​When different people have natures of different varnas, what is the purpose of brahman initiation?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

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When everybody in the material nature is under the modes, why do we give Brahman initiation? See, the purpose of Brahman initiation is the same as first initiation.
That is actually to increase, to solidify one’s commitment to the process that will take one towards transcendence. So in our tradition, Brahman initiation is given primarily to demonstrate the transformation of potency of bhakti. So if somebody has been practicing bhakti for a significant period of time, then it is not that a person with a Vaishya nature will suddenly become a Brahmana.
But even among Vaishyas, it is said that Vaishyas are primarily in the mode of passion with some ignorance. Shudras are in ignorance. But it is, even among Vaishyas, there can be, it’s not only passion.
There is goodness, passion, ignorance. And in some Vaishyas, the passion influence will be too much. So that’s why those Vaishyas may give very little charity and practically no charity at all.
Just interested. Or they give charity only when their name is prominent as a donor. But among some Vaishyas, they may really have a much more charitable disposition.
So their primary occupational orientation is mercantile. But their goodness may be more and that’s why they may give more charity and overall their life may be more regulated. So the point is that the basic Varna of a person doesn’t change.
The purpose of Brahman initiation is not to say that everybody is going to become a Brahmana in terms of disposition of Varna. The purpose of Brahman initiation is to demonstrate that actually by the process of Bhakti, whatever Varna one may be in, the Sattva element in those people has increased more and more. And that’s how they are becoming more committed to the practice of Bhakti.
So historically, in our tradition, Brahman initiation was started primarily because there were caste Brahmanas who were claiming monopoly on the practice of Dharma. They themselves were not in Sattva guna. They were in Rajoguna.
Some of them were in Tamoguna. But still they were saying that nobody can do worship of deity except us. Nobody can perform Yajna except us.
So by their monopoly on the practices of Dharma, they were sentencing people in general to live a life of Adharma. So then our Acharya Sir has said, such kind of Brahmanas are actually defeating the purpose of Brahmanical culture. Then to counter their monopoly, to break through that, Acharya said that yes, in terms of essential qualities of diligent adherence to Dharma, there can be Vaishnavas who may not be born in Brahmana family, they can also become Brahmanas.
So we should see Brahman initiation not as an indicator that all of us have become Brahmanas. No, Brahman initiation is primarily, it is an indicator that we have got the basic level of Sattva guna by which we can also do Brahmanical activities such as deity worship. So for us Brahman initiation is within the Bhakti tradition.
Brahman initiation is not so much a marker of change, as it is a signifier of the requisite Sattva guna to practice the Brahmanical activities. Does it answer your question? Yes.