Initiation of Hṛṣīkeśa dāsā & Marriage of Satsvarūpa and Jadurāṅī

Prabhupāda: And where is that boy, Hṛṣīkeśa?

Devotee: Hṛṣīkeśa.

Prabhupāda: Come on. Oh, he has shaved his face. Very nice. [chuckles] Sit down.

[break] Today we have got two functions. One function is initiation of a brahmacārī, and another function is marriage ceremony of our one disciple Satsvarūpa brahmacārī and Jadurāṅī brahmacāriṅī.

[break] ...Caitanya-bhāgavata there is a verse which says, gṛhe vā vanete thāke, hā gaurāṅga bole ḍāke [Song 38—Sāvaraṅa-Gaura-mahimā].

[Anyone who takes pleasure in sporting within the waves of the ocean of Lord Caitanya’s distribution of love of God immediately becomes a confidential devotee of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava. It doesn’t matter whether such a devotee is in the renounced order of life or whether he is a householder. If he is actually taking part in Lord Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana activities and actually understanding what it is, then such a person is always liberated. Narottama Dāsa aspires for his association.]

The purport is that either if you remain in household life or you remain as mendicant in the forest, in either case, you just become a devotee of Lord Caitanya. So although we have four divisions of the social orders, namely the brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa... Brahmacārī means student, strictly observing life of celibacy, following the rules and regulation enunciated by the spiritual master under strict discipline. That is called brahmacārī. And next is that if a brahmacārī wants to get himself married, that is allowed.

So when a brahmacārī is married, he is called gṛhastha, or householder. But because a brahmacārī is trained from the very beginning of his life renunciation of material enjoyment, he cannot be absorbed like ordinary man in family life. Ordinary man, they cannot give up the family life or association of woman even up to the end of life. But according to Vedic system, association of woman is allowed only for a certain period, during the youthful days only, just to beget nice children. Because from the age of twenty-five years old up to fifty years, one can beget nice children.

Gṛhastha life, householder life, is meant for begetting nice children. If there are Kṛṣṅa conscious children in the society, there will be no disturbance. According to Vedic system, the population is divided into two divisions. Illegitimate sons are called varṅa-saṅkara. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that when the population becomes varṅa-saṅkara, the whole social situation becomes hellish. Actually that is the fact. So one should be very careful to beget nice children so that society, social order, political order will be calm, quiet, peaceful. That is the idea of gṛhastha life.

And many devotees... There are twelve selected personalities who are considered to be the authority of this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. Out of twelve authorities, seven authorities were all gṛhasthas, householders. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's associates, Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadādhara and Śrīvāsa, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, they were all householders.

So it is not that simply sannyāsī or brahmacārī can realize Kṛṣṅa consciousness and not the householders. No. So in our association we welcome this sort of marriage between trained brahmacārī and brahmacāriṅī so that we can welcome nice children for future Kṛṣṅa conscious generation. That is our viewpoint.

So... And initiation... Initiation means to begin spiritual life. According to Vedic culture, there are two births. One birth is from the gṛhastha parents, father and mother, and the other birth is between the spiritual master and Vedas. The Vedic knowledge is considered mother, and the spiritual master is considered the father. And by the help of the spiritual master, when one gets into transcendental knowledge, that is called second birth.

So janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ:

[By birth everyone is a śūdra, but by undergoing the purificatory ceremonies under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, one may become a brāhmaṅa, and when one knows the Supreme Spirit, he actually becomes a truly learned brāhmaṅa.]

"Everyone is born śūdra." Śūdra means without any culture. They are called śūdras. According to Vedic scripture, there are four classes of men: brāhmaṅas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras. Out of these four classes of social order, the brāhmaṅas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas are considered higher caste.

Brāhmaṅas means the most intelligent class of men in the society, and kṣatriya means the administrative class of men, and vaiśyas means the mercantile class of men, and śūdra means the laborer class of men. That division is everywhere, not only in India. These four classes of men are present in every country, every society. It may be in different names only, but the four divisions are already there everywhere. It cannot be without it.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg 4.13].

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.]

These four classes of divisions are there according to different qualities, and Kṛṣṅa says, or God says, "That is My creation." So there cannot be any exception of His creation. Just like God's creation is sun. In every country there is sun, not that a sun can be seen in India. In every country there is moon. Similarly, this caste system is present in every country, in every society, but it may be called in different names.

So the śūdras means the lowest class of men, who have no culture. But the higher classes, the brāhmaṅas, the kṣatriyas, they are considered highly cultured. And how they are called highly cultured? Because they are twice-born. First birth, janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Saṁskārāt, by following this ritualistic ceremony of initiation or marriage, they are called dvija, twice-born. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijo Veda-paṭhāt bhaved vipraḥ.

This initiation means this boy is being accepted as initiated in order to give him Vedic instruction so that he may live as a student, as a brahmacārī, within this Society and

[break] get complete instruction of Vedic knowledge. And when he is competent, he is called vipra. Veda-paṭhāt bhaved vipro brahma jānātīti brāhmaṅaḥ. And when he realizes the Supreme Self, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he will be called brāhmaṅa. At that time we offer thread ceremony.

So this process are there, we are observing, and our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is gradually making progress with these principles. We have got already eleven branches, and one of our principal student, Śrīman Hayagrīva Brahmacārī, and Kīrtanānanda Swami, they are attempting to open a new social community project in West Virginia, New Vrindavan. So this Kṛṣṅa conscious movement is taking ground gradually, and we hope in future these gṛhasthas, these householders, vānaprasthas, sannyāsīs, they will implement this Vedic culture gradually, and people will be more and more happy. [break]

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Prabhupāda: So one thing I forgot is the sacred thread ceremony for Hayagrīva. He is present. Is there any? I think in my bag there is a thread, so Hayagrīva can also. Oh, here. You have that mantra?

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ? And one thread? Bring. Hayagrīva?

Devotees: Hayagrīva? Hayagrīva?

Prabhupāda: Now, where is water?

[break] These garlands may be first of all put here, then one to the bridegroom and to the...

[break] Come to this end, 108, then begin from here, again come to this side. In this way at least sixteen rounds you chant. And your spiritual name is already Hṛṣīkeśa. That's all right. And further instruction you'll have from Kīrtanānanda Swami and your Godbrother. So chant Hare Kṛṣṅa.

[break] [fire sacrifice prayers, devotees repeating]

nama oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya kṛṣṅa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṅa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.]

śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayitāya kṛpābdhaye kṛṣṅa-sambandha-vijñāna-dāyine prabhave namaḥ

I offer my respectful obeisances to Śrī Vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayita dāsa [another name of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī], who is favored by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī and who is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the deliverer of the science of Kṛṣṅa.

mādhuryojjvala-premāḍhya-śrī-rūpānuga-bhaktida- śrī-gaura-karuṅā-śakti-vigrahāya namo 'stu te

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, the personified energy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy, who delivers devotional service enriched with conjugal love of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, coming exactly in the line of revelation of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.]

namas te gaura-vāṅī-śrī-mūrtaye dīna-tāriṅe rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṅe

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who are the personified teachings of Lord Caitanya. You are the deliverer of the fallen souls. You do not tolerate any statement against the teachings of devotional service enunciated by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.]

namo gaura-kiśorāya sākṣād-vairāgya-mūrtaye vipralambha-rasāmbhodhe pādāmbujāya te namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja [the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī], who is renunciation personified. He is always merged in a feeling of separation and intense love of Kṛṣṅa.]

namo bhaktivinodāya sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda, who is the transcendental energy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is a strict follower of the Gosvāmīs, headed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.]

gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ vaiṣṅava-sārvabhaumaḥ śrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances to Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, who is respected by the entire Vaiṣṅava community and who confirmed the discovery of the place where Lord Caitanya appeared.]

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvenebhyo vaiṣṅavebhyo namo namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṅava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.]

[break]

[no audio]

Again do that. Yes, chant. Those who are initiated, chant, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma... I forgot to say you about the thread ceremony. Those who have passed one year's chanting, they can be offered this sacred thread.

[break] ...first of all. Everyone has done? [ācamana] You have done second time. You have done second time? Then you do second time, you. Hṛṣīkeśa.

Kīrtanānanda: They have done it twice, all of them.

Prabhupāda: They have done now? Oh. [oṁ apavitraḥ recitation] Yes. Do it for the third time, circle. [oṁ apavitraḥ recitation, followed by maṅgalācaraṅa and other prayers] Now... Yes. You chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. [all chanting japa] You have... You can sit down. You are going? She is going? Your mother is going? Call her. Now we shall, function. Please sit down.

[break] Oh, is that, that...?

Devotee: [indistinct] neck beads.

Prabhupāda: Now Judy's mother, you can come here, Judy's mother.

Jadurāṅī: She can sit on the chair.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That's all right. Give her chair here.

Jadurāṅī: Oh, all right.

Prabhupāda: Sit down there. You sit down. Satsvarūpa, you sit down, this...

Satsvarūpa: Sit down here.

Prabhupāda: No. Yes. Sit down. Sit down there. Now your daughter is being married with this brahmacārī. Now you can offer this brahmacārī—his name is Satsvarūpa—that "This girl was in my charge so long. I give this daughter to you in charity to take charge." You tell like that.

Jadurāṅī's mother: I've had this daughter with me for so long. I now give her in your charge.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And you say, "Yes, I take charge."

Satsvarūpa: Yes. I take charge.

Jadurāṅī's mother: Then take here.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Prabhupāda: Then you say that "Jadurāṅī, I take charge of your life so long I shall live," in this way.

Satsvarūpa: Jadurāṅī, I take charge of your life so long I shall live.

Prabhupāda: And you say that "I shall render my services unto you throughout my life. Throughout my life." Yes.

Jadurāṅī: I shall render my service to you throughout my life.

Prabhupāda: And there is no separation. It is... There is no question of divorce or separation. In any condition of life, happiness or distress, you shall continue as husband and wife, because our main business is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. This marriage is not material marriage for sense gratification.

But because there are girls and boys and we require also Kṛṣṅa conscious population, therefore we encourage this marriage. It is not for sense gratification. So in this way there is no question of separation or divorce. You admit this? Yes. You also admit this? Then you change your garland.

Devotees: Haribol. Hare Kṛṣṅa.

Prabhupāda: Now you come this side; you come this side. Yes. And there is red, red sindhu? No? Red sindhu? No?

Brahmānanda: There is a ring.

Prabhupāda: There is a ring? All right. Give her this ring and now just cover the head. You cover. You cover the head. And somebody stuck up this, his cloth and his [her] cloth. Knot. Make a knot. You make. Yes. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. That's all. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṅa.

[break] Godbrothers and -sister, give them good wishes.

Devotees: Haribol! Haribol! All glories to Satsvarūpa and Jadurāṅī! Hare Kṛṣṅa!

Prabhupāda: Now chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. [chants] Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. Boston center is in your charge, husband and wife. So you have to develop. You do it, and your children will do it. In this way just engage fully, heart and soul, in Kṛṣṅa's service. Oh, this is mixed?

Brahmānanda: No, it's not.

Prabhupāda: Bring that. Mix it. Mix it. Yes, mix it. [oṁ apavitraḥ recitation; fire sacrifice] Offer. Svāhā. Take. Everyone, you also take, little, little, some. Vande aham... [recites maṅgalācaraṅa and prayers again, with devotees repeating] Now take one banana. Give him one. Yes, you take one. He'll give. Hayagrīva. Give Hayagrīva one. Give me one. Yes. Now turn[?] down. Yes. [chants namo brahmaṅya-devāya prayer three times] Just put slowly. [chants Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra responsively with devotees two times] Now bow down.

nama oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya kṛṣṅa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

[devotees offer obeisances] Chant govinda jaya jaya, gopāla jaya jaya. [kīrtana—Prabhupāda recites Gāyatrī to Hayagrīva during kīrtana] [prema-dhvanī by Prabhupāda] All glories to the married couples. Now distribute prasāda.

[break] ...in our Kṛṣṅa consciousness every function is happy?

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṅa is there, reservoir of all pleasure. Why it should not be happy? Everything should be happy. Where is your spot, black?

Hṛṣīkeśa: Oh, he didn't give it to me yet.

Prabhupāda: Somebody may take these bananas, cut into pieces and distribute. [end]