Questions regarding samskaras and pancaratrik system
BVKS Sanga
| Questions regarding samskaras and pancaratrik system | |
| From | Tames Moterani |
| Date | 5 Jul, 19:30 |
| To | BVKS Sanga |
Dear devotees, please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I wonder if someone in this Sanga could kindly answer some questions on this topic of samskaras and pancaratrik system. I ask that whoever answers, please try to answer in simple words, as simple as possible, as this is difficult for me to grasp.
On several occasions Srila Prabhupada talked about the importance of samskaras and the need of performing them. However on occasion he mentions that they are not effective in this age. Below are some quotes on this matter.
“And especially in the brāhmaṇa families, if there is no garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, he immediately becomes a śūdra. This is the śāstric... You must follow the saṁskāra.”
https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/740225bgbom/
“Of course, those who are observing... But it is very hard to say who is observing. But if it is not observed, then any child born, either in the brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, it is to be understood that that child is śūdra. Even if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is observed, still, by birth, it is accepted that every child is a śūdra.”
https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/710405bg-bombay/
(So, he says, if garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, the child is a śūdra. But even if it is observed, still it is accepted that every child is a śūdra. )
“Paramahaṁsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I wanted to ask you that in your lectures you continually speak of the ten saṁskāras that children should have.
Prabhupāda: Well, that is not possible. [laughs]
Paramahaṁsa: Oh.
Prabhupāda: That is not possible. It is very difficult. One saṁskāra, that initiation saṁskāra, and marriage saṁskāra---two, three saṁskāras can be done, not the ten. It is not possible. Now the circumstances will not allow. It is very difficult.”
https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/730718r1lon/
“(…)in the Age of Kali the population all over the world is of śūdra quality or lower for want of this purificatory process. It is not possible, however, to revive the Vedic process of purification in this age, for want of proper facilities and good brāhmaṇas, but there is the Pāñcarātrika system also recommended for this age. The Pāñcarātrika system acts on the śūdra class of men, supposedly the population of the Kali-yuga, and it is the prescribed purificatory process suitable to the age and time. (…)Therefore all the saṁskāras, purificatory processes, are not mere formalities or social functions only, but they are all for practical purposes and can be successfully performed by expert brāhmaṇas like Dhaumya and Kṛpa. Such brāhmaṇas are not only rare, but also not available in this age, and therefore, for the purpose of spiritual upliftment in this fallen age, the Gosvāmīs prefer the purificatory processes under Pāñcarātrika formulas to the Vedic rites.”
https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/12/13/
“Unless one is fit according to the estimation of the spiritual master, one cannot accept a mantra from the pāñcarātrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. When one is fit to accept the mantra, one is initiated by the pāñcarātrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. In any case, the result is the same.”
https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/24/331/
“The pāñcarātrika system is both practical and suitable for this age of quarrel. The Pañcarātra is more important than the Vedānta for this modern age.”
https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/5/38/
So, some questions regarding this…
1- Prabhupada mentions that out of ten, only two-three samskaras could be performed in this age. Initiation and marriage, and what would be the third? And why specifically these three can be performed but not the others?
2- which samskaras are regularly observed by devotees in Iskcon today?
3- as far as I’ve understood, the pancaratrik system concerns regulation for Deity worship. Is that all or there are other types of purificatory processes in the pancaratrik system?
4- is the purification a gradual process in that case, for example, one would have to regularly perform Deity worship to become purified? In the case of designated Brahmanas who are not practicing Deity worship or who practice it without proper regulation, are they not advancing in the process?
5- would it be more important for householders to perform Deity worship for purification rather than rely on samskaras for purification of progeny?
6- Can children be engaged in Deity worship, or how can they be engaged? If the purification comes through a regulated process, it seems children are not very suitable to do it. We see sometimes on the internet videos and pictures of children involved in some kind of Deity worship and they may look cute doing so, but I wonder if it is appropriate? What about brahminical initiation for children? Is it currently done?
7- if these purificatory processes are only for brahminical class, is there no chance of purification for the other classes?
Another quote I’d like to add here, a passage I found which was astonishing to me.
“Generally the worship of the Lord begins with the worship of Nārāyaṇa, or Viṣṇu, whereas the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā is most confidential. Lord Nārāyaṇa is worshipable by the pāñcarātrika-vidhi, or regulative principles, whereas Lord Kṛṣṇa is worshipable by the bhāgavata-vidhi. No one can worship the Lord in the bhāgavata-vidhi without going through the regulations of the pāñcarātrika-vidhi. Actually, neophyte devotees worship the Lord according to the pāñcarātrika-vidhi, or the regulative principles enjoined in the Nārada-pañcarātra. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa cannot be approached by the neophyte devotees; therefore temple worship according to regulative principles is offered to Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. Although there may be a Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa vigraha, or form, the worship of the neophyte devotees is acceptable as Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa worship. Worship according to the pāñcarātrika-vidhi is called vidhi-mārga, and worship according to the bhāgavata-vidhi principles is called rāga-mārga. The principles of rāga-mārga are especially meant for devotees who are elevated to the Vṛndāvana platform.”
https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/24/45-46/
As far as I’ve understood, Deity worship in Iskcon should be performed via pancaratrika vidhi. However, Prabhupada is stating here that even if the Deities have the form of Radha and Krishna, worship through pancaratrika vidhi is worship of Laksmi-Narayana.
8- So why have Deities of Radha and Krishna if the actual worship is of Laksmi-Narayana? And in the case of other Deities, Sita-Rama, Jagganatha, Nrsimhadeva, what happens? Is there an example of worship according to bhagavata-vidhi, just so as to understand what it would be like?
Thank you very much.
Ys
Tames M.