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TEXT 331
mantra-adhikari, mantra-siddhy-adi-sodhana
diksa, pratah-smrti-krtya, sauca, acamana
SYNONYMS
mantra-adhikariqualification for receiving mantra initiation; mantra-siddhi-adithe perfection of the mantra and so on; sodhanapurification; diksainitiation; pratah-smrti-krtyamorning duties and remembrance of the Supreme Lord; saucacleanliness; acamanawashing the mouth and other parts of the body.
TRANSLATION
"You should discuss the qualifications necessary for receiving a mantra, the perfection of the mantra, the purification of the mantra, initiation, morning duties, remembrance of the Supreme Lord, cleanliness, and washing the mouth and other parts of the body.
PURPORT
tantrikesu ca mantresu
diksayam yositam api sadhvinam adhikaro 'sti sudradinam ca sad-dhiyam mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te 'pi yanti param gatim "O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]-can approach the supreme destination."
If one actually wants to serve Krsna, it doesn't matter whether one is a sudra, vaisya, or even a woman. If one is sincerely eager to chant the Hare Krsna mantra or diksa-mantra, he is qualified to be initiated according to the pancaratrika process. According to Vedic principles, only a brahmana who is fully engaged in his occupational duties can be initiated. Sudras and women are not admitted to a vaidika initiation. Unless one is fit according to the estimation of the spiritual master, one cannot accept a mantra from the pancaratrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. When one is fit to accept the mantra, he is initiated by the pancaratrika-vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. In any case, the result is the same.
Regarding mantra-siddhi-adi-sodhana, the efficiency of the mantra, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gives sixteen divisions, which are confirmed in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (beginning with 1.204):
siddha-sadhya-susiddhari-
kramaj jneyo vicaksanaih These are (1) siddha, (2) sadhya, (3) susiddha and (4) ari. These four principles can be divided further: (1) siddha-siddha, (2) siddha-sadhya, (3) siddha-susiddha, (4) siddha-ari, (5) sadhya-siddha, (6) sadhya-sadhya, (7) sadhya-susiddha, (8) sadhya-ari, (9) susiddha-siddha, (10) susiddha-sadhya, (11) susiddha-susiddha, (12) susiddha-ari, (13) ari-siddha, (14) ari-sadhya, (15) ari-susiddha, and (16) ari-ari.
Those who are initiated with the eighteen-alphabet mantra do not need to consider the above-mentioned sixteen divisions. As enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (1.215, 219, 220):
na catra satrava dosa
narnasvadi-vicarana rksarasi-vicaro va na kartavyo manau priye natra cintyo 'ri-suddhyadir
nari-mitradi-laksanam siddha-sadhya-susiddhari- rupa natra vicarana As far as diksa is concerned, one should consult Madhya-lila, Chapter Fifteen (108). On the whole, when a person is initiated according to the pancaratrika-vidhi, he has already attained the position of a brahmana. This is enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.12):
yatha kancanatam yati
kamsyam rasa-vidhanatah tatha diksa-vidhanena dvijatvam jayate nrnam As far as the time of diksa (initiation) is concerned, everything depends on the position of the guru. As soon as a bona fide guru is received by chance or by a program, one should immediately take the opportunity to receive initiation. In the book called Tattva-sagara, it is stated:
durlabhe sad-gurunam ca
sakrt-sanga upasthite tad-anujna yada labdha sa diksavasaro mahan grame va yadi varanye
ksetre va divase nisi agacchati gurur daivad yatha diksa tad-ajnaya yadaiveccha tada diksa
guror ajnanurupatah na tirtham na vratam hemo na snanam na japa-kriya diksayah karanam kintu
sveccha-prapte tu sad-gurau In the early morning hours (known as brahma-muhurta) one should get up and immediately chant the Hare Krsna mantra, or, at least, "Krsna, Krsna, Krsna." In this way, one should remember Krsna. Some slokas or prayers should also be chanted. By chanting, one immediately becomes auspicious and transcendental to the infection of material qualities. Actually one has to chant and remember Lord Krsna twenty-four hours daily, or as much as possible.
smartavyah satatam visnur
vismartavyo na jatucit sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah "Krsna is the origin of Lord Visnu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the sastras should be the servants of these two principles." This is a quotation from padma Purana in the portion called Brhat-sahasra-nama-stotra. pratah-krtya means that one should evacuate regularly and then cleanse himself by taking a bath. One has to gargle (acamana) and brush his teeth (danta-dhavana). He should do this either with twigs or a toothbrush-whatever is available. This will purify the mouth. Then one should take his bath. Actually householders and vanaprasthas should bathe two times a day (pratar-madhyahnayoh snanam vanaprastha-grhasthayoh). A sannyasi should bathe three times daily, and a brahmacari may take only one bath a day. Whenever one is not able to bathe in water, he can bathe by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. One also has to perform his sandhyadi-vandana-that is, one has to chant his Gayatri mantra three times daily-morning, noon and evening.
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