Samālocana (A Review of Three Books)
Samālocana (A Review of Three Books)
Overview
In this book review from Sajjana Toṣaṇī Vol. 6 Issue 4 published in 1894, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura critiques three books – one on Śrīla Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī, one on present day Vaiṣṇavism, and one on the Vaiṣṇava poet Cāṇḍīdāsa. As always, the Ṭhākura is very analytical in his appraisal and in most cases, provides a very balanced point of view.
by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
(translated by Swami B.V. Giri)
1) Śrīmad Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmīra Jīvana-carita (The Life of Śrīmad Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmīra) written by Śrī Acyuta-caraṇa Chaudurī.
This book is instructive. The author, Śrīyuta Acyuta-caraṇa Chaudurī, is a pure Vaiṣṇava, a skilled writer, and a proficient compiler. The natural sweetness that manifests from the writings of a devotee makes Vaiṣṇava scriptures attractive to the devotees. The collection of ancient and modern poems within this book brings joy to the devotees. There is some doubt about whether the verse containing the words brahma, ātmā and Bhagavān can be attributed to the writings of Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī. How does the language of the verse feel? The verse does not contain anything contradictory to tattva, but phrases such as ityādi kāryādi tare (‘and so on, in that manner’) etc. do not seem to be old. Whatever it may be, this book has become a treasure to the hearts of the Vaiṣṇavas.
2) Prema-mālā (A Garland of Divine Love) written by Śrī Manmatha Nath Mitra, Chairman of the Vaiṣṇava Dharma Uddīpanī Sabhā in Burdwan, and author of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyera Līlā-Gupta Rahasya.
Reading this book brings sorrow to the hearts of pure Vaiṣṇavas. The foul stench of various forms of māyāvāda is fully present in it. The author’s Bengali is not bad. The author is not aware of the subtle difference between brahma-jñāna and bhakti. He has written that the sole bhāva of the gopīs is brahma-jñāna. He does not know that there are statements to the contrary in the Śrīmad Bhāgavata. Thus, Śrī Parikṣit says:
kṛṣṇaṁ viduḥ paraṁ kāntaṁ na tu brahmatayā mune**guṇa-pravāhoparamas tāsāṁ guṇa-dhiyāṁ katham
O muni, the gopīs only knew Kṛṣṇa as their lover – not as Brahman. How could their minds become caught up in the current of the modes of nature when they were absorbed in His qualities? (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.29.12)
If one can understand the conclusion that Śrī Śukadeva has presented in answer to this question, then one would not be tainted by the defect of māyāvāda. Wherever there is māyāvāda, there are statements opposed to bhakti.
The author often mentions, “Many Vaiṣṇavas are hypocrites, those who are merely formal Vaiṣṇavas, deceitful Vaiṣṇavas, ignorant Vaiṣṇavas, Vaiṣṇavas obsessed with distinctions, selfish Vaiṣṇavas, and Vaiṣṇavas with misguided beliefs.” All such deranged statements are used. He rains down insults with names such as neḍā-neḍī, sahajiyā, bāūla, saiṅ, daraveśa, kartābhajā etc, yet the Vaiṣṇavas are not distressed by this. However, using such derogatory language along with the term ‘Vaiṣṇava’ can be perceived as reprehensible. It is written in the Skanda Purāṇa:
nindā kurvanti ye mūḍhā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanām patanti pitṛbhiḥ sārdhaṁ mahā-raurava-saṁjñite
hanti nindati vai dveṣṭi vaiṣṇavān nābhinandati
krudhyate yāti no harṣaṁ darśane patanāni ṣaṭ
Those fools that blaspheme those great souls who are devoted to Viṣṇu fall down into the hell known as Mahā-raurava, along with their descendants. There are six types of behaviour that result in such a fall down – killing a Vaiṣṇava, blaspheming him, feeling malice towards him, not greeting him upon seeing him, becoming angry with him and not feeling happiness upon seeing him.
It is written in the Yama Smṛti:
janma-prabhṛti yat kiñcit sukṛtaṁ samupārjitam
nāśam āyāti tat sarvaṁ pīḍayed yadi vaiṣṇavān
If one gives pain to a Vaiṣṇava, then the results of the sukṛti that one acquires such as high birth etc. are all destroyed.
In the conversation between Prahlāda and Bali, it is said:
nindāṁ kurvanti ye pāpā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanām
pūjito bhagavān viṣṇur janmāntara-śatair api
prasīdati na viśvātmā vaiṣṇave cāpamānite
Those wicked people who blaspheme Vaiṣṇava mahātmās, even if they worship Bhagavān Viṣṇu for hundreds of births, never satisfy He who is the Ātmā of the universe, due to their dishonouring a Vaiṣṇava.
In relation to anyone who criticises a Vaiṣṇava for any misconduct, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
Even if one is impious and has committed abominable acts, if he worships Me with one-pointed devotion, such a person should be considered saintly because his determination is perfect. (Bhagavad-gītā 9.30)
After using the word ‘Vaiṣṇava,’ if one then criticises, one risks downfall because gradually, the offender commits an offence against a pure Vaiṣṇava. One who is a Vaiṣṇava is faultless. One who is faulty is not a Vaiṣṇava. Therefore, using the word ‘Vaiṣṇava’ in a manner that implies fault is highly unjust. Māyāvādīs talk about protecting the ātmā. Thus, those who forget about their own auspiciousness and inauspiciousness may sometimes make statements about a Vaiṣṇava behaving dishonourably. They do not establish themselves in this world, and after death, they attain a hellish condition. Our advice regarding Manmatha Bābu is that he should quickly give up such improper conduct and learn to respect pure Vaiṣṇavas and the name ‘Vaiṣṇava.’ For this reason, it is written in the conversation between Mārkaṇḍeya and Bhagīratha:
pratyakṣaṁ vā parokṣaṁ vā yaḥ praśaṁsati vaiṣṇavaṁ
brahma-hā madyapaḥ steyī guru-gāmī sadā nṝṇām
mucyate pātakāt sadyo viṣṇur āha nṛpottama
O best of men! Directly or indirectly, if someone praises a Vaiṣṇava, such a person will be delivered from the impious reactions of murdering a brāhmaṇa, becoming a drunkard, theft, or having sex with the wife of one’s guru. This has been stated by Viṣṇu Himself.
Manmatha Bābu writes, “Seeing the lawlessness, excesses, and promiscuity in the modern Vaiṣṇava society, we are appalled. It is no exaggeration to say that the country is falling into hell due to their wickedness.” Through such statements, Manmatha Bābu demonstrates profound ignorance regarding the current Vaiṣṇava society. He does not know that there is a sampradāya of pure Vaiṣṇavas in addition to the self-made sects of sahajiyā, bāula, neḍā-neḍīs etc. Pure Vaiṣṇavas are devotees of Bhagavān who are devoid of pāpa. They do not possess all the faults that he mentions. In the forests of Vraja-maṇḍala, in Kṣetra-maṇḍala and in many places in Gauḍa-maṇḍala, pure Vaiṣṇavas are present and are purifying the world. If Manmatha Bābu properly sees and hears in the company of pure Vaiṣṇavas then his bhrama (tendency to make mistakes), pramāda (bewilderment), vipralipsā (cheating propensity) and karaṇāpāṭava (flawed senses) will cease to exist.
Nowadays there is a disease that young people, who can’t even grow a moustache but can write a little ka, kha etc. spontaneously give instructions as if they were gurus. They are what is called ecaḍe pakka (unripe jackfruits)!
3) Caṇḍīdāsa – Edited by Śrī Ramaṇī-mohana Mallik with detailed biography, commentary and critical notes.
The author himself went to the village of Nanoor and collected the biography of Cānḍīdāsa. The book first gives a brief biography. It is written there that Cānḍīdāsa was a brāhmaṇa by caste. He was born in the village of Nanoor, located within the jurisdiction of Sāṅkulipur police station in Birbhum district. To reach Nannur, one can conveniently travel via the East Indian Railway route from Ahmadpur Junction Station, which ensures ease of access. From Nannur Ahmmadpur station, it is approximately ten kilometres towards the east, and from Birbhum, meaning Siuḍī, it is about twelve kilometres towards the east. From Ahmadpur station, there are no other means of transportation available, so commuting to Nanoor is quite troublesome. If you go from Bhirbhum to Nagnar, both train and bus services are available. Nanoor is an extremely populous village.
If we call Cānḍīdāsa the first poet, or the principal poet of the Bengali language, it would not do justice to him. Although at the beginning of his life, he was a worshipper of Śakti Devī, due to his sincere devotion, the goddess bestowed her mercy upon him and gave him kṛṣṇa-bhakti. From then on, Cānḍīdāsa became a prominent Vaiṣṇava. Even the most worshippable Śrīman Mahāprabhu has also discussed all the rasa-gītās composed by him. The songs of Cānḍīdāsa are mostly melodious and sweet. Two distinct categories of songs can be observed, and many doubt whether all those songs are truly composed by the pure devotee Cānḍīdāsa. All the songs that Cānḍīdāsa had composed before becoming a Vaiṣṇava were no longer dear to Cānḍīdāsa during his Vaiṣṇava life.
Śrīyuta Ramaṇī-mohana Mallik Mahāśaya is a knowledgeable young man. Even though he is wealthy, he has worked hard. He has published about three hundred songs of Cānḍīdāsa along with commentaries in many places. A few more songs of Cānḍīdāsa can be found through searching. Perhaps Ramaṇi Bābu can collect those for the second edition of this book.
Cānḍīdāsa composed all his songs long before Śrī Śrī Mahāprabhu. There is no doubt that Cānḍīdāsa himself was a siddha (perfected being). And why not? In the following song, he has introduced the līlā of Śrī Mahāprabhu:
āju ke go muralī-bājāya
e ta kabhu nahe śyāma-rāya
Who is playing the flute today? Surely that is not Śyāma Rāya!
ihāra gaura varaṇe kare āla
cūḍātī bandhiyā kebā dila
This man is of a golden hue and is effulgent. Who has bound His hair in that way?
tāhāra indra-nīla-kānti tanu
eta nahe nanda-suta kānu
His form is as radiant as a sapphire – yet this is not Kānu, the son of Nanda.
ihāra rūpa dekhi navīna ākṛti**naṭavara-veśa pāila kathi
I see that His form is that of a young man. From where did He get the dress of the Best of dancers?
vana-mālā gale dole bhāla
enā veśa kona deśe chila
The garland of forest flowers around His neck swings nicely. Which country was this dress from?
ke vanāila hena rūpa khāni
ihāra vāme dekhi cikaṇa-varaṇī
nīla ujali nīla-maṇi
Who has made such beauty? To His left, I see a fair damsel, who is a radiant blue, like a sapphire.
habe bujhi iṅhāra sundarī
sakhī-gaṇa kare ṭārā ṭārī
I understand that He has become His beloved. The sakhīs quickly arrive.
kuñje chila kānu kamalinī
kothāya gela kichu-i nā jāni
“Kānu (Kṛṣna) and Kamalinī (Rādhā) were in the kuñja, but we do not know where They have gone.”
āju kena dekhi viparīta
habe bujhi dohāra carita
Why do I see the opposite today? I understand the behavior of both of Them.
cāṇḍīdāsa mane mane hāse
erūpa haibe kon deśe
Cāṇḍīdāsa smiles to himself. This will happen in another place.
It seems that all the siddha-puruṣas were aware of the appearance of Mahāprabhu – and by inspiration, they have only given hints in their writings. They have not elaborated in detail.
********
Translator’s Note: In our research, we discovered Śrī Ramaṇī-mohana Mallik’s book on Cāṇḍīdāsa, and at the conclusion of his introduction, he gives the following acknowledgement to Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura:
I owe my gratitude to the worthy Deputy Magistrate Śrīyuta Bābu Kedarnātha Datta Bhaktivinoda Mahāśaya for giving me some verbal advice and encouraging me to collect and publish the Padāvalī of Cāṇḍīdāsa Ṭhākura. As per his advice, I went to visit the birth place of Cāṇḍīdāsa Ṭhākura.