Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Vallabh and Pushti Marga (Path of Grace)
Someone at www.sulekha.com mentioned in their post that they speak
Braj Bhasha.It gives me a twinge of nostalgia to see Braj Bhasha language
mentioned. This is the language of the Asta Chap poets of the
Vallabhacharya lineage of the Pushti Marga. An American when to India
and learned that language, and became initiated in that lineage as
Shyam Das. He translated Asta Chap poets, 84 Vaishnavas, and various
works from masters of that grihastha lineage like "Ocean of Grace'. If I am not mistaken, the Vallabh lineage are Bramhavadins, (sorry
for spelling) ... that all things are Brahman, as opposed to
Mayavadins.
In one of the footnotes of Shyam das books... he explains how the
brother of Tulsidas went off to become a devotee of the Vallabh
lineage, and to serve Sri Nathji (if my memory serves me, which it
often does not lately).Tulsidas went to visit his brother. Tulsidas, being such a devotee of
Lord Ram, did not want to bow to anyone who did not hold the Bow (and
arrow). But Lord Krsna in His mercy transformed his Moorty into that
of Lord Ram, just long enough for Tulidas to make offerings.That foot note goes on to explain that fierce devotion to only one
particular form of the Lord is not an insult to the other forms, but
is a give which God grants to that devotee.My native language is English. When I was 20 I decided Americans are
boring to know only one language, so I learned to speak Greek very
well, and to get by in Russian.
There is one particular verse in the Old Testament which has caught
my attention through the years. I find myself refering to it
frequently.Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and
our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."When I thing about those years that I was immersed in the
spirituality of Saints like Vallabh, Chaitanya, Janeshwar, Madhva;
and then I compare it to the spirituality of the Old Testament, the
New Testament and the Qur'an, .... well I'm sorry I just have to say
that those "Hindu" spiritualities are so sweet and pure, and the
Abrahamic religions are such "filthy rags"; all one hears about in
Abrahamic religions is sin death punishment lust hatred murder wars,
threats, promises, violence.I wish everyone could experience what I have experienced in
these "Hindu" spiritualities. But that is not possible. It is
possible only for one who is ready; one who has experiences the
necessary samskaras of previous births.That is why it makes no sense to convert the entire world to "one
true faith" through rational argument and reasoning (or with a
sword).That is why God provides so many religions.A saint once said "The true miracle of God is that each person
believes themselves to be in possession of the one true faith; to be
the most special devotees of the Lord. It is this 'Maya" or Illusion
which gives us the strength to pursue our devotions."
Braj Bhasha.It gives me a twinge of nostalgia to see Braj Bhasha language
mentioned. This is the language of the Asta Chap poets of the
Vallabhacharya lineage of the Pushti Marga. An American when to India
and learned that language, and became initiated in that lineage as
Shyam Das. He translated Asta Chap poets, 84 Vaishnavas, and various
works from masters of that grihastha lineage like "Ocean of Grace'. If I am not mistaken, the Vallabh lineage are Bramhavadins, (sorry
for spelling) ... that all things are Brahman, as opposed to
Mayavadins.
In one of the footnotes of Shyam das books... he explains how the
brother of Tulsidas went off to become a devotee of the Vallabh
lineage, and to serve Sri Nathji (if my memory serves me, which it
often does not lately).Tulsidas went to visit his brother. Tulsidas, being such a devotee of
Lord Ram, did not want to bow to anyone who did not hold the Bow (and
arrow). But Lord Krsna in His mercy transformed his Moorty into that
of Lord Ram, just long enough for Tulidas to make offerings.That foot note goes on to explain that fierce devotion to only one
particular form of the Lord is not an insult to the other forms, but
is a give which God grants to that devotee.My native language is English. When I was 20 I decided Americans are
boring to know only one language, so I learned to speak Greek very
well, and to get by in Russian.
There is one particular verse in the Old Testament which has caught
my attention through the years. I find myself refering to it
frequently.Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and
our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."When I thing about those years that I was immersed in the
spirituality of Saints like Vallabh, Chaitanya, Janeshwar, Madhva;
and then I compare it to the spirituality of the Old Testament, the
New Testament and the Qur'an, .... well I'm sorry I just have to say
that those "Hindu" spiritualities are so sweet and pure, and the
Abrahamic religions are such "filthy rags"; all one hears about in
Abrahamic religions is sin death punishment lust hatred murder wars,
threats, promises, violence.I wish everyone could experience what I have experienced in
these "Hindu" spiritualities. But that is not possible. It is
possible only for one who is ready; one who has experiences the
necessary samskaras of previous births.That is why it makes no sense to convert the entire world to "one
true faith" through rational argument and reasoning (or with a
sword).That is why God provides so many religions.A saint once said "The true miracle of God is that each person
believes themselves to be in possession of the one true faith; to be
the most special devotees of the Lord. It is this 'Maya" or Illusion
which gives us the strength to pursue our devotions."
