Shastra Quiz 5

Tantra is of three types – Śaiva, Śakta and Vaiṣṇava. They are not all the same.

Tantra in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism is called Satvata-tantra. It does not deal with the process of awakening Kundalini. It informs about the process of worship, mantra chanting, details about temple construction, etc.

Learn more: Spiritual Traditions in Gaudiya Vaishnavism

As per the Gauḍīya sampradāya, Śiva is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He is also an expansion of Kṛṣṇa. He is neither jīva-tattva nor viṣṇu-tattva. Rather he is in his own category.

Learn more: Position of Lord Śiva

When it is said that it is an offense to distinguish between the name of Śiva and Viṣṇu, the meaning is that one should not think that the name of Śiva is independently powerful. Rather, one should know that the name of Śiva has power that is dependent on the name of Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa is the only independent reality.

The meaning of the word "difference" here is independent.

Learn more: Spiritual Names and Their Powers

There are three Paramātmās, namely Kāraṇodakśayī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakśāyī Viṣṇu, and Kṣīrodakśayī Viṣṇu.

Kāraṇodakśayī Viṣṇu is the Paramātmā for the aggregate material nature (samaṣṭi prakṛti) and the aggregate, or samaṣṭi, jīvas. Garbhodakśāyī Viṣṇu is the Paramātmā for the individual universe, and Kṣīrodakśayī Viṣṇu is the Paramātmā for the vyaṣṭi, or individual, jīvas.

Learn more: Origin of the Jiva and Beginningless Karma.

Bhagavān does not play a direct role in the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the cosmic world. Rather, for this purpose, Bhagavān manifests a specific form, called the first Puruṣa, or Paramātmā.

He is also known as Mahā-viṣṇu or Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and is the source and support of the totality of material energy, called prakṛti. It is from the pores of His body that unlimited cosmic worlds manifest. This first Puruṣa has two further expansions.

The first one is called Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, also called the second Puruṣa, and enters into each of the cosmic worlds. This second Puruṣa further expands as the third Puruṣa, or Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and enters into every living being as a companion of the individual self.

It is the second Puruṣa, who is the source of all the avatāras, called avatārī, in a particular cosmic world.

Learn more: The Source of All Sources: Śrī Kṛṣṇa as Svayaṁ Bhagavān – I

Learn more: The Purpose of the Law of Karma.

Jīva is taṭastha śakti, both nitya-mukta as well as nitya-baddha. Kṛṣṇa’s friends in Goloka are not nitya-mukta-jīvas. They are nitya-mukta parṣadas.

Learn more: Mukta-jīvas, Paramātmā-Aspect.

In Paramātma Sandarbha (28), Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explicitly says that the self is devoid of knowledge, although conscious by nature, and it lacks bliss although free of any material misery. In other words, it has the potential (svarūpa yogyatā) to get knowledge and bliss but not yet the functionality (phalopadhayi yogyatā).

To give an example, a child has the potential to be an athlete or a graduate, but that potential is not realized unless he practices on the track or goes to college and studies.

Learn more: Are Bliss and Knowledge Inherent?

Learn more: Bhagavān’s Paradoxical Potency, Māyā

Bhakti is not a material process and without training, nobody in this world is familiar with it. One has to learn it from a qualified teacher. This is why there is so much stress on having a teacher.

Indeed, according to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, the very first step in bhakti is accepting a teacher, and then the second step is to formalize the relation and study from him—guru-pādāśrayastasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam (BRS 1.2.74).

Studying under a guru means acquiring knowledge. Kṛṣṇa also advises Arjuna to study from a teacher. He has given similar instruction to Uddhava a few times.

Learn more: Studying Śastra: Jñāna or Bhakti?