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Bhagavata Sandarbha – Jiva Goswami – Sat Sandarbha

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Bhagavata Sandarbha is a running commentary on Bhagavata Purana by Jiva Goswami, popularly known as Sat Sandarbha. The name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya (1485 – 1533 CE) is associated with the spread of Bengal Vaishnavism. Sanatana Goswami was one of the pupils of Chaitanya. He wrote Vaishnavatoshini, a commentary on Bhagavata and also Brihad Bhagavatamrita. Rupa Goswami, the younger brother of Santana Goswami and a pupil of Chaitanya, wrote Laghu Bhagavatamrita on the model of his brother’s work and Bhakti Rasamritasindhu on devotion as a sentiment. In addition, he wrote a number of other works which come under alamkara, anthology, lyrics, dramas and other branches of study.

Jiva Gosvami, the nephew of Rupa, who flourished shortly after Chaitanya, wrote a running commentary on Bhagavata Purana called Bhagavata Sandarbha, popularly known as Sat Sandarbha. The Sat Sandarbhas are

  1. Tattva Sandarbha
  2. Bhagavat Sandarbha
  3. Paramatma Sandarbha
  4. Krishna Sandarbha
  5. Bhakti Sandarbha
  6. Priti Sandarbha

The Bengal School of Vaishnavism accepts Srimad Bhagavata as the highest Pramana for knowledge of the Absolute Reality. Its supremacy is clear from the fact that Vyasa himself was unhappy even after compiling the four Vedas, the seventeen Puranas and Vedanta Sutras. It is only after compiling Srimad Bhagavata that he felt contented. Thus Srimad Bhagavata forms the foundation of the edifice of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology and philosophy.

According to this school of thought, Srimad Bhagavata deals with three topics –

  1. Sambandha tattva (relation to the supreme)
  2. Abhidheya tattva (that which is to be undertaken to attain the supreme
  3. Prayojana tattva (the goal)

Sambandha tattva includes knowledge of the Absolute along with all his characteristics and potencies, and knowledge of his relation with the living entities and with the material nature.

Abhidheya refers to the process by which one realizes the Absolute.

Prayojana refers to the goal that is achieved by adhering to the process.

According to Jiva Goswami , abhidheya is bhakti or devotion to Bhagavan, and the prayojana is prema, love of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. He has described these three tattvas or essences in his magnum opus called Bhagavata Sandarbba, popularly known as Sat Sandarbha. The first four Sandarbhas deal with sambandha tattva and the other two with abhidheya and prayojana tattvas, respectively.

The concept of Ultimate Reality is defined in a verse of Srimad Bhagavata (1-2-11)

Vadanti tat tattvavidastattvam yad jnanamadvayam
Brahmeti Paramatmeti Bhagavaniti Sabdyate

Which means – the knowers of the Absolute Reality call that reality non-dual consciousness and it is referred to by the nomenclature of Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.

The absolute reality is one, but manifests differently to different types of transcendentalists. To the non-dualists, who wish to identify themselves with the Absolute, it manifests as Brahman devoid of attributes. To the yogis, it appears as Paramatma or the Supreme Self, the inner controller of all beings.

However, to the devotees, who desire a personal relation with the Absolute, this Absolute Reality manifests as Bhagavan, the supreme person. Jiva Goswami stresses that Bhagavan-realization is considered the most complete and include the other two automatically. Therefore, bhaktimarga or the path of devotional service alone is considered to yield highest realization.