The Career and Teachings of the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna-Chaitanya

by Sri Narayan Das Bhakti Sadhukar

VII THE FOUNDER-ACHARYAS

The contributions of Vishnuswami, Nimbaditya, Ramanuja and Madhva, the Founder-Acharyas of the four Vaishnava communities (sampradayas) of the present day, to the cause of theism, are so valuable and so necessary to know for a proper understanding of the theological position of Sree Chaitanya that we shall close our brief survey of the historical trend of theistic thought with a short account of the systems of the four great Vaishnava Acharyas who preceded Sree Chaitanya.

The necessity of sampradaya or organized community. in the domain of religion, has been explicitly recognized in the Shastras. The words of Sree Vyasadeva in the Padma Purana on this subject are to the effect that the verbal formulae that deliver from mental hallucinations (mantrams) are never effective except within the spiritual community; and the same authority goes on to observe that in the Fourth (KaIi) Age there will be for this purpose four theistic (Vaishnava) communities (sampradayas) founded by their respective Acharyas, by the will of Godhead. This is not the advocacy of sectarianism. It upholds the principles of association and continuity in religious life as against anarchism. If rightly understood it is the procedure that is naturally followed by all persons who are sincerely minded, prefer the good law to anarchy and association with good people to egoistic isolation, and are truly catholic, not merely by profession, but also in their conduct. Those pseudo-liberals who pose as being above any class or community, are only anarchists in disguise. The truer instinct of mankind has always been alive to the fundamental necessity of belonging to a good, i.e., well regulated, community.

The four communities (sampradayas) of the Iron Age are connected with the ancient times by their recognition of the ulterior authority of the eternal ancient teachers, viz, Lakshmi, Brahma, Rudra and the four Sanas (chatuhsanah), respectively. The four Founder-Acharyas of the Iron Age professed to preach the views of those original teachers of the religion. Sree Rudra is the source of the teaching of Sree Vishnuswami; Sanaka, Sanatana, Sananda, Sanat Kumara, that of Sree Nimbarka Swami, Sree Lakshmidevi that of Sree Ramanuja Swami and the four-faced Brahma that of Madhva Swami, in the Iron Age. The original pre-historic teachers, who are the ultimate source of the four communities, in the chronological order of their appearance, are (1) Lakshmi, the eternal and inseparable Consort of Vishnu, (2 Brahma sprung from the navel-lotus of Garbhodasayi Vishnu, (3) Rudra sprung from the second Purusha, and (4) the four Sanas who are the sons of Brahma born from the mind. The chronological order of the Acharyas of the Iron Age is (1) Sree Vishnuswami, (2) Sree Nimbaditya, (3) Sree Ramanuja, and (4) Sree Madhva.

Sree Vishnuswami

There are three different Vishnuswamis belonging to the same line. The first of them in order of time is known as Adi Vishnuswami and also as Sarbajna Muni. He was born in the Pandya country, the southernmost part of ancient Dravida in the third century B.C. His name, before he accepted sannyasa, was Devatanu. He was a tridandi sanyasin and re-established the old institution of tridanda sannyasa in the Iron Age. We find among his immediate followers no less than seven hundred tridanda sannyasins who were availed by him for preaching Vaishnavism against Buddhism. Vishnuswami is sometimes confounded with Sarbjnatma Muni who was an exclusive monist (kevaladvaitavadin). The system propounded by Adi Vishnuswami or Sarbajna Muni is known by the name of .suddhadvaita siddhanta., the pure monistic doctrine, as distinct from exclusive or pseudomonism.

According to Sree Vishnuswami the individual soul (jiva) is a constituent part of the Substantive Reality (vastu); the power of the vastu is maya; the activity of the vastu is the world; none of these being separate from the Vast.

The first point to be noticed in this connection is that Vishnuswami does not identify the individual soul ( jiva) with the Brahman; neither does he conceive of the individual soul ( jiva) as independent of the Brahman. His metaphor to bring out the relationship between the two, is that of the sparks of a great fire and the fire from which the sparks issue. Therefore, in the Scriptures the individual soul (jiva) has been sometimes called the Brahman, being qualitatively the same; and in other passages the individual soul (jiva) has been differentiated from the Brahman. In the next place the world being the activity of the Brahman, is also real and eternal. The origin and dissolution of the world as found in the Scriptures, mean its temporary disappearance but not substantive loss. The world is the unchanged transformation of the Brahman, just as the different ornaments made of gold are unchanged gold. Godhead, according to Vishnuswami, is the Embodiment of existence, self-consciousness and bliss in the embrace of the twin powers of Hladini (that which delights and is delighted) and Samvit (that which knows and makes known), as distinct from the bound soul who is, on the other hand, the source of all misery and enveloped in nescience. In his state of pure monistic consciousness the soul (jiva) is established in the relationship of servant to Godhead, which is the natural condition for the soul (jiva) who in the pure state is a fractional part of the whole, viz., Godhead. Godhead is the Lord of maya the soul (jiva) is subduable by the deluding or limiting energy (maya). Godhead is self-manifest and transcendental bliss. The soul (jiva), although also self-manifest by reason of his being an integral part of the Whole, is located in the plane of misery, due to his attachment for a second entity besides Godhead. Godhead is ever free and never submits to any adjunctive modifications. He is possessed of transcendental qualities, is all-knowing, all-powerful, the Lord of all, the Regulator of all, the Object of worship of all, the Awarder of the fruit of all actions, the Abode of all beneficent qualities and substantive existence, consciousness and bliss.

Sree Vishnuswami following in the footsteps of Sree Rudra, was the worshipper of Sree Panchashya (Man-lion). He admits the Bodily Form of Godhead made of the principles of existence, consciousness and bliss, and the eternal co-existence of worship, worshipper and the worshipped. In his own words the emancipated also, playfully assuming bodily forms, serve the Lord. The main authorities recognized by the Vishnuswami community (sampradaya) are Nrisimha tapani, Sreemad Bhagavatamand Sree Vishnupuranam Of the works of Vishnuswami himself the sarbajna sukta alone is mentioned. The Vishnuswami school counts very few adherents at the present day. Sree Vallabhacharya, although he calls himself his follower, differs in certain respects from the views of Sree Vishnuswami.

Sree Nimbaditya

Sree Nimbaditya is the propounder of bifurcial monism (dvaitadvaitaada ).

Sree Nimbarkaditya appeared in the town of Baidurya-pattan (mod. Munger-pattan or Mungi-pattan) in the Telugu country. He is known variously as Nimbaditya, Nimbarka, or Nimbabibhavasu and sometimes also as Aruneya, Niyamanada, and Haripriyacharya,. His followers are known as Nimayets and are different from the Nimanandis who profess to be followers of Sree Chaitanyadeva under His appellation of Nimananda,. Sree Nimbaditya was an ascetic of the triple staff (tridandi sannyasin ); the line of his preceptorial succession being ( 1 ) Sree Narayana, (2) Hamsa, (3) the Chatuhsanas, viz., Sanaka, etc. and (4) Nimbadityacharya. Sree Nimbaditya's commentary of the Vedanta Bhasya known as the Vedanta parijata-saurabha and there are also several other works written by him.

The system of Nimbarka holds the heard transcendental sound (sruti) as the highest natural evidence of the Truth, and also accepts the testimony of other Shastras when they follow heard sound (sruti). The source of Nimbadityas teaching is the instruction imparted by the four Sanas to Sree Narada Goswami in the seventh prapathaka of the Chhandogyopanishad, which may be summed up as follows, viz., that the Puranas are the fifth Veda; Vishnu is the Lord of all, devotion to Godhead in the forms of firm faith (sraddha) and close addiction (nishtha) is glorified; there is nothing equal or superior to the love for Godhead; the eternal Abode of Godhead is praised; Godhead is independent of any other thing; the perfectly emancipated are the eternal servitors of Godhead and are engaged in eternal pastimes in the region of self-conscious activities in the company of Godhead; Godhead has power of appearance to and disappearance from our view; the Vaishnavas are eternal and transcendental; the grace of Godhead is glorified, etc., etc.

According to Sree Nimbaditya the individual (jiva) soul and the Supreme Soul are related to each other as integral part and Whole. The soul (jiva) is different from Godhead, but not separate. The soul (jiva) is both knowledge and knower, like the Sun which is self-luminous and also makes visible other objects. As an infinitesimal particle of consciousness the soul (jiva) is subordinate to Godhead Who is plenary consciousness. The souls (jivas) are infinite in number. By reason of his smallness he is liable to association with and dissociation from bodies made by the deluding energy of Godhead (maya). In the bound state the soul (jiva) is imprisoned in the gross and subtle physical bodies; in the free state he is dissociated from them. Souls (jivas) are of three distinct kinds, viz., those that are (1) free, (2) bound yet free, and (3) bound. There are various gradations of each one of these. The soul (jiva) is freed from the bondage of the deluding energy (maya) by the grace of Godhead, there being no other way. The inanimate objects are two, viz., (1) time, and (2) deluding energy (maya). Time is either transcendental or material. The former is self-conscious and eternal, i.e., undivided into past, present and future. The deluding energy (maya) is the perversion of the self-conscious (chit), or the shadow of the latter, and possesses the qualities of the shadow. Divinity is free from defect. The real nature of Godhead is full of infinite beneficience. Godhead as Krishna is the highest Brahman. Krishna is the source of all beauty and sweetness. Attended by His Own Power, the Daughter of Brishabhanu, constantly served by thousands of intimate female friends (sakhis) who are the extended self of the Daughter of Brishabhanu, Krishna is the Object of the eternal worship of the individual soul (jiva). He has an eternal and transcendental bodily Form. He is formless to the material vision but possessed of form to the spiritual eye. He is independent, all-powerful, Lord of all, possessed of inconceivable power and eternally worshipped by the gods such as Brahma, Siva, etc. Worship is of two kinds, viz., (1) tentative devotion during novitiate, and (2) the highest devotion characterized by love. The latter is aroused by the practice of nine kinds of devotion as means, consisting of hearing, chanting, etc.

The Nimbarka community is not mentioned in his works by Sree Jiva Goswami. He is also unnoticed in the Sarbadarsanasamgraha of Sayana Madhava. From which it is supposed that the current views of the present Nimbarka community were not extensively known till after the time of the author of Sarbadarsansamgraha, or even of the six Goswamins. There is, however, no doubt whatever that Sree Nimbaditya is a very ancient Acharya and the founder of the satvata dvaitadvaita sampradaya.

Sree Ramanuja

Sree Ramanuja made his appearance in the year 938 of the Saka era in the village of Sriparambattur or Sree Mahabhutapuri about twenty-six miles to the west of Madras, in the family of a Dravida Brahmana. His name, before he became an ascetic of the triple staff (tridandi sannyasin), as Lakshmana. Lakshmana Desika accepted renunciation (sannyasa) on the bank of Anantasar at Conjeeveram invoking grace of Sree Yamunacharya. He soon became the head of the Sree community (sampradaya) , which had its headquarters at Sree Rangam. He travelled all over India visiting Kashmir, Benares, Puri, etc., and established the pancharatrika view (the system of fivefold knowledge) at all the important centers of religion. We do not intend to enter further into the details of his wonderful career at this place.

Sree Ramanuja is the author of numerous works, the chief of which are Vedanta-sara, Vedanta-dipa, Vedartha -samgraha, Geeta Bhashya, Sree Bhashya, etc.

In the Ramanuja community every one is required to undergo purification by the method of the fivefold purificatory process (pancha-samskara). Even a high-born Brahmana, according to the Ramanujis, who has not gone through the above purificatory process, is as much an untouchable as the lowest of the Chandalas, and a Chandala so purified is held to possess the highest sanctity. In the Ramanuja community Vishnu is exclusively worshipped and the worship of all other gods is absolutely forbidden. In this community there is also the institution of renunciation of the triple staff (tridanda sannyasa).

Sree Ramanuja is the propounder of the view which is known as Distinctive Monotheism (Vishishtadvaitavada). This view is formally established scripturally in his commentary on the Brahma sutra known as Sree Bhashya. The system of Sree Ramanuja may be set forth as follows: The Nature of the Supreme Brahman is unitary. Brahman who is without a second is, however, possessed of quality. The cognitive principle (chit) and the principle of nescience (achit) are His quality and body. The cognitive principle (chit) and nescience (achit) are each of them of two kinds according as they happen to be either gross or subtle. The subtle cognitive (chit) and non-cognitive principle (achit), in the causal state, are transformed into the gross cognition and non-cognition as effect. Brahman Who is non-bifurcial knowledge being the sole Cause, both efficient and material, there exist in Him qualities corresponding to such activities. The qualities must be considered as qualifying the possessor of them. Therefore, self-consciousness (chit) and unconsciousness (achit) are the qualities corresponding to the activities of Brahman as the Cause. The body is dependent on, is enjoyed and regulated by, its possessor and is also that by which the latter is known. Self-consciousness and unconsciousness depend upon, are enjoyed and regulated by, non-bifurcial Brahman, and, as effect, are the manifestations of Brahman as Cause. There is no such difference in the individual (jiva) soul as deva, man, etc. It is the soul obtaining enjoyable bodies, as the appropriate result of his own activities, that makes the effect known in terms of such bodies. Therefore, devas, men, etc., are only indications of different activities of the soul. The bodies such as those of devas, men, etc., are thus modifications or qualities of the soul. The relation in which the body stands to the individual (jiva) soul is also that in which the individual (jiva) soul stands to the Supreme Soul. In Distinctive Non-dualism three categories are admitted, viz., ( 1 ) the self-conscious principle (chit) which means the individual (jiva), (2) the non-conscious principle (achit) or matter, and (3) Godhead (Iswara), the Regulator of spirit (chit) and matter (achit), Who is the highest Personality of Narayana. This view categorically denies the following: Absolute dualism (kevala-dvaita-vada), absolute non-dualism (kevala-advaita-vada) and attributive dualistic non-dualism (vishista-dvaita-advaita-vada) .

The self-conscious principle (chit) or individual (jiva) soul is infinitesimal (anu) as opposed to the greatness of Brahman and is an integral part (amsa) of the Integer (amsi) or Possessor of the part, viz., the Brahman. This littleness of the individual (jiva) soul is directly and explicitly stated in the Scriptures as his specific characteristic. It is an integral part of Brahman, just as his body is an integral part of the individual soul or as His glow is an integral part or quality of the fire or the Sun; or as the quality is an integral part of the substance. The individual soul is of three kinds, viz., (1) bound (baddha), (2) emancipated (mukta), and (3) eternal (nitya). His proper nature is existence and bliss and he is cognisable to himself.

As regards the non-conscious (achit), according to Ramanuja it is devoid of cognition and liable to transformation. It is of three kinds, viz., (1) pure, e.g., objects in Vaikuntha, (2) mixed, i.e., constituted of the triple mundane qualities, and (3) insubstantial or time.

Sree Narayana is Godhead. He is distinct from the principle of consciousness (chit) and non-consciousness (achit) as substance from quality. He is the only cause of the origin, continuance and destruction of the spiritual (chit) and material (achit) worlds and of cessation of the cycle of births. He is free from every imperfection, full of infinite beneficent qualities, the soul of all, the transcendental Brahman, the transcendental Light, the transcendental Entity, the Supreme Soul, the only Subject of all Scriptures and the Guide of all hearts. The nature of Godhead is fivefold, ,viz., (1) the ultimate Reality (para tattva), (2) the principle of expansion (byuha tattva) for creation, maintenance, destruction, for protecting the bound jivas and showing His mercy to worshippers, as Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, (3) the principle of the origination of any state (bibhava tattva),viz, Avataras like Rama, Nrisinha, etc., (4) the inner Guide (antaryami tattva) as (a) the Supreme Soul Who dwells in the hearts of His servants, and as (b) Narayana with Lakshmi residing in the hearts of enlightened persons, (5) the principle of symbolic manifestation (archa avatara) as Conglomerate Embodiment (Sree Vigraha), Name, Form, etc., worshipped by His servants in accordance with their respective aptitudes. He seems as if ignorant although All-knowing, as if powerless although All-powerful, as if needing help although His wish is ever fully realized, as if needing protection although the Protector, and as if serving His devotees although their Master.

Devotion is the proper method of worshipping Godhead, is extremely pleasing, the only thing needful and is of the nature of a particular kind of knowledge which produces a distaste for every other thing. Godhead is attainable by the soul imbued with devotion.

Srimat Purnaprajna or Sree Madhvacharya

Srimat Purnaprajna or Madhvacharya made his appearance in this world in the Saka year 1040 in the sacred tirtha known as the Pajaka Kshetra situated about eight miles to the south-east of Udupi Kshetra in South Canara. His name, before he accepted sanyasa, was Vasudeva. Sree Vasudeva came of a Brahman family, his fathers name being Sree Narayana Bhatta, who bore the surname of-Madhvageha due to the fact that one of his ancestors, who was an immigrant from the country of Ahichchhatra, built his dwelling in the middle part of the village-settlement. His mothers name was Vedabati or Vedavidya. Vasudeva accepted renunciation of the ascetics staff (danda sanyasa) from Sree Achyutapreksha, the disciple of Sree Prajnatirtha, in the line of Garudabahan, without obtaining the previous permission of his parents, at the age of eleven, and received the designation of Anandatirtha, or its equivalent Madhva. Sree Achyutapreksha at that time happened to be in charge of the shrine of Sree Ananteswara, situated in the neighbouring village of Rajatapeethapura. The order of spiritual preceptorial succession, according to the Madhvas of Rajatapeethapura, of Madhvacharya, is as follows: (1) Sree Narayana as Hansa, (2) Four-faced Brahma, (3) Chatuhsanah, (4) Durvasa, (5) Pasatirtha Yati, (6) Satyaprajna, (7) Prajnatirtha, (8) Achyutapreksha, and (9) Madhva. It is not our purpose in this place to enter into the details of his career which was long and eventful. Sreemad Madhva was the worshipper of Boy Krishna, whose holy Form, miraculously rescued from a sinking boat, was solemnly installed by him at Sree Udupi Kshetra and still receives worship from the sannyasins, his successors in the disciplic line. Sree Madhvacharya had a most powerful physique. He journeyed twice to Sree Badarika and visited all the principal tirthas of India where he preached his doctrines and engaged in successful disputations with the leading scholars of the rival schools. Sree Madhvacharya disappeared from this world in the 79th year of his advent.

Sree Madhvacharya wrote numerous works and established many Maths with organized service and worship for the purpose of spreading his bifurcial theistic view. As many as thirty- eight separate works, all in Sanskrit, from his pen, are still extant. The literature thus brilliantly inaugurated swelled to immense proportions by subsequent additions of many valuable works by his successors.

The teaching of Sree Madhvacharya is found summarized in a short verse which is regarded by the members of the school as giving a correct view of his position and may be rendered thus: Divine Vishnu is the Highest of all. The world is true. Between Godhead, jiva and matter there exists fivefold eternal reciprocal difference. The jivas (individual souls) are the servants of Sree Hari. There exists gradation of fitness among jivas. The manifestation of the function in conformity with the proper nature of the jiva is emancipation (mukti). The practice of the realized function conformably with the souls own proper nature is pure, unalloyed or causeless devotion. Sound, inference and direct perception constitute the triple evidence. Sree Hari is the only Object Who is knowable by the whole body of the Scriptures; or, in other words, realization of Godhead is possible only by following the path of the heard revealed sound (sruti). The whole of this position has been accepted specifically by Sripad Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Prameya Ratnavali. This definitely establishes the descent of Sree Gaudiya Sampradaya, that follows Sree Krishna Chaitanya, from the Madhva school and justifies its descriptive title Madhva-Gaudiya (or Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya) Sampradaya, current among the devotees.

According to Sree Madhvacharya, as has already been stated, Sree Vishnu is the Highest Entity. Reality is of two kinds, viz., (1) self-regulated and (2) subordinate. Vishnu is the one perfectly self-regulated Entity. He is the Abode of infinite, free-from defect, beneficent, qualities. He is all-powerful, autocrat, the Regulator of the animate and inanimate worlds, from the tip of finger-nail to the top of hair the holy embodied Form of existence, intelligence and bliss, cognizant and delighting in His own real nature and without any subjective heterogeneity. There is no distinction between His body and Himself as the possessor of body. There is absolute identity between His Body, Quality, Action and Name. That is to say, there is no dividing line between His Name, Form, Quality and Activity (LeeIa). He is Eternal, the Regulator of all, the Lord of all, Iswara (Ruler) of even Brahma, Mahesa and Lakshmi and for this reason He is the Highest Godhead, i.e., God of all the gods. He is in every Age and country the holy embodied Form of the Possessor of all pure energy. Those persons who notice any distinction or distinction and non-distinction in the Name, Form, Quality and Activity of the Avataras viz., Fish, Tortoise, etc., certainly enter the realm of gross ignorance (tamas) . There is no particle of absence of self-consciousness in Sree Hari. His holy Form possesses hand, foot, mouth, belly, etc., all those being of the nature of pure bliss. From Him proceed always creation, stability, destruction, the course of the souls, knowledge, bondage, emancipation, etc. Divine Vishnu exists eternally as the Archetype of all individual souls who are His differentiated parts. In other words, in the realm full of the pastimes of the pure intelligence, an endless series of differentiated souls from Brahma to the lowest insect endowed with the embodied forms of the principles of existence, cognition and bliss are eternally existent. They are the unqualified counterparts of the corresponding Forms of Vishnu Who, in His eternal and various Forms, is their Archetype. The individual souls in Vaikuntha are the substantive, unqualified reflections of the corresponding Divine Forms. Individual souls are differentiated from Godhead. The soul is an embodiment of the principles of cognition and bliss in a small measure, which principles exist in their fullest measure in the Person of Godhead. The material bodies of the bound souls do not correspond to their original pure spiritual forms, and, therefore, from the nature of the physical forms of the bound souls the nature of their original forms cannot be inferred. Sree Hari has two kinds of constituent parts (amsas) viz., ( 1 ) differentiated counterparts, e.g., individual souls (jivas) in Vaikuntha, and (2) undifferentiated parts of Himself, viz., the Divine manifestations (Avataras), e.g., in the divine Forms of the Fish, Tortoise, etc. In His pastimes Divine Vishnu manifests Himself in a fourfold Form, viz., Vasudeva, Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, for the purpose of such activities as creation, etc. In the Form of Pradyumna He creates the world, in the Form of Aniruddha maintains, and in the Form of Samkarsana, destroys it. In the Form of Vasudeva He delivers souls. The functions of creation and destruction are carried out by Divine Vishnu by means of gods exercising delegated power, or by the highest grade of souls exercising similar power. Vishnu as Pradyumna in this manner endows Brahma with the creative power and as Samkarsana confers on Rudra the power of destruction. He himself as Aniruddha exercises the power of maintenance, and as Vasudeva confers deliverance. Divine Vishnu from time to time appears in this world as Avataras in the Forms of Fish, Tortoise, etc. In the twenty-four Forms as Keshava, etc., and Vasudeva, etc., He is the Regulator of the gods who represent the twenty-four principles of the universe, and in the five Forms as Vasudeva, Samkarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Narayana, He governs the five encasements. He regulates the four states of differentiated souls, viz., (1) waking, (2) dreaming, (3) sleeping, (4) unbound, in the four Forms of Visva, Taijas, Prajna and Turiya.. As the Soul and the Soul of souls He is the Regulator of the gross and spiritual bodies, corresponding to the real nature of the souls and, remaining manifest in all the limbs of souls as Ananta, He rules over them. He is the Source Who imparts their initiative to the gods representing the principles of the universe, and to the different senses. He is not responsible for the meritorious and sinful acts of jivas to which He employs them according to their fitness and in exercise of their freedom of will. Although He appears in the world in the various Forms of Fish, Tortoise, Man, etc., His birth and activities or bodies are not phenomenal, notwithstanding their material appearance to the vision of bound jivas. His Avatara are of two kinds, viz., (1) Embodiments of knowledge, and (2) Embodiments of power. Sree Krishna is the Appearance (Avatara) of Divine cognition and power in conjunction. In such Divine Appearances as those of Dhanvantari, etc., Krishnas power of showing mercy to His devotees alone is manifest. Sree Vaikuntha is the eternal Divine Abode of Vishnu. At the beginning of creation the twin Divine Abodes, viz., the White Island (Sveta-dvipa) and the Divine Seat in the form of Sree Ananta (Anantasana), appear in this world. Sree Lakshmi is the beloved Divine Consort of Vishnu. She accompanies Her Lord to this world in His Appearances and is associated with Him in various Forms with the infinite reciprocal Forms of her Lord. The different names of Sree Lakshmi are: Sree, Bhu, Durga, Maya, Jaya, Kriti, Santi, Ambhrani, Sita, Dakshina, Jayanti, etc., each having distinctive functions. Vishnu creates the material universe at the beginning of every cycle ( kalpa) using the eternal inanimate force, that has no beginning, as the material cause. This world is neither non-existent, nor false, nor momentary. The different objects are limited in duration as regards their existence in their particular forms, but are eternal as regards their constituent principle.

There is categorical difference (1) between the individual soul (jiva) and Godhead, (2) between one individual (jiva) and another, (3) between matter and Godhead, (4) between individual soul (jiva) and matter and (5) between one form of matter and another form. Sree Madhvacharya accepts this fivefold difference as real.

Individual souls (jivas) are divided into three classes, according as their original nature is made of either (1) intelligence and bliss, or (2) of a mixture of intelligence and joy and misery of ignorance, or (3) of unmixed misery and ignorance. Individual souls (jivas) are provided with physical and mental bodies in accordance with their actions of the previous cycle (kalpa), at the beginning of material creation. Individual souls (jivas) are infinite in number. Ones proper nature or the capacity of attaining to it, is eternal and belongs eternally to all individual souls. It is the primal cause of all efforts of all individual souls. Action (karma), although destructible, is eternal in the continuity of its flow or sequence. Previously performed activity (karma) , which is without a beginning, is the second cause. There is a third cause in the shape of the effort at the time of the performance of the act. All these are subject to Vishnu, Lord of the material energy (maya). In other words Godhead awards the worldly course of individual souls by means of these three causes, but they have no power over Him as He is the Lord of material Energy (Maya). Liberation (mukti) is the realization of their own proper natures by persons endowed with the luminous, self-expressive (sattvic) quality, on the dissolution of the symbolic material body, by the practice of devotion. It is not something adventitious but only the continued establishment of the individual soul in his own proper nature. The eternal material cases, super-imposed on the real or spiritual nature of the soul, are two in number, viz., ( 1 ) the case forged by the soul and (2) the envelope bestowed by the material energy of Godhead (Maya). When Godhead is favourably disposed He destroys completely the coating of nescience caused by the soul and removes the screen of the material energy (maya) which is a gift of the Divinity. Thereupon the soul is enabled to see with his spiritual eye the Supreme Person dwelling in his own heart. The devotion that is aroused after the beatific vision is the highest or unalloyed, being devoid of all foreign impulses in the shape of physical activity (karma), etc. It is only by devotion that the favour of Godhead is attained. This leads to liberation (mukti), being the attainment of the Feet of Vishnu. This is followed by devotion in her real, proper form which is not the means but the goal. The initial stage in the process, is listening with faith to the words of Scriptures glorifying the greatness of Godhead, from the lips of devotees (sadhus).

Sree Madhvacharya admits the authority of the triple evidence of (1) direct perception, (2) inference, and (3) revelation (agama). The last is sub-divided into (l) those Scriptures that are not made by any person, and (2) those so made. To the first of these groups belong the Vedas such as Rik, etc., Upanishad, the formulae that deliver from mental function (mantram), Brahmanas, the concluding portion of the Veda (parisista), etc. To the second group are assigned History- (Itihasa), supplementary accounts (Purana), fivefold knowledge (pancha-ratra), etc. The Puranas, etc., help in understanding the real significance of the Vedas. The Puranas are of three kinds, viz., ( 1 ) Sattvika, (2) Rajasika, and (3) Tamasika. The Sattvika Puranas, such as Sreemad Bhagavatam, etc., are alone admissible as evidence of the Truth. If any portions of the Rajasa Puranas are in conformity with the statements of the Sattvika Puranas those may also be accepted as evidence. Those parts of the Sattvika Puranas that express ideas contrary to the sattvika view, were intended for deluding the atheists (daityas), and should not be accepted by righteous persons. The Tamasa Puranas were concocted for deluding evil-minded persons (daityas). All Puranas, in so far as they support the sattvic view, are admissible as evidence. The following views of Sree Madhvacharya are also interesting. The servant of Vishnu (Vaishnava), the All-pervasive Lord, is the highest of all animate beings (jivas). The worship of Vishnu alone is to be performed. All worship of other gods is forbidden. Everything is gained by uttering the Name of Hari. The Vaishnava, even if he be sprung from a Chandala family, is the revered of all. Vaishnavas are to be served with zeal and no offense must be permitted against them. The Brahmana is recognized by straightforwardness, the Sudra by duplicity of conduct.

Sree Chaitanya is the disciplic successor of Sree Madhvacharya and ultimately of Sree Brahma, the original Founder after whom the community (sampradaya) is named as the Brahma Sampradaya. The order of spiritual succession (amnaya) up to the present time from Sree Brahma, as preserved in the BrahmaGaudiya Sampradaya, is as follows: ( 1 ) Sree Krishna, (2) Brahma, (3) Narada, (4) Vyasa, (5) Madhwa, (6) Padmanabha, (7) Nrihari, (8) Madhava, (9) Akshobhya, ( 10) Jayatirtha, ( 11 ) Jnanasindhu, ( 12 ) Dayanidhi, ( 13 ) Vidyanidhi, ( 14) Rajendra, ( l 5) Jayadharma, ( 16) Purushottama, ( 17) Vyasatirtha, (18) Lakshmipati, (19) Madhavendra Puri, (20) Iswara (Advaita, Nityananda), ( 21 ) Sree Chaitanya, (22 ) ( Swarupa, Sanatana) Rupa, (23) (Jiva) Raghunatha, (24) Krishnadasa, (25) Narottama, (26) Viswanatha, (27) (Baladeva) Jagannatha, (28) (Bhaktivinode) Gaurakishore, (29) Sree Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Sree Barshabhanavidayitadas. All these are paramahansas and Sree Chaitanyas undifferentiated servitors. The writer is devoid of all aptitude for service and endeavours to have his mind humbly fixed on the lotus feet of Sree Guru Sree Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, as the unworthy object of his causeless mercy and of his associated counterparts.

The views of the four Founder-Acharyas of the respective Vaishnava communities (sampradayas) briefly noticed above, stand in such close and organic relation to the teaching of Sree Chaitanya and to one another that their relationship will be best brought out in course of the narrative and at the proper place, in the light of the philosophy of Sree Chaitanya which, as I have already noticed, reconciles, harmonizes and perfects them. For the present it will be sufficient for our purpose to notice in regard to these four schools that the system of Sree Chaitanya, although it is identical with none of them, either wholly or partially admits the special excellence of certain features of each. Thus, for example, Sree Chaitanya accepts more or less the eternal specific Form of the Divinity as Embodiment of all-existence, all-knowledge and all-bliss sachchidananda nitya Bigraha) of Madhva, the postulations of Ramanuja regarding Divine Power, the principle of unalloyed non-dualism and of Godhead as the All of His Own and the eternal dualistic-monotheism of Nimbarka which last has been perfected by Sree Chaitanya into the truly scientific Truth of the Doctrine of inconceivable simultaneous distinction and non difference.

The act of Sree Chaitanya in preferring the Brahma community (sampradaya) by His entry into it as Disciple, to which Sree Madhvacharya also belongs, to the other Vaishnava schools, is explained by the fact that the doctrine of unalloyed differentialism propounded by Sree Madhvacharya which makes the mutual difference, as between, Godhead, individual soul ( jiva) and the material world, definite and permanent and also recognizes their eternal separate existence, keeps all individual souls (jiva) most clearly and frankly at a great distance from the fell disease of absolute monism which is the opposite pole, being the empirical denial of the essence of all theistic thought passing itself off as theism to the insidious seductions of which most worldly people are so easily liable to succumb. We shall return to this important subject in its proper place.

It is the empiricists who are responsible for the origination of the current notion that theism is a product of a particular stage of material civilization in its progressive onward march. It will be our purpose to prove in the next chapter that such a view is opposed to all historical experience. It is no doubt true that the revelationists do not admit the applicability of the theory of evolution in its present form to spiritual subjects as it does not recognize the existence of any other entity except matter and mind. The history of spiritual evolution is connected with the progress of material civilization correspondingly and negatively, and not causally, the latter only serving to bring out that aspect of the former which happens to be the most intelligible to itself at the stage. This difference is wholly overlooked by materialistic evolutionists and no less by the so-called critical school of historians who have essayed to treat of spiritual events. The transcendental aspect of theism is the oldest fact known to history and, philosophically speaking, is incapable of being evolved out of the empirical consciousness. The abandonment of no historical principle worth the name, is involved in the recognition of this fact as a fundamental and axiomatic truth even on the evidence, although necessarily negative in character, of our empirical experience as will appear from an impartial consideration of the historical facts contained in the next chapter.

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