Brahma Gayatri and Sacred Threads
By Swami Tripurari
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura gave his disciples the sacred thread and Brahma Gayatri for both socioreligious and spiritual reasons. He incorporated this practice into his Gaudiya mission because hereditary Brahmanas were at that time still viewed as respectable representatives of the Hindu religion. In consideration of this socioreligious circumstance, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta had his initiated disciples wear the sacred thread regardless of whether or not they had been born in Brahmana families. This was his way of teaching that Vaishnavas, regardless of caste, were as respectable as Brahmanas, a point that many people did not understand.
As much as the sacred thread is still considered respectable is as much value as it has for preaching purposes. In the West the importance of wearing it for outreach purposes is negligible, but the sacred thread still seems to be an honored religious symbol in India. At this time the primary significance of wearing the sacred thread in Gaudiya Vaishnavism has to do with how followers of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada identify it with the spirit of their missions. Considering the sacred thread an expression of discipleship and subordination to the acaryas gives spiritual meaning to wearing the sacred thread even if for preaching purposes its value might have diminished.
A devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu can also consider wearing the sacred thread as part of their spiritual identity (svarupa) in Gaura-lila, as Gaudiya acaryas have determined that devotees of Sri Caitanyadeva are destined to serve as brahmana boys in that realm. If we think of the Brahma Gayatri in this light, we will be chanting it forever. In this way a socioreligious consideration can rise to a spiritual one. Whenever the socioreligious and the spiritual unite, that is a plus; whenever they part, we should follow the spiritual consideration with no loss.
One might also question the need for Brahma Gayatri when our principal mantras, Gopala Mantra and Kama Gayatri, are given at initiation (diksa), but one should not question the spirituality of Brahma Gayatri. Brahma Gayatri has a broader appeal than the Gopala Mantra and Kama Gayatri, but scripturally adept Gaudiya Vaishnavas know that Brahma Gayatri is much more than a mere sun mantra. Brahma Gayatri is only about the sun in as much as the sun is used as a conceptual symbol representing Brahman (God). The sun is equated with Brahman because everything in this world that we require for sustenance is dependent on the sun. Some Hindus certainly conceive of Brahma Gayatri as a sun mantra, but that is because they do not understand the full import of the mantra.
According to Sri Jiva Goswami, Brahma Gayatri petitions no one other than Bhagavan replete with his sakti. He is very clear on this in his Tattva-sandarbha. Scripture also acknowledges that Gayatri Mantra emanates from the flute of Sri Krishna, and the Garuda Purana clearly states that Srimad-Bhagavatam is a commentary on the Gayatri Mantra. As Srimad-Bhagavatam is a meditation on the supreme truth—satyam param dhimahi—so too is Gayatri. The Bhagavatam‘s opening statement indicates that the pastimes of Radha-Krishna (param) should be eternally (satyam) meditated upon (dhimahi).
All Gayatri mantras, including Kama Gayatri, come from the prototype of Brahma Gayatri, and it is said that Gayatri devi incarnated as Kama Gayatri in order to pursue gopi bhava. Kama Gayatri merely focuses more directly on the highest reach of Brahma Gayatri. Gopi bhava must be within Brahma Gayatri, as it is not possible for something to contain more than its source. Gayatri Mantra’s identification with Srimad-Bhagavatam and the transcendental sound emanating from the flute of Sri Krishna, as well as the fact that Kama Gayatri comes from Brahma Gayatri, should resolutely establish the spiritual nature of Brahma Gayatri.
Srila Prabhupada explains very nicely in his books how his disciples are to conceive of Brahma Gayatri. He explains that the Savita in the mantra is actually Gaura. With this understanding the Brahma Gayatri of the Saraswata Gaudiyas manifests it’s original and eternal form.
I have found this siksha of Srila Prabhupada only once in all his books. It is not something that he made a big point of in his lectures or discussions. You have to really read his books very closely to find such subtle nuances in the teachings of His Divine Grace.
visvambharaya dhimahi
Is antaryami or Supersoul who inspires the devotee Paramatma or Bhagavan? Isn’t Supersoul synonomous with Paramatama?
Yes. However, as Bhagavan, Mahaprabhu contains the Supersoul within his personality. Supersoul is not Mahaprabhu in full, but a partial presence of Mahaprabhu.
So, Supersoul is not Mahaprabhu, but Mahaprabhu is the Supersoul.
Mahaprabhu is everything, but everything is not Mahaprabhu (Krishna).
See my commentary on the fourth verse of Siksastakam.
How much is it necessary to obey all the rules regarding the care of the sacred thread such as wrapping it around the ear in certain circumstances or the rules about how to change a thread, rules about how many times to wrap the thread around the thumb when chanting gayatri, etc.? Are there any circumstances when we might neglect such rules or find some alternatives in order to avoid curious looks from strangers?
Those procedures are as about as important as the thread itself: not very. But if one wears it, one should observe them as far as possible so as not to disrespect the realm of ritual.
My friend Parama Karuna dasi wrote a long, documented article in which apparently women who were serious about their spiritual life in ancient times would also wear an upavita (thread), as well as undergo all the samskaras for male brahmanas.
It can be seen, but I am afraid only if you are on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=357535412158
Also, I wonder why this article makes no mention of Srila Sridhara Maharaja’s interpretation of the Gayatri.
I did not see anything in the article about women wearing the thread. But The Harita Dharmasutra (of the Maitrayaniya school of Yayurveda) declares that there are two kind of women: Sadhyavadhu who marry, and the Brahmavadini who are inclined to religion, they can wear the sacred thread, perform rituals like the agnihotra and read the Vedas.
The article is in three parts. I guess there is no link to part 2 and part 3. Further on it mentions the same classes of women you just mentioned. One cool thing I remember from that article is that Kunti had a “degree” in Atharvaveda
Here are part 2 and 3.
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=371401957158
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=371423112158
Very interesting…
As best I can understand, the Gaudiyas do not worship any God except Krishna Chaitanya. Therefore, the Brahma Gayatri of the Saraswata Gaudiyas has a much deeper meaning than the Brahma Gayatri of the Vaidic Brahmanas or Smarta Brahmanas which is in worship of the Sun God whom is given the same respect even in the Bhagavat.
Since the advent of Mahaprabhu however, the true esoteric meaning of the Brahma Gayatri has been revealed as relating to the most high personality of Sri Chaitanyadeva who is Surya-Narayana, though Surya-Narayana is not Sri Chaitanya.
Infinite possibilities exist in the Absolute Personality of Godhead.
The Gaudiya Vaishnavas worship Mahaprabhu as the Sun God of Spiritual Light through the chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna.
I’ve always found the Brahma Gayatri to be hardest mantra to understand. It doesn’t appear to contain the names of Krishna, but I have found Sripad BR Sridhar’s commentary very helpful. It’s available here: http://www.bvml.org/SBRSM/bgb.htm (Brahma Gayatri Bhasya)
Dear Swamiji,
You’ve described how Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura acted as a visionary, felt the pulse of the Indian society back then, introduced some changes accordingly. Those changes produced results and a feedback, and it’s worked well for him. But you end up debating should devotees still use threads and recite brahma gayatri? Or (in comments) others join in with ‘what threads men and women serious about spiritual life wore in India hundreds of years ago’?
I think that in your conclusions, and in responses where others joined in, all of you have missed the whole point of the Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura’s example. The real deal would be to follow that example of Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura but in a new environment and in a new age, and add / change / upgrade / modify ideas of devotional practices so they’re accepted in the new society, new mindset, new times. That they constantly upgrade from that new level and communicate favorably with the society. Evaluating the new environment and times compared to those of hundreds of years ago in India, the upgrades should be substantial, pervasive, reaching all levels from ground up. But where are they?
You should be discussing them, not Indian fashion details and brahma gayatri, which (in my opinion at least) are beside the point in this example. Bad luck there are no more Bhaktisiddhantas today to act on a ‘real deal’ level.
Ah but who would recognize a BSST if he was among us?
The article raises a question as to the relevance of wearing the sacred thread today in the West. It reasons that it may be irrelevant for outreach but relevant for practice and identification with a particular sect. Do you think that not asking initiates to wear it will make a significant change in terms of encouraging others to embrace Guadiya Vaisnavism?
Perhaps one could help to make Gaudiya Vaisnavism as popular as Buddhism is in the West. To me that would be significant, but I am not sure doing so would require forgoing the sacred thread or any number of other rituals or proscriptions and prohibitions. After all, popular forms of Buddhism retain all kinds of ritual and do’s and don’ts.
What to me is significant in terms of breathing life into the tradition is the ability to speak about the tradition in universal language and to be able to speak about it by way of participating in prominent currents of thought influencing society—current scientific theory, psychology, philosophy, social trends, etc—as well as speaking deeply about its core insights thoughtfully. That is one of the reasons the Harmonist publishes articles on philosophy, science, psychology, etc as well as articles on core Gaudiya topics and invites comments.
Perhaps you could add something to the conversation. Hopefully we all know that we could do better. But thanks for the reminder anyway
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