Conversation Between Two Friends – Part Three

Conversation Between Two Friends – Part Three

(Originally published in Volume 4, Issue 10 of Śrī Gauḍīya Patrikā, after page 398)

[Translator’s note: The parenthesized question marks – “(?)” – that appear throughout serve the same function as scare quotes, showing the author’s sarcasm or incredulous dismay or doubtfulness of a word’s usage.]

Our “two friends” are seen deeply engaged in a discussion on the banks of the Gaṅgā. ... As per Narendra’s wishes, Devendra discusses the saying “Yathā mata tata patha – There are as many paths as there are beliefs.”

Devendra — Look, Narendra! These days, we see the destructive tāṇḍava dance of a lack of discipline raging in every direction. Be it society, politics, education, or the pursuit of higher truth, this ucchṛṅkhalatā (anarchy) reigns everywhere. Students don’t respect their teachers; they think what their teachers say is mistaken (?). Now, teachers must learn from students, and students are the teachers’ teachers. There is no distinction between the virtuous and the unvirtuous, or between the qualified and the unqualified. Sons have become fathers to their fathers since they have received a Western education and become “educated.” A father’s traditional Sanātana ways of thinking have become embarrassing to his son’s modern tastes. College students are now national heroes (?) and failing to heed their opinions puts the president in jeopardy of losing his seat. Politics now has to be learned from them. 

And what can be said of religion? Whatever any random Rāma, Śyāmā, Yadu, or Madhu might say becomes doctrine. If anyone can display a touch of mysticism, he is instantly recognized as an incarnation of God. Some claim to be the avatar of Kalki, some of Buddha, some of Jesus, some of Rāma, some of Kṛṣṇa, and some even of Śrī Caitanya-deva. New avatars appear constantly in our India; hence, our India is filled with so much happiness and peace (?). Alas! Alas! Bhagavān’s auspicious arrival dispels all inauspiciousness in the world and in an ambrosial shower of peace, a tender calm falls over it. But today, even though so many Bhagavāns have appeared, there is no end to our suffering and sorrows! Such “avatars” (?) and the various catchy songs popularized by their sychophants are now being misrepresented as actual “paths” in the realm of religion. According to the scriptures, these are mere common errors in the religious world. Scriptures are the eyes with which to clearly perceive genuine wisdom. Those who have not obtained the eyes of scripture are the ones who greatly admire these deceitful words [of false saints]. Both the Nārada Pañcarātra and the Padma Purāṇa state:

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kevalam

[Without the regulations of the Vedas, Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, Pañcarātra and other scriptures, one-pointed devotion to Hari simply creates havoc in society.]

The Śrī Gītā says:

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-cārataḥ
na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

[One who disregards scriptural ordinances and abides by his own whims reaps neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal.]

Thus, scripture serves as validation for rules and prohibitions. Scriptures always employ commanding directives like supremely helpful parents in order to purify the bound soul. As the commandments of scripture hinder the sensual enjoyment of hedonists, the hedonists become inimical and are always trying to find fault with the scripture. They label adherence to scripture as narrow-mindedness and, in attempting to demonstrate liberality, invite chaotic lack of restraint. In their attempts at “synthesis,” they create a chaotic mess. 

Such persons do not hesitate to refer to Śrī Vyāsadeva and the ṛṣis following him as short-sighted. They say that scripture should be revised and adapted according to changes in time, place, and circumstance. But it is essential to know that such individuals themselves are short-sighted. It is due to their own narrow perspective that they view Śrī Vyāsadeva’s vision as flawed. One would have to be deranged to think Śrī Vyāsadeva’s instructions require revision even after observing that every prophecy he made in the scriptures has proven true. The epochs of Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali are rather meager durations; those who know the matters of time immemorial would not fail to comprehend the future destiny of mere thousands of years. Is Śrī Vyāsadeva’s description of Kali Yuga not accurate in every detail? Even after witnessing the truth of Śrī Vyāsadeva’s predictions about the age of Kali, why the aversion to accept his guidance in regard to the means of liberation from Kali Yuga and the attainment of supreme peace? Śrī Vyāsadeva says in the Padma Purāṇa and Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad:

hare nāma hare nāma hare nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

Apart from chanting the holy name of Hari, there is no other way—none, none, none in Kali Yuga. From where does the audacity arise to disregard this truth? Does he not clearly state that in this Kali Yuga, the holy name of Hari alone is the only path; without it, there is no other way? Is saying that there is no other path in Kali Yuga than the holy name narrow-mindedness? Is this narrowness? If this is narrow-mindedness, would a husband’s promiscuity, rather than faithful monogamy, be considered broad-mindedness? Śrī Vyāsadeva further declares in the Padma Purāṇa:

saṁpradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ
ataḥ kalau bhaviṣyanti catvāraḥ sampradāyinaḥ
śrī-brahma-rudra-sanaka vaiṣṇavāḥ kṣiti-pāvanāḥ
catvāras te kalau bhāvyā hy utkale puruṣottamāt

The mantras of those who do not accept the lineage of a bona fide sampradāya (disciplic succession) yield no result—is stating this Vyāsadeva’s harshness? Is this not a sign of affection and friendship? He says that in the age of Kali, these four lineages—Śrī, Brahmā, Rudra, and Sanaka—will purify the world. Is this statement narrow-minded? Brother Naren, Vyāsadeva clearly says that apart from the four lineages of Śrī, Brahmā, Rudra, and Sanaka, all other beliefs are ineffective. The knowledge of the ultimate reality is attained through a descending path, i.e., guru-paramparā (the disciplic succession). The method of self-realization through one’s sensory faculties alone, based on neti-neti (the process of negation), can never yield success. This is explicitly expressed by Brahmā in his prayers:

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva
jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo ’jita-jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām

[Those who give up all attempts to empirically assess the opulence and glory of Bhagavān’s form and nature by their own efforts, situate themselves in their respective stations in life, or in the company of sādhus, and carry out their lives while honouring by body, mind, and words the narrations of Your glorious name, form, qualities, and pastimes, which are automatically uttered by the mouths of sādhus and enter their ears. Such persons conquer You, O unconquerable One, even without other endeavors.]

Bhagavān personally revealed Himself in the hearts of the original founders of the four authentic lineages. Thus:

yāvān ahaṁ yathābhāvo yad-rūpa-guṇa-karma-kāḥ
tathaiva tattva-vijñānam astu te mad-anugrahāt

The word mad-anugrahāt (“by My grace”) signifies that Bhagavān Himself manifested in Brahmā’s heart through His mercy—Brahmā could not know Him by his own efforts. From Brahmā to Nārada and gradually through guru-paramparā, this knowledge descended to the world. Therefore, only the soul who follows the guru-paramparā can attain that divine realization—not anyone else. Those who, in the name of liberal-mindedness (?), show reluctance to accept the lineage of these four authentic traditions will achieve viphalā-matāḥ – a fruitless or corrupted version of siddhi (spiritual maturation). These persons are the ones who see Bhagavān’s avatars everywhere instead of recognizing Bhagavān’s avatars as described in scripture. The authors of scripture foresaw this future plight of bound souls, which is precisely why they provided descriptions of Bhagavān’s avatars, the locations and timings of their appearances and pastimes for the welfare of all. Only the unfortunate fall into such illusions, while all others feel aversion to misrepresentations, deviations, and wrong paths masquerading as the true path.

(To be continued…)

—Tridaṇḍi Swāmī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Trivikrama Mahārāja