I am interested in Chaitanya Vaishnavism. This site is inspired by the teachings of Sri Satyanarayana dasa Babaji, scholar and practitioner.
There is a common misconception that a rāgānugā bhakta does not follow śāstra. Here I examine Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary on kārikā 1.2.293 from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu and then Śrī Jīva’s commentary on the previous kārikā which can help remove this misconception.
In a previous article, I examined the methodology of rāgānugā bhakti. Śrī Jīva Goswami’s exposition of the topic in the Bhakti Sandarbha contains some startling insights, one of which is the speed with which rāgānugā bhakti leads to the sādhya. In Anuccheda 325 of Bhakti Sandarbha, he astutely […]
I have already written two recent articles on the concept of rāgānugā bhakti. There, I had mainly cited the Bhakti Sandarbha, following what Śrī Babaji has been teaching and discussing at length over the last few weeks in the Bhakti ratna course at Jiva Institute. Below, I examine […]
In a previous article, I examined the definition of rāgānugā bhakti. This rāgānugā bhakti is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula. It is not even practiced toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Dwaraka or Mathura. Needless to say, it is out of the question for other forms of Bhagavān like […]
If I had to pick the most misunderstood topic in the Caitanya tradition today, it would have to be jīva-tattva. The ontology of the jīva as taught in the Sandarbhas is fundamental to the bhakti tradition but few know and understand it clearly. The same types of questions […]
I have examined the definition of rāgānugā bhakti by Śrī Rūpa Goswami in a previous article. Here I examine Śrī Jīva Goswami’s definition of rāgānugā bhakti as presented in the Bhakti Sandarbha, Anuchheda 310.1. As usual, Śrī Jīva is precise in defining terms, and understanding his definition fully […]
From Śrī Babaji’s commentary on the Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha, Anuchheda 183 Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī concludes his lengthy investigation into the existential reality of Kṛṣṇa’s being Svayaṁ Bhagavān. The conclusion that he reaches in this anuccheda constitutes the heart and the uniqueness of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. We summarize here his conclusions […]
In a previous post, I examined the objections of Advaitins to svarūpa-śakti in the paraṁ tattva, as presented by Śrī Jīva Goswami in his Sarva-samvādinī commentary. Here, I will examine his refutation. Śrī Jīva starts with the Śrī Vaiṣṇava response to Advaitins: śrī-vaiṣṇavās tv evaṁ vadanti—bhāva-rūpasyaiva tasya tattvasya […]
A reader requested that I explain the definitions of the term ‘śakti’ present in Śrī Jīva Goswami’s Sarva-samvādinī commentary on the Bhagavat Sandarbha. As I examined the commentary, I realized that I would have to present his arguments in their entirety. I have therefore decided to translate Śrī […]
Question: Who is an ācārya? Answer: The definition of the term ‘ācārya’ is as follows: svayamācarate yastu ācāre sthāpayatyapi ācinoti ca śāstrārthānācāryastena cocyate He who collects the [essential] meanings of śāstra [i.e. explains them to the disciple], models [them] in his own behavior [ācarate], and inculcates [them] in […]
Śrī Babaji answers questions in Pearls of Wisdom– Question: What are the criteria for leaving one’s guru and taking reinitiation? Answer: This is an important and relevant question in present times. The first and foremost point of clarification on this topic is that although the word “guru” has […]
Question: Is Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa or Śrī Jīva author of the Sandarbhas? Answer: Anuchheda 4 and Anuccheda 5 of the Tattva Sandarbha make this matter clear. There, Śrī Jīva writes as follows (Śrī Babaji’s translation) ko’pi tad-bāndhavo bhaṭṭo dakṣiṇa-dvija-vaṁśajaḥ | vivicya vyalikhad granthaṁ likhitād vṛddha-vaiṣṇavaiḥ ||4|| Śrī Gopāla […]