VI. Temples - Outside Puri
7. Baladeva vidyabhushana
Objectives:
Objective 2: To know about birth, childhood and education of Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana.
Introduction
Objective 1 : To know about Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana as a great Gaudiya Vaishnava acharya and his literary contribution.
Knowing about the acharya Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana is a must for every ISKCON devotee. His meeting in Jagannath Puri with Sri Radha Damodara Pandit is a turning point in his life. After a few days of hearing wisdom from Sri Radha Damodara, he accepted initiation into the Radha-Krishna mantra, and in due course he became a great Gaudiya Vaishnava acharya. He belongs to the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya, coming in the disciplic succession from Lord Brahma → Madhvacharya → Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Let us study the incidents that occurred in Jagannath Puri in the life of Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana.
Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu (Sri Govinda Dasa) was a pure devotee of the highest order, who cared for nothing but the service of the Lord. He had no desire at all for name and fame. He was the composer of many scriptures which are as priceless as precious gems, for the ultimate benefit of all those who have taken human birth.
He is most famous for writing the Govinda-bhashya, a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra.
Birth and Childhood
Objective 2 : To know about the birth, childhood and education of Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana.
The exact location of his birth, the names of his mother and father, and their family tree are not known. The exact circumstances of his birth and childhood are, therefore, unknown. Still, some are of the opinion that he took birth in a place called Baleshvara, a village neighboring Remuna, Orissa, in the early part of the 18th century A.D., as the son of a vaishya, an agriculturist.
In his youth, he mastered Sanskrit grammar, poetry, and logic. Baladeva Vidyabhusana became a dig-vijaya pandit (conqueror of all opponents) and began visiting holy places. Wherever he went, he defeated the local sages, scholars, and sannyasis.
After wandering in this way for some time and visiting many holy places, he stayed at a temple of the Tattvavadi followers of Sri Madhvacharya. There, he became fluent in his understanding of the tattvavada-siddhanta (the philosophical conclusions of Madhva’s followers). After this, he took sannyasa and preached the tattvavada-siddhanta vigorously throughout India.
Meeting with Sri Radha Damodara Pandit
Objective 3: To understand the importance of Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s meeting with Radha Damodara Pandit in Jaganathpuri.
As he wandered from one place to another, he gradually came to Jagannath Puri. There he remained and preached for a few days. At that time, he met Sri Radha-Damodara Pandit who was the grand-disciple of Rasikananda (a preacher who had established the Gaudiya movement throughout Orissa).
Radha-Damodara, a scholar of Gaudiya philosophy, explained to Baladeva the position of Lord Chaitanya, supporting his points with quotations from Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
“Sri Krishna Chaitanya is the Supreme Godhead Himself. He came to flood the world with Krishna-prema. He did not consider it necessary to write a separate commentary on Vedanta-sutra because Srimad-Bhagavatam, written by the same author Vyasa, is the natural commentary.”
Baladeva’s Observation
Objective 4: To know about the Observation and consequent Initiation of Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana.
Radha-Damodara advised Baladeva to study the Bhagavata-sandarbha of Srila Jiva Gosvami. For many days, they discussed these works.
Baladeva observed that Jiva Gosvami did not significantly differ from Madhva on essential points. However, Jiva Gosvami presented the philosophy in a more refined and systematic way, which deeply impressed him.
He was also instructed on the pastimes and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, especially his discussions with Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya.
Now convinced of the Gaudiya philosophy, Baladeva requested initiation into the Gaudiya sampradaya. Since he was already initiated, Radha-Damodara did not perform a formal initiation but accepted him through a ceremony in which Baladeva dedicated himself to the service of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Thus, Baladeva became a member of the Gaudiya sampradaya and mastered Gaudiya philosophy, especially the doctrine of Achintya Bheda Abheda (inconceivable oneness and difference).
Objective 5: To know about Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusana as a disciple of Viswanath Chakravati Thakora and the instruction to the disciple.
After staying with Radha-Damodara Goswami, he was instructed to go to Vrindavan and study under Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura.
Objective 6: To understand about the challenge faced and the title received ‘Vidyabhusana’ in Jaipur.
In 1706 A.D., Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura sent him to Galta (near Jaipur, Rajasthan) to uphold the credibility of Mahaprabhu’s movement. The Ramanandis challenged the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, claiming they had no right to worship Govindaji because they lacked a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra.
Govinda-bhashya
To meet this challenge, Baladeva Vidyabhusana composed the Govinda-bhashya, the Gaudiya Vaishnava commentary on the Vedanta-sutra. By the mercy of Lord Govindaji, he completed it in a very short time (traditionally said within seven days).
Using this work, he firmly established Gaudiya Vaishnavism as an authorized and independent philosophical tradition. He successfully defeated opposing scholars and reinstated the Gaudiya Vaishnavas in the service of Govindaji in Jaipur.
This great achievement earned him the title “Vidyabhusana.”
Objective 7 : To know about Shrimad Baladeva Vidyabhusaba’s other works, disciples, qualities that adorned him, disappearance and glorification by Srila Prabhupada.
Other Works
Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana was a niskincana-parama bhagavata, a fully renounced and exalted devotee of Lord Krishna. He composed more than twenty-four books and commentaries that help devotees understand Gaudiya philosophy.
Important works include:
– Govinda-bhashya
– Siddhanta Ratna
– Vedanta Syamantaka
– Prameya Ratnavali
– Siddhanta Darpana
– Kavya Kaustubha
– Aishvarya Kadambini
– Vyakarana Kaumudi
– Padakaustubha
– Gitabhushana Bhashya
Personal Qualities that adorned Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana
– Extremely humble and free from false prestige
– Fully detached (niskincana)
– Completely dedicated to Krishna’s service
– Protector of Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Disciples and Spiritual Identity
He had two exalted disciples: Sri Uddhava Dasa and Sri Nandana Mishra.
According to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, in Chaitanya-lila he is Sri Gopinatha Acarya, and in Krishna-lila he serves as Ratnavali Devi.
Disappearance
Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana disappeared in the year 1768.
Glorification
Srila Prabhupada glorified him for presenting the Govinda-bhashya so wonderfully by dedicating Bhagavatgita as It Is to Baladeva Vidyabhusana.
