The Tattva Sandarbha starts here:

First Theme: Invoking and delimiting the main topic

 

Sri Krishna jayati

 

Thus begins, with this invocation that tends to evoke good wishes, the first section of the Tattva-sandarbha, which in turn is the first chapter of the Bhagavata-sandarbha (also called Sat-sandarbha).

The verb jayati, (here conjugated in the third person singular), indicates that the subject to which it refers must be glorified in order to be remembered. Krishna Bhagavan is the Supreme God and He is the subject. Therefore, this is not only an invocation, but also a clear prelude to the core of the work of the maha-bhagavata, the great bhakta of the highest level, Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Sri Srimad Jiva Gosvami Maharaja.

 

No devotee would ever begin such work without first addressing words of devotion and gratitude to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

Sri is an honorific term and means “glorious” and “wonderful”. Therefore, in saying Sri Krishna jayati, Jiva Gosvami urges us to read his Tattva-sandarbha with a devotional mentality and predisposition, without which the understanding of his secrets would be only general and superficial.

 

Then he invites us with him to a sacred recitation and to listen to the wonderful characteristics of Krishna. With the phrase Sri Krishna jayati, Jiva Gosvami summarizes in a few words the ultimate purpose of his work, which is to describe (kirtanam) the characteristics of the Lord. This enables us, baddha-jiva, to purify our hearts and minds from all material contamination. This is the first step in the direction of returning to God, to our true home, and it is the opening of a treasure that contains the ultimate pleasure of eternity in the spiritual life.

 

Here sri does not mean only an honorific title, but must necessarily represent sriyah, the most beloved of Krishna, Srimati Radharani. In fact, the word sriyah means “the most expensive”. The Lord does not accept glorification or service unless it is given to Him through the Goddess, the personification of hladini-sakti, Srimati Radhika, with devotion.

The Brahma-vaivarta Purana states that Lord Madhava blossoms with joy whenever He hears the syllable ‘ra’, and when the syllable ‘dha’ reaches His ear, He pursues the one who has uttered it to reward him. To reach Krsna, devotional service must flow through Radha. In practical terms, for us who are initiated on the path of bhakti, this implies that we must perform devotional service in the forms and disciplines indicated by the gopis of Vrindavana and their representatives, the Masters of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya.

 

This truth finds a standard-bearer of the highest reliability, Sri Mahaprabhu himself. In the Caitanya Caritamrita, Krishnadasa Gosvami informs us of his thoughts on this, in the following words: 

“To please Krsna it is necessary to satisfy the gopis, of which Radharani is the chief.”

 

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the most famous Vaishnava of the century, says: 

“In Vrindavana people are more accustomed to chanting the name of Srimati Radharani than that of Krishna. Jaya Radhe! If you want Krsna’s favor, then try to please Srimati Radharani.” 

Therefore, if there is a serious intention to cleanse the heart of anarthas, one must understand and apply the teachings of the gopis, which arise from one’s own life. Therefore, it is recommended to serve and glorify Radha first and then Krishna.

 

Jiva Gosvami, in his invocation, certainly could not forget his Goddess, in whose service he is eternally engaged in Goloka Vrindavana as Vilasa-manjari. Therefore, Sri must necessarily mean Srimati Radharani.

This is a section of the book “Tattva Sandarbha”, in English.

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