ei-mata yāite yāite gelā kūrma-sthāne
kūrma dekhi’ kaila tāṅre stavana-praṇāme

eiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigei

this; all these; for this; here is; in this way; is; just; of these; she; that; there; these; these six; they; this brāhmaṇa; this prasāda; this; this child; this example; this gentleman; this is; this man; this person; this Rūpa Gosvāmī; thus.-mataplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmata

according to; desire; direction; directions; like; of theories; opinion; opinions; the path; the verdict; way.—in this way; yāiteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyāite

going; going to; passing; to go; to return; traveling; when He was going; while going; while going there; while passing. yāiteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyāite

going; going to; passing; to go; to return; traveling; when He was going; while going; while going there; while passing.—while passing; gelāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggela

arrived; became; disappeared; forgot; has become a fact; has gone; he went; is going away; lost; passed; reached; returned; went; went away; will go.—He went; kūrmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkūrma

the brāhmaṇa named Kūrma; the Kūrma incarnation; the tortoise incarnation.-sthāneplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsthane

at the lotus feet; at the place; in a place; in place; in the middle while maintaining the creation; in the place; in the presence; on the place; place; rightly; to the place; when necessary.—to the place of pilgrimage known as Kūrma-kṣetra; kūrmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkūrma

the brāhmaṇa named Kūrma; the Kūrma incarnation; the tortoise incarnation. dekhi'plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdekhi

I can understand; I find; I know; I may see; I saw; I see; I shall see; let us see; see; seeing; shall see; so that I can see; so that I may know; so that I may see; so that we can see; we can see; we see.—seeing Lord Kūrma; kailaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkaila

accepted; agreed; assisted; attempted; became; brought; caused to germinate; chanted; compiled; composed; converted; decided; did; did say; did take place; do; executed; finished; fixed; formed; gave; has; has been made; has done; has made; have done; have executed; have taken; He did; He has made; He made them; he performed; I did; I have described; I have done; I have made; is made; issued; kept; made; made them; make; observed; occurred; offered; peformed; perform; performed; performs; prepared; put; showed; submitted; there was; they did; they made; took; took it; was done.—offered; tāṅreplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtāṅre

all of them; from him; her; him (Bhavānanda Rāya); him (Raghunātha dāsa); him (Rūpa Gosvāmī); him (Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya); him (the brāhmaṇa); him (the Bhaṭṭācārya); him (the devotee); him (Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya); Him (Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu); him (Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya); Him; him, Caitanya dāsa; Kṛṣṇa; Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Lord Kṛṣṇa; Madanamohana; mother Śacī; of Him; Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa; Rāmacandra Purī; such a devotee; Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; the boy; the King; them; to Haridāsa Ṭhākura; to her; to Him (Advaita Ācārya); to Him; to Mukunda Datta; to Mādhavendra Purī; to Rūpa Gosvāmī; to the King; to them; unto Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; unto Gopīnātha Ācārya; unto Govinda; unto Haridāsa Ṭhākura; unto her; unto him (Haridāsa); unto him (Kālidāsa); unto Him (Nityānanda Prabhu); unto him (Rāmānanda Rāya); unto him (Sanātana Gosvāmī); unto Him; unto Kamalākānta Viśvāsa; unto Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; unto Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; unto Nṛsiṁhānanda.—unto Him; stavanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigstavana

of prayers; offer praise; offering of prayers; offering prayers; praising; prayer; prayers; praying.—prayers; praṇāmeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpraṇāme

and obeisances; to the obeisances.—and obeisances.

When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to the holy place known as Kūrma-kṣetra, He saw the Deity and offered prayers and obeisances.

This Kūrma-sthāna is a well-known place of pilgrimage. There is a temple there of Kūrmadeva. In the Prapannāmṛta it is said that Lord Jagannātha took Śrī Rāmānujācārya from Jagannātha Purī and one night threw him to Kūrma-kṣetra. This Kūrma-kṣetra is situated on the line of the Southern Railway in India. One has to go to the railway station known as Cikā Kola Road. From this station one goes eight miles to the east to reach the holy place known as Kūrmācala. Those who speak the Telugu language consider this holy place very important. This statement is reported in the government gazette known as Gañjāma Manual. There is the Deity of Kūrma there, and Śrīla Rāmānujācārya was thrown from Jagannātha Purī to this place. At that time he thought that the Deity of Kūrma was Lord Śiva’s deity; therefore he was fasting there. Later, when he understood that the kūrma-mūrti was another form of Lord Viṣṇu, he instituted very gorgeous worship of Lord Kūrma. This statement is found in the Prapannāmṛta (Chapter Thirty-six). This holy place of Kūrma-kṣetra, or Kūrma-sthāna, was actually reestablished by Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya under the influence of Lord Jagannātha-deva at Jagannātha Purī. Later the temple came under the jurisdiction of the king of Vijaya-nagara. The Deity was worshiped by the Vaiṣṇavas of the Madhvācārya-sampradāya. In the temple there are some inscriptions said to be written by Śrī Narahari Tīrtha, who was in the disciplic succession of Madhvācārya. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains those inscriptions as follows: (1) Śrī Puruṣottama Yati appeared as the instructor of many learned men. He was a very favorite devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. (2) His preaching was accepted throughout the world with great respect, and by his power he would liberate many nondevotees with strong reason and logic. (3) He initiated Ānanda Tīrtha and converted many foolish men to accept sannyāsa and punished them with his rod. (4) All his writings and words are very potent. He gave people devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu so they could be elevated to liberation in the spiritual world. (5) His instructions in devotional service were able to elevate any man to the lotus feet of the Lord. (6) Narahari Tīrtha was also initiated by him, and he became the ruler of the Kaliṅga province. (7) Narahari Tīrtha fought with the Śabaras, who were caṇḍālas, or hunters, and thus saved the temple of Kūrma. (8) Narahari Tīrtha was a very religious and powerful king. (9) He died in the Śaka Era 1203, in the month of Vaiśākha in the fortnight of the moon’s waxing period, on the day of Ekādaśī, after the temple was constructed and dedicated to the holy name of Yogānanda Nṛsiṁhadeva. The tablet is dated A.D. 1281, 29 March, Saturday.

prabhu kahe,—“paḍa śloka sādhyera nirṇaya”
rāya kahe,—“sva-dharmācaraṇe viṣṇu-bhakti haya”

prabhuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprabhu

Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dear Lord; Lord; Lord Caitanya; Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Lord Jagannātha; Lord Kṛṣṇa; Lord Nityānanda; Lord Nityānanda Prabhu; Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; master; my dear Lord; my Lord; Nityānanda Prabhu; O Lord; O Lord Raghunātha; O My Lord; of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; of the Lord; of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; the Lord; the Lord's; the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; the predominator; the Supreme Lord; Śrī Caitanya; Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. kaheplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkahe

says; addresses; answer; anyone who describes; are indicated; asks; began to chant; began to explain; began to speak; both of them said; call; chant; chants; continued to speak; continues to speak; could say; declare; describe; described; describes; discussed; explains; expresses; he said; He says; indicates; informs; instructs; is enjoined; is known; is meant; is mentioned; is said; is sometimes said; is stated; is to be understood; is trying to speak; is understood; it is ordered; it is said; it is stated; it means; it says; Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says; means; mention; one means; one says; one speaks; orders; recites; replied; replies; requested; requests; said; say; says; she said; She says; someone says; speak; speaks; spoke; state; stated; submits; talk; tells; the paṇḍita says; the Lord says; they said; they say; they speak; utters; was speaking; will speak.—Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; paḍaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpada

feet; foot; from their position in Vaikuṇṭha; her foot; legs; lotus feet; of feet; one verse; position; stanza; the legs; the lotus feet; the lotus feet of the Lord; the position; the verse; the word; verse; verses; words.—just recite; ślokaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigśloka

a verse; a verse from the revealed scriptures; another verse; of the verse; one verse; that verse; the Sanskrit verse; the verse; the verses; verse; verses.—a verse from the revealed scriptures; sādhyeraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsādhyera

of the aim of life.—of the aim of life; nirṇayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignirṇaya

an ascertainment; as a fixed amount; ascertainment; the ascertainment.—an ascertainment; rāyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigraya

by the course; stay. kaheplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkahe

says; addresses; answer; anyone who describes; are indicated; asks; began to chant; began to explain; began to speak; both of them said; call; chant; chants; continued to speak; continues to speak; could say; declare; describe; described; describes; discussed; explains; expresses; he said; He says; indicates; informs; instructs; is enjoined; is known; is meant; is mentioned; is said; is sometimes said; is stated; is to be understood; is trying to speak; is understood; it is ordered; it is said; it is stated; it means; it says; Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says; means; mention; one means; one says; one speaks; orders; recites; replied; replies; requested; requests; said; say; says; she said; She says; someone says; speak; speaks; spoke; state; stated; submits; talk; tells; the paṇḍita says; the Lord says; they said; they say; they speak; utters; was speaking; will speak.—Rāmānanda Rāya replied; svaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsva

by himself; by your own; his; his own; in his own; of one's own; of their own; one's own; own; personal, internal; personal, own; with his wealth.-dharmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdharma

activities; acts of religion; by Mahārāja Dharma, or Dharmarāja; by their pious activities; characteristic function; characteristic nature; characteristics; characteristics of age; Dharmeyu; duties; duty; factual occupation; for the right cause; in religious activities; in the form of dedication to the husband, etc; My religion; O personality of religion; O personality of religious principles; O Vidura; occupation; occupational duties; occupational duty; of Dharma, the god of piety; of religious life; of religious principles; piety; principle; principles of devotional service; principles of religion; regular activities; religion; religiosity; religious; religious practice; religious principle; religious principles; religious procedures; the character; the duty; the occupation; the occupational duty; the principles; the religion; the religious principles; vow.-ācaraṇeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigācaraṇe

in dealings.—by executing one’s occupational duty; viṣṇuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigviṣṇu

as Lord Viṣṇu; by Lord Viṣṇu; Lord Viṣṇu; Lord Viṣṇu's; named Viṣṇu; of all-pervading Viṣṇu; of Lord Viṣṇu; Viṣṇu.-bhaktiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhakti

and devotion; and devotional service; bhakti; by devotional service; by dint of devotional service; devotion; devotional cult; devotional service; known as devotional service; of devotional service; respect; the cult of devotional service; the devotional service; the platform of devotional service; through devotion; with devotion.—devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu; hayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighaya

are; is; appear; appears; are; are achieved; are there; assembled; awakened; awakens; became; become; become possible; becomes; becomes filled; becomes fulfilled; becomes manifest; becomes possible; becomes so; can be used; come out; happens; He is; here is; horse; increases; is; is certainly; is conducted; is it; is possible; is present; is there; it becomes; it becomes possible; it becomes so; it is; it is so; it so becomes; let it be; one becomes; remains; render; resounded; take place; takes; takes place; the horse; there are; there becomes; there can be; there is; there is awakening of; there was; there would be; they are; they become; they were; took place; was; were; will be; would be.—there is.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Rāmānanda Rāya to recite a verse from the revealed scriptures concerning the ultimate goal of life. Rāmānanda replied that if one executes the prescribed duties of his social position, he awakens his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In this connection, Śrī Rāmānujācārya stated in the Vedārtha-saṅgraha that devotional service is naturally very dear to the living entity. Indeed, it is life’s goal. This devotional service is supreme knowledge, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and it brings detachment from all material activity. In the transcendental position, a living being can perfectly acknowledge the superiority of serving the Supreme Lord. The devotees attain the Supreme Lord only by devotional service. Having such knowledge, one engages in his occupational duty, and that is called bhakti-yoga. By performing bhakti-yoga, one can rise to the platform of pure devotional service.

A great saint, the father of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, Parāśara Muni, has specifically mentioned that devotional service to the Lord can ultimately be awakened in human society by the discharge of duties in accordance with the varṇāśrama system. The Supreme Personality of Godhead instituted varṇāśrama-dharma to give human beings a chance to return home, back to Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is known in the Bhagavad-gītā as Puruṣottama—the greatest of all personalities-personally came and declared that the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma was founded by Him. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (Bg. 4.13)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 4.13

According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.:

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam

Elsewhere in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.45-46)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 18.45

By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done. the Lord says:

sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ
sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ
yathā vindati tac chṛṇu

yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ
yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya
siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ

Human society should be divided into four divisions-brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra-and everyone should always engage in his occupational duty. The Lord says that those engaged in their occupational duty can attain perfection simply by rendering loving devotional service to the Lord while executing their particular duty. Actually the modern ideal of a classless society can be introduced only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let men perform their occupational duty, and let them give their profits to the service of the Lord. In other words, one can attain the perfection of life by discharging one’s occupational duty and employing the results in the service of the Lord. This method is confirmed by great personalities like Bodhāyana, Taṅka, Dramiḍa, Guhadeva, Kapardi and Bhāruci. It is also confirmed by the Vedānta-sūtra.

vaiṣṇavera madhye rāma-upāsaka saba
keha ‘tattvavādī’, keha haya ‘śrī-vaiṣṇava’

vaiṣṇaveraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvaiṣṇavera

for a Vaiṣṇava; of a devotee; of a Vaiṣṇava; of all the Vaiṣṇavas; of all the Vaiṣṇava devotees; of all the Vaiṣṇavas; of devotees; of great devotees; of the devotees; of the devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; of the devotees of the Lord; of the Vaiṣṇava; of the Vaiṣṇavas; of Vaiṣṇavas; to all the devotees. madhyeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmadhye

among; amongst; between; between them; in; in between them; in the center; in the middle (between east and west); in the middle; in the midst; in the midst of; sometimes; toward; within; within the jurisdiction of Māhiṣmatī; within the midst.—amongst Vaiṣṇavas; rāmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigrama

known as Ramā; the goddess of fortune; Balarāma; Lord Rāma; Lord Rāmacandra; Lord Śrī Rāmacandra; my Lord Rāma.-upāsakaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupāsaka

worshiper; worshipers. sabaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsaba

all; all incidents; all kinds of; all of; all of it; all of them; all of you; everyone; everything; everywhere; of everything; to all; we all.—all worshipers of Lord Śrī Rāmacandra; kehaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkeha

a person; all of them; another; any of you; anybody; anyone; else; some; some of them; some persons; some women; somebody; someone; someone else.—someone; tattvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtattva

Absolute Truth; basic principles; conclusions; in truth; knowledge; of the Absolute Truth; of the truth; of the ultimate principles; real nature; that truth; the Absolute Truth; the fundamental principles; the principle; the truth; to the truth; truth; truths.-vādīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvadi

without false ego.—followers of Madhvācārya; kehaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkeha

a person; all of them; another; any of you; anybody; anyone; else; some; some of them; some persons; some women; somebody; someone; someone else.—someone; hayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighaya

are; is; appear; appears; are; are achieved; are there; assembled; awakened; awakens; became; become; become possible; becomes; becomes filled; becomes fulfilled; becomes manifest; becomes possible; becomes so; can be used; come out; happens; He is; here is; horse; increases; is; is certainly; is conducted; is it; is possible; is present; is there; it becomes; it becomes possible; it becomes so; it is; it is so; it so becomes; let it be; one becomes; remains; render; resounded; take place; takes; takes place; the horse; there are; there becomes; there can be; there is; there is awakening of; there was; there would be; they are; they become; they were; took place; was; were; will be; would be.—is; śrīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsri

and opulence; beautiful; beauty; fortune; Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; named śrī; opulence or beauty; opulences; the affluent; the goddess of fortune; the goddess of fortune, or a beautiful calf; the treasury houses; transcendental; with opulence.-vaiṣṇavaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvaiṣṇava

a devotee; a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu; a devotee of the Lord; a great devotee; a Vaiṣṇava; all the devotees; all the Vaiṣṇavas; devotee; devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa; devotees; devotees of Kṛṣṇa; devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; O devotees of the Lord; O Vaiṣṇava; of devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; of the devotees; of the Vaiṣṇavas; of Vaiṣṇavism, or devotional service; other devotees; the devotee; the devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; the devotees of the Lord; the devotees of the Supreme Lord; the ordinary Vaiṣṇava (the positive platform); the Vaiṣṇava devotees; the Vaiṣṇavas; Vaiṣṇava; Vaiṣṇava devotees; Vaiṣṇavas.—devotees following the disciplic succession of Śrī Rāmānujācārya

At the time, all the South Indian Vaiṣṇavas were worshipers of Lord Rāmacandra. Some were Tattvavādīs, and some were followers of Rāmānujācārya.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura points out that the word “Tattvavādī” refers to the followers of Śrīla Madhvācārya. To distinguish his disciplic succession from the Māyāvādī followers of Śaṅkarācārya, Śrīla Madhvācārya named his party the Tattvavādīs. Impersonal monists are always attacked by these Tattvavādīs, who attempt to defeat their philosophy of impersonalism. Generally, they establish the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually the disciplic succession of Madhvācārya is known as the Brahmā Vaiṣṇava sect; that is the sect coming down from Lord Brahmā. Consequently the Tattvavādīs, or followers of Madhvācārya, do not accept the incident of Lord Brahmā’s illusion, which is recorded in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīla Madhvācārya has purposefully avoided commenting on that portion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in which brahma-mohana, the illusion of Lord Brahmā, is mentioned. Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī was one of the ācāryas in the Tattvavāda disciplic succession, and he established the ultimate goal of transcendentalism to be attainment of pure devotional service, love of Godhead. Those Vaiṣṇavas belonging to the Gauḍīya-sampradāya, the disciplic succession following Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are distinct from the Tattvavādīs, although they belong to the same Tattvavāda-sampradāya. The followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are therefore known as the Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya.

The word pāṣaṇḍī refers to those who are opposed to pure devotional service. In particular, these are the Māyāvādīs, the impersonalists. A definition of pāṣaṇḍī is given in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (1.73), wherein it is stated:

yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ
brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ
samatvenaiva vīkṣeta
sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam

A pāṣaṇḍī is one who thinks that the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is on the same level with the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. The devotee never considers Lord Nārāyaṇa to be on the same platform with Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. The Madhvācārya-sampradāya and Rāmānuja-sampradāya are mainly worshipers of Lord Rāmacandra, although the Śrī Vaiṣṇavas are supposed to be worshipers of Lord Nārāyaṇa and Lakṣmī and the Tattvavādīs are supposed to be worshipers of Lord Kṛṣṇa. At present, in most of the monasteries belonging to the Madhva-sampradāya, Lord Rāmacandra is worshiped.

In the book known as Adhyātma-rāmāyaṇa, there are statements in Chapters Twelve to Fifteen about the worship of the Deities Śrī Rāmacandra and Sītā. There it is stated that during Lord Rāmacandra’s time there was a brāhmaṇa who took a vow to fast until he saw Lord Rāmacandra. Sometimes, due to business, Lord Rāmacandra was absent from His capital for a full week and could not be seen by citizens during that time. Because of his vow, the brāhmaṇa could not take even a drop of water during that week. Later, after eight or nine days, when the brāhmaṇa could see Lord Rāmacandra personally, he would break his fast. Upon observing the brāhmaṇa’s rigid vow, Lord Śrī Rāmacandra ordered His younger brother Lakṣmaṇa to deliver a pair of Sītā-Rāma Deities to the brāhmaṇa. The brāhmaṇa received the Deities from Śrī Lakṣmaṇajī and worshiped Them faithfully as long as he lived. At the time of his death, he delivered the Deities to Śrī Hanumānjī, who, for many years, hung Them around his neck and served Them with all devotion. After many years, when Hanumānjī departed on the hill known as Gandha-mādana, he delivered the Deities to Bhīmasena, one of the Pāṇḍavas, and Bhīmasena brought Them to his palace, where he kept Them very carefully. The last king of the Pāṇḍavas, Kṣemakānta, worshiped the Deities in that palace. Later, the same Deities were kept in the custody of the kings of Orissa known as Gajapatis. One of the ācāryas, known as Narahari Tīrtha, who was in the disciplic succession of Madhvācārya, received these Deities from the King of Orissa.

It may be noted that these particular Deities of Rāma and Sītā have been worshiped from the time of King Ikṣvāku. Indeed, they were worshiped by the royal princes even before the appearance of Lord Rāmacandra. Later, during Lord Rāmacandra’s presence, the Deities were worshiped by Lakṣmaṇa. It is said that just three months before his disappearance, Śrī Madhvācārya received these Deities and installed them in the Uḍupī temple. Since then the Deities have been worshiped by the Madhvācārya-sampradāya at that monastery. As far as the Śrī Vaiṣṇavas are concerned, beginning with Rāmānujācārya, they also worshiped Deities of Sītā-Rāma. Sītā-Rāma Deities are also being worshiped in Tirupati and other places. From the Śrī Rāmānuja-sampradāya there is another branch known as Rāmānandī or Rāmāt, and the followers of that branch also worship Deities of Sītā-Rāma very rigidly. The Rāmānuja-sampradāya Vaiṣṇavas prefer the worship of Lord Rāmacandra to that of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

deva-sthāne āsi’ kaila viṣṇu daraśana
śrī-vaiṣṇavera saṅge tāhāṅ goṣṭhī anukṣaṇa

devaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdeva

addressing my Lord; against you; among the demigods; as demigods; as good as the demigods; by Kṛṣṇa; by the demigods; by the Lord; celestial; dear Lord; demigod; demigods; living energy; my dear King; my Lord; O demigod; O King; O Lord; O master of the demigods; O my Lord; O Supreme Lord; of all demigods; of all the demigods; of providence; of the demigods; of the Supreme Lord; persons coming from the heavenly planets; the demigod; the demigods; the demigods from other planets; the demigods, or controlling deities; the heavenly planets; the Lord; the Personality of Godhead; the Supreme God; the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Śrī Kṛṣṇa); the Supreme Personality of Godhead; to the demigods; unto the demigods; with the demigods.-sthāneplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsthane

at the lotus feet; at the place; in a place; in place; in the middle while maintaining the creation; in the place; in the presence; on the place; place; rightly; to the place; when necessary.—to the place known as Devasthāna; āsi'plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasi

appear to be; are; are you; become; by swords; certainly You are so; do You belong; have been done; sword; swords; with swords; you are; you are considered; You can; you have become; You must be; you shall be; you were.—coming; kailaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkaila

accepted; agreed; assisted; attempted; became; brought; caused to germinate; chanted; compiled; composed; converted; decided; did; did say; did take place; do; executed; finished; fixed; formed; gave; has; has been made; has done; has made; have done; have executed; have taken; He did; He has made; He made them; he performed; I did; I have described; I have done; I have made; is made; issued; kept; made; made them; make; observed; occurred; offered; peformed; perform; performed; performs; prepared; put; showed; submitted; there was; they did; they made; took; took it; was done.—did; viṣṇuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigviṣṇu

as Lord Viṣṇu; by Lord Viṣṇu; Lord Viṣṇu; Lord Viṣṇu's; named Viṣṇu; of all-pervading Viṣṇu; of Lord Viṣṇu; Viṣṇu. daraśanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdaraśana

a meeting; an interview; appearance; audience; by seeing; by visiting; interview; meeting; seeing; seeing of Lord Jagannātha; sight; vision; visit; visiting; visiting the temple.—visiting the temple of Lord Viṣṇu; śrīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsri

and opulence; beautiful; beauty; fortune; Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; named śrī; opulence or beauty; opulences; the affluent; the goddess of fortune; the goddess of fortune, or a beautiful calf; the treasury houses; transcendental; with opulence.-vaiṣṇaveraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvaiṣṇavera

for a Vaiṣṇava; of a devotee; of a Vaiṣṇava; of all the Vaiṣṇavas; of all the Vaiṣṇava devotees; of all the Vaiṣṇavas; of devotees; of great devotees; of the devotees; of the devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; of the devotees of the Lord; of the Vaiṣṇava; of the Vaiṣṇavas; of Vaiṣṇavas; to all the devotees. saṅgeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsaṅge

accompanied by; accompanying Him; along; along with; along with her; along with Him; along with Me; by association; by embracing; by the association; company; in association; in company; in company with; in company with them; in His association; in His company; in the association of; in the company; in the company of; in Your company; in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's association; simultaneously; with; with Him; with Me; with Rūpa Gosvāmī; with them; with You; with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.—with the Vaiṣṇavas in the disciplic succession of Rāmānuja; tāhāṅplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtāhāṅ

there; anywhere; at his place; at Jagannātha Purī; at Kāmyavana; at that place; everywhere; in Mathurā and Vṛndāvana; in that case; in that ocean; in that place; in that portion; in that temple; in that time; in those places; on the bank of the Ganges; there (in Goloka Vṛndāvana); there (in the Seventh Chapter); there; there in the spiritual world (in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet); there to Vṛndāvana; there, at Vṛndāvana; there, in Vṛndāvana; therein.—there; goṣṭhīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggoṣṭhī

a discussion; discussion; family; family members; family members and friends; group; the family.—discussion; anukṣaṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganukṣaṇa

again and again; always; constantly; continuously; every moment; incessantly.—always.

At Devasthāna, Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Lord Viṣṇu, and there He talked with the Vaiṣṇavas in the disciplic succession of Rāmānujācārya. These Vaiṣṇavas are known as Śrī Vaiṣṇavas.

pāpa-nāśane viṣṇu kaila daraśana
śrī-raṅga-kṣetre tabe karilā gamana

pāpaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpāpa

O most sinful (Nārada Muni); O sinful one; of sins; reactions of sinful activities; sin; sinful; sinful activities; sinful life; sins; the accidental sinful life; the sinful reactions.-nāśaneplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignāśane

at the place named Pāpanāśana.—at the place named Pāpanāśana; viṣṇuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigviṣṇu

as Lord Viṣṇu; by Lord Viṣṇu; Lord Viṣṇu; Lord Viṣṇu's; named Viṣṇu; of all-pervading Viṣṇu; of Lord Viṣṇu; Viṣṇu.—Lord Viṣṇu; kailaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkaila

accepted; agreed; assisted; attempted; became; brought; caused to germinate; chanted; compiled; composed; converted; decided; did; did say; did take place; do; executed; finished; fixed; formed; gave; has; has been made; has done; has made; have done; have executed; have taken; He did; He has made; He made them; he performed; I did; I have described; I have done; I have made; is made; issued; kept; made; made them; make; observed; occurred; offered; peformed; perform; performed; performs; prepared; put; showed; submitted; there was; they did; they made; took; took it; was done.—did; daraśanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdaraśana

a meeting; an interview; appearance; audience; by seeing; by visiting; interview; meeting; seeing; seeing of Lord Jagannātha; sight; vision; visit; visiting; visiting the temple.—visiting; śrīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsri

and opulence; beautiful; beauty; fortune; Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; named śrī; opulence or beauty; opulences; the affluent; the goddess of fortune; the goddess of fortune, or a beautiful calf; the treasury houses; transcendental; with opulence.-raṅgaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigranga

pastimes; performance; playful activities; trick.-kṣetreplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkṣetre

at Jagannātha-kṣetra (Jagannātha Purī); at the place of pilgrimage; in the land; in the wife; in the wives and maidservant; in this tract of land; to Jagannātha Purī.—to the holy place named Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra; tabeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtabe

after that; after this; afterwards; at that opportunity; at that time; at this moment; at this time; but; if you do so; in that case; in that way; in this way; now; still; that time; then; then only; thereafter; therefore; thereupon; upon this.—then; karilāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkarila

accepted; admitted; affect; assembled; became; bestowed; did; executed; gave; has accepted; has done; has made Me; have done; he did; He has made; he made; I have done; I have made; made; make; manifested; offered; performed; prepared; rendered; submitted; the Lord offered; took; was executed; was made; were made; You have done; you have made.—did; gamanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggamana

coming; departure; entering; following; go; going; going back; going to Jagannātha Purī; going toward Jagannātha Purī; journey; movement; movements; moving; of going to; starting; the going; the touring; tour; touring; transference; travel; traveling; walking.—departure.

After visiting the holy place named Śiva-kṣetra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at Pāpanāśana and there saw the temple of Lord Viṣṇu. Then He finally reached Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra.

According to some, the place known as Pāpanāśana was located eight miles southwest of Kumbhakonṇam. Others say that in the district of Tinebheli there is a city known as Pālamakoṭā and that Twenty miles west of there is the holy place known as Pāpanāśana, near the river Tāmraparṇī. Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra is a very famous place. Near Tiruchchirāpalli is a river named Kāverī, or Kolirana. A city known as Śrī Raṅgam is located on this river in the district of Tanjoreāñ, about ten miles west of Kumbhakonṇam. The Śrī Raṅga temple is the largest in India, and there are seven walls surrounding it. There are also seven roads leading to Śrī Raṅga. The ancient names of these roads are the road of Dharma, the road of Rājamahendra, the road of Kulaśekhara, the road of Ālināḍana, the road of Tiruvikrama, the Tirubiḍi road of Māḍamāḍi-gāisa, and the road of Aḍa-iyāvala-indāna. The temple was founded before the reign of Dharmavarma, who reigned before Rājamahendra. Many celebrated kings like Kulaśekhara, and others such as Ālabandāru, resided in the temple of Śrī Raṅgam. Yāmunācārya, Śrī Rāmānuja, Sudarśanācārya and others also supervised this temple.

The incarnation of the goddess of fortune known as Godādevī, who was one of the twelve liberated persons known as divya-sūris, was married to the Deity, Lord Śrī Raṅganātha. Later she entered into the body of the Lord. An incarnation of Kārmuka, Tirumaṅga (one of the Alwars), acquired some money by stealing and built the fourth boundary wall of Śrī Raṅgam. It is said that in the year 289 of the Age of Kali, the Alwar of the name Toṇḍaraḍippaḍi was born. While engaged in devotional service, he fell victim to a prostitute, and Śrī Raṅganātha, seeing His devotee so degraded, sent one of His servants with a golden plate to that prostitute. When the golden plate was discovered missing from the temple, there was a search, and it was found in the prostitute’s house. When the devotee saw Raṅganātha’s mercy upon this prostitute, his mistake was rectified. He then prepared the third boundary wall of the Raṅganātha temple and cultivated a tulasī garden there.

There was also a celebrated disciple of Rāmānujācārya’s known as Kūreśa. Śrī Rāmapillā was the son of Kūreśa, and his son was Vāgvijaya Bhaṭṭa, whose son was Vedavyāsa Bhaṭṭa, or Śrī Sudarśanācārya. When Sudarśanācārya was an old man, the Mohammedans attacked the temple of Raṅganātha and killed about twelve hundred Śrī Vaiṣṇavas. At that time the Deity of Raṅganātha was transferred to the temple of Tirupati in the kingdom of Vijaya-nagara. The governor of Gingeeṅ, Goppaṇārya, brought Śrī Raṅganātha from the temple of Tirupati to a place known as Siṁha-brahma, where the Lord was situated for three years. In the year 1293 Śaka (A.D. 1372) the Deity was reinstalled in the Raṅganātha temple. On the eastern wall of the Raṅganātha temple is an inscription written by Vedānta-deśika relating how Raṅganātha was returned to the temple.

tāṅhāra bhajana sarvopari-kakṣā haya
śrī-vaiṣṇave’ra bhajana ei sarvopari haya

tāṅhāraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtanhara

His. bhajanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhajana

devotional service; in serving; loving service; method of worship; worship.—worship of Nārāyaṇa; sarvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarva

all; all around; all kinds; all kinds of; all over; everyone; everything; for all; for everyone; in all; in all respects; of all; of all demigods; of all kinds; of everyone; of everything.-upariplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupari

above (in the higher planetary systems); above; from the upper lip; high; on; on his head; on the head; on the top of; on top; on top of the child; over; up; upon; upon the back; upward.—topmost; kakṣāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkaksa

department.—department; hayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighaya

are; is; appear; appears; are; are achieved; are there; assembled; awakened; awakens; became; become; become possible; becomes; becomes filled; becomes fulfilled; becomes manifest; becomes possible; becomes so; can be used; come out; happens; He is; here is; horse; increases; is; is certainly; is conducted; is it; is possible; is present; is there; it becomes; it becomes possible; it becomes so; it is; it is so; it so becomes; let it be; one becomes; remains; render; resounded; take place; takes; takes place; the horse; there are; there becomes; there can be; there is; there is awakening of; there was; there would be; they are; they become; they were; took place; was; were; will be; would be.—is; śrīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsri

and opulence; beautiful; beauty; fortune; Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; named śrī; opulence or beauty; opulences; the affluent; the goddess of fortune; the goddess of fortune, or a beautiful calf; the treasury houses; transcendental; with opulence.-vaiṣṇaveraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvaiṣṇavera

for a Vaiṣṇava; of a devotee; of a Vaiṣṇava; of all the Vaiṣṇavas; of all the Vaiṣṇava devotees; of all the Vaiṣṇavas; of devotees; of great devotees; of the devotees; of the devotees of Lord Viṣṇu; of the devotees of the Lord; of the Vaiṣṇava; of the Vaiṣṇavas; of Vaiṣṇavas; to all the devotees.—of the followers of Rāmānujācārya; bhajanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhajana

devotional service; in serving; loving service; method of worship; worship.—worship; eiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigei

this; all these; for this; here is; in this way; is; just; of these; she; that; there; these; these six; they; this brāhmaṇa; this prasāda; this; this child; this example; this gentleman; this is; this man; this person; this Rūpa Gosvāmī; thus.—this; sarvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarva

all; all around; all kinds; all kinds of; all over; everyone; everything; for all; for everyone; in all; in all respects; of all; of all demigods; of all kinds; of everyone; of everything.-upariplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupari

above (in the higher planetary systems); above; from the upper lip; high; on; on his head; on the head; on the top of; on top; on top of the child; over; up; upon; upon the back; upward. hayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighaya

are; is; appear; appears; are; are achieved; are there; assembled; awakened; awakens; became; become; become possible; becomes; becomes filled; becomes fulfilled; becomes manifest; becomes possible; becomes so; can be used; come out; happens; He is; here is; horse; increases; is; is certainly; is conducted; is it; is possible; is present; is there; it becomes; it becomes possible; it becomes so; it is; it is so; it so becomes; let it be; one becomes; remains; render; resounded; take place; takes; takes place; the horse; there are; there becomes; there can be; there is; there is awakening of; there was; there would be; they are; they become; they were; took place; was; were; will be; would be.—is the topmost.

Thinking in this way, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa believed that worship of Nārāyaṇa was the supreme form of worship, superior to all other processes of devotional service, for it was followed by the Śrī Vaiṣṇava disciples of Rāmānujācārya.

tāte chaya darśana haite ‘tattva’ nāhi jāni
‘mahājana’ yei kahe, sei ‘satya’ māni

tāteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtate

bank; on the bank; on the bank of; on the beach.—therefore; chayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigchaya

6; six. darśanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdarsana

audience; by a personal visit; by seeing; by seeing you; by sight; interview; meeting; of seeing; realization; seeing; seeing face to face; sight; the sight; vision; visit; visiting the temple. haiteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighaite

from; from this; from within; more than; since; than; than this; to be; to become; to cross; to do.—from the six philosophical principles; tatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtat

establishment of the statement tat tvam asi.-tvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtva

on you; unto you; You; yourself. nāhiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignahi

am not; not. jāniplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjani

I can understand; I consider; I know; I think; I understand; know; knowing; one can understand; understand; understanding; we can learn; we can understand; we consider; we know; we understand.—we cannot understand the actual truth; mahājanaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmahājana

a great devotee and authority; a great personality; the great authorities.—the great authorities; yeiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyei

any; anyone; anyone who; as; He who; one; one who; that; that one who; that person who; that which; the subject matter; those; those persons who; those who; what; what is; whatever; wherever; which; whichever; who; whoever. kaheplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkahe

says; addresses; answer; anyone who describes; are indicated; asks; began to chant; began to explain; began to speak; both of them said; call; chant; chants; continued to speak; continues to speak; could say; declare; describe; described; describes; discussed; explains; expresses; he said; He says; indicates; informs; instructs; is enjoined; is known; is meant; is mentioned; is said; is sometimes said; is stated; is to be understood; is trying to speak; is understood; it is ordered; it is said; it is stated; it means; it says; Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says; means; mention; one means; one says; one speaks; orders; recites; replied; replies; requested; requests; said; say; says; she said; She says; someone says; speak; speaks; spoke; state; stated; submits; talk; tells; the paṇḍita says; the Lord says; they said; they say; they speak; utters; was speaking; will speak.—whatever they say; seiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsei

he; that; all of them; anyone; by that; hat; he; he is; in that; Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī; such; such a person; that mahā-pātra; that; that boy; that is; that King; that Kṛṣṇadāsa; that man; that officer; that person; that personality; that saintly person; that truth; that Vaiṣṇava; that Vijulī Khān; that woman; that Śrīkānta; the disciple of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī; the governor; these; they; this; those; those very; to those; unto the.—that; satyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsatya

as truth; by truthfulness; certainly; eternal; fire without sacrifice; in Satya-yuga; pure; real; Satya; Satyeyu; spoken in scripture; the Satyaloka planet; the Satyaloka planetary system; the truth; true; truly; truth; truthful. māniplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmani

gemlike; jewels; made of jewels; of jewels; of precious stones; pearls; rubies; the jewels; the touchstone; with small gems.—we can accept as truth.

“By studying the six philosophical theories, one cannot reach the Absolute Truth. It is therefore our duty to follow the path of the mahājanas, the authorities. Whatever they say should be accepted as the supreme truth.

In his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the six philosophical processes. Prakāśānanda admitted that Śrīpād Śaṅkarācārya, being very eager to establish his philosophy of monism, took shelter of the Vedānta philosophy and tried to explain it in his own way. The fact is, however, that if one accepts the existence of God, he certainly cannot establish the theory of monism. For this reason Śaṅkarācārya refuted all kinds of Vedic literature that establishes the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. In various ways, Śaṅkarācārya has tried to refute Vedic literature. Throughout the world, ninety-nine percent of the philosophers following in the footsteps of Śaṅkarācārya refuse to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead they try to establish their own opinions. It is typical of mundane philosophers to want to establish their own opinions and refute those of others. Therefore: (1) The Mīmāṁsaka philosophers, following the principles of Jaimini, stress fruitive activity and say that if there is a God, He must be under the laws of fruitive activity. In other words, if one performs his duties very nicely in the material world, God is obliged to give one the desired result. According to these philosophers, there is no need to become a devotee of God. If one strictly follows moral principles, one will be recognized by the Lord, who will give the desired reward. Such philosophers do not accept the Vedic principle of bhakti-yoga. Instead, they give stress to following one’s prescribed duty. (2) Atheistic Sāṅkhya philosophers like Kapila analyze the material elements very scrutinizingly and thereby come to the conclusion that material nature is the cause of everything. They do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of all causes. (3) Nyāya philosophers like Gautama and Kaṇāda have accepted a combination of atoms as the original cause of the creation. (4) Māyāvādī philosophers say that everything is an illusion. Headed by philosophers like Aṣṭāvakra, they stress the impersonal Brahman effulgence as the cause of everything. (5) Philosophers following the precepts of Patañjali practice rāja-yoga. They imagine a form of the Absolute Truth within many forms. That is their process of self-realization.

All five of these philosophies completely reject the predominance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and strive to establish their own philosophical theories. However, Śrīla Vyāsadeva wrote the Vedānta-sūtra and, taking the essence of all Vedic literature, established the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All five of the philosophers mentioned above understand that impersonal Brahman is without material qualities, and they believe that when the Personality of Godhead appears, He is contaminated and covered by the material qualities. The technical term used is saguṇa. They say, “saguṇa Brahman” and “nirguṇa Brahman.” Nirguṇa Brahman means impersonal, and saguṇa Brahman means “accepting material contamination.” More or less, this kind of philosophical speculation is called Māyāvāda philosophy. The fact is, however, that the Absolute Truth has nothing to do with material qualities because He is transcendental. He is always complete with full spiritual qualities. The five philosophers mentioned above do not accept Lord Viṣṇu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they are very busy refuting the philosophy of other schools. There are six kinds of philosophical processes in India. Because Vyāsadeva is the Vedic authority, he is known as Vedavyāsa. His philosophical explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra is accepted by the devotees. As Kṛṣṇa confirms in Bhagavad-gītā (Bg. 15.15)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 15.15

I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.:

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known; indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.”

The ultimate goal of studying all Vedic literature is the acceptance of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is propagating the philosophical conclusion of Śrīla Vyāsadeva and following other great ācāryas like Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇusvāmī, Nimbārka and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself.