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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00075 Jan 2006

 
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Dear members,

     I would like to clear up a couple of points that I made in my 
original mail on this subject, and to clarify my intention for 
posting it.

     My purpose was to highlight the differences in approach of the 
two sampradaayams in giving gaayatri initiation - prompted by Sriman 
Pritesh's insight that gaayatri initiation is only given through 'a 
bona fide guru'.  I was not trying to read in any Vaishnava 
significance to the Gaayatri mantra, merely pointing out the 
different approach that two different Vaishnava sampradaayas have on 
it (we could have replaced 'Shaiva' or 'Smaarta' with 'Vaishnava' 
there).

     As a side comment, I noted that those who are given gaayatri 
initiation in the Gaudiya tradition seem to treat it a lot more 
seriously than many of our own 'birth brahmins'/'Iyengars'.

     In relation to this I noticed there were a number of points 
made about the Gaudiya sampradaaya's use of Gaayatri:

     'I am not sure how or why the Gayatri mantra found its way into 
ISKCON' - Sriman Mohan Sagar,

     'ISKCON gives "brahmana initiation" to all and sundry' - Sriman 
Kidambi Soundararajan,

     'I dont think they make evrybody brahmins...Only difference is 
the initiation of women which is purely a retrogade step and they 
will learn by themselves' - Sriman Vijaya Raghavan

     Regarding all these, I understand (and share) the deep 
attachment we all will have to Sri Sampradaayam.  But some of the 
above statements could be taken as being unfairly harsh to the 
Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaayam.  Granted, I have often found myself 
disagreeing with some of Gaudiya sampradaayam's views but I have 
come to respect their stance on these issues.  Let me explain why:

     Sriman Mohan, as to why ISKCON has adopted use of the gaayatri 
mantra, I am sure anyone who asks them will know that they see 
themselves as a fully Vaidika sampradaayam.  Anyone who has closely 
observed an ISKCON worship service will notice that their poojaris 
(often non-Indians, who have been given yagnyopaveetam) do recite 
vedic mantras during worship including Purusha suukta, Vishnu suukta 
and others, and if you ask them about their practice you will find 
that they do in fact perform trikaala sandhyaavandanam.  This isn't 
just my guess, I happen to have discussed these issues in detail a 
couple of times with a prominent Gaudiya Vaishnava academic in the 
UK who also performs priestly duties for many Indian Hindu 
families.  

   Any student of Gaudiya sampradaayam will also know that they 
don't subscribe to the 'birth' based view of varna prevalent in Sri 
sampradaayam - hence their giving of yagnyopaveetam to non-birth 
brahmins.  Your observation that the chanting of Vedas is restricted 
by birth may be the understanding of most Sri Vaishnava acharyas, 
but I think we should respect the strongly held conviction of the 
Gaudiyas on this.  They too will be able to quote vedic pramaaNam 
stating that 'individuals displaying the required characterists are 
eligible for gaayatri'.  Any further discussion of this would 
probably spiral into the caste-by-birth-or-qualities debate which 
has happened too many times on other lists.  My point is that 
recitation of Gaayatri and Vedas has a very secure, and sampradaayic 
position in ISCKON which we should respect.

    Sriman Kidambi Soundararajan, you lament that they give gaayatri 
initiation to 'all-and-sundry'.  I can tell you that the gentleman I 
mentioned above is probably more strict than any brahmin in my 
family.  He does three times daily gaayatri, doesn't eat non-
saattvik food, gets up at Brahma muhuurtam - what percentage 
of 'birth brahmins' do all of that nowadays?  And what's more they 
are tested severely before being accepted for gaayatri initiation, 
and it is only a small fraction of people who are actually given 
yagnyopaveetam, not all devotees as you may have thought.  They are 
definitely not indiscriminate.

  I think we should be more worried about the fact that a huge 
percentage of the birth brahmins given 'pooNal' these days just do 
it as a social function, with no intention of ever performing 
sandhyaavandanam or chanting gaayatri.  We surely all know people 
who fall into this category - I myself was one once upon a time.  
Which is greater apachaaram to the Holy Vedas - teaching it to 
people who might be 'forbidden' but have the enthusiasm to learn it -
 or teaching it to people, who are 'allowed' to learn it but have  
no real interest in respecting it?  It's a tough question I agree.

    It is also a two-edged sword, if we accept our birth status, we 
have to also acknowledge that we can fall from it, according to 
dharmashaastras.  The learned members will know that so many of us 
will not even qualify for being brahmins any more, despite our 
birth, due to some transgression of some dharmashaastra rule or 
another (take a look at Manu Smriti!).  Again, discussion of this 
could descend into the old caste debate, but as far as it's relation 
to the topic of gaayatri and ISCKON, my point is to note the 
*colossal* respect they afford to gaayatri.  Rest assured that those 
in ISCKON who do receive gaayatri (whether men or women) do it after 
a lot of serious thought, introspection and self-discipline - 
probably much more than the vast majority of Iyengar/Iyer/Smaartha 
boys these days.  So please let us be less judgemental of their 
sampradaayam which has its own philosophy, history and tradition - 
regardless of whether we agree with them or not.

namO nArAyaNAya
aaNDaaL tiruvaDigaLE sharaNam

with praNaamams, apologies for any offences

sarvAparAdhAn kShamasva
Ranjan








Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam 
http://www.vedics.net

 
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