20 Bhakti Vedānta of Vallabha and Śrī Kŗşņa Caitanya

T. Seshasayee

Introduction

Ācārya Vallabha, a Telugu Brahman, was born in 1473. Tradition says that he developed the views of Vişņusvāmi. His view is known as Suddhādvaita or pure Non-dualism unsoiled by māyā. He has written a commentary on the Bramasūtra called Anubhāşya, which was completed by his son Viţhalanātha which is the basic text of Śuddhādvaita. Vallabha also commented on the Bhāgavata called Subodhini. There are also parts of Vallabha’s commentaries on Jaimini’s Mīmāmsā-sūtra and the Bhāgavata. Another important work of his is Tattvārthadīpa-nibaṅdha with his own gloss Prakāśa.

His son Vithalanatha wrote Vidvanmaṅdana. Puruşottama has commented on Anubhāśya in his Bhāśyaparikşā. Gopesvara has commented on this in his Raşmi, and on the Subodhini and Vidvanmaṅdana in his Suvarņasūtra. The other famous works of this school are the Suddhādvaitamārtāṅda of Giridhara and the Prameyaratnarnava of Balakrishna Bhatta. Vallabha founded a Kŗşņa cult. Kŗşņa Gopāla is the supreme Brahman, in his system also. But the relation between Brahman and the world is not a relation of difference cum non-difference, but one of pure non-difference (Suddhādvaita). He calls it pure (suddha), in order to distinguish his view from that of Śankara which is Kevalādvaita. In his opinion Sankara’s Advaita is impure in so far as it has to depend on māyā, to explain the world. It is also known as Rudrasampradāya. On the contrary Suddhādvaita follows Puşţi-mārga. Puşţi means of the grace of God which dawns through devotion and is the cause of liberation.

2. The Nature of Supreme Reality

To the three prasthānas of Vedānta, Vallabha, like the other Vaişņava teachers, adds the Bhāgavata. The four canonical texts are arranged in the following order: (1) the Veda including the Upanişads, (2) the Bhavadgītā,(3) Brahmasūtra and (4) the Bhāgavata. To Vallabha these texts are complementary to one another, and whenever doubts arise, each preceding text should be interpreted in the light of the next. The Bhāgavata which comes last, therefore, occupies a unique position in Vallabha’s system. The highest reality, in Vallabha’s Vedānta, is Kŗşņa known as Brahman in the Upanişads, and as the supreme self (Paramātman) in the Bhāgavata.

He is Puruşottama, the supreme person. He is Existence (sat), consciousness (cit) bliss (ānanda) and sentiment (rasa).He possesses all qualities—even contradictory qualities. Though eternal and unchanging, he becomes all things through his power of māyā (māyā-śakti).He is not different from the world which he creates. He is not different from the souls which emanate from him. Vallabha teaches that the supreme Brahman appears as (1) the inner ruler (the Antaryāmin) and as (2) the immutable Brahman (the Akşara-Brahman).Brahman dwells in the souls as Antaryāmin, limiting its bliss.

Akşara-Brahman also is a form where the bliss nature is limited. The wise meditate upon this Akşara-Brahman as their goal. The negative texts of Scripture apply only to Akşara. The devotees look upon the Akşara as the foot and abode of Sri Krsna. Akşara is the foot (caraņa), the supreme abode (parama-dhāman), or sky (vyoman) of the Supreme. It appears as prakŗti and purusa and becomes the cause of everything. It is also called principal soul (mukhya-jīva). It is superior to the souls.

In the beginning, God was alone, and he desired to become many. As a consequence, he created the world out of mere pleasure, as a sport (lila).Thus the world is a transformation of the very essence (svarūpa-pariņāma) of God. In this process, God is not affected. He does not suffer any change within himself (avikŗta-pariņāma). The element of sat (existence) is manifest in the world, while the other elements of cit (consciousness) and ānanda (bliss) are latent. The world (jagat) is not unreal or illusory but is in fact, non-different from Brahman. Samsāra is unreal. It is consisting of the soul’s notions of ‘I’ and ’mine’. It is this notion that has to be destroyed by knowledge, not the world. The soul is a part (amsā) of Brahman. It is eternal. At the beginning of world-creation, the souls issue out of the Akşara, as sparks from fire. They are cognizers, agents and experients.

3. The Souls

The souls are atomic, but pervade their bodies through their attribute of intelligence. In them the sat and cit aspects are manifest, while the ānanda aspect remains latent. There are three classes of souls (1) those that wallow in the stream (pravāha) of samsāra, (2) those that follow the Vedic path (maryāda),and (3) those that worship God out of pure love, having received his grace (puşţi).

The distinction between the path of maryada and pusti is very important. In maryāda-mārga release is obtained gradually. One has to advance step by step, and go through the path of the gods (devayāna) to the world of Brahma, and there attain release. The puşţi–mārga yields immediate release because it depends entirely on the grace of God. The milk-maids of Bŗndāvana are the best examples of puşţi–mārga. The highest stage in liberation is to join the Lord in his sport and enjoy his bliss eternally. The divine husband of all souls is Kŗşņa. The rāsalīla (ring dance) in Gokula to which he beckons the soul is an eternal dance. It is not mere union but it is the privilege of enjoying the company of the Lord through love.

4. Vallabha’s Vedānta

Brahman is the independent reality and is identified with Śrī Kŗşņa. His essence is the Existence (sat), Knowledge (cit) and Bliss (ānanda). Souls and matter are his real manifestations. They are His parts. He is the abode of all good qualities and includes even the seemingly contradictory qualities. He is smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest. He is one as well as many. It is by His will that He manifests Himself as matter and as souls revealing His tripartite nature of Existence, knowledge and Bliss in different proportions. He manifests Himself as many through His power of Maya. This manifestation is neither an error nor an illusion. It is a real manifestation. Vallabha’s view is neither vivarta nor pariņāma. It is something between the two and is called avikŗtaparināmavāda. The universe is not a vivarta for it is a real manifestation and not an unreal appearance. But it is also not a parināma for this manifestation does not involve any change or transformation. The universe is a natural emanation from God which does not involve any notion of change and is, therefore, called avikŗtaparināma.

The substance and its attributes, the cause and its effects are identical. The substance really appears as its attributes. And the same cause really appears as its effects. Vallabha prefers the expression samavayikāŗaņa to denote the notion of material cause. Brahman is the material or inherent cause (samavayikāraņa) of this universe and He is also its efficient cause. Brahman really manifests Himself as this universe without undergoing any change. It is pervaded by Brahman. Creation means manifestation of God as this universe in multifarious forms without undergoing change. God reveals His tripartite nature of Existence, Knowledge and Bliss in different proportions in this manifestation. Dissolution means withdrawal of this manifestation by God within Himself. The universe springs forth from Brahman as sparks spring forth from fire as luster emanates from a jewel or rays shoot forth from a lamp. Just as cotton spreads itself as threads so does God spreads Himself as this universe. From His nature as Existence spring forth life (prāņa), senses and bodies etc. which act as the elements of bondage for the souls. From His nature as Knowledge spring forth the atomic souls which are the subjects of bondage. And from His nature of Bliss spring forth the antaryāmins which are the presiding deities of the souls and are as many in numbers as the latter. God is the supreme Antaryāmin the inner ruler of the universe. In the material world only the Existence aspect of God is manifested, while His aspects of Knowledge and Bliss remain obscured. In the individual souls the aspects of Knowledge and Existence are manifested while the aspect of Bliss remains obscured. In the antaryāmins all the aspects are manifested. All these three forms – jagat, jīva and antaryāmi – are essentially identical with God. Jagat is dissimilar to Him (vijātya); jīvas are similar to Him (sajātīya); and antaryāmins are inside Him (svagata). He runs through all the forms which are non-different from Him. There is no difference either homogeneous or heterogeneous or internal in God.

Vallabha Distinguishes between jagat or prapaňca and samsāra. Jagat is the real manifestation of God, while samsāra or the cycle of births and deaths is imagined by the soul on account of ignorance which is fivefold – (i) ignorance of the real nature of the soul, (2) false identification with the body, (3) with the senses, (4) with vital breaths, and 5 with the internal organ. When knowledge dawns ignorance vanishes and with it vanishes samsāra. But the world, the jagat, continues because it is real manifestation of God.

For Śrī Rāmānuja, the soul, though different from God, is essentially identical with Him as forming His body. For Madhva, the soul, though a dependent part of God is essentially different from Him. For Nimbārka, the soul is limited, dependent and different from God, though as the power of God it is identical with Him. For Bhāskara, the soul is naturally identical with God and through limiting conditions appears as different from Him. For Vallabha, the soul as a part of God is identical with Him and appears as different on account of the limited manifestation of some divine aspects and obscuration of others.

Bhakti which is defined as a firm and all-surpassing affection (sneha) for God with a full sense His Greatness is the only means of salvation. It is the ‘loving service’ of God. It means attachment to God which presupposes detachment from all other things. It is neither worship nor knowledge. Affection or prema is its dominant phase (sthāyībhāva). The feeling of oneness with God is not its culmination. It is gained through the grace of God which is won by the purity of heart. The maryāda-mārga is the Vedic path in which bhakti is attained by karma and jňāna and upāsana when through individual efforts sins are destroyed. But in puşţi–mārga bhakti is attained without any individual effort simply by the grace of God which destroys sins forthwith. God, pleased by devotion, takes the devotee within Himself, or, when He is highly pleased keeps him near Himself to enjoy the sweetness of service.

5.  Acintya-bhedābheda of Caitnya

The leader of Bengal Vaişņavism is Caitanya (fifteenth century). Rādha Kŗşņa is the supreme reality, according to him. His teachings are to be found in a poem of ten verses, Daśamūla śloka, ascribed to him. Jīva Gosvami and Baladeva, among others have expounded Caitanya’s philosophy in a systematic way. The most important work of Jiva Gosvami is Satsaṅdarbha with a commentary by himself called Sarvasamvadini. Baladeva’s Govindabhasya on the Brahma-sūtra is quite a useful guide. The Upanişadic definition of Brahman as sat-cit ānanda is accepted by the Caitanya school. But sat-cit-ānanda Brahman is not a bare distinctionless identity. He has an infinite number of śaktis (powers), which are supernormal (para) and inseparable (svabhāviki) from him. Of these, three are the main powers, viz., svarūpa-śakti, māyā-śakti and jīva-śakti.

The Lord’s svarūpa-śakti (self-power), which is also called cit-śakti, exists in him eternally, and is responsible for all his līlas (sports); hence, it is his internal power (antaranga-śakti). Corresponding to the three elements in God’s nature, sat, cit and ānanda, there are three aspects of his śakti, viz., sandhini, samvit and hlādini. By these he supports, knows, and enjoys his own as well as other beings’ existence, consciousness, and bliss. What is known as pure being (suddha-sattva) is composed of these three śaktis; it is called suddha, because it is unmixed with māyā. Māyā-śakti is the Lord’s inconscient power which is responsible for the material universe. As it is inert (jada),it is opposed to cit-śakti, and yet cannot function without its aid. It is God’s external power (bahiranga-śakti), and has two aspects, cosmic (guņa-māyā) and individual (jīva-māyā).By the former, it creates the universe out of sattva, rajas and tamas; by the latter it makes the jīva forget its self-nature and tastes the sweets and bitters of life. God’s jīva-sakti forms the essence of the finite souls, and stands between the other two śaktis.

Besides being sat, cit and ānanda, God is rasa (aesthetic sentiment) as well as rasika (enjoyer of sentiment).It is for this reason that he is called Krsna.In him felicity is perfect and complete. His śakti is Rādha with whom he is united in love. Rādha and Kŗşņa are two-in-one, inseparably bound together. The antaryāmin is the immanent aspect of Kŗşņa, and is pervasive of the universe. Lower than that is the nirviśeşa Brahman, the distinctionless being which is only an adjectival aspect of the supreme. In between Kŗşņa and the antaryāmin there are innumerable grades of svarūpa-śakti; at each level the Divine Lord sports himself with its playmates, who are all parts of him.

The universe has God as its material as well as efficient cause. Brahman is of the nature of the universe, but is not exhausted by it. As we have already seen, the world is created by God through his māyā-śakti. He is, however, untouched by māyā, and so is undefiled by the defects of the world. The world of nature provides the soul with a location, instruments and objects of enjoyment etc. The souls are related to God as sparks to fire, or as parts to a whole. They are knowers as well as doers. Although their power is derived from God, they are tentatively separate from God, and are eternal. Even after release they maintain their separateness. Their true joy consists in serving the Lord (sevānanda).

Better than knowledge or contemplation is the path of devotion. The culmination of devotion is a complete self-giving, an unconditional self-surrender to God. Kevala or suddha bhakti is not merely a means; it is the final human end as well, even transcending release. One who realizes it desires nothing but exclusive service of Kŗşņa.

The relation between the souls and the world on the one hand, and God on the other is acintya–bheda abheda(incomprehensible difference and non-difference).This is the relation that obtains between cause and effect, whole and part, possessor of power (śaktimat) and power( śakti).The relation is one of simultaneous difference and non-difference. This is, of course, inexplicable or incomprehensible. But that is a fact and cannot be denied. The example of fire and heat may be, in this connection, given. Heat is neither identical with fire, nor different from it. So is the relation of the world of souls and matter to God. It is impossible to think of this relation as falling under either of the categories, absolute difference and absolute non-difference.

6. Caitanya and His Followers

The school of Bengal Vaişņavism of Caitanya (1485 – 1533) is known as Acintyabhedabheda or identity-in-difference the nature of which is essentially indescribable and unthinkable due to the unthinkable power of God. Historically the school is associated with Madhvism and is also called Madhva-Gaudiya school. But on account of certain fundamental philosophical differences with Madhvism, it should be regarded as an independent school. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wrote no works.His disciple Shri Rupa Gosvami has written Ujjvalanīlamaņi and Bhakti-rasāmrta-sindhu. Sri Jiva Gosvami has commented on both these works and has written his great work Satsaṅdarbha together with its running commentary, Sarvasamvadini. Baladeva, Vidyabhusana have written a commentary on the Brahmasūtra called Govindabhāśya, the introduction of which is known as Siddhāntaratna. Rupa and Jiva and Baladeva have furnished philosophical basis for the teachings of Caitanya which are mainly based on the Bhāgavata.

Brahman or Sri Kŗşņa is essentially Sachchidānanda and is the auspicious abode of infinite good qualities and powers. The attributes are identical with the substance, though they also appear differently. The concept of viśeşa is borrowed from Madhva to explain the unity which appears as different. The concept of unthinkability is accepted to reconcile the apparent contradictions in the nature of Brahman. God is free from all differences-homogeneous, heterogeneous and internal, and yet He really manifests Himself as the world and the souls through His powers which are identical and yet different from Him. In Himself, He is the efficient cause of the universe, while in association with His powers, He is the material cause.

His inner power which forms His essence is called antaranga-svarūpa-śakti and manifests itself as threefold power–as Sandhini which is Sat or Existence, as Samvit which is Cit or knowledge, and as Hladini which is Ānanda or Bliss. The power through which He manifests Himself in the form of the atomic souls is called tatastha-śakti or jīva-śakti. The power through which He manifests Himself as the material world is called māyā-śakti and is said to be His external power (bahiranga-śakti). God as Bliss is the qualified, while all His powers are His qualifications or manifestations. The atomic souls are innumerable and remain distinct even in liberation. They emanate from Him, like rays from the Sun, and are absolutely dependent on Him. The world is the manifestation of His external power and is not false. The impurities and defects of the world do not affect Him at all. In liberation, the wrong notions and the ignorance of the soul vanish, though the world as the power of God remains.

Bhakti is the sole means of liberation. It is of two kinds—vidhi-bhakti which is according to the Vedas and the śastras, and ruchi-bhakti or affection. Bhakti is the affectionate service of God for His sake alone. Ruchi bhakti is the end. It consists in the intense spiritual love for God like that of the Gopis and culminates in the love of Rādha. To love God as one’s lover and to regard oneself as the beloved of God and to brook no separation from Him is the highest bhakti. Liberation consists in the eternal enjoyment of this blissful love for Kŗşņa in His Nityavrindāvanadhāma.

Summary

Suddhādvaita of Vallabha and Acintya-bhedābheda of Caitnya represent the neo-vaişņva tradition. In other words, they represent the theistic form of Vedānta. The supreme Lord for both the traditions is Lord Vişņu as incarnated in the form of Lord Śrī Kŗşņa. Apparently both Vallabha and Caitnya propagated the bhakti tradition. According to them, the way to attain the grace of lord is through devotion. There is no other substitute for it.

Web links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achintya_Bheda_Abheda
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaitanya_Mahaprabhu  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuddhadvaita
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vallabha_Acharya

 Bibliography

• Chandradhar, Sharma. A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1994.
• Mahadevan, T.M.P. Invitation to Indian Philosophy, New Delhi : Arnold- Heinamann Publishers Private Limited, 1974.
•  Swami, Tasyananda. Bhakti Schools of Vedanta, Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1990