Gaurabda 511

Ç ré Rü pä nuga Pä ramä rthika Vidyä pé ö ha

Ç ré dhä m Mayapur

Foreword by H.H. Bhä nu Svä mé

Ç ré la Gopä la Bhaö ö a Gosvä mé has compiled “Sat Kriyä Sä ra Dé pikä ” as a Vedic saà skä ra manual for the Vaiñ ë ava community. Recognizing that most of the Vaiñ ë avas are gå hasthas, and that they should perform the saà skä ras, he has given a procedure that is not contradictory or offensive to the Vaiñ ë ava ideals.

The first half of his manual is an argument for the worship of Viñ ë u to the exclusion of devatä s, with ample scriptural evidence. The usual saà skä ra manuals are compiled by those who are interested in karma khaë ò a (accumulating material fruits), and prescribe worship of the devatä s and pitå s for material prosperity. Therefore, in his practical procedure for saà skä ras, Gopä la Bhaö ö a Gosvä mé substitutes worship of Gaë eç a, the material ç aktis, and the planetary deities for worship of Viñ ë u and His associates. Whereas worship of devatä s (who are mixed devotees), brings only material auspiciousness, worship of Viñ ë u and His associates (who are pure devotees), brings spiritual deliverance.

Gopä la Bhaö ö a Gosvä mé cites the alternative for the Vaiñ ë ava according to the Padma Purä ë a:

ananya ç araë o bhakto nä ma mantreñ u dé kñ itaù

kadä cin nä rcayed devä n gaë eç ä dé à s tu vaiñ ë avaù

yatra yatra surä ù pü jyä gaë eç ä dyas tu karmië ä m

viñ ë varcane tatra tatra vaiñ ë avä nä à hi vaiñ ë avä ù

viç vaksenaà sa sanakaà sanä tana mataù param

sananda sanat kumä ra paï caitä n pü jayet tataù

“The devotee interested in pure devotion to the Lord, and initiated with Vaiñ ë ava mantra should never worship Gaë eç a and the other devatä s. Wherever the karmis prescribe worship of Gaë eç a and the devatä s, the Vaiñ ë ava should worship the pure devotees of Viñ ë u. Thus instead of worshipping Gaë eç a to remove material obstacles, the devotee should worship Viç vaksena (the commander-in-chief of Viñ ë u’s army in Vaikuë ö ha) and the four Kumä ras, to remove obstacles on the spiritual path.”(Padma Purä ë a, cited in Sat Kriyä Sä ra Dé pikä)

In the same way, instead of worshipping the nine planetary Deities one should worship the nine Yogendras, and instead of worshipping the Dik-Pä las (protectors of the ten directions) one should worship the Mahä Bhä gavatas. Instead of worshipping the Mä tå Gaë a (sixteen female demigoddesses in charge of various material functions) one should worship the the Lord's consorts who are the shelter of all spiritual and material energies.

Ç ré la Bhaktisiddhä nta Sarasvaté Ö hä kura has accepted Sat Kriyä Sä ra Dé pikä as the authorized Vaiñ ë ava manual for yajï a and saà skä ras, just as he has accepted Hari Bhakti Vilä sa as the authorized scripture for arcana, and has recommended that all Vaiñ ë ava gå hasthas should follow these procedures.

Bhä nu Svä mé