Morning Deity worship,30th May 2023 | Live Now | Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami

Purushottama Bhagavan, which I was checking out, I left it, I said, I heard that you said there is nothing, I just check it again. You can read from the Samadhi book in In the meantime, I'll sit and drink. Hm? Ah, internet preparation.

Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushan. Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushan, Sri Gaurinda Das, appeared in the 1600s near Remuna, Odisha. In his youth, he mastered Sanskrit grammar, poetry, and logic after carefully studying the commentaries of Sankara and Madhva. He took initiation in the tattvavadi, the disciplic succession of Srīpaḍa Mādhvācārya. Baldeva Vidyābrūṣṇa became a digvijayapandit, conqueror of all opponents, and began visiting the holy places. Wherever he went, he defeated the local sages, scholars, and sannyasis. In Jagannāthpuri, he learned the super-excellent philosophy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-cātana-nitya from Sri Radhadama Odar Gosvami and took initiation after converting to Gaudiya Vaishnavism. In Vrindavan, he studied Srimad Bhagavatam under Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur and worshiped Radha Shyamsundara. In 1706 AD, Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur sent him to Gulta near Jaipur, Rajasthan to uphold the credibility of Mahaprabhu's movement. The local Ramanandis, a branch of Sri Vaishnavas, were claiming that the Bengali Vaishnavas had no right to worship Govinda Ji because they had no commentary on the Vedanta Sutra. Lord Govinda Ji himself directly revealed the Govinda Bhashya, a Vaishnava commentary on Vedanta, to Baladeva Vidya Bhushan. Using it, Baladeva solidly established Gaudia Vaishnavism as an independent philosophy. He also reinstated the Bengali Vaishnavas in Govinda Ji's service in Jaipur. Govinda-bhashya is the only bhakti commentary on Vedanta Sutra. Shri Baladeva Vidyabhushan was a nishkincana paramabhagavata, fully renounced, topmost devotee of Lord Krishna. His more than 24 books Books and commentaries have helped thousands of Vaiṣṇavas understand the sublime philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the intimate writings of the six Gosvāmīs. Since he was devoid of false prestige, he never wrote about his birth parents, lineage, personal life. According to Śrī Bhaktivinoda ṭhākura in Naudrīpādhāma Mahātmayam, in Caitanya-līlā-bhāladēva-vidyā-guṣaṇa is Śrī Gopinatha Acharya, the brother-in-law of Sri Sarvabrahma Bhattacharya. In Braj, he serves as Sri Radha's eternal maidservant Ratnavali Devi. Śrī Caitanya, His Life and Associates. Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa. The exact time and place of Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa's birth are unknown. Perhaps historians will one day be able to formally establish these facts.

Read from where now? A big book.

Big book. Okay, the exact time and place of Sri Baladeva Vidyavrushana's birth are unknown. Perhaps historians will one day be able to formally establish these facts beyond any doubt. From the little information that we do have about his life, we can conjecture that he was born in the 17th century of the modern era, though Though we do not know the name of the exact village where he took birth, it was likely in the Balasore district of Odisha, somewhere near Remuna. From the date given in his commentary on Rupa Goswami's Stavamala, it is clear that Baladeva was still living after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. We know that Baladeva studied in one of the villages of the Chilka Lake area in southern Odisha. There he learned grammar, poetics, and logic, achieving expertise in all these subjects. He began his studies of Vedanta there, but in order to understand the commentaries in greater depth, he went to Mysore. He was there particularly impressed by the logical consistency of the Madhva Sudatta Dayakas commentary on the Vedanta sutras. He thus became a disciple of that school and went to live in a Tattvavadi monastery. After taking sannyas, he moved to Purushottam Kshetra, where he engaged many of the local scholars in debate, demonstrating the depth of his scholarship. His fame soon spread throughout the area. Later, however, he met Prasad RAVAL. He met Radhadhamodar Goswami, a scholar from Kurnool, under whose direction he studied Jīvagosvāmī's satsandharma in great detail. When he was convinced of the supremacy of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava philosophy, he took initiation from Rādhā-nanda Gosvāmī. He was thus initiated in Nityānanda Prabhu's line. The following is his disciplic succession: 1. Gauridas Pandit, 2. Hridaya Caitanya Prabhu, 3. Śyāmananda Prabhu, 4th, Raskanananda Deva Goswami. 5th, Nayananda Goswami. 6th, Radhadamodar Goswami. 7th, Baladeva Vidyabhushan. Baladeva then continued his studies of the Gaudiya literature under Pitambar Das and later studied the Bhagavad Purana under Vishvanath Chakravarti. He also took the Vaishnava Vairagis dress, at which time he was given the name Ekānti Govinda dāsa. Baladeva's written works. Baladeva was ordered by Viśṇṇācakraṭī ṭhākura to go to Jaipur, where he prayed to Rūpa Gosvāmī's Govinda-jī mūrti for the authorization to write a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. He then composed the Govinda-bāṣya and took it to Gauḍa, where he defeated the other sampradāyas in debate preserving the reputation of the Gaudia school. After this episode, he was given the title Vidyabhushan. This story has been told in greater detail in the previous chapter on Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur. The following is a list of Baladeva Vidyabhushan's written works: a commentary on the Brahma Sutras, Govinda Bhashya, Siddhanta Ratnam, Vedanta, Shyamantaka, Prameya Ratnavali, Siddhant Darpana, Sahitya, Kamori, Kavya, Kausutupa, Kaustubha, Vyakran, Kaumudi, which appears to have been lost, Pāṭhakaṣṭhuga, Vaśṇava-nandani, a commentary on the 10th Canto, a commentary on Gopāla Tapanī Upaniṣad, Commentaries on the Isha and 9 other Upanishads. Gita Bhushna Bhāṣya, a commentary on Bhagavad Gita. Nāma Arthā Sudā, a commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranāma. Saranga Rangaḍā, a commentary on the Laghu Bhāgavat Amṛta. Sto Mālā Vibhūṣna, a commentary on Sto Mālā. A commentary on Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Read from beginning.

Read from starting. The exact time and place of Shri Baladeva Vidyabhushan's birth are unknown. Perhaps historians will one day be able to formally establish these facts beyond any doubt. From the type— from the little information that we do have about his life we can conjecture that he was born in the 17th century of the modern era. Though we do not know the name of the exact village where he took birth, it was likely in the Balasore district of Odisha, somewhere near Remuna. From the date given in his commentary on Rupa Goswami's Stavamala, it is clear that Baladeva was still living after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. We know that Baladeva studied in one of the villages of the Chilka Lake area in southern Odisha. There he learned grammar, politics, and logic, achieving expertise in all these subjects. He began his studies of Vedanta there, but in order to understand the commentaries in greater depth, he went to Mysore. He was there particularly impressed by the logical consistency of the Madhvaśuddhvata, commentary on the Vedānta Sūtras. He thus became a disciple of that school and went to live in a Tattvavādhi monastery. After taking sannyāsa, he moved to Purushottam Kshetra, where he engaged many of the local scholars in debate, demonstrating the depth of his scholarship. His fame soon spread throughout the area. Later, however, he met Radhadāmodara Gosvāmī, a scholar from Kānauj, under whose direction he studied Jīva Gosvāmī's Satsangarpa in great detail. When he was convinced of the supremacy of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava philosophy, he took initiation from Radhadāmodara Gosvāmī. He was thus initiated in Nityānanda Prabhu's line. The following is his disciplic succession: Gauridas Pandit, Hridaya Chaitanya Prabhu, Shyamananda Prabhu, Rasikananda Deva Goswami, Nayananda Goswami, Radha Damodara Goswami, Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Baladeva then continued his studies of the Gaudiya literature under Pitambar Das and later studied the Bhagavad Purana under Vishwanath Chakravarti. He also took the Vaishnava Vairagis at which time he was given the name Ekanti Govinda Das. Baladeva's written works. Baladeva was ordered by Vishnachakrati Thakur to go to Jaipur, where he prayed to Rupa Gosvami's Govindaji Murti for the authorization to write a commentary on the Vedanta Sutra. He then composed the Govinda-bhashya and took it to Gaupta, where he defeated the other sampradayas in debate, preserving the reputation of the Gaudya school. After this episode, he was given the title Vidyabhushan. This story has been told in greater detail in the previous chapter on Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur. The following is a list of Baladeva's written works: a commentary on the Brahma Sutras, Govinda Vashya, Siddhanta Ratnam, Vedanta, Samantaka, Prameya Ratnavali, Siddhanta, Darpana, Sahitya, Kamudi, Kavya, Kaustubha, Vyakaran, Kamudi, which appears to have been lost, Pada Kaustubha, Vaishnava Nandini, a commentary on the 10th Canto, a commentary on Gopal Tapani Upanishad, commentaries on the Isha and 9 other Upanishads, Gita Bhushana Vashya, a commentary on Bhagavad Gita. Namarthasuda, a commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama. Saranga Rangada, a commentary on the Laghu Bhagavaramukta. Stavamala Vibhushana, a commentary on Stavamala. A commentary on Rupa Goswami's Natika Chandrika. Chandakastuva Vashya, a commentary on Rasika Nanda's Shyamananda Satyakar, a commentary on Chandra Loka which appears to have been lost. Krishna Nandini, a commentary on Sahitya Kamati. A commentary on the Chandra Loka, which appears to have been lost. Krishna Nandananda, a commentary on Sahitya Kamudi. Govinda Bhashya Tika, a commentary on his own Govinda Bhashya. Suxma, a further clarification of his own Siddhanta.

Computer.

I was just waiting for him to complete this article. There is one small Prasad RAVAL lecture on this and then some other articles.

Today is the birthday. So today is the birthday of Baladeva Vidyabhusana. So Baladeva Vidyabhusana, you have seen in my Bhagavad Gita, his name dedicated to Baladeva Vidyabhusana, who has written the commentary on Brahma Sutra, Govinda Vashya. Shri Baladeva Vidyabhusana Krishna is our acharya. Baladeva Vidyabhushan is a fourth generation acharya from Lord Caitanya, fourth or fifth. Anyway, he is one of the acharyas, just like Goswamis. They are acharyas, Sri Nivas acharya. So acharya parampara, disciplic succession. So Baladeva Vidyabhushan is also acharya in this Gauriya Sampradaya. So his special gift— every acharya means he gives some special things previous acharyas has given, and the next acharya gives something more. That is the symptom of acharya. In the incarnation also, just like Lord Buddha incarnation, then Shankaracharya, then Ramanujacharya, then Madhvacharya, then in this way, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So every acharya is giving a further lift. So Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushan also gave a further lift to This sampradaya, what is that? Baladeva Vidyabhushan wrote commentary Brahma Sutra, Vedanta Sutra. Vedanta Sutra, his Vedanta Sutra commentary is known as Govinda Bhashya, commentary of Govinda. The history is that this Govinda sampradaya did not write any commentary on the Vedanta Sutra because according to our sampradaya, we accept this Srimad Bhagavatam as the Commentary of Vedanta Sutra. Vāśyavaya Brahma Sūtra na. Chaitanya Charitamrta Madhya 25.143. Lord Chaitanya has come recommended, it is stated in the Śrīmad that this Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the real commentary of Vedanta Sutra. Vyasadeva is the writer of the philosophy Vedanta Sutra, and he personally, under the instruction of his spiritual master Narada personally wrote this commentary, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, on his own book, on his own philosophy, Vedānta-sūtra. If a writer, if the author himself writes some commentary, that is the perfect, because he knows what is what. Therefore, because the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is there, the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, they did not attempt to write another separate commentary on the Brahm-sūtra.

Sutra.

Any intelligent man can understand that this Srimad Bhagavatam is commentary on the Vedanta Sutra. The Vedanta Sutra begins with janmādy asya athahato brahmajjigyasa and Bhagavata says jīvasya tattva jijyasa. Brahmajjigyasa and tattva jijyasa is same thing. The human life is meant for inquiring for the Absolute. In the Srimad Bhagavatam It is there. And the next aphorism in the Vedanta Sutra is janmādi asseyatha. This glorious Sampradāya did not take unnecessary trouble again. The Acharya Sampradāya, if my previous Acharya has written something, so he will not touch these points, but he will write something which can develop further. That is Acharya, not that chewing the chewed. Somebody has written something and he is also writing the same thing. No, if he at all writes, he will write something which will beautify or glorify or magnify the former idea. That is the— so this Vaishnava sampradaya did not write commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra because they knew that already Vyāsadeva, our original guru, he has already written Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Chaitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended, and it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Bhashyavayam Brahma Sutra naam. This is the real commentary on the Brahma Sutra. But those who are smart Brahmins, they objected in Jaipur. In the Jaipur, there is a Govinda Seva Temple of Govind Ji. The king of Jaipur took away when Aurangzeb was harassing Hindus and he was breaking some of the Hindu temple. At that time, from Vrindavan, the Govinda murti, not only Govinda, Govinda, Gopinath, and Madan Mohana, these murtis were taken from Vrindavan to Jaipur. The king of Jaipur, he was Vaishnava. So along with the deity, the priest of the worshipper, I mean to say those who were engaged in the temple worship, they were also taken. That is the system. So they were as usual worshiping, but some of the smarta brahmanas, they objected that Gaudiya Sampradaya is not bona fide. Why not bona fide? Just like Dr. Stahl objected that this Krishna consciousness movement is not Vedic. Therefore, I immediately protested, no, it is 100% Vedic. So when these Maratha Brahmins, they objected that this Gaudiya Sampradaya is not Vedic. How one is Vedic? Any sampradaya, if you inaugurate some party, then he must come comment on the Vedānta Sūtra, otherwise that part is not bona fide. That is Vedic rules. One must understand that what is Brahmā Sūtra. So because there was no particular commentary on the Brahmā Sūtra by the Gauḍīya Sampradāya on account of presence of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, so they objected. So this information was given at that time to Vrindāvana. Vrindāvana. Viśvanātha Chakravartī. You have heard the name of Viśvanātha Chakravartī.

Bhārata.

He is also a Ācārya and vastly great scholar. So all the Vaśṇas requested him that please write a commentary on the Vedānta Sūtra, otherwise they are objecting that we are not Vādika. At that time he was very old, Viśṇuñācākṛvāti ṭhākura, so he thought it wise. He asked this Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, he appeared to be just like his disciple, that I am very old now, I cannot go out of Vrindavan. So you take up this job and write one commentary on the Vedanta Sutra immediately. So he took up the matter. He has written many other books, Baladeva Vidya Bhushan. So he immediately started for Jaipur, Govindji's temple. And this is the acharya, that unless I am authorized, unless I am empowered, how I can write? This is Vaishnava, not that because I have got some ABC the knowledge, I can write something. No. Just like one civil service officer, Mr. Gupta, sent me one commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Perhaps you know, we have delivered that, returned that, and I see it. So I immediately pointed out that there are so many discrepancies, we cannot publish this. So they have taken back. So he thought that because he is ICS officer, civil service officer, very big officer in India, therefore he can write commentary on Bhagavad Gita. All these nonsense things are going on. Anyway, anyone, he has got some ABCD knowledge, he thinks that I can write something. No, you cannot write anything unless you are authorized by the disciplic succession. You have no access in it. So this Baladeva Vidyabhushan went to, I mean to say, Jaipur. And for 3 days continuously he laid himself flat, just like we offer obeisances, in that way, without taking any food and water, asking permission from Govinda whether I shall write. Of course he was ordered, but still to confirm it that Vishvanath Chakravarti has asked me to write. But if you confirm it, then I shall begin writing. So Govindaji informed him, yes, you write, I give you order. I immediately write. So he began to write this bhashya, commentary of Vedanta Sutra, and it came out very, very successful. Govinda bhashya commentary on Vedanta Sutra available. This is in Sanskrit, but we are describing the same conclusion in our different books. In Srimad Bhagavatam also the same conclusion is there. You don't require to read separately, but because the smartha brahmanas challenged that you are not Vedic because you have no commentary on the Vedanta Sutra. So this Baladeva Vidyagushan gave us the Govinda Bahasya. Of course, other Vaishnava acharyas like Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, they have given commentary on Bhagavad Gita. But we Madhva Gauriya Sampradaya, we are benedicted by this Baladeva Acharya Prabhu and his life is that he was— he appeared in the family of a Vaisya community. His forefathers were agriculturists, but he became a great devotee and great scholar in Sanskrit. And he has got his commentaries on Bhagavad Gita and Vedanta Bhashya, and he has written many other books, all in Sanskrit. So his birthday, appearance day, is today. So it is our duty to commemorate the memory I mean to say activities of the Ācāryas and offer our respect and ask from them benediction for our progress. That is the system. Therefore, we have listed the appearance and disappearance of the Ācāryas. We should take advantage of these auspicious dates and offer our respect to the Ācāryas.

Any more?

Yes, we have other, so we are going to read the other one.

Their voices rose with the sun. It was early morning in an Indian village school. The boys sat in neat rows behind palm leaves, manuscripts. Committing their lessons to memory. As they chanted their grammar rules, their rhetoric lessons, and their logic aphorisms, each boy chanted loud enough to hear himself over, over his neighbor, resulting in a blend of high-pitched voices. This school attended by Baldeva early in the 18th century closely resembled village schools that had existed in India for thousands of years. The system had endured because it was effective, producing brilliant and disciplined scholars, and Baladeva was among the best of them. Before coming to school, Baladeva, the son of a merchant, had lived for several years near the origin town of Remuna. From there, he had gone to study with the group of panditas at this school. School situated idyllically on the bank of the Chilkahadra River. The lush origin forest and fertile fields provided ample fruits, vegetables, and grains for a wholesome, varied diet. The boys studied hard, played hard, and grew lean, healthy, and discerning. When Baldeva graduated from school, he did not want to return home to work in his father's shop. He wanted to be a scholar, not an ordinary scholar, but a true acharya, one who could teach divine wisdom. A pandita had to master logic, philosophy, medicine, or cosmology, but an acharya had to know the scriptures that impart the deepest wisdom. Baladeva decided to study philosophy and theology. He would become a Vedantist an authority on the ancient Vedic books of knowledge. He could not think of any greater way to benefit himself or others. In a search of a preceptor, Baladeva went on pilgrimage to the Tirthas, where he would meet monks and scholars. In Mysore, now Karnataka, in southwestern India, he came upon a hermitage of holy men who were also called Tirthas. Followers of the saint and scholar Anandatirtha , who was known formerly as Madhavacharya. In the monastery or Matha, Baladeva studied Vedanta and mastered the arts of debate and rhetoric. These talents would serve him well in a challenge he would later face while still a young man. The challenge Baladeva would meet is of critical importance to the history of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, the spiritual school to which the modern-day Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement belongs. By the time Baladeva was born, the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, or followers of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, were well established in Vṛndāvana, the town in northern India where Lord Kṛṣṇa had enacted his childhood pastimes some 5,000 years earlier. But life in that area was often insecure. For thousands of years, the Vrindavan Mathura district had been periodically invaded and pillaged. Yet despite these calamities, Mathura had thrived as a center of trade and culture. Every ancient religion of northern India considered Mathura an important city. In, in 1512, Lord Chaitanya arrived in Mathura. He found that the places where Krishna had enjoyed pastimes were now obscured, so he spent 2 months locating and identifying them. Wanting to reconstruct Vrindavan and rededicate it to Krishna, he sent Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, 2 of his chief disciples, to the holy city. Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami accomplished Lord Chaitanya's mission in Vrindavan. Not only did they rebuild the sacred places of Krishna's life, but they also wrote books that presented Lord Caitanya's doctrine in a way suitable for both scholars and laymen. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, their nephew and disciple, continued their work. He supervised the construction of magnificent temples for the worship of Krishna, wrote exhaustive philosophical treatises on the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and distributed the religious manuscripts of the Vrindavan Goswamis throughout the Vaisnava world. Largely due to Jiva Goswami's efforts, the Gaudiya Vaisnavas succeeded in establishing Vrindavan as the principal seat of Vaisnavism in northern India. Vrindavan had always been a holy pilgrimage site, but under Gaudiya patronage, it flourished as a powerful religious center for 150 years. Gaudia gurus and temples held sway in Vrindavan even at the time of Baldeva's arrival in the early 18th century. Unfortunately, the peaceful leadership of the Gaudiyas could not last. In 1669, the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb decreed that Hindu temples and carved images or deities should be destroyed. Deities, priests, and pilgrims were in danger, and faithful devotees of Krishna stopped visiting Vrindavan. Many of those who had the courage to express their faith were beaten or killed. Subsequently, the Vaishnava priests appealed to the Hindu dynasties of Rajasthan for protection for themselves and their deities. Protection was granted, and gradually the deities migrated east to settle in Mewar and in Ambur, the old Jaipur's capital. But without deities, brahmanas, and pilgrims, Vrindavan Muthura lost much of its glory. One of the principal deities of Vrindavan was Govinda, a 24-inch black marble image of Krishna in his original aspect as a cowherd boy. Srila Rupa Goswami had found him while excavating the holy places of Vrindavan. Later, warned that Aurangzeb's army would seek to demolish Govinda's splendid 7-story temple, the priests secretly moved the deity to Radhapunda, a sacred pond widely known as one of the holiest places in the Mathura district. After a year at Radhapunda, the priests transferred their divine refugee to Kaman, a fortified city in the Mathura district. Where a suitable complex could be built for Govinda. For more than 30 years, he, he had two other deities, Gopinath and Madan Mohan, remained in common. But most of the deities supported the ruling Mughals and a clan of local people called the Jats who had risen up against the Mughals. The Rajput king of Ambat found themselves at the pivot of the conflict between between the Mughals and Jat gorillas. The kings allied themselves with the Mughals against the Jats but patronized the Vrindavan Deities whom the Mughals wanted to destroy. Reading from another article, Baldev Vidya Pushpa disappearance day. Today is Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushan Disappearance Festival. On this day, let's glorify this great Vaishnava personality by remembering his life and pastimes. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushan was born in the early part of the 18th century, 1720-1790, in a village near Remuna, Balasore district of Odisha. Even though he was the son of a Vaishya farmer, In his youth, he received a very thorough education in Sanskrit, rhetoric, logic, and Vaishnava scriptures. He accepted sannyasa into the Madhva Sampradaya at a very young age and stayed at Jagannathpuri. He became a renowned scholar and traveled around India to all the holy places. During his travel, Baladeva came to Puri in Odisha, Utkal, and met with one disciple of the famous Rasikananda Prabhu of the name Sri Radhadamodar Deva Goswami. It was to the surprise of everyone that Baldeva was converted to Gaudiya Vaisnavism by Radhadamodar Deva Goswami, who first explained the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu in accordance with the tenets of Vedānta-sūtra and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then initiated him as his a formal disciple. Under his direction, he studied Jīvagosvāmī's Sādh-sandarbha, and he quickly became prominent in all intellectual circles. This Prasād RAVALA Gīvagosvāmī, although not prominent as a member of the parampara, he wrote Vedānta-samantaka in 6 chapters dealing with the pramāṇas to be accepted. The 5 prameyas jivas, prakruti, time, and karma, and quotes Madhvacharya prolifically, and pleads vigorously for the distinction of the jivas and Brahmana, and repudiates the doctrines of avidshetva of Brahmana. There is an interesting story which shows the surrendered mood of Baladeva and his sincere desire to please his spiritual master. Once, when Vishwanath Chakravarti was too old to to travel, he sent Baladeva to a conference to represent Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Baladeva was required to prove the validity of Gaudiya Vaishnavism to the rest of the Vaishnava community from a scriptural point of view and thus become duly authorized to speak on matters pertaining to rituals and Vaishnava religion. Though he was preaching furiously, no one was prepared to accept his statements according to Gaudia Vaishnava philosophy, although sufficient evidence was there. The reason others would not accept his statements was because there was no established commentary of Brahma Sutra or Vedanta Sutra to support Gaudia Vaishnavism at that time. Some were saying that in every other sampradaya, the founding or reforming acharya had made some form of commentary on Vedānta-sūtra. Śaṅkāra, Rāmānuja, Madhva, Vallabha, etc. Even though Lord Caitanya explained Vedānta-sūtra, Caitanya-caritāmṛta-ādilīlā, 7th chapter, 138-146, touching the main subject matter, nothing was written. Some members of the Śrī-sampradāya, the Rāmānandīs, began to raise the argument in the court of the king at Jaipur. They complained that As the Gaudia Vaishnavas had no commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra, they were not qualified to worship the Deity, and therefore all of the worship should be turned over to the Śrī-sampradāya. They also objected to the worship of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī along with Śrī Govinda and Śrī Gopinātha as not being authorized anywhere in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata-sampradāya. The king, Sadācharī Rāja, was initiated within the Gauḍīya sampradāya. Thus he quietly sent word to Vṛndāvana informing the devotees there of what had happened. At the same time, the king was obliged to remove Rādhārāṇī temporarily from the Deity room, as well as to suspend the Bengali Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava pujaris from partaking in the Deity worship. As we have just stated, at that time Śrīla Prasāda RAVALA was Aśrava Viśvanācārya Tīpāda was very aged, so it was not possible for him to make the arduous journey to Jaipur. In his place, he sent his student Śrī Baladeva, who was fully conversant with the śāstras and thus able to competently face the challenge. In a great assembly, he posed such forceful arguments to the followers of Rāmānūja, the Rāmānandīs, that they could not reply to them. He further explained to them, the originator of the Gaurīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, has accepted Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the natural commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra as composed by Śrīla Vyāsadeva Gosvāmī. This is proven in the Svat Sandharva. Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swāmī has commented on this point saying that The reason that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu didn't make a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra was because they came in the line through Vyāsa to Madhvācārya, who had already made their commentaries. So why should they make more? Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the Gosvāmīs were quite happy to follow in the footsteps of the previous Ācāryas. The scholars in the assembly, however, refused to accept another anything other than a direct commentary on the Vedanta Sutras. And in no other report, Baladeva promised to present them with one. They gave Baladeva 18 days to have his commentary ready for discussion. The mood of the Ramanandis were quite aggressive, much like put up or shut up, which made Baladeva transiently anxious. Feeling very aggrieved in this manner, Śrī Baladeva took shelter of the Lord and came to Śrī Govindājī's temple in Jaipur. After offering his prostrated obeisances, he informed Śrī Govinda of everything that had happened. That night, a wonderful thing happened. The Lord appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to write a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. The Lord said, you just write and I will dictate to you what to write, and therefore no one will be able to refuse to accept it. Having been— having seen such a wonderful dream, Śrībaldeva was totally enlivened and felt renewed strength flow into his heart. Thus he began to write, and within a few days completed the commentary, which was titled Śrī Govinda-bāṣya. May He who so mercifully and munificently was kind towards me and bestowed His favor by ordering me in a dream of write— in a dream to write down His own commentary which He would compose and which attained such renown amongst the learned circles that they bestowed upon me the title 'Vidyābhūṣaṇḍa'. May that dear friend of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī who holds Him Dearer than her own life be glorified. May that Śrī Govinda be glorified. Bringing the commentary with him, Śrīla Baladeva again came to the assembly of the Rāmānanda scholars. After reading the commentary, they were simply speechless. Thus the victory of the Gauḍīya sampradāya was announced far and wide, and the king as well as other devotees began to floored in the ocean of praise. This assembly took place in the year 1628 Sarkabdha at Golta near the present city of Jaipur. Shri Abharden Vidya Bhushan installed the deity of Vijay Gopal there at Golta Temple, but the whereabouts of this deity are at present not known. From this day on, the Maharaja of Jaipur announced the Govinda Dhati would be performed first, and then the other temples could perform their aarthis. It is always, we have found, best to keep one's words sweet, as you never know when you will have to swallow them. Thus, after accepting defeat, the Ramanandis told us, expressed their desire to accept initiation from Shibaladeva with their bhushan. However, he declined their request by stating that amongst the four authorized Sampradayas, the Śrī Sampradaya was highly respectable and the foremost adherent of dāsī-bhakti. If there was any cause of loss of respect to the Sampradaya, this might be considered an offense. In this way, he would not initiate them. Returning from Jaipur to Vrindavan, Śrī Baladeva presented the certificate of victory to Śrīla Viśṇuacārya Thakura. And narrated all of the events that had transpired. All the devotees were in great ecstasy to receive this news, and Chakravarti bestowed his pure blessings on Śrī Baladeva. At this time, Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa began to write a commentary on Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī's Sādh-sandarbha. The deities of Śrī Jaya and Śrī Vijaya-govinda residing at Gokulananda Mandira in Vṛndāvana were worshipped by Baladeva Vidyabhushan personally. According to the opinion of some devotees, the deities of Sramananda Prabhu, Sri Sri Radhaswamy Sundar, were installed by Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushan. After Sri Vishwachakruti Thakur finished his pastimes in this world, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushan became the next Acharya of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. At the end of Radhanamuda Deva's Vedanta Samantak. Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa acknowledges his spiritual master thusly: I have been sent here to Vrindavan by one Brahman guru, Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodaradeva, to present a composition named Vedanta Samantak composed by his mercy for the pleasure of Śrīmatī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa became known later as Śrīla Govinda Das. He had two well-known disciples, Sri Vidya Das and Sri Nandan Mishra, but many others also. Baldeva Vidya Bhushan lived by the meaning of the following words: knowing everything that had come to him was only the Lord's mercy, and all that he had achieved was by that same grace. By all the Vedas I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of the Vedanta and I am the knower of the Vedas. Bhagavad Gita 15.15. Some of Baladeva Vidyabhusana's most important works are Govinda Bhashya, Siddhanta Ratna, Vedanta Samantak, Prema Ratnavali Siddhanta