''Sat Sandarbhas'' (''Six Sandarbhas'', ) is a 16th-century

Vaishnava Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

text, authored by

Gaudiya Vaishnava Gaudiya Vaishnavism (), also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, is a Vaishnava Hindu religious movement inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gaura or Gauḍa region of Bengal, with Vaishnavism meanin ...

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

Jiva Goswami Jiva Goswami ( sa, जीव गोस्वामी, Jīva Gosvāmī; ) was an Indian philosopher and saint from the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Vedanta tradition, producing a great number of philosophical works on the theology and practice ...

. The six treatise are ''Tattva-'', ''Bhagavat-'', ''Paramatma-'', ''Krishna-'', ''Bhakti-'', and ''Priti-sandarbha''. Jiva's ''Krama-sandarbha'' commentary on the ''

Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...

'' is often described as the "seventh" of the six ''sandarbhas''. The ''Six Sandarbhas'' are sometimes called the ''Bhagavata-sandarbha'', not to be confused with the second treatise titled ''Bhagavat-sandarbha''. The word "''sandarbha''" literally means "weaving" or "arranging"; the ''Bhagavata-sandarbha'', his main philosophical work, is a thematic arrangement of the ''

'', which presents Caitanya Vaishnavism in a systematic and comprehensive way. Gupta places this composition as an early work due to references in latter works such as ''Radha-krsnarcana-dipika'', ''Krama-sandarbha'', ''Dig-darsini'', ''Durgama-sangamini'', and ''Gopalacampu''. Brzezinski dates the composition between Jiva's ''Madhava-mahotsava'' in 1555 and published praises of Jiva in 1561. According to Jiva Goswami,

Gopala Bhatta Goswami Gopala Bhatta Goswami (1503–1578) is one of the foremost disciples of the Vaishnava saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and a leading historical figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Hinduism. He was part of a group of Vaishnava devotees known ...

had already done the preliminary work on ''Sat Sandarbhas'', but did not complete it. Jiva took the work of Gopala Bhatta and expanded it into six parts, systematically presenting the philosophy of

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; born Vishvambhar Mishra) was a 15th-century Indian saint who is considered to be the combined avatar of Radha and Krishna by his disciples and various scriptures. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna ...

and providing scriptural evidences. Jiva Goswami also wrote an extensive commentary to the first four ''sandarbhas'' called ''Sarva-samvadini.'' The Jiva Institute of Dr. Satyanarayana Dasa based in Vrindavan is engaged in what Lucian Wong calls an "ambitious Sandarbha translation project".

''Tattva-sandarbha''

''Tattva-Sandarbha'' is a treatise on the various types of evidences (''

pramana ''Pramana'' (Sanskrit: प्रमाण, ) literally means " proof" and "means of knowledge".shabda ''Shabda'' ( sa, शब्द, ), is the Sanskrit word for "speech sound". In Sanskrit grammar, the term refers to an utterance in the sense of linguistic performance. History In classical Indian philosophy of language, the grammarian Katyayan ...

'' (divine sound in the form of the

Vedic scriptures upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

) is the highest, and of all the scriptures, the ''

'' is the highest pointing to the Absolute Truth. English translations by: * Stuart Elkman (1986) * Kusakratha dasa (1987)(2007) * Satyanarayana Dasa and Kundali Dasa (1995) * Bhanu Swami (2012) * Gopiparanadhana Dasa (2013) * Satyanarayana dasa (2015) Hindi translations by: *

Haridas Shastri Shri Haridas Shastri (1918-2013) was an Indian Gaudiya Vaisnava scholar and practitioner. A prolific Sanskrit scholar, he wrote more than a sixty books, including translations from the Sanskrit of several Gauḍīyā books and his own commentaries ...

(along with commentaries by Jiva Goswami, Baladeva Vidyabhushan, Radha Mohan Goswami, and Gaura Kishor Goswami) * Shyamlal Hakim (Shri Shyamdas)

''Bhagavat-sandarbha''

''Bhagavat-sandarbha'' distinguishes the impersonal aspect of Godhead (

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...

), the localized form of God within the heart of each living being (

Paramatma ''Paramatman'' (Sanskrit: परमात्मन्, IAST: Paramātman) or ''Paramātmā'' is the Absolute ''Ātman (Hinduism), Atman'', or supreme Self, in various philosophies such as the Vedanta and Yoga schools in Hindu theology, as well ...

), and the highest personal aspect of Godhead (

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

Bhagavan Bhagavan ( sa, भगवान्, Bhagavān; pi, Bhagavā, italics=yes), also spelt Bhagwan (sometimes translated in English as "Lord"), is an epithet within Indian religions used to denote figures of religious worship. In Hinduism it is us ...

). Describes the spiritual realm of Krishna, the modes of material nature, the mode of pure goodness (''visuddha-sattva''), the importance of worshiping the

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...

of Krishna, and the eternal nature and qualities of the deity. English translations by: * Bhanu Swami (with commentary of Jiva Goswami) * Satyanarayana dasa (with his own commentary) Hindi translations by: * Haridas Shastri * Shyamlal Hakim (Shri Shyamdas)

''Paramatma-sandarbha''

''Paramatma-sandarbha'' () describes the characteristics of

(supersoul), and how he resides in all living entities in the universe. Discusses the nature of the materially conditioned living entities, the phenomenal material world, the illusory potency (

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...

), the theory of transformation, the various

avatars Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance ...

, how Krishna reciprocates with his devotees, and how Krishna is characterized by six particular opulences. English translations by: * Bhanu Swami (with commentary of Jiva Goswami) * Satyanarayana dasa (with his own commentary) Hindi translations by: * Haridas Shastri * Shyamlal Hakim

''Krishna-sandarbha''

''Krishna-sandarbha'' () gives a number of quotes from various scriptures to prove that

is the supreme god. Discusses the pastimes and qualities of Krishna as well as his

and functionary expansions. There is a description of

Goloka Goloka ( sa, गोलोक) or Goloka Vrindavan () is the celestial abode of the Hindu god Krishna and his divine consort Radha. In the ''Bhagavata Purana'', Krishna is portrayed as the highest person who resides in Goloka. According to Gaudiy ...

, the planet of Krishna in relation to

Vrindavana Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childho ...

in the material sphere, the eternal associates of Krishna and their expansions, and a description of the

Gopis Gopi ( sa, गोपी, ) or Gopika in Hinduism are worshipped as the consorts and devotees of Krishna within the Vaishnavism and Krishnaism traditions for their unconditional love and devotion ('' Bhakti'') to god Krishna as described in the ...

and the topmost position of

Radha Radha ( sa, राधा, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. She is the avatar of goddess Lakshmi and is also de ...

among them. English translations by: * Bhanu Swami (with commentary of Jiva Goswami) * Satyanarayana dasa (with his own commentary) Hindi translations by: * Haridas Shastri * Shyamlal Hakim

''Bhakti-sandarbha''

''Bhakti-sandarbha'' explains how devotion to

is directly executed, how the self is manifest through ''

bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

'', the potency of imperfectly executed ''bhakti'', the differences between a great and ordinary devotee, spontaneous love of god (''raganuga-bhakti''), the specific purpose of becoming a devotee of Krishna, and other perfectional stages. Discusses ''

Varnashrama dharma ''Varṇa'' ( sa, वर्ण, varṇa), in the context of Hinduism, refers to a social class within a hierarchical caste system. The ideology is epitomized in texts like ''Manusmriti'', which describes and ranks four varnas, and prescribes ...

'' (the socio-religious system established in scriptures), the superexcellent position of devotion to Krishna as compared to other conceptions such as ''

yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...

'', and the worship of minor deities of the

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

pantheon as being futile in comparison to the worship of Krishna's devotees. Explains liberation of the soul, the position of

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

as a devotee of Krishna, how unmotivated devotion to Krishna promotes a devotee to the highest spiritual position and numerous other points concerning the performance of

devotion. English translations by: * Bhanu Swami * Satyanarayana Dasa and Bruce Martin Hindi translations by: * Haridas Shastri * Shyamlal Hakim

''Priti-sandarbha''

''Priti-sandarbha'' () is a treatise on divine love, the supreme object being

, where love for God ('' prema'') is considered the highest form of

liberation Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode Gaming * '' Liberati ...

. Presents a comparative study of other types of liberation, concluding '' Prema Bhakti'' as topmost. Discusses how to attain ''Prema'', how to awaken it, and the symptoms of one who has attained it. Discusses the distinctions between mundane lust and divine love, the various mellows found among the associates of Krishna, the superexcellence of '' Madhurya-rasa'' (divine conjugal love), the overlapping of different ''rasas'', and the glories of

. English translations by: * Bhanu Swami Hindi translations by: * Haridas Shastri * Shyamlal Hakim

Notes

References

{{reflist

External links

Gaudiya Grantha Mandira
(Sanskrit Texts)
Sat Sandarbhas
(Jiva Institute) Sanskrit texts