Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Qualification for siddha praṇālī


Qualification for siddha praṇālī does not come by just being formally or socially initiated into the renounced order, since rāgānugā bhakti is not about social orders to begin with, it is all about ruci (taste). For example, in 1983, when I lived in a courtyard in Gokulānanda Ghat, Navadvip (not in Sādhu Bābā's ashram!), Jagat and me had a bābājī-guest staying in the garden-house for a while, who slept most of the day and night, and when awake spoke mostly on mundane matters like India's independence day. On the other hand, gṛhasthas like Bosāk Bābu, the founder of Vṛndāvana's Hārā-Bāri, or Ānanda Gopāl Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, my Gurudeva's father, who had 4 children and many disciples, used to get up at 3 a.m. and not speak with anybody, including wife and children, before finishing a strong bhajan until 8 a.m. So it is really all about anurāga, not about āśram. The Guru's personal judgement is the ultimate arbiter. If the Guru finds a householder fit he will give him siddha praṇālī, despite his many worldly responsibilities.

8 comments:

  1. Do sidapranali changes with different parivaras?

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  2. I mean do sidapranali changes from one parivar to other parivar. Like sidapranali of nityananda parivar differs from gadadhar pundit parivar ?
    I heard haridas shastri line of gadadhar parivar doesn't give lila smaran or sidhapranali (is it true ? ).
    So like this is there any difference from parivar to parivar?.

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  3. Yes there are differences. Some parivaras give siddha pranali to everyone, some give it rarely and some don't give it at all. Also there are different features added or omitted. We have no svabhava and husbands f.i.

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  4. Can you name some Parivaars in this context?

    Those who give it to all, those who give rarely, those who do not give at all.

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    Replies
    1. Most parivaras give. Perhaps not Gadadhar Parivara [Satyanarayan Dasji]

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    2. Nah, Satyanarayana Das ji does Give Siddha Pranali, its just that they give after a Disciple is Qualified enough.

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