Surrender @ his lotus feet
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Source of all Incarnations - Krishna?
Sriman Srinivasji on the group posed a question: "...I have been doing some seva and serving Krishna in my capacity. I was happy to serve Krishna and inspired by Srila Prabhupada's simple life and the amazing work he did in the west. But I am unable to surrender totally to ISKCON philosophy due to various reasons...Why does the difference of opinion exist between Vaishnavas on who the source of all incarnations is? Why does the Supreme Lord leave room for these differences?"
Swamiji's reply:
"GOD IS NOT A BUSINESS MAN. HE WILL NOT CLEAR THE ACCOUNT OF THE INDIVIDUAL THEN AND THERE ITSELF, WHENEVER IT IS STARTED.HE WANTS US TO REALIZE AND PRACTICE GOOD THINGS. WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS, GOD DID NOT CREAT SOULS. NOR HE CREATED THEIR SAMSKARAS. THEY ARE SELF MADE. ACCORDING TO THE SAMSKARA, GUNAS ARISE, AND ACCORDING TO THOSE GUNAS, BIRTH APPEARS, ACCORDINGLY ACTIVITIES ARE DONE. SO 'DIFFERENCES OF OPINION' IS NOT GOD-CREATED. IT IS MAN MADE. WHOM WE CALL AS GOD OR SUPREME, IS ONE ONLY. IT IS ACCEPTED BY ALL. AS YOU REALIZE THAT SUPREME, YOU GIVE A NAME. 'KRISHNA' ALSO A NAME CAME LIKE THAT, VENKATESWARA ALSO A NAME CAME LIKE THAT ONLY. NAMES ARE ALWAYS APPEAR TO REVEAL CERTAIN QUALITIES OR GUNAS. WITHOUT THAT NO NAME WILL BE THERE. WE, HUMAN BEINGS, MAY HAVE NAMES WITHOUT ANY MEANING OR IRRELEVANT TO THE OBJECT, BUT NOT THOSE NAMES TO GOD. NOW, THOSE WHO FIGHT SUPPORTING THEIR ARGUMENT, AS 'THIS FORM OF GOD IS ORIGIN AND EVERYTHING CAME OUT OF IT' OR 'THAT FORM IS THE ORIGINAL', ARE BASICALLY IGNORANTS AND RATHER ARROGANTS, IN REALIZING THE FACT THAT 'ALL THE NAMES BELONG TO THE SAME ONE AND FOR GOD, EVERYTHING CAN COME FROM ANYTHING.
NOW, COME TO THE POINT, THAT LORD KRISHNA BORN IN JAIL AND WITHDRAW HIS INCARNATION ALSO ON A DAY. THAT CLEARLY SAYS HE IS ONLY AN INCARNATION. THERE MUST BE SOME ORIGIN FOR THAT ALSO. SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM ITSELF CLEARLY SAYS THAT 'ORIGIN'S' NAME IS 'VA:SUDE:VA' IN SOME PLACES AND 'NA:RA:YANA' IN SOME PLACES.
AGAIN THESE NAMES ALSO WERE GIVEN BASING UPON A PARTICULAR ABILITY OF THAT SUPREME. WHEN WE GO INTO THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD, THE WORD 'NA:RA:YANA' ENCOMPASSES WIDER AREA THAN THAT OF 'VA:SUDE:VA'. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WORD "KRISHNA" EVEN ITS MEANING ALSO IS LIMITED WHEN COMPARED TO THE WORD 'NA:RA:YANA'. THIS IS ABOUT THE WORD WE ARE MENTIONING. NOT ABOUT THE SUPREME. "SUPREME IS ALWAYS SUPREME ONLY" IN WHATEVER FORM AND NAME HE IS. NAMES AND FORMS CREAT LIMITATIONS FOR EVERYTHING. FOR GOD, THOUGH FORMS ARE HAVINGS LIMITATIONS, BUT THE POWER IN THAT PARTICULAR FORM, WILL HAVE NO LIMIT. CHAPTER 4 OF BHAGAVAD GITHA MAKES IT CLEAR.
KRISHNA, THUS SHOWED THE LIMIT OF HIS FORM IN THAT INCARNATION. FOR THE NAME OF "NARAYANA" THERE IS NO LIMIT EITHER IN THE NAME (ACCORDING TO VYA;KARANAM) OR IN THE FORM, FOR, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE WITH ALL THE BEINGS IN IT, IN OTHER WORDS, ENTIRE MATTER & MATERIAL WITH ENERGY, COMES IN TO THAT FORM.
SO, DIFFERENCE OF OPINION COMES, WHEN OUR PERCEPTION IS DIFFERENT OR NOT FULL. IN FACT, THERE NO NEED TO ARGUE. ACCEPTING THAT OURS IS ALSO "A VIEW" IS ALRIGHT. BUT, IF WE SAY THAT OURS IS ONLY "THE VIEW" , AND ALL VIEWS OF OTHERS OR WRONG, BECOMES A BIG PROBLEM. A ROSE IS ALWAYS IS A ROSE. BUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE LOOK IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AT IT. A POET, SCIENTIST, PHILOSOPHER, BUSINESS MAN, COMMON MAN ETC., HAVE THEIR OWN VIEWS OVER IT, RIGHT! IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE ROSE, BUT OF THE PERSONS. SAME WITH SUPREME ALSO."
Q: Will we reach different destinations if we treat Vishnu as source Vs. Krishna as source. In your opinion if some one follows ISKCON sampradaya can that help attain Vaikuntam?
Swamiji: ACCORDING TO VEDAS, WHATEVER YOU FIX UP AS YOUR GOAL, AND MEDITATE UPON GOD, YOU REACH THAT GOAL ONLY. NOT A COMMON GOAL. THIS IS CALLED "yattha: krathu nya:yam".
AS AND HOW YOU MEDITATE, THUS YOU ATTAIN. IN YOUR QUESTION YOU ASKED ABOUT ISKCON. THEY BELIEVED IN GO:LO:KAM AS THEIR GOAL. BUT NOT VAIKUNTHAM. HENCE THEY REACH GO:LO:KAM ONLY. HERE OUR OPINION IS IMMETERIAL. THE OPINION OF VEDA IS IMPORTANT. FOR US VEDA IS SUPREME AND UNQUESTIONABLE AUTHORITY ON ANY ISSUES RELATED TO SOUL, GOD AND ATTAINMENT.
Q: Being an Acharya of an authentic sampradaya do you consider ISKCON sampradaya as an authorized one?
Swamiji: ONLY TO SOME EXTENT, YES. THEY ACCEPT "BRAHMA VAIVARTHA PURANA" AS SUPREME AUTHORITY. We accept that part of purana & only then, when and where it is not contradicing the Vedas. In Vedas it is clear that the ultimate GOAL of the soul should be "so: dhvanah pa:ra ma:pno:thi thad vishno:h paramam padam" 'Paramapadam of Vishnu'. This is only we accept.
Q: Is it true that the highest position in spiritual world is to serve in Madhurya raas and is that the ultimate goal one should have?
Swamiji: AGAIN IN VEDAS IT IS SAID THAT " A:NANDA RASA" IS THAT SOUL ENJOYS WITH GOD, IN THAITTHARI:YA SA:KHA OF YAJURVEDA. ¶ 11:45 PM 0 comments
Swamiji's reply:
"GOD IS NOT A BUSINESS MAN. HE WILL NOT CLEAR THE ACCOUNT OF THE INDIVIDUAL THEN AND THERE ITSELF, WHENEVER IT IS STARTED.HE WANTS US TO REALIZE AND PRACTICE GOOD THINGS. WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS, GOD DID NOT CREAT SOULS. NOR HE CREATED THEIR SAMSKARAS. THEY ARE SELF MADE. ACCORDING TO THE SAMSKARA, GUNAS ARISE, AND ACCORDING TO THOSE GUNAS, BIRTH APPEARS, ACCORDINGLY ACTIVITIES ARE DONE. SO 'DIFFERENCES OF OPINION' IS NOT GOD-CREATED. IT IS MAN MADE. WHOM WE CALL AS GOD OR SUPREME, IS ONE ONLY. IT IS ACCEPTED BY ALL. AS YOU REALIZE THAT SUPREME, YOU GIVE A NAME. 'KRISHNA' ALSO A NAME CAME LIKE THAT, VENKATESWARA ALSO A NAME CAME LIKE THAT ONLY. NAMES ARE ALWAYS APPEAR TO REVEAL CERTAIN QUALITIES OR GUNAS. WITHOUT THAT NO NAME WILL BE THERE. WE, HUMAN BEINGS, MAY HAVE NAMES WITHOUT ANY MEANING OR IRRELEVANT TO THE OBJECT, BUT NOT THOSE NAMES TO GOD. NOW, THOSE WHO FIGHT SUPPORTING THEIR ARGUMENT, AS 'THIS FORM OF GOD IS ORIGIN AND EVERYTHING CAME OUT OF IT' OR 'THAT FORM IS THE ORIGINAL', ARE BASICALLY IGNORANTS AND RATHER ARROGANTS, IN REALIZING THE FACT THAT 'ALL THE NAMES BELONG TO THE SAME ONE AND FOR GOD, EVERYTHING CAN COME FROM ANYTHING.
NOW, COME TO THE POINT, THAT LORD KRISHNA BORN IN JAIL AND WITHDRAW HIS INCARNATION ALSO ON A DAY. THAT CLEARLY SAYS HE IS ONLY AN INCARNATION. THERE MUST BE SOME ORIGIN FOR THAT ALSO. SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM ITSELF CLEARLY SAYS THAT 'ORIGIN'S' NAME IS 'VA:SUDE:VA' IN SOME PLACES AND 'NA:RA:YANA' IN SOME PLACES.
AGAIN THESE NAMES ALSO WERE GIVEN BASING UPON A PARTICULAR ABILITY OF THAT SUPREME. WHEN WE GO INTO THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD, THE WORD 'NA:RA:YANA' ENCOMPASSES WIDER AREA THAN THAT OF 'VA:SUDE:VA'. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WORD "KRISHNA" EVEN ITS MEANING ALSO IS LIMITED WHEN COMPARED TO THE WORD 'NA:RA:YANA'. THIS IS ABOUT THE WORD WE ARE MENTIONING. NOT ABOUT THE SUPREME. "SUPREME IS ALWAYS SUPREME ONLY" IN WHATEVER FORM AND NAME HE IS. NAMES AND FORMS CREAT LIMITATIONS FOR EVERYTHING. FOR GOD, THOUGH FORMS ARE HAVINGS LIMITATIONS, BUT THE POWER IN THAT PARTICULAR FORM, WILL HAVE NO LIMIT. CHAPTER 4 OF BHAGAVAD GITHA MAKES IT CLEAR.
KRISHNA, THUS SHOWED THE LIMIT OF HIS FORM IN THAT INCARNATION. FOR THE NAME OF "NARAYANA" THERE IS NO LIMIT EITHER IN THE NAME (ACCORDING TO VYA;KARANAM) OR IN THE FORM, FOR, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE WITH ALL THE BEINGS IN IT, IN OTHER WORDS, ENTIRE MATTER & MATERIAL WITH ENERGY, COMES IN TO THAT FORM.
SO, DIFFERENCE OF OPINION COMES, WHEN OUR PERCEPTION IS DIFFERENT OR NOT FULL. IN FACT, THERE NO NEED TO ARGUE. ACCEPTING THAT OURS IS ALSO "A VIEW" IS ALRIGHT. BUT, IF WE SAY THAT OURS IS ONLY "THE VIEW" , AND ALL VIEWS OF OTHERS OR WRONG, BECOMES A BIG PROBLEM. A ROSE IS ALWAYS IS A ROSE. BUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE LOOK IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AT IT. A POET, SCIENTIST, PHILOSOPHER, BUSINESS MAN, COMMON MAN ETC., HAVE THEIR OWN VIEWS OVER IT, RIGHT! IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE ROSE, BUT OF THE PERSONS. SAME WITH SUPREME ALSO."
Q: Will we reach different destinations if we treat Vishnu as source Vs. Krishna as source. In your opinion if some one follows ISKCON sampradaya can that help attain Vaikuntam?
Swamiji: ACCORDING TO VEDAS, WHATEVER YOU FIX UP AS YOUR GOAL, AND MEDITATE UPON GOD, YOU REACH THAT GOAL ONLY. NOT A COMMON GOAL. THIS IS CALLED "yattha: krathu nya:yam".
AS AND HOW YOU MEDITATE, THUS YOU ATTAIN. IN YOUR QUESTION YOU ASKED ABOUT ISKCON. THEY BELIEVED IN GO:LO:KAM AS THEIR GOAL. BUT NOT VAIKUNTHAM. HENCE THEY REACH GO:LO:KAM ONLY. HERE OUR OPINION IS IMMETERIAL. THE OPINION OF VEDA IS IMPORTANT. FOR US VEDA IS SUPREME AND UNQUESTIONABLE AUTHORITY ON ANY ISSUES RELATED TO SOUL, GOD AND ATTAINMENT.
Q: Being an Acharya of an authentic sampradaya do you consider ISKCON sampradaya as an authorized one?
Swamiji: ONLY TO SOME EXTENT, YES. THEY ACCEPT "BRAHMA VAIVARTHA PURANA" AS SUPREME AUTHORITY. We accept that part of purana & only then, when and where it is not contradicing the Vedas. In Vedas it is clear that the ultimate GOAL of the soul should be "so: dhvanah pa:ra ma:pno:thi thad vishno:h paramam padam" 'Paramapadam of Vishnu'. This is only we accept.
Q: Is it true that the highest position in spiritual world is to serve in Madhurya raas and is that the ultimate goal one should have?
Swamiji: AGAIN IN VEDAS IT IS SAID THAT " A:NANDA RASA" IS THAT SOUL ENJOYS WITH GOD, IN THAITTHARI:YA SA:KHA OF YAJURVEDA. ¶ 11:45 PM 0 comments
