Unknown photographer - picture taken at Anantaasana temple Udipi 1987-88
Sri MadhwAcharya - Madhwa - dear to all.
"Loka-guru" - he who's philosophy is intended for all.
Mula-guru or Mula-acharya - the founding root from where so many branches come.

Acharya Madhwa Bhagavatpad's page:

NON-SECTARIAN VAISNAVA-DHARMA (from the Introduction to Sri Krishna-samhita)
Prayers to Sripad Madhwacharya:

Observations regarding some modern Tattwavadis:
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Visits Udupi:
Co-operation the key to pleasing the Lord:

Leaders of Madhwa mutts come forward to support Gaudiya heritage from Madhwa line:


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We have over the years directly experienced, and are still experiencing some hostility from some sections of the Madhwa / Dwaita (Tattwavadi) community.

        In most, the devotees / followers of Sripad Madhwacharya are very nice, and have treated myself and family very kindly on numerous visits to Udupi and related areas. HH the Late Palimar Swami (HH Sripad Vidyamana Tirtha Swami) on several occasions invited us to sit with him, where he gave kind words and prasadams. Similarly HH Pejawar Swami (HH Vishveshwar Tirtha Swami) on his numerous visits to Mayapur, West Bengal and Sri Vrindavana has always interacted as a saintly gentleman with the followers of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Even he has performed installations of Deities at Iskcon in Bangalore with our HH Jayapataka Swami. Others like HH Vishvapriya Tirtha (Admaru Junior Swami) gave me much time, courtesy and kind dealings during his paraya period of the late 1980s (circa 1988). We also had the great good fortune of meeting the Uttaradhi Swami HH Srila Satyapramoda Tirtha Swami in Madras, where he gave some kind words and blessings. Furthermore, the followers of Sripad Raghavendra Swami in Mantralayam, and in Madras I've always found very courteous, kind and friendly Vaishnavas. Similarly the very learned and saintly Srila Bannaje Govindacharya also gave some kind words of encouragement, and included in his book on Madhwacharya that Iskcon (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) is an authorised branch of the Madhwa line.

However, having said all of that, we still find that the presenters of the Dvaita Home page remain negative, even hostile, and openly deny the facts that the Gaudiya line coming down through Sri Tikacharya Jaya Tirtha, Srila Rajendra Tirtha, Srila Jayadharma Tirtha, Srila Vyasa Tirtha, through Srila Laxmipathi Tirtha, Srila Madhavendra Puri, to Ishwara Puri, through Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, Srila Narottam dasa Thakur, Srila Vishvanath Chakravarthi Thakur, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana, Srila Jagannath dasa babaji maharaj, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Gaura Kishora dasa babaji, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, as stated and supported by chronological history in the mutts/mathas.

Since this page was originally published, great things have come about. It began by some rather antagonistic individuals writing articles as mentioned above. However, the response when devotees approached the REAL authorities in the Madhwa mutts was overwhelming support for the Gaudiya sampradaya and for Iskcon - view the links HERE. (...and thank you)

"Srila Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvati Thäkura points out that the word “Tattvavädi” refers to the followers of Srila Madhväcärya. To distinguish his disciplic succession from the Mäyävädi followers of Shankaräcärya, Srila Madhväcärya named his party the Tattvavädis. Impersonal monists are always attacked by these Tattvavädis, who attempt to defeat their philosophy of impersonalism. Generally, they establish the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually the disciplic succession of Madhväcärya is known as the Brahmä Vaishnava sect; that is the sect coming down from Lord Brahmä.
    Consequently the Tattvavädis, or followers of Madhväcärya, do not accept the incident of Lord Brahmä’s illusion, which is recorded in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhägavatam. Srila Madhväcärya has purposefully avoided commenting on that portion of Srimad-Bhägavatam in which brahma-mohana, the illusion of Lord Brahmä, is mentioned. Srila Mädhavendra Puri was one of the acharyas in the Tattvaväda disciplic succession, and he established the ultimate goal of transcendentalism to be attainment of pure devotional service, love of Godhead. Those Vaishnavas belonging to the Gaudiya-sampradäya, the disciplic succession following Sri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu, are distinct from the Tattvavädis, although they belong to the same Tattvaväda - sampradäya. The followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu are therefore known as the Madhva - Gaudiya - sampradäya." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya-lila 9:11. purport.)

"The uncontaminated devotees who strictly depend on the Vedänta philosophy are divided into four sampradäyas, or transcendental parties. Out of the four sampradäyas, the Sri Madhväcärya-sampradäya was accepted by Mädhavendra Puri. Thus he took sannyäsa according to paramparä, the disciplic succession. Beginning from Madhväcärya down to the spiritual master of Mädhavendra Puri, the ächärya named Lakshmipati, there was no realization of devotional service in conjugal love. Sri Mädhavendra Puri introduced the conception of conjugal love for the first time in the Madhväcärya-sampradäya, and this conclusion of the Madhväcärya-sampradäya was revealed by Sri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu when He toured southern India and met the Tattvavädis, who supposedly belonged to the Madhväcärya-sampradäya." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya-lila 4:197. purport.)

"The Tattvavädi sect belongs to Madhväcärya’s Vaishnava community, but its behavior differs from the strict Madhväcärya Vaishnava principles." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya-lila 1:114. purport.)



                     naivopayanty apacitim kavayas tavesa
                      brahmayusapi krtam rddha mudah smarantah
                     yo'ntar bahis tanu bhrtam asubham vidhunvann
                      acarya caittya vapusa sva gatim vyanakti

"O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in the spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of the creator Brahma, for You appear in two features - externally as the acarya and internally as the caitya guru - to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to You."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 11:29:6.).

 srimad visnvanghri nisthatiguna gurutama-srimad anandatirtha
   trailokyacarya padojjvala jalaja lasat-pamsavo' sman punantu
 vacam yatra pranetri tribhuvana mahita sarada saradendu
   yotsna bhadra smitasri dhavalita kakubha premabharam babhara

"May we be sanctified and blessed by the shining dust particles coming from the lotus-like feet of Srimad Anandatirtha, the preceptor of the three worlds, who is adored for his steadfast devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so much so that upon the Lord's order Bharati (Saraswati), The Goddess of Speech, bestowed her favourable glowing smile in Anandatirtha's direction out of great love and appreciation for his service to the Lord. That full moon smile of his, now beams in all directions."(Hari Vayu Stuti 3.).

 asyaviskartukamam  kalimalakaluses sminhane jnanamargam
   vandyam candrendrarudra dyumaniphani-vayonayajadyairihadya
 madhwakhyam mantrasiddham kimuta krtavato marutasyavataram
   pataram paramesthyam padamapa vipadah prapturapanna pumsam

"It is obvious that I am incompetent in respect of glorifying Vayudeva. Sri Vayudeva, who reaches the status of four-faced Brahma, who fears no dangers, who has taken the avatar of Madhwa on this earth specifically to enlighten men that had become clouded by the poisonous philosophies of Kali Yuga. Sri Vayu is worshipped by Candra, Indra, Rudra, Surya, Garuda and other devas. He gives them shelter when they take refuge of him. His glories are celebrated in the Vedic mantras."(Hari Vayu stuti 6.)

 vande tam tva supurna pramatim anudinasevitam devavrndaih
   vande vandarumise sriya uta niyatam srimadandatirtham
 vande mandakinisat sarid-amalajalaseka sadhikya sangam
   vandesham deva bhaktya bhavabhaya-dahanam sajjanan modayantam
 
"I bow down to you; Sripad Purna Prajna Tirtha (Madhwa), you are always surrounded by the devotees who constantly adorn you with praises. I bow down to that same Anandatirtha who is himself worshipful and who engages himself in the service of Lord Visnu and Mother Laxmi. I bow down to him who is a walking place of pilgrimage; his association is more pure than even the sacred Ganges which touches the lotus feet of the Lord, for Sripad Madhwacarya's life is surrendered at those same lotus feet. Again I bow down to that Vayudeva incarnate with devotion, who destroys fear of repeated birth and death and confers his blessings upon the Lord's devotees."(Hari Vayu stuti 42.).

  ananda tirtha nama sukhamaya dhama yati jiyat
    samsararnava taranim yamiha janah kirtanyaniti budhah

"Let Sripad Ananda Tirtha (Madhwa Muni) be glorified for he is the source and abode of happiness and knowledge. Learned personalities have glorified him especially for his commentary of Srimad Bhagavatam, saying that definitely he is a good boat in which to cross this ocean of material existence."(Prameya Ratnavali).


Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Visits Udupi:
Madhya 9.246
nartaka gopäla dekhe parama-mohane
madhväcärye svapna diyä äilä täìra sthäne

TRANSLATION
While at the Uòupé monastery, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu saw “dancing Gopäla,” a most beautiful Deity. This Deity appeared to Madhväcärya in a dream.

Madhya 9.247
gopé-candana-tale ächila òiìgäte
madhväcärya sei kåñëa päilä kona-mate

TRANSLATION
Madhväcärya had somehow or other acquired the Deity of Kåñëa from a heap of gopé-candana that had been transported in a boat.

Madhya 9.248
madhväcärya äni’ täìre karilä sthäpana
adyävadhi sevä kare tattvavädi-gaëa

TRANSLATION
Madhväcärya brought this dancing Gopäla Deity to Uòupé and installed Him in the temple. To date, the followers of Madhväcärya, known as Tattvavädés, worship this Deity.

Madhya 9.249
kåñëa-mürti dekhi’ prabhu mahä-sukha päila
premäveçe bahu-kñaëa nåtya-géta kaila

TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu received great pleasure in seeing this beautiful form of Gopäla. For a long time He danced and chanted in ecstatic love.

Madhya 9.250
tattvavädi-gaëa prabhuke ‘mäyävädé’ jïäne
prathama darçane prabhuke nä kaila sambhäñaëe

TRANSLATION
When the Tattvavädé Vaiñëavas first saw Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, they considered Him a Mäyävädé sannyäsé. Therefore they did not talk to Him.

Madhya 9.251
päche premäveça dekhi’ haila camatkära
vaiñëava-jïäne bahuta karila satkära

TRANSLATION
Later, after seeing Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu in ecstatic love, they were struck with wonder. Then, considering Him a Vaiñëava, they gave Him a nice reception.

Madhya 9.252
‘vaiñëavatä’ sabära antare garva jäni’
éñat häsiyä kichu kahe gauramaëi

TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu could understand that the Tattvavädés were very proud of their Vaiñëavism. He therefore smiled and began to speak to them.

Madhya 9.253
täì-sabära antare garva jäni gauracandra
täì-sabä-saìge goñöhé karilä ärambha

TRANSLATION
Considering them very proud, Caitanya Mahäprabhu began His discussion.

Madhya 9.254
tattvavädé äcärya——saba çästrete pravéëa
täìre praçna kaila prabhu haïä yena déna

TRANSLATION
The chief äcärya of the Tattvaväda community was very learned in the revealed scriptures. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu humbly questioned him.

Madhya 9.255
sädhya-sädhana ämi nä jäni bhäla-mate
sädhya-sädhana-çreñöha jänäha ämäte

TRANSLATION
Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “I do not know very well the aim of life and how to achieve it. Please tell Me of the best ideal for humanity and how to attain it.”

Madhya 9.256
äcärya kahe,—‘varëäçrama-dharma, kåñëe samarpaëa’
ei haya kåñëa-bhaktera çreñöha ‘sädhana’

TRANSLATION
The äcärya replied, “When the activities of the four castes and the four äçramas are dedicated to Kåñëa, they constitute the best means whereby one can attain the highest goal of life.

Madhya 9.257
‘païca-vidha mukti’ päïä vaikuëöhe gamana
‘sädhya-çreñöha’ haya,——ei çästra-nirüpaëa

TRANSLATION
“When one dedicates the duties of varëäçrama-dharma to Kåñëa, he is eligible for five kinds of liberation. Thus he is transferred to the spiritual world in Vaikuëöha. This is the highest goal of life and the verdict of all revealed scriptures.”

Madhya 9.258
prabhu kahe,—çästre kahe çravaëa-kértana
kåñëa-prema-sevä-phalera ‘parama-sädhana’

TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “According to the verdict of the çästras, the process of hearing and chanting is the best means to attain loving service to Kåñëa.

PURPORT
According to the Tattvavädés, the best process for achieving the highest goal of life is to execute the duties of the four varëas and äçramas. In the material world, unless one is situated in one of the varëas (brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya or çüdra) one cannot manage social affairs properly to attain the ultimate goal. One also has to follow the principles of the äçramas (brahmacarya, gåhastha, vänaprastha and sannyäsa), since these principles are considered essential for the attainment of the highest goal. In this way the Tattvavädés establish that the execution of the principles of varëa and äçrama for the sake of Kåñëa is the best way to attain the topmost goal. The Tattvavädés thus established their principles in terms of human society. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, however, differed when He said that the best process is hearing and chanting about Lord Viñëu. According to the Tattvavädés, the highest goal is returning home, back to Godhead, but in Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s opinion the highest goal is attaining love of Godhead, in either the material world or the spiritual world. In the material world this is practiced according to çästric injunction, and in the spiritual world the real achievement is already there.

Madhya 9.259-260
çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù
smaraëaà päda-sevanam
arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà
sakhyam ätma-nivedanam

iti puàsärpitä viñëau
bhaktiç cen nava-lakñaëä
kriyeta bhagavaty addhä
tan manye ’dhétam uttamam

TRANSLATION
“‘This process entails hearing, chanting and remembering the holy name, form, pastimes, qualities and entourage of the Lord, offering service according to the time, place and performer, worshiping the Deity, offering prayers, always considering oneself the eternal servant of Kåñëa, making friends with Him and dedicating everything unto Him. These nine items of devotional service, when directly offered to Kåñëa, constitute the highest attainment of life. This is the verdict of the revealed scriptures.’

PURPORT
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu quoted these verses from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (7.5.23–24).

Madhya 9.261
çravaëa-kértana ha-ite kåñëe haya ‘premä’
sei païcama puruñärtha—puruñärthera sémä

TRANSLATION
“When one comes to the platform of loving service to Lord Kåñëa by executing these nine processes, beginning with hearing and chanting, he has attained the fifth platform of success and the limit of life’s goals.

PURPORT
Everyone is after success in religion, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately merging into the existence of Brahman. These are the general practices of the common man, but according to the strict principles of the Vedas, the highest attainment is to rise to the platform of çravaëaà kértanam, hearing and chanting about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.1.2):

dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsaräëäà satäà
vedyaà västavam atra vastu çiva-daà täpa-trayonmülanam
çrémad-bhägavate mahä-muni-kåte kià vä parair éçvaraù
sadyo hådy avarudhyate ’tra kåtibhiù çuçrüñubhis tat-kñaëät

“Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhägavata Puräëa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhägavatam, compiled by the great sage Çré Vyäsadeva, is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhägavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.” This verse of Çrémad-Bhägavatam rejects as cheating processes all religious activities that aim at achieving materialistic goals, including dharma, artha, käma and even mokña, or liberation.
According to Çrédhara Svämé, the material conception of success (mokña, or liberation) is desired by those in material existence. Devotees, however, not being situated in material existence, have no desire for liberation.
A devotee is always liberated in all stages of life because he is always engaged in the nine items of devotional service (çravaëam, kértanam, etc.). Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s philosophy holds that devotional service to Kåñëa always exists in everyone’s heart. It simply has to be awakened by the process of çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù [SB 7.5.23]. Çravaëädi çuddha-citte karaye udaya (Cc. Madhya 22.107). When a person is actually engaged in devotional service, his eternal relationship with the Lord, the servant-master relationship, is awakened.

Madhya 9.262
evaà-vrataù sva-priya-näma-kértyä
jätänurägo druta-citta uccaiù
hasaty atho roditi rauti gäyaty
unmäda-van nåtyati loka-bähyaù

TRANSLATION
“‘When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.’

PURPORT
This verse is a quotation from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.2.40).

Madhya 9.263
karma-nindä, karma-tyäga, sarva-çästre kahe
karma haite prema-bhakti kåñëe kabhu nahe

TRANSLATION
“In every revealed scripture there is condemnation of fruitive activities. It is advised everywhere to give up engagement in fruitive activities, for no one can attain the highest goal of life, love of Godhead, by executing them.

PURPORT
In the Vedas there are three käëòas, or divisions: karma-käëòa, jïäna-käëòa and upäsanä-käëòa. The karma-käëòa portion stresses the execution of fruitive activities. But ultimately it is advised that one abandon both karma-käëòa and jïäna-käëòa (speculative knowledge) and accept only upäsanä-käëòa, or bhakti-käëòa. One cannot attain love of Godhead by executing karma-käëòa or jïäna-käëòa. But by dedicating one’s karma, or fruitive activities, to the Supreme Lord, one may be relieved from the polluted mind, and becoming free from mental pollution helps elevate one to the spiritual platform. Then, however, one needs the association of a pure devotee, for only by a pure devotee’s association can one become a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa. When one comes to the stage of pure devotional service, the process of çravaëaà kértanam is very essential. By executing the nine items of devotional service, beginning with çravaëaà kértanam, one is completely purified. Anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam  [Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.1.11]. Only then is one able to execute Kåñëa’s orders in the Bhagavad-gétä (18.65):

man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru
mäm evaiñyasi satyam te pratijäne priyo ’si me

sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekaà çaranaà vraja
ahaà tväà sarva-päpebhyo mokñayiñyämi mä çucaù
 [Bg. 18.66]

“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” In this way one develops his original constitutional position of rendering loving service to the Lord.
One cannot be elevated to the highest platform of devotional service by karma-käëòa or jïäna-käëòa. Pure devotional service can be understood and attained only through the association of pure devotees. In this regard, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura states that there are two types of karma-käëòa activities—pious and impious. Pious activities are certainly better than impious activities, but even pious activities cannot bring about ecstatic love of God, Kåñëa. Pious and impious activities can bring about material happiness and distress, but there is no possibility of one’s becoming a pure devotee simply by acting piously or impiously. Bhakti, devotional service, means satisfying Kåñëa. In every revealed scripture, whether stressing jïäna-käëòa or karma-käëòa, the principle of renunciation is always praised. The ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, is the supreme Vedic evidence. In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.5.12) it is said:

naiñkarmyam apy acyuta-bhäva-varjitaà
na çobhate jïänam alaà niraïjanam
kutaù punaù çaçvad abhadram éçvare
na cärpitaà karma yad apy akäraëam

“Knowledge of self-realization, even though freed from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord?” This means that even knowledge, which is superior to fruitive activity, is not successful if it is devoid of devotional service. Therefore in Çrémad-Bhägavatam—in the beginning, middle and end—karma-käëòa and jïäna-käëòa are condemned. For example, in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.1.2) it is said, dharmaù projjhita-kaitavo ’tra.
This is explained in the following verses taken from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.11.32) and the Bhagavad-gétä (18.66).

Madhya 9.264
äjïäyaivaà guëän doñän
mayädiñöän api svakän
dharmän santyajya yaù sarvän
mäà bhajet sa ca sattamaù

TRANSLATION
“‘Occupational duties are described in the religious scriptures. If one analyzes them, he can fully understand their qualities and faults and then give them up completely to render service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A person who does so is considered a first-class man.’

Madhya 9.265
sarva-dharmän parityajya
mäm ekaà çaranaà vraja
ahaà tväà sarva-päpebhyo
mokñayiñyämi mä çucaù

TRANSLATION
“‘Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. [Bg. 18.66]’

Madhya 9.266
tävat karmäëi kurvéta
na nirvidyeta yävatä
mat-kathä-çravaëädau vä
çraddhä yävan na jäyate

TRANSLATION
“‘As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù [SB 7.5.23], one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions.’

PURPORT
This is a quotation from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.20.9).

Madhya 9.267
païca-vidha mukti tyäga kare bhakta-gaëa
phalgu kari’ ‘mukti’ dekhe narakera sama

TRANSLATION
“Pure devotees reject the five kinds of liberation; indeed, for them liberation is very insignificant because they see it as hellish.

Madhya 9.268
sälokya-särñöi-sämépya-
särüpyaikatvam apy uta
déyamänaà na gåhnanti
vinä mat-sevanaà janäù

TRANSLATION
“‘Pure devotees always reject the five kinds of liberation, which include living in the spiritual Vaikuëöha planets, possessing the same opulences as those possessed by the Supreme Lord, having the same bodily features as the Lord’s, associating with the Lord and merging into the body of the Lord. The pure devotees do not accept these benedictions without the service of the Lord.’

PURPORT
This is a verse from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.29.13).

Madhya 9.269
yo dustyajän kñiti-suta-svajanärtha-därän
prärthyäà çriyaà sura-varaiù sadayävalokäm
naicchan nåpas tad ucitaà mahatäà madhu-dviö-
sevänurakta-manasäm abhavo ’pi phalguù

TRANSLATION
“‘It is very difficult to give up material opulence, land, children, society, friends, riches, wife or the blessings of the goddess of fortune, which are desired even by great demigods. But King Bharata did not desire such things, and this was quite befitting his position, because for a pure devotee whose mind is always engaged in the service of the Lord, even liberation, or merging into the existence of the Lord, is insignificant. And what to speak of material opportunities?’

PURPORT
This is a verse from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (5.14.44) concerning the glorification of King Bharata, whom Çukadeva Gosvämé was describing to King Parékñit.

Madhya 9.270
näräyaëa-paräù sarve
na kutaçcana bibhyati
svargäpavarga-narakeñv
api tulyärtha-darçinaù

TRANSLATION
“‘A person who is a devotee of Lord Näräyaëa is not afraid of a hellish condition, because he considers it the same as elevation to the heavenly planets or liberation. The devotees of Lord Näräyaëa are accustomed to seeing all these things on the same level.’

PURPORT
This is a verse from Çrémad-Bhägavatam (6.17.28) regarding the personality Citraketu. Once when Citraketu saw the goddess Pärvaté sitting on the lap of Lord Çambhu (Çiva), he criticized Lord Çiva for being shameless and sitting just like an ordinary man with his wife on his lap. For this reason Citraketu was cursed by Pärvaté. Later he became a demon named Våträsura. Citraketu was a very powerful king and a devotee, and he could certainly retaliate even against Lord Çiva, but when Pärvaté cursed him, he immediately accepted the curse with a bowed head. When he agreed to accept this curse, Lord Çiva praised him and told Pärvaté that a devotee of Lord Näräyaëa is never afraid of accepting any position provided there is a chance to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the purport of näräyaëa-paräù sarve na kutaçcana bibhyati.

Madhya 9.271
mukti, karma——dui vastu tyaje bhakta-gaëa
sei dui sthäpa’ tumi ‘sädhya’, ‘sädhana’

TRANSLATION
“Both liberation and fruitive activity are rejected by devotees. You are trying to establish these things as life’s goal and the process for attaining it.”

Madhya 9.272
sannyäsé dekhiyä more karaha vaïcana
nä kahilä teïi sädhya-sädhana-lakñaëa

TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu continued speaking to the Tattvavädé äcärya: “Seeing that I am a mendicant in the renounced order of life, you have been playing with Me in a duplicitous way. You have not actually described the process and ultimate objective.”

Madhya 9.273
çuni’ tattväcärya hailä antare lajjita
prabhura vaiñëavatä dekhi, ha-ilä vismita

TRANSLATION
After hearing Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the äcärya of the Tattvaväda sampradäya became very much ashamed. Upon observing Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s rigid faith in Vaiñëavism, he was struck with wonder.

Madhya 9.274
äcärya kahe,——tumi yei kaha, sei satya haya
sarva-çästre vaiñëavera ei suniçcaya

TRANSLATION
The Tattvavädé äcärya replied, “What You have said is certainly factual. It is the conclusion of all the revealed scriptures of the Vaiñëavas.

Madhya 9.275
tathäpi madhväcärya ye kariyäche nirbandha
sei äcariye sabe sampradäya-sambandha

TRANSLATION
“Still, whatever Madhväcärya has established as the formula for our party we practice as a party policy.”

Madhya 9.276
prabhu kahe,—karmé, jïäné,——dui bhakti-héna
tomära sampradäye dekhi sei dui cihna

TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “Both the fruitive worker and the speculative philosopher are considered nondevotees. We see both elements present in your sampradäya.

Madhya 9.277
sabe, eka guëa dekhi tomära sampradäye
satya-vigraha kari’ éçvare karaha niçcaye

TRANSLATION
“The only qualification that I see in your sampradäya is that you accept the form of the Lord as truth.”

PURPORT
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted to point out to the Tattvavädé äcärya, who belonged to the Madhväcärya-sampradäya, that the general behavior of the Tattvavädés did not favor pure devotional service, which must be devoid of the taints of fruitive activity and speculative knowledge. As far as fruitive activity is concerned, the contamination is the desire for elevation to a higher standard of life, and for speculative knowledge the contamination is the desire to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth. The Tattvaväda sampradäya of the Madhväcärya school sticks to the principle of varëäçrama-dharma, which involves fruitive activity. Their ultimate goal (mukti) is simply a form of material desire. A pure devotee should be free from all kinds of material desire. He simply engages in the service of the Lord. Nonetheless, Caitanya Mahäprabhu was pleased that the Madhväcärya-sampradäya, or the Tattvaväda sampradäya, accepted the transcendental form of the Lord. This is the great qualification of the Vaiñëava sampradäyas.
It is the Mäyäväda sampradäya that does not accept the transcendental form of the Lord. If a Vaiñëava sampradäya is also carried away by that impersonal attitude, that sampradäya has no position at all. It is a fact that there are many so-called Vaiñëavas whose ultimate aim is to merge into the existence of the Lord. For example, the sahajiyäs’ Vaiñëava philosophy is to become one with the Supreme. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu points out that Çré Mädhavendra Puré accepted Madhväcärya only because his sampradäya accepted the transcendental form of the Lord.

Madhya 9.278
ei-mata täìra ghare garva cürëa kari’
phalgu-térthe tabe cali äilä gaurahari

TRANSLATION
Thus Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu broke the pride of the Tattvavädés to pieces. He then went to the holy place known as Phalgu-tértha.
From the Bhaktivedanta Vedabase


Co-operation the key to pleasing the Lord:
Ideally we would like it that as sons, brothers, cousins, etc., of Sri Krishna's family, that rather than spend our time bad-mouthing, criticizing, and in general wasting time in such negative interactions. It would benefit the world more, if we each recognise the common attributes that we're all aspiring Vaishnavas and come together for the common good of glorifying the Lord, for whom we're all dependent, and co-operating with each other to satisfy His needs instead of ours.

"Just as a king gives protection to his citizens, these devotees, following the principles of devotional service, will give protection to all the people of the world. The people of the world are very much harassed by so-called religious-principled svämés, yogés, karmés and jïänés, but none of these can show the right way to become elevated to the spiritual platform. There are primarily four parties spreading devotional service all over the universe. These are the Rämänuja-sampradäya, the Madhva-sampradäya, the Viñëusvämi-sampradäya and the Nimbärka-sampradäya. The Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya in particular comes from Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. All these devotees are spreading this Kåñëa consciousness movement very widely and giving protection to innocent people who are being so much embarrassed by pseudo-avatäras, -svämés, -yogés and others." (Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srimad Bhagavatam 4:28:31. purport.)

An analogy may be given of a pool with the central focal point being the Lord. Now if we each and every one of us keep that focus and make our gesticular offering to the centri-focal point - Sri Krishna, what will happen is that throughout the world we will get nice concentric ripples that give the above protection and satisfaction to the peoples. However, when we become only interested in proving points, serving our own self interested natures, rather than serving the Lord - instead of nice concentric ripples we get ego-centric clashes.

In the world today, so many people are turning away from the service of the Lord, or from religion in general. Much of it has to do with the inner dealings, lack of integrity, even corruption, of various institutions - and NONE go without some skeleton in the closet somewhere.

Often we are finding that the one's who jump up and down, scream and shout the most, the indignant finger pointers, are those who neglect to notice the three fingers pointing back in their direction, and for some that's a pretty bitter pill to swallow, but a necessary one to improve the spiritual health.

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Leaders of Madhwa mutts come forward to support Gaudiya heritage: