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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