Thursday, September 28, 2006

Sinning in ignorance and Gaur-līlā - Satya-Nārāyan Dās

I ask Satya Nārāyana Paṇḍitjī about nāmāparādha and sinning in general in ignorance. He says nāmāparādha in ignorance is not as severe as deliberate nāmāparādha  He compares it to the woman with the baby who contaminated the kitchen , causing me to decide not to use the kitchen anymore. She displeased me, be it in ignorance, and that is just what aparādha is: displeasing. So it is with inadvertent nāmāparādha  He agrees with my point of ignorance being an excuse (see my blog of April 19) He says that in Manu Smṛti greater punishment is given to a brahmin for drinking alcohol than to a śūdra, for instance. An insane person who commits murder is not punished as harshly as a deliberate murderer. It is the intention that counts. Punishment has a purpose, it is a lesson. So yes, a westerner is not punished for drinking and meat-eating as a Hindu or Vaiṣṇava is.

About Gaura līlā he says that the personality of Gaura won't be perceived anymore as one immerses oneself in Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā, but the spirit of Gaura, in which one has done Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa sādhana, will remain forever.

Satya-nārāyan Paṇḍitjī confirms that disputes have always been there in the Gauḍīya Sampradāya, though they have not been mentioned in the Gauḍīya granthas.

4 comments:

  1. Did you speak to him at all about manjari bhava or siddha deha..?

    Or do you avoid those topics with him...?

    jijaji

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  2. No I dont avoid them but he has not told me anything noteworthy about them.

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  3. Haribol Advaita das

    Although Anuradha has left, I am still here on your forum and still here in Australia. Here’s hoping he’ll come back soon. Fortunate you, to be already there in Vraja. I’ll be there from the 21 Oct.

    As I always say I want to explore the common ground between the dichotomous world of Gaudiya. I saw parallel teachings from the 2 quotes below.

    BTW, can you give me tips on how to remember quotes—how to commit them to memory to be able to cite them verbatim. My training is one of understanding the concept and saying them in my own words and applying them to suitable situations. Hare Krishna !

    Here go the quotes:

    My dear son, I used to call you an atheist. Now I don’t criticize anyone, because faith depends on adhikara. There is no question of criticism in this regard. Everyone is working according to their own adhikara, and they will advance gradually when the time is appropriate. You are a scholar of the sastras dealing with logic and fruitive action, and since your statements are in accordance with your adhikara, there is no fault in them.

    Jaiva Dharma Ch.4 Excerpt


    Quotes on Advaita das’ blog 19 April 2006

    “Although not every human being has the same duties, obligations and ethics, there is morality according to country, society and time. Whatever is thus considered decent is accepted, and unless and until it is understood and realised to be wrong and unjust it should certainly be followed. Whatever I believe to be my duties and propriety that is my religious principle. If one doesn’t follow one’s fundamental religious principles one meets with woe and commits sin according to one’s local, social and temporal customs and ethics. Whatever obligation and ethics one believes in and accepts with a simple heart, that is one’s religious virtue and should certainly be followed. In some places the eating of fish and meat is established custom and at other places it is rejected as a sin as if it is poison.” Vijay Krishna Goswami, June 1891.

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  4. The two quotes are slightly similar but not much. I think its not really necessary to quote them verbatim. If understanding is there the ability to explain will follow.

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