Advaita Acarya’s Deity , SAC’s paper
Listed below are evidences for both sides of the issue, our analysis and conclusion.
Pro-Beard Evidence (mainly from Srila Prabhupada’s letters, lectures and conversations)
1) The Panca-tattva can all be golden. The Deity of Lord Caitanya is very nicely done so there is no need to change the color. Yes, Srivas Pandit has sikha. Vaisnava must have sikha. Advaita Prabhu has a full white beard. He was an old man. He was practically older than the father of Lord Caitanya. He was an elder gentleman in the town of Navadvipa, elder of the brahmana community.
(Letter to Govinda Dasi / 20 November 1971)
2) ìAccording to Caitanya Mahaprabhuís sampradaya, they keep themselves clean-shaven. And only single instance is there, Advaita Prabhu. He had his beard. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu never asked Him to cleanse. Because one reason is that Advaita Prabhu was just contemporary to His father, so He did not like to dictate. But otherwise, all His disciples, they were clean-shaved. (Lecture / Cc Madhya 20.66-96 / 21 November1966)
3) ìYou see this picture, five learned brahmanas. In the center there is one picture who is Lord Caitanya. He started this movement when He was only seventeen years old, a boy. A boy onlyóa schoolboy. He was student, but He introduced this movement five hundred years ago, and some of the elderly men, as you see, one elderly man with beard, He also helped Him, and the othersÖActually this movement was originally started by young boys. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, and Advaita Prabhu, They started. (Brandeis University Lecture / April 29, 1969)
4) ìAs far as wearing beards one class of men like Advaita Prabhu never wore clean shaven appearance but always had a beard.î (Letter to Murlidhara [BBT artist] / 7 March 1974 LA)
5) ìYou can also arrange for costumes and wig; one boy may be dressed as Lord Caitanya, another as Nityananda, as well as Gadadhara, Advaita with white beard and Srivasa with shaven head.î (Letter to Hamsaduta / 3 March, 1968 LA)
6) ìYes, the Panca-tattva picture is standard, no need of changing.î (Letter to Jadurani / 8 April 1968)
7) ìThank you for the nice photos. I saw one photo there of Bharadrajaís doll studio along with the others. You can tell him that we want many Panca-tattva Deities made out of cement or plaster paris. They can be made the same size as the L.A. Gaura-Nitai Deities.î (Letter to Kalacanda / 31 May 1975 Honolulu)
[NOTE: Here Srila Prabhupada does not say he wanted the Deities to be different than the instructions he had given for Deities and paintings of Advaita Prabhu. This may be taken as evidence that the instruction to Govinda Dasi did not refer to only one set of Deities.]8 ) ìAs you have suggested I am instructing Bharadraja to immediately make a new set of Panca-tattva Deities for our Hawaii temple.î (Letter to Gurukrpa / 6 April 1977 Bombay)
[NOTE: In 1977 new Panca-tattva Deities were made for the Hawaii temple, according to the same standard as the first set, with Advaita Prabhu having a beard.]9) ìI have enclosed herewith some photos from the deity installation of Panca-tattva in Honolulu. I remember that you have good ability to do propaganda work, so I am entrusting that you will try for printing these photos in the big newspapers in Bombay. You can write that they are taken at the deity installation in our Honolulu ISKCON center on May 7, 1972.î (Letter to Cyavana / 23 May, 1972 LA)
[NOTE: Prabhupada wanted the pictures of Advaita Prabhu with a beard printed in the newspapers in Bombay, India.]10)
Bhavananda: These are the remnants of old dioramas that we had.
Prabhupada: That means you have broken them?
Bhavananda: They were broken.
Prabhupada: Huh? Broken by?
Jayapataka: Time. They were clay. They started just fallingÖ. No doll maker is here. After one year they started to fall apart.
Tamala Krsna: Is this last yearsí exhibit?
Bhavananda: From three years ago.
Tamala Krsna: Three years ago. Last yearsí are still good?
Prabhupada: No, they break.
Bhavananda: Some. The Panca-tattva andÖ
Jayapataka: They should have been put in the Ganges.
Prabhupada: No, how it breaks? They keep it for years, and you broke them?
How youÖ? How you broke? Automatically?
(Morning Walk / January 16, 1976, Mayapur)
[NOTE: This conversation indicates that there were Panca-tattva dioramas in Mayapur that Srila Prabhupada knew about. We assume that Advaita Prabhu in this Panca-tattva diorama was shown with a beard, as always in ISKCON. This diorama was obviously for display in Mayapur, and would have been seen by the local people, and not just ISKCON members. This could be investigated further. It is meager evidence, but it does offer some indication.]12) In the book Gauradesa: A Devotional Guide to Navadvipa Dhama, by Manjari Devi Dasi, there is on page 157 a photo of a painting of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda, and Advaita Acarya speaking about the confidential pastimes of Lord Krsna. The painting shows Advaita Prabhu with a beard. The painting is in a small shrine at the house of Advaita Acarya in Santipura.
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Anti-Beard Evidence (from various sources)
1) Srila Sarasvati Thakuraís Panca-tattva Deities at the Yogapitha in Mayapur: No beard
2) Srila Sarasvati Thakuraís Deities at Srivas Angam in Mayapur: No beard
3) Sri Advaita Acarya Deity at Santipura: No beard
4) Gosvami-parivaras insist that He did not have one. (In their paintings they portray Him in a youthful form.) [Gosvami-parivara means a lineage of Gaudiya Vaisnavas, generally caste brahmanas]
5) Advaitastakam verse: eka-anga tridha murti kaisoradi sada varam
(ìAll three of Them are one personality in three forms. Their forms are eternally youthfulî.)
6) Caitanya Bhagavata purport by Srila Sarasvati Thakura [the verse itself could be taken as evidence for pro-beard, but see the commentary]
Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 16.99
tarjje garjje acarya dadite diya hata
bhrukuti kariya nace santipura-natha
ìThe Acarya threatened and roared, placing his hand on his beard. That Lord of Santipura furled his eyebrows and began to dance.î (translated by Gopiparanadhana Prabhu)
Original Bengali commentary by Srila Sarasvati Thakura:
sri-advaita-prabhu sastracara-sampanna gumpha-smasru-kesadi-mundita chilena. dadi va cibuke ye unnata kesa (smasru) deya yaya; uhake sadharana bhasaya ëdadií bale. taj-janya keha keha anabhijnata-vase ajna bauliyara vesa smasru-kesadir niyoga karena. kintu prakrta prastave tini mundita-kesa chilena. tanhake ënadaí-sabde abhihita karaya mundita-keseri nirdesa bujha yaya.
Translation of Commentary
ìSri Advaita Prabhu was perfectly fixed in proper behavior according to scripture, and was clean shaven, without whiskers, beard and hair on his head. A ëbeardí or long-grown hair (smasru) found on the chin is called in the vernacular dadi. Therefore some people, swayed by their ignorance, try to ascribe to Him the dress of a foolish Baul and a Baulís beard, hairy head and so on. But actually He had all His hair shaven. This is indicated by the word Nada, which refers to one who is clean-shaven.î (translated by Gopiparanadhana Prabhu)
[NOTE: Srila Sarasvati Thakura seems to cross over the information in the verse to make his point. He is clearly concerned that no one accepts Sri Advaita Prabhu a Baul.]Opinions from two ISKCON leaders:
7) H.H. Jayapataka Swami: ìIn this detail of iconography which Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura specifically said wasnít bona fide, I canít imagine that Srila Prabhupada would have maintained it if he was aware of these instructions.î
8 ) H.G. Krsna Ksetra Prabhu: ìAs for determining the weight of different pramanas, my understanding has always been that Srila Prabhupada considered his books as decisive and normative for the Society, over and above particular comments he wrote to particular devotees in letters or made to specific devotees should there seem to be contradiction. Mutatis mutandis, we may consider, as he showed consistent concern to honor the instructions of his Guru Maharaja, he would expect an explicit instruction from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura written in one of his published books to be honored by us. I think this can be a general guiding principle. But in a particular case there might be other considerations outweighing this one.î
Observation of Evidence
It is clear that there are two views: one coming from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and one from our Srila Prabhupada. How can we reconcile these two varying perspectives?
Analysis
One argument for a beardless deity of Advaita Acarya is that we should follow Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Certainly we should follow the previous acaryas. Sometimes, as in the case of Maharaja Priyavrata, the param-guru may override the decision of the guru. In this regard, Srila Prabhupada wrote, ìThe duty of a great devotee is to carry out the order of the spiritual master, or the spiritual master of the spiritual master in the parampara system. ì (SB 5.1.20 purport) Unfortunately, neither Srila Prabhupada nor his Guru Maharaja is physically present with us. Srila Prabhupada also wrote, ìIn the Skanda Purana it is advised that a devotee follow the past acaryas and saintly persons, because by such following one can achieve the desired results, with no chance of lamenting or being baffled in his progress.î (NOD Ch. 7)
A guruís authority is derived from the scriptures, and from Krsna Himself through the parampara of sadhus. Therefore, one must evaluate and apply the instructions of the guru in the context of these other twoósadhu and sastra. Yet, simultaneously, one understands sadhu, sastra and tradition, through the guru.
There are two dangersóone is to follow Prabhupadaís literal instructions without reference to sadhu, sastra and tradition. Such following could easily become blind and condemned. This type of obedience runs the risk of preserving in stone, not eternal principles, but interpretation and application. Truth is then lost in institutional formula, so that hundreds of years from now, a ìSunday love feastî will become unquestionable canon.
On the other hand, if any difference or apparent difference between Prabhupadaís instructions and tradition or other sadhus or sastra is decided in an opposite way as to what Prabhupada gave us, we run the risk of losing our identity as his followers. Our goals, values, and practices become so fluid that anyone can bring anything from the tradition and assert its place and superiority in our Society. There are reasons, albeit reasons we may not fully understand, for how and why Prabhupada did things. When those reasons are clearly or most likely circumstantial, then it is our duty to consider an issue fluid. When the reasons are not apparent at all, or the context is clearly applicable to all members for all times (such as mangala aratrika or sixteen rounds minimum) then we should cease to be ISKCON if we make a change of institutional policy, except in a very rare case or in a temporary emergency.
It would be easy if tradition, the examples of sadhus, sastric instructions, and the guidance of guru were always the same for everyone. However, such cannot be the case in a vibrant tradition that is rooted in eternal individuality as an element of absolute truth. Individuality directly implies different perspectives and decisions, even in the realm of transcendence which is freed from the bias of cheating and imperfect senses.
ìSo far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material. Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhsnta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy. Every individual being must have his opinion; that is the significance of individuality, but all such differences of opinions must coincide in Krishna.î (Letter to Mandali Bhadra / 28 July 1969)
ìWherever there are individuals there is bound to be difference of opinion.î (Letter to Rupanuga / 14 February 1973)
There are many instances where great acaryas do not concur. ìAs for your question about Santa Rasa and the opinions of Rupa Goswami and Sridhara Swami, I donít remember. You can send me the appropriate passages. There is no reason why Acaryas cannot differ on certain points.î (Letter to Upendra / 19 February 1972)
Sometimes this difference of opinion occurs due to what would appear to be a matter of objective facts, as in the following: ìAccording to Sripada Sridhara Svami, the original commentator on the Bhagavatam, there is not always a devastation after the change of every Manu. And yet this inundation after the period of Caksusa Manu took place in order to show some wonders to Satyavrata. But Sri Jiva Gosvami has given definite proofs from authoritative scriptures (like Visnu-dharmottara, Markandeya Purana, Harivamsa, etc.) that there is always a devastation after the end of each and every Manu. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti has also supported Srila Jiva Gosvami, and he (Sri Cakravarti) has also quoted from Bhagavatamrta about this inundation after each Manu.î (SB 1.3.15 purport)
Where there exists such differences between our founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada and his guru, his godbrothers, anyone else in our Gaudiya tradition, other acaryas in other sampradayas, or statements of scripture, our first inclination should be to simply follow Srila Prabhupada because ìa basic principle is that one has to accept a spiritual master. Exactly how one follows the instructions of his spiritual master is considered a detail. For example, if one is following the instruction of his spiritual master and that instruction is different from the instructions of another spiritual master, this is called detailed information. But the basic principle of acceptance of a spiritual master is good everywhere, although the details may be different.î (NOD Ch 6)
Overriding Criteria
To follow othersí statements, even Srila Prabhupadaís own guru, Srila Sarasvati Thakura, and override Srila Prabhupadaís statements, there should be one or more of the following criteria:
Srila Prabhupada stated that his instruction was based on time, place, and circumstance.
Srila Prabhupada gave differing instructions on the same topic at different times, places, or to different individuals, showing implicitly that the instruction was relative.
There is an emergency where life is in danger, such as preaching in a Muslim country.
There is a unique circumstance which Prabhupada never encountered and there is ambiguity as to whether the instruction is general or relative due to its rarity of occurrence and/or unknown factors about the circumstances in which it was given.
There is ambiguity as to the general or relative nature of the instruction, and to take a different course would greatly enhance the preaching. Such a decision should be with a consensus of a large body of strict followers of Srila Prabhupada. This ambiguity could be present if the instruction didnít occur in purports, or not in purports and public lectures, or was not generally practiced in ISKCON or was of a very peripheral nature to our basic preaching work. Consensus would exist if there were no marked controversy even among senior, strict followers who have a reputation for brahminical, independent thinking and are fluid and innovative in their preaching application. A greatly enhanced result does not exist where the proposed gain is uncertain.
In the case before us of whether or not to have a beard on the Deity of Advaita Acarya, all of Prabhupadaís instructions on the matter indicate that he wished for Advaita Acarya to be shown with a beard. All the paintings in ISKCON publications show Him this way, as do the Deities which Prabhupada personally directed in Hawaii. There is no evidence that Prabhupada intended these instructions to be relative. The negative evidences that he did not give these specific instructions for Mayapur, nor present them in purports and public lectures are not strong enough unless there are witnesses to the circumstances in Hawaii and with the artists to be unique in some way.
Argument
The statements of the two respected ISKCON devotees (7 & 8 ) above are basically that if Srila Prabhupada was physically with us today and read the quoted commentary by his Guru Maharaja in the Caitanya-bhagavata, then surely he would make an adjustment and withdraw the beard from the Deity of Sri Advaita Acarya. This is a possibility. He might just do that.
The Gaudiya Matha temples (1&2) referred to above present Deities of Sri Advaita Acarya without a beard. This also indicates the opinion and instruction of Srila Sarasvati Thakura, at least in regards to the murti of Sri Advaita Prabhu in Mayapura. This corresponds to and supports his Caitanya-bhagavata commentary.
Counter Argument
The statements of the senior devotees (7 & 8 above) make two assumptions that cannot be demonstrated:
1) That Srila Prabhupada was unaware of the statement by Srila Bhaktisiddh‰nta Sarasvati Thakura. In other words, he may have been aware of it. During the time of Srila Sarasvati Thakura, Caitanya-bhagavata was published and widely read by Gaudiya Matha devotees due to their guruís recommendation. It is also possible that Srila Prabhupada had already read that specific comment or at least was aware of the Panca-tattva Deities installed in the Gaudiya Matha temples.
2) That if he was aware of it, he would have simply accepted it. Although his acceptance is possible, it is also possible, however, that if informed of this Srila Prabhupada might reply, ìOh, my Guru Maharaja established the murti of Sri Advaita Acarya as such because . . .î
Further Reasoning
We cannot be cent percent sure of how Srila Prabhupada would have reacted to this issue. If we decide to alter the appearance of the Deity of Sri Advaita Acarya in one or more ISKCON temples based on the possibility that Prabhupada had not known about the Caitanya-bhagavata commentary, we do so at the risk of displeasing Srila Prabhupada.
We do know for sure that Srila Prabhupada directly instructed his disciple in Honolulu to present the Deity of Advaita Acarya with a full white beard. And in a letter dated 1974 to a BBT artist in regards to his own books he wrote, ìAdvaita Prabhu never wore clean shaven appearance but always had a beard.î
To propose that Srila Prabhupada did not see the Deities at the Yogapitha or did not read Srila Sarasvati Thakuraís commentary to Caitanya-bhagavata is also negative evidence, somewhat speculative and inconclusive at best. It is also possible that Srila Sarasvati Thakuraís commentary was due to relative circumstances.
Srila Prabhupada did not unequivocally state that his instruction to Govinda Dasi in Honolulu for installing the Deity of Advaita Prabhu should be applied in all future circumstances. However, there is also no indication that the instruction to Govinda Dasi should not be applied in future circumstances. Nor did Prabhupada ever ask that Advaita Acarya be shown in any other way. Moreover, the pro-beard references above (7-10) offer indications of future application the instruction to Govinda Dasi.
SACís Conclusion
We take shelter of guru, sadhu and sastra as our guidelines. Can we emphasize guru and overlook the other pramanas? That should generally not be done. We must accept Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakuraís vision of Advaita Prabhu as one variant of the truth. In other words, one should not be considered a heretic if he presents Advaita Prabhuís Deity without a beard.
Ultimately, there are no opposing opinions between guru and sadhu, although at times acaryas may take positions that are in fact different. There is some transcendental reason for their taking a different position, temporarily. But ultimately, there is no difference among them. If there is, however, some apparent difference, then we should accept what our own acarya says while waiting for Krsna to reveal how there really is no difference. That is a reasonable approach to the question of pramanas.
In other words, siddhanticly speaking, both forms of Advaita Prabhu are acceptable by our sampradaya, but since our founder-acarya has specifically instructed us to present Advaita Prabhu with a beard in ISKCON, the SAC recommends the GBC to follow the instructions given to Govinda Dasi in 1974 by Srila Prabhupada. This should be generally followed when installing deities of Sri Advaita Acarya in ISKCON.
Rare Circumstances
In a very rare situation, e.g. in a location where it may be somehow unfavorable for ISKCONís preaching or for differentiating Gaudiya Vaisnavism from the Bauls or other deviant sects, we accept the possibility that an adjustment could be made according to time, place and circumstance. Such circumstances should be determined by the GBC. (A relative consideration such as preventing Bauls from authorizing their sect may be the very reason why Sarasvati Thakura installed the beardless murti of Sri Advaita Acarya and wrote his commentary to Caitanya Bhagavata.) Nevertheless, any possible local circumstances should be weighed against the impact of overriding Srila Prabhupadaís directions.
Disclaimer
SACís conclusion does not indicate that an ISKCON devotee may ignore the instructions of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. It should be understood that there may sometimes exist a variety of bona fide instructions coming from different acaryas. We pray that Srila Sarasvati Thakura will accept our decision as proper for chaste disciples. Furthermore, our conclusion might possibly be read by some as ISKCONís stepping away from the wider Sarasvata Gaudiya tradition. This is not the case, and it should be clearly understood and explained if need be.
Mayapura: Relative Considerations (loka-vicara)
What reasons are given for installing a Deity of Advaita Prabhu without a beard in Mayapura? One is a concern that other Gaudiya members and organizations will criticize us otherwise. A second concern might be to not give credence to apasampradayas. Let us discuss the former reason.
Neighboring Gaudiya Matha devotees in Mayapur might criticize a Deity of Advaita Acarya with a beard. The small Panca-tattva, however, has been in Mayapur for years with a bearded form of Advaita Acarya. Still, Jayapataka Maharaja has maintained working relationships with the other Gaudiya branches there. Therefore it doesnít seem likely that our neighbors will get too upset about us having a bearded Deity of Advaita Prabhu.
Another example to illustrate this is the Ugra Nrsimha Deity. He is like nothing ever seen in Bengal. We have heard that this Deity provoked much curiosity among the local Gaudiyas. Often devotees from other mathas visited just to have a look at Him. The excitement gradually died down, as it eventually will do. So why does a concern for increased unity among the Sarasvati family mean quid pro quo we should install a Deity of Advaita Acarya in Mayapur without a beard?
There will be little or no gain from changing the Deity in Mayapur to be like those at the Yogapitha. With the present small Panca-tattva and Ugra Nrsimha, our relationships with the other Gaudiya Mathas seem to be good, fair, or poor depending on the specific individuals involved more than such differences. There are so many differences, and surely we are not going to imitate all the aspects of the mathas simply for public relations. Such was not Prabhupadaís general mood, though he made some accommodations to local customs.
The potential harm, however, from changing the form of Advaita Acarya is great. It would set a standard that when there is some difference between Prabhupada and other acaryas that we will choose the others if we feel we will gain some advantage. This mentality is prevalent in those who have left ISKCON, accepting other Gaudiya leaders as siksa-guru. When there is a disagreement between our Srila Prabhupada and their siksa-guru, they explain Prabhupada through the latter. We would want, instead, to understand these others through the medium of Srila Prabhupada. We risk creating a free-for-all where temples change things dramatically to accommodate local people. Such is already happening in some ISKCON centers, ìHinduizingî or ìNew Ageingî some places almost beyond recognition. An additional loss would be the loss of the good wishes of many of ISKCONís loyal members. On the other hand, very few ISKCON members will feel upset if a bearded Advaita Acarya is installed.
Again, after considering the relative situation, SAC recommends that the Deity of Advaita Acarya should be installed with a beard as generally done in ISKCON.
A Piece of ISKCONís History (as presented by HH Suhotra Swami)
Within ISKCON there is a beardless Sri Advaita Deity Who has been worshiped for17 years.
In 1986, the Harikesa Swami installed Panca-tattva Deities in Almviksgaard farm, which is an ISKCON community near Stockholm, Sweden. Some time previous to that installation, Harikesa had been informed by HH Jayapataka Maharaja that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wrote that Sri Advaita should never be worshiped with beard.
As an ISKCON guru, Harikesa was sometimes carried away by his own ideas. It was due to this tendency that he finally departed ISKCON some five years ago and has become a New Age guru of sorts. This information from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakuraís commentary inspired him to take an implacable position that the Sri Advaita Deity for Almviksgaard must be cast without a beard. Some of his Godbrothers in the zone tried to talk him out of it, but those were still de facto the zonal acarya days. Although by that time, the zonal acarya system was officially repudiated. His point of view was final. There was no reasoned discussion at that time; simply Harikesa took it that our Founder-acarya had made a mistake in establishing Sri Advaita with a beard as an ISKCON standard.
Thus the Sri Advaita Deity worshiped from 1986 to today at ISKCON Almviksgaard has no beard. He is not worshiped with a wig-hair beard. He has white hair but is as clean-shaven as the other four Deities of Sri Panca-tattva. This was recently confirmed by a Swedish devotee who was present at the 1986 installation.
Two points can be made here: 1) There is a precedent within ISKCON of the installation and worship of Panca-tattva with a beardless Sri Advaita. 2) With regards to Srila Prabhupadaís own statements, the validity of this precedent is questionable; the decision at that time to install the Sri Advaita Deity in this form was whimsical.
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Advaita Acarya never had a beard
dear devotees
Please accept my humble obaisences
Jaya Sri Guru and Gauranga ,jaya Gandarvika Giridhari
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Last year I brought the issue of Advaita Acarya not having a beard discussion. The GBC has responded http://gbc.iskcon.org/2012/01/26/sacs-paper-on-sri-advaita-acaryas-…
I previosuly wrote:
Dear Devotees
Please accept my humble obaisences
Jaya Srila Prabhupada
Now most pictures of Srila Advaita Acarya in ISKCON depicts Him with a beard, what is the souce for this? Something Srila Prabhupada said? Yes but Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada said he has no beard ,so the authority of SrilaBhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada is higher in this matter.
However no where in sastra is it mentioned the CC, Caitanya Bhagavad, Caitanya Mangal etc
Also in his Dhyanachandra Paddhati , nowhere do we find that DhyanachandraGoswami has described that Advaita Acarya has a beard.
Whatever it may be, normally in hindu society , mustach was more common, but here we are talking about the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Maha Visnu that has appeared as Advaita Acarya.
Dhyanachandra Goswami has given the following mantra and Gayatri mantra for Advaita Acarya:
Mantra :Klim Advaitaya Svaha
Gayatri Mantra: Klim Advaitaya vidmahe maha visnave dhimahi tan no advaitahpracodayat
These mantras are found in the Padma Purana and given as highly confidential mantras to Narada Muni
Dhyanachandra Goswami has given some other for our meditation on Advaita Acarya such as :
“With my head at His lotusfeet ,I offer my humble obaisences unto the merciful Advaitachandra ,whose heart is drowned in the ocean of prema.
He delievers infinite number of devotees, and is honored and worshipped by Caitanyachandra”
And he has given a Dhyana,meditation as follows:
” I meditate on the root of transcendental joy,Sri Advaita Prabhu,whose lotusfeet are always served by the bhaktas.He wears cloth as white
as the moon or a kunda flower( a jasmine flower).He has a pure golden complexion ,beautiful arms and a smiling face.His eyes always lovingly gaze
upond the lotusface of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He readily benedictions and fearlessness to the devotees and His lustrous body is ornamented
by prema”
At some Gaudiya maths in Navadvipa, like at Srivasa Angam we see that Advaita Acaryas ,Arca Vigraha ,has no beard.
Of course one interesting note is there is an ancient Partha Sarathi temple in Madras (Chennai) where you see Krsna and Arjuna have mustaches.
This Deity was visited and accepted by Lord Caitanya also as described in CC, but we have never heard or seen the mustach of Krsna and Arjuna
mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam?So these things are very mysterious, though maybe not to important…but I thought I would mention this for
the pleasure of the vaisnavas.
May Srila Advaita Acarya bless us all with the sweet taste for the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, and enabel us to chant 100.000 names everyday (64 rounds)
as ordered by Lord Caitanya,may Srila Advaita Acarya invest us all with the bhakti sakti to preach pure Krsna consciouness,without any ulterations.
At the lotusfeet of Nitai Gaura ,Sri Advaita Acarya, along with Sri Gadadhara and Srivasa Pandita we offer our humble obaisences millions and millions
of times.
Your humble servant
Paramananda das
So the sastra council writes:
SACís paper on Sri Advaita Acaryaís Deity
SACís paper on Sri Advaita Acaryaís Deity
Listed below are evidences for both sides of the issue, our analysis and conclusion.
Pro-Beard Evidence (mainly from Srila Prabhupadaís letters, lectures and conversations)
1) ìThe Panca-tattva can all be golden. The Deity of Lord Caitanya is very nicely done so there is no need to change the color. Yes, Srivas Pandit has sikha. Vaisnava must have sikha. Advaita Prabhu has a full white beard. He was an old man. He was practically older than the father of Lord Caitanya. He was an elder gentleman in the town of Navadvipa, elder of the brahmana community.î (Letter to Govinda Dasi / 20 November 1971)
2) ìAccording to Caitanya Mahaprabhuís sampradaya, they keep themselves clean-shaven. And only single instance is there, Advaita Prabhu. He had his beard. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu never asked Him to cleanse. Because one reason is that Advaita Prabhu was just contemporary to His father, so He did not like to dictate. But otherwise, all His disciples, they were clean-shaved. (Lecture / Cc Madhya 20.66-96 / 21 November1966)
3) ìYou see this picture, five learned brahmanas. In the center there is one picture who is Lord Caitanya. He started this movement when He was only seventeen years old, a boy. A boy onlyóa schoolboy. He was student, but He introduced this movement five hundred years ago, and some of the elderly men, as you see, one elderly man with beard, He also helped Him, and the othersÖActually this movement was originally started by young boys. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, and Advaita Prabhu, They started. (Brandeis University Lecture / April 29, 1969)
4) ìAs far as wearing beards one class of men like Advaita Prabhu never wore clean shaven appearance but always had a beard.î (Letter to Murlidhara [BBT artist] / 7 March 1974 LA)
5) ìYou can also arrange for costumes and wig; one boy may be dressed as Lord Caitanya, another as Nityananda, as well as Gadadhara, Advaita with white beard and Srivasa with shaven head.î (Letter to Hamsaduta / 3 March, 1968 LA)
6) ìYes, the Panca-tattva picture is standard, no need of changing.î (Letter to Jadurani / 8 April 1968)
7) ìThank you for the nice photos. I saw one photo there of Bharadrajaís doll studio along with the others. You can tell him that we want many Panca-tattva Deities made out of cement or plaster paris. They can be made the same size as the L.A. Gaura-Nitai Deities.î (Letter to Kalacanda / 31 May 1975 Honolulu)
[NOTE: Here Srila Prabhupada does not say he wanted the Deities to be different than the instructions he had given for Deities and paintings of Advaita Prabhu. This may be taken as evidence that the instruction to Govinda Dasi did not refer to only one set of Deities.]
8 ) ìAs you have suggested I am instructing Bharadraja to immediately make a new set of Panca-tattva Deities for our Hawaii temple.î (Letter to Gurukrpa / 6 April 1977 Bombay)
[NOTE: In 1977 new Panca-tattva Deities were made for the Hawaii temple, according to the same standard as the first set, with Advaita Prabhu having a beard.]
9) ìI have enclosed herewith some photos from the deity installation of Panca-tattva in Honolulu. I remember that you have good ability to do propaganda work, so I am entrusting that you will try for printing these photos in the big newspapers in Bombay. You can write that they are taken at the deity installation in our Honolulu ISKCON center on May 7, 1972.î (Letter to Cyavana / 23 May, 1972 LA)
[NOTE: Prabhupada wanted the pictures of Advaita Prabhu with a beard printed in the newspapers in Bombay, India.]
10)
Bhavananda: These are the remnants of old dioramas that we had.
Prabhupada: That means you have broken them?
Bhavananda: They were broken.
Prabhupada: Huh? Broken by?
Jayapataka: Time. They were clay. They started just fallingÖ. No doll maker is here. After one year they started to fall apart.
Tamala Krsna: Is this last yearsí exhibit?
Bhavananda: From three years ago.
Tamala Krsna: Three years ago. Last yearsí are still good?
Prabhupada: No, they break.
Bhavananda: Some. The Panca-tattva andÖ
Jayapataka: They should have been put in the Ganges.
Prabhupada: No, how it breaks? They keep it for years, and you broke them?
How youÖ? How you broke? Automatically?
(Morning Walk / January 16, 1976, Mayapur)
[NOTE: This conversation indicates that there were Panca-tattva dioramas in Mayapur that Srila Prabhupada knew about. We assume that Advaita Prabhu in this Panca-tattva diorama was shown with a beard, as always in ISKCON. This diorama was obviously for display in Mayapur, and would have been seen by the local people, and not just ISKCON members. This could be investigated further. It is meager evidence, but it does offer some indication.]
12) In the book Gauradesa: A Devotional Guide to Navadvipa Dhama, by Manjari Devi Dasi, there is on page 157 a photo of a painting of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda, and Advaita Acarya speaking about the confidential pastimes of Lord Krsna. The painting shows Advaita Prabhu with a beard. The painting is in a small shrine at the house of Advaita Acarya in Santipura.
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Anti-Beard Evidence (from various sources)
1) Srila Sarasvati Thakuraís Panca-tattva Deities at the Yogapitha in Mayapur: No beard
2) Srila Sarasvati Thakuraís Deities at Srivas Angam in Mayapur: No beard
3) Sri Advaita Acarya Deity at Santipura: No beard
4) Gosvami-parivaras insist that He did not have one. (In their paintings they portray Him in a youthful form.) [Gosvami-parivara means a lineage of Gaudiya Vaisnavas, generally caste brahmanas]
5) Advaitastakam verse: eka-anga tridha murti kaisoradi sada varam
(ìAll three of Them are one personality in three forms. Their forms are eternally youthfulî.)
6) Caitanya Bhagavata purport by Srila Sarasvati Thakura [the verse itself could be taken as evidence for pro-beard, but see the commentary]
Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 16.99
tarjje garjje acarya dadite diya hata
bhrukuti kariya nace santipura-natha
ìThe Acarya threatened and roared, placing his hand on his beard. That Lord of Santipura furled his eyebrows and began to dance.î (translated by Gopiparanadhana Prabhu)
Original Bengali commentary by Srila Sarasvati Thakura:
sri-advaita-prabhu sastracara-sampanna gumpha-smasru-kesadi-mundita chilena. dadi va cibuke ye unnata kesa (smasru) deya yaya; uhake sadharana bhasaya ëdadií bale. taj-janya keha keha anabhijnata-vase ajna bauliyara vesa smasru-kesadir niyoga karena. kintu prakrta prastave tini mundita-kesa chilena. tanhake ënadaí-sabde abhihita karaya mundita-keseri nirdesa bujha yaya.
Translation of Commentary
ìSri Advaita Prabhu was perfectly fixed in proper behavior according to scripture, and was clean shaven, without whiskers, beard and hair on his head. A ëbeardí or long-grown hair (smasru) found on the chin is called in the vernacular dadi. Therefore some people, swayed by their ignorance, try to ascribe to Him the dress of a foolish Baul and a Baulís beard, hairy head and so on. But actually He had all His hair shaven. This is indicated by the word Nada, which refers to one who is clean-shaven.î (translated by Gopiparanadhana Prabhu)
[NOTE: Srila Sarasvati Thakura seems to cross over the information in the verse to make his point. He is clearly concerned that no one accepts Sri Advaita Prabhu a Baul.]
Opinions from two ISKCON leaders:
7) H.H. Jayapataka Swami: ìIn this detail of iconography which Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura specifically said wasnít bona fide, I canít imagine that Srila Prabhupada would have maintained it if he was aware of these instructions.î
my comment to this is:
Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 16.99
tarjje garjje acarya dadite diya hata
bhrukuti kariya nace santipura-natha
ìThe Acarya threatened and roared, placing his hand on his chin (not His beard as translated by Gopiprana das). That Lord of Santipura furled his eyebrows and began to dance.î
And this is the only place in all of the books of the Acaryas and Goswamis such a thing has been misunderstood and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada is very specific:
Also for years we where taught that in the ISKCON songbook , the first vers of Ye anilo prema dhana refers to Srinivasa Thakura this is a mistake. It is Advaita Acarya.
Now Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada stated that Advaita Acarya is clean shaven :ìSri Advaita Prabhu was perfectly fixed in proper behavior according to scripture, and was clean shaven, without whiskers, beard and hair on his head. A ëbeardí or long-grown hair (smasru) found on the chin is called in the vernacular dadi. Therefore some people, swayed by their ignorance, try to ascribe to Him the dress of a foolish Baul and a Baulís beard, hairy head and so on. But actually He had all His hair shaven. This is indicated by the word Nada, which refers to one who is clean-shaven.î
But we see in the Yoga pitha that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada had Advaita Acarya depicted with long hair, it appears in the Bhauma lila of Advaita Acarya there is no beard and no hair , sikha is not mentioned…..but in the Nitya lila there is long hair (of transcendental nature) this is the expert opinion I have recived from Navadvipa basis, so I stick to that understanding as it makes the most sense. As for Srila Prabhupadas mistake in this , Srila Prabhupada did not live in a Gaudiya math temple and was not given such training.Also Srila Prabhupada translated the Gunja berries of Lord Caitanyas Govardhana sila as small conschells , that is a mistake.Srila Prabhupada was not trained in arcana he was a preacher of sastra so these mistakes does not deminish his preaching ,
Srila Prabhupada also once stated that the Dvaraka sila can be used as a paper weight this is also a mistake due to his lack of training in Arcana seva.Sastra has glorified the Dvaraka sila :
The Brahma Purana states that wherever shalagrama-shila and Dvaraka-shila sit together, there certainly mukti also resides. In the conversation between Brahma and Narada in the Skanda Purana Brahma says, “O Munishvara! Wherever dvaraka-shila sits in front of the shalagrama-shila every class of opulence goes on increasing unlimitedly.” In another place it says that one who daily worships dvaraka-shila along with twelve shalagrama-shila will be honored even in Vaikuntha-dhama.
I hope this is helpfull .Regarding the editing of Srila Prabhupadas mistakes such as Gunja berries over small conschells and planet of the trees to Pitris (properly Hayagrivas mistake) who will object , but changing the wordings of Srila Prabhupada? That is not good,and Jayadvaita Swami /Dravida has done so with Srila Prabhupadas Bhagavad Gita changing his very words in the name of editing , claiming there is another Bhagavad Gita manuscripts that does not exist that is fraud ….
vaisnava das anu das
Paramananda das
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