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This booka blend of philosophy and poetry, science a nd ethics, spec-ulative metaphysics of the most breathtaking sort and hard pragmaticdata about human consciousnessbrings to America some of Indiasgrandest thought. Postmodern ironists beware! Nothing in your up-bringing will have prepared you for the subtle philosophical pleasuresof this book!

Andrew SchellingChair, The Naropa Institute

Author of For Love of the Dark One: Songs of Mirabai

Tattva-sandarbha is an inspired gathering of philosophical and mysti-cal insights about Reality. The present study by Swm B. V. Tripurriis a felicitous example of scholarship infused with the essential life-blood of personal spiritual practice. Among other things, it shows thatsixteenth-century devotional Vednta has much to teac h spiritual seek-ers on the threshold of the third millennium.

Georg Feuerstein, Ph. D.Author of Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga

and more than twenty other works.

Swm B. V. Tripurri lucidly presents Indias most exalted philoso-phy of devotionthe highest cultivation of both feeling and reason.Well-argued and systematic, Tattva-sandarbha is bound to broaden the

readers views of yoga, Hinduism, and religion. Such a yogic, mystictheism dwarfs the exclusivist monotheistic creeds that claim to speakfor our relationship with Divinity.

David FrawleyAuthor of Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses

and various other works on Vedic knowledge.

It is a matter of rejoicing that Swm Tripurri has written the bookJva Goswms Tattva-sandarbha.Swm Tripurris volume is a signifi-cant contribution. I recommend it highly.

Subhash C. KakProfessor, Louisiana State University

Co-author of In Search of the Cradle of Civilization

This book succeeds marvelously. It conveys a deeper vision and givesa fresh focus. Swm Tripurri exercises an acute philosophical sen-

sibility and helps the reader re-vision theultimate sheltera love in which Godand soul intermingle.

Dr. William J. JacksonAssociate ProfessorPurdue University

Jva Goswms

TATTVA-SANDARBHA

Sacred Indias

Philosophy of Ecstasy

Tattva-sandarbha is a classic mediaeval

work of Eastern philosophy written

in Sanskrit prose more than four hun-

dred years ago. It is an introduction to

a larger work, Jva Goswms a-san-

darbha. The original manuscript seeks

to explain the esoteric significance of

the BhgavataPura, arguably the most

important volume of Indias sacred lit-

erature. This Pura, along with the

Bhagavad-gt, is one of the most widely

read sacred books in the Indian sub-continent today. At the same time, it is

becoming a relevant voice in discus-

sions on quantum mechanics in the

West. The Bhgavata Pura has been

explained over the centuries in numer-

ous ways. Jva Goswm, the author of

Tattva-sandarbha, has suggested a unique

approach to understanding this Pura.

In so doing, he reveals the Bhgavata

Puras unique concept of nondual

consciousness.

In our times in which consciousness

has become a subject of considerable con-

jecture, the value of an authentic manu-

script from a sacred literary tradition that

describes the nature of consciousness is

immense. Its value is underscored when,

as is the case with Tattva-sandarbha, it is

written by an accepted spiritual vision-

(continued on back flap)

ary. The thoughts of those who have

pondered deeply and actually pursued

the nature of consciousness in the past

should prove useful to those of us today

who are just getting around to thinking

about that which we are.

In this rendering, Swm Tripurri en-

ables the reader to access the mind of Jva

Goswm and thus enter into the spirit of

a book that would otherwise be difficult

for those without sufficient background

to understand. This book is deeply philo-

sophical. It also contains many Sanskrit

terms that are difficult to render into

English. Yet the patient reader will reap

the results of a newfound metaphysic

that offers a unique solution to the pe-

rennial debate as to our oneness with or

difference from the absolute, nondualism

versus dualism. From this metaphysic,realization of the ultimate pursuit of all

living beings naturally arises.

All life pursues its own happiness,

and in human life we can understand that

it is love from which the greatest happi-

ness is derived. Tattva-sandarbhaoffers a

foundation upon which a life of love can

be built such that it will never topple un-

der the influence of time. It speaks of the

ultimate object of love in the language of

one who knows what it means to love,

and thus it serves as a veritable philoso-

phy of ecstasy.

SACREDINDIASP

HILOSOPHY

OFECSTASY

Tattva-Sandarbha

Swm B.V.

Tripurri

Harmonist

Publishers


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TATTVA-SANDARBHA

Jva Goswms


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Jva Goswms

TATTVA-SANDARBHA

Sacred Indias

philosophy of Ecstasy

bhvnuvda bySWMIB.V.TRIPURRI


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Library of CongressCatalog Card Number: 95083152ISBN: 1-886069-12-3

Harmonist Publishers 2011.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be re-produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in anyform or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Har-monist Publishers.

For philosophical inquires contact:Sri Caitanya Sangha

e-mail: [email protected]: www.swamitripurari.com

To order this and other books contact:

Sri Caitanya Sangha22001 PanoramaPhilo, CA 95466

phone: 707-895-3052

e-mail: [email protected]

website: www.swami.org

Other books by Swm B. V. Tripurri:

Aesthetic VedntaAncient Wisdom for Modern Ignorance

Bhagavad-gta: Its Feeling and PhilosophyForm of Beauty

Gopla-tpan UpaniadJoy of Self

Rasa: Love Relationships in Transcendenceikakam of r Caitanya

r Guru-Parampar


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To my eternal preceptor,

o viupda paramahasaparama parivrjakcrya-varya

aottara-ata-r rmad rla

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda,

on the centennial anniversary of his

divine appearance in this world.


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Contents

1. r Jva jvanmtam....................................1

Magalcaraa

2. Invoking Auspiciousness ........................ 13

Prama Khaa

3. In Search Of valid Evidence .................... 31

4. The Glory of rmad-Bhgavatam .........63

Prameya Khaa

5. The Trance of Vysa ..................................101

6. The Ultimate Shelter ...............................145

Foreword .............................................ixPreface ................................................xiIntroduction ......................................xiiiList of Abbreviations .......................xxii

Pronunciation Guide ...........................183Glossary ...............................................185Bibliography ........................................189Verse Index ..........................................191Index ....................................................195


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Foreword

For the past hundred years or so, since the famous orationby Swm Vivekananda at the 1893 World Parliament of Re-ligions in Chicago, the Western world has been persuaded toconsider Hinduism in monistic terms: all is one, all is God, youare God, I am God, we are all God. This philosophy, knownas advaita-vednta,was developed by akara around 800 C.E.and is fundamentally rooted in an impersonal view of the cos-mos, where all is Brahman without a second. Though actuallya minority worldview in India, it continued to represent theentire tradition, especially in the hands of modern syntheticmovements such as the Ramakrishna Mission, r AurobindoAshram, and Transcendental Meditation (Maharishi MaheshYogi), as well as Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

Notwithstanding the positive effects of spreading Indianphilosophy and culture, this imbalance has caused considerablemisunderstanding among the American public. For instance,Hinduism in general has been victimized by the media, andespecially by the evangelical Christian community whichlabels Hinduism in its hundreds of publications as pantheis-tic, impersonal, and therefore somehow evil. Yet a growingnumber of Westerners are becoming aware of the rich theistic,i.e. personalistic, traditions in India. In terms of census, these

traditions actually constitute the majority and have roots thatgo way back, not merely to the nineteenth century but to Indiasancient Vedic heritage. The theistic worship of Hindu deities like Viu, Ka,iva, Durga, etc., which according to Advaita philosophyconsist of inferior, illusory practices of the illiterate masses,has generated some of the most profound theological and

philosophical treatises among its exponents. The scholasticprecision and intuitive depth found in many of these worksis unparalleled in the history of religions. Barring cultural dif-ferences, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic apologetics, as well as

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proponents of other traditions that espouse the worship of apersonal God, would be wise to consult these works for theirclarity of argument and techniques of theological presentation. The book which you are about to read is an analysis of amedieval work that stands at the zenith of the Vaiava theo-logical tradition. Written by Jva Goswm (1513-1598), theforemost philosopher and theologian of the Gauya Vaiavasampradya,the Tattva-sandarbhais a lucid presentation of thephilosophy of the Bhgavata Pura, which describes the teach-ings and pastimes of Lord Ka. Jva Goswm is the young-est member of the famous Six Goswms of Vndvana, whodedicated their lives to writing and compiling works that formthe theological bedrock of the Gauya Vaiava tradition. It is indeed an honor for me to preface this masterly exegesis

by Swm B. V. Tripurri of Jva Goswms Tattva-sandarbha.Any scholar who is sensitive to contemporary religious issuesand interfaith dialogue will welcome this work that accurately

brings forth, for the first time in the English language, thetheological presuppositions and arguments of one of Indiasgreatest theistic thinkers, comparable to Moses Maimonides in

Judaism, St. Thomas Aquinas in Christianity, or Al Ghazzali inIslam. Moreover, Swm Tripurri has captured the spirit of the

original in a way that will be rewarding to the serious readeras well as appealing to the lay person.

Dr. Guy L. BeckAuthor of Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred SoundDepartment of Religious StudiesLoyola University

New Orleans, LA


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I embarked upon the writing this bhvnuvdaof Jva Go-swms treatise with a view to dive deeply into the depths ofthe ocean of r Jvas philosophy and thus nurture my ownjva(atomic soul). As the work developed, I began to feel that it waspossible to write about Tattva-sandarbhasuch that those outsideof the tradition of r Jva, that of Gauya Vaiavism, wouldfind it more accessible. I hope that this edition will do just that.My second hope is that it will provide an English study for thetraditions most recent generations, the bulk of whom do notspeak any Indian dialect.

If this edition succeeds in its first aim, to make Tattva-sandarbhamore accessible, this success should serve to inspirethe tradition in a second sense. Should the greater philosophi-cal and spiritually-minded public find r Jvas philosophyintriguing, they will naturally look to those who represent it forthe ecstasy that r Jva philosophizes about. r Jva no doubtexperienced this ecstasy, as the modern-day practitioners mustin order that their practice be considered a success. When thenewly interested public looks to the tradition for this success,the tradition's practitioners themselves will be further inspiredto take r Jvas philosophy to heart.

Tattva-sandarbhais more than a philosophical treatise. As anintroduction to r Jvas a-sandarbha,it is a call to alljvas torecognize and rise to their evolutionary potential. If we are toevolve at all, it must be spiritually, for spirit we are, not matter.How high can we fly in the spiritual sky? This is the messageof Jva Goswm, heralding the significance of r Caitanyasdescent.

The lineage of r Jva Goswm is a very prestigious one.

My connection with it is through one of the lineages mostdistinguished cryas(spiritual teachers), rla A. C. Bhaktive-danta Swami Prabhupda. On several occasions, he expressedhis desire to see the sandarbhasof r Jva Goswm printed in

Preface

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English. He left this task for his disciples. If he is pleased bythis edition, surely so is r Jva himself and his deity, r KaCaitanya, who is none other than r r Rdh-Ka. I have been helped in this effort by both scholars and devo-tees. Among them I would like to express my indebtedness tomy disciple Vndraya ds, who edited the manuscript,designed the book and cover, and saw the manuscript throughto the finish. Other selfless contributors include Majar Talentand Vicru dsa, who acted as editorial consultants; Swm B. B.Viu, who proofread, edited the Sanskrit, and helped compilethe index along with Navadvpa dsa; Jai Balarma dsa, whohelped in Sanskrit editing; Aa-sakh ds, Paurams ds, andMypur-candra dsa, who served as proofreaders; Rgtmikds, who helped with data entry; and Gaurga-sundara dsa,who did research. Financial contributors include my friends atMaala Media: Rmadsa and Govardhana dsa.

Among the many scholars who made suggestions, JanBrzezinskis unsolicited suggestions were a surprize and provedto be the most comprehensive and helpful. I am also gratefulto Guy Beck for his enthusiasm to write the foreword. I sensedeeply that I was acquainted with both of them in a previouslife. May r Jva Goswm bless them and all the other scholarsand devotees who participated. In anuccheda 180 of Ka-sandarbha, Jva Goswmbegsforgiveness from r Ka for any mistake he may have madein revealing his deitys confidential lls. In closing, I invokehis words with myself as the speaker in relation to this work,replacing r Kas name with that of Jva Goswm: Maythe all-compassionate r Jva Goswm forgive me for even the

smallest wrong I may have committed.


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This book is about a book that is about a third book. Thethird book is about a fourth book, and the fourth book is a bookabout the most voluminous body of literature known to humansociety. Moreover, all of these books are about the same subject.Let me explain. This book, a bhvnuvda of Tattva-sandarbha, is the first

book. The second and third books are Tattva-sandarbha andBhgavata Pura respectively.Tattva-sandarbha is a treatiseexplaining the significance of the Bhgavata Pura, also knownas the rmad-Bhgavatam. rmad-Bhgavatam is, among other things, the legendaryVedavysas commentary on his Vednta-stra (the fourth

book). In the Vednta-sutra,Vysa demonstrates the concor-dance of the Upaniads, Puras, Itihsas and the rest of sacredIndia's Vedic literature. This body of literature includes the

Mahbhrata, which consists of one hundred thousand versesand is seven times longer than the Greek epics, Iliad and Odys-sey, combined. The lengthy Bhagavad-gt takes up only onechapter of theMahbhrata. The Vedic literature also includesthe Rmyaa, which, along with the Mahbhrata, forms theepic portion of the Vedic literature.1

This vast body of prose, poetry, philosophy, science, and

morality, speaks ultimately of but one subject, the absolute.However, it does so from many angles of vision. Every volumeis in one way or another pointing human society in the directionof its highest potential, that of transcending the limits of the hu-man experience itself and thereby coming to know conclusivelyoneself and the absolute. Unfortunately, most people today areeither unaware of this literary heritage or do not understand it

Introduction

1. There is no consensus between scholars and practitioners, nor be-tween scholars alone as to which of these literatures is Vedic. I havecited here the view of the tradition. That all of these literatures constitutethe sacred books of the Hindus is accepted by all.

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Tattva-sandarbha

to be that which it isa veritable window to the world of pureconsciousness.

The Vedic literature is known to Indologists and relativelyfew other scholars. At the same time, its truth remains un-known to them as well in spite of their study. Even those whoaccept the guidance of this scriptural legacypractitionerswho know it on its own termsare often unable to representthe tradition with the dignity it deserves. This brings us tothe second focus of this book: r Jva Goswm, a dignifiedrepresentative of the Vedic tradition and arguably Indias mostimportant philosopher. What a shame it is therefore that he,as well as the scriptural heritage he represents, are known toso few today. Jva Goswm belongs to the Brahm-Madhva-GauyaVaiava sampradya, a spiritual lineage that traces its origins tothe dawn of creation. Some five hundred years ago, this lineagewas infused with deeper insights about the significance of r-mad-Bhgavatamby r Caitanya, a God-intoxicated mendicantsaid to be an incarnation of God (r Ka) and more. The ap-pellation Gauya added to the Brahma-Madhva sampradyarepresents r Caitanyas influence on the lineage resulting ina branch of its own. This branch, however, has been likened

to the tree itself, so nourishing has r Caitanyas influencebeen to the popularization of Vaiavism in general. It is fairto say that in this century this particular lineage has indirectly

brought more attention to all other branches of Vaiavismthan any direct effort on the part of any of these lineages. r

Jva Goswm is the greatest scholar of this Gauya lineage. InTattva-sandarbha, he has made intelligible the metaphysic upon

which Gauya Vaiavism rests. As for Jva Goswm's spirituality, the tradition acknowl-edges him to be an eternally liberated soul appearing on earthas an instrument for the will of the divine. The Gauya lineage

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Introduction

acknowledges the transcendental cowherder r Ka to be theacme of divine existence. r Jva is seen as one of r Ka'sintimategops, or cowherd girl servitors, who associates withhim eternally in a spiritual body beyond the constraints of timeand space. In his earthly appearance, Jva Goswm became a men-dicant as a mere youth. Hailing from West Bengal, he fol-lowed the footsteps of his father and two uncles who, due tothe influence of r Caitanya, left household life to embracethe world family and the culture of divine love. As a child,

Jva Goswm met r Caitanya. Then, seeing his elders leaveprominent government positions and luxurious family livesto follow r Caitanya into a life of devotion, r Jva inquiredfrom his mother about devotional life and renunciation. r Jva's mother did not take the boy seriously and repliedthat to enter such a life one must shave ones head and adoptthe robe of a mendicant. But taking her words seriously, Jvaappeared before her in devotional attire. Not only did he adoptthe dress of a monk, he adopted the inner heart of one as well.Shortly thereafter he left home for the spiritual pursuit. r Jva met the eternal companion of r Caitanya, theavadhtaNitynanda Prabhu, in Navadvpa, West Bengal. OnNitynandas instruction he set out for Vndvana, where hisuncles had taken up residence. But first he stopped in Benares.There, under the tutelage of Madhusdana Vcaspati, he stud-ied all of the systems of Indian philosophy, as well as logic,Sanskrit, and other branches of knowledge. After his education, he proceeded to Vndvana, where hespent the better part of his life writing about and exemplifying

the life of devotion and transcendental love. He wrote manybooks, his entire contribution consisting of more than fourhundred thousand verses, more than that contained in all ofthe eighteen principal Puras combined.

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Tattva-sandarbha

Jva Goswm's most important literary contribution is asix part treatise, the a-sandarbha. The Tattva-sandarbhais thefirst part. The word sandarbha literally means a stringingtogether. In this case, it is a stringing together of verses fromrmad-Bhgavatamto explain the inner, if not secret, spiritualitythat rmad-Bhgavatamand thereby all of the Vedic literatureis ultimately pointing to. It is a spirituality that r Caitanyaembodied and Jva Goswm gave shape to in written form. rCaitanya flowed beautifully yet unapproachably like a greatwaterfall of love of Godhead. r Jva made a lake out of hisecstasy in the form of a-sandarbha, such that people of thisworld could approach that which r Caitanya personified,drink from it, and eventually swim in it, losing themselves ina tide of transcendental love.

To date, there are two translations of Tattva-sandarbha inEnglish, one written by a scholar, the other by a practitioner. Iam also aware of a third manuscript yet to be published. Eachof the two translations in print is lacking in different ways.Stuart Elkmans, while an accurate translation, is often abstruseand difficult to access without considerable background. Thisis understandable in one sense, for Jva Goswm wrote Tattva-sandarbha for an educated class of readers who were familiarwith much of that which is unknown to the vast majority today.However, in his study Elkman reaches a rather far-fetchedconclusion in which the modern-day followers of r Caitanyaand even Jva Goswm himself are cast as having fabricateda philosophy centered around a misconceived notion of thatwhich r Caitanya most probably (in Elkmans mind) stoodfor. Conveniently, in this study r Caitanya is identified more

closely with the tradition of advaita-vednta that Elkman him-self identifies with. It is doubtful that anyone today who hasmade r Caitanyas tradition an object of intellectual interestwould agree with Elkman. Although I disagree with Elkman's

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Introduction

conclusions, I am nonetheless indebted to him. His translationproved very helpful to me in my study. The second translation, that of Kua Krata dsa, falls shortin terms of its accuracy. In some places it is wildly inaccurateas to what Jva Goswm has written, yet it at the same timedoes not distort the overall teaching that r Jva represented.This is an interesting accomplishment. The author has enteredthe task of translation with a fair understanding of the tradi-tions devotional conclusions, fitting them in even when theactual translation is inaccurate. While I would hesitate to rec-ommend this edition, it was the first edition of Tattva-sandarbhathat I encountered in English, and I did derive inspirationfrom it. I have not seen the third manuscript yet to be published.I am confident, however, that it will be authoritative. rSatyanryaa dsa compiled it in r Vndvana, the holyplace most identified with the tradition. He is a practitionerand a scholar as well, and without his help it would have beenimpossible for me to bring out this edition. His lectures onTattva-sandarbhaformed the basis of my study. This bhvnuvda has a purpose of its own, and othertranslations aside, it can only but add to appreciation of Jva

Goswm and the spiritual legacy of r Caitanya. A bhvnu-vda seeks to convey the feeling of a treatise. As such, this edi-tion seeks to make Tattva-sandarbhaas accessible as possible tothose lacking a rigorous background in Indian philosophy andVednta in particular. Yet I have been cautious not to stray toofar from the actual text so that those more familiar with thistype of work will not lose interest due to what might be for

them unnecessary background information.Because Tattva-sandarbha is an introduction to the entire

a-sandarbha, I have in places taken the liberty to expand theseed conceptions found in the text that are developed later in

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Introduction

tion of invoking the presence of r Jva that he might bless thiseffort. This sketch constitutes the first chapter. In the second chapter, r Jva invokes the blessings of hisown spiritual guides in the form of a magalcaraa. This aus-picious invocation is typical of classical works of this nature.The chapter informs the reader in brief as to that which will bediscussed throughout the book.

The third chapter, which marks the beginning of theprama khaa,begins the search for valid evidence on thebasis of which r Jva will establish his philosophy. r Jvadismisses various ways of knowing, all of which rely uponour instruments of perceiving, both senses and reason, whichare inherently imperfect. He concludes his search resting withrevealed sound represented in sacred literature. Without suchrevelation, r Jva contends, absolute knowing is not possible.Having accepted revealed sound, he refines his valid evidence.r Jva provides an excellent overview of the value of sacredliterature, as well as a guide through the jungle of spiritualsounds known as the Upaniads and Puras. The reader ac-quainted with the concepts of rutiand smtiwill be no doubttaken by the discussion regarding the significance of the smti,and the Puras in particular, for r Jvas view is novel and

his arguments persuasive.The entire fourth chapter is dedicated to expounding the

virtues of rmad-Bhgavatam. This book contains the philoso-phy of ecstasy, and out of all of the sacred Sanskrit texts, JvaGoswm argues convincingly that it is the essence. Citing nu-merous quotations from a wide variety of sacred literature, aswell as the opinions of many renowned scholars, r Jva floods

us with his oceanic understanding of that literature which is sa-cred. After establishing his ultimate means of knowing, hearingfrom rmad-Bhgavatam, r Jva closes hisprama khaawithan explanation of how he will proceed in theprameya khaa.

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Tattva-sandarbha

The fifth chapter is dedicated to explaining the key tounderstanding the entirety of Indias sacred texts: examiningthe spiritual trance of Vysa. Vysa is considered the editor-in-chief of all of the Vedic literature. He entered into samdhion the order of his guru, and it is this samdhithat gave rise tormad-Bhgavatam. The Bhgavatamis thus the samdhi-bhya,or language of spiritual trance, spoken by Vysa in his ma-ture realization. Through r Jvas analysis, the logic of andscriptural basis for the monistic conception of ultimate realityis brought under scrutiny. r Jva concludes that monism,exclusive nonduality, is fraught with inconsistencies, as is ametaphysic of exclusive duality. It is in this section that hepresents his metaphysic of inconceivable simultaneous onenessand difference (acintya-bhedbheda) and asserts the superiorityof love over knowledge, or more precisely, the view that loveis the ultimate knowledge and means of knowing.

The final chapter explores the nature of nondual conscious-ness further, and draws our attention to what the Bhgavatamcalls the ultimate shelter. This chapter does so first by analyz-ing the individual atomic particle of consciousness, the soul. Inthis analysis, r Jva concludes that the ultimate shelter is rKa. Next r Jva reaches the same conclusion as to the na-

ture of ultimate nondual consciousness through analyzing theBhgavatams discussion of universal influences, i.e., creation,annihilation, karma, etc. In the course of this twofold analysis,Buddhisms advocacy of voidism is discussed. r Jva offers usevidence based on our everyday experience as to the nature ofour soul and its far reaching potential for love. In conclusion,the ultimate shelter in a Vednta of aesthetics is revealed.

I hope that this study will be useful by way of furtherintroducing Jva Goswm to the world, as well as sheddinglight on the significance of the scriptural heritage of humansociety. Tattva-sandarbhamay pleasantly surprise many only

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Introduction

somewhat acquainted with Vednta philosophy, for it presentsthe less-well-known inner heart of the head of Vednta. It mayalso unsettle those who have settled themselves into the notionof advaita-vednta, for Tattva-sandarbhais unsympathetic to thisdoctrine, as it is to its Buddhist counterpart. Tattva-sandharbareveals a divine doctrine of love grounded firmly in philosophy.Thus it serves to bridge the gap between the polar oppositesof Eastern and Western religious tradition, the West largelyrepresented by a doctrine of love and grace, the East by anontology of consciousness.

Although in one sense an obscure text of interest to a sectof specialized practitioners and the few trained in the field ofIndian philosophy, Tattva-sandarbhahas a broader appeal aswell. This is not to say that it is in any way easy reading for thegeneral public. It is not. It is full of technical terms difficult todefine in English, and it is at heart deeply philosophical. Yet itoffers as a reward to those who pay close attention to its sermona well reasoned metaphysic based upon revealed knowledge.It is a metaphysic that answers with new light the time-worndebate of our oneness with the absolute (nondualism) versusour difference from it (dualism). Out of this metaphysic, real-ization of the ultimate pursuit of all living beings can logically

arise.All life pursues its own happiness, and in human life we

can understand that it is love from which the greatest hap-piness is derived. Tattva-sandarbhaoffers a foundation uponwhich a life of love can be built such that it will never toppleunder the influence of time. It tells of the ultimate object oflove, r Ka, in the language of one who loves him. Hearing

about Ka from Jva Goswm in his Tattva-sandarbha,andultimately his entire a-sandarbha, many will conclude thatthey too have found, at least in theory, their loving propensitysrepose in eternity.

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Ag. P. Agni PuraBg. Bhagavad-gtBrs. Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu

B. U. Bhad-rayaka UpaniadCB. Caitanya BhgavataCc. di Caitanya-caritmta di-llCc. Madhya Caitanya-caritmta Madhya-llCc. Antya Caitanya-caritmta Antya-llCh. U. Chndogya UpaniadG. P. Garua Pura

Ma. P. Matsya PuraM. Bh. MahbhrataN. P. Nrada PuraPa. P. Padma PuraSB. rmad-Bhgavatami. P. iva PuraSk. P. Skanda Pura

Tai. U. Taittirya UpaniadV. P. Vyu PuraVd. P. Viu-dharmottara PuraVi. P. Viu PuraVs. Vednta-stra

List of Abbreviations:


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1

r Jva

Jvanmtam

1

The principal source materials from which to gather bio-graphical information on Jva Goswm are Bhakti-ratnkaraand Prema-vilsa. Both of these books chronicle events concern-ing the lives of r Caitanya and his followers. Prema-vilsawaswritten first, in the mid-16th century. Bhakti-ratnkarawas writ-ten a century later. Prema-vilsawas authored by Nitynanda

dsa, a resident of Bengal. Narahari Cakravart, who spent thebetter part of his life in Vndvana, wrote Bhakti-ratnkara.Scholars have questioned the accuracy of Prema-vilsa,1

and although practitioners accept both as authoritative, theyseem to favor the details of accounts found in Bhakti-ratnkara.Time and distance inevitably distort accounts of events. Thesetwo books were written a century apart, one in Bengal and the

other most probably hundreds of miles away in Vndvana. Thedetails of events vary considerably in these two texts, yet theyboth accurately represent the bhva,or ecstasy, of the events inquestion. Other than these two sources, the Caitanya-caritmtaalso says a few words about Jva Goswm, and Jva Goswmsights his own geneology in his Laghu-vaiava-toa. From the traditions point of view, Jva Goswms life his-tory is the unfolding of his spirituality from an unmanifest stateto a manifest state within human society. r Jva only appears

1. De, Sushil Kumar. Early History of the Vaiava Faith and Movement in

Bengal (Calcutta: Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay, 1961), p. 66.

That ground of being, while firm, is moving.Its movements, however, are not cause forconcern for those who stand upon it. This isso because, to begin with, we are that ground.But in r Jvas eyes there is much more to tell

that makes for a Vednta of aesthetics.


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to become enlightened, and through a mystic arrangement,he actually feels as though at one time he was not. He is consid-ered to be internally possessed of the transcendental emotions(bhva)of a female lover (gop) of the divine Ka. Internally,he experienced Kas celestial realm. Externally, he appearedas a practioner of extreme renunciation and devotion. His lifethus instructs us that the highest love of Ka, often portrayedas an unmarried girls love for a young man, has little if any-thing in common with the affairs of unmarried young couplesof this world. Whereas love of Ka is free from selfish desire,mundane love is based upon it.

We know that Jva Goswm was the son of Vallabha. Hisancestry was South Indian. Hailing from Karnataka, they wereSrasvata brhmaas.He was born in Rmakeli, West Bengalin 1513 C.E.Muslims ruled West Bengal at the time of r Jvas

appearance, and it came to pass that his father and two uncleswere employed by the governor, Nawab Hussain Shah. Theyheld positions with influence similar to that of cabinet membersof a president. Well-educated, cultured, pious, and wealthy,they led comfortable lives. Although at that time there was relatively peaceful coex-istence in Bengal between the Hindus and Muslims, when the

three brothers accepted employment in the Muslim government,they became social outcasts of the Hindu religious society. Theywere accepted, however, and in no small measure, by r Cai-tanya, an avatraand God-intoxicated devotee at once, as wellas a religious and social reformer. By that time, r Caitanyahad created quite a stir in West Bengal and Jaganntha Pur.Taking to the streets with cymbals and drums, he alienated

both orthodox Muslims and Hindus, but collected a mass offollowers from the ranks of each sect. His religion: passionatelove of God. His method: chanting the names of God. Whiledisturbing those entrenched in the formalities of a particular


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religious conceptual framework, he afforded those who fol-lowed him spiritual experience beyond religious formalities.Among the latter were r Jvas father and uncles, whom hewould eventually follow. r Jvas father and uncles had heard of r Caitanya andcorresponded with him. When r Caitanya returned to Ben-gal from Puri, the news of his conversions there were ripplingthroughout India. He visited the home of these three Srasvatabrhmaas,the home in which r Jva was a tender youth. Whatwere the names of r Jvas uncles? We know only what namesthey received from r Caitanya during this visit, and Jva, hav-ing received this name subsequently from one of his uncles, isknown only as such. r Caitanya named r Jvas two unclesSantana and Rpa and changed his fathers name to Anupama.From this we can conclude that the three became r Caitanyas

disciples.Shortly after being accepted by r Caitanya, the brothers

left family life and entered the life of devotion and renuncia-tion, leaving r Jva behind. Yet they left with r Jva the spiritof their vision. The boy took note of how his elders left a lifeof material opulence for one ostensibly of begging. They leftaristocratic status and wandered the breadth of India barefoot,

clad only in loincloths, with water pots and rosaries as their onlypossessions. Sometimes they ate, more often they went without.Their renunciation, however, was merely a by-product of theirlove-intoxicated state. They fasted not so much as a consciousausterity, but as a result of their absorption in divine lovethey

forgotto eat and to sleep as well. Mendicants they appeared tobe, but ordinary mendicants they were not.

Government employment may have ostracized them fromthe religious Hindu community, but it did not make them poor.They enjoyed considerable wealth in government service. Yetit was apparent to the young Jva that they had not left reli-


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gion for money, nor in joining r Caitanya, money for merereligion. Theirs was a spiritual vision that transcended notonly dharma(religion) and artha(wealth), but kma(materialenjoyment) and even moka(liberation). This was the ideal ofr Caitanya: Kaprema, passionate love of God that belittleseven salvation from the cycle birth and death (sasra). r Jvaglimpsed the effects of this love in r Caitanya and its influ-ence that overflowed onto his elders. They embraced the lifeof devotion after meeting merely once with r Caitanya, hislove-intoxicated state was so contagious. With a penetratingeye of introspection, r Jva analyzed the significance of hisfather and uncles departure from home and chose to followin their footsteps. Later, with the same penetrating vision, hiseyes anointed with the salve of love (prema), he would writeextensively on the philosophy of the love and ecstasy that r

Caitanya embodied. r Jva was more than a handsome youth. His bodilyfeatures were those of a mah-purua,or great personality (byspiritual standards). According to the Smudrika, There arethirty-two bodily symptoms of a great personality: five of his

bodily parts are large, five fine, seven reddish, six raised, threesmall, three broad, and three grave.2

He was young when he left home. While still an adolescent,he questioned his mother about the life of renunciation anddevotion. His mother dismissed his inquiry as no more thanchildhood infatuation with a life of material hardship and spiri-tual pursuit. r Jva surprised her by appearing before her inmendicant dress, having learned from her that such attire was

2. paca-drgha paca-skma/ sapta-rakta a-unnata// tri-hrasva-pthu-gambhiro/ dvtrial-lakao mahn// (Smudrika)


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requisite. More so she must have been astonished when hisapparent youthful infatuation for the dress of devotion, a meremonks robe and shaven head, proved to be mature participa-tion in spiritual emotion.

After leaving home, r Jva went to Navadwp of WestBengal. It was here that r Caitanya had appeared. In Nava-dwp, then a seat of learning, r Caitanya began his movement.Shortly after he had begun to manifest his ecstasy, he was joined

by Prabhu Nitynanda, who is considered to be his other self.r Jva met Nitynanda and was personally instructed by himin the esoteric doctrines of what would become known (chieflythrough the writing of Jva Goswm and his uncles) as GauyaVaiavism. On the advice of Nitynanda, r Jva traveled from Nava-dwp to Benares enroute to Vndvana. There he studied underthe tutelage of the famous Madhusdana Vcaspati (not to beconfused with Madhusdana Sraswat, an Advaitin). Madhu-sdana Vcaspati was related to the renowned SrvabhaumaBhacrya. He must have learned Vednta from Srvabhaumaafter the Bhacrya himself learned Vednta from r Caitanyain the midst of the Bhacryas dramatic conversion.3Benareswas immersed in an atmosphere of learning. There r Jva

learned Vednta and numerous other branches of knowledgein a very short time. It is apparent from his books that he wasa good student, well versed in the philosophies of Vaieika,Nyya, Skya, Yoga, Prva-mms, and Uttara-mms.This comprehensive knowledge is a characteristic of a mah-bhgavata, or superlative devotee.4

3. See Caitanya-caritamt,Madhya-ll,chapter six for an account of thisevent.4. stre yuktau ca nipuah sarvath ddhanicayah/ prauharaddho dhikr yah sa baktvuttamo matah// (Brs. 2.17)


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From Benares, he continued on to Vndvana. By the timehe arrived there his father had died prematurely. In Vn dvana,he took shelter of his uncles, Rpa and Santana Goswms,accepting spiritual initiation from r Rpa. Presumably it wasfrom r Rpa that Jva Goswm received the name Jva, upon

being initiated into the Ka mantra. The title Goswm is nothereditary, rather it is conferred upon one who has conqueredover his mind and senses. r Rpa, Santana, and Jva were three of those knownas the Six Goswms. Together with these three lived GopalaBhaa, Raghuntha Bhaa, and Raghuntha dsa Goswms.Amongst them, r Jva was the youngest and most prolific. Hewas a perfect disciple of Rpa Goswm and certainly qualifiedto initiate others, yet it is questionable as to whether or not hepersonally initiated any disciples, although many considered

themselves his disciples and he appears to have addressed somedevotees as such.

r Rpa and Santana did not accept disciples, r Jvatheir nephew a lone exception. The reason for this was not theirlack of qualification. It seems that the socioreligious climate ofthe times was respected by the Goswms. They reformed thesociety yet remained within existing socioreligious parameters,

having assessed that which they had to contend with in orderto successfully establish an organized systematic school ofthought (sampradya) centered around the ecstasy of r Cai-tanya. Thus for some time students desiring initiation wereregularly referred to Gopala Bhaa Goswm, who hailed froma prestigious South Indian brahmafamily. If r Jva did notpersonally initiate, it was in pursuance of this strategy. The

sampradyas next generation appears to have been less con-cerned with disturbing the socioreligious climate. By this timethe sampradyawas better established, with a literary legacy ofconsiderable size and temples built with the patronage of the


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r jva jvanmtam 7

Rjs. Two of the sampradyas leading members, Narottamadsa and ymnanda, were not from brhmaafamilies, andymnanda from the lowest caste (dra),yet they did initiatewidely while r Jva was still alive. Thus the policy of r Rpaand Santana, one probably followed by r Jva as well, was

based not upon devotional conclusions of the sampradya,5butupon consideration of the social climate of the day, as well asthe humility of the three Goswms.

r Jva devotedly served his seniors and continued to livein Vndvana, eventually becoming the spiritual guide for allof the followers of r Caitanya until the end of the sixteenthcentury. He was the ultimate authority in all esoteric andpractical issues concerning the culture of spiritual love. Afterthe departure of r Rpa and Santana, he served the com-munity in this capacity even in the presence of others senior

to himself.His life in Vndvana was that of extreme renunciation and

devotion. He wore only the traditional loincloth and acceptedmany hardships in the service of the absolute. At the same time,he was intimately involved in excavating the places of Kaspastimes and building temples for the deities of Rdh-Kaand r Caitanya. Fabulous temples of architectural wonder

were arranged for the deities, yet r Jva himself slept beneaththe trees. The Govindaj Mandir in particular is an extraordinary

blend of architectural styles that reflects the prominent religiousinfluences of the time, built as a monument to the deity that inr Jvas mind represented transcendence of religious conven-tion. That r Jva was intimately involved in its fourteen years

5. In Gauya Vaiavism, qualification for acting as an initiating gurudoes not include birth in a brahmafamily. Although Rpa and Santanawere born in brahmafamilies, their brahminical status was brought intoquestion due to their association with the Muslim contingent.


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of construction is evidenced by his Govinda mandir-aakam,aneight verse tribute to this temple and its patrons.

At one point, the powerful emperor Akbar came to Vn-dvana with the hope of meeting this extraordinary ascetic.Akbar was a man of enormous wealth and influence, yet he washumbled to hear of the spirituality of r Jva and his elders.He patronized r Jva to the extent of removing obstacles thatimpeded the development of Vndvana by the Rjs, whosubscribed to the religion of love explained by and embodiedin Jva Goswm.

More than twenty-five books are attributed to r Jva. Thelist of these twenty-five found in Bhakti-ratnkaraends withetcetera. Caitanya-caritmt credits him with writing morethan four hundred thousand verses. If this is accurate, it makesr Jva second only to Vysa in authoring Sanskrit verses con-

cerning the nature of the absolute truth. The tradition holds thatwhatever he wrote was first fully manifest in his mind and oncehe committed a thought to writing he never changed it.

Of all of his books, a-sandarbhais the most famous. Inthis sixfold treatise, he manifests his opulence of superhumancommand over the enormous body of Indias sacred Vedic andsupplementary Vedic literature. From the Vedas, Upaniads,

Puras, Itihsas, and the epicMahbhratato the Tantras andgamas, there seems not a page unturned by r Jva. Hiscomprehension of their contents makes it appear almost asthough he wrote them himself. Studying a-sandarbha,one isheld spellbound by this opulence alone, dumbfounded by r

Jvas scriptural command, what to speak of the realization he sokindly shares therein. a-sandarbhaserves as the philosophical

foundation for the ecstasy and love that r Caitanya embodiedand r Jva experienced so deeply.

In a-sandarbha, r Jva argues persuasively that the ec-stasy of r Caitanya is that which the entirety of Vedic Indias


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vast sacred literary heritage is pointing to. To his argumentsand conclusions there are no doubt counterarguments, asall logic is inconclusive and scripture lends to innumerableinterpretations. Yet it is the charm of his conclusionsKallthat is difficult to match. A more endearing conception ofthe absolute, reasonably and eloquently articulated and wellsupported by a sacred literary heritage is, if in existence, yetto express itself.

r Jva Goswm is one of the greatest religious philoso-phers in history. His spiritual lifestyle is instructive to us aswell. It would be difficult to find a person as intelligent as r

Jva, who at the same time thought so little of intelligence. Heused his intellect to argue on behalf of the eternal soul, andmore, its emotional potential in transcendence. While doing so,his lifes example teaches us that there is indeed firm ground to

stand on beneath the soft surface of the ground of our materialexperience. That ground of being, while firm, is moving. Itsmovements, however, are not cause for concern for those whostand upon it. This is so because, to begin with, we are thatground. But in r Jvas eyes there is more to tell, much morethat makes for a Vednta of aesthetics. Realizing ourselves to

be consciousness is to stand at the door of transcendence. r

Jva opens the door to a life in transcendence culminating in thecircular love dance (rasa) of r r Rdh-Ka, synonymouswith the ecstatic chanting and dancing of r Caitanya.

On the ground of consciousness, r Jva has crafted a deityout of the same material, his chisel the Bhgavata Pura.Hisdeity is dark and handsome and never alone, standing eternallyin the embrace of his feminine counterwhole. He rules over all

by the force of affection and beauty. He is a deity more humanthan transcendent, more transcendent than human. r Jvahas built a temple for this deity, and that too is made out of theground of being, pure nondual consciousness. It is spacious


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and inviting in the most charming sense. Call this deity Ka,his feminine counterwhole Rdh, and be done with a life ofillusory happiness and empty promises of love. Calling theirnames, r Jva turned his back on this illusory world to tell usof another, which, as it turns out, is no more than this worldwhen viewed through eyes anointed with divine love.

The world influenced by Western philosophy, to which thisedition of his work is presented, will have to wrangle with whatmay appear to be foreign concepts and language (Sanskrit) topenetrate r Jvas mind and heart. Yet what modern readerswill find is a vision not so foreign after all. In this vision lies thefull potential of humanityto turn from the senses beastly callof the wild to the language of logic, and from the language oflogic to the life of eternal love.


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Magalcaraa


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13

r Jva Goswmbegins his Tattva-sandarbhawith thetraditional magalcaraa, invoking auspiciousness. Amagalcaraagenerally consists of three elements: namaskra(offering obeisances), vastu-nirdea (identifying the subject of thebook), and rvda(offering or seeking blessings).Magalcaraatraditionally also includes anubandhas, indispensable elements

of Vednta, that give the reader a brief acquaintance with thebook. Jva Goswm introduces three anubandhas: sambandha(knowledge of relationship), abhidheya(the means of attain-ment), andprayojana(the goal to be realized). Aside from this,r Jva also mentions the qualifications of the reader (adhikra). r Jvas magalcaraaconsists of the first eight anucchedas(sections) of his treatise. As Tattva-sandarbhabegins with anintroductory invocation in which the books content is foundin seed,similarly the entire Tattva-sandarbhais in one sense anintroduction itself. It contains in seed r Jvas entire treatiseconsisting of six essays commonly known as a-sandarbha. In the first anuccheda,r Jva cites an important verse fromrmad-Bhgavatam,which is considered to be the vastu-nirdeaverse of his treatise. In this verse the subject of the treatise isidentified. In Kali-yuga, those who possess very fine theisticintelligence (su-medhasa) worship r Ka (ka-vara)who has appeared in disguise (tvika)as r Ka Cai-tanya. They do so through congregational chanting of the nameof God (yajai sakrtana-pryai), as r Caitanya himself,

Invoking

Auspiciousness

2 Existence need not be conscious, yet a con-scious reality requires existence. Consciousexistence need not be joyful, but if reality is

joyful, it must exist and be conscious. Suchis Ka: existence, consciousness, and joy

brahmeti paramtmeti bhagavn ity abdyate.


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with his arms raised in surrender as his only weapons (sgo-pgstra-pradam), has taught along with his eternal associatesand expansions.1

By citing this verse at the outset, Jva Goswm indicatesthat r Caitanya is the subject of Tattva-sandarbha (vastu-nirdea).Because Tattva-sandarbhais also a treatise that explains thermad-Bhgavatam,it is indicated herein that the Bhgavatam isultimately about that which r Caitanya embodies. This open-ing verse has been explained in various ways, thus r Jva hassought to define and thus fix its meaning in anuccheda 2whereinhe offers his obeisances to his deity (namaskra).2

Jva Goswm follows the lead of r Santana Goswm inexplaining this verse. It was Santana Goswm, the eldest ofthe legendary Six Goswms of Vndvana, who first explainedthe verse as a reference to r Caitanya. As we shall see, this

explanation is pivotal to the entire Gauya Vaiava theology.It identifies the deity of the Gauyas (r Caitanya) as God, aGod who has come with his associates to teach the worship ofhimself (r Ka), while at the same time hiding the fact thathe is God. Thus although Santana Goswms explanation isone that draws out a hidden meaning, it fits with the overalltheory of the Gauyasthat in the Kali-yuga God incarnates in

a hidden manner, disguised as a devotee to teach the worshipof himself. The context in which this verse of theBhgavatamis foundlends well to Santana Goswms interpretation. In the eleventhcanto of the Bhgavatam,Karabhjana Muni is explaining the

1. ka-vara tvika sgopgstra-pradam/

yajai sakrtana-pryair yajanti hi su-medhasa// (SB. 11.5.32)2 . Baladeva Vidybhaa has explained this second anucchedain this wayin his commentary on Tattva-sandarbha. Kadsa Kavirja Goswm hasalso used it in Cc. di 3.7980 in the same way.


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Invoking Auspiciousness 15

avatrasof the four cosmic time cycles, oryugas,to King Nimi.Karabhjana Muni briefly describes the characteristics of the

yuga-avatras. He then explains the principal, and thus mostefficacious, means of worship for eachyuga, as taught by thesemillennia incarnations.After describing the first threeyugas,Satya, Tret, and Dvpara, Karabhjana comes to the present

yugacycle, Kali-yuga. It is here that we find this verse. As mentioned, other commentators have not revealedthat this verse indicates r Caitanya. Even rdhara SwmsBhgavatamcommentary, Bhvrtha-dpik,which r Caitanyaso much respected,3does not point to r Caitanya.4Yet in theeyes of the Gauyas, this, rather than opposing their conclu-sions, indirectly lends support. This is so because the Gauyascontend that the prerogative to reveal theyuga-avatra,so spe-cial as he is in this particular Kali-yuga, lies with the avatra

himself and his subsequent followers. Thus even Vysadevawrote about r Caitanya in a covert way out of deferenceto Kas own desire to remain hidden until his own directfollowers proclaim his appearance to the world after hisdescent.

In the verse, the word varamhas several meanings, all ofwhich fit well with the contention that the verse describes r

Caitanya. Varameans syllable, class, and color. It can also

3. rdharera anugata ye kare likhana/saba loka mnya kari karibe grahaa//

One who comments on rmad-Bhgavatamfollowing rdhara will behonored and accepted by all. (Cc. Antya 7.135)

4. rdhara Swm states,indranla-maivad ujjvalam,[Ka is] dark

like a sapphire, yet shines brightly. He thus explains the contradictionin this verse that the avatraunder discussion is black, yet not black.He also offers an alternative to tviaka derived by not joining thesandhi (tvikam): The wise worship Ka, who is blackish.


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mean varayati, todescribe.5Ka-varamtherefore pri-marily indicates he whose name contains the syllables k anda. r Caitanyas name after accepting the renounced order(sannysa)became r Ka Caitanya, and he is known to haveconstantly uttered the holy name of Ka. He is, according to

Jva Goswm, in the category of God (sva)and not that ofthe living entities (vibhinna). Yet such is true of all yuga-avatras;therefore, more precisely ka vara indicates thatthis avatrais of the class of Ka, that is, he is not an avatraofViu.6He is Ka (blackish), yet in this incarnation he does notappear blackish (tvika) to the general public. r Jva notes,however, that r Caitanya did appear in dark complexion onrare occasions such as when he revealed himself to RmnandaRya.7Thus the color of his soul within is black (anta ka),yet he has accepted the disposition of his devotee to hide him-

self and is thus bearing an outward complexion that is golden(bahir gaura).8

Vital to this explanation is the well-knownBhgavatamversein which the fouryuga-avatrasare discussed in terms of theircomplexions. Your son appears in everyyugaand has assumed

5. M. Monier-Williams, Sanskrit English Dictionary(New Delhi: MunshiramManoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1988), p. 1143.

6. Gauya Vaiavas differentiate between Godhead and his expansionsand incarnations (svasa)and thejvasouls (vibhinna) and further dif-ferentiate Ka from all other avatras(kas tu bhagavn svayam).

7. pahile dekhilu tomra sannysi-svarpa/ebe tom dekhi mui yma-gopa-rpa//

At first I (Ramnanda) saw you in the form of a sannysi, but now I see you

in a dark form (ymasundara) as the cowherd boy. (Cc. Madhya 8.268)8. Gauya Vaiavas consider Kas blackish color and r Rdhsgolden color to correspond with their dispositions(bhvas).r Caitanya

being Ka with the disposition of Rdh is thus of golden complexion.


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previously three different colorswhite, red, and golden. Nowhe is appearing in a blackish color.9In this verse, Gargamuni,Kas family priest, is conducting the traditional name-givingceremony. He mentions that Ka appeared in other millen-nia (other than the Dvpara-yuga), and that he bore white,red, and golden complexions. Because he now had a blackishcomplexion, he was to be called Ka (black). As the avatrasof the Satya and Tretyugasare white and red respectively, thisverse confirms that the Kali-yuga-avatrais golden. Althoughhe is theyuga-avatraof the Kali-yuga, he is not merely ayuga-avatra of golden (pta) complexion, but he is that same blackKa (avatr) appearing in a golden complexion.

The Gauyas maintain that Ka is the very source of allavatras10yet occasionally appears in the place of theyuga-avatrafor a special purpose. This special purpose is relative to his own

inner pleasure, more so than to the plight of the bound soulswhose benefit is the direct concern of theyuga-avatra.Throughr Caitanya, Ka himself, the bound souls are doubly blessed.Not only do they learn theyuga-dharma, they are benedictedwith the special compensation of Ka prema. Through therecommended dharmaof theyuga,they are afforded the specialopportunity to attain the highest spiritual love of Ka (Ka

prema)and enter into the inner realm of Ka.11

9. san vars trayo hy asya ghato nuyuga tanu/uklo raktas tath pta idn kat gata// (SB. 10.8.13)

10. See Cc. di 2 for a detailed discussion as to how the Gauyas under-stand that r Ka is svayam bhagavnand that r Caitanya is not merelyan avatraof r Ka but svayambhagavnhimself. The rarity of this ap-

pearance is further discussed in Cc. di 3.610. That r Ka is svayambhagavn is also dealt with exhaustively in Jva Goswms Ka-sandarbha.

11. See Cc. di 3 for an explanation of the inner (to bestow mdhurya-prema)and outer (to promote theyuga-dharma)reasons for r Caitanyas descent.


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In the Gauya understanding we find a God who takes therole of searching himself out. As it is particular to the humanspecies to search out its origins, so the supreme deity as rCaitanya searches himself out in the guise of a human being.Thus the absolute teaches and experiences the self-explorationthat is crucial to human existence. The search of r Caitanya isbhakti, devotion, within which self-introspection finds its deep-est expression. Bhaktichurned intoprema,transcendental love,reveals the optimum about the nature of the absolute. Thuslove itself is the goal of life, even more so than is Kalovesultimate object. Since that love is personified as r Rdh, de-votion to her is the zenith of transcendental achievement forthe Gauyas. This is the hidden message of theBhgavatam.It is this message that the combined form of Rdh-Ka ap-pearing as r Caitanya has come to relish and distribute to allsouls.

More so than r Kas humanlike appearance, or nara-ll, r Caitanyas teaching pastime, crya-ll,comes close tohumanity. r Caitanya teaches us in the garb of a devotee, whileKas descent, although humanlike, is difficult to understandand filled with uncommon acts. Yet although r Caitanya inthis sense comes closer to humanity, helping us in our plight,

his inner purpose is more removed from humanity. This is sobecause he is in actuality Ka in his most introspective mood:Ka in search of his own significance. Thus r Caitanyasteaching both makes Ka llaccessible and allows the devotedto explore the most introspective moments of the absolute.12rCaitanya is Ka giving himself most completely. It has become fashionable for disciples to proclaim their

gurus to be Ka. Most frequently this occurs in monistic tra-

12. See Cc. di 4 for an detailed explanation of Kas introspection andthe threefold inner cause of his descent as r Caitanya.


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ditions, wherein it is thought that the infinitesimaljvasoul isitself Godhead. According to this tradition, thejva,or individualsoul, is Brahman, undifferentiated consciousness, but has yetto realize it. When thejvasare enlightened, they realize thatthe concepts of thejvaand the world are false. This traditiontherefore lends to identifying ones guru, the realized soul, withGodhead in every respect.

The Gauyas have proclaimed in a different way that theirsampradya guruis God.13The extent to which the Gauyas havegone to support their contention far exceeds that of others whohave in one way or another sought to identify their cryawithKa. Logic and scripture, over which the Gauya cryasdemonstrate remarkable command, along with the high statesof devotion they themselves have attained, compels one to taketheir proclamation seriously.14

For Jva Goswm, the truth of r Caitanyas descent is theessence of rmad-Bhgavatam. Thus most appropriately r Jvahas opened his treatise on the nature of truth as revealed inrmad-Bhgavatamwith a verse from theBhgavatamin whichr Caitanyas glory is heralded, following it in his second anu-ccheda with his own verse, which explains the meaning of thefirst while offering obeisances unto his deity.

In anuccheda3, r Jva seeks the blessings (rvda) of rlaRpa and Santana Goswms, the two leaders of the legendary

13. In the opening remarks of a Sandarbha, r Jva has described rCaitanya thus,the presiding deity of the thousands of his sampradya.

14. The Gaura-gaoddea-dpikof Kavikarapra is noteworthy in thisconnection. It describes all of the eternal associates of r Ka in termsof their appearances in the llsof r Caitanya. Also in both CB. and Cc.

many striking parallels are brought out in terms of the behavior andtemperament of individuals in Caitanya lland their postulated counter-roles in Ka ll. Moreover, the llsthemselves often show a strikingcorrespondence.


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20 Tattva-sandarbha

Six Goswms, jayat mathur bhmau rla-rpa-santanau.These two were the uncles of Jva Goswm, and Rpa Goswmhis initiating spiritual master as well. Under their direction,

Jva Goswm cultivated Kabhaktiin Mathur-maala.The significance of Jvas mention of Mathur is considerable.To be great is one thing, but if ones greatness is known in aplace which is itself glorious, so much greater is ones glory.Mathur is the place, or state of consciousness, that gives birthto the absolute truth. It is said that a self-realized souls actingin his transcendental position is called Mathur.15Mathur isnot an earthly location, yet it appears on earth to facilitate thetranscendental sport of r Ka.

More than five hundred years ago, the glory of Mathurwas intertwined with the glory of Rpa and Santana. Underthe direction of r Caitanya, they established Mathur as an

important place of worship and identified many of the placeswhere thousands of years ago r Ka performed his pastimes.This is mentioned in Caitanya-caritmtathus: O Santana, youshould preach the bhakti-strasand uncover the lost places ofpilgrimage (lupta-trthera) in Mathur.16

To this day Mathur-maala is experiencing world ac-claim, and it is regularly frequented by patrons of all nations.

What is the cause of this attention to what otherwise mightseem a dusty and backward village of rural India? rla Rpaand Santana Goswms and their followers in the GauyaVaiavaguru-parampar.

15. mathyate tu jagat sarva brahma-jnena yena v/tat-sra-bhta yad yasy mathur s nigadyate//

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, rmad-Bhgavatam(Los Angeles:Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1977), p. 111 (purport).

16. tumiha kariha bhakti-strera pracra/mathurya lupta-trthera kariha uddhra// (Cc. Madhya 23.103)


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While all of Europe and, under European influence, much ofIndia, either condemned or turned a blind eye to the love sportsof Vndvana Ka of Mathur-maala,17the Gauya cryasheld fast to their convictions as to the divinity of Vraja Kaand his encore appearance in the Kali-yuga as r Caitanya. It isthis conviction and commitment to cast this vision worldwide,fulfilling r Caitanyas own prediction,18to which the modernworld is indebted. Because of them, Mathur Vndvana is nowa well-known place of refuge for the devoted and a preciousmine of religious gems for the devoted and the scholarly aliketo excavate. Thus r Jva proclaims, May Rpa and Santana, the twopreceptors of the paramount truth, under whose direction this

book is being written, be ever glorified in the land of Mathur. Amongst the Six Goswms, r Gopla Bhaa also figures

prominently, particularly with regard to a-sandarbha.Inanuccheda4, r Jva indirectly mentions him as he does at theoutset of each of his six sandarbhas. The reason for this indirectreference may be traced to Gopla Bhaa Goswms tem-perament, which is revealed through theparampartradition.Kavirja Goswm19has also mentioned Gopla Bhaa spar-ingly in his most famous work, Caitanya-Caritamta, because

17. L. David Haberman, Divine Betrayal; Krishna-Gopal of Braja in theEyes of Outsiders, Journal of Vaishnava Studies,Vol. 3 No. 1 (1994) pp.93103.

18. pthivte che yata nagardi grma/sarvatra pracra haibe mora nma//

My (r Caitanyas) name will be chanted in every town and village.

(CB. Antya 4.126)19. Kavirja Goswm is from the second generation of the disciplic suc-cession of r Caitanya and is considered along with Vndvana dsahkura to be the authorized biographer of r Caitanya.


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Gopla Bhaa asked that his name be deleted from the text.20Yet Gopla Bhaa in particular had much to be proud of, hail-ing as he did from a highly respectable South Indian brhmaafamily. He was the son of the head priest of the r Ragamtemple, which is the principal center of the r Vaiavalineage. Converted at an early age along with his father and unclefrom r Vaiavism to Gauya Vaiavism by r Caitanyahimself, Gopla Bhaa Goswm came to Mathur Vndvanaafter his parents left the world. There he eventually foundedthe Rdh-Ramaa temple. According to r Jva Goswmsfourth anuccheda, A certain Bhaa, who was a friend of Rpaand Santana, born in a South Indian brhmaalineage, wrote a

book after studying the writings of other prominent Vaiavas.This Bhaa is Gopla Bhaa Goswm. The other prominent

Vaiavas are Rmnujcrya, Madhvcrya, rdhara Swm,and others. The book he wrote is the one under discussion, a-sandarbha. Although r Jva gives the credit of authorship to r Gop-la Bhaa, he states in anuccheda5 that the book as composed

by Gopla Bhaa consisted primarily of notes not arranged inany particular order with entire sections missing. r Jva then

humbly states, Nowjvaka(one small soul) will write it outin proper sequence. In response to Jva Goswms humility,his followers are fond of citing a line from theBhgavatamandattaching to it a novel meaning. Jvo jvasya jvanam (lit. oneliving being, orjva,is food for another), for r Jvas devoutfollowers has become One jva(r Jva Goswm) sustainsalljvas.

20. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda,Caitanya-caritmta(Los An-geles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1973), p. 319 (purport).


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In anuccheda6, Jva Goswm throws a curse and describesthe qualification of the reader (adhikra). May they alone whoseprincipal desire it is to worship the lotus feet of r Ka seethis book. From this it is clear that only the devoted will see,or have capacity to understand, its significance. Others, apathorpita,are cursed and thus barred from reading, i.e. understand-ing, Tattva-sandarbhas significance. This curse is not particularto this treatise. Similar statements are found throughout thesacred texts. At the outset of theBhgavatamin the vastu nirdea-loka,for example, we find nirmatsar sat,21this book isnot for those who are envious (not devoted to Ka), ratheronly those who are sat,truthful, and nonenvious can enterinto the mystery of its understanding. In the Bhagavad-gt,K-a says the same, vcya na ca m yo bhyasyati,[this text]should never be spoken to those who are envious of me.22

In anuccheda7, after paying homage to the community ofinitiating and instructing gurus, r Jva states his intention towrite the Bhgavata-sandarbha.23He also mentions the sambandhaof his bookthe relationship between a-sandarbhaand rmad-Bhgavatam.The relationship is that a-sandarbha explains thermad-Bhgavatam. Anuccheda8 states thesubject of rmad-Bhgavatam. The

subject of the Bhgavatamis Ka, the nondual absolute ap-pearing in three features: Brahman, Paramtm, and Bhagavn.The Bhagavn feature of the absolute is Ka. He is joy himself.Because he is so, he also exists and is conscious. For one to ex-ist, one need not be cognizant. If, however, one is cognizant,

21. SB. 1.1.222. Bg. 18.67

23. What is now commonly known as a-sandarbha was originally calledBhgavata-sandarbha.


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one must exist as well. One can exist and be cognizant withoutbeing joyful. But if one is joyful by nature, one must exist andbe cognizant. Because Ka is nothing short of joy itself, outof necessity this nondual absolute person is also known in twoother features. Relative to existence, he manifests as Paramtm,in terms of cognizance, as Brahman. In his Paramtm feature,he expands the world of matter, existence without cognizance or

joy. In his Brahman feature, he brings cognizance to the worldof matter. As Bhagavn, he turns it into an abode of joy. Anuccheda 8 also states the subject of the Bhgavatams rela-tionship with the Bhgavatam itself. The relationship between thesubject of the Bhgavatam, r Ka, and the Bhgavatam is thatthe Bhgavatam reveals the truth about r Ka, the ultimatereality. This eighth anuccheda states as well the purpose of theBhgavatam, the fruit of its study (prayojana)love of Ka.It

states alsothat the meansby which the purpose of the Bhgava-tamwill be fulfilled(abhidheya)is devotional culture, bhakti. JvaGoswm will demonstrate this in brief in theprameya khaaofTattva-sandarbha. These three anubandhassambandha, abhidheya, and prayo-

janaalso form the basis of the entire a-sandarbha. Tattva,Bhagavat, Paramtm,and Ka-sandarbhasall deal with the

nondual absolute appearing in three manifestations, Brahman,Paramtm,and Bhagavn. These sandarbhasdescribe this non-dual reality from different angles of vision. They deal with theknowledge of how, for example, God is related to the world andthejvasouls, how thejvasouls are related to the world, and soon. This all falls in the category of sambandha,or the knowledgeof relationship. Bhakti-sandarbhaaddresses the means (abhidheya)

of attaining the goal, such as hearing and chanting about theLord. The final sandarbha, Prti, addresses the entire treatisesgoal (prayojana), which is the attainment of prema, or love ofKa.


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This eighthanucchedais the final and perhaps the mostsignificant of r Jvas opening statements. May r Ka theoriginal Personality of Godhead, svayambhgavan, who is knownas Brahman, pure consciousness, and described thus in the Upa-niads, whose partial manifestation is the Paramtm presid-ing over his material energy, and who in his principal form isknown as Nryaa sporting in Vaikuha, givepremato thosewho worship his feet. This statement consists of a condenseddescription of what the entire a-sandarbhadiscusses in detail.It is based on two important verses of theBhgavatam. Learnedtranscendentalists who know the absolute truth describe thisnondual reality as Brahman, Paramtm, and Bhagavn.24All these previously described incarnations are plenary por-tions or portions of plenary portions of thepurua avatra,butKa is the original Godhead, the source of all avatras. When

these avatrascome to the world they relieve it of its burden.25Both of these verses appear later in the main text. The first isdiscussed considerably in Tattva-sandarbhaand more thoroughlyin the Bhagavat-sandarbha and Paramtm-sandarbha,while thesecond, although directly cited in Tattva-sandarbhasmain text,is thoroughly discussed in Ka-sandarbha.

The advaya-jna,or nondual reality, of theBhgavatamis

r Ka, who manifests as Brahman, Paramtm, and Bhaga-vn. According to r Jva, Ka is the source of Bhagavn,and is thus addressed in theBhgavatamas svayam bhagavn(kas tu bhagavn svayam). Bhagavn is Ka, not that Kais Bhagavn. Again, Ka is svayam bhagavn. He is thatform of Godhead that depends upon no other for his support.

24. vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattva yaj jnam advayam/brahmeti paramtmeti bhagavn iti abdyate// (SB. 1.2.11)

25. ete ca-kal pusa kas tu bhagavn svayam/indrri-vykula loka mayanti yuge yuge//(SB. 1.3.28)


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The Upaniadic texts that describe the absolute as Brahman arespeaking about r Ka indirectly. Equating as they do thejvasoul with Brahmanin essence and describing that Brahman asformless, without qualities, and so on, they describe r Kapartially as he is realized by those who tread the path of knowl-edge (jna-mrga).Theyogsrealize r Kas Paramtmfeature, who presides over the cosmic manifestation and resideswithin every universe and everyjvas heart. It is r Ka whois known as Nryaa in the spiritual world, and it is he alonein his original form who bestows the highest goal of life,prema,upon those who engage in bhakti. This final anucchedaof the invocation is tied to r Jvas firstanuccheda. Together they introduce the vastu-nirdea, or essentialsubject matter of the entire a-sandarbha. An explanation ofthese two anucchedasis found in Kadsa Kavirja GoswmsCaitanya-caritmta. Kadsa Kavirja Goswms vastu-nirdeaverse explains that which r Jva has divided into these twoanucchedas.This parallel verse of Caitanya-caritmtaruns thus:What the Upaniads describe as the nondifferentiated absolute,Brahman, is but the effulgence of his form, and the indwellingParamtm is but his plenary portion. He, r Caitanya, is rKa himself (Bhagavn) full in all six opulences, whom no

truth is equal to or greater than.26Thus it is the opinion of Jva Goswm and the Gauya

Vaiava sampradyathat r Ka Caitanya is svayam bhaga-vnr Ka himself, and that his appearance exemplifies andreveals the essence of rmad-Bhgavatam.

26. yad advaita brahmopaniadi tad apy asya tanu-bh/ya tmntarym purua iti so sya-vibhava//a aivaryai pro ya iha bhagavn sa svayam aya/na caitanyt kj jagati para-tattva param iha// (Cc. di 1.3)


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Prama khaa


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31

T o establish the truth, the means of establishing truth mustbe considered. If an atheist asks a theist to prove the exis-tence of God, the theist must then ask, What will you considervalid proof? In a court of law, each attorney attempts to provethat the defendant is either guilty or not guilty. To do so, eachattorney must present valid evidence.

In the prama khaadivision of Tattva-sandarbha, JvaGoswm establishes his pramathat which will serve asfinal and conclusive proof of his statements. Throughout thea-sandarbha, r Jva puts forward many postulates (viaya) andmany doubts (saaya) that arise as to the validity of those pos-tulates. He also strengthens those doubts by arguing strongly(prvapaka) against his own postulate. Then he gives the properconclusion validating his original postulate (siddhnta) anddemonstrating as well that his conclusion has been arrived atin due consideration of context (sagati).1In doing so, he citeshis establishedprama.

This section of Tattva-sandarbhais vital to the entire a-sandarbha, for without understanding it, one will not be able toappreciate the conclusive knowledge (prameya) which follows.

1. This refers to adhikaraa,the fivefold system of argument for arrivingat conclusive knowledge that is used in Vednta-stra. InTattva-sandarbha,r Jva applies an approximation of this system.

In search of

valiD evidence

3 stra, like the deity, is an instance of thatwhich is eternal meeting with the temporal. Atthe junction where eternity meets time, we findthe stra. There, the eternal appears temporal,

yet it speaks to us only about eternity, and

through it we glimpse that which is eternal.


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r Jva states, To establish that which has just been men-tionedthe standard of valid knowledge will be judiciouslydecided. Ordinary people, who have misidentified themselves withthe material body, are subject to four defects: confusion (bhrama),inattention (pramda), deception (vipralips), and imperfectsenses (karapava). As a result of this, Jva Goswm concludesthat their experience in and of itself is not acceptable as validand conclusive knowledge.

That humanity is crippled by these defects should be ap-parent to any objective observer. Bhrama, or confusion, beginswith thejvasouls misidentification with the material body.We want to make our bodies perfectly healthy, beautiful, andso on, only because these are qualities of the soul, which isnow identifying erroneously with the body. Because the soul

is a unit of perfection, it wants to make the body as perfect asitself, while unaware that the body is different from the self.One might question just what kind of perfection the soul haswhen it is capable of being deluded into misidentifying with thematerial body. This query is answered in theprameyasection ofTattva-sandarbha. At this point, Jva Goswm merely wants toshed light on the imperfections of the materially conditioned

state of consciousness, a state of confusion. Not only do weconfuse ourselves with our bodies, we also sometimes mistakeone material object for another, as in the classic example inwhich one misidentifies a rope to be a snake. Thus bhrama, orthe tendency to be illusioned, extends from our illusion aboutour own self to illusion about other material objects as well.

Pramda, or inattentiveness, occurs when the mind and

senses are not focused on the same sense object at the same time.For example, if our eyes are focused on a form but our mindis not, we do not experience everything that we could aboutthat form. This inattentiveness results in our making mistakes.


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33In search of Valid Evidence

Because we are not attentive in school, we make mistakes whentested. This inattentiveness, or the tendency to make mistakes,is a natural condition of our material life. Vipralips, or cheat-ing, occurs to the extent that we are in material consciousness,for material consciousness amounts to not acknowledging theproprietorship of God.

Karapava, or imperfect senses, means that every sense islimited. With our eyes we cannot hear. With our ears we cannotsee. Describing these limitations of the senses implies that thereare senses that are not defective. This is so in the case of Kassenses, which are said to be interchangeable. Senses are alsodefective in terms of the particular function they are designed toperform. Eyes are designed for seeing, yet even when function-ing in this capacity they often give us imperfect information.Sometimes their capacity is impaired by circumstances, such as

the amount of light provided or the distance of the object fromthe viewer. Even under ideal circumstances, however, they canprovide imperfect information. The senses also fail us when weattempt on their strength to understand spiritual subject matter,which lies beyond their jurisdiction. Thus one crippled by thesenses cannot provide valid testimony as to the nature of truth.Therefore Jva Goswm summarily rejects those who are handi-

capped by these defects and labels them as unreliable. He findsreason, thereby, to conclude that sense perception (pratyaka),the most common means of knowing, is not capable in and ofitself to serve as valid and conclusive evidence. While animals are equipped with senses and little if anyreason, humans are said to be rational animals. Dogs howland jump up at the moon, assuming it is within reach. Lack-

ing sufficient reasoning, they cannot understand that althoughthe full moon appears within reach it is actually far, far away.The sun appears to our eyes as a glowing mass about the sizeof a basketball. With the help of reasoning, however, we can


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understand that the sun is larger than the earth on which weare standing, yet millions of miles away. The power of reason-ing is great, greater than the power of the senses. Brain is morepowerful than brawn, and mind mightier than matter. Logiccomes to our aid where the senses fail us. In the Vedic tradition, logic (nyya) is five-sided as op-posed to three-sided logic most common in Western culture. InWestern logic, an argument is supported by a major and minorpremise. The major premise contains the major term that is thepredicate of the conclusion, and the minor premise contains theminor term that is the subject of the conclusion. Common to bothpremises is the middle term that is excluded from the conclu-sion. A typical example is: Every virtue is laudable; kindness isa virtue; therefore, kindness is laudable. The Vedic traditionsfive-sided logic begins with a statement followed by a reason.

This is followed by a major premise in the form of a rule, whichis followed by an example. Lastly the conclusion is reached. Forexample, one can state that behind the mountain there is fire.The reason in support of this is because there is smoke. Therule is wherever there is smoke, there is fire. This is followed

by an example, from which the conclusion is drawn. In either case, Western or Eastern, r Jva contends that

logic is not capable of delivering conclusive evidence as to thenature of truth. In the example of smoke and fire, as in all cases,universal application is lacking. Ones premise may not be truein all instances, and no one can experiment in all circumstancesto find out if this is so. Smoke can exist where there is not fire.Should rain put out a fire behind the mountain moments be-fore the smoke comes into our view, we would be mistaken to

conclude that there is fire behind the mountain merely becausewe can see the smoke. If we consider universal applicationimperative, inference is inconclusive. Thus r Jva also rejectsanumna (inference) in his search for a perfectprama.


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Altogether Jva Goswm discusses ten pramasin hisSarvasavdin, a commentary on Tattva-sandarbha. Seven ofthe pramasdiscussed therein, however,are all dependentuponpratyakaand anumna.2In Tattva-sandarbha,Jva Goswmexposes the shortcomings of relying on either of these two

pramas and thus disqualifies the other seven as well.After finding the otherpramasimperfect, Jva Goswm

introduces the reader to abdaprama, or revealed soundappearing in the world. Words of those handicapped by theabove-mentioned four defects are not reliable, but words thatcome from a plane free from those defects are most reliable. Here begins an explanation of the significance of the abda

prama. It is important to note that Indian theological systemsrely heavily upon scripture. r Jvas acceptance of abdaishardly a lone voice. All six daranasof Indian philosophyaccept

the abdaas a valid means of knowing.3 Reliance upon abdaisfundamental to Vednta. Vednta tells us that without scripture,the written manifestation of abda known as stra prama, Brah-man can never be realized, stra-yonitvt.4That which can beknown by other means is not the subject matter of the stra. Thesubject of the stra is categorically different from that which can

be understood through reasoning and sense perception, as the

strais categorically different from the senses and the intellect.

2. Upamna(knowledge derived through understanding similarities),arthpatti(ascertaining the cause by seeing the effect), anupalabdhi(knowl-edge through understanding nonexistence or nonperceptability of aparticular object), ra(the words of devs),aitihya(knowledge throughtradition), ce(knowledge through mudr,or symbols), sambhava(knowl-

edge through probability).3. The six daranasare Vaieika, Nyya, Skhya, Yoga, Prva Mms,and Uttara Mms (Vednta).

4. Vs. 1.1.3


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Often Hindu spirituality is thought of in the West as a mys-tical tradition, as opposed to the scripturally based rationaltradition of the West. Nothing could be further from the truth.5This misconception is perhaps the greatest distortion of theHindu tradition found in popular Eastern mysticism. Justwhat scripture is, however, is often explained more rationally

by Eastern practitioners than by popular Biblical advocates. Forthe most part, there is also greater emphasis on, and in-depthexplanation of, the mystical experience of transcendent life inthe Hindu scriptures than the explanation found in the scrip-tural tradition of the West. Furthermore, the Wests Bible is notconsidered sacred sound in the same way as the strais. TheBible, although divinely inspired, has human origins. It is not,therefore, considered abda. strais independent of bothpratyakaand anumna. stra

pramaalone is independent of all others, and it alone is reliablein all circumstances. Otherpramaswhen viewed as subordi-nate to straalso become reliable. Pratyakaand anumnathatare in concord with straare reliable. Only unaided by straare they rejected. If that which we perceive with our sensesdoes not contradict the stra, that perception is valid. Reasondirected and illumined by stra plays an important role in the

systematic inquiry into Brahman. The important principle here is that those now experiencingimperfection, materially conditionedjvas, require help from theplane of perfection to know perfection. Everyone wants perfectknowledge. The only variable remaining is how one goes aboutachieving it. According to r Jva, imperfect means of knowingwill not produce perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge is just

thatperfect. Its perfection necessitates that in the least it is

5. George C. Adams, Jr., The Structure and Meaning of Bdaryaas Brahma-stras,(New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1993), p. 44.


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conscious as are we, this being our essential and higher nature.Perfect knowledge is not something inanimate over which weconscious beings can rule. If we approach perfect knowledgewith the imperfect idea of subordinating it to ourselves, we willnever know perfection. Rather such perfect knowledge, beingsuperconscious, is venerable by us. If it so chooses to reveal itselfto us, then only can we know it. strarepresents the plane ofperfect knowledge exercising itself in relation to the plane ofimperfection, within which we uni

tattva-sandarbha

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