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Re: "KEzhvAnam.."

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Krishna Kalale • December 22, 1998 


Thanks to Sri Bharat for the comments from Sri  HH Rangapriya Swami on Sri
Ramanujacharya's instruction on tirumantrartham.  This note makes it clear
that emberumanar did not disobey the rules and regulations in the smritis.  

Further, I have one other doubt regarding the concept of Radha Krishna.  In
Bhagavatam the name "radha" does not come except in a related "anaya
aradhithah" sentence which refers to a special gopika who was very dear to
Lord Krishna.  I did hear that Padmapurana has deep references to "radha"
and even the concept of radha as verily the personification of bhakti.
bhakti of the highest order is in fact termed "radha bhava" it seems.  I
dont have copy of that purana.  Can Sri Bharat ask this question to
stalwarts and acharyas back home : 

sorry for taking this liberty,  people 1000s of miles away from acharyas
have to resort to  bhagavatas like bharat for authentic information
otherwise they will have to wait for information for a very long time.

1)  In chaitanya sampradaya Radha Krishna is taken to be sort of identical
to SRI & NARAYANA .  Radha is taken as hladini shakti of Krishna.  What is
the visistadvaitic position on Radha.  Is she a particular form of lakshmi
- sri, bhu or Nila?  or someone other than the three?  

2) chaitanya sampradaya people do not like to equate radha to lakshmi. In
fact they believe that there are thousands of lakshmis and Radha is sort of
the queen of all of them.  

3) In chaitanya charitamrita - there are references to Krishna as being the
highest and even Narayana (garbodakashayi), VIshnu, as being lower.  they
quote a work called "brahmasamhita" which is not really a part of
pancharatra according to some Hare Krishna system experts such as "Gora
Keshava Das" of Hawaii.  In fact according to him, bramhasamhita is a work
honored only by the chaitanya sampradaya folks.  I am almost sure that
there is no support for this view in any of the vedic, upanisadic ,
pancharatra or puranic sources.  I would like the views of our acharyas
back home on this subject.

4)  modern chaitanya sampradaya  folks believe in "principle of back to
godhead" ie. that jivas were once with Krishna and by misusing their
freedom they fell down from vaikunta/goloka and by bhakti they will have to
get back to their original position.  This view as far as I know is not
supported by any vedantic system.  As per our system, jivas are bound from
BEGINNING LESS time.  this is the same view as that of madhva, shankara
systems.  The only difference in advaita is that jiva is a conventional
reality and not paramarthika which is irrelevant to the concept of
eternality of soul's bondage.  I would like a confirmation on this view
from acharyas backhome.  

thanks for all these and sorry for the trouble.

adiyen Krishna Kalale