The Devotees' own Myspace ~ A Krsna Conscious Social Network ~ Connecting Devotees Around the World!
THE MEANING OF VYASA-PUJA
THE MEANING OF VYASA-PUJA
World Tour 2002
24 July 2002, Guru-purnima
Tel Aviv, Israel
Today is Guru-purnima. The significance of this day is that it is the appearance day of Srila Vyasadeva. He is called Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa. Why Vyasa? Vyasa means the line that passes through the center of a circle and connects with both sides-the diameter. In Sanskrit this is called vyasa. So that person who divided the Vedas into four and compiled the Upanisads, Puranas, Vedanta and especially Srimad-Bhagavatam is named Vyasa. Originally there was one Veda-the Yajur-Veda. Vyasa divided it into four: Rg, Sama, Yajur and Atharva. And with the mantras that were left over, he compiled the Puranas. In this way Vyasa made a distinct order and sequence to the mantras of Veda in order to simplify and make the subject matter more easily accessible for the jivas of Kali yuga. Prior to that time, they were not written down; they were only heard in disciplic succession. Therefore, Vyasadeva is called ‘Vyasa’, who divided the Vedas. Vyasa also means ‘vistar karna’, to expand. By writing Mahabharata, and within Mahabharata, Bhagavad-Gita, he has given expanded explanations in very simple language that common people can understand.
stri-sudra-dvijabandhanam
trayi na sruti-gocara
karma-sreyasi mudhanam
sreya eva bhaved iha
iti bharatam akhyanam
krpaya munin krtam
(SB 1.4.25)
Out of his kindness and compassion for all those who were not qualified to understand Veda, such as stri (ladies), vaisyas (merchants) and dvijabandu (unqualified bramanas), he gave Mahabharata and within that, Bhagavad-Gita. Therefore he is called Vyasa. He has done this for the benefit of all the living entities of this world.
The diameter of a circle goes through the center and touches both sides. Similarly, a person who is realized in the knowledge that Vyasadeva presented to the world is also worshiped. Sitting on the vyasasana, the seat of Vyasadeva, he is worshiped as the representative of Vyasa, because he touches both sides and the center. In other words, that person who is in touch with Krsna, the center of everything, and who touches both sides, the spiritual and material worlds, is a representative of Vyasadeva. On this day, Vyasadeva along with the representatives of Vyasadeva are worshiped-that is called Vyasa-puja. Only that person who has experience of the spiritual world, yet at the same time has a form (not material, but apparently materially manifest) in this world, who walks among us and talks with us, is a qualified representative of Vyasa. He is called Sri Guru.
Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa-Dvaipayana means ‘who was born on an island’. Very close to where we stay in Durvasa Asrama is the island in the Yamuna where Vyasadeva was born as the son of Satyavatii and Pararsa Muni. Because he was born on an island, he is called Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa.
I have explained Dvaipayana and Vyasa. Now Krsna. Why is his name also Krsna? Vyasa is a post, like Brahma. A living entity can be empowered to take that post, so in every cycle of ages, a living entity will be empowered to divide the Vedas. But when Krsna Himself comes and performs His pastimes in this world, the manifestation of Vyasa is Krsna Himself-Narayana-tattva, Visnu-tattva, appears and takes the position of Vyasa. Thus, he is called Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa. He is an incarnation of Bhagavan Himself. Therefore, Krsna said in Bhagavad Gita: vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham. "I am the compiler of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas." Therefore, the name of Vyasa is Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa.
It is very significant that we worship Vyasadeva. He is the diksa disciple of Narada Rsi. Vyasa served his Guru to the best of his ability, yet still Vyasa was not satisfied, even though he had compiled Veda, Upanisad, Purana, Mahabharata and Vedanta. Why? Because he had not manifested in the world the sweet pastimes of Vraja Vrndavana, and especially the glory of the love of Srimati Radhika. He did not manifest them because he had not yet realized them. Only after he had served Narada for many years, he expressed his disappointment to his Guru, who then blessed him with the transcendental realization of Vraja-lila. Therefore, Vyasadeva is not only Guru in terms of being initiated in the Pancaratrika system, but he is also Bhagavat. This means he has realization of Srimad-Bhagavatam, he is the embodiment of Bhagavatam, and he has realized Vrndavana-lila. Therefore, he is accepted in Bhagavat Parampara, because even though he was initiated in the system of vaidhi-bhakti by Narada Rsi, later when he had matured and was more qualified, Narada, bringing him into the line of spontaneous devotion to Krsna in Vrndavana, manifested the rasa-filled Srimad-Bhagavatam in his heart. Therefore, who is to be accepted as the representative of Vyasa? That person who has been introduced into the line of raganuga-bhakti, spontaneous devotional service to Radha-Krsna in Vraja, by his Guru. This is not a matter of only being formally initiated or qualified in vaidhi-bhakti, but rather those who are established in realization of raga-marga can actually be the manifestation of Vyasa. This pastime has been described in the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, chapters 5, 6 and 7.
On this Vyasa-puja day, it is not that that the Guru engages his disciples in worshiping him. Nowadays we see that Vyasa-puja is celebrated with the Guru sitting before thousands of disciples who are worshiping only him. It has become a birthday party with a big cake and lots of garlands (often a garland of rupees or dollars). But the real meaning of Vyasa-puja is not that the offerings are only for that one Guru. Vyasa-puja is the day when the Guru, who is the representative of Vyasa, engages all of his disciples in the worship of his Guru-varga. That worship of his Guru-parampara means his Guru, his Param-guru, his Paramesti-guru, his Paratpara-guru, his Paramparatpara-guru and all his Gurus up to Vyasa and finally to Krsna. The Guru-Parampara is like one garland, and all the Gurus in the Parampara are like the flowers. If you will have only one flower, this will not be a garland, or if you remove one of the flowers, the garland will be broken. So when the Guru engages his disciples in the worship of every member in his Parampara, honoring and glorifying them, this is called Vyasa-puja, or Guru-puja.
The system of Vyasa-puja is very ancient, and has been authorized by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. When Nityananda first came to Navadvipa, He was waiting for Mahaprabhu in the house of Nandana Acarya in Isodyana, where They had Their first meeting. A few days later, Mahaprabhu was with His associates and said, "Tomorrow is Guru-purnima, the appearance of Vyasadeva. I want to perform Vyasa-puja in the house of Srivasa Thakura." He asked Srivasa Thakura, "Do you have all the necessary items for Vyasa-puja?" Srivasa Thakura answered, "Yes, don’t worry. We have flowers, a picture of Vyasadeva, many types of bhoga for offering, we have all the arati paraphernalia for puja, everything. There is only one thing we don’t have-the Vyasa-puja Arcana Paddhati. We will procure it, and tomorrow we will celebrate Vyasa-puja."
The Vyasa-puja Paddhati, the Vedic system of performing Vyasa-puja, is very rare, and had been lost. While traveling in South India, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura discovered an old copy of the Paddhati. And Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also discovered the Vyasa-puja Paddhati at the Govardhana Math of the Sankara Sampradaya in Jagannatha Puri. It was published many years ago in the Gaudiya Patrika. I happen to have a photocopy of the old Patrika with me. I had an English transliteration made of it. As far as I know, it has never been printed in English. So we are fortunate that I have a copy in Sanskrit here of the Paddhati that was discovered by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and edited by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Herein the actual system for Vyasa-puja has been explained.
World Tour 2002
24 July 2002, Guru-purnima
Tel Aviv, Israel
Today is Guru-purnima. The significance of this day is that it is the appearance day of Srila Vyasadeva. He is called Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa. Why Vyasa? Vyasa means the line that passes through the center of a circle and connects with both sides-the diameter. In Sanskrit this is called vyasa. So that person who divided the Vedas into four and compiled the Upanisads, Puranas, Vedanta and especially Srimad-Bhagavatam is named Vyasa. Originally there was one Veda-the Yajur-Veda. Vyasa divided it into four: Rg, Sama, Yajur and Atharva. And with the mantras that were left over, he compiled the Puranas. In this way Vyasa made a distinct order and sequence to the mantras of Veda in order to simplify and make the subject matter more easily accessible for the jivas of Kali yuga. Prior to that time, they were not written down; they were only heard in disciplic succession. Therefore, Vyasadeva is called ‘Vyasa’, who divided the Vedas. Vyasa also means ‘vistar karna’, to expand. By writing Mahabharata, and within Mahabharata, Bhagavad-Gita, he has given expanded explanations in very simple language that common people can understand.
stri-sudra-dvijabandhanam
trayi na sruti-gocara
karma-sreyasi mudhanam
sreya eva bhaved iha
iti bharatam akhyanam
krpaya munin krtam
(SB 1.4.25)
Out of his kindness and compassion for all those who were not qualified to understand Veda, such as stri (ladies), vaisyas (merchants) and dvijabandu (unqualified bramanas), he gave Mahabharata and within that, Bhagavad-Gita. Therefore he is called Vyasa. He has done this for the benefit of all the living entities of this world.
The diameter of a circle goes through the center and touches both sides. Similarly, a person who is realized in the knowledge that Vyasadeva presented to the world is also worshiped. Sitting on the vyasasana, the seat of Vyasadeva, he is worshiped as the representative of Vyasa, because he touches both sides and the center. In other words, that person who is in touch with Krsna, the center of everything, and who touches both sides, the spiritual and material worlds, is a representative of Vyasadeva. On this day, Vyasadeva along with the representatives of Vyasadeva are worshiped-that is called Vyasa-puja. Only that person who has experience of the spiritual world, yet at the same time has a form (not material, but apparently materially manifest) in this world, who walks among us and talks with us, is a qualified representative of Vyasa. He is called Sri Guru.
Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa-Dvaipayana means ‘who was born on an island’. Very close to where we stay in Durvasa Asrama is the island in the Yamuna where Vyasadeva was born as the son of Satyavatii and Pararsa Muni. Because he was born on an island, he is called Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa.
I have explained Dvaipayana and Vyasa. Now Krsna. Why is his name also Krsna? Vyasa is a post, like Brahma. A living entity can be empowered to take that post, so in every cycle of ages, a living entity will be empowered to divide the Vedas. But when Krsna Himself comes and performs His pastimes in this world, the manifestation of Vyasa is Krsna Himself-Narayana-tattva, Visnu-tattva, appears and takes the position of Vyasa. Thus, he is called Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa. He is an incarnation of Bhagavan Himself. Therefore, Krsna said in Bhagavad Gita: vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham. "I am the compiler of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas." Therefore, the name of Vyasa is Krsna Dvaipayana Veda-Vyasa.
It is very significant that we worship Vyasadeva. He is the diksa disciple of Narada Rsi. Vyasa served his Guru to the best of his ability, yet still Vyasa was not satisfied, even though he had compiled Veda, Upanisad, Purana, Mahabharata and Vedanta. Why? Because he had not manifested in the world the sweet pastimes of Vraja Vrndavana, and especially the glory of the love of Srimati Radhika. He did not manifest them because he had not yet realized them. Only after he had served Narada for many years, he expressed his disappointment to his Guru, who then blessed him with the transcendental realization of Vraja-lila. Therefore, Vyasadeva is not only Guru in terms of being initiated in the Pancaratrika system, but he is also Bhagavat. This means he has realization of Srimad-Bhagavatam, he is the embodiment of Bhagavatam, and he has realized Vrndavana-lila. Therefore, he is accepted in Bhagavat Parampara, because even though he was initiated in the system of vaidhi-bhakti by Narada Rsi, later when he had matured and was more qualified, Narada, bringing him into the line of spontaneous devotion to Krsna in Vrndavana, manifested the rasa-filled Srimad-Bhagavatam in his heart. Therefore, who is to be accepted as the representative of Vyasa? That person who has been introduced into the line of raganuga-bhakti, spontaneous devotional service to Radha-Krsna in Vraja, by his Guru. This is not a matter of only being formally initiated or qualified in vaidhi-bhakti, but rather those who are established in realization of raga-marga can actually be the manifestation of Vyasa. This pastime has been described in the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, chapters 5, 6 and 7.
On this Vyasa-puja day, it is not that that the Guru engages his disciples in worshiping him. Nowadays we see that Vyasa-puja is celebrated with the Guru sitting before thousands of disciples who are worshiping only him. It has become a birthday party with a big cake and lots of garlands (often a garland of rupees or dollars). But the real meaning of Vyasa-puja is not that the offerings are only for that one Guru. Vyasa-puja is the day when the Guru, who is the representative of Vyasa, engages all of his disciples in the worship of his Guru-varga. That worship of his Guru-parampara means his Guru, his Param-guru, his Paramesti-guru, his Paratpara-guru, his Paramparatpara-guru and all his Gurus up to Vyasa and finally to Krsna. The Guru-Parampara is like one garland, and all the Gurus in the Parampara are like the flowers. If you will have only one flower, this will not be a garland, or if you remove one of the flowers, the garland will be broken. So when the Guru engages his disciples in the worship of every member in his Parampara, honoring and glorifying them, this is called Vyasa-puja, or Guru-puja.
The system of Vyasa-puja is very ancient, and has been authorized by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. When Nityananda first came to Navadvipa, He was waiting for Mahaprabhu in the house of Nandana Acarya in Isodyana, where They had Their first meeting. A few days later, Mahaprabhu was with His associates and said, "Tomorrow is Guru-purnima, the appearance of Vyasadeva. I want to perform Vyasa-puja in the house of Srivasa Thakura." He asked Srivasa Thakura, "Do you have all the necessary items for Vyasa-puja?" Srivasa Thakura answered, "Yes, don’t worry. We have flowers, a picture of Vyasadeva, many types of bhoga for offering, we have all the arati paraphernalia for puja, everything. There is only one thing we don’t have-the Vyasa-puja Arcana Paddhati. We will procure it, and tomorrow we will celebrate Vyasa-puja."
The Vyasa-puja Paddhati, the Vedic system of performing Vyasa-puja, is very rare, and had been lost. While traveling in South India, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura discovered an old copy of the Paddhati. And Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also discovered the Vyasa-puja Paddhati at the Govardhana Math of the Sankara Sampradaya in Jagannatha Puri. It was published many years ago in the Gaudiya Patrika. I happen to have a photocopy of the old Patrika with me. I had an English transliteration made of it. As far as I know, it has never been printed in English. So we are fortunate that I have a copy in Sanskrit here of the Paddhati that was discovered by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and edited by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Herein the actual system for Vyasa-puja has been explained.
Welcome to
Sanga-Space
About
Latest Blog Posts!
Videos & MP3's
© 2009 Created by admin on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
