Devotees Vaishnavas: Ärîla Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana

martes, 15 de junio de 2010

Ärîla Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana

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Ärîla Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana

Ärîla Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana was a highly renounced, pure devotee, who had not even a fraction of desire for name or fame. He compiled many literatures in order to benefit mankind. However he never mentioned his birth place or anything about his family background and therefore the details are not known for sure.

Historians have estimated that he was born sometime in the eighteenth century, most probably in Orissa (possibly near Remuna). At a very early age, he finished his studies of grammar, poetry, rhetoric and logic and then went on pilgrimage. During this time he spent some time with the Tattvavadis in South India and thus became conversant with the teachings of Ärî Madhvacarya. He became a powerful exponent of this philosophy throughout India.

During his travels he again came to Utkaladesa (Orissa) and met with a grand-disciple of Ärî Rasikananda Deva, Ärî Radha-Damodara Deva by name, with whom he discussed philosophy. Ärî Radha-Damodara Deva explained the conclusions of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy as expounded by Ärî Gaurasundara and requested him to consider the unlimited mercy of Ärî Caitanya Mahaprabhu. These talks penetrated his heart and awakened divine love within. Thus, after a few days he was initiated with Radha-Kèëòa mantra and began to study the Sat-sandarbha of Ärî Jiva Gosvâmî.

In a very short time he became very expert in Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy. With the permission and blessings of his guru, he moved to Ärî Vrindavana Dhama to further study these teachings under Ärî Visvanatha Cakravarti Ùhâkura.

Ärî Visvanatha Cakravarti Ùhâkura was exteremly pleased to see the humble and gentle nature and the renunciation and profound mastery of the Vedas that characterized Baladeva. He carefully instructed him in acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Baladeva fully accepted the Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy and began to preach it with great vigor.

Around this time, the members of the Ärî sampradaya began to raise some arguments in the court of the king at Jaipur. They complained that as the Gaudiya Vaisnavas had no commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, they were not qualified to worship the Deity and therefore the worship should be turned over to the Ärî sampradaya. They also objected to the worship of Ärîmati Radharani along with Ärî Ärî Govinda-Gopinatha as not being authorised anywhere in the sastras.

The king, Sadacari Raja, was initiated within the Gaudiya sampradaya. Thus he quietly sent word to Vrindavana, informing the devotees there of what had happened. But at the same time the king was obliged to remove Radharani from the Deity room as well as suspend the Bengali Gaudiya Vaisnava pujaris from partaking in the Deity worship.

At that time Ärîla Visvanatha Cakravartipada was very aged, so it was not possible for him to make the journey to Jaipur. In his place he sent his student, Ärî Baladeva, who was fully conversant with the sastras and thus able to competently face the challenge. In a great assembly he posed such forceful arguments to the followers of Ramanuja that they could not reply to them. He further explained to them, "The originator of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, Ärî Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has accepted Ärîmad Bhagavata as the natural commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, as composed by Ärîla Vyasadeva Himself. This is proven in the Sat-sandarbha."

The scholars in the assembly, however, refused to accept anything other than a direct commentary on the sutra. Having no other recourse, Baladeva promised to present them with one.

Feeling very aggrieved, Ärî Baladeva came to Ärî Govindaji's mandira and after offering his prostrated obeisances, informed Ärî Govinda of everything that had happened. That night the Lord appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to write a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. "I will dictate to you what to write and therefore no one will be able to refuse to accept it."

Having seen such a wonderful dream, Baladeva was totally enlivened and felt renewed strengh flow into his heart. Thus he began to write, and within a few days completed the commentary which was titled 'Ärî Govinda Bhasya'.

Vidya rupam bhusanam me pradaya kyatim nitya tena yo mamudarah Ärî Govinda svapna nirdista bhaso radha bandhubandhurangah sa jiyat: "May He Who so mercifully and munificiently was kind towards me, and bestowed his favour by ordering me in a dream to write down His own commentary, which He would compose, and which attained such renown amongst the learned circles that they bestowed upon me the title 'Vidyâbhûëana'; may that dear friend of Ärîmati Radharani, who holds Him dearer than Her own life, be glorified. May that Ärî Govinda be glorified."

Bringing the commentary with him, Ärî Baladeva again came to the assembly of the Ramanandi scholars. After reading the commentary they were simply speechless. Thus the victory of the Gaudiya sampradaya was announced far and wide and the king, as well as the other devotees, began to float in the ocean of bliss. The scholars then bestowed upon Ärî Baladeva the title 'Vidyâbhûëana'.

This assembly took place in the year 1628 Sakabda, at Golta near the present city of Jaipur. Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana installed the Deity of Vijaya Gopala there at Golta Mandira, but the whereabouts of this Deity are at present not known. From this day the Maharaja of Jaipur announced that Ärî Govinda's arati would be performed first and then the other temples could perform their aratis.

After accepting defeat, the Ramanandi scholars expressed their desire to accept initiation from Ärî Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana. However, he declined their request by stating that amongst the four authorized sampradayas, the Ärî sampradaya was highly respectable and the foremost adherent of dasya-bhakti (devotion in servitorship). If there was any cause of loss of respect to the sampradaya this might be considered an offense.

Returning from Jaipur to Vrindavana, Ärî Baladeva presented the certificate of victory to Ärîla Visvanatha Cakravarti Ùhâkura and narrated all of the events that had transpired. All of the devotees were in great ecstacy to receive this news and Cakravartipada bestowed his full blessings on Ärî Baladeva. At this time, Ärî Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana began to write a commentary on Ärîla Jiva Gosvâmî's Sat-sandarbha.

Ärî Jaya and Ärî Vijaya Govinda, residing at Gokulananda Mandira in Vrindavana, were worshiped by Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana personally. According to the opinion of some devotees, the Deities of Syamananda Prabhu, Ärî Ärî Radha-Syamasundara, were installed by Ärî Baladeva Vidybhusana.

After Ärî Visvanatha Cakravarti Ùhâkura finished his pastimes in this world, Ärî Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana became the next acarya of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya.

At the end of Vedanta-syamantaka, Ärî Baladeva Vidyâbhûëana acknowledges his spiritual master thusly: "I have been sent here to Vrindavana by one brahmana guru, Ärî Radha-Damodar Deva, to present a compositon named Vedanta-syamantaka, composed by his mercy for the pleasure of Ärîmati Radharani."

Ärîla Baladeva Vidybhusana became known later as Ärî Govinda dasa. He had two well-known disciples: Ärî Vidya dasa and Ärî Nandan Misra.

He is the compiler of the following books: (Hey there's a lot more than this: Bhasya-pithaka, commentaries on Gopala Campu, Kèëòa-bhavanamrta, Samsaya-satini, etc.etc.) Ärî Govinda-bhasya, Siddhanta-ratnam, Sahitya-kaumudi, Vedanta-syamantaka, Prameya-ratnavali, Siddhanta-darpana, Kavya-kaustubha, Vyakarana-kaumudi, Pada-kaustubha, Isadi-upanisad bhasya, Gitabhusana-bhasya, Ärî Viëòunamasahasra-bhasya, Sanksepa-bhagatamrta-tippani-saranga-rangada, Tattva-sandarbha-tika, Stava-mala-vibhusana-bhasya, Nataka-candrika-tika, Candraloka-tika, Sahitya-kaumudi-tika, Kèëòa-nandini, Ärîmad-Bhagavata-tika, Vaisnava-nandini, Govinda-bhasya-siksma-tika, Siddhanta-ratna-tika, Stava-mala-tika.