Jaiva Dharma

Vrajanatha: What is the necessity for a sampradaya?

Babaji: Most people in this world accept the shelter of Mayavada philosophy, and follow that inauspicious path which is devoid of bhakti. Consequently, if there were no separate sampradaya for those who practice suddha-bhakti that is untainted by the faults of Mayavada, it would be very difficult to attain genuine sat-sanga.

Therefore, it is stated in the Padma Purana,

sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te viphala matah

sri-brahma-rudra-sanaka vaisnavah ksiti-pavanah

Vaisnava acaryas in the four sampradayas—namely Ramanujacarya in the Sri-sampradaya, Madhvacarya in the Brahma-sampradaya, Visnusvami in the Rudra-sampradaya, and Nimbaditya in the Catuhsana-sampradaya—purify the whole universe. Diksa mantras not received from the acaryas in one of these four sampradayas will be fruitless.

Of these four, the Brahma-sampradaya is the most ancient and has continued through the disciplic succession until the present day. These sampradayas adhere to the system of guru-parampara and they have brought the Vedanta and other supremely auspicious literatures unchanged from the most ancient times, and by the potency of the system of parampara, there is not the slightest chance that they have made any change or eliminated any portion. There is, therefore, no reason to doubt the literature that the sampradaya has authorized. Sampradaya is an effective and indispensible arrangement, and for this reason, the sat-sampradaya system is continuing amongst saints and sadhus from the most ancient times.