Four acaryas

Expressions researched:
"four acarya" |"four acaryas"

CC Adi-lila

Cheap Vaiṣṇavas (sahajiyās) do not care to study the Vedānta philosophy as commented upon by the four ācāryas.

CC Adi 7.72, Purport: A devotee must know the importance of simultaneously understanding Vedanta philosophy and chanting the holy names. If by studying Vedanta one becomes an impersonalist, he has not been able to understand Vedanta. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15). Vedanta means "the end of knowledge." The ultimate end of knowledge is knowledge of Krsna, who is identical with His holy name. Cheap Vaisnavas (sahajiyas) do not care to study the Vedanta philosophy as commented upon by the four acaryas. In the Gaudiya-sampradaya there is a Vedanta commentary called the Govinda-bhasya, but the sahajiyas consider such commentaries to be untouchable philosophical speculation, and they consider the acaryas to be mixed devotees. Thus they clear their way to hell.

When Śrī Viṣṇu Svāmī, one of the four ācāryas of the Vaiṣṇava cult, presented his thesis on the subject matter of śuddhādvaita-vāda, immediately the Māyāvādīs took advantage of this philosophy and tried to establish their advaita-vāda.

CC Adi 7.110, Purport: The purpose of the discussions in the Upanisads and Vedanta-sutra is to philosophically establish the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. The impersonalists, however, in order to establish their philosophy, accept these discussions in terms of laksana-vrtti, or indirect meanings. Thus instead of being tattva-vada, or in search of the Absolute Truth, they become Mayavada, or illusioned by the material energy. When Sri Visnu Svami, one of the four acaryas of the Vaisnava cult, presented his thesis on the subject matter of suddhadvaita-vada, immediately the Mayavadis took advantage of this philosophy and tried to establish their advaita-vada or kevaladvaita-vada. To defeat this kevaladvaita-vada, Sri Ramanujacarya presented his philosophy as visistadvaita-vada, and Sri Madhvacarya presented his philosophy of tattva-vada, both of which are stumbling blocks to the Mayavadis because they defeat their philosophy in scrupulous detail.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Similarly, at the present moment we have got four ācāryas—even take five ācārya—Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they all approve, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973: Not that Krsna may say... Or anyone can say, "Oh, Krsna and Arjuna are friends. Therefore Arjuna has eulogized his friend, 'Parabrahman.' " No. Krsna..., Arjuna said, "It is not that simply because I am appreciating you... You are appreciated, you are approved by Devala, Asita, Vyasa and Narada." That is called atmavit-sammatah. Atmavit. Vyasadeva, Narada, Devala, Asita, all the great sages, they accept. Similarly, at the present moment we have got four acaryas -- even take five acarya -- Sankaracarya, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, they all approve, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Even Sankaracarya, he is this impersonalist, still, he has commented on his Bhagavad-gita, sa bhagavan svayam krsnah: "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So Krsna is approved. And because Pariksit Maharaja wanted to talk about Krsna, the whole Bhagavata is full of krsna-katha. That is the beginning.

Initiation Lectures

All the great personalities in our guru paramparā system, all the four ācārya system, they have done it. Rāmānujācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka—there are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. So they were all sannyāsīs

Gurudasa Sannyasa Initiation -- San Francisco, July 21, 1975: So the mantra means etam, "by accepting this danda or sannyasa order," sa asthaya, "taking shelter of it," paratma-nistham... This accepting of this danda means full faith in the Supreme. There are four rods within this bundle. One rod is representing himself, and the other three rods means his body, mind, and word. So the person who is accepting sannyasa order, he is dedicating from this moment his personality, his body, his mind and his words. Why? Now, paratma-nistham, simply for service of the Supreme. So am I accepting something new? No. Upasitam purvatamair mahadbhih. All the great personalities in our guru parampara system, all the four acarya system, they have done it. Ramanujacarya, Visnu Svami, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka -- there are four Vaisnava sampradayas. So they were all sannyasis. Now, directly, our sampradaya is Madhva-Gaudiya-sampradaya. Gaudiya-sampradaya means the Vaisnavas of the Bengal. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is accepted as the supreme guru of this sampradaya. So His guru was Isvara Puri, and his guru was Madhavendra Puri. And this Madhavendra Puri belonged to the Madhva-sampradaya; therefore our sampradaya, this disciplic succession, is called Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya.

General Lectures

So all these ācāryas, according to the Vaiṣṇava ācārya... Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, there are four ācāryas. Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, and Viṣṇu Svāmī.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972: One parampara system is coming from Brahma. Another parampara system is coming from Laksmi, the goddess of fortune. Another parampara system is coming from Lord Siva. Another parampara system is coming from the Kumaras -- they were unmarried, brahmacaris, sons of Brahma. So those parampara system, line of disciplic succession, are still existing in India. Practically, India's spiritual life is still being controlling by these lines of disciplic succession. So all these acaryas, according to the Vaisnava acarya... Vaisnava acaryas, there are four acaryas. Sri Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, and Visnu Svami. And those who are not Vaisnavas, impersonalists, they are represented by Sankaracarya.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

The Vallabhacaryas, they belong to Visnu Svami. We belong to Madhva-sampradaya. Four acaryas.

Morning Walk -- November 24, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Yamunacarya was sisya or guru of Ramanujacarya?

Prabhupada: Ramanujacarya.

Dr. Patel: Ramanujacarya was guru or sisya?

Prabhupada: Yes, guru.

Dr. Patel: Guru. I think Visnu Svami was his sisya.

Prabhupada: No. Visnu Svami-sampradaya, different. That is Rudra-sampradaya. And Ramanujacarya is Sri-sampradaya. The Vallabhacaryas, they belong to Visnu Svami. We belong to Madhva-sampradaya. Four acaryas.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

There are four ācāryas: Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī... But our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's legacy, ācārya's, that is unique.

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay: Prabhupada: Anywhere, this is our main program. Print books as many as possible and distribute. This is our main program. All other programs are secondary. So with this aim in view, work all together. Our Caitanya-caritamrta is unique literature. For Caitanya-caritamrta, we are above any acarya. There are four acaryas: Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu Svami... But our Gaudiya Vaisnava, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's legacy, acarya's, that is unique. Anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirna kalau. Here the Supreme Personality of Godhead is personally teaching-acarya.