03-25-2005, 10:24 PM
6. Chaitanya was a great admiror of Sridhar Swami, an Advaitin, who emphasized bhakti. This is clear from the conversation between Chaitanya and Vallabhacharya.
Vallabha told Chaitanya,"I do not accept the views of Sridhara on the Bhagavata
and have refuted his interpretation. He has not been consistent in his
commentary, so I have not followed it." (CCa 7/110)
Chaitanya told him," You have the vanity to write your own commentary without
showing your respect to Sridhara, and have even criticized him! It is by the
grace of Sridhara that I have understood the Bhagavata. He is a world teacher;
I consider him to be my very own Guru. Whatever you have written out of pride
against Sridhara is wasted effort; no one will accept it. Give up your false
pride and follow Sridhara in your commentary. Whatever you write in accordance
with Sridhara will be honoured and accpeted by all.' (CCa 7/128-132)
All six Goswamis have been full of praise for Sridhar Swami even though
Sridhar was an Advaitin (though an ardent proponent of Bhakti). Jiva, for
example, writes at the commencement of his Bhagavata commentary, the
Kramasandharva:"I salute the venerable Sridhara, the sole guardian of Bhakti.
This commentary, bearing the name Kramasandharva, should be understood to
function as clarifying what was not clearly stated by the Swamin, or
mentioning what was left unsaid."
Sridhara acknowledges his debt to Sankara at the beginning of his commentary
on the Bhagavad Gita. He writes,"After studying, according to my own light,
the interpretation of the commentator (Shankara) and the writings of his
sub-commentators, I begin this commentary on the Gita." Sridhara does not
follow Shankara very closely, placing greater emphasis on Bhakti, often
speaking of the jiva as portion of Brahman and giving a more realistic
interpretation to the concept of Sakti.
This raises a very big question. Was Chaitanya as hostile to Shankara and Advaita as claimed by later Gaudia Vaishnavas? The contrast between Jiva Goswami and Baladeva on the issue of Shankara and Advaita is really striking.
Jiva cites Shankara as an authority several times in his Sarvasambidini.
Baladeva writes in his opening verses (in his connentary on Sat Sandharbha),
"Glory to Ananda Tirtha (Madhva), who like the Sun has violently destroyed
the doctrine of Mayavada, which is like a mass of darkness, with the
buring rays of Vedic utterances, and who has taught the world devotion to
Vishnu."
Baladeva is very caustic and polemical while Jiva is quite respectful on Shankara. What was the opinion of other Gaudiya Vaishnavas on the issue of Chaitanya belonging to Madhva sampradaya. I will give it in the next post.
Vallabha told Chaitanya,"I do not accept the views of Sridhara on the Bhagavata
and have refuted his interpretation. He has not been consistent in his
commentary, so I have not followed it." (CCa 7/110)
Chaitanya told him," You have the vanity to write your own commentary without
showing your respect to Sridhara, and have even criticized him! It is by the
grace of Sridhara that I have understood the Bhagavata. He is a world teacher;
I consider him to be my very own Guru. Whatever you have written out of pride
against Sridhara is wasted effort; no one will accept it. Give up your false
pride and follow Sridhara in your commentary. Whatever you write in accordance
with Sridhara will be honoured and accpeted by all.' (CCa 7/128-132)
All six Goswamis have been full of praise for Sridhar Swami even though
Sridhar was an Advaitin (though an ardent proponent of Bhakti). Jiva, for
example, writes at the commencement of his Bhagavata commentary, the
Kramasandharva:"I salute the venerable Sridhara, the sole guardian of Bhakti.
This commentary, bearing the name Kramasandharva, should be understood to
function as clarifying what was not clearly stated by the Swamin, or
mentioning what was left unsaid."
Sridhara acknowledges his debt to Sankara at the beginning of his commentary
on the Bhagavad Gita. He writes,"After studying, according to my own light,
the interpretation of the commentator (Shankara) and the writings of his
sub-commentators, I begin this commentary on the Gita." Sridhara does not
follow Shankara very closely, placing greater emphasis on Bhakti, often
speaking of the jiva as portion of Brahman and giving a more realistic
interpretation to the concept of Sakti.
This raises a very big question. Was Chaitanya as hostile to Shankara and Advaita as claimed by later Gaudia Vaishnavas? The contrast between Jiva Goswami and Baladeva on the issue of Shankara and Advaita is really striking.
Jiva cites Shankara as an authority several times in his Sarvasambidini.
Baladeva writes in his opening verses (in his connentary on Sat Sandharbha),
"Glory to Ananda Tirtha (Madhva), who like the Sun has violently destroyed
the doctrine of Mayavada, which is like a mass of darkness, with the
buring rays of Vedic utterances, and who has taught the world devotion to
Vishnu."
Baladeva is very caustic and polemical while Jiva is quite respectful on Shankara. What was the opinion of other Gaudiya Vaishnavas on the issue of Chaitanya belonging to Madhva sampradaya. I will give it in the next post.