Guru-tattvāṣṭaka
- Mantra-datṛ-gurvāṣṭaka
- Parama-gurorvāṣṭaka
- Parat-para-gurorvāṣṭaka
- Parama-parat-para-gurorvāṣṭaka
- Śrī Lokanāthāṣṭaka
- Śrī Śacī-nandanāṣṭaka
- Śrī Svarūpa-caritāmṛta
- Svapna-vilāsāmṛtam
- Śrī Gopāla-devāṣṭaka
- Śrī Madana-mohanāṣṭaka
- Śrī Govindāṣṭaka
- Śrī Gopīnāthāṣṭaka
- Śrī Gokulānandāṣṭaka
- Svayam Bhagavadāṣṭaka
- Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍāṣṭaka
- Jagan-mohanāṣṭaka
- Anurāgavallī
- Śrī Vṛnda-devyāṣṭaka
- Śrī Vṛndāvanāṣṭaka
- Śrī Rādhikā-dhyānāmṛta
- Śrī Rūpa-cintāmaṇi
- Śrī Nandīśvarāṣṭaka
- Śrī Govardhanāṣṭaka
- Śrī Saṅkalpa-kalpadruma
- Śrī Nikuñja-virudhāvalī
- Śrī Surata-kathāmṛta
- Śrī Syāma-kuṇḍāṣṭaka
The following is a list of the major books and writings by Śrīla Viśvanātha Ṭhākura:
- Vraja-rīti-cintāmaṇi
- Camatkāra-candrikā
- Prema-sampuṭa
- Gītāvali, Subodhinī commentary to Alaṅkāra-kaustubha
- Ānanda-candrikā commentary to Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi
- A commentary on Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta Mahā-kāvya
- Śrī Bhāgavatāmṛta-kaṇā
- Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi-kiraṇa-leśa
- Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu-bindu
- Rāgavartma-candrikā
- Aiśvarya-kādambinī (which appears to have been lost)
- Mādhurya-kādambinī
- Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī (a commentary on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu)
- Ānanda-candrikā (a commentary on the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi)
- A commentary on the Dānakeli-kaumudī
- A commentary on Lalita-mādhava
- An incomplete commentary on Caitanya-caritāmṛta
- A commentary on the Brahma-saṁhitā
- Sārārtha-varṣinī (a commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā)
- Sārārtha-darśinī (a commentary on the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam)
- Gaura-gaṇa Svarūpa-tattva Candrikā
Although quoting Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam extensively in his books and lectures, neither Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, nor any ācārya since the time of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, has written a commentary on Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam.
While following in the footsteps of previous ācāryas, one should not be eager to gain recognition or popularity by initiating many disciples or by writing many books. This has been strictly prohibited by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His principal followers. Yet both these activities must be done if Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism is to continue in the world for future generations.
Although no ‘official commentary’ on Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam has been written, these eight verses are sung by literally thousands of Vaiṣṇavas in the world on a daily basis. The importance of Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam cannot be overstated. Indeed, to share a few words illuminating these eight supremely transcendental verses seems to call out to us, as if directed by the grace of our spiritual Guardians, past and present.
Thus, for the satisfaction of our spiritual master, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, we share with our readers some of the precious gems of Gauḍīya siddhānta that pour forth from the cornucopia that is Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam.
Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha
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