76-08 “I am sorry to learn that you have become a little agitated regarding the publication of an article in our Back to Godhead magazine. It is certainly unpleasant, but the officers who publish the magazine do not know satyam bruyat priyam bruyat, in this material world only palatable truth should be spoken. Unpalatable truth should be carefully avoided. The cause of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s agitation was much the same as your own. As you are irritated by the criticism of Sri Vallabahacarya, similarly Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also agitated when Vallabhacarya criticized Sridhara Swami. Sridhara Swami is accepted as the orginal commentator on the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Perhaps you know that there is an edition of the Srimad-Bhagavatam by Krsna Sankara Sastri ‘abhinavah sukah’ Vedantacarya, Sahitya-tirtha, Sri-bhagavata-sudhanidhi, from Ahmedabad. In his book he has given almost all the important commentaries on the Bhagavatam, as follows: 1. Sridhara Swami 2. Sri Vamisidhara 3. Sri Gangasahaya 4. Srimad Viraraghavacarya 5. Srimad Vijayadhvaja Tirtha 6. Srimad Jiva Goswami 7. Srimad Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur 8. Srimad Sukadeva 9. Goswami Sri-Giridharilal (Vallabhacarya sampradaya) 10. Sri Bhagavat-prasadacarya, etc. Among all commentaries, Sridhara Swami’s is given the first position. Thisparampara has existed for a very long time. It was also accepted during Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s time, but Sri Vallabhacarya violated the system. Instead of acknowledging Sridhara Swami’s pre-eminent position, he wanted to take it himself. I am enclosing herewith some photocopies of the important verses from the original book Caitanya-caritamrta that specifically deal with the subject matter. These verses are from Antya-lila Chapter 7, entitled ‘Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta.’ I would like to draw your attention to verse 113 on page 55 where Vallabha Bhatta says: ‘In my commentary on
Srimad-Bhagavatam,’ he says, ‘I have refuted the explanations of Sridhara Swami. I cannot accept his explanations.’
Moreover verse 114 states: “Whatever Sridhara Swami reads he explains according to the circumstances. Therefore he is inconsistent in his explanations and cannot be accepted as an authority.’ Vallabha Bhatta’s declaration certainly agitated Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Consequently, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked sarcastically that He considered that anyone who did not accept the svami (or Sridhara Swami) as an authority was a prostitute. Prabhu hasi’ kahe; but he smiled and said this jokingly, because they were friends. Although this point is very controversial, it is not based on hearsay, as you have stated, but it is authoritatively documented by the Caitanya-caritamrta. As you have written in a friendly spirit, I do not wish to discuss this point further. If you will kindly take a little to read this chapter ‘Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta’ you will understand the whole situation. Actually Vallabha Bhatta should not have criticized Sridhara Swami, because even now Sridhara Swami is very respected. Even authorities like Sri Jiva Goswami and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur mention in their commentaries, svami caranat, as we have learned it from the lotus feet of Sridhara Swami. So when Vallabha Bhatta criticized Sridhara Swami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabha Bhatta strongly. This is a fact, but this does not mean that Vallabha Bhatta and Caitanya Mahaprabhu were inimical. Vallabha Bhatta honored Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a superior. Sometimes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would chastise Vallabha Bhatta and sometimes He would favor him, because this was their relationship. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would never refuse the occasional invitations of Vallabha Bhatta.
Everything will become clear if you kindly read this chapter with attention. For example, we see that two lawyers in the court-room may fight vigorously about a law point, but upon returning to the law library, they talk and embrace like friends. So you should always remember that we have no ill feelings toward Vallabha Bhattacarya. We have full respect for him, there is no harm if these facts are discussed in the society of devotees. Devotees always humbly offer respect to everyone, but when there is a discussion on a point of sastra, they do not observe the usual etiquette: satyam bruyat priyam bruyat. They speak only the satyam, although it may not necessarily be priyam. I hope you will understand the whole situation. If you still have any doubts, I shall be glad to hear from you and shall try to satisfy you to the best of my ability. I am presently not in very good health, nonetheless I hope this meets you well.”
(SP Letter to Madame Sumati Morarji, 9 th August, 1976)
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About Sri Vallabha Bhatta:
Vallabhācārya had two sons, Gopīnātha and Viṭhṭhaleśvara, and in his old age he accepted the renounced order. In 1452 Śakābda Era, he passed away from the material world at Vārāṇasī. His book known as Ṣoḍaśa-grantha and his commentaries on Vedānta-sūtra (Anubhāṣya) and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Subodhinī) are very famous. He has written many other books besides.