The Ten Esoteric Principles Taught by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu
In His instructions, Çré Caitanya explained the three esoteric concepts from the scriptures known as: sambandha (eternal relationship), abhidheya (direct application) and prayojana (ultimate necessity). When instructing Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé, Lord Caitanya said (Cc. Madhya 20.143.146):
veda çästre kahe, sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana kåñëa, kåñëa- bhakti, prema-tina mahädhana mukhya gauëa våtti, kiàva anvaya vyatireke vedera pratijïä kevala kahaye kåñëake
“In the Vedic literature, Çré Kåñëa is the central point of attraction, and His service is our activity. To attain the platform of love of Kåñëa is life’s ultimate goal. Therefore, Kåñëa, Kåñëa’s service and love of Kåñëa are the three great riches of life. When one accepts Vedic literature by dictionary meaning or even by interpretation, i.e. directly or indirectly, the ultimate declaration of Vedic knowledge points to Lord Kåñëa.”
‘The Vedic literature is indeed authentic scripture. Whatever is found in the Veda is the absolute truth. The sole aim of the Veda is to reveal Kåñëa, either directly or indirectly, in some places as the principal topic or in other places as the subordinate topic. Therefore, when discussing the principle of sambandha, the Veda points to Kåñëa alone. Similarly, devotional service to Kåñëa is the abhidheya principle and love of Godhead, Kåñëa, is the singular necessity and ultimate objective of the entire Vedic literature, prayojana. In order to delineate the three principles of sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana we must first discuss the ten esoteric principles as enunciated by Çré Caitanya.
ämnäyaù präha tattvaà harim iha paramaà sarva-çaktim rasäbdhià tad bhinnäàsäàç ca jévän prakåti-kavalitän tad-vimuktäàç ca bhävät bhedäbedha-prakäçaà sakalam api hareù sädhanaà çuddha-bhaktià sädhyaà tat-prétim evety upadiçati janän gaura-candraù svayaà saù
Explanatory Verse
“(1) The Vedas are the principal scriptural evidence, which in turn expound the following nine principles: (2) Kåñëa is the Supreme Absolute Truth. (3) Kåñëa is omnipotent. (4) He is the fountainhead of all relationships and love. (5) The living entities are His separated parts and parcels. (6) The living entity, due to his constitutional situation as the marginal energy, may come under the sway of the material energy. (7) Again, due to his marginal nature, the living entity in the liberated condition is free of the influence of material nature. (8) The living entity and everything in this material cosmos is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme Lord, Kåñëa. (9) Pure devotional service is the living entity’s occupation and means. (10) Pure love of Kåñëa is the living entity’s ultimate goal.
“The first principle presents and establishes the evidence, the bona-fide source of information. The second to eighth principles are the concepts of sambandha , as discussed in the Veda. The ninth principle points out the abhidheya principle and the tenth, the prayojana principle. These ten principles are conveniently categorized into pramäëa (proof, evidence) and prameya (that to be substantiated). The first, the Vedic literature, is pramäëa . The following nine, i.e. the second to tenth principles, are all in the category of prameya , that to be substantiated. Of that nine, the second, third and fourth elaborate upon the supremacy of Kåñëa, the Absolute Truth. The fifth, sixth and seventh delineate the conditional position of the jéva. The eighth principle discusses the eternal relationship between Kåñëa, the Supreme Lord and the living entity, jiva. This principle of simultaneous oneness and distinction, bhedäbheda, must be understood and realized as the inconceivable potency of the Supreme Lord. The ninth principle illustrates bhakti as the activity of the jiva and the tenth gives the goal of such activity, Kåñëa-prema .
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura in his Dasa-mula-tattva – The Ten esoteric principles taught by Çré Caitanya
