Eessõna

Preface

Kṛṣṇa teadvuse liikumist juhitakse Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī õpetuste kohaselt. Gauḍīya vaiṣṇavad ehk bengali vaiṣṇavad on enamikus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu järgijad. Nende hulka kuuluvad Vṛndāvana kuus Gosvāmīt on aga Jumal Caitanya otsesed õpilased. Seetõttu lausub Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura ühes oma laulus:

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is conducted under the supervision of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. The Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, or Bengali Vaiṣṇavas, are mostly followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, of whom the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana are direct disciples. Therefore Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung:

rūpa-raghunātha-pade ha-ibe ākuti
kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pīriti

„Kui minus tekib innukus mõista Gosvāmīde poolt kirjutatud raamatuid, siis ma suudan mõista Rādhā ja Kṛṣṇa transtsendentaalseid armusuhteid." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ilmus selleks, et õnnistada inimühiskonda teadusega Kṛṣṇast. Jumal Kṛṣṇa kõikidest tegevustest on kõrgeimad Tema armusuhteist kantud mängud gopīdega. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ilmus parima gopī – Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī – meeleolus. Seepärast peame me Jumal Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu missiooni mõistmiseks ja Tema eeskuju järgimiseks äärmise tõsidusega järgima eeskuju, mida näitasid kuus Gosvāmīt – Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa ja Dāsa Raghunātha.

“When I am eager to understand the literature given by the Gosvāmīs, then I shall be able to understand the transcendental loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in order to bestow upon human society the benediction of the science of Kṛṣṇa. The most exalted of all the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa are His pastimes of conjugal love with the gopīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the best of the gopīs. Therefore, to understand the mission of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and follow in His footsteps, one must very seriously follow in the footsteps of the Six Gosvāmīs – Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa and Dāsa Raghunātha.

Rūpa Gosvāmī oli kõikide Gosvāmīde juht. Suunamaks meid meie tegevustes on ta andnud meile järgimiseks käesoleva „Upadeśāmṛta" („Juhenduste nektari"). Samamoodi nagu Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu jättis Endast maha kaheksa värssi, mida tuntakse „Śikṣāṣṭaka" nime all, andis Rūpa Gosvāmī meile „Upadeśāmṛta". Nad tegid seda selleks, et me võiksime saada puhasteks vaiṣṇavateks.

Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī was the leader of all the Gosvāmīs, and to guide our activities he gave us this Upadeśāmṛta (The Nectar of Instruction) to follow. As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left behind Him the eight verses known as Śikṣāṣṭaka, Rūpa Gosvāmī gave us Upadeśāmṛta so that we may become pure Vaiṣṇavas.

Igasuguse vaimse praktika järgija esmaseks kohuseks on kontrollida oma mõistust ja meeli. Omamata kontrolli mõistuse ja meelte üle, ei ole võimalik vaimses elus vähimalgi määral areneda. Selles materiaalses maailmas on igaüks süüvinud kire ja teadmatuse guṇadesse. Inimene peab aga tõusma vooruse, sattva-guṇa tasandile, järgides Rūpa Gosvāmī juhendusi. Siis mõistab ta täielikult, kuidas saavutada edasist arengut.

In all spiritual affairs, one’s first duty is to control his mind and senses. Unless one controls his mind and senses, one cannot make any advancement in spiritual life. Everyone within this material world is engrossed in the modes of passion and ignorance. One must promote himself to the platform of goodness, sattva-guṇa, by following the instructions of Rūpa Gosvāmī, and then everything concerning how to make further progress will be revealed.

Kṛṣṇa teadvuses arenemine sõltub praktiseerija suhtumisest. Kṛṣṇa teadvuse liikumise järgija peab saama täiuslikuks gosvāmīks. Vaiṣṇavaid nimetatakse tavaliselt gosvāmīdeks. Vṛndāvanas kannavad seda tiitlid kõikide templite ülemad. Inimene, kes tahab saada täiuslikuks Kṛṣṇa pühendunuks, peab saama gosvāmīks. Sõna go tähendab „meeled" ja svāmī tähendab „valitseja". Saavutamata kontrolli oma mõistuse ja meelte üle, pole kellelgi võimalik saada gosvāmīks. Selleks, et jõuda elus kõrgeima saavutuseni, saades gosvāmīks ja seejärel Jumala puhtaks pühendunuks, peab inimene järgima Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī poolt antud juhendusi, mida tuntakse „Upadeśāmṛta" nime all. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī on meile andnud ka palju teisi raamatuid nagu „Bhakti- rasāmṛta-sindhu", „Vidagdha-mādhava" ning „Lalita-mādhava", kuid „Upadeśāmṛta" hõlmab kõige esimesi juhendusi algajale pühendunule. Neid juhendusi tuleb järgida väga täpselt. Siis on meil kergem muuta oma elu edukaks. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness depends on the attitude of the follower. A follower of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should become a perfect gosvāmī. Vaiṣṇavas are generally known as gosvāmīs. In Vṛndāvana, this is the title by which the director of each temple is known. One who wants to become a perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa must become a gosvāmī. Go means “the senses,” and svāmī means “the master.” Unless one controls his senses and mind, one cannot become a gosvāmī. To achieve the highest success in life by becoming a gosvāmī and then a pure devotee of the Lord, one must follow the instructions known as Upadeśāmṛta, which have been given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given many other books, such as Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Vidagdha-mādhava and Lalita-mādhava, but Upadeśāmṛta constitutes the first instructions for neophyte devotees. One should follow these instructions very strictly. Then it will be easier to make one’s life successful. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

20. september, 1975, Viśvarūpa-mahotsava

September 20, 1975, Viśvarūpa-mahotsava

Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandira

Ramaṇa-reti, Vṛndāvana, India