pilgrim
11-04-2008, 11:53 PM
Vaishnavism (Krishna consciousness) - historical and philosophical roots
Vedic civilization is recognized by scholars from all over the world as one of the most important periods of human history. It left a cultural heritage of unlimited physical, metaphysical and spiritual value in form of science, art and religion.
This civilization has been from its beginning based on spiritual wisdom, delivered personally by God, Krishna, at the creation of the universe, to the first created being and secondary creator, Brahma. He gave this wisdom to his son Narada and this celebrated sage turned it over - among other of his disciples - to Vyasadeva living in a holy place of Badrinath, high up in the Himalayas.
From the creation of the universe until the beginning of Kali-yuga, the present age, lasting already about 5,000 years, this science of spiritual realization and development of God (Krishna) consciousness, was a public property of the whole humanity and it was transferred only orally.
Before the advent of Kali-yuga the great sage Vyasadeva had a divine vision of catastrophic future of humankind in the coming age of hypocrisy and strife. To save and preserve this transcendental knowledge he therefore, for the first time in history, put it into a written form. This knowledge is still transferred from a teacher to a disciple within the four main Vaisnava lineages bearing the names of their originators: Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya, Lakshmi or Sri sampradaya, Rudra sampradaya and Sanaka Kumara sampradaya. Teachings of these schools follow about three hundred fifty millions of adherents, all of whom worship God as Lord Vishnu or Krishna by their devotional service (bhakti).
In accordance with scriptures and testimony of unlimited sages and liberated persons, the Supreme Lord in this age of Kali descends to the material world in the form of Krishna's pure devotee named Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of mother Sacidevi. He influenced the then society in an unique way by rejecting the rigid, artificially created caste system and enabling everyone an access, in a supremely easy and effective way, to the pure love for Krishna. In this way he inaugurated a new, golden age of the next ten thousand years, exceptionally suitable for the spiritual advancement of the whole planet, which will be known as Chaitanya Era.
The movement of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in sixteenth century crowned the renaissance of bhakti started by Sri Ramanujacarya of Sri sampradaya in twelfth century. Sri Chaitanya stressed the importance of glorification of God by singing of His holy names, especially the congregational one, so-called sankirtana. His influence spread around India, mainly in its North and North-East, and His followers, especially Six Gosvamis of Vrndavan, established the majority of temples and pilgrimage sites in the Mathura-Vrndavan area.
The philosophy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His first disciples says that everything in this world is different from God and at the same time identical with Him, which enables the inconceivable (acintya) power of God. It allows Him to be at the same time immanent (all-pervading) and transcendent (remaining outside of this world). This philosophy is therefore called acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva. Sri Krishna, together with His amorous partner Radha, is glorified as Divine Lover, surrounded by confidential friends, unlimited number of devotees who all together eternally enjoy in the spiritual world, immersed in mutual love.
Vedic civilization is recognized by scholars from all over the world as one of the most important periods of human history. It left a cultural heritage of unlimited physical, metaphysical and spiritual value in form of science, art and religion.
This civilization has been from its beginning based on spiritual wisdom, delivered personally by God, Krishna, at the creation of the universe, to the first created being and secondary creator, Brahma. He gave this wisdom to his son Narada and this celebrated sage turned it over - among other of his disciples - to Vyasadeva living in a holy place of Badrinath, high up in the Himalayas.
From the creation of the universe until the beginning of Kali-yuga, the present age, lasting already about 5,000 years, this science of spiritual realization and development of God (Krishna) consciousness, was a public property of the whole humanity and it was transferred only orally.
Before the advent of Kali-yuga the great sage Vyasadeva had a divine vision of catastrophic future of humankind in the coming age of hypocrisy and strife. To save and preserve this transcendental knowledge he therefore, for the first time in history, put it into a written form. This knowledge is still transferred from a teacher to a disciple within the four main Vaisnava lineages bearing the names of their originators: Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya, Lakshmi or Sri sampradaya, Rudra sampradaya and Sanaka Kumara sampradaya. Teachings of these schools follow about three hundred fifty millions of adherents, all of whom worship God as Lord Vishnu or Krishna by their devotional service (bhakti).
In accordance with scriptures and testimony of unlimited sages and liberated persons, the Supreme Lord in this age of Kali descends to the material world in the form of Krishna's pure devotee named Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of mother Sacidevi. He influenced the then society in an unique way by rejecting the rigid, artificially created caste system and enabling everyone an access, in a supremely easy and effective way, to the pure love for Krishna. In this way he inaugurated a new, golden age of the next ten thousand years, exceptionally suitable for the spiritual advancement of the whole planet, which will be known as Chaitanya Era.
The movement of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in sixteenth century crowned the renaissance of bhakti started by Sri Ramanujacarya of Sri sampradaya in twelfth century. Sri Chaitanya stressed the importance of glorification of God by singing of His holy names, especially the congregational one, so-called sankirtana. His influence spread around India, mainly in its North and North-East, and His followers, especially Six Gosvamis of Vrndavan, established the majority of temples and pilgrimage sites in the Mathura-Vrndavan area.
The philosophy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His first disciples says that everything in this world is different from God and at the same time identical with Him, which enables the inconceivable (acintya) power of God. It allows Him to be at the same time immanent (all-pervading) and transcendent (remaining outside of this world). This philosophy is therefore called acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva. Sri Krishna, together with His amorous partner Radha, is glorified as Divine Lover, surrounded by confidential friends, unlimited number of devotees who all together eternally enjoy in the spiritual world, immersed in mutual love.