Episode Details

📎 Main topics:

- The Vaishnava schools

- Nimbārkacarya meets Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

- Ramanujacarya - Visistadvaita-vada

(specific monism, non-dualism with distinctions, or purified monism)

- The three wishes of Yamunacarya

- The Visistadvaita philosophy

- Madhvacarya - Suddha-dvaita (purified dualism)The Vaishnava schools

- Sankaracarya spoke the truth, but not the whole truth. He hinted at the true conclusion of the Vedas being the process of devotional service, but most of his followers were not able to catch it. Instead, they emphasized the impersonal aspects of the philosophy and ended up becoming full-blow Mayavadis.

- However, the work of Sankaracarya was not in vain. He fulfilled his mission of reducing the influence of Buddhism in India and brought back the study of the Vedas and the acceptance of Brahminical culture.

- Although not able to understand the real meaning of the scriptures, people again accepted the knowledge of the scriptures as infallible knowledge, and this opened the path for the advent of the four great Vaishnava acaryas, culminating with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

- Each of the four acaryas was able to establish a new component of the devotional philosophy, creating the conditions for the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who brought the conclusion.

- Each of the four acaryas had full knowledge of the conclusion of the scriptures, but they were teaching according to time, place, and circumstance, fulfilling their missions.

- When we study the philosophies of the four great acaryas, we can find differences between them, but we should not see them as contradictions, but just as different points of view of the same Supreme Absolute truth. They all agreed on the fundamental conclusions.

Nimbārkacarya meets Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

- In the Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya (chapter 16), it is described a visit of Nimbārkacarya to Navadvīpa, where he met with the four Kumaras. They told him:

"Knowing that Kali-yuga would be dark, the merciful Lord decided to preach devotion. He empowered four devotees and sent them to preach devotion throughout the world. Rāmānuja, Madhvācārya, and Viṣṇu Swāmī are three of them. You are the fourth of these great devotees. Lakṣmī Devī accepted Rāmānuja, Brahmā accepted Madhvācārya, and Śiva accepted Viṣṇu Svāmī. Today, we have met you personally. We will make you our disciple and thus become fortunate. This is our purpose."

- After giving him initiation, the Kumaras instructed Nimbārkacarya on the teachings of the Sanat-kumāra-saṁhitā and in the worship of Radha and Krsna.

- By faithfully doing that, He finally had the Dharshan of the divine couple, who revealed to him their combined form as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He told him:

"O great soul, for now, keep this form a secret. Preach devotion to Kṛṣṇa and the Pastimes of the Divine Couple. Their Pastimes are My greatest joy. When I appear in the form of Gaura, I will find great pleasure in Pastimes of scholarship. At that time, you will take birth in Kāśmīr and travel throughout the land of Bhārata, conquering all directions. Everyone, everywhere, will call you Keśava Kāśmīrī and praise you for being highly learned. While travelling, you will come to Navadvīpa Dhāma and stay in the village of Māyāpura. Hearing your name, the greatest scholars in Navadvīpa will flee. At that time, immersed in Pastimes of scholarship, I will defeat you and feel great pleasure. By the grace of Sarasvatī, you will understand My identity, take shelter of Me, and give up your pride. Then, I will give you devotion and send you to preach devotion again. So for now, satisfy Me by preaching the conception of dualistic non-dualism and keep My identity secret. When I start My saṅkīrtana Pastimes, I will preach the essence of your conception."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu them revealed:

"When I st