Page 49 - SBV (English)

Nomenclature xlvii

And His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda is primarily
identified as such or, in anecdotes prior to his sannyäsa, as Abhayadä, the name
he was commonly known by at that time.
In accordance with the Vedic cultural standard, especially in formal usage,
honorific prefixes have been placed before many personal names. Best known is
Çré, meaning “opulence,” “fortune,” “beauty,” or indicating the goddess Lakñmé,
and in Gauòéya esotericism, Çré Rädhä. Çré may prefix names of males or females,
but in modern colloquial Indian languages is normally used only for males. A
purely feminine equivalent is Çrématé, standard throughout nearly all of India as
a prefix to names of married Hindu women, and in Gauòéya usage, to precede
the name of or sometimes used alone as an epithet of Rädhäräëé. Although Çré is
itself quite acceptable for honoring even the most respected individuals up to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, several standard variants are employed in this
work: Çré-yuta and Çré-yukta are common in formal Bengali as honorifics often
pertaining to secular rather than spiritual status. Çréla is used by Gauòéyas for
preeminent äcäryas and, particularly within certain branches of the Särasvata
paramparä, for one’s own guru; while Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté was present
it was used occasionally to honor at least two of his prominent disciples, but
in this book it has been accorded only to Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté and
recognized outstanding Gauòéya äcäryas prevenient to him. Çrépäda and Çrémat
are used for sannyasis and other exalted devotees; Çrémat is also rendered Çrémad
or Çréman, according to Sanskrit grammatical rules—thus, Çréman Mahäprabhu.
Çrémän is a respectful address for a junior male. Çrémad may also prefix the names
of sacred books, as is often used with Bhagavad-gétä, and is standard before
Bhägavatam.
Conventions for naming Gauòéya Maöha personages naturally changed
when disciples of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté became gurus of the next
generation. The disciples of some of these gurus refer to them as Çréla, while
others reserve this term solely for Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté. Thus, to
ascertain protocol appropriate for this book became a puzzling and ticklish task.
Since it is not possible to maintain uniformity among the diverse standards,
herein I have employed that which was current or considered proper at the
time of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté. An exception is made in referring
to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda by this title, by
which he is internationally known to millions of followers and readers of his
BBT publications. We pray that our contemporary Gauòéya compatriots will
*

* In endnotes this is shortened to “Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda.”