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Sentimentalism

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Preface and Introduction

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya or Gopīnātha Ācārya did not indulge in such foolish sentimentalism; on the contrary, both of them tried to establish or reject His divinity on the strength of authentic śāstras.
SB Introduction: There were some friendly talks about the Lord's divinity between the two brothers-in-law, and in this argument Gopīnātha Ācārya, who knew the Lord before, now tried to establish the Lord as the Personality of Godhead, and the Bhaṭṭācārya tried to establish Him as one of the great devotees. Both of them argued from the angle of vision of authentic śāstras and not on the strength of sentimental vox populi. The incarnations of God are determined by authentic śāstras and not by popular votes of foolish fanatics. Because Lord Caitanya was an incarnation of God in fact, foolish fanatics have proclaimed so many so-called incarnations of God in this age without referring to authentic scriptures. But Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya or Gopīnātha Ācārya did not indulge in such foolish sentimentalism; on the contrary, both of them tried to establish or reject His divinity on the strength of authentic śāstras.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

“Devotional service performed without reference to the Vedas, Purāṇas, Pañcarātras, etc., must be considered sentimentalism, and it causes nothing but disturbance to society.”
CC Adi 7.102, Purport: The words bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā in this verse are very important, for they indicate that bhakti must be based upon the philosophy of the Upaniṣads and Vedānta-sūtra. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī said:
śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate
[Brs. 1.2.101]
“Devotional service performed without reference to the Vedas, Purāṇas, Pañcarātras, etc., must be considered sentimentalism, and it causes nothing but disturbance to society.” There are different grades of Vaiṣṇavas (kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī), but to be a madhyama-adhikārī preacher one must be a learned scholar in the Vedānta-sūtra and other Vedic literatures because when bhakti-yoga develops on the basis of Vedānta philosophy it is factual and steady.

CC Madhya-lila

Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī continued,“This Caitanya's sentimentalism cannot be very much in demand here in Kāśī."
CC Madhya 17.120, Translation: “This Caitanya is a sannyāsī in name only. Actually He is a first-class magician. In any case, His sentimentalism cannot be very much in demand here in Kāśī."

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Renunciation Through Wisdom

If one pretends to be a devotee of the Lord but does not understand the difference between dry speculative knowledge and knowledge of the Supreme Absolute Truth, then such a person's devotion borders on impersonalism and is rank with cheap sentimentalism, which is totally against the spiritual teachings of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 3.1: If one pretends to be a devotee of the Lord but does not understand the difference between dry speculative knowledge and knowledge of the Supreme Absolute Truth, then such a person's devotion borders on impersonalism and is rank with cheap sentimentalism, which is totally against the spiritual teachings of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Therefore jñāna-yoga is not speculation or empirical research; nor is it the sudden emotional outbursts of upstarts pretending to be devotees. By practicing genuine jñāna-yoga, even an empirical philosopher will develop a taste for hearing purely spiritual topics from the scriptures. Eventually he will come to understand the Supreme Lord's transcendental position and potency, and ultimately he will relish the Lord's form, which is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. He will perceive the Lord as the embodiment of all transcendental mellows. And if the pretentious nondevotee sentimentalists, who like to imitate the empiricists, practice genuine jñāna-yoga, then they too will gain an accurate perspective on the Absolute Truth. They will become firmlyestablished in the understanding that the Supreme Lord's form is spiritual and transcendental, and then they will begin to render unflinching devotional service.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Whatever knowledge we get from Bhagavad-gītā, we should not think that it is sentimentalism or fanaticism. No. They're all vijñānam, science.
Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966: Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam. Vijñāna-sahitam means this knowledge is not theoretical, but it is scientific. Whatever knowledge we get from Bhagavad-gītā, we should not think that it is sentimentalism or fanaticism. No. They're all vijñānam, science. Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ yaj jñātvā: "If you become well versed in this confidential part of knowledge, then the result will be mokṣyase aśubhāt." Aśubhāt. Aśubha means inauspicious. Our stage of life, our existence in this material world, is aśubha, inauspicious, always miserable. Mokṣyase: "You shall be liberated from this miserable life of material existence if you understand this knowledge."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

They criticize, "This chanting is sentimentalism."
Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972: They are covered. Therefore they are called Māyāvādī. So the unfortunate Māyāvādī cannot chant. They criticize, "This chanting is sentimentalism." Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu was criticized at Benares when He was chanting. You know the story. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, a great Māyāvāda sannyāsī, he used to criticize that "This sannyāsī is sentimental. Sannyāsī's business is reading Vedānta, but this sannyāsī is chanting and dancing." So there was strong criticism. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu was arranged to meet this Māyāvāda sannyāsī, and He talked on Vedānta and He defeated him. And the sannyāsī , along with his 60,000 disciples, became His followers. So you should not be simply chanting and dancing. Along with, you must know philosophy. There are so many Māyāvādīs; you have to defeat them.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "Why do you follow this sentimentalism, chanting and dancing?
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.66-76 -- San Francisco, February 6, 1967: Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "Why do you follow this sentimentalism, chanting and dancing? You are a... And some of the foolish persons, who have no knowledge, they also follow You. What is this?" Vedānta-paṭhana, dhyāna, sannyāsīra dharma. "You have taken sannyāsa, renounced order of life. Your duty is to study Vedānta always and meditate." Tāhā chāḍi' kara kene bhāvukera... "And You have given up all these procedure. And You are simply chanting and dancing?" Prabhāve dekhiye tomā sākṣāt nārāyaṇa. "So far I see You, from Your bodily features, oh, You appear to be very glorious. You are very intelligent." Because He was boy. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī was very elderly, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was only twenty-four years old. So he's appreciating that, "From Your face it appears that You are very learned, advanced. And why do You indulge in this sentimentalism?" This is very important question, and answer you should know. This saṅkīrtana movement... Hīnācāra kara kene, ithe ki kāraṇa: "So this is not deserving to a sannyāsī."
prabhu kahe-śuna, śrīpāda, ihāra kāraṇa
guru more mūrkha dehki' karila śāsana
[Cc. Ādi 7.71]
"Yes. You are right, My dear Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. You are right. But there is reason why do I do it. Now I can explain to you. When I took sannyāsa from My Guru Mahārāja, from My spiritual master, he found Me a rascal and fool number one, rascal."

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Faith is good, provided you have faith on the superior.
Morning Walk -- November 26, 1975, New Delhi:

Harikeśa: Well, the sentiment is the faith. The dictionary definition, sentimentalism is the faith.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Faith is good, provided you have faith on the superior. That is good.

Harikeśa: So faith in knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Knowledge means received from the superior. Like the child gets knowledge from the father. That kind of faith is required. If the child does not believe the statement of father and mother, he cannot make any progress. If the child does not believe the statement of mother, he does not know who is his father. So there must be faith, faith in the right person. Then it is all right. If you have got faith in the person who has got eyes to lead you, then he will help you to cross the road. And if you put your faith to another blind man like you, then it will cause disaster. Faith is required, but to the right person. Then it will be all right.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Generally these dramas are sentimentalism. Those who are devotees of Lord Caitanya, they do not discuss much about the Lord's renouncing the householder life, but there are certain persons who floodlight the renouncement of Lord Caitanya in a materialistic sentimental way.
Letter to Gurudasa -- Allston, Mass 23 May, 1968: A few days ago I received one letter from you in which you desired to send me one manuscript for Nimai Sannyas drama, written by some Mr. Chatterji. Generally these dramas are sentimentalism. Those who are devotees of Lord Caitanya, they do not discuss much about the Lord's renouncing the householder life, but there are certain persons who floodlight the renouncement of Lord Caitanya in a materialistic sentimental way. I have seen such drama, written by Mr. Diliproy, and that was nearly nonsense. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu decided to accept this renounced order of life in a moment, and the business was finished in a day. But these people, in order to create a scene, they adulterate the Lord's renouncement in so many ways. so I guess in the drama of Mr. Chatterji similar such things may be included. Any drama or book written by unauthorized persons should not be indulged in.

1970 Correspondence

Religion without philosophy is sentimentalism or fanaticism. Simply performing empty ritual without understanding is condemned by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhaktirasamrta sindhuh.
Letter to Krsna dasa -- Calcutta 6 October, 1970: The next point is that religion without philosophy is sentimentalism or fanaticism. Simply performing empty ritual without understanding is condemned by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhaktirasamrta sindhuh—pure devotional service which ignores the injunctions of the scriptures is simply a disturbance to the society. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated "One should approach a spiritual master and inquire from him submissively, render him all kinds of service. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth." One has to hear the message of Godhead from the lips of the pure devotee of the Lord or Acarya. The religion is originally spoken by Krsna Himself and that message or science is coming down directly through the chain of disciplic succession and one who is in that chain is called acarya or one who teaches by his life. Religion is practically presented by the bona fide spiritual master or acarya.
Page Title:Sentimentalism
Compiler:Labangalatika, Kanupriya
Created:08 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=2, OB=1, Lec=3, Con=1, Let=2
No. of Quotes:10