Become a brahmana (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"become brahmana" |"become a brahmana" |"becoming a brahmana" |"becoming brahmana" |"becoming brahmanas" |"become brahmanas" |"becomes brahmana" |"becomes a brahmana"

1970 Correspondence

Visvamitra Muni was born in a family of Ksatriyas but his tendency was of becoming a Brahmana.

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 16 January, 1970: So Narada Muni says that these symptoms are not stereotyped or stagnant; they are flexible. A man may be born in the family of a Brahmana but he might have the tendency of a Ksatriya or Vaisya or Sudra. Similarly a man may be born in the family of a Sudra or Candala but he may have the tendencies for a Brahmana. Just like Ekalavya was born in a Candala family but he had the tendency of a Ksatriya. Similarly Visvamitra Muni was born in a family of Ksatriyas but his tendency was of becoming a Brahmana.

1972 Correspondence

Instruct them fully in the qualifications for becoming brahmana, and henceforth they must be very, very careful not to commit any sinful acts or otherwise I shall have to suffer as their spiritual master.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 27 December, 1972: Enclosed please find three sacred threads duly chanted by me, along with three copies of gayatri mantra. Now hold the fire yagna and give gayatri mantra to Vipina Purandhara, Sundhararupa and Jaya das. You may teach them to count on the finger divisions and play the tape of me reciting gayatri mantra into their right ear. Instruct them fully in the qualifications for becoming brahmana, and henceforth they must be very, very careful not to commit any sinful acts or otherwise I shall have to suffer as their spiritual master. The ceremony should be held in the company of devotees only.

1973 Correspondence

Everyone replied in this connection, "Sir what benefit will there be in becoming a brahmana?

Letter to Niranjana -- Brooklyn 21 May, 1973: I can understand your difficult position in preaching work. Not only you, but I also had the same difficulty when I wanted to start this Krsna Consciousness Movement from India. I approached many respectable gentlemen and requested that, "My dear sir, you have got four children, out of them can you spare one only under my guidance, because I want to make a brahminical society all over the world." Everyone replied in this connection, "Sir what benefit will there be in becoming a brahmana??"

1974 Correspondence

Now that we are more and more trying to implement the varnasrama divisions of society, we should not think that everyone has to become a brahmana.

Letter to Sudama -- Rome 26 May, 1974: Based on their declarations of sincerely following all the prescribed Vaisnava regulations for one year, and on your recommendation, I have accepted Jagat Prabhu das, Praghosa das, Kanva das and Nitai Gauracandra das for second initiation and I have enclosed sacred thread and gayatri. You were present in Hawaii when I was there and was particularly stressing that the presidents must be very careful on recommending gayatri initiation. After all, we are criticizing false cast brahmanas, if we ourselves are bogus brahmanas then our position is very bad. Now that we are more and more trying to implement the varnasrama divisions of society, we should not think that everyone has to become a brahmana. For example you are developing a farm there; so those who work the farm do not necessarily have to be a brahmana if they are not inclined to the brahminical standards. In this way, be careful about awarding the second initiation.

Especially if one cannot even get up early and go to mangala arati he cannot become a brahmana.

Letter to Trai -- Rome 27 May, 1974: I am enclosing brahmana threads and gayatri mantra for Ādi Kesava das and Vivasvan das. You must be very careful before you award the brahminical thread by recommending a man to me. Now that we are dividing our society into the four orders as much as possible, it is not that every man has to be made a brahmana after a year. Especially if one cannot even get up early and go to mangala arati he cannot become a brahmana. So consider it carefully before you recommend further men to me. Sometime in the past Rupanuga Maharaja reported that you were not sending him regular reports so he could compile his GBC report to me; please cooperate with him in this so our huge organization can run smoothly in all its parts.

1976 Correspondence

All our brahmanas and anyone wanting to become brahmana, will have to sit for examination once a year at Mayapur.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Bombay 9 January, 1976: Bhakti-sastri, Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhaktivedanta, and Bhakti-sarvabhauma. All our brahmanas and anyone wanting to become brahmana, will have to sit for examination once a year at Mayapur. They will be expected to know Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad, a book soon to be published on Deity worship, as well as all the small paperbacks. If they pass the examination they will be awarded Bhakti-sastri certificate. Sannyasis will be asked to sit for Bhakti-vaibhava examination which will include the first six cantos of Bhagavatam.

To become brahmana one must be clean outside and inside.

Letter to Radha Sarana -- Washington D.C. 5 July, 1976: Hold a fire sacrifice and the initiates should refrain from the four pillars of sinful life: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating. This is very easy when one chants daily their prescribed rounds seriously, at least 16 rounds daily. Enclosed you will also find one brahmana thread and gayatri mantra. After the sacrifice the tape of gayatri should be played in the right ear of the brahmana initiate. To become brahmana one must be clean outside and inside. Outside by regularly bathing and inside by always chanting Hare Krishna. The beads for first initiates can be chanted upon by Hrdayananda Maharaja and they should be given these beads and names at the time of initiation.

To become a brahmana means to be always clean outside by regular cleanliness and inside by chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra.

Letter to Nityananda -- 2 August, 1976: Hold a fire sacrifice and present the beads and gayatri mantra tape with brahmana thread at that time. The initiates should follow our four principles of Godly life namely; no eating of meat, fish or eggs; no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex. All devotees must also chant the prescribed 16 rounds on the beads daily, without fail. Enclosed you will find one brahmana thread and gayatri mantra. After the fire sacrifice the tape of the gayatri mantra should be played into the right ear of the initiate. To become a brahmana means to be always clean outside by regular cleanliness and inside by chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra. The beads for the first initiates should be chanted on by your GBC man and the names given at the time of the sacrifice.

To become brahmana one must be clean inside and outside; outside by regularly taking bath, and inside by always chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

Letter to Vegavan -- 3 August, 1976: Hold a fire sacrifice and the initiates should refrain from the four pillars of sinful life: no illicit sex no meat, fish or egg eating (only Krsna prasadam), no gambling, and no intoxication. All devotees must also chant the prescribed 16 rounds daily on the beads. Enclosed you will also find four brahmana threads and gayatri mantra. After the fire sacrifice the tape of the gayatri mantra should be played in the right ear of the brahmana initiate. To become brahmana one must be clean inside and outside; outside by regularly taking bath, and inside by always chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. the beads for the first initiates may be chanted on by Sriman Jayatirtha das and they should be given these beads and names at the time of the fire sacrifice.

1977 Correspondence

This is the success of our movement—that our devotees are becoming brahmanas.

Letter to Radha Krsna -- Bombay 27 April, 1977: As you have recommended them, I accept all six devotees for second initiation. This is the success of our movement—that our devotees are becoming brahmanas. To be a brahmana means to be clean, internally by always chanting Hare Krsna mantra, and externally by bathing regularly. You have to teach others to be brahmanas by your own personal example. Please find enclosed six sacred threads duly chanted by me. Now you must perform the fire sacrifice and after the sacrifice the new brahmanas may be allowed to hear the Gayatri mantra from the tape in the right ear. Now all of you combined together and very vigorously spread Krsna consciousness throughout South America.