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Hanumatpreṣaka Swami (Prof. H. H. Robinson)
We are very delighted to write for this second issue of Solaris. To our experience the first issue was very well received. We heard comments from around the world and so far it seems to fill a necessary position in the global cacophony. In it we were delighted to ride upon the empty boat in the chariot of the mind with a culture of happiness in the company of Dionysius and others. From our point of view it needs a more organized system of developing the theme and articles for each issue and a more explicit Editorial Board. This is like saying a crawler needs to become a toddler.
For this issue let us contribute that after reading Shakespeare, Solomon, Cervantes and Rama [Confucious, Journey to the West, Agatha Christie. . .] we have come to the conclusion that the ancient, mystical, religious Bhagavata Purana as relished in medieval Bengal is the greatest of all world classical literature.
George L. Harte, University of California, A Rapid Sanskrit Method, Motilal Banarsidass, Dehli, 1989
Preface
“It [sanskrita]is, like Chinese, Arabic, Greek and Latin, one of the few languages which has been a carrier of a culture over a long period of time.
Thus, the variety of writings in it, and the quantity of those writings are staggering. . . . Kalidasa ranks with the greatest poets, Panini is without question the greatest pre-modern grammarian, the Mahabharata ranks with the Iliad and the Odyssey, and the Bhagavata-purana is among the finest works of devotion every written, being equaled in my opinion only by other works in Indian languages.”
David Haberman, Bhakti-rasa-amrta Sindhu of Rupa Goswami, Motilala Banarsidass, 2003
The Bhāgavata holds a particularly eminent position in the school of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, for whereas other Vedantic schools produced commentaries on the Vedanta Sutra, the Gaudiyas consider the Bhāgavata as Vyasa’s own commentary on the Vedānta Sūtra.
The Bhāgavata is complete in 12-cantos, comprising about 18,000 verses. It systematically takes the auditor from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, God, to his smiling face. This reminds us of St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s extensive number of sermons on the Song of Solomon wherein he describes that yes, with God there is the kiss of the lips, but first we must learn the kiss of the feet and then the kiss of the hand.
In his commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.12 (http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/2/2/12), Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami writes,
“And as one gets free from the intoxication of sex indulgence by purification of intelligence, one should step forward for the next meditation, or in other words, the progress of meditation on the different limbs of the transcendental body of the Lord should be enhanced in proportion to the progress of purification of the heart. The conclusion is that those who are still entrapped by sex indulgence should never progress to meditation above the feet of the Lord; therefore recital of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by them should be restricted to the first and second cantos of the great literature. One must complete the purificatory process by assimilating the contents of the first nine cantos. Then one should be admitted into the realm of the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.”
We would be glad to join the readers of this article in a progressive study of theses first two cantos, and as we are freed from any unnatural sexual lusts we would like to go ahead with them through cantos 3-6. Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami recommended the first six cantos with the diploma of Bhakti-vaibhava and the final six as Bhakti-vedanta.
Encylopedia Britanica; Philosophy of Education, contributed by Harvey Siegel, Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Miami [https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy-of-education]
"The Western philosophical tradition began in ancient Greece, and philosophy of education began with it. …
The introduction by Socrates of the “Socratic method” of questioning (see dialectic) began a tradition in which reasoning and the search for reasons that might justify beliefs, judgments,
and actions was (and remains) fundamental; such questioning in turn eventually gave rise to the view that education should encourage in all students and persons, to the greatest extent possible, the pursuit of the life of reason.
This view of the central place of reason in education has been shared by most of the major figures in the history of philosophy of education, despite the otherwise substantial differences in their other philosophical views."
This reading of the Bhāgavata is not just lip-service, acquiring information, reasonable analysis, nor even poetical justification of life and its aims. Its challenge is that it will take us to the throne of God in the celestial world if we read it in the company of like-minded people and professors.
In the first Canto we see a Preface to the great work: What is the purpose of the work, under what circumstances is it written, what is the character of the author and what are the qualifications of the reader.
The situation described in the Bhāgavata is the end of the Age of Bronze, when Methusalah and others were living hundreds and even a thousand years (See Genesis 5:21–27) and the beginning of the Age of Iron when we a lucky of we live an active 100-years. Maharaja Parikṣit, principal student, is about to die. He was a highly moral, enlightened and powerful world Emperor and has now renounced everything to prepare for death. Sukadeva Goswami, a universally respected teacher of the time, only 16-years old, is selected to give the supplicant, and all of us, the properly enlightenment for this crucial moment.
SB 1.3.43
kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa
purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ
This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the Age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa.
(http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/1/3/43)
Establishing the credentials and motivation of the teacher and student, the general need for such a text, in the Second Canto, Suka-deva Goswami actually begins his teachings with the Mantra:
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
O my Lord, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
In the first three chapters he then describes the Absolute Truth as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān, which we can translate as the progressive spiritual realizations through Pantheism, Mysticism and Monotheism. As we progress to the other ten cantos we will see a didactic organization that is extremely pleasing and practical to the modern systematic mind, also voluble as the highest quality of poetry. Please invite us to join you in this most congenial of studies.
SB 1.2.28-29
vāsudeva-parā vedā
vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ
vāsudeva-parā yogā
vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ
vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ
vāsudeva-paraṁ tapa
vāsudeva-paro dharmo
vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ
Synonyms: vāsudeva — the Personality of Godhead; parāḥ — the ultimate goal; vedāḥ — revealed scriptures; …
Translation: In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life.
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