Srila Gurudeva (The Supreme Treasure)
by Swami Bhaktivedanta Madhava Maharaja | 2010 | 179,005 words
This page relates ‘Introduction—The doctrine of the Ritvik system’ of the book dealing with life and teachings of Srila Gurudeva, otherwise known as Shri Shrimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. Srila Gurudeva is a learned and scholar whose teachings primarily concern the spiritual beauties of Bhakti—devotional service and the qualities and pastimes of Shri Krishna.
Introduction—The doctrine of the Ṛtvik system
The following abridged article discusses the newly concocted doctrine of the ṛtvik system of accepting a guru (as a dīkṣā-guru) after he has disappeared and entered nitya-līlā. It is odd that the proponents of this concocted doctrine presuppose that their understanding of ṛtvik initiation was a rule or principle given by the founder ācārya of ISKCON, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāja redundant and to be implemented after his departure.
At the Śrī Keśavajī Gauḍīya Māṭha, in Mathurā, India, curious devotees asked Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Gurudeva questions on this topic. To help us grasp Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāja’s intentions for the continuation of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, gurudeva, Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja is presenting in a logical manner pertinent references from the Vedic scriptures—Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Upaniṣads, and Rāmāyāna. He clearly conveys the true meaning of ‘ṛtvik’, and how it is viewed in relation to the eternal system of guru-paramparā.
For the many devotees who are trying to serve Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāja and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s sankīrtana movement, we hope the following explanations will offer critically important insight into these often misunderstood topics.
Question: According to scripture, what is the meaning of ṛtvik?
Answer: The established conclusion of all the Vedas, discovered deep within the Vedas by Śrīla Gurudeva, is pure devotion unto Vrajendranandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is all-mighty (sarva-śaktiman) and an ocean of all nectarean mellows (akhila-rāsāmṛta-sindhu). However, externally, the Vedas appear to be related to the performance of yajña, for fulfilling fruītive desire (karma-kāṇḍa), and worship of impersonal Brahmā by cultivation of knowledge (jñāna-kāṇḍa). The Ṛg-Veda and Atharva-Veda have no direct relationship with the performance of yajña (sacrifice), but the Sāma-Veda and Yajur-Veda are directly related with sacrifices and their rituals.
‘Rtau yajtiti ṛtviki’—One who conducts sacrifice according to Vedic mantras is called a ṛtvik. There is an arrangement of sixteen types of ṛtviks to perform Vedic sacrifices.
These are:
- brahma,
- udgātā,
- hotā,
- adhvaryu,
- brahmaccsi,
- prastota,
- maitravarun,
- pratisthata,
- pota,
- pratiharta,
- accavak,
- nestha,
- agnidhra,
- subrahmanya,
- gravastota and
- unyaita.
The yajman employs priests to perform sacrifice for him and pays them—ṛtvijodattadakṣiṇam. He selects these sixteen types of ṛtviks for the sacrifices. All these ṛtviks are virtuous, of high character, learned in the Vedas and expert in execution and supervision of sacrifices. Among all these sixteen ṛtviks, hotā, udgātā, adhvaryu and brahma are prominent.