touchstone / philosopher stone
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Imported quote 15668 In the Svetasvetara Upanishad it is stated that the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead is full of inconceivable energies, and no one else has such energy. By the misunderstanding of such inconceivable energies of the Supreme, one may conclude that the Supreme Absolute Truth is impersonal, but this is false. Such a conclusion is only a delusion experienced by a living being when he is in an acute stage of disease. In Srimad Bhagwatam [3.33.3] also there are statements that the Supreme Atma, the Lord, has got inconceivable, innumerable potencies. In the Brahma Samhita [5.5] also it is stated that in the Supreme Spirit there are many variegated, inconceivable energies.
(More...) Imported quote 15736 From the very beginning of the Vedanta Sutra it is accepted that the cosmic manifestation is a display of the energy of the Supreme Lord. In the very beginning, Janmadyasya, it is described that the Supreme Brahman is That from Whom everything is taking appearance. Everything is being maintained and everything is dissolved in Him. The Absolute Truth is the Cause of Creation, Maintenance, and Dissolution. The cause of the fruit is the tree. When the tree produces a fruit it does not mean that the tree is impersonal. The tree produces many hundreds and thousands of fruits but it remains as it is. The fruit is produced, developed, stays for some time, dwindles, and then vanishes. That does not mean that the tree has vanished. From the very beginning, therefore, the purpose of the Vedanta Sutra is the exposition of the doctrine of by-products. These activities of production, maintenance and dissolution are going on by the inconceivable energy of the Supreme Lord. The cosmic manifestation is a transformation of the energy of the Supreme Lord, although the energy of the Supreme Lord and the Supreme Lord Himself are non-different and inseparable. An example is the touchstone which produces great quantities of gold by contact with iron-but still the touchstone remains as it is. The Supreme Lord, therefore, in spite of His producing the huge material cosmic manifestation, is always in His transcendental Form.
(More...) Imported quote 15755 Balarama had three wives and nine sons. The youngest son of his first wife was known as Madhusūdana Gosvami. He took the title Bhattacarya and accepted the path of the smarta or Mayavada philosophy. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura notes that the son of Gosvami Bhattacarya, Sri Radharamana Gosvami Bhattacarya, refused the title gosvami because it is generally meant for sannyasis, those who have taken the renounced order of life. One who is still in family life should not misuse the title gosvami. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did not recognize the caste gosvamis because they were not in the line of the six Gosvamis in the renounced order who were direct disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu-namely, Srila Rūpa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Bhatta Raghunatha Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said that the grhasthasrama, or the status of family life, is a sort of concession for sense gratification. Therefore a grhastha should not falsely adopt the title gosvami. The ISKCON movement has never conferred the title gosvami upon a householder. Although all the sannyasis we have initiated in ISKCON are young, we have awarded them the titles of the renounced order of life, svami and gosvami, because they have completely dedicated their lives to preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura mentions that not only do the householder caste gosvamis disrespect the title gosvami, but also, following the principles of the smarta Raghunandana, they exhibit great foolishness by burning a straw image of Advaita Acarya in a sraddha ceremony, thus acting as Raksasas and disrespecting the cause of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which is the guide for Vaisnavas. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that sometimes these smarta caste gosvamis write books on Vaisnava philosophy or commentaries on the original scriptures, but a pure devotee should cautiously avoid reading them.
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