Re: request to clarify the following doubt
From the Bhakti List Archives
• January 16, 2001
Dear Sri Balaji, I have read very little of Srila Prabhupada's voluminous translation and commentary on Srimad BhAgavatham. But, I am a little taken aback that he would suggest something mundane in his interpretations of Sri Krishna's leelas. From attending discourses at our local ISKCON temple, I was under the impression that ISKCON is very much in line with other Vaishnava traditions in its understanding that the relationship that the Lord shared with the Gopis of BrindAvanam is far beyond worldly pleasures, and indeed, is far outside the realm of understanding of baddhajivAtmas. The residents of BrindAranyam are indicative of the three types of people we find in the world: the rare souls who have given themselves completely to God, those who need Him only to help them in self-interested pursuits, and those who neither know about God nor care to know about Him. Of these three, the first are the gopikas who, out of their pure sAtvika nature, simply and innnocently lived only for Krishna and His enjoyment. It is this anubhAvam that our Andal has been sharing in her words with all of us over this month long celebration of mArgazhi, and it is in our hearing Her words and our AchAryans' pravachanams about them that we can begin to at least slightly understand to know what Pure Love for Him is really like. I am unaware of a formal SriVaishnava vyAkhyAnam on Srimad bhAgavatham (perhaps more erudite members can enlighten us on this). But based on what I have learned, would like to suggest that Sri Potana's translation and elaboration of the work in Telugu is considered by many scholars to be more supportive of the SriVaishnava position. I hope that readings of this work may help you in gaining further clarification on this subject. I would also suggest that you make efforts to contact an ISKCON devotee to determine whether or not the work that you have read is really Srila Prabhupada's commentary or has just been attributed to him. Ramanuja Dasan Mohan -------------------------------------------------------------- - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH - To Post a message, send it to: bhakti-list@eGroups.com Search archives at http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/index.html#SEARCH Manage your subscription at http://www.egroups.com/mygroups
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