The Nectar of Devotion

—
November 5, 1972, Våndävana

721105ND-VRNDAVAN [35:10 Minutes]

NOD_721105ND-VRNDAVAN

Pradyumna: [reading:] "...committed criminal acts but is not yet arrested for
them. Now, as soon as he is detected, arrest is awaiting for him..., is awaiting
him. Similarly, for some of our sinful activities we are awaiting distresses in the
future, and for others, which are mature, we are suffering at the present
moment. In this way..."
Prabhupäda: Yes. This is the chain of accepting different types of bodies, one
after another, according to the sinful activity. On the total, without being
sinful, nobody accepts this material body. Because in the Bhagavad-gétä we
understand, yeñäm anta-gataà päpam: "One who has finished the reaction of
his sinful activities," te dvandva-moha-nirmukta... [Bg. 7.28]. Yeñäà anta-gataà
päpaà janänäà puëya-karmaëäm...
Puëya-karma. Puëya-karma means..., the sublime puëya-karma is devotional
service. Çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. This is
the topmost puëya-karma. Because, as it is stated in the Bhägavata, çåëvatäà
sva-kathäù kåñëaù puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù [SB 1.2.17]. Simply if we hear about
Kåñëa, that is puëya. Even you do not understand, do not take it very seriously,
if we simply give aural reception to the words of Kåñëa, that activity itself is
puëya. Puëya-çravaëa kértanaù.
So one who has got, I mean, advanced in hearing about Kåñëa, that is the
result of multiforms of multivarieties of pious activities. Väsudeva-kathä-ruciù
[SB 1.2.16]. Väsudeva-kathä-ruciù is the resultant action... Kåta-puëya-puïjäù
[SB 10.12.11]. These words are used. Just like when the cowherds boys were
playing with Kåñëa, Çukadeva Gosvämé said that "These boys are

1
kåta-puëya-puïjäù. Heaps of pious activities they have performed; therefore
they have got this chance of playing personally with the Supreme Personality
of Godhead."
So, so long we are tinged with sinful activities, we have to accept different
varieties of body, either the body of Lord Brahmä or the body of an ant,
indragopa, a small microbic insect, yas tv indragopam athavendram aho
sva-karma [Bs. 5.54]. From this indragopa, the microscopic insect which is
called indragopa insect, from this indragopa insect to the real Indra, the king of
heaven, everyone is suffering or enjoying—actually it is suffering—the
resultant action of his karma. It doesn't matter what kind of body a living
entity has got, but the body itself is the symptom, is the sign that one is sinful.
This is the conclusion of the çästra. Because as soon as one is free from sinful
activities, at that time he goes back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvä dehaà
punar janma naiti mäm eti [Bg. 4.9].
So our this material body is achieved due to sinful activities. And sinful
activities are performed due to ignorance. Therefore knowledge is essential.
Jïäna-vairägya. These two things are essential in human life: knowledge and
renunciation. Renunciation means sinful activities.
Go on.
Pradyumna: "In this way there is a chain of sinful activities and their
concomitant distresses, and the conditioned soul is suffering life after life due
to these sins. He is suffering in the present life the results of sinful activities
from his past life, and he is meanwhile creating further sufferings for his future
life. Mature sinful activities are exhibited if one is suffering from some chronic
disease, if one is suffering from some legal implication, or if one is born in a
low and degraded family or if one is uneducated or very ugly."
Prabhupäda: Hmm. So the soul is within this body, encaged. Dehino 'smin yathä
dehe [Bg. 2.13]. Due to ignorance, he is committing... Say, for in our eating
process, we are eating so many things out of ignorance which we should not
eat, and creating the sinful reaction. Nänä yoni bhraman kare, kadarya
bhakñaëa kare. Narottama däsa Öhäkura says things which are not eatables, we

2
eat, and we circumambulate various types of body.
Nänä yoni bhraman kare, kadarya bhakñaëa kare. Just like the hog is eating
stool, kadarya, a very abominable thing, but it is eating. Similarly, many other
forms of body. You are eating very abominable things on account of your
particular type of body, and this is due to ignorance. And this ignorance is our
greatest enemy.
The human form of life is meant for acquiring knowledge, not to keep one in
ignorance. Tamasi mä jyotir gamaù. That is the Vedic injunction. "Don't keep
yourself in darkness, darkness of ignorance," but jyotir gamaù: "go to the light."
That is the Vedic injunction.
So the best knowledge He's giving, Kåñëa Himself: Bhagavad-gétä. He's coming
personally to give knowledge. But we are so unfortunate, we are not accepting
the knowledge given by Kåñëa. We are hankering after some other knowledge
given by some defective human being. A human being cannot give us any
perfect knowledge. Therefore all the scientists' statements, all the
philosophers' statements, they are simply theories; they are not fact. Because
the knowledge is not perfect.
Perfect knowledge can be had from one who is not defective. Defective means
generally a conditioned soul has four defects: he commits mistake, he is
illusioned, he has got a cheating propensity and his senses are imperfect. The
senses..., we are acquiring knowledge through our senses, and if our senses are
imperfect, how we can acquire perfect knowledge? Just like we are trying to see
the planetary system through microscope or binocular, telescope, but the
telescope machine is manufactured by a person who is..., whose senses are
defective. So through the telescope, how you can have perfect knowledge?
Therefore one astronomer is placing some theory. After some years, that is
made null and void; another theory is presented. Because everyone's
knowledge is imperfect. So we cannot expect perfect knowledge from the
imperfect person. So our process of knowledge is different. Our pro..., Vedic
process of knowledge is,

tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eva abhigacchet

3
 samit-päëiù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham
[MU 1.2.12(1)]

One has to accept a guru, a spiritual master, who has received knowledge from
another perfect spiritual master. Just like Kåñëa is the origin, perfect spiritual
master, guru. So Kåñëa, what Kåñëa said, was realized by Arjuna directly.
Therefore if we receive knowledge from Arjuna or his disciplic succession,
then our knowledge is perfect.
Kåñëa..., Arjuna accepted Kåñëa as the Supreme Brahman: paraà brahma
paraà dhäma pavitraà paramaà bhavän [Bg. 10.12]. So if we accept the version
of Arjuna, that Kåñëa is Paraà Brahman, He's the Supreme Person, He's the
origin of everything, then our knowledge is perfect. I may be imperfect, but
because I receive the knowledge from a perfect person, my knowledge is
perfect. This is called paramparä system.
So in order to dissipate our ignorance, we should receive perfect knowledge.
Then we can stop our sinful activities. Therefore Bhagavad-gétä, Bhagavän
says, Kåñëa says, janma karma me divyam. Kåñëa appears, Kåñëa lives here, He
teaches, He acts. If we simply try to understand Kåñëa from the devotee of
Kåñëa, then we become perfect, so much so that after giving up this body...
Tyaktvä dehaà punar janma naiti... [Bg. 4.9]. Without being perfect, without
being free from all sinful reaction, we have to undergo the tribulation of
accepting different types of body. But as soon as we become perfect through
the perfect knowledge, then automatically we become uncontaminated from
this material world and we become liberated.
Liberated means, as I have several times explained, to be situated in his
original position. Just like a, a person gets fever. When his fever is subsided,
he's liberated; he's called liberated from the fever. Similarly, when we have
perfect knowledge... What is that perfect knowledge? The perfect knowledge:
to understand that "I am eternal servant of Kåñëa." This is perfect knowledge.
This is perfect knowledge. Jévera svarüpa haya nityera kåñëera däsa [Cc. Madhya
20.108].
One has to understand this fact, that "I am not Kåñëa. I am not like Kåñëa. I
4
am not equal to Kåñëa. I cannot become Kåñëa. I am Kåñëa's eternal servant."
This is taught by Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Gopé-bhartur pada-kamalayoù
däsa-däsänudäsaù [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. He, Caitanya Mahäprabhu, says, "I am
not a brähmaëa. I am not a çüdra. I am not a brahmacäré. I am not a sannyäsé."
In this way... Because we identify with the varëäçrama-dharma: "I am
brähmaëa," "I am sannyäsé," "I am brahmacäré," "I am gåhastha," "I am kñatriya."
These are our designations. But when we become designation-free, then "I am
not brähmaëa, I am not brahmacäré, I am not this, I am not that. I am simply
pure servant of Kåñëa," this is knowledge. Our otherwise, anything we identify,
that is ignorance. This is knowledge.
So... And when we come to this knowledge, that "I am eternal servant of
Kåñëa," then I am liberated. Muktir hitvä anyathä rüpaà svarüpeëa vyavasthitiù
[SB 2.10.6]. Hitvä anyathä rüpam. I am accepting a different type of body and
different type of position, and I am identifying myself with that particular
position. That is my ignorance. Although I am acting just like a perfect
brähmaëa or perfect kñatriya or perfect vaiçya, still, I am imperfect, because my
perfection is not to act as a vaiçya, brähmaëa, kñatriya, American, Indian, but
to act as servant of Kåñëa. That is liberation. That is liberation.
Sarvopädhi-vinirmuktaà tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170].
Nirmalam means liberation. That nirmalam means sarvopädhi-vinirmuktam.
The Vaiñëava process is to become nirmalam, tat-paratvena. A real, pure
Vaiñëava simply identifies himself as a servant of Kåñëa; therefore he's
nirmalam, he's liberated.
He does not identify himself as a kñatriya, brähmaëa, American, Indian. No.
That is not his position. But so long I stick to this designation, I am not
nirmala; I am samala: "with dirty things." So we have to be relieved from these
dirty things and come to the original position of Kåñëa consciousness. Then
our sinful activities and its reaction will be counteracted.
Go on.
Pradyumna: "There are many results of past sinful activities for which we are
suffering at the present moment, and we may be suffering in the future due to

5
our present sinful activities. But all of these reactions to sinful deeds can
immediately be stopped if we take to Kåñëa consciousness."
Prabhupäda: Yes.
Pradyumna: "As evidence for this..."
Prabhupäda: Kåñëa consciousness, if we take to Kåñëa consciousness,
automatically we become immune from sinful activities. The devotional
service... The mind, being engaged on the lotus feet of Kåñëa, as Ambaréña
Mahäräja did: sa vai manaù kåñëa-padäravindayor vacäàsi
vaikuëöha-guëänuvarëane... [SB 9.4.18]. Ambaréña Mahäräja was very
responsible emperor of the world, but he fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of
Kåñëa and he engaged his words simply: vaikuëöha-guëänuvarëane, simply
describing the qualities, the transcendental qualities of Kåñëa.
He used his eyes to see the Deity; he used his legs to go to the temple; he used
his hands for cleansing the temple; he used his nose for smelling the flower and
tulasé offered to Kåñëa; he used his tongue for tasting kåñëa-prasädam. In this
way, he engaged all his senses in the service of the Lord.
So there was no chance of committing sinful activities by his body. It is..., it
can be done by everyone. Everyone can install Deity at his home and regularly
worship the Deity according to the injunction of the çästras and spiritual
master and eat prasädam and hear Vaik..., Çrémad-Bhägavatam, chant and
speak Hare Kåñëa. This is simple life. And one can become immune from all
sinful reaction. The simple thing.
Go on.
Pradyumna: "As evidence for this, Rüpa Gosvämé quotes from the
Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Eleventh Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, 18th verse [SB
11.14.18]. This verse is in connection with Lord Kåñëa's instruction to
Uddhava, where He says, 'My dear Uddhava, devotional service unto Me is just
like a blazing fire, which can burn into ashes unlimited fuel supplied to it.'
"The purport is that as the blazing fire can burn any amount of fuel to ashes, so
devotional service to the Lord in Kåñëa consciousness can burn up all the fuel

6
of sinful activities. For example, in the Gétä, Arjuna thought that fighting was
a sinful activity, but Kåñëa engaged him on the battlefield under His order,
and so the fighting became devotional service. Therefore, Arjuna was not
subjected to any sinful reaction."
Prabhupäda: Yes. So, the example is that the..., in the fire, you go on giving
fuel perpetually, it will burn into ashes. Similarly, it doesn't matter. To become
sinful... Without Kåñëa consciousness, everyone is sinful. So to become sinful is
not disqualification, because everyone is sinful. But if one takes to Kåñëa
consciousness, Kåñëa consciousness is just like the fire, and the sinful activities
are just like wood. But when the wood is in touch with the fire, so the fire
would burn all the woods, fuel, into ashes.
But we should not... Once we take to Kåñëa consciousness, we should stop the
pillars of sinful activities. Whatever we did in our past life, that is excused, but
if we take to Kåñëa consciousness, and if we go on with our sinful activities,
that will not help us. Just like the same fire: you take the fuel and add to the
fire, it will burn into ashes. But at the same time if you pour some water also,
then it will be useless. Similarly, our past sinful activities, that can be burned
into ashes provided we don't add any more. Don't take it, "Now it will burn
into ashes. So go on, this business and that business." No. That business means
pouring water into the fire. It will not burn.
Go on.
Pradyumna: "Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé quotes another verse from the Third Canto
of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Thirty-third Chapter, 6th verse [SB 3.33.6], in which
Devahüti addresses her son, Kapiladeva, and says, 'My dear Lord, there are
nine different kinds of devotional service, beginning from hearing and
chanting. Anyone who hears about Your pastimes, who chants about Your
glories, who offers You obeisances, who thinks of You, and in this way executes
any of the nine kinds of devotional service—even if he is born in a family of
dog-eaters [the lowest grade of mankind]—becomes immediately qualified to
perform sacrifices.' "
Prabhupäda: Yes. Çvädo 'pi sadyaù savanäya kalpate. This is the word. Actually

7
we have seen it. Last time, when I was coming via Philippines, so we have got a
center there, and it is very nicely organized within six months by one of our
devotees, Siddha-svarüpa, Siddha-svarüpänanda Mahäräja, and his colleague.
So it is very nicely organized. And they are actually dog-eaters.
These Philippines, they're dog-eaters. In those parts of the world, the Koreans,
the Philippines, even the Chinese, some of the Japanese, they're dog-eaters.
But even though they are dog-eaters, they attended the meeting and chanted
with us so nicely, better than a so-called Vaiñëava in India. Yes. They were so
nice. It is practically seen.
So that is also stated in the..., confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä: çvädo 'pi sadyaù
savanäya kalpate [SB 3.33.6](2). If one dog-eater, a person born in the family of
dog-eaters... Because the dog-eaters are considered lowest of the humankind,
caëòäla, çva-paca. In many places it is said. Aho bata çvapaco 'pi garéyän
yaj-jihvägre näma tubhyam [SB 3.33.7]. Çva-paca. Çvapaca means dog-eaters.
They also become glorious provided they chant offenselessly the Hare Kåñëa
mantra. Aho bato çvapaco 'to garéyän yaj-jihvägre näma tubhyäà.
So Caitanya Mahäprabhu has given us... It is in the çästra. Caitanya
Mahäprabhu has pointed out the äcärya's business... Everything is there in the
çästra. Äcärya does not invent anything. That is not äcärya. Äcärya simply
points out, "Here is the thing." Just like in the darkness of night we cannot see
anything perfectly or cannot see anything, but the..., when there is sunrise, the
sunrise, effect of sunrise is that we can see things as they are.
The things are not manufactured. There is already. The things are al... The
houses, the town and the everything is there, but when there is sunrise we can
see everything nicely. Similarly, äcärya, or incarnation, they do not create
anything. They simply give the light to see things as they are. So Caitanya
Mahäprabhu pointed out this verse from Båhad-näradéya Puräëa. The, the
verse was already in the Båhad-näradéya Puräëa.

harer näma harer näma harer näma iva kevalaà

kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä

8
 [Cc. Ädi 17.21]

This verse was already there in the Båhad-näradéya Puräëa, the indication of
our activities in the age of Kali. Caitanya Mahäprabhu, He pointed out.
Although He is Kåñëa Himself—He could manufacture so many things—but
He did not do so. That is äcärya. Äcärya will not manufacture any new type of
religion, a new type of phrase of Hare Kåñëa mantra. That is not potent. The...
Just like Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare
Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare, this is in the çästra. So that is potential. Now if
we add and subtract something from these sixteen words, that is my
manufacture. That will have not the potency. They do not understand it. They
are thinking if they can manufacture some new line, adding with Hare Kåñëa,
then he becomes particularly noted. But he spoils the whole thing. That is
the... He does not make any new thing. The new thing he does, he spoils the
whole thing.
So Caitanya Mahäprabhu never did so, although He's Kåñëa Himself. He stuck
to the point of çästra. Kåñëa, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He
also indicates, yaù çästra-vidhim utsåjya vartate käma-kärataù na siddhià
säväpnoti [Bg. 16.23]. He indicates that nobody can give up the injunction of
the çästra. Brahmä-sütra-padaiç caiva hetumadbhir viniçcitaiù [Bg. 13.5]. Kåñëa
says. He can give. Whatever He says, that is çästra, that is Veda. But still, He
gives reference to the çästra.
So äcärya's duty is to point out the çästric injunction. They're already there in
the Vedas. His duty is... Just like there are so many medicines. If you go to a
drug shop, all of them are medicines, but the experienced physician, he gives
you a medicine which is particularly suitable for you. You cannot say, "Sir, why
you are selecting medicine? You can give any one bottle." That is nonsense.
Not any one. The particular body, a particular bottle, and a particular
medicine which is suitable for you, the experienced physician gives you. He's
äcärya.
So you cannot say that "Everything is medicine; whichever bottle I take, that's
all right." No. That's not. This is going on. Yata mata tata patha. Why yata

9
mata tata patha? The particular mata which is suitable for you at a particular
time, that should be accepted, not any other mata. So similarly, in this age, in
this Kali-yuga, where people are very short-living, duration of life is very short,
they are unfortunate, they're very slow, and they take to unauthorized means
of religious principles; they're prone to so many disturbances of life...
Therefore this particular medicine for this age, as given by Caitanya
Mahäprabhu:

harer näma harer näma harer nämaiva kevalaà

kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä
[Cc. Ädi 17.21]

Prabhu kahe, ihä haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomära.

So we should take the instruction of Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who has especially

incarnated Himself in this age, Kali-yuga. Kalau saìkértana-präyair yajanti hi
su-medhasaù. This is the çästric injunction.

kåñëa-varëaà tviñäkåñëaà
säìgopäìgästra-pärñadam
yajïaiù saìkértana-präyair
yajanti hi su-medhasaù
[SB 11.5.32]

This is the injunction in the çästra, that this form of the Lord, who is
accompanied by His associates... Säìgopäìgästra-pärñadam. So Caitanya
Mahäprabhu is always associated with Çré Advaita Prabhu, Çré Nityänanda
Prabhu, Çré Gadädhara Prabhu, Çré Çréväsa Prabhu. Therefore the process of
worship is,

çré-kåñëa-caitanya prabhu-nityänanda
çré-advaita gadädhara çréväsädi-gaura-bhakta-vånda

That is perfect process. Not to cut short. No. As it is indicated. This is

indication in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Kåñëa-varëaà tvisakåñëaà

10
sangopangastra... [SB 11.5.32]. So when we have to worship Lord Caitanya, we
worship with His associates. Çré-kåñëa-caitanya prabhu-nityänanda çré-advaita
gadädhara çréväsädi-gaura-bhakta-vånda. No cut-short method. So that is çästric
injunction.
So in order to get rid of the sinful activities of this age, it is already prescribed
in the çästras and confirmed by the greatest authority, Çré Caitanya
Mahäprabhu: ceto-darpaëa-märjanaà bhava-mahä-dävägni-nirväpaëam [Cc.
Antya 20.12]. So we should all take to this maha-mantra, chant,

Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare

Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare

Thank you very much. Hare Kåñëa.

Devotee: Haribol. [end]

11
 Endnotes
1 (Popup - Popup)

tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet

samit-päëiù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham
"To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with
firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly
devoted to the Absolute Truth."
[Muëòaka Upaniñad 1.2.12]

2 (Popup - Popup)

YaàaMaDaeYaé[v<aaNauk-ITaRNaad(
YaTPa[û<aaÛTSMar<aadiPa KvicTa( )
ìadae_iPa SaÛ" SavNaaYa k-LPaTae
ku-Ta" PauNaSTae >aGavàu dXaRNaaTa( ) 6 )

yan-nämadheya-çravaëänukértanäd
yat-prahvaëäd yat-smaraëäd api kvacit
çvädo 'pi sadyaù savanäya kalpate
kutaù punas te bhagavan nu darçanät
SYNONYMS

yat nämadheya
—of whom (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); —the name;

çravaëa anukértanät
—hearing; yat —by chanting; —to whom;

prahvaëät yat smaraëät

—by offering obeisances; —whom; —by remembering;

api kvacit
—even; çva-adaù api
—at any time; —a dog-eater; —even;

sadyaù savanäya
—immediately; —for performing Vedic sacrifices;

kalpate kutaù punaù te

—becomes eligible; —what to speak of; —again; —You;

12
bhagavan —O Supreme Personality of Godhead; nu —then; darçanät —by seeing
face to face.
TRANSLATION

To say nothing of the spiritual advancement of persons who see the Supreme
Person face to face, even a person born in a family of dog-eaters immediately
becomes eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices if he once utters the holy name of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead or chants about Him, hears about His
pastimes, offers Him obeisances or even remembers Him.
PURPORT

Herein the spiritual potency of chanting, hearing or remembering the holy name of the Supreme
Lord is greatly stressed. Rüpa Gosvämé has discussed the sequence of sinful activities of the
conditioned soul, and he has established, in

Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, that those who engage in devotional

service become freed from the reactions of all sinful activities. This is also confirmed in

Bhagavad-gétä. The Lord says that He takes charge of one who surrenders
unto Him, and He makes him immune to all reactions to sinful activities. If by chanting the holy
name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead one becomes so swiftly cleared of all reactions to
sinful activities, then what is to be said of those persons who see Him face to face?

Another consideration here is that persons who are purified by the process of
chanting and hearing become immediately eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices.

Generally, only a person who is born in a family of brähmaëas, who has

been reformed by the ten kinds of purificatory processes and who is learned in
Vedic literature is allowed to perform the Vedic sacrifices. But here the word

sadyaù, "immediately," is used, and Çrédhara Svämé also remarks that one
can immediately become eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices. A person
born in a family of the low caste which is accustomed to eat dogs is so positioned
due to his past sinful activities, but by chanting or hearing once in pureness, or in

13
an offenseless manner, he is immediately relieved of the sinful reaction. Not only is
he relieved of the sinful reaction, but he immediately achieves the result of all

purificatory processes. Taking birth in the family of a brähmaëa is

certainly due to pious activities in one's past life. But still a child who is born in a

family of a brähmaëa depends for his further reformation upon initiation

into acceptance of a sacred thread and many other reformatory processes. But a
person who chants the holy name of the Lord, even if born in a family of

caëòälas, dog-eaters, does not need reformation. Simply by chanting Hare

Kåñëa, he immediately becomes purified and becomes as good as the most learned

brähmaëa.
anena
Çrédhara Svämé especially remarks in this connection,

püjyatvaà lakñyate. Some caste brähmaëas remark that

by chanting Hare Kåñëa, purification begins. Of course, that depends on the
individual process of chanting, but this remark of Çrédhara Svämé's is completely
applicable if one chants the holy name of the Lord without offense, for he

immediately becomes more than a brähmaëa. As Çrédhara Svämé says,

püjyatvam: he immediately becomes as respectable as a most learned
brähmaëa and can be allowed to perform Vedic sacrifices. If simply by
chanting the holy name of the Lord one becomes sanctified instantly, then what
can be said of those persons who see the Supreme Lord face to face and who
understand the descent of the Lord, as Devahüti understands Kapiladeva.
Usually, initiation depends on the bona fide spiritual master, who directs the
disciple. If he sees that a disciple has become competent and purified by the process

14
of chanting, he offers the sacred thread to the disciple just so that he will be

brähmaëa. This is also

recognized as one-hundred-percent equal with a

confirmed in the Hari-bhakti-viläsa by Çré Sanätana Gosvämé:

"As a base metal like bell metal can be changed into gold by a chemical process,

any person can similarly be changed into a brähmaëa by

dékñä-vidhäna, the initiation process".
It is sometimes remarked that by the chanting process one begins to purify himself and can take

brähmaëa family and then be reformed. But at this present

birth in his next life in a

moment, even those who are born in the best brähmaëa families are not reformed,

nor is there any certainty that they are actually born of brähmaëa fathers. Formerly

the garbhädhäna reformatory system was prevalent, but at the present moment

there is no such garbhädhäna, or seed-giving ceremony. Under these

circumstances, no one knows if a man is factually born of a brähmaëa father.

Whether one has acquired the qualification of a brähmaëa depends on the judgment
of the bona fide spiritual master. He bestows upon the disciple the position of a

brähmaëa by his own judgment. When one is accepted as a brähmaëa in

the sacred thread ceremony under the päïcarätrika system, then he is dvija,

twice-born. That is confirmed by Sanätana Gosvämé: dvijatvaà jäyate. By

the process of initiation by the spiritual master, a person is accepted as a brähmaëa

in his purified state of chanting the holy name of the Lord. He then makes further progress to
become a qualified Vaiñëava, which means that the brahminical qualification is already

15
acquired.

16