Tattva-viveka
Importance of "Brahmin initiation"
Guru-nistha Das - February 10, 2013 9:00 pm
Here's something interesting that Hansadutta posted last year. Guru Maharaja also touched on this on today's Swami call:
BRAHMIN INITIATION: IT IS NOT VERY IMPORTANT
~ Srila Prabhupad
After the first Brahmin initiation ceremony (Boston 1968), I asked Prabhupad, “What is the significance of this Brahmin Initiation?” Prabhupad gestured dismissively and said, “It is not very important. My Guru Maharaja introduced this ceremony of Brahmin initiation, because in his time SMARTA BRAHMINS (caste conscious) were deriding Vaishnavas as not being qualified Brahmins, because they were not born into Brahmin families and had received no second initiation. So to counteract their belittling attitude towards the Vaishnava community, he introduced this policy, but it is not very important. One can become perfectly Krishna conscious simply by first initiation, Hare Nama initiation. Nothing else is required. It is a formality to satisfy the SMARTA BRAHMINS – CASTE CONSCIOUS community.
About an hour later, still not being completely satisfied, I again approached Prabhupada and asked him, “What is the meaning of this Gayatri mantra? What does it do?” Again Prabhupada’s reply was quite casual and dismissive. He said, “IT IS A LITTLE AUXILIARY TO THE MAHA MANTRA. IT IS NOT VERY IMPORTANT, but it helps in chanting Hare Krishna. The main thing is chanting HARE KRISHNA. That is the main thing. So Gayatri mantra, it is a little helpful, but chanting Hare Krishna is sufficient. It is the main thing.”
So I am just relating what I was directly told by Prabhupada.
Unfortunately, Brahmin initiation has become a gargantuan concern, like Christians have a communion and confirmation ceremony, Jews have bar mitzvah, Mohammedans have some ceremony… In every community there is some formal ceremony, but the main thing is HARER NAMA, HARER NAMA HARER NAMA EVE KEVALAM, KALAU NASTYEVA, NASTYEVA NASTYEVA, GATIR ANYATHA: there’s no other way in Kali Yuga ([emphasized] three times). Hare Nama ([emphasized] three times) is the only way for spiritual perfection. (Posted on December 15, 2012 by Hansadutta das )
Gauravani Dasa - February 10, 2013 11:52 pm
I wasn't on the call but is it correct to assume that this statement is used to argue against female gurus and to also support ritvikvada?
Guru Maharaja cites Jiva Goswami in explaining the importance of Gayatri and he also connects the Gayatri to Krishna- and Gaura-lila.
Guru-nistha Das - February 12, 2013 11:22 pm
I wasn't on the call but is it correct to assume that this statement is used to argue against female gurus and to also support ritvikvada?
Guru Maharaja cites Jiva Goswami in explaining the importance of Gayatri and he also connects the Gayatri to Krishna- and Gaura-lila.
I think this kind of preaching actually works in favor of the female diksa-gurus in the context of ISKCON because one of the main arguments of the anti-female guru people is that women can't be given the brahmin thread and thus can't give the brahmin initiation to others.
But I think it's totally in the interest of the Ritviks to preach like this because then there's no need for a living Diksa-guru. Prabhupada and Harinama will certainly take you back to Godhead. Right? 
Madan Gopal Das - February 13, 2013 1:14 am
But I think it's totally in the interest of the Ritviks to preach like this because then there's no need for a living Diksa-guru. Prabhupada and Harinama will certainly take you back to Godhead. Right?
Yes, it would make as little sense for ritviks to preach "Harinama only" as it does for them to preach "Prabhupada only". Harinama without sambhanda jnana (need a guru for that) is just words and flapping tongue... didnt I just read SSM saying that somewhere? To have Harinama, one must have a devotee of Hari who has a conception and feeling (bhava) of nama. What's in a name? EVERYTHING, if you get it from someone with a taste.
Harinama IS independent of initiation, but I would suggest its not independent of relationship, with a person who has nama-ruci.
Atmananda Dasa - March 16, 2013 8:02 pm
I am doubtful about any Prabhupada saids. Especially from Hansadhutta. If Gayatri mantra is so unimportant the why is it given? SSM's commentary on Gayatri and our own Swami's commentary on the Gopal mantra explain their importance/ sigficance very well.