Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa was a pure devotee of the highest order, who cared for nothing but the service of the Lord. He did not have the slightest desire for name and fame. He was the composer of many priceless scriptures for the ultimate benefit of all humanity. He is one of the most prominent ācāryas in the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava sampradāya (the authorized branch of disciplic succession continuing from Lord Caitanya, who in turn appeared in the lineage from Śrīla Madhvācārya, who in turn comes in the succession stemming from Lord Brahmā himself) and was chiefly instrumental in establishing the authenticity of the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. He was almost a contemporary of the great Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, whose life account we have published in the May/June issue of this magazine.
BIRTH AND YOUTH
The exact location of Baladeva’s birth, the names of his mother and father, their family tree and the exact circumstances of his birth and childhood are unknown. Still, some are of the opinion that that he took birth in a place called Baleśvara, a village neighboring Remuṇā, a town in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, in the latter part of the 17th century A.D, as the son of a vaiśya, an agriculturist.
Despite his humble birth, he showed all the signs of a great scholar. At an early age he became learned in Sanskrit grammar, poetry, rhetoric, and logic. After becoming expert in all these subjects, he began wandering to different places of pilgrimage. After wandering about in this way for some time, and after visiting many holy places, he happened to stay at a temple of the Tattvavādī followers of Śrī Madhvācārya. There, he became fluent in his understanding of the tattvavāda-siddhānta, that is, the theistic philosophical conclusions of the followers of Madhvācārya, a great Vaiṣṇava ācārya. After this, he took sannyāsa, and preached the tattvavāda-siddhānta very widely and vigourously.
INTRODUCTION TO GAUḌĪYĀ VAIṢṆAVISM
As he wandered from one place to the next, he gradually came to Jagannātha Purī. There he remained and preached for a few days. At that time, he chanced to meet one of the foremost disciples of Śrī Rasikānanda Deva, Paṇḍita Śrī Rādhā Dāmodara dev Gosvāmī, with whom he discussed devotional principles. At that time, Śrīla Rādhā Dāmodara dev Gosvāmī instructed Baladeva on the subject of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes of mercy and His teachings on Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava philosophy to Sārvabhauma Bhattācārya. After hearing the divine wisdom spoken by Śrī Rādhā Dāmodara Gosvāmī, Baladeva’s heart was deeply moved. After a few days of hearing from him, he accepted initiation into the Rādhā Kṛṣṇa mantra, and began studying the great philosophical literary work called Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī at the holy feet of his gurudeva, Rādhā Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
After a short time, Baladeva became expert in the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava siddhānta (philosophy). After staying with Rādhā Dāmodara Gosvāmī for some time, he was ordered to further his studies in Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇavism by going to Vṛndāvana and taking shelter at the holy feet of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, one of the most important luminaries of the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava disciplic lineage.
Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura (a.k.a. Śrī Harivallabha dāsa), was very happy to see Baladeva’s submission, modesty, learning, and renunciation. From that day forward, for some time, he kept Baladeva by his side and taught him the acintya-bheda-abheda (simultaneous oneness and difference) philosophy of Śrī Caitanya, in which it is understood that the individual souls are qualitatively one but quantitatively different from the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. He also learnt many other important siddhāntas related to the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava conception of kṛṣṇa-bhakti. From this point on, Śrī Baladeva’s life and soul was fully dedicated to the theistic conception of the Gauḍīyā sampradāya. His mind was fixed on this, and with one-pointed determination, he now began preaching this line to the exclusion of all others. At this point, Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed him with the strength to make the most important contribution to the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. To understand the significance of his contribution, we have to understand the circumstances leading to it.
THE FOUR SAMPRADĀYAS
As declared by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.2), the supreme science of devotional service is received through an authorized chain of disciplic succession (evaṁ paramparā-prāptam). In fact, Padma Purāṇa confirms that teachings that are not received through an authorized chain of disciplic succession are useless because they do not remain intact and therefore carry no potency (sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ).
There are four recognized sampradāyas on earth that disseminate the pure Vaiṣṇava conclusions. The disciplic succession from Lord Brahmā is called the Brahmā-sampradāya, the succession from Lord Śiva (Śambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradāya, the one from the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, is called the Śrī-sampradāya, and the one from the Kumāras is called the Kumāra-sampradāya. One must take shelter of one of these four sampradāyas in order to understand the most confidential Vaiṣṇava religious system.
The prominent ācāryas coming in these sampradāyas are Madhvācārya, Viṣṇusvāmī, Rāmānujacārya and Nimbārkācārya respectively. The Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava sampradāya is a branch coming down from Śrīla Madhvācārya from the point of appearance of Lord Caitanya. Therefore the sampradāya is referred to as Brahmā-Madhva-Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, or in short, Gauḍīyā sampradāya.
THE CHALLENGE
One day, in the royal court of Jayapura (Jaipur), the paṇḍitas (scholars) from the Rāmānuja sampradāya began arguing a case in connection with the Gauḍīyā sampradāya. They informed the king that the Gauḍīyā sampradāya had no commentary on the most important revealed scripture of Vedic religion — the Vedānta-sūtra; therefore they had no siddhānta and no real sampradāya, or school, and hence, was a farce. As a consequence they should give up their service of the deities of Govinda and Gopīnātha, and entrust it with those who were bona fide members of a genuine sampradāya (like themselves). At that time, the king of Jayapura was a follower of the Gauḍīyā sampradāya. He immediately sent word of the controversy by messenger to Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura in Vṛndāvana, wanting to know if the Gauḍīyā sampradāya actually did have any commentary on the Vedānta. If there was, the king wanted that the commentary be sent immediately to Jayapura to satisfy the scrutiny of the paṇḍitas from the Rāmānuja sampradāya.
At this time, Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura was very old and infirm. It was impossible for him to make the arduous journey to Jayapura. He sent his student and disciple, Śrī Baladeva, in his place. Baladeva was an expert scholar in all the important scriptures. In the midst of a huge assembly of paṇḍitas from the Rāmānuja sampradāya, Baladeva challenged them all to argue with him in scholarly debate. A long, and hard-fought debate took place, with tumultuous arguing from the Rāmānuja school. Still, none of them could stand before his conclusive statements, keen scholarship, and penetrating intellect. Baladeva argued that the founder of the Gauḍīyā sampradāya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu established the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as the topmost and a natural commentary on Vedānta, having been written by the author Śrīla Vyāsadeva himself. The Bhāgavatam itself claims that it is bhāṣyāṇām brahma-sūtrāṇām, the natural commentary on Vedānta. This is confirmed on the basis of evidence given by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in his Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. Therefore, the Gauḍīyā sampradāya has chosen to accept Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as the original commentary on Vedānta, and sees no need for a separate commentary.
At that point, the paṇḍitas from the Rāmānuja sampradāya shouted: “He admits that there is no commentary! They have no commentary!” Having no other recourse, Śrīla Baladeva promised to show them the Gauḍīyā commentary on Vedānta within a few days. The paṇḍitas were astonished to think that such a thing is even possible. They were suspicious that this might be some kind of trick, but were silenced for the time being.
GAUḌĪYĀ VAIṢṆAVISM FIRMLY ESTABLISHED
Very troubled within his mind, Śrī Baladeva went to the temple of Śrī Govinda, the deity of Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī. After offering his obeisances before the deity, he related to the deity everything that had taken place. That night in a dream, Śrī Govinda told him, “You must compose the commentary. That commentary will be personally sanctioned by me. No one will be able to find any fault in it.” Seeing this in his dream, Baladeva became very happy, and his heart was full of strength, ready for the task at hand. After this, he meditated on the lotus feet of Govinda and began writing his commentary. Within a few days it was completed. It is said that the Govinda deity personally dictated the entire commentary and Śrī Baladeva put it down in ink. This commentary became known as the Govinda-bhāṣya commentary on Vedānta.
With the Govinda-bhāṣya commentary in hand, Baladeva arrived at the assembly hall of the king, where the paṇḍitas were waiting for him. When he showed them his commentary, they were speechless. The Gauḍīyā sampradāya was proclaimed victorious. The king and all the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇavas were supremely happy. At that time the paṇḍitas gave Śrī Baladeva the name “Vidyābhūṣaṇa,” meaning one who is ornamented with knowledge of the Absolute Truth, in honor of his great scholarship. The year was 1706 A.D. From that day forward, the king of Jayapura decreed that everyone would attend the āratī ceremony of Śrī Govinda, the deity beloved by the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇavas, who was ultimately responsible for such a wonderful commentary on Vedānta.
The Rāmānuja paṇḍitas, falling under the influence of Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, accepted him as their ācārya and wanted to become his disciples. With great humility, Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa refused, explaining that there are four sampradāyas, among which the Śrī-sampradāya is a genuine school that preaches servitude to God as the best religious process. By advancing the views of the Gauḍīyā sampradāya, he meant no disrespect to the Śrī-sampradāya. To insult the Śrī-sampradāya would be a great offense, he said.
Śrīpād Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa returned from Jayapura to Vṛndāvana carrying the message of his victory. Upon returning, he submitted to the lotus feet of Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura and told him the news. All the visiting Vaiṣṇavas and the residents of Vṛndāvana were delighted, and Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura bestowed his blessings upon Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa.
In an addendum appended to the Govinda-bhāṣya, after it was published, Śrī Baladeva has written, “May Śrī Govinda be all glorious. By His mercy, he revealed this commentary to me in a dream. The commentary revealed by him is especially appreciated by the highly learned, and as a result of this I have been given the name Vidyābhūṣaṇa, but it is Śrī Govinda who deserves all credit. May that Śrī Govinda who is the most dear life and soul of Śrī Rādhikā, be all-victorious.”
FINAL PASTIMES
After this, Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa began writing a commentary on the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. Soon Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura passed away, and the Vaiṣṇava community felt as if a great beacon of divine light had been extinguished. At that time, Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa became regarded among the Vaiṣṇava community as the keeper of the flame, the leader among those who understood the teachings of Śrī Caitanya.
Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa had two superexcellent disciples who were perfected souls. Their names were Śrī Uddhava dāsa and Śrī Nandana Miśra. He penned numerous other authoritative books on Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Among them were as follows:
His commentary on Vedānta called the Govinda-bhāṣya; the “jewel of conclusions” or Siddhānta Ratna; a summary of Vedānta philosophy known as Vedānta Syamantaka; the “jewel of factual principles” (outline the nine principles held in common by both the Madhva and Caitanya schools) known as Prameya Ratnāvalī; a summary of Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava principles called the Siddhānta Darpaṇa; commentaries on important Upaniṣads beginning with the Īśa Upaniṣad and the Gopāla Tāpani Upaniṣad; a commentary on Bhagavad-gītā known as Gitābhūṣana-bhāṣya; as well as commentaries on Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (Vaiṣṇava-nandini-ṭīkā).
Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa disappeared from worldly vision and entered into the eternal pastimes of the Lord in the year 1768 A.D. It is also significant to note that His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda dedicated his English commentary of the Bhagavad-gītā, called the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, to this great ācārya Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa in recognition of his unparalleled contribution to Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇavism. [End]
