What it means to be brahman initiated

[BVKS Sanga]

From:	Dipadatri Gaurangi Devi Dasi
Date:	5 January 2023 22:18:12
Subject:	What it means to be brahman initiated

Respected Maharaj 

Please accept my humble obeisances all glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to Your divine grace 

Maharaj by the mercy of the vaisnava's I received my 2nd initiation and I was meditating what it actually means to have brahman initiation,  I would be very grateful if you can kindly elaborate on the following questions I have so I can try to get a deeper understanding on this subject

-how can we apply the 9 quality we read on BG 18.42 practically in our lives in this age, especially our behaviour? 

-how can we keep ourselves in check that we are doing things properly?

-what is the significance of doing Gayatri during the allocated times? Recently one devotee told me that it's OK to do Gayatri just before bed time, i was shocked and confused to hear this.

Thank you Maharaj 

Ys Dipadatri Gaurangi dasi 

[BVKS Sanga]

Subject:	Re: What it means to be brahman initiated
Date:	Fri, 13 Jan 2023 21:12:28 +0530
From:	Jay Nityananda Das

Respected Mother and other devotees,

Namo Namah.

Though I am lower than a shudra, for my own purification I am trying to address the issues raised here. 

>>Maharaj by the mercy of the vaisnava's I received my 2nd initiation and I was meditating what it actually means to have brahman initiation,  I would be very grateful if you can kindly elaborate on the following questions I have so I can try to get a deeper understanding on this subject

Let me explain it in a very simple way for an easy understanding of the issue. For more details one can refer to this link: https://archive.org/details/VDNAP/page/n27/mode/2up

Ours is a Pancaratrika initiation. It is based on five samkarasas or steps. They are as follows: tapa, pundra, nama, mantra and yaga. (Sources:Sources: Sajjana-tosani 1885: vol. 2/1 & 1892: vol. 4/1; Brahmana and Vaisnava, Harijana-kanda)

(1) Tapa: it is analogous to four regulative principles. Traditionally in this samskara one's shoulders receive symbols of Lord Visnu (such as conch, disc, club etc.) by using heated metal.(2) Pundra: one receives Visnu tilak on various parts of the body.

(3) Nama: one receives a spiritual name.

(4) mantra: one receives Pancaratrika mantras for worshiping the deity.

(5) yaga: one receives the eligibility for performing deity worship.

In ISKCON the first three samskaras are given under the title of Harinama initiation. The latter two samskaras are given under the title of second initiation or Bramana initiation. 

In the second initiation or Brahmana initiation, a male candidate also receives a sacred thread or yajnopavitam (upanayana samskara).

Now, receiving a sacred thread (upanayana samskara) is not an integral part of Pancaratriki initiation, for upanayana is a Vedic samskara, not a pancaratrika one. 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati Thakura and Srila Prabhupada have clubbed upanayana samskara  with the second initiation for certain reasons. SBST wanted to impress upon the then-orthodox society that vainsavas belonging to any caste were more than brahmanas, and hence, should be respected as such whereas SP. going a step further, wanted to establish brahmana class or intelectual class in the society based on brahmanical qualifications. He made it mandatory to award brahminical initiation to those who pass Bhakti-shastra exams  along with other brahminical qualities such as those described in BG (18.42). The aim was to create first class Brahmanas.

Kindly go through the following references to clearly understand this point. 

 
QUOTE (emphasis added).............................................................................

The presidents must be very careful on recommending gayatri initiation. After all, we are criticizing false cast brahmanas, if we ourselves are bogus brahmanas then our position is very bad. Now that we are more and more trying to implement the varnasrama divisions of society, we should not think that everyone has to become a brahmana. For example you are developing a farm there; so those who work the farm do not necessarily have to be a brahmana if they are not inclined to the brahminical standards. In this way, be careful about awarding the second initiation.

—Letter to: Sudāmā
Rome 26 May 1974

Satsvarūpa: In our ISKCON, one becomes a brāhmaṇa after a year. It's not very hard. Everyone becomes a brāhmaṇa.
Prabhupāda: That is due to chanting. That lift very easily.
Hari-śauri: Where will we introduce the varṇāśrama system, then?
Prabhupāda: In our society, amongst our members.
Hari-śauri: But then if everybody's being raised to the brahminical platform...
Prabhupāda: Not everybody. Why you are misunderstanding? Varṇāśrama, not everybody brāhmaṇa.
Hari-śauri: No, but in our society practically everyone is being raised to that platform. So then one might ask what is...
Prabhupāda: That is... Everybody is being raised, but they're falling down.
Hari-śauri: So then we should make it more difficult to get...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hari-śauri: ...brahminical initiation. After four or five years.
Prabhupāda: Not necessary. You remain as a kṣatriya. You'll be ha...
Hari-śauri: No need for even any brāhmaṇa initiation, then...
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Hari-śauri: ...unless one is...
Prabhupāda: No, brāhmaṇa must be there. Why do you say, generalize?
Hari-śauri: Unless one is particularly...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hari-śauri: ...inclined.

—Room Conversation
Varṇāśrama System Must Be Introduced
Māyāpur 14 February 1977

UNQUOTE.........................................................................................

In this regard, one may also hear the following lecture. 

https://archive.org/details/BVKS-02-Srimad-Bhagavatam/0841.0+SB+1.15.37%2C+Vaisnava+Acaryas%E2%80%99+Social+Initiatives%2C+2007-06-17%2C+Detroit%2C+Michigan%2C+USA%2C+CODE+-+165.mp3

Summary: one can be a brahmana (or more than a brahmana) by becoming a Vaisnava by  receiving all the five samskaras (without receiving a sacred thread), however, such brahmanas are called "pAramArthika" brahmanas. So, in a varnasrama society, even a Vaisnava who has a shudra occupation is respected more than a brahmana. However, to function as a brahmana or "vyAvahArika" brahmana (i.e. yAjana, pAthan and pratigraha) in a varnasrama society, a vaisnava must possess the necessary qualifications required for that. Such Vaisnavas , who will be acting as Vyavaharika brahmanas, will be receiving sacred thread at the time of second initiation.

Similarly, Vyavaharika Kshatriyas (who will be acting as Kshatriyas in a varnasrama society) and Vyavaharika Vaishyas (who will be acting as Vaishyas in a varnasrama society) will also be receiving Upanayana samskara or sacred thread pertaining to their respective varnas during  second initiation.  However, the material used for sacred thread is different for all three varnas i.e. cotton for brahmanas, hemp for kshatriyas and wool for vaishyas.

  
For further understanding, kindly go through the following passages from Jaiva-dharma (Chapter SixNitya-dharma: Birth and Caste Differences):

Vaiṣṇava dāsa Bābājī, “Human activities can be categorized under two headings: vyāvahārika, mundane and social; and pāramārthika, spiritual. There are instances where a person is spiritually advanced, but is not allowed to perform certain mundane, vyāvahārika activities. For example, a person is born as a Muslim, but acquires the qualities the sattva-guṇa like a pure brāhmaṇa;  in fact, spiritually, he is a brāhmaṇa, yet he is barred from the vyāvahārika act of marrying a brāhmaṇa bride.”

Cūḍāmaṇi, “Why is he not eligible? What will be his offence if he does?”

Vaiṣṇava dāsa Bābājī, “If one acts against social human norms, one commits a social impropriety. Those who are proud of knowing the social etiquette will never acquiesce to such impropriety. Therefore, in spite of pāramārthika eligibility, one should not go against the principles of general society.”

 >>-how can we apply the 9 quality we read on BG 18.42 practically in our lives in this age, especially our behaviour? 

A vaisnava should be more than a brahmana, hence, the qualities listed in BG (18.42) should be maintained or protected by all means.

And if one is a vyavaharika brahmana too, then he should act according to his varna (pathana-pAthana, yajana-yAjana, dAna-pratigraha) to the best of his ability and circumstances.

A woman should simply assist her paramarthika or vyavaharika brahmana husband or even a non-devotee husband in following Grhastha-dharma. That is her dharma under all circumstances. 

>>-how can we keep ourselves in check that we are doing things properly?

One should study/hear scriptures under the guidance of an authentic guru to know where we are going.  "A cow sees through her nose, a king through his spies and a brahmana through shastras "(Mahabharat).

>>-what is the significance of doing Gayatri during the allocated times? Recently one devotee told me that it's OK to do Gayatri just before bed time, i was shocked and confused to hear this.

Srila Prabhupada was not very specific regarding sandhya-vandana timings as it has been reflected in the following references:

"Generally, best times for saying gāyatrī mantra are when the sun rises and sets, and when it is noon." [Letter 20 January, 1972] 

"When asked if the first gāyatrī mantra of the day should be chanted at sunrise, Śrīla Prabhupāda replied that it should be chanted early in the morning, after taking bath and applying tilaka, without waiting for the sunrise." [Morning walk January 1976]

"A devotee questioned Prabhupāda about the chanting of Gāyatrī: “I understand that you say the Gāyatrīs morning, evening, and noon. But actually,such-and-such Sanskrit books say Gāyatrī should be chanted at exact times according to the sun. The sun’s movements change with the changing of the seasons.” Prabhupāda said, “Yes, that is true.” The devotee then asked, “So should we distribute this information and start to follow it?” Prabhupāda said,“No, leave it this other way because if we change it, people will think we have being doing it wrong. Just keep it that way, morning, noon, and evening." [Prabhupada Meditations by Satsvarupa das Gosvami, 4.2.9]

So, while it is true that Srila Prabhupada was not specific regarding sandhya-vandana times during the developing years of the movement, in principle, he wasn't against it either. 

The shastras and traditions share the following understanding of the same.(The following verses are well known among Brahmanas regarding Sandhya-vandanam. )

Uttama tarakopeta madhyama lupta taraka 
Adhama surya sahita pratah sandhya tridha mata

To do PrAta ( morning) sandhyA vandanam: when the stars are visible is Uttama (first grade.); Maddhyama (middle grade) when doing without the stars; and Adhama ( least grade when Sun is visible)

“Uttama suryasahita maddhyamanudita tarakA

adhama tarakopeta sayam sandhya tridha mata”

To do Sayam( evening) Sandhya Vandanam , It is Uttama doing while the sun is still shining; Maddhyama when before stars are visible; Adhama after the stars are fully visible.

Midday chanting of gayatri should be done when the sun is approximately at the meridian or during midday in general.

Hope this serves the purpose,

Das, Jay Nityananda Das.