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EDITORIAL June 24, 1999 VNN4157 Comment on this story His Heart Was Full Of Strength BY ARIJIT DAS  EDITORIAL, Jun 24 (VNN) — Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu was a pure devotee of the highest order, who cared for nothing but the service of the Lord. He didn't have a spot of desire for name and fame. He was the composer of many scriptures which are as priceless as precious gems, for the ultimate benefit of all those who have taken human birth. At an early age he became learned in Sanskrit grammar, poetry, rhetoric, and logic. After becoming expert in all these subjects, he began wandering to different places of pilgrimage. After wandering about in this way for some time, and after visiting many holy places, he happened to stay at a temple of the Tattvavadi followers of Shri Madhvacharya. There, he became fluent in his understanding of the tattvavada-siddhanta, that is, the philosophical and theological conclusions of the followers of Madhva. After this, he took sannyasa, and preached the tattvavada-siddhanta very vigorously throughout the length and breadth of India. As he wandered from one place to the next, he gradually came to Jagannatha Puri. There he remained and preached for a few days. At that time, he chanced to meet one of the foremost disciples of Shri Rasikananda Deva, Pandit Shri Radha-Damodara, with whom he discussed devotional principles. At that time, Shrimad Radha-Damodara dev Goswami instructed Baladev on the subject of Shri Gaurasundara's pastimes of mercy and His teaching on Gaudiya Vaishnava siddhanta to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. After hearing the divine wisdom spoken by Shri Radha-Damodara Goswami, Baladeva's heart was deeply moved. After a few days of hearing from him, he accepted initiation into the Radha-Krishna mantra, and began studying the Sat-Sandarbhas of Jiva Goswami at the holy feet of his gurudeva, Radha-Damodara Goswami. After staying with Radha-Damodara Goswami for sometime, he was ordered to further his studies in Gaudiya Vaishnavism by going to Vrindavana and taking shelter at the holy feet of Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. After first visiting Nabadwipa, he soon arrived in Vrindavana. Shri Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakur (Shri Harivallabha dasa), was very happy to see Baladev's submission, modesty, learning, and renunciation. From that day forward, for sometime, he kept Baladeva by his side and taught him the acintya-bheda-abheda philosophy of Shri Chaitanya and many other important siddhantas related to the Gaudiya Vaishnava conception of Krishna-bhakti. From this point on, Shri Baladeva's life and soul was fully dedicated to the thesis conception of the Gaudiya Sampradaya. His mind was fixed on this, and with one-pointed determination, he now began preaching this line to the exclusion of all others. One day, in Jaipur, in the royal court, the Ramanuja Sampradaya began arguing a case in connection with the Gaudiya Sampradaya. They informed the king that the Gaudiya Sampradaya had no commentary on the most important revealed scripture of Vedic religionžVedanta; therefore they had no siddhanta and no real Sampradaya, or school. As a consequence they should give up their service of the deities of Govinda and Gopinatha, and entrust with those who were bona fide members of a genuine Sampradaya. He immediately sent word of the controversy by messenger to Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakur in Vrindavana, wanting to know if the Gaudiya Sampradaya actually did have any commentary on the Vedanta. If there was, the king wanted that the commentary on the Vedanta. If there was, the king wanted that the commentary be sent immediately to Jaipur to satisfy the scrutiny of the pandits from the Ramanuja Sampradaya. At this time, Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti was very old and infirm. It was impossible for him to make the arduous journey to Jaipur. He sent his student and disciple, Shri Baladev, in his place. Baladeva Vidyabhusana was an expert scholar in all the important scriptures. In the midst of a huge assembly of pandits from the Ramanuja Sampradaya, Baladeva challenged them all to argue with him in scholarly debate. A long, and hard-fought debate took place, with tumultuous arguing from the Ramanuja school. Still, none of them could stand before his conclusive statements, keen scholarship, and penetrating intellect. Baladeva argued that the founder of the Gaudiya Sampradaya, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu established the Shrimad-Bhagavatam as the topmost commentary on Vedanta. The Bhagavatam itself claims that it is bhashyanam brahma-sutranam, the natural commentary on Vedanta. This is confirmed on the basis of evidence given by Jiva Goswami in his Sat Sandarbha. Therefore, the Gaudiya Sampradaya has chosen to accept Shrimad-Bhagavatam as the original commentary on Vedanta, and sees no need for a separate commentary. At that point, the pandits from the Ramanuja Sampradaya shouted: "He admits that there is no commentary!" Having no other recourse, Shri Baladeva Vidyabhusan promised to show them the Gaudiya commentary on Vedanta within a few days. The pandits were astonished to think that such a thing existed. They were suspicious that this might be some kind of trick, but were silenced for the time being. Very troubled within his mind, Shri Baladeva Vidyabhusana went to the temple of Shri Govinda, the deity of Rupa Goswami. After offering his eightfold obeisances before the deity, he related everything that had taken place. That night in a dream, Shri Govinda told him, you must compose the commentary. That commentary will be personally sanctioned by me. No one will be able to find any fault in it. Seeing this in his dream, Baladeva became very happy, and his heart was full of strength, ready for the task at hand. After this, he meditated on the lotus feet of Govinda and began writing his commentary. Within a few days it was completed. This commentary became known as the Govinda Bhashya commentary on Vedanta. In an addendum appended to the Govinda Bhashya, after it was published, Shri Baladeva has written, vidyarupam bhushanam ye pradaya, khatim nitye teno yo mamudarah, Shri govinda-svapna-nirdishtha bhashye, radhabandhurangah sa jiyat. "May Shri Govinda be all glorious. By his mercy, he revealed this commentary to me in a dream. The commentary revealed by him is especially appreciated by the highly learned, and as a result of this I have been given the name Vidyabhushana, but it is Shri Govinda who deserves all credit. May that Shri Govinda who is the most dear life and soul of Shri Radhika, be all-victorious." With the Govinda Bhashya commentary in hand, Baladeva Vidyabhusahana arrived at the assembly hall of the king, where the pandits were waiting for him. When he showed them his commentary, they were speechless. The Gaudiya Sampradaya was proclaimed victorious. The king and all the Gaudiya Vaishnavas were supremely happy. At that time the pandits gave Shri Baladeva the name "Vidyabhushana," or one whose ornament is knowledge, in honor of his great scholarship. The year was 1628, Shaka era. From the day forward, the king of Jaipur decreed, everyone would attend the aroti of Shri Govinda, the deity beloved by the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, who was ultimately responsible for such a wonderful commentary on Vedanta. The Ramanuja pandits, falling under the influence of Shri Baladeva Vidyabhushana, accepted him as their acharya and wanted to become his disciples. With great humility, Baladeva Vidyabhushana refused, explaining that there are four Sampradayas, among which the Shri Sampradaya is a genuine school that preaches servitude to God as the best religious process. By advancing the views of the Gaudiya Sampradaya, he meant no disrespect to the Shri Sampradaya. To insult the Shri Sampradaya would be a great offense, he said. Shripad Baladeva Vidyabhushana returned from Jaipur to Vrindavan carrying the message of his victory, Upon returning, he submitted to the lotus feet of Shri Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura and told him the news. All the visiting Vaishnavas and the residents of Vrindavana were delighted, and Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura bestowed his blessings upon Baladeva Vidyabhusana. After this, Baladeva Vidyabhusana began writing a commentary on the Sat Sandarbha. Soon Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura passed away, and the Vaishnava community felt as if a great beacon of divine light had been extinguished. At that time, Shri Baladeva Vidyabhusana became regarded among the Vaishnava community as the keeper of the flame, the leader among those who understood the teachings of Shri Chaitanya. All Glory To Srila Baladev Vidyabhusana Goswami Presented for the Pleasure of the Devotees by - Arijit Das Comment on this story | Contact VNN about this story | Send this story to a friend
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