“Srimad Bhagavad-gita, bhakti-yoga and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s treasury.” Srila B. S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. 1st April 2007. Nabadwip Dham, India
English
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Srimad Bhagavad-gita, bhakti-yoga
and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s treasury
“So many interpretations may be in Srimad Bhagavad-gita, but when I am opening the book, I am seeing there how sweet and nicely adjusted every word [is] within bhakti-yoga. And that ideal given Srila Guru Maharaj, and it’s come from Bhaktivinod Thakur’s treasury.”
Morning darshan, 1st April 2007, Nabadwip Dham, India.
https://absolutesweetness.org/2020/04/04/4th-april-2020/
Rough transcript of this lecture:
tulya-nindā-stutir maunī
santuṣṭo yena kenacit
aniketaḥ sthira-matir
bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā, 12.19)
ye tu dharmāmṛtam idaṁ
yathoktaṁ paryupāsate
śraddadhānā mat-paramā
bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā, 12.20)
iti-śrī-mahābhārate śata-sāhasryāṁ saṁhitāyāṁ vaiyāsikyāṁ
bhiṣma-parvaṇi śrīmad-bhagavad-gītāsūpaniṣatsu brahma-
vidyāyāṁ yoga-śāstre śrī-kṛṣṇārjuna-saṁvāde
bhakti-yogo nāma dvādaśo ’dhyāyaḥ
[Bengali reading and brief conversation on Bhagavad-gītā, 12.19–20.]
#00:06:00#
Actually, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, 700 or more than 700, when I join, that time I heard from Śrīla Guru Mahārāj 700 interpretations. But now more happen, maybe 800, maybe 1000 interpretations of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. That means so many learned personalities, their own thinking and quality and qualification, they try to present to general people, their own idea try to present. But Śrī Vyāsadev, He Himself given His own interpretation, like Vedānta-darśan. Vedānta-darśan compose by Vedavyās, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vedavyās, father of Śukadev, He compose Vedānta-darśan. Wants to give very short way the whole Vedic literature’s substance and very gist way given in Vedānta-darśan.
athāto brahma-jijñāsā
(Vedānta-sūtra, 1.1.1)
janmādy asya yataḥ
(Vedānta-sūtra, 1.1.2)
tat tu samanvayāt
(Vedānta-sūtra, 1.1.4)
Etc., little little, short word, and so much light within there, knowledge. But who will understand it? Very difficult. Then he make Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as interpretation of Vedānta-darśan.
…gāyatrī-bhāṣya-rūpo ’sau
vedārtha-paribṛṁhitaḥ
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 25.143; Garuḍa-purāṇa)
Guru Mahārāj given that śloka, what can remember that śloka Guru Mahārāj given? We written there in the Samādhi-mandir.
artho ’yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ…
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 25.143; Garuḍa-purāṇa)
This is the first line.
artho ’yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ
bhāratārtha-vinirṇayaḥ
gāyatrī-bhāṣya-rūpo ’sau
vedārtha-paribṛṁhitaḥ
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 25.143; Garuḍa-purāṇa)
artho ’yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ…
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 25.143; Garuḍa-purāṇa)
Brahma-sūtra means Vedānta-darśan, the full of knowledge given within Vedānta-darśan very short, but that nobody can understand purely. Some qualified personalities, they understand, no doubt, but general people cannot understand. Then he make Śrīmad-Bhāgavat and there much widely describe everything. Example given our Ācārya, what name?
athāto brahma-jijñāsā
(Vedānta-sūtra, 1.1.1)
This is first sutra and Śrīmad-Bhāgavat started that explanation of past sutram, that is,
janmādy asya yataḥ
(Vedānta-sūtra, 1.1.2)
Second sutra taken the gist of second sutram and explain fully and so much.
janmādy asya yataḥ
This is second sutra, Brahma-sūtra, Vedānta-darśan. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavat started from second,
athāto brahma-jijñāsā
(Vedānta-sūtra, 1.1.1)
It is for too much unqualified personality, for that,
athāto brahma-jijñāsā
But who is something enter into the religious ground, religious platform, they can play in that platform with the meanings of
janmādy asya yataḥ
(Vedānta-sūtra, 1.1.2)
This second sutram. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavat started from there,
janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś chārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ’mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatам, 1.1.1)
Śaṅkarācārya summarily dismiss from here. Śaṅkarācārya’s philosophy is nirakar, nirviśeṣ, niḥśakti, no form, no quality qualification, no power, nirakara, nirviśeṣ, niḥśakti, etc. But within this first śloka Śaṅkarācārya summarily dismiss because conclusion given Vyasādev,
…satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatам, 1.1.1)
Whom you will mediate if there is no form? Must be there form otherwise cannot dhīmahi, cannot meditate. Satyaṁ, it is truth, reality. What Śaṅkarācārya told, nirakar, nirviśeṣ, no. There is reality and beautiful. ‘Reality the Beautiful,’
Śrīla Guru Mahārāj told this word. This topics come through the ślokas,
tulya-nindā-stutir maunī
santuṣṭo yena kenacit…
(Bhagavad-gītā, 12.19)
Actually the bhakti-yoga, this is everywhere indicated by Vyasādev and other so qualified person there also. And they agreed it, like Aitreya Ṛṣī, Vasiṣṭa Ṛṣī, Cyavan Ṛṣī, Śaradvān Ṛṣī, Ariṣṭanemi, Bhṛgu Ṛṣī, Aṅgirā Ṛṣī, Parāśara Ṛṣī, Viśvāmitra Ṛṣī, Paraśurām, they all, Vedāvyas Himself, Nārad Ṛṣī, all stalwart, big, big qualified scholars. But bhakti-yoga, all accepted with much honour. But here is one thing we will see, everyone honouring bhakti-yoga, everyone much respect bhakti-yoga and they, everyone heard it from Śukadev Goswāmī in Parīkṣit Mahārāj’s assembly, that [sukhasya lipṭrāyate?]. He was in pray-upaveśaḥ, fasting, nothing taken one drop of water also, and hearing the Hari-kathā from Śukadev Goswāmī Kṛṣṇa-kathā from Śukadev Goswāmī and fully satisfied and told, “I am now fully satisfied.”
…dvijopasṛṣṭaḥ kuhakas takṣako vā
daśatv alaṁ gāyata viṣṇu-gāthāḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatам, 1.19.15)
I don’t care for that. You continue the whole devotional picture to show. My English is poor, but something I am adding.
Anyhow, Vedavyās later all composed organised way and given form as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
I want to say this: more than 700 interpretations of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, but our Bhagavad-gītā is completely different from others, I am thinking. Only this śloka, half śloka I remember of given that Prabhu, and when I open this book, our translation I have seen, two three word only added here and that is sufficient for establishing the bhakti-yoga. Here is written I have seen, sthira-matir, one word is here.
…aniketaḥ sthira-matir
bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā, 12.19)
Sthira-mati means settled mind, meanings is that, settled mind, sthira-mati. But our translation gone in the line of bhakti-yoga and Guru Maharaj mention it. Sthira-mati, what for sthira-mati? To eat paramānna? Sthira-mati? Guru Mahārāj said here:
paramārtha viṣaye niścita jñāna-viśiṣta
Paramārtha viṣaye niścita, this is the transcendental knowledge captured and stayed in that platform. Launching pad to throw the rocket, from launching pad, that launching pad strong to throw the rocket. Sthira-mati. In transcendental mentality there is steady, steadiness coming there. Who have that, he is a good and Kṛṣṇa like him.
…me priyo naraḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā, 12.19)
Me means I like him, me priyo naraḥ, Kṛṣṇa Himself told here. There is 20 ślokas in twelfth chapter, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā… twelfth chapter twenty śloka only, but full of bhakti-yoga. But our Gurudev originally given us ideal in every chapter is bhakti-yoga established, from first to eighteen chapter. Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, first, second, this way eighteen chapter, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, 700 hundred ślokas. But everywhere is bhakti-yoga indicated. Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur, not only single way, double way. One is rāga-mārga, another is vidhi-mārga. Vidvad-rañjana-bhāṣya and rasika-rañjana-bhāṣya, two kinds of explanation. When Śrīla Swami Mahārāj Prabhupād he is translating, that time Guru Mahārāj engage me to hear from him and his translation, try to watch. And sometimes when Guru Mahārāj is Kolkata and he is asking me, “Today, what explanation happening? Today what discussion happen?”
And that way I understand, two kind of process, Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur given us. One is Viśvanāth Cakravartī and one is Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ. Viśvanāth Cakravartī what given? That is rasika-rañjana-bhāṣya. He explain Bhagavad-gītā following the Viśvanāth Cakravartī rasika-rañjana-bhāṣya, Bengali bhāṣya. And what given, both are Sanskrit but Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur given Bengali for us, very merciful. And Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ, his Sanskrit is very enrich with so much exalted language, exalted word in Sanskrit for paṇḍit, scholar. Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ, he was very strong in Sanskrit and scholar and manywhere he have got challenge to establish acintya-bhedābheda conception of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Specially it’s happen in Jaipur, [baro?] kilometer or 8 kilometer far, no. From Jaipur there meeting happen. I cannot remember name of that place. That famous name, Galta, like that name. There all the sampradāya, they challenge to Mahāprabhu’s sampradāya and that time Viśvanāth Cakravartī was sick in bed and he sent Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ. Galta, that name place named Galta. And they told, “Have you interpretation of Vedānta-darśan?”
But that time not interpretation of Vedānta-darśan-bhāṣya. Vedānta-bhāṣya not in the sampradāya of Mahāprabhu Caitanyadev. And summarily they told, “No, we have not.” Then that group of paṇḍit told, “We do not want to hear from you because you have no authentic any interpretation of Vedānta-darśan.” Then Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ told, “Give me twelve days time. I shall present to you interpretation of Vedānta-darśan.”
Ok, after twelve days. And that time Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ come back to Govinda temple and pay daṇḍavat to Govindadev, “I want to compose interpretation of Vedānta-darśan.”
And Govindadev given one garland to him with that garland he started. And there also this śloka I think so, I remember little.
yaḥ sankhya-paṅkena kutarka-pāṁśunā
vivarta-gartena cha lupta-dīdhitim
śuddhaṁ vyadhād vāk-sudhayā maheśvaraṁ
kṛṣṇaṁ sa jīvaḥ prabhur astu me gatiḥ
There he make praṇām to Jīva Goswāmī, Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ and started Vedānta-darśan. And name given Govinda-bhāṣyaṁ. Then after twelve days taken that Govinda-bhāṣyaṁ and challenge to the Vaiṣṇav schools there, four Vaiṣṇav school and plus some. And they are defeated by Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ. And establish there bhakti-yoga. That book was in Guru Mahārāj’s room, Vedānta-darśan, Govinda-bhāṣya. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Anyhow, Guru Mahārāj was so learned you can say, externally. Internally, he is my Guru, no question I have, but externally have seen no one scripture was in our library what do not know Śrīla Guru Mahārāj. Guru Mahārāj knows all, and specially philosophical property, or philosophical thinking, all he knows. What was not under the thinking of philosophy, that’s also he knows.
Janārdan Mahārāj: One of the first times when I met Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, one of the first things he told me, he says,
“Bhakti is an affair of the heart, it has nothing to do with power or knowledge.”
That he told me. Then I said, “How you can say that in the sense that everyone knows you are so learned? You know all scriptures and you have so much knowledge and you are telling it has nothing to do with power or knowledge.”
Then he smiled and he said, “Bhakti is the king and knowledge is like a minister coming to offer his dandavats and services to bhakti.”
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, Mahārāj. Sometimes I am telling that, Guru Mahārāj’s, the teachings, not necessary to read anything. Full book of knowledge, full Ganges, full book of knowledge, not necessary to read. But there I am keeping some place. Who is preacher, really try to preach Kṛṣṇa conception, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for them necessary to read something. Otherwise, for bhajan, for practicing life, not necessary to read anything. Only chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy. But if you want to preach Kṛṣṇa conception by order of Mahāprabhu, “Everyone give this knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
And they will do many questions and for their questions answer necessary to give them. Then necessary to read something. Few days before we started here, what was my dream you can say, the Sanskrit school, here started Sanskrit school. But not Sanskrit actually, it is Jīva Goswāmī Prabhu’s Sanskrit grammar. What I read something, that. And here running that school and very happily I am almost everyday I am keeping some idea. It is running nicely. Actually, Jīva Goswāmī Prabhu also given that idea, Mahāprabhu said,
…kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 17.31)
That is the sufficient for everyone.
…kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 17.31)
But if you want to preach to the conditioned souls, they have so many questions. Necessary to give some answer, then you need some knowledge about scriptures, and which way you will get it? Through Sanskrit grammar, that help you will get. But Sanskrit is good, language is very good. Someone getting naturally Sanskrit property, sampad, Sanskrit sampad. By the grace of Gurudev, it is possible to get. Before the literary style, it was śruti-mantraṁ, like that. Hearing from the Gurudev, not writing anything that time, always hearing from Gurudev, serving Gurudev, and becoming learned and going back to house. Later, it is come in the form of literature and Vedavyās done it. Sāma-veda, Ṛg-veda, Yajur-veda, Atharva-veda, and Pañcam-veda, Mahābhārat. Anyhow, so many interpretations may be in Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, but when I am opening the book and I am seeing there how sweet and nicely adjusted every word within bhakti-yoga. And that ideal given Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, and it’s come from Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur’s treasury. Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur given that ideal to us, Śrīla Guru Mahārāj for us collected from there everything. Śrīla Swami Mahārāj Prabhupād also given Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. But there also some neutralise with other conception. But Guru Mahārāj fully given knowledge to us, that is bhakti-yoga. And everything within bhakti-yoga and that is reasonable way. All Sanskrit word, I told one word just now, sthira-mati. Yes, settled mind, but settled with where? Settled with paramānna or puṣpanna? Like that. That mention Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, sthira-mati. But I am also unhappy with my age and situation, health situation. Śrīla Narottam Dās Ṭhākur told,
takhana nā haila janma ebe dehe kibā karma
(Prārthanā, 42.3)
“When Mahāprabhu and His pārṣada, so many pārṣada was present in this earth, that time I not born. What shall I do with my body now?” Narottam Dās Ṭhākur told. And I am also thinking, now everyone gone and my attention come more and more to the scriptures and realisation. If it was within Guru Mahārāj’s time, this kind of inquiry within mind. That was very nice but not happen. That time I was only for collection, not for tasting. And now I am tasting what collected. But everything is invalid. One fourth strength in body, mind, etc., etc… And that time was full but not given attention. But still it is very happy news and this Caitanya Bhāgavat, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, Brahma-saṁhitā, and so many scriptures come out from our Maṭh, not only in Bengali or Sanskrit, it is so many different languages, Russian language, English language, German language, French language, Spanish, so many languages. Now Japanese coming and Chinese already I have got, no? Home Comfort, something. Kṛṣṇa knows.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: When you say interpretation, did Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur translate Bhagavad-gītā in Sanskrit?
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: No, Sanskrit. Yes, Bengali. Following the Sanskrit of Viśvanāth Cakravartī and following the Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ Sanskrit, two kind of interpretation he translated and given us in Bengali language. And that is bhaṣyam, that is very wise presentation, wisely presented.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: Guru Mahārāj also translated in Bengali, Bhagavad-gītā?
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, this is in my hand.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: Yes, but he’s consulting something with Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur, right?
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Not something, fully.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: Fully?
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: But he translated from Baladev Vidyābhūṣaṇ?
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: All, all is there. It is like Vedānta-darśan you can say. Our Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā like Vedānta-darśan, Vedānta-darśan is shortly expressed and wisely presented. And our Bhagavad-gītā also like that.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: But what I am saying Mahārāj is that when Guru Mahārāj translated Bhagavad-gītā into Bengali then he’s not giving very extensive purports or commentaries, few commentaries on each śloka. And so…
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Very clear each śloka, very clear and perfectly presented, each śloka, each word.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: That’s what I am saying. That’s his translation or that’s his commentary. Is that his word for word translation, phrase, sentence, is very clear and completely in the line of bhakti-yoga. It’s not that he’s making extensive commentary like Swami Mahārāj but his interpretation is word by word. And that will differ from some Śankarācārya line Sanskrit kind of person and that the difference.
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Different, Śankarācārya line.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: Or anybody else, but Guru Mahārāj word is perfect in bhakti-yoga.
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: No, it is true Śrīla Swami Mahārāj sometimes neutral position because “as it is” he wants to do. Then he must be little neutral. But Guru Mahārāj fully dedicated to bhakti-yoga, his book and Sanskrit meanings, full of bhakti-yoga. There Sanskrit words’ meanings with full of bhakti-yoga. That is the speciality of Guru Mahārāj. One word I can say, upayanti te.
…yena mām upayānti te
(Bhagavad-gītā, 10.10)
Upayānti, there is generally meanings coming one sense, but Guru Mahārāj enter into the deepest position and shown us there is parakiya-ras.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: But, Mahārāj, we can say also Swami Mahārāj also didn’t know English. English wasn’t his primary language; therefore, he cannot put each word in pure bhakti-yoga.
Janārdan Mahārāj: That’s not what he’s saying so much. He is saying the Bhagavad-gītā presents many different subject matters,
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes.
Janārdan Mahārāj: Karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, so many different subject matters, so when Śrāla Prabhupād presented, he was presenting those subject matters as they come up in the Bhagavad-gītā. But when Śrīla Guru Mahārāj presented it all in the terms of bhakti-yoga.
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, yes. But very clear.
Siddhanti Maharaj: And also because that’s his language, Bengali is his language.
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: No, no, that is not a question. Question is that Śrīla Swami Mahārāj same with Guru Mahārāj almost and where is Swami Mahārāj not explain, there Guru Mahārāj explain to Swami Mahārāj in this veranda. And Swami Mahārāj said, “No other meanings is possible of this śloka. What you are giving, that is the super and final.” Swami Mahārāj himself told. I was there. And no other explanation is possible. “What you given, that is the truth.” Then discussion going on, Swami Mahārāj and Guru Mahārāj with Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in Sita Kanta Banerjee lane. When Guru Mahārāj going there, Swami Mahārāj keeping some list, where is contradiction, and they are doing discussion about that. But age giving some opportunity to the sincere searcher, not only seeker, searcher. And we have got that opportunity from the Westerners, when some western people like [Dayal Gaurāṅga?], many question have done about that science, yes, approaching to philosophy, etc. etc… I forgot. Svarūp Dāmodar, Darwin theory, etc. etc… It is searcher, westerners. Not Indian anyone question, and I have no question to Guru Mahārāj. What Guru Mahārāj telling, that is final to me, and I can establish that. What I am hearing from Guru Mahārāj without question, that I can establish anywhere. That challenge I given to Dum Dum Park.
Siddhānti Mahārāj: You gave the whole world that challenge.
Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj: Yes, I told you call one meeting, I shall be there. If I cannot prove, I shall rub my nose twelve hand in front of everyone. I shall rub my nose in the ground twelve hand. That challenge I given, and no one taken that challenge. I am very happy, Mahārāj, with that. To say I am very happy because I know no one can defeat Śrīla Guru Mahārāj’s conception, no one can. And without questioning we heard it, and it’s called śraddhā, basis, faith is our basis. Basis, Guru Mahārāj what telling, that is final. Bas, basis. And that time my age was one year maybe in Maṭh, or six months, maybe one year or six months, ’48. ’47 I join. Within ’48 this happen. They complain against me,
“This boy memorise one book and challenging us, defeating us.”
That book is name Gauḍīya-kaṇṭhāhara. Guru Mahārāj give me that book and told you can memorise it. Here is so many our conception is very wisely distributed by Prabhupād Saraswatī Ṭhākur. And I memorise whole Gauḍīya-kaṇṭhāhara. And I am challenging with them. I was foolish, no doubt, challenging. It was not necessary to do. But that time I am thinking I was paṇḍit, I become paṇḍit. That happen. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Jaya Om Viṣṇupād Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj ki jaya!
[Jaya Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj ki jaya!]
All the assembled devotees ki jaya!
Śrīla Guru Mahārāj’s Caitanya Sāraswat Maṭh ki jaya!
Harinām-saṅkīrtan ki jaya!
Haridās Ṭhākur ki jaya!
Gaura-Premānande!
[Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj ki jaya!]
Photo: 4th April 2007. Ganges, Nabadwip Dham, India.
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