RBSE VU Nimbarka Darshan flashcards

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Nimbarka

Founder of the Nimbarka Sampradaya and proponent of Svabhavika Bhedabheda; traditionally dated to the 12th–13th century CE; author of Vedanta Parijata Saurabha and Dashashloki.

Nimbarka Sampradaya

A Vaishnava lineage founded by Nimbarka, also called Hamsa or Sanakadi Sampradaya; it worships Radha-Krishna and teaches Svabhavika Bhedabheda.

Svabhavika Bhedabheda

Nimbarka's doctrine that Brahman and jiva/jagat are naturally both identical and different; the relation is intrinsic, beginningless, and real.

Bhedabheda

Identity-in-difference; a Vedanta position affirming that the individual soul and world are both one with and distinct from Brahman.

Brahman

Ultimate reality in Nimbarka's Vedanta, characterized as sat-chit-ananda and identified with Krishna; both material and efficient cause of the universe.

Ishvara

Brahman as the personal God with the power to create, sustain, and dissolve the universe; in Nimbarka's tradition, identified with Krishna.

Jiva

The individual conscious soul; eternal, atomic, distinct from but dependent on Brahman; subject to bondage due to beginningless ignorance and karma.

Bandha

Bondage; the jiva's beginningless condition of ignorance and karma that obscures its true nature and its relationship with Krishna.

Three Tattvas

Brahman (Ishvara), jiva (cit), and jagat (acit); all three are real and eternal in Nimbarka's Bhedabheda.

Jagat

The world; real, non-conscious (acit), and a genuine manifestation of Brahman's power, not an illusion.

Bhakti

Devotion to Krishna; the primary means to liberation, cultivated through hearing, chanting, and remembering his name and deeds.

Prapatti

Total self-surrender to Radha-Krishna; the most direct means to liberation, characterized by humility and reliance on divine grace.

Radha-Krishna Upasana

Worship of Radha and Krishna as the supreme divine couple; central practice of the Nimbarka Sampradaya, emphasizing Radha as Hladini Shakti.

Hladini Shakti

Krishna's bliss-giving power, personified as Radha; she is the eternal consort and embodiment of divine bliss in Nimbarka's theology.

Pramana

Means of valid knowledge; Nimbarka accepts pratyaksha (perception), anumana (inference), and shabda (scriptural testimony).

Shabda Pramana

Verbal testimony, especially the Vedas and Bhagavata Purana; the primary means for knowing Brahman and the path to liberation.

Advaita Vedanta

Shankara's non-dualism: Brahman alone is real, the world is illusory, and the jiva is ultimately identical with Brahman.

Vishishtadvaita

Ramanuja's qualified non-dualism: Brahman is personal (Vishnu), and jiva and jagat are real modes of Brahman.

Dvaita Vedanta

Madhva's dualism: Brahman, jiva, and jagat are eternally distinct; liberation is through devotion and divine grace.

Vedanta Parijata Saurabha

Nimbarka's commentary on the Brahma Sutras; his major philosophical work expounding Svabhavika Bhedabheda.

Dashashloki

A ten-verse hymn by Nimbarka summarizing surrender to Radha-Krishna and the core tenets of his theology.

Sanakadi Sampradaya

Alternative name for the Nimbarka Sampradaya, tracing its spiritual lineage to the four Kumaras: Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanatkumara.

Amsa

Part; the jiva is described as an amsa (part) of Brahman, yet also distinct, illustrating natural identity-in-difference.

Shakti

Power; Brahman's creative power through which the world manifests; in Nimbarka's theology, Radha is the supreme shakti.

Anadi

Beginningless; the jiva's bondage and karma are beginningless, not created at a point in time.

Satkaryavada

The doctrine that the effect pre-exists in the cause; the world is a real transformation of Brahman's power.

Sadhana Bhakti

Practice of devotion through hearing, chanting, and remembering; it leads to higher devotion (para-bhakti) and pure love (prema).

Goloka Vrindavana

The eternal spiritual abode of Radha-Krishna; the liberated soul attains eternal service there.

Pratyaksha

Perception; a valid means of empirical knowledge but unable to directly grasp transcendent Brahman.

Anumana

Inference; a valid means of knowledge for empirical matters, but subordinate to scriptural testimony for knowledge of Brahman.

Dvaitadvaita

Dualistic non-dualism; a term sometimes used for Nimbarka's Bhedabheda, highlighting its affirmation of both unity and difference.

Harivyasa

A later exponent of the Nimbarka Sampradaya who wrote commentaries and devotional works, including a commentary on the Dashashloki.