The following is a transcription of a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja on Hawaii’s North Shore, on January 26, 2007

 

(Respected hari–kathā readers, the following is a transcription of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja’s informal darśana, given on Hawaii’s North Shore, on January 26, 2007, for Śrī Rāmānujācārya’s disappearance. That informal darśana took place with only the devotees in his travelling party, so we especially thank his cook, Madhuvrata dāsa brahmacārī, for sending us the sound-file. Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja‘s talk in Hawaii was brief, and therefore we have included excerpts from his lecture given in Mathurā in 2000, in brackets, to fill out the history.)

Śrī Rāmānujācārya was born in South India. He is an incarnation of Lakṣmaṇa. The word ‘anuja’ means ‘younger brother.’ Rāma-anuja refers to the younger brother of Lord Rāma; therefore, he is Rāmānuja. In Kali-yuga, he is the ācārya of the Śrī-sampradāya (Lakṣmī). He is the disciple of Yāmunācārya.

As a boy, he was brilliant. At a very young age, he knew all Sanskrit grammar (vyākaraṇa), literature (sāhitya), and all the deep conclusions of the Vedic scriptures.

[“Śrī Rāmānujācārya is an incarnation of Lakṣmaṇa (Lord Rāma’s younger brother), and he accepted the Śrī-sampradāya. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda took many teachings from him, such as the duties of the sannyāsī, the duties of the disciple, and the etiquette of the Vaiṣṇava. He utilised one hundred eight teachings. We follow these teachings, and we have also published them in our Bhāgavata Patrikā and Gauḍīya Patrikā (Hindi and Bengali magazines).”]

His teacher, Yādavācārya, was a follower of the Māyāvāda (the theory that all variety and individuality are illusion) and Advaitavāda (the theory that the only truth is impersonal, undifferentiated oneness) philosophies. One day, his teacher began to explain his understanding of the beauty of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s eyes. In this regard, Chāndogya Upaniṣad (tasya yathā kapyāsam puṇḍarīkam evam akṣiṇī) uses the word ‘kapyāsam.’ Yādavācārya explained that ‘kapi’ means ‘monkey,’ and that the monkey’s rear-end (kapi-āsam) is reddish on both sides. He concluded that Kṛṣṇa’s lotus eyes are like a monkey’s rear-end. Hearing this, Rāmānuja wept.

Later, when Rāmānuja was massaging Yādavācārya, he told him, “The explanation you have given for kapyāsam is wrong. ‘Kapi’ can be understood to mean ‘that which takes water from everywhere.’ Who takes water? The sun. The word ‘āsam’ also means ‘to blossom,’ so the word ‘kapi-āsam’ can be understood as ‘that which blossoms under the sun,’ or, in other words, ‘the lotus flower.’ Thus, we can understand the verse to mean that the Lord’s eyes are as beautiful as the lotus flower.”

[“Śrī Rāmānujācārya took birth in a simple family. His mother and father were not very wealthy, but they were of a high brāhmaṇa caste, and they were very learned. Rāmānuja was an outstanding boy from his childhood. While under the guidance of a Māyāvādī guru named Yādavācārya, he was very careful in his studies. One day, when his guru was giving an impersonal explanation of a verse that contained the word kapyāsam, he compared the lotus-eyes of the Lord to the hind part of a monkey, which is reddish near its tail. Hearing this from his gurudeva’s mouth, Rāmānuja began to cry in great pain. He felt grief in his heart that his gurudeva had used such a poor analogy for describing the lotus-like eyes of the Lord. After collecting himself, he very politely asked if he could say something about the verse. Yādavācārya assented, and Rāmānuja very nicely gave many explanations according to Sanskrit grammar. He said that the term kapyāsam actually means one who brings water, and that is the sun. The lotus blossoms by the potency of the sun, and therefore the Lord’s eyes are compared to the lotus, not the monkey.”]

Rāmānuja’s teacher became astonished, thinking, “If this boy is so knowledgeable at such a young age, what will he do when he is grown up? If he remains alive, this Māyāvāda teaching will be finished.” His teacher then planned to murder him.

[“When Yādavācārya heard this, he thought, ‘This boy is dangerous. He is very expert and gives such nice explanations. In the future, he might uproot all the impersonal teachings from the Vedas, and so I must kill him.’ ”]

To trick Rāmānuja, Yādavācārya told him he was going to travel with all his students to do some preaching, and that Rāmānuja should also accompany them. Rāmānuja was a very sincere and innocent boy, so he didn’t understand his teacher’s intentions.

Then, when they were all in a very dense forest, they decided that this would be the time to murder him. Govinda, his cousin-brother, told him of their plan and urged him to flee from there quickly. Therefore, in the middle of the night, Rāmānuja told them he was going to the toilet, and he ran away.

Now alone, he suddenly saw a hunter, along with his wife, holding a hurricane light. The man asked him, “Where are you going?”

Rāmānuja answered, “I am going to Kāñcīpuram.”

The man replied, “We are also going there, so come with us.”

When he arrived at Kāñcīpuram, his own village, which was very far away, those persons disappeared. Rāmānuja then wept. He understood it was undoubtedly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa Himself, along with His eternal consort, Lakṣmī-devī, who had saved his life.

[“Throughout the day and night, he passed through the dense forest. It was difficult for him to discern his way, especially at night. The Lord, seeing His dear devotee in such a state, then appeared in the form of Varadarāja and, holding a lantern in His hand, showed Rāmānuja the way. Thus, in no time at all, Śrī Rāmānuja crossed the entire distance of the forest and found that he was standing outside his village.”]

Sometime later, Rāmānuja’s teacher returned to the village. He had been thinking that perhaps a lion or tiger had eaten Rāmānuja, and he was very happy. However, when he arrived, he saw that Rāmānuja was alive. He called him and told him to forget everything that had happened. Rāmānuja again resumed his Sanskrit studies with Yādavācārya.

[“After some days, out of compassion for Yādavācārya and with a desire to deliver him, he again began studying under his guidance. After some years, Rāmānuja converted Yādavācārya to Vaiṣṇava philosophy, whereupon his teacher became his disciple. At one point thereafter, Rāmānuja began hearing of the qualities of a great Vaiṣṇava guru in South India by the name of Śrī Yāmunācārya, and he eventually became Śrī Yāmunācārya’s disciple.”]

Later, he married. After his marriage, he taught boys at a Sanskrit school, and all the students liked him.

[“Later on, he married, and his wife was very quarrelsome. Her behaviour was discourteous and uncooperative, and incidents would often take place which he would somehow have to tolerate.”]

One day, a disciple of Śrī Yāmunācārya named Kāñcīpūrṇa came to the house of Rāmānuja. He was from a very low-caste family, but he was a very high-class devotee. He came there along with his wife by the order of his Gurudeva, and he now gave his association to Rāmānujācārya.

[“A disciple of Śrī Yāmunācārya and elder god-brother of Rāmānuja named Kāñcīpūrṇa came to Rāmānuja’s village along with his wife. Rāmānuja accepted Kāñcīpūrṇa as a śikṣā-guru.”]

One day, when Rāmānujācārya’s wife was drawing water from the well, Kāñcīpūrṇa’s wife was also there drawing water. Some water from the bucket of Kāñcīpūrṇa’s wife fell into Rāmānuja’s wife’s bucket. She immediately became very angry and insulted the wife of Kāñcīpūrṇa with abusive language. When Kāñcīpūrṇa returned, his wife told him of the incident at the well, and he immediately left the house of Rāmānujācārya. Upon hearing the reason his śikṣā-guru had departed, Rāmānujācārya thought, “I should not be with this lady. Somehow, I should give her up right away.”

[“One day, when Kāñcīpūrṇa’s wife was taking some water from a well, she met Rāmānuja’s wife, who had also come to the well for drawing water. It so happened that while taking the water out of the well, some water from the pot of Kāñcīpūrṇa’s wife spilt into the pot of Rāmānuja’s wife. Although this was a minor accident, Rāmānuja’s wife became furious and insulted Kāñcīpūrṇa’s wife with abusive language. Kāñcīpūrṇa became hurt when he later on heard about this, and, without informing Rāmānuja, he and his wife left that place and went to Śrī Raṅgam. When Śrī Rāmānuja came to know that his wife’s behaviour had offended a Vaiṣṇava, he felt very bad and thought, ‘She is committing vaiṣṇava-aparādha; she has such an offensive mentality. I must do something about this.’ ”]

Later, Śrī Yāmunācārya sent Pūrṇācārya to bring Rāmānuja to him in Śrī Raṅgam. However, Yāmunācārya was very sick at that time, and, by the time Rāmānuja arrived in Śrī Raṅgam, he had departed from the vision of the world. Pūrṇācārya was sent there to bring him to Śrī Raṅgam. Rāmānuja used to give him so much honour – always offering him obeisances and treating him like his śikṣā-guru. While living with Rāmānuja, Pūrṇācārya imparted the instructions he had received from his Gurudeva, Śrī Yāmunācārya.

One day, when Rāmānuja was teaching at the school, a hungry brāhmaṇa came there. Rāmānuja told him, “If you go to my house to beg, my wife will give you something.” However, when the brāhmaṇa went there, Rāmānuja’s very cruel wife said, “I can’t give you anything. Go! Get out of here!” The brāhmaṇa returned to Rāmānuja, who then told him to go back to his house and tell my wife, “I am coming from the house of your father. He sent me to you, so please take this letter from him.” Rāmānuja personally wrote the letter he gave to the brāhmaṇa to deliver to his wife. The letter stated, “Your brother will marry very soon, so you must come to your father’s house.” After reading the letter, Rāmānuja’s wife honoured the brāhmaṇa, and she gave him a large quantity of delicious prasādam.

[“One day, a hungry brāhmaṇa came to Rāmānuja, asking for some food. Rāmānuja sent this brāhmaṇa to his wife, telling him, ‘Go to my home and tell my wife that I sent you. She will give you some food.’ When that brāhmaṇa came to Rāmānuja’s wife, she boldly insulted him again and again. She told him he should leave immediately, as there was no food for him. The brāhmaṇa returned to Rāmānuja and reported what had happened, and Rāmānuja replied, ‘Wait here for a few minutes.’ He left and wrote a letter to his wife, as though it was written by her father, stating, ‘O my dear daughter, I am arranging the marriage of my son, your brother. So you should come. Please bring your husband with you.’ ”]

[“Writing these words very nicely, he folded the letter and tied it with colourful threads. And along with that, he sent a coconut and other auspicious items. He then gave the letter to the brāhmaṇa and said, ‘Now go again to my wife. She will welcome you nicely this time.’ The brāhmaṇa went again. After reading the letter, Rāmānuja’s wife’s behaviour completely changed. This time, she welcomed him warmly and sweetly, offering him a variety of palatable foods and sweets. When Rāmānuja came home, his wife told him about the marriage. She cited her father’s request for both of them to come, and she also asked him to come along.”]

[“Rāmānuja said, ‘No, I cannot come, for I am very busy; you may go now with this brāhmaṇa. Don’t be late.’ ”]

When his wife left to go to the home of her father, Rāmānuja also left that house. He went to Śrī Raṅgam to meet his Gurudeva, Śrī Yāmunācārya, but Yāmunācārya had left his body just before Rāmānuja arrived. Rāmānuja saw that many devotees were walking with the transcendental body of Yāmunācārya. All of his disciples were weeping as they carried his body to be placed in samādhi.

[“After his wife left with that brāhmaṇa, Rāmānuja locked the door of his house and went to Śrī Raṅgam to meet his Gurudeva, Śrī Yāmunācārya. He wanted to take sannyāsa from him, but when he reached Śrī Raṅgam, he found that Śrī Yāmunācārya had just passed away, and his disciples were walking in procession with his divine body. Rāmānuja felt very disheartened and sad.”]

He told them, “I have accepted Yāmunācārya as my Gurudeva. I want to see his face.” Yāmunācārya’s disciples stopped and lifted the cloth from his body. Rāmānuja could see that three of Yāmunācārya’s fingers were folded.

[“He asked them to stop for a moment. He wanted them to uncover the transcendental body so that he could take darśana of his Gurudeva’s divine form. He observed that all the fingers on one of his Gurudeva’s hands were open, and on the other, three fingers were closed. He inquired of the disciples all around why this was, and he wanted to know when it happened. No one could answer. They said, ‘We didn’t notice it before; it must have happened just now.’ ”]

He promised in front of all present, “I will write the Śrī-bhāṣya commentary on the Vedānta–sūtra.” One of the fingers immediately became straight. He then said, “I will take sannyāsa,” and the second finger relaxed. Lastly, he said, “I will preach the mission of my Gurudeva, Yāmunācārya,” at which time the last finger relaxed and became straight. Seeing this, everyone present became astonished.

[“Rāmānuja became silent, and after some time, he spoke, addressing Śrī Yāmunācārya’s transcendental body. He said, ‘Now, I will first of all write a Vaiṣṇava commentary on Vedānta, and I will preach that Vaiṣṇava commentary throughout India.’ One finger opened, and Rāmānuja spoke further, ‘I will take tridaṇḍi–sannyāsa right now, and I will preach the message of vaiṣṇava-dharma and your teachings.’ When Śrī Yāmunācārya heard that, his second finger opened. Rāmānuja then said, ‘I will systematically write about Vaiṣṇava etiquette, explaining the behaviour required to execute pure devotional service, and what precautions should be taken. I will also preach this throughout India.’ After uttering this third statement, Śrī Rāmānujācārya observed, along with all present, that three of Yāmunācārya’s fingers had now opened. Then and there, Śrī Rāmānujācārya formally accepted tridaṇḍi–sannyāsa from Śrī Yāmunācārya.”]

After Yāmunācārya was given Samādhi, Rāmānujācārya was elected to become the next ācārya, as Yāmunācārya’s successor. He immediately said, “I will not become the next ācārya right away. Give me time. Give me two years.” He then spent some time with each of the prominent disciples of Yāmunācārya. He served them and heard from them what they had learned from their Gurudeva. Only after hearing from them for two years did he accept the post of ācārya.

[“Śrī Rāmānujācārya had now formally taken sannyāsa initiation from Śrī Yāmunācārya. Afterwards, all the disciples of Śrī Yāmunācārya, who were great scholars and who had served their Gurudeva for so many years, came together. Having seen the extraordinary characteristics and personality of Śrī Rāmānujācārya, they collectively decided that he should be appointed as the next ācārya after their Guru, and they honoured him with the ācārya seat in Śrī Raṅgam. Śrī Rāmānujācārya accepted the orders of his god-brothers, but before sitting and acting as the ācārya, he went to each of his god-brothers, for two months, four months, six months, or one year, and served each of them. He thus formally endeavoured to understand the teachings of Śrī Yāmunācārya, since he had not gotten the opportunity to spend much time with him. After serving and satisfying them, he commenced his role as ācārya of the Śrī-sampradāya in Śrī Raṅgam.”]

Later, the ruler of that country, King Koluttunga II, heard that Rāmānujācārya was very strongly preaching his philosophy. Koluttunga II wanted him killed, fearing that if he remained alive, the Śaiva-sampradāya (comprised of so-called devotees of Lord Śiva) would be finished. He sent a message telling Rāmānujācārya to come at once for a debate.

Rāmānujācārya and all his associates knew the king wanted to kill him. His disciple Kūreśa told him, “Gurudeva, please do not go. I will go in your place. Please give me your daṇḍa and sannyāsa cloth.” Insisting, Kūreśa took them from him and gave him his own white cloth. He told Rāmānuja to leave that place at once. Then, having taken his Guru’s sannyāsa cloth and daṇḍa, Kūreśa went to the palace of the king.

In the palace, there was a great debate, during which Kūreśa defeated all the king’s paṇḍitas. However, Kūreśa was alone, so the king’s paṇḍitas told everyone that he had been defeated. They forcibly detained him and released him only after blinding him by plucking out both of his eyes. He then searched for his Gurudeva, who was now very far away. Fortunately, after some time, he came to the same village where Rāmānujācārya was residing.

Within that village, there were two disciples – one very rich and one very poor. Rāmānujācārya told his disciples to go to the house of the wealthy devotee, because his group was over fifty in total, and ask him to prepare prasādam and a place to stay for all of them.

Two of Rāmānuja’s disciples went to the rich man’s house and gave him this message. The rich man felt extremely happy and became wholly absorbed in preparing for the arrival of Rāmānujācārya and all of his devotees. However, he didn’t come back out to share these plans with his two god-brothers at the door. After waiting for some time, the disciples returned to Rāmānujācārya and reported that they had visited the house of the wealthy devotee, but he had left them waiting and had not returned. Rāmānujācārya replied, “Oh, then we will all go to the house of that poor man.”

That very poor brāhmaṇa used to go and beg for ingredients so that his wife could cook prasādam. He had only one piece of proper cloth, which his wife used, so when he would go begging, he would take the cloth of his wife.

On that particular day after midday, he could not collect any more, and he decided to return home. In the meantime, before his return, Śrī Rāmānujācārya, with all of his disciples, suddenly came to his house. His wife was very happy to see her Gurudeva, but she also felt ashamed because she had no suitable clothes to wear. Śrī Rāmānuja understood this, and he gave her his own cādar. She wrapped this around herself and came into his presence.

After she gave a mat for her Gurudeva and his followers to sit on, she wondered, “How shall I arrange prasādam for everyone?” She remembered that one of her neighbours, who was a wealthy businessman, was very attracted to her and had lusty desires toward her. He had previously told her of his desires, but she was very chaste and had always rejected his proposals. However, in her current predicament, she went to that man and told him that she would fulfil his desire.

She was thinking, “What is the use of my chastity if I cannot serve my Gurudeva? For my Gurudeva, I should be prepared to do anything.” She told the rich man, “I am ready to do what you want, but in return, I want you to arrange many ingredients so that I can cook and give prasādam to my Gurudeva and all of his disciples.” Hearing this, the rich man became very joyful and gave her more than she had asked for. Taking all that he gave her, she prepared very good prasādam for all the devotees, and everyone was happy.

While Rāmānujācārya and all the devotees were resting after prasādam, her husband returned home. He asked her, “Gurudeva and all his disciples have come. How are we going to arrange for their needs?”

She replied, “I have done everything. There is nothing to worry about. They have all taken prasādam and are resting now.”

Her husband asked, “How did you make all those arrangements?”

She told him the story of the lusty neighbour. She said, “I was thinking that my Gurudeva has come; if I cannot serve him, then what is the use of my chastity? So I went and told that lusty man that if he would give me all the ingredients to make very nice prasādam, then I would offer myself. He did as I asked, so now that it is night, I must go to him.”

Her husband told her, “I will come with you.”

It was raining at that time, so they took an umbrella and went to the house of that rich person along with the mahā-prasādam. The wife entered his home alone, and the man became very happy. The man asked her, “It is raining heavily tonight, and it appears you have come all alone. Didn’t anyone bring you?” She told him, “My husband came with me,” and she gave him the prasādam remnants of Rāmānujācārya. The lusty man took those remnants and became transformed entirely. He fell flat at the lotus feet of that lady and begged her, “Excuse me. Excuse me.”

The lady and her husband then returned to their house. The next day, their neighbour came to Rāmānujācārya and prayed to him, “I want to be initiated by you.” Rāmānujācārya then initiated him.

In the meantime, Kūreśa arrived in the village of the poor devotee couple where Rāmānujācārya was staying. Seeing Kūreśa, Rāmānujācārya called out his name. Kūreśa went to his Gurudeva and wanted to take his darśana, but he had no eyes. Rāmānujācārya put his hand over Kūreśa’s wounds, and two eyes at once manifested. He could see again.

Afterwards, Rāmānujācārya went to North India. After travelling for a long time, he eventually arrived in Kashmir. He went to Śāradā-pīṭha, the place of Śāradā-devī, where he came across the Bodhāyana-bhāṣya (commentary) of Vedānta-sūtra. This Bodhāyana commentary contained Vaiṣṇava philosophical conclusions, not Māyāvāda theories. In the library at Śāradā-pīṭha, he read that commentary, and in the night, he took that book and escaped with Kūreśa.

They fled from there, but the Kashmiri paṇḍitas followed them. Finally, the paṇḍitas took the book and returned to their own places. Rāmānujācārya was very unhappy, but Kūreśa told him, “Gurudeva, do not be unhappy. I have also read that book, and I remember all its contents. I will write them down.” Later, he did this, and he gave the writings to Rāmānujācārya. Rāmānujācārya then wrote his Śrī-bhāṣya on Vedānta–sūtra* and fulfilled the three desires of his Gurudeva, Yāmunācārya.

[“When Śrī Rāmānujācārya officially became the ācārya, he strongly preached the cult of Śrī Yāmunācārya. In South India, two impersonalist sects are very prominent: Śaiva and Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya’s followers subscribe to the Vedānta–sūtra like ‘sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma’ and ‘tat tvam asi.’ They think of themselves as impersonal brahma (God), and they think everything comes from brahma. The Śaiva School considers Lord Śiva to be the ultimate truth, and they want to merge into him. This is the fundamental difference between the two. Śrī Rāmānujācārya refuted and defeated all impersonalism by his powerful and effective preaching.”]

Gaura-premānande.

Śrīla dāsa: Regarding the lady disciple of Rāmānujācārya in the drama performance last night, if she had some desire to enjoy with that merchant, would she have done what she did?

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: Her only obligation was to her Guru, and therefore Śrī Rāmānuja wanted to glorify her, for the world to see that a lady disciple can be like this. She had no obligation to her father, mother, husband or anyone. She decided, “I must go and serve my Gurudeva. I am not this body or this false ego. Let this body serve Sri Gurudeva.” She had to think whether guru-sevā is the highest morality or worldly morality is the highest. She decided, “There is no value in chastity if it doesn’t assist in my Guru’s service.”

Devotee: When is one justified or qualified in severing one’s material obligations for the service of Guru and Krsna, because if one has some motivation, he falls down.

Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: There are so many symptoms. Words alone – “I want to serve” – will not do. The devotee must be very strong – like the lady who decided, “There is no use of chastity if it doesn’t serve my Guru.” Her self-realised Guru therefore empowered her, and that is why, when she gave prasādam remnant to the lusty food-store owner, he was at once purified and gave up his lusty desire.

* Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya has also refuted the arguments of Śaṅkara in his own commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra, which is known as the Śrī-bhāṣya: “Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya has tried to equate the Pañcarātras with the philosophy of the atheist Kapila, and thus he has tried to prove that the Pañcarātras contradict the Vedic injunctions. The Pañcarātras state that the personality of jīva called Saṅkarṣaṇa has emerged from Vāsudeva, the supreme cause of all causes, that Pradyumna, the mind, has come from Saṅkarṣaṇa, and that Aniruddha, the ego, has come from Pradyumna. But one cannot say that the living entity (jīva) takes birth or is created, for such a statement is against the injunction of the Vedas. As stated in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.18), living entities, as individual spiritual souls, can have neither birth nor death. All Vedic literature declares that the living entities are eternal. Therefore when it is said that Saṅkarṣaṇa is jīva, this indicates that He is the predominating Deity of the living entities. Similarly, Pradyumna is the predominating Deity of the mind, and Aniruddha is the predominating Deity of the ego.

“It has been said that Pradyumna, the mind, was produced from Saṅkarṣaṇa. But if Saṅkarṣaṇa were a living entity, this could not be accepted, because a living entity cannot be the cause of the mind. The Vedic injunctions state that everything — including life, mind and the senses — comes from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is impossible for the mind to be produced by a living entity, for the Vedas state that everything comes from the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord.

“Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha have all the potent features of the absolute Personality of Godhead, according to the revealed scriptures, which contain undeniable facts that no one can refute. Therefore these members of the quadruple manifestation are never to be considered ordinary living beings. Each of Them is a plenary expansion of the Absolute Godhead, and thus each is identical with the Supreme Lord in knowledge, opulence, energy, influence, prowess and potencies.

The evidence of the Pañcarātras cannot be neglected. Only untrained persons who have not genuinely studied the Pañcarātras think that the Pañcarātras contradict the śrutis regarding the birth or beginning of the living entity. In this connection, we must accept the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which says, ‘The absolute Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vāsudeva and who is very affectionate toward His surrendered devotees, expands Himself in quadruple forms who are subordinate to Him and at the same time identical with Him in all respects.’ The Pauṣkara-saṁhitā states, ‘The scriptures that recommend that brāhmaṇas worship the quadruple forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called āgamas [authorised Vedic literatures].’ In all Vaiṣṇava literature it is said that worshipping these quadruple forms is as good as worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead Vāsudeva, who in His different expansions, complete in six opulences, can accept offerings from His devotees of the results of their prescribed duties.

Worshipping the expansions for pastimes, such as Nṛsiṁha, Rāma, Śeṣa and Kūrma, promotes one to the worship of the Saṅkarṣaṇa quadruple. From that position one is raised to the platform of worshipping Vāsudeva, the Supreme Brahman. In the Pauṣkara-saṁhitā it is said, ‘If one fully worships according to the regulative principles, one can attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva.’ It is to be accepted that Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are as good as Lord Vāsudeva, for They all have inconceivable power and can accept transcendental forms like Vāsudeva. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are never born, but They can manifest Themselves in various incarnations before the eyes of pure devotees. This is the conclusion of all Vedic literature.

That the Lord can manifest Himself before His devotees by His inconceivable power is not against the teaching of the Pañcarātras. Since Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are, respectively, the predominating Deities of all living entities, the total mind and the total ego, the designation of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha as ‘jīva,’ ‘mind’ and ‘ego’ is never contradictory to the statements of the scriptures. These terms identify these Deities, just as the terms ‘sky’ and ‘light’ sometimes identify the Absolute Brahman.

“The scriptures completely deny the birth or production of the living entity. In the Parama-saṁhitā it is described that material nature, which is used for others’ purposes, is factually inert and always subject to transformation. The field of material nature is the arena of the activities of fruitive actors, and since the material field is externally related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is also eternal. In every saṁhitā, the jīva (living entity) has been accepted as eternal, and in the Pañcarātras the birth of the jīva is completely denied. Anything that is produced must also be annihilated. Therefore if we accept the birth of the living entity, we also have to accept his annihilation. But since the Vedic literatures say that the living entity is eternal, one should not think the living being to be produced at a certain time. In the beginning of the Parama-saṁhitā it is definitely stated that the face of material nature is constantly changeable. Therefore ‘beginning,’ ‘annihilation’ and all such terms are applicable only in the material nature.

“Considering all these points, one should understand that Śaṅkarācārya’s statement that Saṅkarṣaṇa is born as a jīva is completely against the Vedic statements. His assertions are completely refuted by the above arguments. In this connection the commentary of Śrīdhara Svāmī on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.1.34) is very helpful.”

For a detailed refutation of Śaṅkarācārya’s arguments attempting to prove Saṅkarṣaṇa an ordinary living being, one may refer to Śrīmat Sudarśanācārya’s commentary on the Śrī-bhāṣya, which is known as the Śruta-prakāśikā. (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 5.41, purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda)

Source: Purebhakti.com

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Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)