One should look for sincere dedication and not for external details of Vaisnavism or for drama.
APASAMPRADAYER SVARUPA
by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura From an article with the title, The Temple of Jagannath at Puri Bhaktivinoda Thakur identifies and comments on the Deviant sampradayas or apasampradayas) Sampradaya is the tradition of teaching from master to pupil throughout the ages. Asampradaya means: Not bonafied or deviant.
The Temple of Lord Jagannath in Puri India
The Smarta Doctrine Two kinds of smrti sastra: 1) spiritual, or satvata smrtis; 2) material, moral or fruitivework oriented smrtis. Satvata smrtis include: Sri Bharadvaja Samhita (included in Narada Pancaratra), Brhat Samhita, Visnu Samuccaya, Vaikhanas Samhita, the Agamapramanya compiled by Sage Albandaru, the Sadacar Smrti compiled by Sage Purna Prajna, the Krsnamrta Maharnava, the SmrtyarthaSagara by Cchadari Nrsimhacarya, the Prameyamala by Vira Raghava, the Prayoga Candrika, the Vaisnava?dharmasuradrumamanjari by SamkarsanaSaranadeva, the Smrti?ratnakara by Vitthalacarya, the Sri Haribhaktivilasa by Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami Prabhu, the Sri Satkriyasaradipika and the Samskaracandrikapaddhati by Sri Dhyana Candra.
Perfect Spiritual Masters, True Spiritual Doctors
It is the true doctor, conversant in the scriptures and in the science of Krsna, who is aware of these complications and can persuade the frank and surrendered soul of these diseases and endeavor for their cure.
“The ordinary nontheorist community and the sinful living entities cannot understand the wide difference existing between apparent similarities and sincere dedication ((between a “smarta” and a Vaisnava)). They are thus becoming smartas with external vaisnava designations; thatis, although externally maintaining all the rituals and activities of a Vaisnava, they internally cherish allegiance to the smarta ideal of materialistic work. The lay nontheorist society cannot diagnose this deceptive disease infecting the remotest corners of the heart. It is the true doctor, conversant in the scriptures and in the science of Krsna, who is aware of these complications and can persuade the frank and surrendered soul of these diseases and endeavor for their cure.
A unclean heart
The motives of Vaisnavas vs. those of smartas are poles apart.
They look for sincere dedication and not for external details of Vaisnavism or for drama. Where dedication serves materialism the sense organs, and seeks peace, prasadam and contentment, there are only material or moral regulations the smarta doctrine in the guise of a socalled vaisnava doctrine is evident. Only the mercy ofa pure devotee can deliver one from this dire calamity.” Celebrating occasions like Ekadasi: Vaisnavas or spiritualists celebrate such occasions as enhancers of devotion or out of the pleasure of serving Krsna and without any desire. Smartas, on the other hand, celebrate them for physical or mental welfare or as activities fulfilling their moral, economic or sexual desires. So, notwithstanding apparent similarities, the motives of Vaisnavas vs. those of smartas are poles apart. Taking bath in and worshiping the Ganges Vaisnavas view the Ganges as nectar from Visnu’s feet, are reminded of Visnu by her contact and take bath in her in a spirit of service, knowing her to be a transcendental object of service.
Worshiping the Ganges
The Vaisnavas do not differentiate between Krsna Himself and His Deityform.
So “even Ganga herself desires to bathe Haridasa”. But the smartas want to utilize Ganges water for cleansing themselves of sins, filth and unholy thoughts. The Ganges, whose water even Lord Siva takes gladly on his head as it washes the feet of his Lord, the smartas want to use as maidservant or a sincleansing machine. Installing and worshiping Deity forms of the Lord: The Vaisnavas do not differentiate between Krsna Himself and His Deityform. They accept sankirtana as the prime means of worship and by that means perform the abhisekha and other rituals, according to Sriman Mahaprabhu’s instructions. The smartas consider the Deity as different from the Lord, as something transient and imaginary for temporary assistance of the aspirant, to be rejected or immersed later on. They imagine to instil life and consciousness into the idol and employ it in gratifying their desires. Sometimes they even use Deity worship for enhancing some trade.
Sankirtana
Only when he attains “bhutasuddhi”
Establishing monasteries: The Vaisnavas establish monasteries to provide saintly association and propagate the sankirtana movement. They believe that just as lighting a fire to cook food rids us of darkness and cold as well without separate endeavor, similarly sankirtana will relieve us of all social problems. Smartas, on the other hand, pompously open monasteries for the sake of selfadvertisement or for some temporal social or moral welfare. Thus freehospitals, artifical celibacyschools, gymnasiums, etc. are often part of their monasteries. Or they may open abbeys for hoarding property, deceiving other people or such other material activities. Deity worship: Vaisnavas know that the non-Vaisnava or onoprincipled man is not qualified for Deity worship even if born in the best of families. Only when he attains “bhutasuddhi” or the realization that the constitutional position of the living entity is a servant of Krsna from a bona fide spiritual master can he perform purified worship.
Deity Worship
Is Rationalism higher then love?
To the smartas the only qualification necessary for Deity worship are birth in a high family, external clenaliness and ability to chant sanskrit verses. The post of Deity worship expands like a priest’s profession. Mentally they do not consider the Deity as God and do not try to arrange for the Deity’s comfort. Question: Is Rationalism higher then love? Answer by Srila Bhaktivinodha Thakura: We do not mean to say that Reason is a foolish principle. On the contrary we do not find better admirers of Reason than our humble selves. We hold that man’s superiority amongst all created beings consists in man’s possessing the noble gift of Reason. What we maintain is this, that independent of this noble principle there is another higher gift in man which goes by the name of Love. Reason helps Love to maintain its proper bounds in the Spiritual world. Love often tends to degrade itself by exercising its function on objects other then God and converts itself into lust for women, wine, meat and gold. Here Reason advises her to rise higher till she reaches her proper sphere above. Thus we find that the object of Reason is to help Love and not to create it. Reason may be properly styled as the servant of Love and must always be subject to her in all her hopes, aspirations, and holy works.
Radha and Krishna in the spiritual World
Love wants to soar on her spiritual wings
The Rationalist on the contrary considers Reason as all and all! This is a degredation of humanity! The progressive Rationalist, on the other hand, believes in the principle of love, but attempts to make her the maid-servant of Reason! This is another error! He makes spiritual love sometimes a prisoner in the jails of Reason! Love wants to soar on her spiritual wings to a realm where the Jailor (Reason) cannot go and the latter is sure to tie up her wings for fear lest she goes to an unworthy place! Love utters sounds of a spiritual character peculiar to herself, but Reason, having no pervious experience of it, mistakes it for a disease and administers medicine for her cure!! Thus it is that the natural strength of the Queen of our Soul is crippled by artificial administration of the dry principle of Reason and she rests in us as if a bird taken in a cage! Oh! What a havoc doth Reason commit by abuse of his power. Oh! Shame to the Rationalist! God help the man!! Theist take care of those amongst you who mix with you only by assuming the name of Theist but are in fact Rationalists of a very dry character. They are divisible into two classes vis. the designing and the dupes. The designing Theist is he who is in fact a Rationalist but by assuming the name of Theist wants to degrade the sincere by his bad influence. He that calls himself a Theist in order to get rid of the name of Rationalist but still holds Love in subjection to Reason is a dupe because he is unable to find out his own position. The sincere Theist should however take care of both of them and preserve the sovereignty of Love over Reason and his comrades. Nitai Gaura Premanandi Haribol
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