Nimbarka and His Philosophy

 

It is known to all that Indian religious thoughts mainly revolve round five branches viz. Soura, Ganapatya, Saiva, Vaisnava and Sakta or Tantra. Vaisnavas are once again divided into four sects according to their intrepretation of the Brahman. Precisely speaking, the Vedanta Philosophy in India developed chiefly according to the interpretations of the Brahma Sutra which begins as follows - Athato Brahma Jignasa. This quest for the Brahman and revelation of the Brahman occured differently to the leaders of thoughts. Thus realisation and revelation were mainly responsible for the foundation of different Schools of Philosophy. Philosophy as propounded by Sri Nimbarka is one of them.



His philosophy is probably least discussed in the southern part of the sub-continent, though Sri Nimbarka originated from this part of the country. The time of his advent has not yet been conclusively ascertained. According to some schools he was born after Ramanuja, but before Madhva. Some other scholars are of the opinion that he was born on the 15th year of the advent of Kali Juga. There are others, who believe that he was even before Sankara. This view gained ground because in his philosophy he had not refuted any argument or contested any conclusion put forward by any of the stalwarts of Vedanta-Darshan.

Be that as it may, Vedanta Darshan as propounded by Sri Nimbarka is quite old and, it had successfully passed the test of time which is beyond any doubt.

According to Nimbarkacharya both Brahman and Jiva are identical as well as different. Brahman is the center of power and Jiva and the Jagat are its effects. Brahman is the center of power and Jiva and the Jagat are its emanation of power ; Brahman is the whole whereas the Jiva and the Jagat are its parts. The whole and the part (parts) are both identical as well as different. Let us understand it through one example. Earth is the cause, and earthen Jar is the effect. In this regard earthen Jar is by nature the earth as such and thus identical with the earth-pulp but still earth as such is different from the earthen pulp as such.

Socondly, the cause and the effect are both identical and different in respect of quality too. The purpose for which an earthen jar (bring up of water etc) is used are different from That of the earthen pulp. But inspite of that, they are identical by nature in so far as the quality of the earth is present equally in both. So from the point of view of the effect, the effect is both identical with and different from the cause and again from the point of view of the cause, the same is both identical with and different from the effects.

Thus, Brahman and Jiva-Jagat are by nature and property different from one another. Brahman is the cause while Jiva and the Jagat are partial manifestation of it. Thus these are also akin to or part of Brahman, yet the Brahmatva of Brahman and Jivatma of Jiva are different from each other. This Brahman alone is Brahman not Jiva, similarly Jagat is Jagat only and not Brahman nor Jiva. Hence by nature Brahman and Jiva-Jagat are primarily identical but secondarily different.

So both Brahman on the one hand and Jiva & the Jagat on the other are identical as well as different. Like Brahman these are true and eternal. Again the Jiva is conscious, pleasurable and agent of actions. But inspite of that all the qualities and the actions of Brahman are not present in the Jiva and the Jagat - such as eternity and the power of creating the world. Again all the qualities and actions of Jiva are not lying with Brahman - such as the Atomic character of the Jiva, the purposive actions (Sakama Karma), the consumption of the fruit of action. So Both Brahman and the Jiva and the Jagat are different inspite of being identical in nature.

Hence according to Nimbarka, both the identical nature and the difference are equally true, eternal, obvious and non-contradictory

1) from the point of view of the effect there is difference both in respect of nature and quality ;

2) from the point of view of the cause there is identity both in respect of nature and causality and causal basis ;

3) from the point of view of the cause there are both identity as well as immanence.

The followers of Nimbarka are also known as Hansa Samprodaya or "San Samprodaya". It has brought before us many illuminaries, who were not only great scholars but also great rishis. This particular branch of Vaisanavism flourished in northern India, particularly in U. P., some parts of Bengal. and Bihar, Haryana, the Punjab, Rajasthan and even in Jammu and Kashmir. Ramanuja adored Vishnu and Nimbarka, Lord Sri Krishna. Bhakti and complete surrender according to Nimbarka are the two main ways through which one can attain salvation. The lucidity of his argument made this philosophy acceptable to so many people for so many days that we have no doubt that it shall remain relevant for a peaceful future world.