Sri Tattva Sandarbha

In this purport, Srila Prabhupada wrote: “The Bhagavata-sandarbha is also known as the Sat-sandarbha. In the first part, called Tattva-sandarbha it is proved that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the most authoritative evidence directly pointing to the Absolute Truth. The second Sandarbha, called Bhagavat-sandarbha, draws a distinction between impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma and describes the spiritual world and the domination of the mode of goodness devoid of contamination by the other two material modes. In other words, there is a vivid description of the transcendental position known as suddha-sattva.

The Tattva-sandarbha begins with an eight-verse mangalacarana where the author prays to his worshipable Deity, reveals the subject of the book, and discloses the qualifications that the reader must possess. Next, Srila Jiva Gosvami argues that the Vedas, being sabda-brahman, are the best authority for understanding the absolute Truth. It is then explained that the Puranas, along with the Mahabharata, constitute the fifth Veda. And, among all the Puranas and histories, Sri Jiva makes a most convincing argument that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the best of all, for indeed it is the ripened fruit of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge.

The subject matter of all Vedic literature is said to be sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana. After establishing the fact that the individual living entities are eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord, the author concludes that the activity in relation to the Lord is devotional service. He says: “For this reason the individual living entities are by nature meant to worship and serve the Supreme Lord. This devotional service to the Lord. This devotional service to the Lord is known as abhidheya.” Prayojana is defined as the attainment of love for the Lord.

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta it is said: Sri Rupa Gosvami’s nephew, Srilajiva Gosvami, has compiled so many books on devotional service that there is no counting them. In Sri Bhagavatasandarbha, Srila Jiva Gosvami has written conclusively about the ultimate end of devotional service.

In the purport, Srila Prabhupada wrote: ‘The Bhagavata-sandarbha is also known as the Sat-sandarbha. In the first part, called Tattva-sandarbha, it is proved that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the most authoritative evidence directly pointing to the Absolute Truth.”

Elsewhere in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta ri1a Prabhupada wrote: “In the Gaura-gak1oddea-dipika (195) it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was formerly Vilasa-manjari gopi from his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He later came to Navadvipa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama. After visiting Navadvipa-dhama he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana Vacaspati, and after finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vrndavana and took shelter of his uncles, Sri Rupa and Sanatana.

“After the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami in Vrndavana, Srilajiva Gosvami became the acarya of all the Vaisnavas in Bengal, Orissa and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them in their devotional service. In Vrndavana he established the Radha-Damodara temple, where, after retirement, we had the opportunity to live from 1962 until 1965, when we decided to come to the United States of America.

“When Jiva Gosvami was still present, Srila Ksnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compiled his famous Caitanya-caritamrta. Jiva Gosvami was very kind to the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the Vaisnavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vrndavana he provided with a residence and prasadam.”

The Tattva-sandarbha begins with an eight-verse mangalacarana where the author prays to his worshipable Deity, reveals the subject of the book, and discloses the qualifications that the reader must possess. Next, Srilajiva Gosvami argues that the Vedas, being Sabda-brahman, are the best authority for understanding the Absolute Truth. It is then explained that the Puranas, along with the Mahabharata, constitute the fifth Veda. And, among all the Puranas and histories, Sri Jiva makes a most convincing argument that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the best of all, for indeed it is the ripened fruit of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge.

After establishing Srimad-Bhagavatam as the best authority, the author goes to great length to disprove the foolish idea of the impersonalists, that the individual living entities and the Supreme Lord are one and the same in all respects. To do this, it is conclusively shown that the Supreme Person is the master of the illusory energy and thus never under her influence, whereas the individual living entities are apt to become conditioned by her modes. The author quotes the so-called maha-vakyas repeatedly brought up by the impersonalists to support their conclusion of undifferentiated oneness, and then gives their actual meaning. In this way the philosophy of Lord Caitanya, known as acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, the inconceivable oneness and difference of the individual living entities with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is established.

The subject matter of all Vedic literature is said to be sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana. After establishing the fact that the individual living entities are eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord, the author concludes that the activity in relation to the Lord is devotional service. He says: “For this reason the individual living entities are by nature meant to worship and serve the Supreme Lord. This devotional service to the Lord is known as abhidheya.” Prayojana is defined as the attainment of love for the Lord.

Devotional service explained as being in two categories, known as sadhana-bhakti and prema-bhakti. And, from the evidence of .54rimad-Bhagavatatn, as well as from other scriptures, it is concluded that Lord Ka is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

This is by far the shortest of the six sandarbhas, and it sets the stage for the further understanding that will he presented in the next five. Kusakratha Prabhu has provided with a very concise and easy-to-read translation of this philosophical work and it was a pleasure to go through it very care fully and relish its contents.