yad yad acarati sresthas
tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues. Bg. 3.21
For the last few months I've been thinking about this, about how we can set an example. For one thing, it was a huge theme in our Brahmincal Culture and Education course of how a brahamana/brahmani should by their very lives set an ideal example. Now one could argue, that I do not have second initiation and therefore I am not a brahmana, but Srila Prabhupada in the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam says something very heavy. He writes in the purport to SB. 1.2.20 "So one cannot be a devotee unless one at least qualifies as a brahmaṇa."
Whoa?! What does that mean? But what if I'm not second initiated? Prabhupada in his infinite mercy also explains what it means to be a brahmana.
"Perfection of human life is attained when one can understand that he is not the product of matter but is in fact spirit. And as soon as one understands that he has nothing to do with matter, he at once ceases his material hankerings and becomes enlivened as a spiritual being. This attainment of success is possible when one is above the modes of passion and ignorance, or, in other words, when one is actually a brahmaṇa by qualification. A brahmaṇa is the symbol of sattva-guṇa, or the mode of goodness."
Here Prabhupada is clearly stating that being a brahmana means to actually develop and practice the qualities of a brahamana. Furthermore Prabhupada goes on to say,
"The devotee is already a brahmaṇa by action. But that is not the end of it. As referred to above, such a brahmaṇa has to become a Vaiṣṇava in fact to be actually in the transcendental stage. A pure Vaiṣṇava is a liberated soul and is transcendental even to the position of a brahmaṇa. In the material stage even a brahmaṇa is also a conditioned soul because although in the brahminical stage the conception of Brahman or transcendence is realized, scientific knowledge of the Supreme Lord is lacking. One has to surpass the brahminical stage and reach the vasudeva stage to understand the Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa."
But just like we can't skip grade school and immediately enter high school, similarly here Prabhupada is laying out the path for us. It's like this: one can be a brahmana and not a vaisnava, but a vaisnava is automatically a brahamana.
This means that yes, it is still very important to aspire for and take second initiation, but at the same time it doesn't mean that upon receiving it that we are now a brahmana. Srila Prabhupada states very clearly that "a devotee is a brahmana by action." It is not simply because one is given gayatri mantras and chants them 3 times a day that one is now a brahmana. Yes, that may be part of it, but a brahmana is recognized by being in and acting in the mode of goodness.
Acting in the mood of goodness is like anything else in life, a choice. We can choose to be equipoised, gentle, compassionate and regular or we can choose to get upset, act according to our own self-interests and disturb others. Sometimes it is difficult to choose to act in goodness but remembering this will help.
What do we as devotees ultimately want to do? We want to please Guru and Krsna. So, what pleases them the most? Bringing others to the lotus feet of Krsna. And the easiest way to do that is to be exemplary. Being happy in Krsna consciousness ourselves is the best way to preach to others. So many devotees have said that the reason why they joined Krsna consciousness is because the devotees were happy. They also wanted to experience that happiness.
So it's our choice. We can set the ultimate best example for everyone, by practicing these qualities:
"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness — these are the natural qualities by which the brahmanas work." Bg. 18.42
And of course we must possess the most important quality of all- the quality of being attached to chanting the holy name of the Lord. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
1 comment:
Thank you Mataji for your thoughtful post. I think about this often...how at every moment we are representing the parampara regardless of where we are or what we are doing. It's a heavy responsibility.
Yet the other day I was thinking that, "it's fine that someone considers themselves to be a Hare Krishna despite the fact they do things contradictory to Vedic culture or Srila Prabhupada. What's not fine is when they say these deviations are the standard practice of Hare Krishnas."
As you have pointed out it's our choice. We can either try our best to be a Vaishnav and represent the parampara nicely or not. No one can force us to become a pure devotee we have to earnestly desire to come to that level.
Also, one more thought... My Guru Maharaja often points out that initiation means the beginning. Think of the root, "to initiate". So I often meditate on this as even though I've participated in 2 fire yajnas, chant my rounds, gayatri, etc...I still feel like I'm still struggling to become a "Hare Krishna", still struggling to actually become a member of ISKCON in the true sense.
Anyway, thanks again for your blogging. Many times I've been envious of your having the opportunity to have Mother Krta Mala's association in India...she's such a sweet devotee. Always talking about Krishna and doing her best to care for His devotees.
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