Govinda Bhashya

Govinda Bhashya is a

Vedanta Sutra. It was written in the year 1628 Sakabda (1718 CE) at Galtaji (Galta) near the present city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, by Baladeva Vidyabhushana

to defend Gaudiya Vaishnava theology.

Govinda Bhashya: Gaudiya Vaishnava commentary on Vedanta

Around this time (1718 CE), a branch of the Sri (

Radharani along with Sri Krishna as not being authorised anywhere in the shastras

.

The king was initiated within the Gaudiya sampradaya and he sent word to Vrindavana, informing the devotees what had happened. At that time Srila

Sat-sandarbhas

."

The scholars in the assembly, however, refused to accept anything other than a direct commentary on the sutra. Having no other recourse, Baladeva promised to present them with one.

Feeling very aggrieved, Sri Baladeva came to Sri

Govindaji

's mandira (temple) and informed Sri Govinda of everything that had happened. That night the Lord appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to write a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra: "I will dictate to you what to write and therefore no one will be able to refuse to accept it."

Thus Baladeva began to write, and within a few days completed the commentary which was titled 'Sri Govinda Bhashya'. It convinced the Ramanandi scholars and they bestowed upon Sri Baladeva the title 'Vidyabhushana' ('ornament of knowledge (

vidya

)').

They expressed their desire to accept initiation from Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana. However, he declined their request by stating that amongst the four authorized sampradayas, the Sri sampradaya was highly respectable and the foremost adherent of dasya-bhakti (devotion in servitorship). If there was any cause of loss of respect to the sampradaya this might be considered an offense.

An English translation of this text was presented by Rai Bahadur

Srisa Chandra Vasu

in 1916.

External links

Govinda Bhasya (incomplete)
Govinda Bhasya fragments