Sripada Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada

The names of all the Vrajavasi Gosvamis who were living during the time of Sri Mahaprabhu are very well known. Later, after their disappearance, the flow of pure devotion for the Lord took shelter of the three famous Prabhus -- Srinivasa Acarya, Thakura Narottama, and Syamananda Prabhu -- and surged on with full force. In the disciplic succession coming from Thakura Narottama, Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura appeared in the fourth position.

The story of Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti is more or less known only among the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. They speak of the outstanding excellence of achievement demonstrated by Srila Cakravarti Thakura in his examination of the Srimad Bhagavat and the Bhagavad Gita, as well as his complete understanding of the opinions expressed by the Gosvamis in their own books. Our Thakura is the protector, guardian and acarya of the middle period of Gaudiya Vaisnava dharma's historical development.

Nowadays amongst the Vaisnavas, there is the following saying in relation to Cakravarti Thakura's three most famous books: "kirana bindu kana, e tin niye vaisnava pana" "These three books, Ujjvala-Nilamani-Kirana, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindhu, and Bhagavatamrta-kana, are taken and used by the Vaisnavas as their wealth." In this connection, we also hear the following verse sung everywhere:

visvasya natha-ripo 'sau
bhakti-vartma-pradarsanat
bhakta-cakre varttitatvat
cakravarty akhyaya bhavat
"Because he has shown the visva-vasis (residents of the material universe) the path of bhakti, he is called 'Visvanatha'; and because he is situated amongst the cakra (circle) of devotees, he is called 'Cakravarti'."

Srila Cakravarti Thakura Defends Sri Narottama's True Position Previously, Srila Narottama Thakura Mahasaya had achieved fame as Rasika-raja, or The King of those devotees who know how to relish the mellows of the topmost madhura-rasa. And he certainly is that. However, certain persons who are envious of Lord Hari -- who are loyal servants of that energy which completely surrounds the fallen souls with strict difficulties -- have dared to attempt to forcibly throw such a wonderful, true rasika as Narottama into their own well of material rasa. Needless to say, they have not been successful. Being unable to understand the purely spiritual activities of Sri Narottama Thakura, many prakrta-sahajiyas had given him the title "Sahajiya-kula-bhusana" (the ornament of the family of cheap imitators). Therefore, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura appeared in time to check the spread of this concocted sahajiya mentality, and to truly defend the factual spiritual rank of Srila Thakura Mahasaya.

Visvanatha's Family Lineage, Birth & Studies

Srila Visvanatha took birth in a family of brahmanas found in the Radha-desa area of Nadia District, West Bengal (Radha-sreniya-vipra-kula). According to some, he also used the pen name 'Hari-vallabha'. He had two older brothers named Ramabhadra and Raghunatha, and he stayed in Deva-grama during his childhood. Upon the completion of his studies in vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar), he moved to Saiyadabad-grama Murasidabad District, where he studied the bhakti-sastras (literatures of devotion) in the home of his guru Sri Radha-ramana Cakravarti. This Radha-ramana was the disciple of Sri Krsna-carana Cakravarti, who was in turn the disciple of Sri Ganga-narayana Cakravarti (one of the chief disciples of Thakura Narottama.) Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura later composed Sanskrit prayers describing this disciplic succession --Sri Gurudevastika, Sri Parama-gurudevastika, Sri Pratapara-gurudevastika, and Sri Parama-parat-gurudevastika. All these stotras can be found, along with many other compositions, in his book named Sri Stavamrta-lahari (Waves of Nectarean Prayers).

His Residence in Sri Vraja Mandal

By the mercy of his spiritual master, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarty Thakura lived in many different places within Vraja-dhama, and composed various transcendental literatures there. Most of these books are very difficult to find nowadays; however a few of them are well known, and are considered to be the supremely honorable wealth of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Sometimes Srila Cakravarty Thakura lived at Sri Govardhana, sometimes on the bank of Sri Radha-kunda, sometimes at Sri Yavata and sometimes in Sri Vrindavana within the compound of Sri Gokulananda's temple. His movements here and there are made very clear by the statements found at the end of his books.

The Date of His Birth

In Attempting to ascertain the time of Cakravarty Thakura, we see that he states at the end of Sri Krsna-Bhavanamrta that this book was completed on the full moon day of the month of Phalguna, 1607 Saka (1685 A.D.). This was the day commemorating the auspicious appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the full moon in February-March. Additionally, in his commentary of the Srimad Bhagavatam named saratha-darsini, we see that this tika was written during the month of Magha, 1626 Saka (1704 A.D.). Therefore, estimating that his time of birth was approximately 1560 Saka (1638 A.D.), and determining his time of death as 1630 Saka (1708 A.D.), we can calculate that he was present in this world for 70 years.

His Disciplic Succession

Sri Ganga-narayana Cakravarti was a disciple of Srila Narottama Thakura Mahasaya, and a resident of Balucara Gambila (the place of Narottama's disappearance). By the Lords desire, he had no sons; however, he had one daughter named Visnu-priya. Srila Thakura Mahasaya also had a famous disciple known as Sri Rama-krsna Bhattacarya (a Barendra-sreniya-brahmana). The youngest son of this Bhattacarya was named Sri Krsna-carana, who was accepted by Sri Ganga-narayana as his own son (since he had none of his own.) This Krsna-carana is the parama-guru, or grand spiritual master of Srila Cakravarti Thakura. In Visvanatha's Bhagavatam commentary named Sarartha-darsini, at the beginning of the famous Rasa-pancadhyayi (five chapters describing Lord Sri Krsna's rasa-lila dance), we find the following verse:

sri rama krsna ganga caran natva gurun uru premnah
srila narottama natha sri gauranga prabhum naumi
"Having bowed down while absorbed in the most exalted divine love at the feet of all my gurus in disciplic succession -- Sri Radha-ramana Cakravarti, Sri Krsna-carana Cakravarty, Sri Ganga-narayana Cakravarty, Sri Narottama Thakura and Sri Lokanath Gosvami -- I now offer my respectful obeisances unto my Lord Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu."

We understand from this sloka that Sri Radha-ramana's abbreviated name is 'Sri Rama', and that Sri Krsna-carans's abbreviated name is 'Krsna'. The word 'natha' is understood to mean Sri Lokanatha Gosvami.

Refuting the Faulty Conclusions of Rupa Kaviraja

Srinivasa Acarya's famous daughter, Srimati Hamalata Thakurani, rejected an envious disciple named Sri Rupa Kaviraja from the Vaishnava society. This Rupa Kaviraja is counted amongst the sub-branch of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya known as atibadi. He spread his own concocted philosophy (counter to the Gaudiya tradition) that only a person in the renounced order of life is capable of acting as acarya. He claimed that it was not possible for a householder to become a spiritual master. Fully disregarding the vidhi-marga, or path of devotional rules and regulations, he also tried to preach a philosophical path of raga-marga, or spontaneous devotion, which was completely unregulated and undisciplined. He also preached that smarana (remembrance) was possible without the help of sravana and kirtana (hearing and chanting.) Thus, this Rupa Kaviraja propagated a path which was unfavorable to the path shown by the Gosvamis. Therefore, Srila Cakravarti Thakura has refuted all these false conclusions in his sarartha-darshini commentary on the 3rd canto of Srimad bhagavatam. Actually, this refutation is a rendering of the truths outlined in Srila Jiva Gosvami's Bhakti Sandarbha.

Refuting the Caste Gosvamis

The later descendants of Sri Rupa Kaviraja, as well as the descendants of Sri Nityananda Prabhu's son Sri Virabhadra and the descendants of Sri Advaita Acarya's rejected sons all gave the title "Gosvami" to their disciples, even if they are householders. In preaching his refutation of this bogus practice, Srila Cakravarti Thakura has stated, citing scriptural evidence, that such a title of "Gosvami" is not at all improper for a befitting offspring of an acarya. However, it is highly improper to simply tack the word "Gosvami" onto the ends of names of offspring who are born in unfit families, even though descendants of an acarya -- especially when there is a motive of greed for increasing wealth and followers. For this reason, even one conducting the activities of an acarya should never use the title "Gosvami". Srila Cakravarti Thakura maintains that such foolish persons, who are bereft of proper behavior -- are so ignorant that they are not even fit to be seen.

The Gaudiya Sampradaya's Conquest at Jaipur

During the time of Srila Cakravarti Thakura, the offspring of acaryas were signing the title "Gosvami" next to their own names, thereby displaying their foolish ignorance. Being envious of the Lord and averse to the scriptures, they were very proud to announce the name of their vamsa-parampara (family lineage). At that time, at Sri Govindadeva's temple at Gulta-grama (just outside Jaipur), the acaryas of the Sri Ramanuja-sampradaya issued a challenge against the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The King of Jaipur consequently invited the most prominent Gaudiya Vaisnavas of Sri Vrindavana to attend. Knowing them to be followers of Srila Rupa Gosvami, he called them to council with the followers of Sri Ramanuja. This happened in 1628 Saka (1706 A.D.), when Srila Cakravarti Thakura was very old (about 68 years). So he consulted his foremost student, Gaudiya Vaishnava Vedantacarya Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit-kula-mukta Sripada Baladeva Vidys-bhusana. Thereafter, Sri Vidya-bhusana left Vrndavana to join the assembly in Jaipur, accompanied by his own student (and disciple of Srila Cakravarti Thakura), Sri Krsnadeva Sarvabhauma.

The caste Gosvamis had completely forgotten their own loyalty to the Sri Madhva-sampradaya. Being ignorant of the true facts of the disciplic succession, and being disrespectful to Vaisnava Vedanta, they had fallen into such a degraded condition that Sri Blaldeva Vidya-bhusna was obliged to write a separate commentary on the Vedanta-sutra, according to the philosophy of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. This was done just to refute their false conclusions. Srila Cakravarti Thakura gave his full sanction and approval to this task of counteracting the challenge, which simultaneously resulted in allowing the Gaudiya Vaisnava parampara to continue preaching freely. This event marks the second illustration of Srila Cakravarty Thakura's preaching of the Vaisnava dharma.

Specifically, this is a brilliant example of his endeavor to reform the Vaisnava acaryas who happened to be born in impure brahmana families. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura wrote many, many books. The following is a list of as many books as is possible to locate:

THE GLORIOUS BOOKS OF SRILA VISVANATHA CAKRAVARTIPADA

ORIGINAL BOOKS

1. Sri Krsna-bhavamrta (Nectar-meditations on Sri Krsna's Daily Sports) 1,347 Sanskrit verses in 20 chapters describing the eight periods of a day in the life of the Divine Couple and Their Friends.

2. Samkalpa Kalpa-druma (The Desire Tree of Resolute Determination) 104 Sanskrit verses of prayer to Sri Radhika for the attainment of specific services rendered to Her during the eight periods of the day in Goloka Vrindavana. Often published as a seperate book, this work is included in Sri Visvanatha's collection of prayers called Stavamrta-lahari.

3. Camatkara-candrika (A Moonbeam of Sheer Astonishment) 226 Sanskrit verses in four chapters of short stories depicting Sri Krsna's mischievous pranks conducted in various disguises: 1) Meeting in the Box, 2) Meeting in the Disguise of Abhimanyu, 3) Meeting in the Disguise of a Female Doctor, 4) Meeting in the Disguise of a Female Singer.

4. Prema-samouta (The Jewel -box of Love) 141 Sanskrit verses narrating the story of Krsna coming before Sri Radha in the disguise of a demigoddess, and Radhika's confidential confessions of the innermost core of Her selfless love for Him.

5. Vraja-riti-cintamani (The Touchstone of Life in Vraja) 234 Sanskrit verses in three chapters describing the holy flora, fauna, hills, lakes, groves, temples, and towns of the eternal realm of Vraja.

6. Gauranga-lilamrta (The Nectar of Sri Gauranga's Daily Pastimes) 11 Sanskrit verses depicting Sri Mahaprabhu's daily pastimes conducted in eight periods of the day; the descriptions of the pastimes in each verse are expanded by the extensive Bengali verses composed by Sri Visvanatha's direct disciple, the poet Krsnadasa.

7. Caitanya-rasayana (The Nectar-Tonic of Sri Caitanya) A work that was never finished; the story of it is mentioned in the 13th chapter of Sri Narottama Vilasa by Sri Narahari Cakravarti, the son of Visvanatha's disciple Jagannatha Vipra.

8. Raga-vartma-candrika (A Moonbeam Revealing the Path of Spontaneous Devotion) 22 Sanskrit paragraphs in two chapters of prose and verse which elaborate on the proper behavior and attitudes of one following the path of spontaneous devotional service.

9. Madhurya-kadambini (A Row of Clouds of Sweetness) 8 "showers of nectar" (chapters) of Sanskrit prose which scientifically analyzes the various stages of advancement that one ascends while on the devotional path.

10. Aisvarya-kadambini (A Row of Clouds of Majesty) A work mentioned by Visvanatha in the second chapter of his Madhurya-kadambibi. It is different from the work by Sri Baladeva Vidya-bhusana of the same name. The book by Visvanatha discusses the philosophy of "Dvaitadvaita-vada"; however no copy of this work has ever been found.

11. Ujjvala-nilamani-kirana (One Ray of Sri Rupa Gosvami's Book, Ujjvala-nilamani) 16 paragraphs of Sanskrit prose, composed as a condensed summary study of Srila Rupa Gosvami's 1,453-verse work. It is an examination of the psychology of the Divine Couple's relationship with other and with Their girlfriends.

12. Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindhu (A Drop From the Nectar-Ocean of Devotion) 27 Sanskrit notes, composed as a summary of Srila Rupa Gosvami's book Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which outlines the process of devotional service.

13. Bhagavatamrta-kana (A Speck of Sri Rupa Gosvami's Book, Laghu-bhagavatamrta) 15 Sanskrit notes that sum up the information presented in Sri Rupa's book, which describes Sri Krsna's various incarnations and plenary portions.

14. Gaura-gana-svarupa-tattva-candrika (A Moonbeam Revealing the Truth of the Identity of Gaura's Associates) A book which follows the earlier work of Sri Kavi Karnapura called Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika. It similarly reveals the Vraja-lila identity of various descendants of the Gaudiya-sampradaya), but is updated to include many other personalities that appeared in the sampradaya after Kavi Karnapura's time.

15. Rupa-cintamani (The Touchstone of Gauranga's Bodily Beauty) Sanskrit verses describing the exact locations of the sacred marks found on Lord Caitanya's palms and soles, including those of Sri Nityananda and Sri Advaita. Visvanatha composed another work also called Rupa-cintamani that describes the head-to-toe beauty of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, as well as the marks on the soles of Their lotus feet; this work is included in his collection called Stavamrta-lahari.

16. Ksanada-gita-cintamani (The Touchstone of Songs to be Sung at Night) This is the first anthology of devotional songs written by Gaudiya Vaisnava poets in the Bengali, Sanskrit and Braja-bhuli languages. Visvanatha compiled the writings of 45 authors totaling 309 songs, among which are 51 of his own songs, signed with his other pen name Hari-vallabha. The songs are divided up into groups that are to be sung each night of the month; thus there are 30 divisions -- 15 for the dark fortnight and 15 for the light fortnight.

17. Mantrartha-dipika (A Torchlamp Illuminating the Kama-Gayatri Mantra) 18 Sanskrit notes in prose and verse which give detailed explanations of each and every syllable of kama-bija and kama-gayatri mantras. There is also a description of a doubt that Visvanatha had regarding the syllables of the mantra, and how Sri Radhika Herself appeared to him in a dream in order to solve the problem.

18. Stavamrta-lahari (Wave After Wave of Nectarean Prayers) A collection of 28 Sanskrit prayers, astakams, meditations and glorifications.

COMMENTARIES

1. on Srimad-bhagavatam, named Sarartha-darsisn (She Who Reveals the Inner, Essential Purports)

2. on Bhagavad-gita, named Sarartha-varsini (She Who Showers Forth the Hidden Meanings)

3. on Sri Rupa's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, named Bhakti-sara-pradarsini (She Who Demonstrates the Cream-like Essence of Devotion)

4. on Sri Rupa's Ujjvala-nilamani, named Ananda-candrika (Moonbeams of Pure Bliss)

5. on Sri Rupa's Lalita-madhava-nataka

6. on Sri Rupa's Vidagha-madhava-nataka

7. on Sri Rupa's Dana-keli-kaumudi, named Mahati (She Who Is Glorious)

8. on Sri Rupa's Hamsa-duta

9. on Kavikarnapura's Alankara-kaustubha, named Subhodini (She Who Informs Very Nicely)

10. on Kavi Karnapura's Ananda-vrindavana-campu, named Sukha-varttini (She Who Establishes One in Happiness)

11. on Krsnadasa Kaviraja's Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, which is said to be incomplete.

12. on Narottama dasa Thakur's Prema-bhakti-candrika

13. on Sri Brahma-samhita

14. on Gopala-tapani-upanisad, named Bhakta-harsini (She Who Gives Great Joy to the Devotees)

[From Gaudiya, Volume 18, Number 18, Dated 8 Pausha, Bengali year 1329 (1922 A.D.)
The magazine was founded and edited by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura]

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