The Meaning of Vyāsa-pūjā

The day on which a disciple celebrates the appearance of his spiritual master is called Vyasa-pūja. The word "Vyasa" indicates Srila Vyasadeva, a powerful incarnation of Krsna (God) who compiled all of the Vedic literature, and "pūja" means worship.

Vyasadeva appeared five thousand years ago, at the dawn of the present Age of Quarrel, just when widespread moral deterioration was about to begin. He could foresee that the people of this age would be short-lived, unfortunate and always disturbed.

Before Vyasadeva, all the Vedic scriptures were taught and received verbally in disciplic succession. The memories of both the students and the spiritual masters of those ages were so sharp that once they heard a transcendental message from their spiritual master, the message was immediately imprinted into their brains and considered a written language.

To give the unfortunate people of the modern age a chance to partake of the knowledge contained in the Vedas, Sri Vyasadeva undertook the enormous task of compilation. He composed the millions of Sanskrit verses of the Mahabharata, the Vedanta-sūtra and the Puranas, including Srimad-Bhagavatam. No one else in history can compare with him as a poet, philosopher or writer, and he is thus known as Mahamuni (the great sage). He is the spiritual master of all who follow the teachings of the Vedas. His final, mature work, Srimad-Bhagavatam, is known as the "ripened fruit of the Vedas" and is sufficient in itself for God realization. The precious Bhagavatam has been handed down in disciplic succession, from guru to disciple, in an unbroken chain, and today His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, spiritual master of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, is delivering it in turn to his disciples.

Out of his causeless mercy, Srila Vyasadeva wrote Srimad-Bhagavatam for the benefit of the fallen people of Kali-yuga (the modern age), and out of his causeless mercy Srila Prabhupada is personally translating and expanding this monumental work-and he is preaching it throughout the western world as well. At the advanced age of seventy, he traveled under great hardship from India to America to found the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and today, nine years later, he tirelessly works eighteen to twenty hours a day, still translating and preaching the eternal message of Srimad-Bhagavatam: pure, unalloyed service to Krsna (God).

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, the foremost devotee and scholar of the previous age, is the spiritual master of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the bestower of devotional service upon the fallen souls. His is the deliverer of devotional service which is enriched with the conjugal love of Sri-Sri Radha and Krsna. He is the personified teachings of Lord Caitanya. Thus, he never tolerates any statement against the teaching of devotional service as enunciated by Srila Rūpa Gosvami.