First Understand your own School

Question: The Bhāgavata Purāṇa itself claims to have 18,000 verses (SB 12.13.9). However, if we count, we find only 14,094 verses. How is this to be understood?

Answer:  Bhāgavata contains both ślokas and prose. There are lengthy prose texts in the Fifth Canto. They cannot be counted as one śloka. If you count all the words in Śrīmad Bhāgavata, both ślokas and prose, and then divide the sum by 32, it comes to around 18,000. It does not come to exactly 18,000, but a little more than 17,900. So, 18,000 is a round figure and it is not too far from the exact number.
The reason why it is divided by 32 is that anuṣṭupa chanda, which is the most common meter, has 32 syllables. This is a common practice.

*

Question: In the beginning of Tattva Sandarbha, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says that the Vedas are apauruṣeya śabda, and in your commentary, you have explained that only apauruṣeya śabda can reveal the Absolute Truth. Pauruṣeya śabda, which may be useful for understanding material subjects, is ultimately useless in understanding spiritual matters. Only apauruṣeya-śabda is self-revealing.
Of course, by pauruṣeya śabda you mean the instructions of seniors like mother and father, and if we take pauruṣeya śabda in this sense, it is fine. But, strictly speaking, the Purāṇas, Smṛtis, and Āgamas are considered pauruṣeya śabda, as opposed to the original Vedas. Can they still reveal the Absolute Truth in the same manner as the Vedas?

Answer: Apauruṣeya literally means not by a puruṣa. So, if you take the literal meaning of the word puruṣa, then the Vedas cannot be called apauruṣeya, because Bhagavān is also a puruṣa.

But, if you take the meaning of the word puruṣa as a conditioned human being, then Veda is apauruṣeya, and so are the Purāṇas, Itihāsas and Āgamas.  Purāṇas etc. are not creations of conditioned beings. Vyāsa is an avatāra of Bhagavān. Therefore, his writings are accepted as authentic. In fact Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī spends a few anucchedas to prove this point. He argues that ītihāsa and Purāṇas are the fifth Veda. He finally concludes that Bhāgavata is the topmost pramāṇa to understand the Tattva. It appears that you stopped reading Tattva Sandarbha in Anuccheda 10. Otherwise, your question is answered in the following anucchedas.

*

Question: In one of his lectures, Param Pujya Rambhadracharya Ji Maharaj (an acharya belonging to Śrī Rāmānandī Sampradāya) said that ISKCON do avatāra-bheda, by saying that Ṣrī Kṛṣṇa has 16 kalās, and Śrī Rāma has 12 kalās. I just need to clarify my doubt that’s it I am just a new learner interested in Gaudiya philosophies that’s why I am trying to learn Gaudiya Philosophies from our different parivāras.

Answer: You write that you are trying to learn Gaudiya Philosophy from different parivāras. So I see no reason why you would approach me for a question related to ISKCON. There are plenty of scholars in ISKCON who would happily satisfy your quest. My unsolicited advice to you, since you say you are a “new learner,” is that you should first learn the principles of your own school before you listen to the ācāryas of other schools. Once you have a strong understanding of your own school, then you can listen to others. Otherwise, you will become confused. Every school has its specialty. The teachers of different schools speak from their own perspective.  In any case, to get an answer to your question, please read Bhakti Rasāmṛita Sindhu 2.1.29-43

*

Question: Kṛṣṇa expands as Balarāma, who expands as Puruṣa Avatāras. Do Nārāyaṇa/Viṣṇu of Mahā-Vaikuṇṭha/Vaikuṇṭha also come from Balarama?

Answer: Kṛṣṇa expands as Balarāma, who is also called Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa. All other expansions come from Him.

Originally published at https://jiva.org/first-understand-your-own-school/