Letter to Pandit Satyanārāyan Das about Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa
Panditji, Radhe Radhe
I have heard the
Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa is one of the worst interpolated Purāṇas and I find it
important to know which parts are interpolated exactly. The Kṛṣṇa Janma Khaṇḍa
contains some shocking vulgar eroticism and even meat hangs out to dry in
Nandagrām when Uddhava enters the village. Then there is the following 12
verses which are often quoted to prove predictions of a 10,000 year golden era
in Kali, which is mentioned nowhere at all in any of the other ācāryas’ books.
These are the verses. Do they (especially verse 59) really speak of a golden
age? Are these verses genuine?
Satya Nārāyan
Panditji replied-
I cannot say
which parts are interpolated but surely there are interpolations. My reasoning
is that Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī quotes many verses from Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa and
they are not to be found in the available editions. Moreover, what is available
he does not quote although if they were available in the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa
he would have definitely quoted them because they could be so useful to his
work. He also mentions the story of Śukadeva's birth, in which it is said that
he did not want to come out of the womb, and took birth only on Krsna's
assurance that His Māyā will not trouble him. This is supposed to be in Brahma
Vaivarta Purāṇa but is not seen in the available editions. Some research should
be done what is interpolated.
In Bhaviṣya Purāṇa there are also descriptions about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Guru Nanak, Kabir etc. I remember one story of a meeting between Mahāprabhu and Bhaṭṭaji Dīkṣit, the author of Siddhānta Kaumudī (I may be wrong about the name but that is what I remember. I read Bhaviṣya Purāṇa more than 20 years ago). Now Bhaṭṭajī existed even after Jīva Gosvāmī, so how he could have met Mahāprabhu? I remember when I read it I lost all faith in these stories. There is a verse in Bhaviṣya Purāṇa which says that in Kali-yuga ravi-vāsara (Sanskrit name for Sunday) will be called Sunday. That is quite a far out prediction.
I will go through the verses below. Predicted in Brahma-vaivarta Purana 4.129 -
In Bhaviṣya Purāṇa there are also descriptions about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Guru Nanak, Kabir etc. I remember one story of a meeting between Mahāprabhu and Bhaṭṭaji Dīkṣit, the author of Siddhānta Kaumudī (I may be wrong about the name but that is what I remember. I read Bhaviṣya Purāṇa more than 20 years ago). Now Bhaṭṭajī existed even after Jīva Gosvāmī, so how he could have met Mahāprabhu? I remember when I read it I lost all faith in these stories. There is a verse in Bhaviṣya Purāṇa which says that in Kali-yuga ravi-vāsara (Sanskrit name for Sunday) will be called Sunday. That is quite a far out prediction.
I will go through the verses below. Predicted in Brahma-vaivarta Purana 4.129 -
Text 49:
bhāgīrathy uvāca
he nātha ramaṇa śreṣṭha
yāsi golokam uttamam
asmākam kā gatiś cātra
bhaviṣyati kalau yuge
"Ganges
said: O protector, Supreme enjoyer, on your departure for the perfect abode,
Goloka, thereafter what will be my situation in the age of Kali?"
Text 50
srī-bhagavān uvāca
kaleḥ pañca sahasrāni
varṣāni tiṣṭha bhū-tale
pāpāni pāpino yāni
tubhyaṁ dāsyanti snānataḥ
"The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: On the earth 5,000 years of Kali will be
sinful and sinners will deposit their sins in you by bathing."
SND: “The
translation is bit wrong: Lord is asking Ganga to stay on earth for 5000 years
of Kali, in which period sinner will deposit their sins in Ganga by bathing.”
Text 51
man-mantropāsaka sparśād
bhasmībhūtāni tat-kṣaṇāt
bhaviṣyanti darśanācca
snānād eva hi jāhnavi
"Thereafter
by the sight and touch of those who worship Me by My mantra, all those sins
will be burnt."
SND: “There is
no "thereafter" in the verse.”
Text 52
harer nāmni yatraiva
purānāni bhavanti hi
tatra gatvā sāvadhānam
ābhiḥ sārddhaṁ ca śroṣyasi
"There
will be chanting of the name of Hari and reading of the [Bhāgavata] Purāṇa.
Reaching such a place, attentively hear."
Text 53:
purāṇa śravaṇāc
caiva
harer nāmānukīrtanāt
bhasmībhūtāni
pāpāni
brahma-hatyādikāni
ca
"Sinful
reactions including the killing of a brāhmaṇa can be nullified be hearing the
Purāṇa and chanting of the names of Hari in the manner of devotees."
SND: There is nothing
special about Kali here. This is applicable in all yugas. "In the manner
of devotees" is the translator's addition.
Text 54:
bhasmībhūtāni tānyeva
vaiṣṇavāliṅganena ca
tṛṇāni śuṣka kāṣṭhāni
dahanti pāvako yathā
"Just as
dry grass is burnt by fire, by the embrace of Vaiṣṇavas all sins are
burnt."
SND: Again there
is nothing specific about Kali here.
Text 55:
tathāpi vaisnavā loke
pāpāni pāpinām api
pṛthivyāṁ yāni tīrthāni
puṇyānyapi ca jāhnavi
"O Ganges,
the whole planet will become a pilgrimage sight by the presence of Vaiṣṇavas,
even though it had been sinful"
Text 56:
Mad bhaktānāṁ śarīreṣu
santi pūteṣu santatam
mad bhakta pāda rajasā
sadyaḥ pūtā vasundharā
"In the
body of My devotees remains eternally [the purifier]. Mother Earth becomes pure
by the dust of the feet of My devotees."
SND: Again, nothing
specific about Kali here.
Text 57:
sadyaḥ pūtāni tīrthāni
sadyaḥ pūtaṁ jagat tathā
man mantropāsakā viprā
ye mad ucchiṣṭa bhojinah
"It will
be the same in the case of pilgrimage sites and the whole world. Those
intelligent worshipers of My mantra
who partake My remnants will purify everything."
SND: “There is
no future tense here. It is general description applicable in all times. No
prediction is made here. Vipra does not mean intelligent people, although
granted that they may be intelligent
Text 58
mām eva nityaṁ dhyāyante
te mat prāṇādhikāḥ priyāḥ
tad upasparśa mātrena
pūto vāyuś ca pāvakaḥ
"They are
more dear to Me than My life, who everyday meditate only on Me. The air and
fire become pure simply even by their indirect touch."
Text 59:
kaler daśa-sahasrāni
mad bhaktāḥ santi bhū-tale
eka varṇā bhaviṣyanti
mad bhakteṣu gateṣu ca
"For
10,000 years of Kali such devotees of Mine will fill the whole planet. After
the departure of My devotees there will be only one varna [outcaste]."
SND: “It does
not say "fill the whole planet". It simply says: For 10,000 years of
Kali My devotees will exist on earth. How many devotees? Well, 3 or more. In Sanskrit
plural means that. Out of 10,000 years, five thousand have already passed. So
even if we take this verse to be true only 5000 years remain and not 10000
years. Call it Golden age or diamond age, the verse makes no such mention. So
this idea of 10000 years of golden age is not supported by this verse. Such a
prediction is wrong by 50%, and there is no mentioning of a Golden age. One
could argue that after 10,000 years of Kali there will be one varna, which you can say is the śūdra varṇa, and you can consider that
as iron age and in comparison to that the present age is Golden. So Golden is
indirectly mentioned. Even then how to account for 5,000 years? Is there more
than one varna at present? There
should be as per the verse. But we do not see that. What varna has to do with bhakti? Why are they contrasted? It makes no
sense. The verse should have said that after 10000 years there will no devotees
or people will be atheistic. What if that one varna will be a brāhmaṇa varṇa? Now everything is being
done by machines and computers. People can stay peacefully, have knowledge (internet
is everywhere), meditate (yoga is spreading all around). Looks like more
brahmanical.
Text 60:
mad bhakta śūnyā prthivi
kali grastā bhaviṣyati
etasminn antare tatra
kṛṣṇa dehād vinirgataḥ
"Devoid of
My devotees, the earth will be shackled by Kali. Saying this, Kṛṣṇa
departed."
SND: "Kṛṣṇa
departed from the body" that is what the verse says. It does not say
"he departed". This statement itself puts a question mark on the
validity of the previous verses. The author is considering Kṛṣṇa's body as
material.”
''The verse should have said that after 10000 years there will no devotees or people will be atheistic. What if that one varna will be a brāhmaṇa varṇa? Now everything is being done by machines and computers. People can stay peacefully, have knowledge (internet is everywhere), meditate (yoga is spreading all around). Looks like more brahmanical. ''
ReplyDeletebut SB canto 12. ch 2/3 describes degeneration as kali-yuga progresses, nothing brahminical, only the brahmana thread will be there vipratve—in being a brähmaëa; sütram—the sacred thread; eva—only; hi—indeed.
a man will be known as a brähmaëa just by his wearing a thread. ( SB 12.2.3)
''The verse should have said that after 10000 years there will no devotees or people will be atheistic. What if that one varna will be a brāhmaṇa varṇa? Now everything is being done by machines and computers. People can stay peacefully, have knowledge (internet is everywhere), meditate (yoga is spreading all around). Looks like more brahmanical. ''
ReplyDeletethis Satyanarayana dasa writes, no golden age, but caitanya bhagavata says Caitanya Bhägavata
påthivéte äche yata nagarädi-gräma
sarvatra pracära haibe mora näma
[CB Antya-khaëòa 4.126]
SYNONYMS
påthivéte—on the earth; äche—are; yata—as many; nagara-adi gräma—cities and villages; sarvatra—everywhere; pracära haibe—will be preached; mora—My; näma—Holy Name.
TRANSLATION
In as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the earth, My holy name will be preached.
what satyanarayana dasa can answer on this verse ; there will be some golden age, and also the previous quote from SB 12.2.3
Anonymous - nobody argues the blessings of the sankirtan movement. The topic is the 10,000 years golden age only.
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