parts from HH Danavir Goswami's Vaikuntha dress

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Parts from HH Danavir Goswami's

VAIKUNTHA DRESS

 

 

Many persons around the world have adopted the dress of Vaisnavas due to the

influence of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his

Krishna consciousness movement. In this article we shall be speaking about a

few of the prominent Vaisnava dress ideals Srila Prabhupada introduced to

his disciples because such patterns are conducive for performing devotional

service (änukülyasya saìkalpa). It may appear Indian (from India) but

actually, according to His Divine Grace, this dress is from Vaikuëöha in the

spiritual sky.

 

In my opinion, Clean shaved Brahmacharies & Grhasthas in saffron robes look

like angels from Baikunta. (Letter to: Damodara --13 October, 1967)

 

Although dress is external, it tells quite a bit about the person inside.

Srila Prabhupada himself refused to give up wearing his standard sannyasi

robes despite requests to the opposite from his compatriots:

 

In the spiritual world Lord Krishna, Lord Visnu and Their devotees wear

dhotés, tilaka, etc., and naturally when They come to this planet for

pastimes They dress the same. It is not surprising then, that Srila

Prabhupada encouraged his followers to wear Vaikuntha dress.

 

 

But Is Vaikuntha Dress Practical Today?

 

Is it practical for modern-day devotees to wear? For the most part, yes.

Exceptions would be where such dress could provoke violence from fanatics or

while doing heavy or dirty work. Otherwise wearing robes, as Srila

Prabhupada often referred to dhotés and saris, is the most practical dress

for a devotee.

 

As a soldier feels energy when wearing his uniform and as a uniformed

policeman becomes easily recognizable by citizens, so devotees feel

enlivened dressing in the style of devotees which also reminds others to

think of Krishna. It is not that one cannot serve the Lord without wearing

traditional devotional attire, however since it is favorable, it should be

accepted.

 

The saffron robes and the shaven head are not essential, although they

create a good mental situation, just as when a military man is dressed

properly he gets energy-he feels like a military man. (Science of Self

Realizaiton, 5)

 

 

 

WOMEN'S #1: THE SARI

 

Säré-traditional Indian dress worn by Hindu women-six yards long as a rule;

Vedic women's dress.

 

It's no secret that Srila Prabhupada hoped that his spiritual daughters and

granddaughters, etc. would prefer wearing saris to other types of clothing.

 

A few Ananda Ashram men and women came by. One woman was wearing a säré.

Prabhupäda turned to the other women and said, "A woman who wears a säré

looks very feminine."(Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta 19: Planting the Seed)

 

Why did he stress saris? Saris are modest, simple, easy to keep clean,

ever-in-fashion, and Vedic. By adopting a Vedic tradition such as wearing a

sari, one also adopts, to some degree, the culture as well.

 

Saris Imported From the Spiritual World

 

The Lord's female counterpart, Srimate Radharani, sets the eternal example

by wearing beautiful saris for pleasing Her Lord.

 

 

Since attracting Krsna is Her only meditation it is significant that her

shyness is displayed by wearing a sari.

 

In the spiritual world Radharani and Yasoda and Their devotees wear saris,

braids and tilaka, etc., so naturally when They come to this planet for

pastimes They dress the same.

 

 

Srila Prabhupada's genius was that he transported the spiritual world to the

material world and showed how it was superior. His Western disciples eagerly

embraced the divine saris to their hearts and won Srila Prabhupada's

approval. In doing so, ISKCON's female devotees simultaneously deserted the

decadent dress that had victimized the world.

 

Rather these girls, when they dress in Indian way, they look more beautiful.

That you will have to admit. Yes. So the girls, the women, they like to be

more beautiful. So if by dressing in other way they look beautiful, why

should you ask them not to do it?(Room Conversation with Srila Prabhupada --

Paris, June 9, 1974)

 

It is said that it takes a village to raise a child. But Srila Prabhupada

raised his new Vaisnava children without the help of a Vedic village or even

a mother. Therefore he had to personally bring saris and show his daughters

how to wear them.

 

He had brought back some gifts. For the ladies he had särés. He held up the

thin cotton cloths one at a time, called the name of each initiated girl

disciple, and handed her a säré. One säré was white with a red and black

design, others were white with single-color borders. (Srila Prabhupada

Lilamrta 56)

 

..

 

No More Jeans and Dresses

 

His Divine Grace did not appreciate Western women's dress and why should he.

The more society strays from Vedic culture, the more its dress becomes

degraded followed by illicit sex, divorce and abortion, etc.

 

Swamiji had commented that he did not like the Western women's dress, and at

his request, Yamunä was dressed in a säré. (Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta 22)

 

When devotee women wear saris they make a statement in favor of chastity

and Krishna culture. Saris are modest compared to Western-style attire which

often aims at inciting lusty desires.

 

 

Otherwise by abandoning the safe and culturally-chaste sari in favor of

other attire, we risk falling back into the godless pits of sense

gratification.

 

Today it has become a much advertised fashion for a woman to go almost

naked, covering the lower part of her body only slightly, in order to draw

the attention of a man to her private parts for sexual enjoyment.

(Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.5.14 Purport)

 

Sadly, in our ISKCON family of mothers, Western styles or poor east-west

derivatives from Punjab have gained popularity against the Vaisnavi sari.

Srila Prabhupada gave his disciples the best of everything through Krsna

culture.

 

 

Therefore, let ISKCON's ladies maintain the standard which Srila Prabhupada

introduced and continue to wear chaste, beautiful and cultural saris.

 

 

 

WOMEN'S #2: BRAIDED HAIR (with part)

 

Another feature of Vedic culture is that women keep their hair tied in a

braid. Just as the devotee men should be willing to bear the austerity and

occasional scorn for wearing shaven heads and sikhas, the devotee women

should bear the austerity and the so-called scorn for being too traditional

by wearing long braided hair.

 

Poor cakraväké, even after closing your eyes, you continue to cry pitifully

through the night for your unseen mate. Or is it that, like us, you have

become the servant of Acyuta and hanker to wear in your braided hair the

garland He has blessed with the touch of His feet? (Srimad Bhagavatam

10.90.16)

 

For chaste women, wearing loose hair is only to be done privately whereas

publicly the hair should be braided. It is in our best interest to adopt

these Vedic principles which help keep us in the transcendental position.

 

You should not go out in the evening or with your hair loose, nor should you

go out unless you are properly decorated with ornaments. You should not

leave the house unless you are very grave and are sufficiently covered.

 

PURPORT: Kaçyapa Muni advised his wife not to go out onto the street unless

she was well decorated and well dressed. He did not encourage the miniskirts

that have now become fashionable. In Oriental civilization, when a woman

goes out onto the street, she must be fully covered so that no man will

recognize who she is. All these methods are to be accepted for purification.

If one takes to Kåñëa consciousness, one is fully purified, and thus one

remains always transcendental to the contamination of the material world.

(Srimad Bhagavatam 6.18.50)

 

"Krsna likes the ladies to wear long hair," is what we tell guests who

inquire about whether women in Krishna consciousness have to shave their

heads like the men.

 

If you want you can cut your hairs, but there is no need of cutting. It

would be nicer if you can put on sari, you can learn it from Jadurani. You

must remain like a nice girl. The dress and appearance is social convention

of the society. (Letter from Srila Prabhupada to: Madhavi Lata -- Montreal

20 June, 1968)

 

Even how a woman parts her hair is meaningful in Vedic culture. The chaste

woman parts her hair in the middle beginning from the forehead and going

back.

 

When the sémanta... What is called in English, sémanta? This? Parting. If it

is not in the middle, it is in side, she is a prostitute. So woman should

dress in such a way that man will understandi So anyway, these are social

customs in the Vedic civilization. (Lecture by Srila Prabhupada on

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973)

 

 

 

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S #1: TILAKA

 

"Beautiful tilaka," Prabhupäda said, "means beautiful person." In the

Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya 24.332) Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed

Sanatana Goswami to write a book on Vaisnava behavior, one item among which

was the wearing of tilaka.

 

You should also describe how one should render service to the spiritual

master and paint one's body in twelve places with ürdhva-puëòra [tilaka].

 

The devotee marks twelve places on the body as Visnu temples for protection,

sanctification and decoration with white, grey, or a whitish-yellowish clay

(gopi chandan). Wearing tilaka is a significant element of sadäcära-sampanna

or the enriched good behavior of a devotee.

 

"After initiation, the disciple's name must be changed to indicate that he

is a servant of Lord Viñëu. The disciple should also immediately begin

marking his body with tilaka (ürdhva-puëòra), especially his forehead. These

are spiritual marks, symptoms of a perfect Vaiñëava." (Padma Puräëa,

Uttara-khaëòa)

 

Those wishing to become initiated within ISKCON should be aware that Srila

Prabhupada expected them to always wear tilaka. An initiated student should

not be ashamed to wear the dress of a Vaisnava-otherwise it is better for

them to wait until they develop more confidence in the culture of

Vaisnavism.

 

 

The mahä-bhägavata is one who decorates his body with tilaka and whose name

indicates him to be a servant of Kåñëa by the word däsa. (Caitanya

Caritamrta; Madhya 24.330)

 

Visnujana Swami used to call tilaka, "peace paint," making a pun on the

American Indians' body markings of "war paint," Especially wearing tilaka on

the forehead is important.

 

Tilaka is our position. That is Caitanya Mahäprabhu's stricture. You will

not see one face if there is no tilaka. He used to say it is cremation

ground. Yes, without tilaka. Tilaka must be there. (Room Conversation with

Srila Prabhupada -- March 31, 1977, Bombay)

 

 

 

Reminding Others of Krsna

 

Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, they

will also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing by

wearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha?

(Letter from Srila Prabhupada to: Sudama -- Bombay 10 December, 1973)

 

 

 

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S #2: Kaëöhé-mälä (neck beads)

 

Another item of a Vaisnava's dress is to wear kaëöhé-mälä or small tulasé

beads around his/her neck.

 

In the Padma Puräëa there is a statement describing how a Vaiñëava should

decorate his body with tilaka and beads: "Persons who put tulasé beads on

the neck, who mark twelve places of their bodies as Viñëu temples with

Viñëu's symbolic representations [the four items held in the four hands of

Lord Viñëu-conch, mace, disc and lotus], and who have viñëu-tilaka on their

foreheads, are to be understood as the devotees of Lord Viñëu in this world.

Their presence makes the world purified, and anywhere they remain, they make

that place as good as Vaikuëöha." (Nectar of Devotion; Chapter 9)

 

ISKCON's standard is for uninitiated followers to wear one strand and for

initiated disciples to wear a minimum of three strands.

 

Lord Caitanya personally wore neck beads because He was playing the part of

a devotee.

 

 

The neck beads should be tied around the neck tightly (although not

chokingly tight) rather than draped loosely and hanging down.

 

You should also always wear Kunti beads around the neck and wear the marking

of tilak. People will inquire from you and you can tell them about Krsna

Consciousness and sell them books also. (Letter from Srila Prabhupada to:

Niranjana -- Hyderabad 23 April, 1974)

 

 

 

Krsna's Dogs

 

George Harrison of the Beatles often wore neck beads and when asked he said

that the beads indicated he was Krishna's dog and this was his dog collar.

This idea came from Srila Prabhupada.

 

Somebody asked me that "Swamijé, why these tulasé beads in your neck or your

devotees' neck?" So I replied, "Just like a pet dog has got a collar,

similarly we are pet dogs of God. We have got this collar. And Yamaräja will

understand that 'He is God's dog. He should not be shot down.' " (laughter)

(Lecture by Srila Prabhupada; Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.1.34-39 -- Surat,

December 19, 1970)

 

As the supreme Master loves his servants and gives them identification

necklaces (kaëöhé-mälä)) so the servants love the Master and happily agree

to be His obedient dogs or the dogs of His beloved servants.

 

 

 

NOTE: In extraordinary cases which could bring danger to a devotee, wearing

of neck beads and/or other devotional dress, may be neglected.

 

 

 

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S #3: LEATHER-LESS

 

Sometimes a person approaches us while we are chanting on harinama and asks

why we wear leather shoes if we are vegetarians. It is a valid question so I

show him that the sandals I am wearing are indeed manmade, not leather- and

the inquirer is satisfied.

 

When a newcomer asked whether he should renounce wearing leather shoes, His

Divine Grace politely deferred from dictating a strict policy but did gently

explain that avoiding leather was preferred.

 

 

To a disciple preaching in a cold German climate, His Divine Grace permitted

the wearing of leather shoes, yet his overwhelming preference was to avoid

wearing leather at all costs.

 

 

CONCLUSION: DRESS and LIVE VEDIC

 

We humbly advise those desiring advancement in devotional service to wear

Vedic dress and live Krishna consciousness. Here are some further reasons to

consider:

 

 

KRISHNA CULTURE:

Vedic dress links us to the eternal Krishna culture and things related to

Krishna are transcendental.

 

 

CHASTE:

Vedic dress modestly promotes chastity in thought and deed.

 

 

ECONOMICAL:

Vedic dress saves money on fashion shopping and costly hair-styles.

 

 

INVIGORATING:

Just as a soldier feels more like a soldier when he wears the uniform, so do

devotees feel more like devotees when wearing Vedic dress.

 

 

CLEAN:

Vedic dress is simple and easy to wash daily.

 

 

ATTRACTIVE:

Vedic dress is more attractive than other dress.

 

 

PREACHING:

Vedic dress reminds others of Krishna and notifies others that we are His

representatives.

 

 

PLEASES PRABHUPADA:

Wearing Vedic dress is an easy and guaranteed way to please Lord Krishna by

satisfying His dear devotee Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

EXEMPLARY:

By wearing Vedic dress, we set the desired example for present and future

generations of devotees.

 

 

FAMOUS:

The world knows and loves the Hare Krishna devotees in their traditional

dress. By wearing Vedic dress that fame is increased.

 

That is the fault of the modern civilization. You make your own standard, I

make my own standard, he makes his own standard. And therefore there is

fight between the leaders. But according to our Vedic conception, there is

one standard. We are persisting that "You take this Vedic standard; then you

will be perfect." And if you go on manufacturing your own standard, you will

never be perfect. (Room Conversation with Srila Prabhupada -- July 10, 1975,

Chicago)