Page:Bengal Vaishnavism - Bipin Chandra Pal.djvu/18

Vaishnavic cults of the other Indian provinces. Like other Hindu cults and cultures, Bengal Vaishnavism also accepts the Upanishads, the Brahma-Sutras and the Bhagavad-Geeta as its highest scriptural authority. But these universally-accepted scriptures have developed, through particular denominational interpretations, different theologies and spiritual cultures, The Bengal school of Vaishnavism has also developed its own philosophy through its interpretation of the Upanishads, the Brahma-Sutras and the Geeta. Samkara-Bhashya is the interpretation of the Brahma-Sutras of the Samkara-Vedanta school, the school of Absolute Monism. Shree-BhashVa of Ramanuja is the interpreta-tion of the Vedanta of the Bhaktivada school of Southern India, the school of Qualified Monism. The Govinda-BhashVa of Baladeva VidVabhusana is the canonical interpretation of the ancient Vedanta-Sutras or Brahma-Sutras acceptable to the school of Bengal Vaishnavas. But besides the Upanishads, the Brahma-Sutras and the Bhagavad-Geeta, Bengal Vaishnavas claim almost the same scriptural authority for the Shreemad-Bhagavata, which is designated by them as the fifth Veda.