hari bol !! one querry

June 1, 2006

Shikha is a tuft of hair at the back of head specifically kept by Vaishnavas and brahmanas. It shows the following two things:(1) The Vaishnavas following a descending spiritual path that is they depend on the mercy of the Supreme Lord at every step to pull them out of Maya. So when we are drowning in Maya and only our head is out of the water, Guru and Gauranga can still pull us out comfortably by holding our head by this tuft of head called the shikha. So the shikha shows the subordination and dependence of the devotee on the causelessmercy of Lord Gauranga-Krishna at all times. The Mayavadis follow the ascending path since they egotistically confident of achieve God and coming out of illusion by the dint of their insignificant efforts or sadhan. So they do not keep a shikha because they do not need the mercy of the Lord.(2) Shikha is also like a spiritual antenna on the top of head meant to show to the Lord and that we

are aspiring recepients of His causeless mercy. Tuft of Hair (sikha)from Pancharatra PradipaAccording to the Vedic culture, when a person undergoes the cuda-karana-samskara (hair-cutting ceremony) and upanayana (Vedicinitiation), he must shave his head, leaving a tuft of hair called a sikha. One must have a sikha to perform any kind of yajna. Therefore in Indiantradition all the brahmanas, Vaisnava or otherwise, keep a sikha.Although there seem to be no sastric injunctions regarding the size of the sikha, Gaudiya Vaisnavas traditionally keep the sikha about the size of acalf's hoofprint, approximately 1.5 inches (5 - 6 cm.) in diameter.

SrilaPrabhupada mentioned this in a conversation with some of his disciples inHawaii: "Gaudiya Vaisnava sikha is an inch and a half across -- no bigger.Bigger sikha means another sampradaya.... And they have to be knotted."(May 6, 1972, Hawaii; Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta V, page 93)The sikha may be any length, but it should be kept tightly knotted and onlyuntied when you are washing,The Hari-bhakti-vilasa observes that membersof the upper classes even tie the sikha before taking the final ablutionsof a bath. This particularly applies when bathing in a body of water suchas a river or a lake, in which case to not tie the sikha prior to bathingis considered low class and disrespectful to the sacred rite of

bathing.You may tie it in a simple manner for bathing, retying it more carefullyafter the bath.* cleaning, or oiling it. Also, when going to sleep,attending funeral rites, or observing a period of mourning, you shouldkeep the sikha untied. Since an untied sikha is a sign of a death in thefamily, it is inauspicious to go about one's daily duties with an untied sikha. It is also said that if one keeps the sikha untied, the body maybecome weak.While tying your sikha after bathing, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, or, ifinitiated with Gayatri mantras, silently chant the Brahma-gayatri (firstline of Gayatri). The sikha should not be braided (traditionally onlywomen

braid their hair), nor should it be kept long and disheveled.Naturally, if the sikha is too short to be tied, it is all right to leaveit open, but it should not be disheveled.*----------------Shrila Prabhupada's letters...but every one of my disciples must have the flag & marks of tilak on forehead. This is essential.Letter to: Damodara -- Calcutta 13 October, 1967...in all circumstances a devotee cannot avoid tilak, flag on head, & beadson neck. These are essential features of a Vaisnava.Letter to: Brahmananda -- Calcutta 14 October, 1967I never objected to any of my students dressing like nice Americangentleman, clean shaved; those who are my disciples must have flag, tilak & beads on neck without fail.Letter to: Kirtanananda -- Calcutta 16 October, 1967Householders may wear dhotis in the Temple, or as they

like, but not of thesaffron color. They may wear white, yellow, or whatever. Outside the Templethey may wear American gentleman's dress, with Tilaka, flag, and beads.Letter to: Balai -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968The Vaisnavas, with tilaka, with kunti, with chanting beads, as soon as yousee... And practically you know. As soon as they see these Hare Krsnamovement people, they also chant, "Hare Krsna," giving a chance to theothers. The dress is also required. You should be always equipped withtilaka, kunti, and sikha, sutra. Then, as soon as a common man sees, "Oh,here is a Hare Krsna man. Hare Krsna," he'll chant. Automatically you give achance to chant Hare Krsna.So this is required. The foolish rascals, they say that "What is thenecessity of this, that?" No. This is necessity. You must always remaindressed like a Vaisnava. That is necessity.Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.19 --

Nairobi, October 29, 1975Vaisnava must have dvadasa-tilaka, sikha, sutra, kunti, and there are manythings, description.Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhubanesvara, January 24, 1977...we must have always our tilak and sikha and there is no compromise forthis purpose.Letter to: Brahmananda -- Seattle 6 October, 1968...our real dress is the tilaka and sikha.Letter to: Raktak -- London, 25 September, 1969...we should always keep sikha and teelock.Letter to: Jagadisa -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 23 July, 1973Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, theywill also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing bywearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha?Letter to: Sudama -- Bombay 10 December, 1973According to sastra anyone who wears tilaka and sikha and kunti over andabove the Vaisnava dress or Vaisnava sannyasi must be accepted especiallywhile chanting Hare Krishna mantra with bead bags. Kindly convince them andinduce them to allow these Vaisnavas to enter Jagannatha Temple.Letter to: Syamasundara -- Bombay 8 April, 1974

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