VII.
THE FOUNDER-ACHRYYAS
The Madhava,
contributions the
of
Vishnuswami, of the
Nimbaditya, four
Ramanuja
and
Founder-Achryas
Vaishnava
commuties
(sampradayas) of the present day to the cause of theism, are so valuable and so necessary to know for a proper understanding of the thological position of Sree Chaitanya that we shall close our brief survey of the historical trendof theistic thought with a short account of the systems of the four great Vaishnava Acharyas who precede Sree Chaitanya. The necessity of sampradaya or organised community in the domain of religion, has been explicity recognised in the Shastras. The words of Sree Vyasadeva in the Padma Purana on this Subject are to the effect that the verbal formule that deliver from mental hallucinations (mantrams) are never effective except within the spiritual community; and the same authority goes on to observe that in the Fourth (Kali) Age there will be for this purpose four theistic (Vaishnava) communities (sampradayas) founded by their respective Acharyas, by the will of Godhead. This is not the advocasy of sectarianism, It upholds the principles of association and continuity in religious life against anarchism. If rightly understood it is the procedure that is naturally followed by all persons who are sincerely minded, prefer the good law to anarchy and association with good people to egoistic isolation, and are truly catholic, not merely by proffession, but also in their conduct. Those pseudo-liberals who pose as being aboveany class or community, are only anarchists in disguise. The truer instinct of mankind has always been alive to the fundamental necessity of belonging to a good, i,e., well regulated community. The four communities (sampradayas) of the Iron Age are connected with the ancient times by their recognition of the ulterior authority of the eternal ancient teachers, viz., Lakshmi, Brahma, Rudra, and the four Sanas (chatuhsanah), respectively. The four Founder-Achryas of the Iron Age professed to preach the views of those original teachers of the religion. Sree
Rudra is the source of the teaching of Sree Vishnuswami; Sanka, Sanatana, Sananda, Sanat Kumara, that of Sree Nimbarka Swami, Sree Lakshmidevi that of Sree Ramanuja Swami and the four-faced Brahma that of Madhava Swami, in the Iron Age. The originall pre-historic teachers, who are the ultimate source of the four communities, in the chronological order of their appearance, are (1) Lakshmi, the eternal and inseparable Consort of Vishnu, (2) Brahma sprung from the navel-lotus of Garbhodasayi Vishnu, (3) Rudra sprung from the second Purusa, and (4) the four Sanas who are the sons of Brahma born from the mind. The chronological order of the Acharyas of the Iron Age is (1) Sree Vishnuswami, (2) Sree Nimbaditya, (3) Sree Ramanuja , and (4) Sree Madhva.
SRIMAT PURNAPRAJNA
OR
SREE MADHAVACHRYA
Srimat Purnaprajna or Madhvacharya made his appearance in this world in the Saka year 1040 in the sacred tirtha known as the Pajaka Ksetra situated about eight miles to the south-east of Udupi Ksetra in the South Carana. His name, before he accepted sannyasa, was Vasudeva. Sree Vasudeva came of a Brahmana family, his fathers name being Sree Narayna Bhatta, who bore the surname of Madhvagena due to the fact that one of his ancestors, who was an immigrant from the country of Ahichchhatra, built his dwelling in the middle part of the village-settlement. His mothers name was Vedabati or Vedavidya. Vasudeva accepted renunciation of the ascetis staff (danda sannyasa) from Sree Achyutapreksha, the disciple of Sree Prajnatirtha, in the line of Garudabahan, without obtaining the previous permission of his parents,at the age of eleven, and received the designation of Anandatirtha, or its equivalent Madhva. Sree Achyutapreksha at that time happend to be in charge of the shrine of Sree Ananteswara, situated in the neighbouring village of Rajatapeethapura. The order of spiritual preceptorial succession, according to the Madhvas of Rajatapeethapura, of Madhvacharya, is as follows; (1) Sree Narayana as Hansa, (2) Four-faced Brahma, (3) Chatuhsanah, (4) Durvasa, (5) Pasatirtha Yati, (6) Satyaprajna, (7) Prajnatirtha, (8) Achyutapreksha, and (9) Madhva. It -is not our purpose
in this place to enter into the details of his career which was long and eventful. Sreemad Madhva was the worshipper of Boy-Krishna, whose holy Form, miraculously rescued from a sinking boat, was solemnly installed by him at Sree Udupi Ksetra and still receives worship from the sannyasins, his successors in the disciplic line. Sree Madhvacharya had a most powerful physique. He journeyed twice to Sree Badarika and visited all the principal tirthas of India where he preached his doctrines and engaged in successful disputations with the leading scholars of the rival schools. Sree Madhvacharya disappered from this world in the 79th year of his advent. Sree Madhvachrya wrote numerous works and established many Maths with organised service and worship for the porpuse of spreading his bifurcial theistic view. As many as thirtyeight separate works, all in Sanscrit, from his pen, are still extant. The literature thus brilliantly inaugurated swelled to immense proportions by subsequent additions of many valuable works by his successors. The teaching of Sree Madhvacharya is found summarised in a short verse which is regarded by the members of the school as giving a correct view of his position and may be rendered thus: Divine Vishnu is the Highest of all. The world is true. Between Godhead, jiva and matter there exists fivefold eternal reciprocal difference. The jiva (individual souls) are the servants of Sree Hari. There exists gradation of fitness among jivas. The manifestation of the function in conformity with the proper nature of the jiva is emancipation (mukti). The practice of the realised function conformably with the souls own proper nature is pure, unalloyed or causeless devotion. Sound, inference and direct perception constitute the tripal evidence. Sree Hari is the only Object Who is knowable by the whole body of the Scriptures; or, in other words, realisation of Godhead is possible only by following the path of the heared revealed sound (sruti). The whole of this position has been accepted specifecaly by Sripad Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Premeya Ratnavali. This definitely establishes the descent of Sree Gaudiya Sampradaya, that follows Sree Krishna Chaitanya, from the Madhva school and justifies its descriptive title Madhva-Gaudiya (or Brahma-Madhva-
Gaudiya) Sampradaya, current among the devotees. According to Sree Madhvacharya, as has already been stated, Sree Vishnu is the Highest Entity. Reality is of two kinds, viz., (1) self-regulated and (2) subordinate. Vishnu is the one perfectly self-regulated Entity. He is the Abode of infinite, free-from-defect, benneficent, qualities. He is allpowerful, autocrat, the Regulator of the animate and inanimate worlds, from the tip of finger-nail to the top of hair the body embodied Form of existence, intelligence and bliss, cognisant and delighting in His own real nature and without any subjective heterogeneity. There is no distinction between His body and Himself as the possessor of body. Ther is absolute identity between His Body, Quality, Action and Name. That is to say, there is no dividing line between His Name, Form, Quality and Activity (Leela). He is Eternal, theRegulator of all, the Lord of all, Iswara (Ruler) of evven Brahma, Mahesa and Lakshmis and for this reason He is the Highest Godhead, i.e., God of all the gods. He is in every Age and country the holy embodied Form of the Possessor of all pure energy. Those persons who notice any distinction or distinction and non-distinction in the Name, Form, Quality and Activity of the Avataras, viz., Fish, Tortoise, etc., certainly enter the realm of gross ignorance (tamas). There is no particle of absence of self-consciousness in Sree Hari. His holy Form possesses hand, foot, mouth, belly, etc., all those being of the nature of pure bliss. From Him proceed always creation, stability, destruction, the course of the souls, knowledge, bondage, emancipation, etc. Divine Vishnu exists eternally as the Archetype of all individual couls who are His differentiated parts. In other words, in the realmfullof the pastimes of the pure intelligence, an endless series of differentiated souls from Brahhma to the lowest insect endowed with the embodied forms of the principles of existence, cognition and bliss are eternally existent. They are the unqualified counterparts of the corresponding Forms of Vishnu Who, in His eternal and various Forms, is their Archetype. The individual souls in Vaikuntha are the substantive, unqualified reflections of the corresponding Divine Forms. Individual souls are differentiated from Godhead. The soul is an embodiment of the
principles of cognition and bliss in a small measure, which principles exist in their fullest measure in the Person of Godhead. The material bodies of the bound souls do not correspond to their original pure spiritual forms, and, therefore, from the nature of the physical forms of the bound souls thhe nature of their original forms cannot be inferred. Sree Hari has two kinds of constituent parts (amsas), viz., (1) differentiated counterparts, e.g., in the divine Forms of the Fish, Tortoise, etc. In His pastimes Divene Vishnu manifests Himself in a fourfold Form, viz., Vasudeva, Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, for the purpose of such activities as creation, etc. In the Form of Pradyumna He creates the world, in the Form of Aniruddha mantains, and in the Form of Samkarsana, destroys it. In the Form of Vasudeva He delivers souls. The functions of creation and destruction are carried out by Divine Vishnu by means of gids exercising delegated power, or by the highest grade of souls exercising similar power. Vishnu as Pradyumna in this manner endows Brahma with the creative power and as Samkarsana confers on Rudra the power of destruction. He himself as Aniruddha exercise the power of maintenance, and as Vasudeva confers deliverance. Divine Vishnu from time to time appears in this world as Avataras in the Forms of Fish, Tortoise, etc. In the twenty-four Forms as Keshava, etc., and Vasudeva, etc., He is the Regulator of the gods who represent the twenty-four principles ofthe universe, and in the five Forms as Vasudeva, Samkarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and, Narayana, He governs the five encasements. He regulates the four states of differentiated souls, viz., (1) waking, (2) dreaming, (3) sleeping, (4) unbound, in the four Forms of Vishva, Taijas, Prajna and Turiya. As the Soul and the Soul of the souls He is the Regulator of gross and spiritual bodies, corresponding to the real nature of the souls and, remaining manifest in all the limbs of souls as Ananta, He rules over them. He is the Sourse Who imparts their initiative to the gods representing the principles of the universe, and to the different senses. He is not responsible for the meritorious and sinful acts of jivas to which He imploys them according to their fitness and in exircise of their freedom of will. Although He appears in the world in the various Forms of Fish, Tortoise,
Man,
etc., His birth
and
activities
of
bodies
are
not
phenomenal,
notwithstanding their material appearance to the vision of bound jivas. His Avataras are of two kinds, viz., (1) Embodiments of knowledge, and (2) Embodiments of power. Sree Krishna is the Appearance (Avatara) of Divine cognition and power in cognition. In such Divine Appearances as those of Dhanvantari, etc., Krishnas power of showing mercy to His devotees alone is manifest. Sree Vaikuntha is the eternal Divine Abode of Vishnu. At the beginning of creation the twin Divine Abodes, viz., the White Island (Svetradvipa) and the Divine Seat int he form of Sree Ananta (Anantasana), appear in this world. Sree Lakshmi is the beloved consort of Vishnu. She accompanies Her Lord to this world in His Appearances and is associated with Him in various Forms with the infinite reciprocal Forms of her Lord. The different names of Sree Lakshmi are: Sree, Bhu, Durga, Maya, Jaya, Kriti, Santi, Ambhrani, Sita, Dakshina, Jayanti, etc., eash having distinctive functions. Vishnu creates the material universe at the beginning of every cycle (kalpa) using the eternal inanimate force, that has no beginning, as the material cause. This world is neither non-existent, nor false, nor momentary. The different objects are limited in duration as regards their existence in their particular forms, but are eternal as regards their constituent principle. There is categorical difference (1) between the individual soul (jiva) and Godhead, (2) between one individual (jiva) and another, (3) between matter and Godhead, (4) between individual soul (jiva) and matter and (5) between one form of matter another form. Sree Madhvacharya accepts this fivefold difference as real. Individual souls (jivas) are divided into three classes, according as their original nature is made of either (1) intelligence and bliss, or (2) of a mixture of intelligence and joy and misery of ignorance. Individual sols (jivas) are provided with phisical and mental bodies in accordance with their actions of the previous cycle (kalpa), at the beginning of material creation. Individual souls (jivas) are infinite in number. Ones proper nature or the capacity of attaining to it, is eternal and belongs etrnally to all individual souls. It is the
primal
cause
of
all
efforts
of
all
individual
souls.
Action
(karma),
althoughdestructible, is eternal in the conuity of its flow or sequence. Previously performed activity (karma), which is without a beginning, is the second cause. Ther is the third cause in the shape of the effort at the time of the performance of the act. All these are subject to Vishnu, Lord of the material energy (maya). In other words Godhead awards the wordly course of individual souls by meanse of these three causes, but they have no power over Him as He is the Lord of Material Energy (Maya). Liberation (mukti) is the realisation of their own proper natures by persons endowed with the with the luminous, self-expressive (sattvic) quality, on the dissolution of the symbolic material body, by the practice of devotion. It is not something adventitious but only the continued asteblishment of the individual soul in his own proper nature. The external material cases, super-imposed on the real or spiritual nature of the soul, are two in number, viz., (1) the case forged by the soul and (2) the envelope bestowed by the material energy of Godhead (Maya). When Godhead is favourably disposed He destroys completely the coating of nescience caused by the soul and removes the screen of the material energy (maya) which is a gift of the Divinity. Thereupon the soul is enabled to see with his spiritual eye the Supreme Person dwelling in his own heart. The devotion that is aroused after the beatific vusuon is the highest or unalloyed, being devoid of all foreing impulses in the shape of physical activity (karma), etc. It is only by devotion that the favour of Godhead is attained. This leads to liberation (mukti) , being the attainment of the feet of the Vishnu. This is followed by devotion in her real, proper form which is not the means but the goal. The initial stage in the process, is listening with faith to the words of Scriptures glorifying the greatness of Godhead, from the lips of devotees (sadhus). Sree Madhvacharya admits the authority of the triple evidence of (1) direct perception, (2) inference, and (3) revelation (agama). The last is subdivided into (1) those Scriptures that are not made by any person, and (2) those so made. To the first of these groups belong the Vedas such as Rik, etc., Upanishad, the formule that deliver from mental function (mantram),
Brahmanas, the concluding portion of the Veda (parisista), etc. To the second group are assigned History (Itihasa), supplementary accounts (Purana), fivefold knowledge (panch-ratra), etc. The puranas, etc., help inunderstanding the real significance of the Vedas. The Puranas are of three kinds, viz., (1) Sattvika, (2) Rajasika, and (3) Tamasika. The Sattvika Puranas, sucsattvich as Sreemad Bhagavatam, etc., are alone admissible as evience of the Truth. If any portions of the Rajasa Puranas are in conformity with the statements of the Sattvika Puranas those may also be accepted as evidence. Those parts of the Satvika Puranas that express ideas contrary to the satvika view, where intended for deluding the atheists (daityas), and shoud not be accepted by righteous persons. The Tamasa Puranas were concocted for deluding evil-minded persons, (daityas). All Puranas, in so far as they support the satttvik view, are admissible as evidence. The following views of Sree Madhvacharya are also interesting. The servant of Vishnu (Vaishnava), the the All-pervaisive Lord, is the highest of all animate beings (jivas). The worship of Vishnu alone is to be performed. All worship of other gods is forbidden. Everything is gained by uttering the Name of Hari. The Vaishnava, even if he be sprung from a Chandala family, is the revered of all. Vaishnavas are to be served with zeal and no offence must be permitted against them. The Brahmana is recognised by straightforwardness, the Sudra by duplicity of conduct. Sree Chaitanya is the disciplic successor of Sree Madhvacharya and ultimately of Sree Brahma, the original Founder after whom the community (sampradaya) is named as the Brahma Sampradaya. The order of spiritual succession (amnaya) up to the present time from Sree Brahma, as preserved in the brahma-Gaudiya Sampradaya, is as follows: (1) Sree Krishna, (2) Brahma, (3) Narada, (4) Vyasa, (5) Madhwa, (6) Padmanabha, (7) Nrihari, (8) Madhava, (9) Akshobhya, (10) Jayatirtha, (11) Jnanasindhu, (12) Dayanidhi, (13) Vidyanidhi, (14) Rajendra, (15) Jayadharma, (16) Purushottama, (17) Vyasartirtha, (18) Lakshmipati, (19) Madhabenra Puri, (20) Iswara (Advaita, Nityananda), (21) Sree Chaitanya, (22) (Swarupa, Sanatana) Rupa, (23) (Jiva) Raghunatha, (24) Krishnadasa, (25) Narottama, (26) Viswanatha, (27)
(Baladeva) (28) (Bhaktivinide) Gaurakishore, (29) Sree Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Sree Barshabhanavidayitadas. All these are paramahansas and Sree Chaitanyas undifferentiated servitors. The writer is devoid of all aptitude for service and endeavours to have his mind humbly fixed on the lotus feet of Sree Guru Sree Sidhanta Saraswati Thakur, as the unworhty object of his causeless mercy and of his associated counterparts. The view of the four Four Founder-Acharyas of the respective Vaishnava communities (sampradayas) briefly noticed above, stand in such close and organic relation to the teaching of Sree Chaitanya and to one another that their relationship will be best brought out in course of the narrative and at the proper place, in the light of the philosophy of Sree Chaitanya which, as I have already noticed, reconciles, harmonises and perfects them. For the present it will be sufficient for our purpose to notice in regard to these four schools that the system of Sree Chaitanya, although it is identical with none of them, either wholly or partially admits the special excellence of certain features of each. Thus, for example, Sree Chaitanya accepts more or less the eternal specific From of the Divinity as Embodiment of all-existence, all-knowledge and all-bliss (sachidananda nitya Bigraha) of Madhva, the postulations of Ramanudja regarding Divine Power, the principle of unalloyed non-dualism and of Godhead as the All of his Own and the eternal dualistic-monotheism of Nimbarka which last has been perfected by Sree Chaitanya into the truly scientific Truth of the Doctrine of inconceivable simultaneous distinction and nondifference. The act6 of Sree Chaitanya in preferring the Brahma community (sampradaya) by His entry into it as Disciple, to which Sree Madhvacharya also belongs, to the other Vaishnava schools, is explained by the fact that the doctrine of unalloyed differentialism propounded by Sree Madhvacharya which makes the mutual difference, as between Godhead, individual soul (jiva) and the material world, definite and permanent and also recognises their eternal separate existence, keeps all individual souls (jiva) most clearly and francly at a great distance from the fell desiase of absolute monism which is the opposite pole, being the empirical denial of the essence of all
theistic thought passing itself off as theism to the insidious seductions of which most wordly people are so easily liable to succumb. We shall return to this im portant subject in proper place. It is the empiricists who are responsible for the origination of the current notion that theism is a product of a particular stage of material civilization in its progressive onward march. It will be our purpose to prove in the next chapter that such a view is opposed to all historical experience. It is no doubt true that the revelationists do not admit the applicability of the theory of evolution in its present form to spiritual subjects as it does not recognise the existence of any other entity except matter and mind. The history of spiritual evolution is connected with the progress of material civilization correspondingly and negatively, and not causally, the latter only serving to bring out that aspect of the former which happens to be the most intelligible to itself at the stage. This difference is wholly overlooked by materialistic evolutionists and no less by the so-called critical school of historians who have essayed to treat of spiritual events. The transcendental aspect of theism is the oldest fact known to history and, philosophically speaking, is incapable of being evolved out of the empirical consciousness. The abondonment of no historical principle wprth yhe name, is involved in the recognition of this fact as a fundanmental and axiomatic truth even on the evidence, although necessarily negative in character, of our empirical experience as will appear from an impartial consideration of the historical facts contained in the next chapter.
