4.4h. The Most Authentic Scripture—The Vacanāmṛta

In the Svāminārāyaṇa tradition, Svāminārāyaṇa is adored as the Ācārya of Ācārya and as the Lord of Lords^[1] and hence, his words are accepted as the highest testimony (ācārya vacanam param pramāṇam). This has helped solve all disputes and settle the controversial philosophical issues in the Vedantaika domain from sāmpradāyika standpoint.

Bhadreśadāsa claims:

“sākṣādvedo bhaved vākyaṃ svāminārāyaṇaprabhoḥ |^[2] idaṃ hi sākṣātparabrahmopadeśasaṃgraharūpo veda eva | ataḥ eva svataḥ pramāṇam |” (SSS, p.172)

“Svāminārāyaṇa’s words are similar to the Vedas. The Vacanāmṛta scripture is a compilation of the words of Parabrahman. Therefore, self-evident.”

When it comes to identifying the Vacanāmṛta as an authentic text, the Bhāṣyakāra verifies:

“Among the sāmpradāyika scriptures the Vacanāmṛta holds the top priority, since it is the conglomerate of teachings of Parabrahman.^[3]

There is another cause why his teachings are accepted as the highest testimony. His dialogues reveal the credibility of his words. His convincing statements wear the stamp of certainty and authenticity. He declares that what he has spoken to the devotees is not born of rational speculation nor to show them how great he is.

Svāminārāyaṇa proclaims:

“I preach these discourses to you not out of any images of my mind, nor to display any sort of aptitude. I have experienced all that I have spoken about. In fact, I state in accordance to what I practice.” (Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā III/39, p. 669)

In the Vacanāmṛta, he invariably confirms that whatever he speaks in the assembly is the essence of the Vedas, Purāṇas and all the scriptures concerning the immense emancipation of self. He had pondered over all of them and drawn out its essence. It is the highest sacred lore, the quintessence, and the life-string for all those seekers who tread the path of attaining emancipation.^[4]

Again, the principles of the Vacanāmṛta are:

“The undebatable declaration of truth, the truth I am actually perceiving. It is what I have seen and realized in actual experience. It is in consonance, with scriptural evidence… it is the central theme of all scriptures and spiritual experience.” (Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/13, p. 422)

Thus, the doctrine of fivefold realities, body-soul relationship, the qualitative personal Parabrahman as the highest reality, etc., he arrives at, is based on his study of the Vedas, Smṛtis, Purāṇas, and other sacred texts and also philosophical reason backed by veridical intuitive experience. What is more important to remember regarding the Vacanāmṛta is its historical authenticity.^[5]

Professor John Carmen states after reading the Vacanāmṛta:

“In this book, however, every discourse is precisely dated. This is a chapter of religious history which one might say is in the full light of day as far as our knowledge of history is concerned.”^[6]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā III/38

[2]:

Svāminārāyaṇa Siddhāntasudhā Kārikā 260

[3]:

saṃpradāyaśāstreṣvapi sākṣātparabrahmopadeśasaṃgrahatvād vacanāmṛtāni svataḥ pramāṇaṃ paramaṃ pramāṇaṃ ca |idaṃ hi sākṣātparabrahmopadeśasaṃgraharūpo veda eva | ata eva svataḥpramāṇam | (SSS, p.172) paramakalyāṇapradā'kṣarapuruṣottamasiddhāntalakṣaṇabrahmavidyāprabodhakatvāt sakalaśāstrasiddhāntanirṇāyakatvāt parokṣatayā vedādiprabodhitā'prākṛtapadārthānāṃ pratyakṣatayā prabodhanapravaṇatvāt pramāṇarājaḥ |vede vedāntamantre sakalaparatayā,niścitaṃ yatparokṣaṃ, pratyakṣaṃ tacca brūte,sahajalabhatayā svāminārāyaṇaṃ yad |sākṣāt proktaṃ ca tattvaṃ śrutigahanaguhāgarbhitaṃ brahmasaṃjñaṃ, tasmātprāmāṇyapakṣe bhajati paramatāṃ sarvaśāstreṣu nityam || (SSS, p.173)

[4]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/28

[5]:

Gyanananddas Sādhu, Vachanamritani Visheshatao, Swaminārāyaṇa Aksharpith, Ahmedabad, 2019, p.8

[6]:

Carmen John B., New Dimension in Vedanta Philosophy, South Asian Religious Study, University of Harvard, USA, p.207