Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Viraha Daśakam
The Secret of the Destruction of Devakī's Six Unborn ChildrenThe following English article by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja was published in Śrīla Prabhupāda's 'Back to Godhead' magazine in 1944. In this essay Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja gives a short synopsis of the theistic undersatnding of vedic culture in line with the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.
The Vedic culture is considered to be the most ancient and mysterious in the scholarly circle. The great spiritual dictator Śrī Krsna Dvaipayana Vyāsadeva is known to be the deliverer of the Vedic message in its present form as such the great Vyāsa is held in uncommon reverence in all authentic various schools of Vedic interpreters. The last and the greatest gift of the Supreme Personality to the theistic scholars, is the great Bhāgavata Purāṇa.
In this holy book the essence of theism, contained in the Vedas has been revealed in such a living and magnificent manner that it dazzles even the intellect of many Vedic thinkers. The bona-fide followers of the dictator however feel simply charmed to see the beauty of spiritual wisdom unveiled in this great treatise. The Absolute Truth – the Beautiful has been discovered here in His lovely autocratic character, and an automatic affectionate service of the same Supreme Being, has been declared to be the summum-bonum of living beings.
Maximum happiness is of course the goal of life. But people are seen to strive after different objects for the same. Their objects of interest while scientifically arranged may be considered under four heads namely, dharma – the consideration of duty, artha – accumulation of worldly energy, kāma – actual consumption of the necessities of material life and mokṣa – perfect liberation from the forces of nature. Great thinkers of Vedic philosophy however easily agree to dismiss the consideration of trivarga, or the first three forms of objects but there is much controversy over the conception of the fourth goal, ie. liberation.
A section of erudite scholars forcibly assert that complete withdrawal from the material world means a certain (sure) dissolution of individual existence. On the other hand powerful theistic thinkers with transcendental understanding backed up by the faith in revelation upholds strongly that individual existence can be retained in absolutely spiritual relativity – perfectly independent of material existence. Vedic interpreters also class themselves in these two groups:
1) Supporting impersonal salvation.
2) Salvation of person from material relativity.
Both the above schools however admit the authenticity of the sayings and decisions of the great Vyāsadeva though interpreting him in their own respective lines. But Śrī Bhāgavata Purāṇa – the last and the greatest work of the greatest apostle, bewilders the impersonal school to a great extent and clearly condemns mere independence from matter eulogizing a life of positive attainment of spiritual confidential partnership in the Absolute Personal Being – the Supreme Beautiful. In other words, a really liberated soul must have a definite eternal function it is said, as if in the Absolute commonwealth and in discharging the duty wherein the unfettered soul enjoys maximum happiness. The Absolute Autocrat is also the Absolute Good. So autocracy here is always meaning to compensate the limitations of the little partners in their voluntary co-operation and thus promoting dynamic, harmonious, common pastimes.
While perfectly unveiled Godhead shines as Śrī Kṛṣṇa to give us all sorts of engagements in Him. He is the emporium of all sorts of rasas (transcendental mellows) or ecstatic energy. Principle rasas are five in number, such as śānta – a mode of mere allegiance, dāsya – that of actual service, sakhya – that of friendly co-operation, vātsalya – that of filial affection and mādhurya – the mode of consort-partnership. All the modes of rasas, we are told, have been harmonized to form the Spiritual Person of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Godhead.
The material world being merely a shadow in character, the very essence of life is to be traced in the causal spiritual realm in its pure positive glory. So according to the Bhāgavata school our life has got its fulfilment in the most optimistic form in the company of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Such attainment of final adjustment will place our life in perfect harmony and consequently in all round and unique happiness. While not imaginary but real of all reals, such life is certainly the highest attainment.
Who is Qualified to Succeed the Ācārya?
This important article from 1939, published in the Gauḍīya magazine after the disappearance of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, consists of a series of questions and answers between a householder disciple of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja concerning guru-godbrother relations, succession, and guru-tattva. In the original Bengali, some sections of the article were given emphasis with bold text and we have maintained the same formatting in the English version. This article was translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri and Sanātana Dāsa. (Note: The title ‘Prabhupāda’ in this article refers to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura)
Lost Ancient Technology
In 'Lost Ancient Technology' Kalki Dasa argues that the technology of ancient civilisations such as Vedic India may have been more advanced than is currently believed, and that this idea has been dismissed by establishment science due to biases and a belief in linear evolution under the sway of Eurocentricism.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 37-40
In verses 37 to 40 of Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's travels to Prayāga and Vraja are described. In particular, His feelings of separation and the famous verse of Śri Mādhavendra Purīpāda are explained in detail by Swami B.V. Giri.
The Colour for Sannyāsīs
In this short article, ‘The Colour for Sannyāsīs’ from December 2010, Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja describes the original colour of the cloth used by sannyāsīs in the line of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and how in modern times, this has become obsolete.
Who is Qualified to Succeed the Ācārya?
This important article from 1939, published in the Gauḍīya magazine after the disappearance of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, consists of a series of questions and answers between a householder disciple of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja concerning guru-godbrother relations, succession, and guru-tattva. In the original Bengali, some sections of the article were given emphasis with bold text and we have maintained the same formatting in the English version. This article was translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri and Sanātana Dāsa. (Note: The title ‘Prabhupāda’ in this article refers to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura)
Lost Ancient Technology
In 'Lost Ancient Technology' Kalki Dasa argues that the technology of ancient civilisations such as Vedic India may have been more advanced than is currently believed, and that this idea has been dismissed by establishment science due to biases and a belief in linear evolution under the sway of Eurocentricism.
Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram with the Narasiṅgha Sevaka Commentary – Verses 37-40
In verses 37 to 40 of Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's travels to Prayāga and Vraja are described. In particular, His feelings of separation and the famous verse of Śri Mādhavendra Purīpāda are explained in detail by Swami B.V. Giri.
The Colour for Sannyāsīs
In this short article, ‘The Colour for Sannyāsīs’ from December 2010, Śrīla Narasiṅgha Mahārāja describes the original colour of the cloth used by sannyāsīs in the line of Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and how in modern times, this has become obsolete.
