May 26, 2020 — CANADA (SUN) — "The Necklace of the Gaudiya Bhaktas" in 18 chapters, the instructions of HDG Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, compiled by his diksa disciple, Atulakrsna Datta.
THE FOURTEENTH JEWEL – VARNADHARMA-TATTVA
The Principle of Social Order – Part Four
The import of the above commentary by Jiva Gosvami on this verse is summarized as follows by Bhakti Hrdaya vana Maharaja in his translation of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (which Srila Prabhupada at one time authorized us to read in a letter to Yamuna Dasi in 1968):
"According to Sri Jiva Gosvami, though this rudimentary bhakti in a born candala will remove the effects of his past misdeeds, yet he must wait for the next birth in a higher social status to qualify himself for the performance of the Vedic sacrifices. [Srila Jiva Gosvaai says that just as one who is born a brahmana must wait to be purified though the sacred thread ceremony in order to perform sacrifice, in the same way, one who has chanted the holy name is eligible to perform Vedic sacrifice, but must wait to take birth as a brahmana in order to actually perform Vedic sacrifice.]
Jiva Gosvami, it is obvious, is reluctant to disturb the social order and tries to conform, as far as possible to the extant practices and ideas of the Hindu society of his time. Visvanatha Cakravarti, however, considers Jiva Gosvami's view to give away the whole case for the quality of prarabdha-pṃpaharatva [power of deliverance from sin] that is claimed for bhakti. Visvanatha's view is that bhakti, however slight, will at once remove all taints from the fallen human being and qualify him for the highest social duties of the Hindus. This is rather a controversial problem. The question is between 'eligibility' and ' capability'. Jiva Gosvami here argues that a brahmana born in a higher social order because of good deeds in previous births is eligible to perform Vedic rituals; while even a candala born in the lowest social order owing to his misdeeds in previous births, becomes fully capable of performing such Vedic rituals when his prarabdha is wiped out by singing and listening to the name of the Lord in the stage of practice of bhakti."
But, as even a person born in a brahmana family has to wait till his sacred thread ceremony before he can actuallly perform such Vedic rituals in spite of his eligibility, so a devotee born in a candala family, is cleansed of his sins committed in previous births by practising the rudiments of bhakti and becomes eligble to perform Vedic rites, but he does not do this as he is not interested in the fruits of Vedic karma."
14.71
tad evaṃ diksatah parastad eva tasya dhruvasyeva
dvijitva-saṃskarasta-davadhi-tatvattattan-mantradhi devaj-jatah
As soon a Lord Brahma was initiated by the gayatri mantra he was twice born. After this, the mantra sprang forth from the lotus mouth of that foremost of the demigods and he began to chant the gayatri [by which all subsequent brahmanas are initiated.](Brahma-saṃhita 5.27, Jiva Gosvami's commentary)
Three kinds of Birth Seminal, Brahminical, and Mantra-diksa
14.72
maturagre'dhi-jananaṃ dvitiyaṃ maunjibandhane
trtiyaṃ yajna-diksayaṃ dvijasya sruti-codanat
The sruti states that a brahmana gets his first birth from his mother (saukra-janma, seminal birth). He gets his second birth by receiving the sacred thread (sṃvitra-janma), and finally he gets his third birth by yajna-diksa (ceremonial initiation at a fire sacrifice). (Manu-saṃhita 2.169)
Sridhara Svami's Remarks on the Three Kinds of Birth
14.73
trivrt sotraṃ savitraṃ daiksamiti trigunitaṃ janma
[In this verse from Srimad Bhagavatam (10.23.39), dhig janma nastrivnd..."To hell with our threefold birth as brahmanas!] The word tnvnt means the threefold births saukra-janma, purity of heredity and family, sṃvitra-janma, investiture with the sacred thread and initiation into the gayatri-mantra, and daiksa-janma (consecration for Vedic sacrifices). (Sridhara Svami, Bhavartha-dipika 10.23.39)
Who has Done the Forty-eight Kinds of Saṃskaras is a Brahmana
14.74
"yasyaite'stha catvariṃsat saṃskarah sa brahmanah"
One who has performed the forty-eight kinds of saṃskaras is a brahmana.
1. garbhadhana impregnation
2. puṃsavana causing the birth of a male child
3. simantonnayana parting of the hair
4. jata-karma the duties after the birth of a child
5. nama-karara naming ceremony
6. niskramana taking the child out of the room for the first time
7. anna-prasana eating grains
8. kararavedha piercing ears
9. caudakarma shaving the head
10. upanayana sacred thread
11. samavartane completing education
12. vivaha marriage
13. antyesti funeral
14. deva yajna sacrifice to the gods
15. pitr yajna sacrifice to manes
16. bhuta yajna sacrifice to living beings.
17. nara yajna sacrifice to human beings
18. atithi yajna treating the guests
19-41. deva-vrata catunthaya, anthaka-sraddha, pṃrvara-sraddha, sravani, agrayari, praunthapadi, caitra, cṃturmasya, niruda pasubandha, sautramari, agninthoma, atyagninthoma, uktha, nodani, vajpeya, atiratra, aptoryama, rajasuya names of various sacrifices
42-45. agnyadheyam, agnihotram, darsa-paurnamasya, agrayarenti.
46. sauca cleanliness
47. anayasa-mangalacara The auspicious acts done without endeavor.
48. akarparya asprha freedom from miserliness and desire. (Mahabharata, Santi Parva 189.2)
The One Branch and the Many Branches
14.75
yad apy uktaṃ garbhadhanadi-dahanta-saṃskarantara-sevanad bhagavata nama-brahmanyam-itih tatrapy-ajnanam-evaparadhyati, na punarayusmato dosah; yadete vaṃsa-paramparaya bajasaneya-sakha-madhiyanah katyayanadi-grhyokta-margena garbhadhanadi-saṃskaran kurvate, ye punah sarvatranuvacana-prabhrti trayi-dharma-tyagena ekayana-sruti-vihitaneva catvariṃsat saṃskaran kurvate te'pi svasakha grhyoktam-arthaṃ yathadanutisthamanah na sakhantariya-karmanusthanad-brahmanyat pracyavante, anyesamapi parasakha-vihita-karman-anusthana-nimitta-brahmanya-prasangat.
[In the Agama-Pramanya, Yamunacarya establishes the Pramanya, or authority, of the Pancaratrika scriptures (agama, tantra, sastra) in defense against the community of smarta brahmanas who were at the time challenging the authority of the Pancaratra traditions as being non-Vedic. Because Yamunacarya's credibility as a Vedic brahmana could not be challenged, he was in a strong position to mount a defense of Pancaratrika traditions.
According to Yamunacarya, the class of qualified brahmanas included those Deity worshipers who were not professional, but who worshiped only for their own benefit and the benefit of others, and who performed forty saṃskaras or purificatory practices based on the ancient Vajasaneya or Sukla Yajur Veda as an alternative to the traditional Vedic practices. The ritualistic priests, or smarta-brahmanas, who were Yamunacarya's enemies claimed that the practice of these alternate saṃskaras were non-Vedic, and therefore unholy. They accused Yamunacarya of deceit by trying to base the system of saṃskaras on the lost Vedic scriptures. The acarya's arguments on this point were difficult for the smartas to defeat, however, since the practice of referring to lost Vedic scriptures was invented by the smartas themselves to justify their own non-Vedic practices and give them a "Vedic" basis. Even the strictest smarta brahmana has to admit that there are injunctions and rituals in the dharma-sastras for which there are no known Vedic injuctions, but for which a Vedic basis must be presumed.
In light of this, smarta brahmanas have often appealed to the lost Vedic scriptures (such as the single original Veda which Vyasadeva divided into three parts) in order to justify the practices and rules of corollary Vedic literatures such as the Manu-saṃhita, which forms much of the basis for smarta ritual. While the smartas attempt to discredit the idea that their own arguments can be used against them to establish Vedic support for Pancaratrika practice, Yamunacarya's arguments cannot be defeated without also destroying the basis for smarta ritual.
Yamunacarya says: It has been said that the Bhagavatas are polluted, because they have given up the Vedic saṃskaras, and have accepted an alternative system of purifactory rituals, beginning with the garbhadhana-saṃskara and ending with the funeral ceremony. My opponents have argued that the verdict of the scripture concerning offenders is clear on this point. In answer to this, I must say, in the words of Ayunman, that there is no fault in my opponents; the only fault is with their ignorance, because the forty purificatory rituals of saṃskaras practiced by the Bhagavatas have descended from the "one Veda," the Ekayana Sakha, or the "one branch" of the Sukla Yajur Veda, beginning with the Katyayana, which includes scriptural injuctions about the prescribed religious ceremonies to be performed at birth, marriage, and so on.
This process has descended through an ancient and unbroken family tradition in different brahminical families who for many generations have followed all these purifcatory practices, beginning with the garbhadhana and other saṃskaras. In fact, those who perform these forty saṃskaras cannot be considered unbrahminical for failing to follow the saṃskaras as they are mentioned in the three Vedas. They do not fall from brahminical status simply for favoring the ancient and more traditional saṃskaras mentioned in the One Veda (Ekayana-sruti) over those recommended in the three Vedas. These devotee brahmanas are simply following carefully the ancient tradition of the one Veda and cannot be faulted for not following another branch of the Vedas. If it were the case that a brahmana who follows the rules of one branch of the Vedas is not "Vedic" and loses his caste for not following the rules of another branch of the Vedas, then all brahmanas would lose their caste, because different systems of rules governing rituals are found in differenct parts of the Vedas. (And it is not possible to follow all of them, since by following the rules of one system one will violate the rules of other systems). (Sri Yamunacarya, Agama-pramana)
Vaisnavas are not Sudras
14.76
na sudra bhagavad-bhaktaste tu bhagavata matah
sarva-varnesu te sudra ye na bhakta janardane
One who is a paragon of devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never be called a sudra; rather he is glorified as a Bhagavata, or one who is connected with Bhagavan. On the other hand, those who are antagonistic to bhakti are considered to be sudras, no matter what caste they are born in. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa, 10.165)
Except for Paramahaṃsas, Devotees Worship
in Varnasrama and Accept the Sacred Thread
14.77
bahih sutram tyajed-vidvan yogam uttamam asthitah
brahma-bhava-mayaṃ sutraṃ dharayed yah sa cetanah
Established in the state of the highest yoga, the wise should reject the external sacred thread. One who is really self-conscious must put on the thread constituted by awareness of spiritual reality. (Brahmopanisad 28)
The Sacred Thread Worn by Those who are Brahmanas
in Name Only is the Ugly Conceit of the Proud
14.78
brahma-tattvaṃ na janati brahma-sutrena garvitah
tenaiva sa ca papena viprah pasurudahrtah
A so-called brahmana who has no spiritual knowledge, but who, out of pride, wears the thread of a brahmana is certainly only a sinful impostor who is no better than a two-legged animal. (Atri Saṃhita 372)
Real Brahmanas
14.79
yatha kasthamayo hasti yatha carma-mayo mrgah
yas ca vipro'nadhiyanas trayaste nama vibhrati
Just as an elephant made of wood is an elephant in name only, and a deer made of leather is a deer in name only, similarly a brahmana who is devoid of Vedic knowlege is a brahmana in name only. (Manu-saṃhita 2.157)
Giving the Sacred Thread to Those not on the
Vedic Path is Forbidden
14.80
yo'nadhitya dvijo vedam anyatra kurute sramam
sa jivan eva sudratvam asu gaccati sanvayah
A brahmana who without studying the Vedas who labors for other things material wealth, position, adoration, and other opulences, becomes sudra along with all his family members. (Manu-saṃhita 2.168)
14.81 - 84
viprah saṃskara-yukto na nityaṃ sandhyadi-karma yah
naimitikastu no kuryat brahmana-bruva ucyate
yuktah syat sarva-saṃskarair-dvijastu niyama-vrataih
karma kincit na kurute vedoktaṃ brahmana bruvah garbhadhanadibhir yuktas tathopanayanena ca
na karma-krt na cadhite sa jneyo brahmana-bruvah
adhyapayati no sisyan nadhite vedam uttamam
garbhadhanadi-saṃskarair yutah syad brahmana-bruvah
A"brahmana" who has failed to perform any of the ten kinds of saṃskaras, who fails to regularly perform the duties of a brahmana, beginning with sandhya, vandya, etc., is a brahmana in name only (brahmana-bruva). Such a "brahmana" fails to follow any rules or vows, nor does he perform the ceremonial purificatory rituals mentioned in the Vedas. He has not been properly purified either by garbadhana-saṃskara or by the sacred thread ceremony, and neither does he study the Vedas. Such a worthless, so-called brahmana does not study the best of Vedic scriptures, nor does he teach them to his so-called disciples. (Padma Purana)
14.85
kulluka-bhatta-tika yo brahmanah kriya-rahita
atmanaṃ brahmanaṃ braviti, sa brahmana-bruvah
According to the commentary of Kulluka Bhatta, one who is devoid of proper behavior of a brahmana, and yet represents himself as a brahmana is a brahmana in name only. (Manu-saṃhita 7.58)
14.86
atapas-tvanadhiyanah pratigraha-rucir-dvijah
ambhasy-asma-plavenaiva saha tenaiva majjati
A brahmana devoid of austerity, who has not studied the Vedas, and yet accepts charity as a brahmana is condemned. Such brahmanas are like a stone raft both themsleves and those who give them charity are doomed to go down in the ocean of hellish material existence. (Manu-saṃhita 4.190)
