Prakashananda and the Mayavada Sannyasis
[Madhya 25]
After instructing Sanatana, Sri Caitanya achieved a major breakthrough in Varanasi. It was here that He met with Prakashananda Saraswati and miraculously transformed the impersonal school of sannyasis. Although Krishnadasa comprehensively narrates this pastime in the Adi-Lila (Chapter Seven), he elucidates further details in this chapter.
Chandrasekhar and Tapan Misra were disturbed by the constant criticism directed towards Sri Caitanya from the impersonal camp. When a brahmana invited Sri Caitanya to a gathering of the sannyasis, the Lord utilised the opportunity to rectify the situation. Upon entering the brahmana’s house, Sri Caitanya humbly sat on the ground, right by the feet of the saffron stalwarts. Seeing His remarkable effulgence, striking beauty and heart-warming humility, they immediately stood up and encouraged the young sannyasi to sit with them. Sri Caitanya declined, submitting that they were more exalted than Him and thus deserved the respect. A conversation ensued, in which they quizzed Sri Caitanya about His absorption in chanting and dancing, which they considered uncharacteristic of a sannyasi. The duty of a renunciant, they strongly felt, was to be soberly absorbed in the study of Vedanta philosophy. Sri Caitanya explained that He was simply following the instruction of His spiritual master, who had unequivocally established that chanting the holy names of Krishna was the only means for spiritual perfection in this age. No other process would be effective.
The sannyasis accepted Sri Caitanya’s arguments but questioned why He never studied the intricacies of philosophy. Sri Caitanya then explained the authentic tenets of Vedanta Sutra. He emphasised the personal nature of God, explaining how Shankaracharya had given misleading interpretations which covered the real purport of the text. Sri Caitanya then offered the devotional illuminations, explaining that the ultimate goal of life is prema – pure love of God. Greatly impressed by His explanations, the mayavadi sannyasis realised they had misjudged the young saint, and thus became repentant. Sri Caitanya excused all their offences and encouraged them to begin chanting the holy name of Krishna.
The entire city of Varanasi began to praise Sri Caitanya, and hordes of people followed His every move. Mayavadi sannyasis were extolling His glories, encouraging everyone to give up the impersonal interpretations of Shankaracharya and instead take to the devotional path. Prakashananda personally met with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and accepted His divine identity. He lamented his previous harsh comments, resolving to dedicate himself to the chanting of Krishna’s names. Sri Caitanya then proceeded to glorify Srimad-Bhagavatam as the natural commentary on Vedanta philosophy. He explained the four seed verses (catuh-sloki bhagavatam), and further described the famous atmarama sloka in 61 different ways.
The difference between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul is a philosophical topic that has been debated for centuries. Shankaracharya flatly denied that there is any difference. Liberation for the individual soul, he posited, was to attain oneness with the impersonal Brahman. Ramanujacharya, however, detected the difference between the two, and established his philosophy known as vishista-dvaita (qualified monism). The next great teacher, Madhvacharya, went on to emphasise this difference by teaching suddha-dvaita (pure dualism) – that the soul and God are eternally separate.
Sri Caitanya’s contribution, however, is the final word on this matter. He ingeniously harmonised these different perspectives in His philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva: the individual soul and Supreme Godhead are inconceivably one and different. According to the Vedic literature, God is the ultimate source of diverse forms of energy. In this way He resembles the sun, which gives off energy in the form of heat and light. Just as the sun is inseparable from its rays, God is inseparable from His energies. God and His energies are therefore non-different. Simultaneously, however, God and His energies are distinct. Although the sun and its rays are one, they are different also: while we on earth enjoy the rays of the sun, the fiery sun itself is millions of miles away. Similarly, although God is present everywhere by the manifestations of His energy, He simultaneously maintains His distinct personal identity, with His own name, form, qualities, abode, pastimes, and entourage. Since all living beings are manifestations of God’s energy, God and the living beings are simultaneously different (bheda) and nondifferent (abheda).
After fulfilling His two main purposes in Varanasi, namely instructing Sanatana Goswami and converting Prakashananda Saraswati, Sri Caitanya returned to Jagannatha Puri. Upon arrival, the devotees eagerly greeted Him in great happiness. Having propagated the sankirtan movement far and wide, visited the holy land of Vrindavana, and systematically instructed the Goswamis, Sri Caitanya arrived in Jagannatha Puri and prepared to fulfil the final purposes of His descent. He would now stay here for the rest of His life.
Krishnadasa ends the Madhya-Lila by giving a summary of all the pastimes. He wonderfully describes the supreme potency of hearing these transcendental narrations.
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