Sacred threads for the different varnas

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Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

JkD:

>> They also get the sacred thread, but I have to confess I do not

>> understand what the sacred thread means for the different varnas.

>

>I am afraid to say that I also do not know that exactly. Anyone on this

>conferance who know something about that?

 

(I really don't know how bona fide it is but) some vaisnavas (guess it is

south Indian tradition) say that vaisya has tree treads, ksatriya 6 treads

and brahmana 9 threads (also Sarasvati Gaudia vaisnavas). Prabhupada had 6

treads so I cannot comment on that. Guess there are a few different

traditions for that. But basically they are dvidjas, meaning they are

twiceborn.

 

I also saw ISKCON devotees wearing more then 6 treads (probably to stress

that they are bramins).

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura never wore the tread, and had some comments on

the subject in Jaivadharma. Of course Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati is the

founder of this tradition, so that it irrelevant, but despite the fact that

he accepted the varnasrama position (sannyasi) to preach cult of Lord

Caitanya and gave brahmana initiations (to establish main principle of

daivi-varnasrama) to vaisnavas, he never gave vaisya or ksatriya

initiations. He and Srila Prabhupada both gave babaji initiations and that

is a prove that they are beyond the frame of varnasrama. Why would vaisnava

get brahmana initiation if Thakura Bhaktivinoda didn't approve it

apperently? To prove that brahmana status is not by birth but by

qualifications (and that vaisnavas automatically have this qualifications,

otherwise they cannot be vaisnavas). Now Prabhupada did mention in 1977 that

he wants to expand the movement and that 'not everyone is vaisnava' in that

movement, but he didn't institute the new system for initiations, nor he

ever mentioned that his disciples should get vaisya, ksatriya grade

initiations with different treads. (If someone has any reference to that

please comment.)

 

Your servant,

 

Caitanya candrodaya dasa

 

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