The Love of Advaita Ācārya (02/20/02)

The Love of Advaita Ācārya (02/20/02)

Dear B____ Prabhu,

Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Thank you for your email below. Please excuse me if it sounded as though my appreciation and understanding of Śrī Advaita Ācārya was lacking.

In general, what you have said below is true, but in particular only Mahāprabhu grants us entrance into the highest transcendental realm of bhakti. All others are simply giving us Mahāprabhu. Mahāprabhu alone retains the “final right of passage” for all jīvas to enter that Supreme Realm. That does not however minimize Śrī Advaita Ācārya.  We would be nowhere with out Him!

What I wrote about Śrī Advaita Ācārya was directly from the mouth of Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja.

What you said below about Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva is also very true, but things have their ontological necessity. Nṛsiṁhadeva is Kṛṣṇa, but He has no direct connection to rāsa-līlā and other such pastimes. Nṛsiṁhadeva removes the obstacles on the path of bhakti, but He does not give direct entrance into Vraja.

Lord Śiva also holds a very high position. He is mainly to keep the unwanted persons from entering rāsa-līlā. ‹The “right of passage” is in the hand of the śaktis of the Divine Couple. Śiva himself was not allowed into the arena of the rāsa-līlā. Yet at the same time Sanātana Gosvāmiī has said that with out the blessings of Lord Śivam no one can develop love of God. Gopeśvara Mahādeva ki jaya!

You mention below that the love of Advaita Ācārya must have been the topmost in order to bring down the Supreme Lord. But what aspect of the Lord did Advaita Ācārya actually bring down? The answer is that He brought down the Vāsudeva aspect to deliver the yuga-dharma. The Lord’s aspect as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa coincided with that moment.

When the work of the yuga-avatāra was completed, then Advaita wrote a mystic poem to Mahāprabhu.

bāulake kahiha loka haila baula
baulake kahiha hāṭe nā vikāya cāula
bāulake kahiha kāye nāhika āula
bāulake kahiha ihā kahiyāche bāula

“Tell your Prabhu, who acts as madmen do, that everyone has lost their sanity. And rice once high in price has no value. In love of God, half-crazed humanity neglects this world and all they once held dear. Tell Him a madman brings this to His ear.”

After reading this poem, the Lord superficially criticised Advaita Ācārya and then the aspect of Vāsudeva withdrew and from that moment onwards Mahāprabhu began to manifest the mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s separation for Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day for the next twelve years until the Lord’s disappearance.

It has also been mentioned by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja that the love of Gadādhara Paṇḍita was the top most, more than any of Mahāprabhu’s associates. Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahjaraja has said that the love of Advaita and even that of Nityānanda Prabhu was categorically a little lower than that of Gadādhara.

Now doubt these are very high topics and difficult to understand. I certainly do not fully understand these deep topics of love so I therefore rely on the guidance of our Guardians.

But one thing that you should know for sure and that is that I do not write or speak about any of the higher topics unless I have heard that from my Guardians or I read it in the sastra.

In any case I very much appreciate your email because it has given me a chance to reflect more deeply upon the Divine Message of our Guardians.

I hope this meets you well.

Praṇāmas,

Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha