Gayatri Mahima Madhuri
by Mahanidhi Swami
Introduction
Gayatri Mahima
Madhuri is
a response to the devotees who have asked me over the last ten years to explain
the meaning of different mantras.
Since the Brahma-gayatri is the most famous mantra,
I have focused on that. In India there are several spiritual groups that
propagate the glories of the Brahma-gayatri through the medium of books, tapes,
classes, stickers, posters, and so on. They even sell clocks with the
Brahma-gayatri written in Sanskrit on the face of the clock. According to them,
Brahma-gayatri is the yuga-dharma,
and chanting it will solve all the problems of Kali-yuga.
There are literally thousands of mantras mentioned in the Vedas, but this book describes eight mantras that are important to Gaudiya
Vaisnavas. The reader learns that the actual position of the Brahma-gayatri is
to support and assist the primary mantra for
this age which is the Hare Krsna maha-mantra,
the scripturally acclaimed "great chant for deliverance" for all the
souls of Kali-yuga. The astonishing power of the mystical Gopala-mantra will
shine forth with all its inestimable glories, what to speak of the Kama-gayatri
and the secret sannyasa mantra.
Much of the information in this book comes from the Hari-bhakti-vilasa by Srila Sanatana
Gosvami. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa explains
various Vedic rituals to point the general class of Vaisnavas towards the
worship and service of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Secondly, it
gives rituals specifically meant for Gaudiya Vaisnavas to use for worshiping
Radha and Krsna. It also has broad instructions on rituals so that newcomers to
Gaudiya Vaisnavism from other Vaisnava traditions may practically engage in
worshiping Krsna.
Gayatri Mahima
Madhuri
includes many verses and commentaries from the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, which belongs to the Pippalada section of
the Atharva Veda, one of the four
original Vedas. All Vaisnava acaryas accept this Upanisad as the most authoritative. It is the most significant Upanisad for GaudiyaVaisnavas because it
contains a synthesis of all the lessons on R.adha-Krsnaprema-bhakti
that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave to the six Gosvamis. Therefore, it is the
favorite Upanisad of devotees
interested in cultivating vraja
prema-bhakti because it establishes the supremacy of Sri Krsna as
Vrajendranandana.
The remaining contents of Gayatri Mahima Madhuri comes from the books translated by my
spiritual master, Nitya-lila pravista Om Vishnupada Sri Srimad A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the fifty works listed in the appendix, and the
interviews I did with several prominent vrajavasi
brahmanas and senior Gaudiya Vaisnava sannyasis.
Although I am limited, imperfect and incapable of writing such an important
work, by the causeless mercy of Sri Krsna and the Vaisnavas I have tried to
produce a book that is authoritative and true to the glorious Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta.
In this regard, Srila Rupa Gosvami has written a
beautiful verse in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu:
hrdi yasya preranayd, pravartito 'ham vardka-rupo 'pi, tasya hareh
pada-kamalam, vande caitanya-devasya, "Although I am the lowest of men
and have no knowledge, the inspiration to write transcendental literatures
about devotional service has been mercifully bestowed upon me. Therefore I am
offering my obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given me the chance to write these
books." (Cc. Madhya 19.134)
Gayatri Mahima
Madhuri is
but a drop from the vast ocean of nectarine knowledge on this subject. But I
hope that this drop, being transcendental in nature, will expand within all the
devotees who read this book to fill them with new taste and inspiration for
chanting these mantras. May all the
devotees realize the precious fruits of bhakti
hidden within the sweet glories of Gayatri.
Mahanidhi Swami
Vijaya Ekadasi 1998
Vrndavana
Chapter One
Dikña And Upanayana
To properly understand the subject of Gayatri mantras one must understand the terms vedic-marga, pancaratrika-marga, and bhagavata-marga. The vedic-marga, which includes Vedic mantras like the Brahma-gayatri,
is based on the four original Vedas: Rg,
Sama, Yajur, andAtharva. Each of these Vedas
contains four parts:
1) Samhita—comprise
a collection of all the verses in that particular Veda.
2) The Brahmanas—explain
the history and the esoteric significance of the mantras and sacrifices. They describe the verses of the Samhitas and give some details about
performing sacrifices. They are ritualistic and meant for householders living
in the village. The Brahmanas contain
the seeds of the knowledge that is systematically elaborated upon in the Sutras (i.e. Srauta, Grhiya, Dharma). The Srautas
describe the basic obligatory Vedic rituals such as the daily agni hotra and the big public
sacrifices. The Grhiyas explain the
household rituals, especially the samskaras.
The Dharma Sutras explain the vamasrama duties. The Manu-samhita and other Dharma Sastras, which explain the Dharma
Sutras, are more accessible to the ordinary people. All these sutras and sastras were composed by
various great sages like Manu, Narada and Yajnavalkya. These writings tell how
to do things and deal basically with the sensual or bodily plane of existence.
3) Aranyakas—reveal the hidden purpose
behind all the Vedas and Brahmanas.
The Aranyakas and the Brahmanas are similar, but the Aranyakas cover more esoteric aspects.
The Aranyakas explain the
metaphysical basis of the rituals described in the Brahmanas. In other words, the Brahmanas
tell how to do a ritual, and the Aranyakas
explain why a particular ritual is performed. Considered dangerous for ordinary
householders, the Aranyakas were
studied secretly in the forest. Hence the name Aranyakas which means "forest." • '
4) Upanisads—
give the philosophical meaning behind the verses and rituals. The Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and the Upanisads are all based on the Samhita.
A brahmacari
will concentrate his studies on the Samhitas.
A grhasta will focus on the Brahmanas, which instruct him how to
move in the material world in a proper peaceful way. A vanaprastha will develop detachment by studying the Aranyakas to understand what he has done
all his life. A sannyasi will read
the Upanisads in order to rise to the
transcendental platform and ultimately enter the spiritual world. Of course,
all the asramas study all four parts,
but they will emphasize one of the four according to the needs of their
particular asrama.
The vedic-marga
is basically a favorable, pious process that becomes transcendental at the
level of the Upanisads, whereas the pancaratrika-marga is a completely
transcendental process emphasizing Deity worship and the practice of sadhana bhakti.
"The pancaratrika-vidhim
made things very simplified. The vedic-vidhi
is not possible at the present age. Vedic-vidhi
means one must be begotten by a brahmana,
and he must have followed the family tradition. Then according to Vedic rites,
he can be initiated or offered the sacred thread (upavita). But the pancaratrika-vidhi
is especially meant for this age. Anyone who has a slight tendency to become a
devotee should be given a chance. That is Lord Caitanya's special benediction.
For example, Haridasa Thakura was born in a Mohammedan family, yet Lord
Caitanya made him the namacarya, the
authority of chanting Hare Krsna." (SPT 27/12/69)
The
pancaratrika-marga, like the vedic-marga, is
also an ancient path of self-discovery existing since time immemorial. In the
beginning of creation Lord Brahma heard the Vedas
from Sri Krsna. At that time the demons Madhu and Kaitabha appeared from
Maha-Visnu, entered Lord Brahma's mind and stole the Vedas. Krsna then manifested the Hayagriva incarnation to kill
Madhu and Kaitabha. Lord Brahma asked Krsna to teach him the Vedas again, but just the essence since
he might die at any moment.
For five (panca)
consecutive nights (ratri) Krsna
taught Lord Brahma the essence of the Vedas.
That knowledge became known as the pancaratric
knowledge, a system of practical philosophy and procedures for worship. There
are hundreds of Pancaratras.
The Narada
Pancaratra, for example, was spoken by Lord Siva to Narada Muni and later
compiled by Vyasadeva. Srila Sanatana Gosvami's Hari-bhakti-vilasa contains the essence of this pancaratric knowledge.
Following the
pancaratrika-marga, which includes Deity worship and chanting Gayatri mantras, keeps one off the material
plane and fixed on the spiritual platform until love of God is awakened through
the process of chanting the holy names of Krsna (nama-sankirtana). Perfection is achieved on the pancaratrika-marga when a disciple, by
the mercy of the guru, attains svarupa-siddhi (realization of one's
eternal spiritual identity). At this time, one fully understands that the Deity
is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, and he worships the Supreme
Personality of Godhead through serving His devotees.
The vedic-marga
incorporates the Vedanta, the
philosophy based on the Upanisads.
The essence of Vedanta is the Srimad Bhagavatam, a completely pure,
transcendental work. The Srimad
Bhagavatam depicts the bhagavata-marga
as a system of worship and activities performed by those desiring to attain the
Supreme Lord through the path of bhakti
and nama-sankirtana. The conditioned
soul, however, cannot fully exist on the bhagavata-marga
because he has various mundane tastes and attractions for sense gratification. He is basically still situated on the
material platform.
The
pancaratrika-marga (which includes chanting Gayatri and doing puja) regulates and purifies the conditioned soul of his material
tendencies, fixes him on the transcendental plane and maintains his fitness for
serving the Lord. It also helps him to perfect his chanting of Hare Krsna and
progress steadily on the bhagavata-marga,
which he simultaneously follows. Therefore, the Bhagavata acaryas recommend following the pancaratrika-marga and bhagavata-marga
simultaneously.
The Vedas
mention three types of mantras: vedic,
tantric, puranic. Each of these can be further divided into sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic mantras. Sattvic (mode of
goodness) mantras are chanted for
light, wisdom, divine love, compassion, and God realization. They destroy all
karma, bring peace, and lead to perfection after death. Rajasic (mode of passion) mantras
are chanted for progeny and material prosperity. Unlike sattvic mantras, which remove karma, rajasic mantras force men to takd rebirth to reap the fruits of
their karma. Tamasic mantras (mode of
ignorance), popularly called "black magic," are sinful. They are
generally used to propitiate spirits, harm others, and perform vicious deeds.
The original spiritual letters are endowed with
specific powers, and in particular combinations they assume more power in
relation to certain Deities. These combinations of letters are called bijas or seeds, and they combine to form
words. When these words are connected in a particular order, they have special
powers to represent a Deity in full. These combinations are called mantras. The power then manifested in
the whole mantra is greater than that
of any of its constituent sounds.
The mantras,
which are non-different from the Deity, are an eternal manifestation of the
Deity and are spiritual by nature. By repetition of the mantra, the worshiper invokes the mercy of the Deity whose mantra he repeats. Chanting these mantras (i.e. pancaratrika Gayatri mantras)
helps one realize the transcendental form of the Deities. The sadhaka thus overcomes illusion and
regains his original spiritual position.
The mantra
is an intrinsic form of the Lord. By the mercy of Guru and Vaisnavas, who are
embodiments of Krsna's mercy, Krsna enters the disciple's heart in the form of mantra. The mantra, acts to cleanse the mind and heart of the disciple, and
make him fit for serving the transcendent Lord.
There are six basic types of mantras used in Deity worship: i
1) Dhyana Mantras—meditation mantras used to mentally invoke the Lord's transcendental form,
abode, and pastimes.
2) Bija Mantras—seed mantras for meditation and purification of articles used inpuja.
3) Mula Mantras—root mantras, being the essence of the Deity, are recited along with
each article of worship as a means of addressing the Lord.
4) Stutis & Stotras—prayers chanted before,
during, or after worship to glorify the name, form, qualities, and pastimes of
the Lord.
5) Pranama Mantas—prayers for offering obeisances to
the Lord at the end of worship.
6) Gayatri Mantras—Vedic or Pancaratrika mantras used to worship the Lord,
invoking the three principles of sambandha,
abhidheya, prayojana.
The word Gayatri indicates a specific poetic meter (chandas) sung in Vedic hymns. Vedic mantras, such as Brahma-gayatri, are
called sabda-brahma (eternal,
spiritual [aprakrta] vibrations
representing God in the form of sound). In summary, a mantra is a combination of particular energies in the form of
sound, and its recitation evokes those energies externally and internally.
Every mantra is a combination of
specific letters, words, meanings, rhythms, and tunes.
There are four aspects of all bona fide Vedic and pancaratrika mantras:
1) Rsi or sage—is the medium or the means of
communication between God and man through whom the mantra was given to mankind. Every mantra has a presiding rsi
or saintly person who first heard the mantra
in his meditation and subsequently spread it for the benefit of others. The
Gayatri mantra, for example, was
revealed to Visvamitra Muni after a transcendental experience in meditation, so
he is accepted as the Rsi of the Brahma-gayatri mantra.
2) Chandas—is the poetic meter of a specific mantra such as Gayatri, Anustap, and
Jagati. "The Vedic meters are Gayatri, Usnik, Anustup, Brhati, Parikti,
Tristup, Jagati, Aticchanda, Atyasti, Atijagati and Ativirat. The Gayatri meter
has twenty-four syllables, the Usnik twenty-eight, the Anustup thirty-two, and
so on, each meter having four more syllables than the previous one. Vedic sound
is called brhati, or most expansive,
and thus it is not possible for ordinary living entities to understand all the
technical details in this matter." (SB 11.21.41 v/p)
"The Visnu
Parana says the seven horses yoked to the sun-god's chariot are named
Gayatri, Brhati, Usnik, Jagati, Tristup, Anustup and Parikti. These names of
various Vedic meters designate the seven horses that carry the sun-god's
chariot." (SB 5.21.16p.)
3) Ista-deva—is the controlling or presiding Deity
of a mantra, or the Deity worshiped
by the mantra. There are thirty-three
million devatas (demigods), each
having their own abode in the universe. Every devata has a name or mantra
for which he is the presiding Deity. Chanting a devata's personal mantra
invokes that devata, who will respond
according to the intensity of the meditation. If one receives a mantra of a Deity or devata from a guru, and sincerely chants that mantra
along with worship and meditation, then that Deity will appear either
physically or in one's meditation to fulfill one's desires.
4) Viniyoga—is the use, function or purpose for
chanting the mantra such as
performing a homa, samskara, or to
chant japa. Mostly we use the mantras for chanting Gayatri japa. So the viniyoga is chanting japa.
In Sat-kriya-sara
Dipika, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami says, "The purpose of this system is to
guarantee that one understands the meaning, function, correct heritage, and
intonation of the mantra being
chanted. As a rule, when uttering any Vedic mantra
one should identify the rsi or
saintly person who preserved the mantra, the
chandas or meter of the mantra, the Deity being invoked in the mantra, and the function or purpose of
chanting the mantra (doing a fueyajna for example)."
A traditional ritual before chanting the
Brahma-gayatri is to offer obeisances, invoke blessings, and remember these
four items.
1) Rsi—Chant the name of the rsi of a particular mantra
while touching the head, thereby offering obeisances to that rsi in gratitude for his having enriched
the world with this inspiring mantra.
2) Chandas—Touch the mouth while mentioning the
particular chandas of the mantra. (Brahma-gayatri is gayatri meter or chandas)
3) Devata—(Ista-deva)
Chant the name of the Deity of the mantra
while touching the heart to indicate the seat of the devata and pray to him to please accept the prayer.
4) Viniyoga—Keep the purpose of chanting a
particular mantra or prayer fixed in
the mind. The purpose of chanting the Brahma-gayatri is to attain pure
transcendental knowledge of God, become peaceful, and learn how to surrender
and eternally serve the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna in pure love.
All Vedic mantras
(those coming from the Srutis—Rg, Sama,
Yajur, andAtharva Vedas), such as the Brahma-gayatri, are eternal sound
vibrations of spiritual import. The Vedas
are apauruseya, not composed by any
man at a certain point in history. The mantras
of the Vedas are eternal
representations of God in the form of sound, sabda brahma. By repetition of a particular mantra under authorized guidance a purified person can realize the
spiritual purpose of the mantra.
The Narada-pancaratra,
Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, Hari-bhakti-vilasa, and many other scriptures
explain that the potency of a mantra
manifests only when it is received from a bona fide spiritual master and
recited without impurities. Although one may see mantras written in books by the previous acaryas, by Srila Prabhupada, or in this one, and then try to chant
them, these mantras will produce
results only when received through the process of diksa. Mantras are like seeds in that they contain vast potencies
within them, but they need outside factors to manifest their power.
The tiny seed of a banyan tree contains the form of
a huge, full-grown tree. Placing the seed directly into the ground, however,
will not produce a tree. But if a sparrow eats the seed and passes it on the
ground with its stool, then a majestic banyan will grow forth. The banyan seed
must be processed in this way to give results. Similarly, if one begins
chanting a mantra after randomly
hearing or reading it in a book, it will not produce Krsna-prema. But if one properly receives the mantra by hearing from apremika-bhakta,
then that mantra, which is coated
with the guru's prema, will produce prema in the heart of the sincere
disciple.
"A mantra
is purified when chanted with proper knowledge." (SB 11.24.32) In the
purport to this verse Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, "A mantra becomes purified when it issues
from the mouth of a Sad-guru. The bona fide spiritual master instructs the
disciple in the method, meaning and ultimate purpose of the mantra."
"It is confidential in this sense: one may
receive a published mantra anywhere,
but unless it is accepted through the chain of disciplic succession, the mantra does not act. It is said by
authoritative sources that any mantra
chanted without having been received from the disciplic succession has no
efficacy." (SB 4.8.53 p.) "Mantras
and the process of devotional service have special power, provided they are
received from the authorized person." (SB 8.16.24 p.)
Even the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, though not waiting for nor requiring initiation, has
more effect when received from an advanced devotee. Acaryas claim that chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra without receiving or hearing it from an advanced Krsna
conscious Vaisnava will bring one the fruits of bhukti or mukti but not
the precious sweet ambrosia of prema-bhakti.
The hearts of pure devotees are compared to gem-filled mountains of
Radha-Madhava prema; rivers of madhurya-rasa rush down from these
mountains to drown anyone who accepts the mercy. The holy name chanted by a
pure devotee is saturated with Krsna-prema.
When this prema-nama is poured into
the ear of the eager disciple, it nourishes the tiny creeper of devotion and
eventually produces the nectarean fruit of
prema-bhakti.
"When the Hare Krsna mantra is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord in love, it has the
greatest efficacy on hearers, and as such this chanting should be heard from
the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be
achieved." (SSR)
The pure sound vibration from a realized guru works like a forest fire to burn up
all the sins and impurities within the mind and heart of the disciple. When
Krsna and Arjuna were traveling on a chariot through the covering of the
universe, the Lord used His Sudarsana cakra
to penetrate the dense and fearful layers. In the same way, Krsna's holy name
acts like a cakra to burn away all
the dark coverings of a sadhaka's
heart and clear the path to prema.
The effect of hearing a mantra from
an advanced, empowered devotee also depends on the intensity of the sadhaka 's hankering for perfection in
pure love of Radha and Krsna. In great humility and lamentation, Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu expressed the mood of the unfortunate conditioned soul.
sarva-sakri name dild kariyd vibhdga dmdra durdaiva,———name ndhi
anurdga
"0 Govinda, You have invested Your full
potencies in each individual holy name, but I am so unfortunate that I have no
attachment for chanting Your holy names." (Cc. Antya 20.19) Attachment will come if one is fortunate enough to
hear the holy name from a truly empowered Vaisnava. However, attachment for
chanting and serving Krsna will not manifest within the sadhaka who hears the holy name from a Vaisnava devoid of krsna-sakti.
kali'kalera dharma—krsna-ndma-sankirtana,
krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana
"Unless one is empowered by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, one cannot spread the holy
names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra
throughout the world." (Cc. Antya
7.11) Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura called this "alphabet nama," wherein only the letters of
the holy name are received, and not the fully manifest beautiful forms of Radha
and Krsna dancing together in the yugala-mantra
for prema-dharma. A bona fide
spiritual master must have the strength of devotional purity to empower the
holy name that he bestows upon his disciple. If for some reason the guru is not empowered, then a sadhaka can still receive full strength
for bhajana by hearing from a
realized and empowered siksa-guru. In
the Gaudiya tradition the uttama-adhikari
devotees come down to the madhyama platform
to preach either as diksa or siksa gurus. During His South Indian
preaching tour Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed thousands of people, who had
already received diksa mantras elsewhere,
to chant Hare Krsna. By Mahaprabhu's siksa
they received the power to chant, realize the full potential of Krsna's holy
names, and spread the mercy to others.
krsna-ndmera mahima sastra-sadhu-muklie J'dni ndmera madhun-aiche kdhdn
ndhi
suni
"One has to learn about the beauty and
transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed
scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the
sweetness of the Lord's holy name." (Cc.
Antya 1.101)
"It is said in the Padma Purdna: atah sn-krsna-ndmddi na bhaved grdhyam indriyaih.
Chanting and hearing of the transcendental holy name of the Lord cannot be
performed by the ordinary senses. The transcendental vibration of the Lord's
holy name is completely spiritual. Thus it must be received from spiritual
sources and must be chanted after having been heard from a spiritual master.
One who hears the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra must receive it from the spiritual master by aural
reception." (Cc.
Antya 1.101 p.)
"Lord Siva voluntarily came to bless the sons
of King Pracinabarhi as well as do something beneficial for them. He personally
chanted the mantra so that the mantra would be more powerful, and he
advised that the mantra be chanted by
the King's sons. When a mantra is
chanted by a great devotee, the mantra
becomes more powerful. Although the Hare Krsna mahd-mantra is powerful in itself, a
disciple upon initiation receives the mantra
from his spiritual master, for when the mantra
is chanted by the spiritual master, it becomes more powerful. Lord Siva advised
the sons of the King to hear him attentively, for inattentive hearing is
offensive." (SB 4.24.32 p.)
"There are different types of mantras for different types of
devotees(e.g.Rama-mantra, Nrsimha-mantra, Gopala-mantra and so on). Each and
every mantra has its own spiritual
significance. The spiritual master has to select a mantra for his disciple, according to the disciple's ability to
chant different mantras." (Cc. Madhya 24.331 p.)
At the time of initiation, the glim gives a Vedic or pancaratrika
mantra to the disciple according to the tradition of theparampara. While doing puja
a duly initiated disciple who is free from ignorance will realize the
relationship between the spiritual meaning of the mantras he chants torjapa,
arcana, and the identity of the Deity being worshiped.
Although there are specific mula and Gayatri mantras
for meditation upon the spiritual master, the sastras advise seeing the spiritual master in all the mantras received from him. The Vedas say: yo mantrah sa giiruh sdksdt, yo gimih sa harih svayam, guru-yasya
bhavet tustas-tasya tusto harih svayam, "The mantra which is given by the guru
is itself the guru, and the guru is directly the Supreme Lord Hari.
If one pleases the spiritual master, then he also pleases Sri Hari
Himself." Acaryas explain that
through the medium of a mantra the
spiritual master conveys his internal mood of service to Radha and Krsna to his
disciple. The disciple will not perceive this immediately, but he will
gradually understand everything by guru
bhakti, seva and meditation upon the given mantra. The mantra, therefore,
is the direct representation of the spiritual master.
The story of Gopa-kumara in Brhad-bhagavatamrta illustrates the power of chanting mantra. Due to good karma, Gopa-kumara
took birth in a cowherd family in Vrndavana. While taking the cows out one day
he noticed a saintly person singing and crying profusely. Gopa-kumara became
attracted and started serving him by bringing milk. One day the saint gave him
the Gopala-mantra.
After chanting just half the mantra Gopa-kumara started crying, and upon completing it he fell
unconscious. The saint, however, disappeared without even teaching how to chant
the mantra properly. Nonetheless,
Gopa-kumara started chanting it faithfully, and soon all his material desires
vanished. By continually chanting the Gopala-mantra he traveled throughout the
universe and into the spiritual sky. After visiting Brahmaloka, Sivaloka, Vaikuntha,
Ayodhya, Dvaraka, and Mathura, Gopa-kumara finally met Krsna in Vrndavana. He
attained this extraordinary fortune by chanting the Gopala-mantra.
The results of chanting a mantra depend on the conception in the mind while chanting it.
Ordinarily, the Brahma-gayatri gives mukti,
but understanding that Savita is Lord Visnu takes the chanter to Vaikuntha. If
one chants the Kama-gayatri understanding that it is non-different from Krsna
in His ultimate rasika form, then one
will attain that. It is the same as chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, which contains everything.
If one chants Hare Krsna with material desires, he will attain those; and if
one wants mukti, one will get it. If
one chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra
understanding that Radha and Krsna are personally present there enjoying
intimate pastimes in Vrndavana, then one will attain Their eternal loving
service. Ultimately the content of the mantra
cannot be separated from the sadhaka's
mentality. Both have a part to play.
"One must know the meaning of the mantra which he is reciting; without
knowing the meaning of a mantra, one
cannot reach the goal." (Yajnavalkya-smrti)
"The word samskaras
means "perfect duties." It is a highly beneficial, purifying, and
sanctifying ceremony. Its rite rests on a series of actions in harmony with
metaphysical rules that manifest the invisible reality in the visible world of
sense perception. Samskaras eradicate
bad karma and increase the auspicious influence of material nature." (BOS)
Samskaras (rites of purification for
mind and body) exist in all religions and in all countries. The purer the
religion is, the more its samskaras
are sacred and complete. Purification rituals are needed because the original
spiritual nature of every conditioned soul is covered by contamination. Without
samskaras the life of the conditioned
soul remains impure. Samskaras are
rites of sanctification which purify the consciousness, attach one to God, and
ultimately lead to prema.
Performing a samskara
renders an individual fit to execute a particular duty. Prescribed in various
Vedic texts, the samskaras .are a
chain of rites beginning from birth. Upanayanam is the most important samskara because it makes one eligible
to chant the Vedas and perform Vedic
rites. Upanayanam is also known as brahmopadesa
because the acarya teaches (upadesa) the newly initiated disciple
how to realize brahman.
The word Upanayanam
means adjacent to, supplemental to the eye, or keeping one close by. Upanayanam
is the eye of spiritual knowledge, or the vision induced by proper initiation
into the Gayatri. The term Upanayanam
is connected with the Vedic gurukula
tradition wherein the preceptor would keep his students close by in order to
train them in Vedic rites and impart religious teachings. The Upanayanam is
usually done by the acarya during
adolescence.
The Upanayanam is a major samskara or purificatory rite of life. In this ceremony a young boy
is initiated into spiritual knowledge by the guru (traditionally the father) who gives the child the
Brahma-gayatri mantra, defines its meaning, and explains the method of
chanting. At this time, the boy takes the dress of a brahmacari, accepts the upavlta
(sacred thread), and begins learning the duties of a civilized man. After
completing his spiritual education the celibate boy may take up household life.
Since He was born in a brahmana family, Lord Caitanya also accepted Upanayanam and
received the Brahma-gayatri. Later He took diksa
from Isvara Puri and received the ten-syllable Gopala-mantra. The ten-syllable
Gopala-mantra is generally given only to born brahmanas, but the eighteen-syllable Gopala-mantra mentioned in the
Brahma-samhita is open to everyone.
Upanayanam is a Vedic samskara wherein one receives the Vedic mantra known as Brahma-gayatri. The word upa means near, and nayanam
means leading near the teacher. Upanayanam then is a process that brings the
student closer to the teacher, who in turn brings him closer to God by giving
him transcendental knowledge. The first birth is the seminal birth. Upanayanam
and Brahma-gayatri are the second birth (dvija).
Why is Upanayanam called the second birth? In the
first birth a baby is born from the virya
(semen or vital energy) of the father which is dissipated downwards below the
navel into the mother's womb. In the second birth, however, the spiritual
progeny (jnanaputra) are produced by
the spiritual father (Vaisnava acarya)
who has retained his virya and drawn
it upward (rather than dissipating it downwards) from the navel region. The virya, conserved through celibacy, rises
up to nourish the brain and gives spiritual purity and enlightenment.
The acarya
then passes this vital force of purity onto the disciple by elevating him to
the brahminical platform by giving
him his second birth. Upanayanam is called the second birth because by this samskara one attains a spiritual
regeneration with the guru or acarya acting as the father and Savitr,
or Gayatri Devi, as the mother.
There is not much reference to Upanayanam in the
Gaudiya tradition. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa
says one should perform his Vedic andpancaratricsandhyas,
meaning the Brahma-gayatri and other Gayatri mantras, according to the rules. Lord Caitanya and His followers
went through the samskaras and got
Upayanayam. At that time Upanayanam meant only the Vedic mantra. The other mantras
are added at pancaratric diksa, an
initiation function wherein a disciple receives mantras which do not come from the Srutis, such as the Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri.
In fact, the Gayatris we chant remain more or less
mysterious, since they are not explained explicitly as part of sadhana. They seem to be there because
they are among the diksa mantras. One
reason for this is that hari-nama has
taken the place of mantras as the sadhana. Gaudiya Vaisnavas spend hours
each day chanting Hare Krsna, whereas other sampradayas,
without hari nama-sankirtana, have
only the japa sadhana of their Deity mantras and Gayatris. However, since sadhana bhakti enjoins diksa, the mantras are given anyway. The use of the mantras seems clear. The Gayatri mantras, which are chanted three times a day, are meant for
meditation, praising, and calling out for the Lord's mercy.
Due to the independent desire to control and exploit
the material energy, the conditioned soul has the tendency to commit sins.
Therefore, he needs to perform the pancaratrika
samskaras to purify himself of the enjoying spirit which induces him to
sin. The rules of pancaratrika
regulate one's life and give inner strength and purity. Thus adopting a sattvic lifestyle, the practitioner can
more easily avoid sin.
The six Gosvamis of Vrndavana followed this process
of giving pancaratrika diksa. Before
the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, spiritual masters gave
only the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and pancaratrika diksa. Traditionally, a brahmana boy would receive Upanayanam
from the family gum. Those not born in brahmana
families did not get it. To establish that Gaudiya Vaisnavas are unique and
should be respected as brahmanas,
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gave Upanayanam (which includes the
Brahma-gayatri and brahmana thread)
to all classes of devotees, regardless of their birth. To qualify all classes
of Gaudiya Vaisnavas for brahmin
initiation he utilized the panca-samskara
system (five purificatory rituals described under the next subheading).
"There are three types of brahmanas: 1) Dvijas—those initiated with Brahma-gayatri but devoid
of Vedic knowledge; 2) Vipras— those initiated with Brahma-gayatri who have
studied the Vedic knowledge; 3) Vaisnavas—those initiated with Brahma-gayatri
who have realized the purpose (yedanta)
of Vedic knowledge, to know and serve Lord Visnu or Sri Krsna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Although many Gaudiya Vaisnavas are not born in brahmana families and are often beyond
the usual age of eight to ten years old, they can still be initiated as bona
fide brahmanas.
This unique opportunity was inspired by Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, established in the modern age by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakura, and introduced throughout the world by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna
Consciousness). By chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra
a Gaudiya Vaisnava becomes purified and rises to the pancaratrika standard. Then by observing the panca-samskaras he is further purified, attains brahminical qualities, and becomes
eligible for Vedic diksa, initiation
into the Brahma-gayatri.
Even though a Vaisnava may be of lower birth and
beyond the age of youth, he can become purified and transformed into a
qualified brahmana by undergoing
these sanctifying processes. To prove this phenomena, Sri Jiva Gosvami uses the
example of turning bell metal into gold by alchemy.
"Gaudiya Vaisnavas accept five sacraments (panca-samskaras) of purification. Upon
adopting these panca-samskaras, a
faithful person begins bhajana-kriya,
the personal worship of God, and eventually attains pure love of Krsna. These
five sacraments have both internal and external aspects. Tapa, pundra, nama, mantra, and yaga—these
five rites are the panca-samskaras.
They are the basis of intense devotion to Lord Hari.
1) Tapa—using sandalwood paste to write the holy
names on the body: Jaya Gaura-Nitai, Hare Krsna, Sri Radhe, and so on. Tapa also includes internal cleansing of
the heart by repentance, and developing a genuine aversion to material life.
2) Urdhva-pundra—marking the body with tilaka to designate it as a temple for
the Lord's service. The tilaka symbol
represents Krsna's footprint. Seeing it, the devotee thinks, T have Krsna's
footprint on my head. He is my eternal master, and I am His eternal servant. In
all times, places, and circumstances I have an eternal relationship with
Krsna.' In a broader sense, urdhva-pundra
means all the things related to one's identity as an eternal servant of Krsna,
such as neck beads, dhoti, sari, andjapa
mala. Urdhva-pundra also means the illumination of the body, mind, soul and
attachment to the Supreme Lord.
3) Nama—receiving the name of Hari (Hare Krsna maha-mantra) in the ear from the
preceptor and a spiritual name as Krsna's servitor like Radha-carana dasa. By
taking shelter of the holy names and tasting the nectar therein, a disciple
realizes his spiritual identity and rejoices in devotional service.
4) Mantra—receiving the eighteen-syllable
Gopala-mantra from the spiritual master. By giving a mantra the teacher helps his student more easily experience the
nectar of the holy name. The mantra
also helps the disciple taste a particular flavor or mellow in the holy name of
Krsna.
5) Yaga—utilizing the gum-given mantras to worship Sri Murti or Salagrama. Such puja purifies and protects the devotee
from the danger of falling into maya.
Yaga, the fifth and final samskara, is
the procedure of worshiping the Lord by employing all the mental and physical
faculties of seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, thinking, discriminating and
acting. A person without yaga has no
life, and he is forced to reap the results of his karma.
"Without accepting the panca-samskara system a conditioned soul cannot develop intense
devotion to Lord Krsna. Therefore, panca-samskara
is extremely necessary." (Panca
Samskara by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura)
Upanayanam is a purely Vedic function to facilitate
study of the Vedas and performance of
Vedic rituals. The Upanayanam samskara,
however, does not play a crucial role in the Gaudiya Sampradaya. Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gave Brahma-gayatri along with pancaratrika mantras in accordance with
the pancaratrika philosophy that an
initiated Vaisnava is even more qualified than a brahmana. Following his guru
maharaja, our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, also combined the Vedic
(Brahma-gayatri) and pancaratrika
initiations. In ISKCON, diksa means
receiving Upanayanam (Brahma-gayatri) and six other mantras at the same time: Guru-mantra, Guru-gayatri, Gaura-mantra,
Gaura-gayatri, Gopala-mantra, and Kama-gayatri.
"The Sanskrit word diksa. is formed of two syllables: dl which comes from the root dan
meaning to "give spiritual knowledge" (divya-jnana); and ksd
from the root ksaya meaning "to
destroy sinful activities." Diksa
is the process by which a conditioned soul attains transcendental wisdom and
freedom from sin." (Visnu-yamala)
Diksa is a process of spiritual
initiation through which the gum imparts transcendental knowledge to the
disciple. Diksa clears all previous
bad tendencies and commitments. One begins a new life awakened in divine
knowledge. By giving diksa, Sri Guru
mercifully slackens the bondage oimaya,
infuses transcendental energy into the disciple's heart, and awakens an
awareness of his eternal relationship with Sri Hari.
"Diksa is that religious
undertaking which bestows divya-jnana or
transcendental knowledge and destroys papa
(sins), papa-bija (seed of sin), and avidya (ignorance) to the root."
(HBV) "Divya-jnana is
transcendental knowledge contained within a mantra
which reveals the form and identity of Supreme Lord (bhagavat-svarupa) as well as the knowledge of the sadhaka's particular relationship with
the Lord (sambandha-jnana)."
(Bhakti-sandarbha, anuc. 283)
By giving the Gopala-mantra (Krsna-mantra) the
spiritual master dispels the jiva's
aversion toward the Lord, and directs his attention toward serving Him. He
gives the disciple transcendental knowledge about the Supreme Lord, the living
entity, and the illusory energy. By this knowledge the disciple's sins and
ignorance are all destroyed to the root. The procedure of diksa is not completed in one day; rather, it starts from the day ,
of initiation.
In Goloka Vrndavana, even Krsna's flute took mantra-diksa.
sad'vamsatas tava janih
purusottamasya pdnau sthitir muralike saraldsi jdtyd kasmdt tvayd sakhi guror
visamd grhita gopdngand--gana--vimohana'mantra-diksd
"Srimati Radharani said, 'My dear friend the
flute, it appears that you have been born of a very good family, for your
residence is in the hands of Sri Krsna. By birth you are simple and are not at
all crooked. Why then have you taken initiation into this dangerous mantra (mantra-diksa) that enchants the
assembled gopisT"
(Cc.Antya 1.162)
From whom should one accept mantra-diksa? The Kramadipika
states that mantras should be
taken from an uttama-mahabhagavata
devotee of Krsna who knows the sastras
and the Vaisnava siddhanta. The Bhaktavali says that a qualified guru should be pure in his dealings and
saintly in character. He should be free from anger, pride and all material
desires. He must be learned in Vedic sastras,
speak sweetly, possess a handsome appearance, be full of compassion and do good
to others. He should be peaceful, worship Radha and Krsna, be fully engaged in
Their service and attached to chanting harinama.
The Visnusmrii
says that a spiritual master who demands fame, wealth, and comforts from the
disciples is not worthy to be called guru.
The spiritual preceptor should have the twenty-six qualities of a devotee, be
free from material desires, absorbed in pure devotional service of Krsna, and
capable of destroying the disciple's doubts by speaking with full logic and
reason. The Tattvasagar states that mantra-diksa should never be taken from
a person who is idle, greedy, or attached to sense gratification.
"Sri Guru is the master who is fixed in brahman (brahma-nistham). He is a
realized soul who dispels ignorance. He is simple, honest, humble, serene, free
from false ego, and ever united with God. Lust, anger, greed, envy, arrogance
and infatuation (the six enemies of conditioned souls) have been totally
converted into love, compasion, benevolence, auspiciousness, selfless action,
and forgiveness. He is the embodiment of all the great virtues.
"He knows and lives the spirit of the sastras. He follows and respects the
masters of the past, and though upholding the tradition, gives new meaning to
it. He is the light showing the way and he lives in the highest plane of Krsna
consciousness. He is one with the desire of the Lord and acts accordingly. He
strictly follows the exemplary path of dharma.
He is the compassionate father and benevolent mother of his disciples. He shows
his love to all including plants, animals, and inanimate objects.
"He lives to serve. He teaches and practices
what he preaches. He lives and loves for the sake of the Supreme Lord. His
words are wisdom. He is child-like and always happy, for he is fixed in the
Truth. Dualities do not affect him. Heat and cold, pleasure and pain, loss and
gain are one and the same. Controlled in body, mind, and speech, he delights
independent of any object. He has no prejudices, nor does he divert His mind
from the Divine to judge others. Saving people from sin, he lovingly guides,
befriends, and protects them. He blesses all and offers the treasure of Krsna bhakti. Pure love of God emanates from
every pore of his body. Within himself he enjoys a constant festival of bliss,
and gives bliss to all who seek." (GHM adapted)
In Hari-bhakti-vilasa,
Srila Sanatana Gosvami describes both the ordinary and the special
characteristics of a bona fide spiritual master.
"The spiritual master is learned in the Vedas and bhakti-sastras like the Srimad
Bhagavatam. He destroys the doubts in his disciples, and fills them with
faith. He understands Krsna's glories as the benefactor, protector, and so on
of His devotees. Because of his firm faith and worship of the Lord he has
realized the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of his purity and
surrender he has received Krsna's mercy potency (krpa-saktimum). Thus the spiritual master is empowered to infuse mercy into his disciples and bring them
along the path of bhakti.
"He has attained the grace of his own guru by being similarly devoted to his guru's lotus feet. He is completely
peaceful and fully surrendered to Krsna-bhakti.
He has offered his heart to Krsna. His body is free from disease or invalidity.
He has controlled his senses, and has defeated the six enemies headed by lust,
anger, greed, envy, madness, and illusion. He has been blessed by sadhus, knows the immaculate path of the
Vedas, and is in constant
transcendental consciousness (brahma
nistha). Through his devotion he is deeply attached to Krsna." (HBV
1.32-35)
"A guru who is born in a pure family; who is sinless and faultless himself; who is well-behaved, belongs to a particular asrama, free from anger, knows the Vedas and all other scriptures, has faith, does not find faults, speaks affectionately, is young, nice to behold and smartly dressed, engaged in the welfare of all living