Sat Sandarbhas

Sat Sandarbhas (Six Sandarbhas, a.k.a. Bhāgavata-sandarbha) is a 16th-century Vaishnava Sanskrit text, authored by Gaudiya Vaishnava theologian Jiva Goswami. The six treatise are Tattva-, Bhagavat-, Paramatma-, Krishna-, Bhakti-, and Priti-sandarbha.^[1][2] Jiva's Krama-sandarbha commentary on the Bhagavata Purana is often described as the "seventh" of the six sandarbhas.^[1][3]

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 Bhagavata Purana, 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.^[4]

According to Jiva Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami 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 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".^[5]

Tattva-sandarbha

Tattva-Sandarbha is a treatise on the various types of evidences (pramanas) used in Vedic philosophy, concluding that shabda (divine sound in the form of the Vedic scriptures) is the highest, and of all the scriptures, the Bhagavata Purana is the highest pointing to the Absolute Truth.^[6]

English translations by:

• Stuart Elkman (1986)^[7]
• Kusakratha dasa (1987)^[8](2007)^[9]
• Satyanarayana Dasa and Kundali Dasa (1995)^[10]
• Bhanu Swami (2012)^[11]
• Gopiparanadhana Dasa (2013)^[12]
• Satyanarayana dasa (2015)^[13]

Hindi translations by:

• Haridas Shastri (along with commentaries by Jiva Goswami, Baladeva Vidyabhushan, Radha Mohan Goswami, and Gaura Kishor Goswami)^[14][a]
• Shyamlal Hakim (Shri Shyamdas)^[15]

Bhagavat-sandarbha

Bhagavat-sandarbha distinguishes the impersonal aspect of Godhead (Brahman), the localized form of God within the heart of each living being (Paramatma), and the highest personal aspect of Godhead (Krishna or Bhagavan). Describes the spiritual realm of Krishna, the modes of material nature, the mode of pure goodness (visuddha-sattva), the importance of worshiping the deity of Krishna, and the eternal nature and qualities of the deity.^[6]

English translations by:

• Bhanu Swami (with commentary of Jiva Goswami)
• Satyanarayana dasa (with his own commentary)^[16]

Hindi translations by:

• Haridas Shastri^[17][a]
• Shyamlal Hakim (Shri Shyamdas)^[18]

Paramatma-sandarbha

Paramatma-sandarbha (Paramātma-sandarbha) describes the characteristics of Paramatma (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), the theory of transformation, the various avatars of Krishna, how Krishna reciprocates with his devotees, and how Krishna is characterized by six particular opulences.^[19]

English translations by:

• Bhanu Swami (with commentary of Jiva Goswami)
• Satyanarayana dasa (with his own commentary)^[20]

Hindi translations by:

• Haridas Shastri^[21][a]
• Shyamlal Hakim^[22]

Krishna-sandarbha

Krishna-sandarbha (Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha) gives a number of quotes from various scriptures to prove that Krishna is the supreme god. Discusses the pastimes and qualities of Krishna as well as his avatars and functionary expansions. There is a description of Goloka, the planet of Krishna in relation to Vrindavana in the material sphere, the eternal associates of Krishna and their expansions, and a description of the Gopis and the topmost position of Radha among them.^[23]

English translations by:

• Bhanu Swami (with commentary of Jiva Goswami)
• Satyanarayana dasa (with his own commentary)

Hindi translations by:

• Haridas Shastri^[24][a]
• Shyamlal Hakim^[25]

Bhakti-sandarbha

Bhakti-sandarbha explains how devotion to Krishna is directly executed, how the self is manifest through bhakti, 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.^[26] Discusses Varnashrama dharma (the socio-religious system established in scriptures), the superexcellent position of devotion to Krishna as compared to other conceptions such as yoga, and the worship of minor deities of the Hindu pantheon as being futile in comparison to the worship of Krishna's devotees. Explains liberation of the soul, the position of Shiva 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 Vaishnava devotion.

English translations by:

• Bhanu Swami
• Satyanarayana Dasa and Bruce Martin^[27]

Hindi translations by:

• Haridas Shastri^[28][a]
• Shyamlal Hakim^[29]

Priti-sandarbha

Priti-sandarbha (Prīti-sandarbha) is a treatise on divine love, the supreme object being Krishna, where love for God (prema) is considered the highest form of liberation. 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 Radha.^[30]

English translations by:

• Bhanu Swami

Hindi translations by:

• Haridas Shastri^[31][a]
• Shyamlal Hakim^[32]

Notes

1. Haridasa Shastri tends to blend his commentary into the translation, along with excerpts from Jiva Goswami’s Sarva-samvadini.^[33]

References

1. De, Sushil K. (1942). Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal. p. 254.
2. Dasa, Satyanarayana (2007). "The Six Sandarbhas of Jiva Goswami". In Bryant, Edwin F. (ed.). Sources of the Krishna tradition. Oxford University press. pp. 373–408.
3. Rosen, Steven (1990). The Six Goswamis of Vrindavan. FOLK Books. p. 165. ISBN 0961976322.
4. Gupta, Dr. Ravi M. (2007). Flood, Gavin (ed.). The Caitanya Vaisnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami: When knowledge meets devotion. Routledge. p. 11 (Introduction). ISBN 978-0-203-50068-2.
5. Wong, Lucian (2015). "Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Studies: Mapping the Field". Religions of South Asia. 9 (3): 312.
6. Rosen 1990, p. 163.
7. Elkman, Stuart (1986). Jīva Gosvāmin's Tattvasandarbha: A Study on the Philosophical and Sectarian Development of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Movement. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
8. Kusakratha Dasa (1987). Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī's Śrī Tattva-sandarbha: An Essay on Truth. Vol. The Kṛṣṇa Library Vol. 6. Los Angeles: The Kṛṣṇa Institute.
9. Kusakratha Dasa (2007). Purnaprajna Dasa (ed.). Śrī Tattva Sandarbha. Vrindaban, (U.P) India: Rasbihari Lal & Sons. ISBN 978-81-8403-055-6.
10. Satyanarayana Dasa; Kundali Dasa (1995). Śrī Tattva Sandarbha of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī: The First Book of the Śrī Ṣaṭ Sandarbha. Vrindavan: Jiva Institute.
11. Bhanu Swami (2012). Tattva Sandarbha with Sarva-samyadini commentary by Jiva Gosvami and commentary of Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Chennai, India: Sri Vaikuntha Publishers. ISBN 978-81-89564-48-3.
12. Gopiparanadhana Dasa (2013). Śrī Tattva-sandarbha by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. India at Samrat Offset: Giriraja Publishing. ISBN 978-81-926743-0-8.
13. Dasa, Satyanarayana (2015). Śrī Tattva Sandarbha – Vaiṣṇava Epistemology and Ontology Translation and Commentary. Vrindavana: Jiva Institute of Vaishnava Studies.
14. Shastri, Haridas (1983). Tattva Sandarbhah. Vrindavan: Sri Gadadhar Gaurahari Press.
15. Hakim, Shyamlal (2000). Shri Tattva Sandarbha. Vrindavan: Vraja gaurava prakashan.
16. Dasa, Satyanarayana (2014). Bhagavat Sandarbha: God—His Qualities, Abode and Associates. Vrindavan: Jiva Institute.
17. Shastri, Haridas (1984). Bhagavat Sandarbhah. Vrindavan: Sri Gadadhar Gaurahari Press.
18. Hakim, Shyamlal (2007). Shri Bhagavat Sandarbha. Vrindavan: Vraja gaurava prakashan.
19. Rosen 1990, pp. 163–164.
20. Dasa, Satyanarayana (2016). Śrī Paramātma Sandarbha: The Living Being, Its Bondage, and the Immanent Absolute. Vrindavana: Jiva Institute of Vaishnava Studies.
21. Shastri, Haridas (1984). Paramatma Sandarbhah. Vrindavan: Sri Gadadhar Gaurahari Press.
22. Hakim, Shyamlal (1999). Shri Bhagavat Sandarbha. Vrindavan: Vraja gaurava prakashan.
23. Rosen 1990, p. 164.
24. Shastri, Haridas (1984). Krishna Sandarbhah. Vrindavan: Sri Gadadhar Gaurahari Press.
25. Hakim, Shyamlal (1996). Shri Krishna Sandarbha. Vrindavan: Vraja gaurava prakashan.
26. Rosen 1990, pp. 164–165.
27. Dasa, Satyanarayana; Martin, Bruce (2005–2006). Śrī Bhakti Sandarbha of Jīva Gosvāmin. 3 vols. Vrindavan: Jiva Institute.
28. Shastri, Haridas (1985). Krishna Sandarbhah. Vrindavan: Sri Gadadhar Gaurahari Press.
29. Hakim, Shyamlal (1998). Shri Krishna Sandarbha. Vrindavan: Vraja gaurava prakashan.
30. Rosen 1990, p. 165.
31. Shastri, Haridas (1986). Priti Sandarbhah. Vrindavan: Sri Gadadhar Gaurahari Press.
32. Hakim, Shyamlal (1998). Shri Priti Sandarbha. Vrindavan: Vraja gaurava prakashan.
33. Gupta 2007.

External links

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