Pañca Saṁskāra (The Five Purificatory Processes) was originally published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī (Vol. 2. Issue 1) in 1885. Herein, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura describes the five divisions of initiation according to śāstra, and their necessity amongst Vaiṣṇavas. He also explains why this process is not being followed properly at present.
(Translated by Swami Bhaktivijñana Giri)
Śastra states that one who accepts pañca-saṁskāra (the five purificatory processes) can practice two types of bhakti and attain eternal bliss in the immortal abode of Śrī Hari. It is thus said:
avāpta-pañca-saṁskāro labdha-dvi-vidha-bhaktikaḥ
sākṣāt kṛtya hariṁ tasya dhāmni nityaṁ pramodate
One who has acquired pañca-saṁskāra, and attained bhakti, which is of two kinds, such a person directly perceives Hari and attains eternal bliss in His abode. (Prameya Ratnāvalī 7.5)
As soon as a jīva who possesses śraddhā hears this instruction from the śāstra, he will search out the meaning of the phrase pañca-saṁskāra. To aid them, we have undertaken the task of explaining the profound explanation of pañca-saṁskāra in writing. Why it is called pañca-saṁskāra is explained in the smṛti-śāstras as follows:
tāpaḥ puṇḍraṁ tathā nāma mantro yāgaś ca pañcamaḥ
amī hi pañca-saṁskārāḥ paramaikānti-hetavaḥ
Exclusive bhakti arises through these five saṁskāras – tāpa (marking the body with the Names of Bhagavān), puṇḍra (marking the body with Vaiṣnava tilaka), nāma (receiving hari-nāma), mantra (receiving an initiation mantra) and yāga (sacrifice). (Prameya Ratnāvalī 7.6)
Upon hearing this explanation of the pañca-saṁskāra, a jīva endowed with śraddhā will approach a sampradāyika guru and pray to accept dīkṣā (initiation). Understanding the desire of the disciple, the guru will mercifully perform the ritual of tāpa and puṇḍra to sanctify his body. In some sampradāyas, the ritual of tāpa is performed using a heated disc etc. The symbols of a conch, disc, mace and lotus are branded on the disciple’s body with hot irons. In some sampradāyas, stamps with the Names of Hari are applied using candana.
Everyone accepts that puṇḍra refers to ūrdhva-puṇḍra (vertical tilaka marks). Ūrdhva-puṇḍra is described in the śāstra in various ways as hari-mandira (the temple of Hari), hari-pāda (the feet of Hari) etc. Each sampradāya has its own rules for puṇḍra which are accepted within that sampradāya.
Nāma is the third saṁskāra. Gurudeva mercifully imparts hari-nāma in the ear of a faithful disciple. That Name is always to be chanted by the disciple.
Mantra is the fourth saṁskāra. Amongst various mantras, Gurudeva graciously bestows the eighteen syllable mantra to his dear disciple.
Yāga is the fifth saṁskāra. Having received the mantra, a jīva who has śraddhā engages in arcana of śālagrāma-śīla or the Deity – this is called yāga. In this way, by accepting pañca–saṁskāra, he is engaged in bhajana-kriyā (the process of bhajana). Through bhajana, the supreme result of pure prema is attained.
Deliberating upon the sequence of achieving prema, it becomes evident that if there is no śraddhā, there is no eligibility for the jīva in that regard. Upon the appearance of śraddhā, there is sādhu-saṅga. Intimate association with a sādhu means guru-padāśraya (taking shelter of at the feet of a guru). By guru-padāśraya, one undergoes pañca-saṁskāra and engages in bhajana-kriyā. By gradually progressing in bhajana, all the anarthas of the jīva are destroyed. As anarthas are gradually eradicated, the previously acquired śraddhā transforms into niṣṭhā (determination). From niṣṭhā comes ruci (taste), from ruci there is āsakti (attachment). From āsakti, bhāva (ecstasy) arises, and from bhāva, prema manifests. Therefore, it is the duty of every jīva to attain pañca-saṁskāra by taking refuge at the feet of a guru. Indeed, pañca-saṁskāra is the very foundation of all types of bhajana-kriyā. Without these saṁskāras, bhajana does not occur naturally. Rather, time after time, obstacles will be created.
Some people think that to achieve prema, one does not need any saṁskaras. Such a belief is delusional. By turning away from Bhagavān, the bound jīva has gradually mutated, and without full purification (saṁskāra), they cannot attain their svarūpa (inherent nature). What other means is there to achieve one’s svarūpa? The only way and primary method is through saṁskāra. Without saṁskāras, how will our disfigurement be overcome? If one does not perceive any disfigurement in someone, then it may be considered that due to the guru’s grace from past lives, they have received the saṁskāras. By attaining their svarūpa through the influence of these saṁskāras, pure prema has manifested. Alternatively, we may think that such a person, through the inconceivable power of Bhagavān’s grace, has been purified in an imperceptible manner. No matter what reasoning is applied, saṁskāras should never be neglected. However, in relation to liberated jīvas who are traversing this mundane world, saṁskāras are not necessary for them because they are not distorted. Distortion of the bound jīva’s nature is the cause of their subjugation. Without saṁskāras, there is no possibility of auspiciousness for the bound jīva. If a person experiences prema in this life due to the influence of the saṁskāras of his previous births, he will not reject the necessity of saṁskāras and refuse to accept them. Rather, for the welfare of ordinary people, he will accept the saṁskāra process in order to set an example to the world.
The saṁskāra process is observed in all countries and all religions. The purer the religion, the purer and more complete its process of saṁskāra is. Due to the lack of opportunity to consider the process of saṁskāra in all religions, we can so far state that the process of saṁskāra observed in ārya-dharma is superior as compared to those in other religions. Especially there is no saṁskāra process which is purer or more complete than in Vaiṣṇava dharma, which is the essence of ārya-dharma.
At this point, a question may be asked, “If the process of saṁskāra in Vaiṣnava dharma is so superior, then why do we see amongst those who follow it that they are still bound by distortion?” The answer is that while the process of saṁskāra is indeed considered the highest, nowadays it is often observed in name only. When they are merely satisfied with a literal meaning of the process which has been mentioned previously, both the guru and disciple are barred from making any progress. No discussion can be seen regarding the explanation of the process. When the disciple approaches the guru, the guru performs the pañca-saṁskāra and then abandons him. What can be the result from such a pañca-saṁskāra? Externally, the disciple may appear fine, but internally nothing is happening. The divine conch, discus, mace, lotus and hari-nāma mark the limbs. Hari-nāma is uttered from the mouth. At times, arcana of the śālagrāma-śilā and Deity is performed with the chanting of mantras. Yet that disciple is addicted to various kinds of sins! At night, he is under the influence of intoxicants and depravity. Alas! What benefit did Gurudeva provide for him? What was his state before initiation and what happened after initiation? No change has been observed. Rather, a particular type of degradation is seen. Previously, he used to commit sins and curse himself. He only worried about how he could get rid of his sins. Now that he has taken shelter of Gurudeva, that worry has gone! Now he is committing sins without worrying. What misfortune!!
What is the cause of such misfortune? The cause is the improper relationship between the guru and the disciple itself. In the śāstra, there are rules regarding the guru-disciple relationship. When the disciple is burning in the fire of saṁsāra and after deliberation, eventually concludes, “My relationship is not with this temporary material world! I will take shelter in Gurudeva to attain the feet of Bhagavān” – then it is said that śraddhā has arisen in the disciple. He is worthy of guru-padāśraya. The guru will examine him for a year. In this regard, the repentance of the jīva is called tāpa. During the time when the guru tests him, the repentant jīva will atone further. When his repentance is complete, Gurudeva will mark him with the disc of Viṣṇu etc. on his body. While the body remains, the disciple must mark his body with these symbols. The meaning of this is that in the midst of the mire of material life, one will maintain purity until death. This is called tāpa. This is the first saṁskāra of a jīva possessing śraddhā. The name for this term in English is ‘Repentance’, ‘atonement and permanent impression of the higher sentiment on the soul.’ Tāpa is not only physical, but physical, mental, and spiritual. If it is only physical, then tāpa has not actually occurred. Wherever tāpa is merely seen as a physical gesture, that is a place of hypocritical dharma. Nowadays, hypocrisy has deposed Vaiṣṇava dharma. One can never take refuge in Vaiṣṇava dharma if one’s life is devoid of tāpa. Without tāpa, it is always materialistic. A mind that lacks tāpa is completely inauspicious. Therefore, O wise people! Receive tāpa as soon as possible! Do not delay!
When Gurudeva sees the faithful disciple properly atoning through tāpa, then displaying great compassion, he bestows puṇḍra upon him. How much beauty ūrdhva-puṇḍra creates! Another name for ūrdhva-puṇḍra is ūrdhva-gati (the highest destination). Having received tāpa, the jīva accepts some appropriate amount of detachment from the material world, however, until he accepts ūrdhva–puṇḍra, he will not receive the results of tāpa. So much difficulty! So much detachment! So much rejection of one’s own happiness! So much suppression of the ‘enemies’. All this is simply hard work if one accepts it but does not make any advancement. Accepting the shelter sat-cid-ānanda, in other words, the temple of Hari (hari-mandira), or Vaikuṇṭha, or the lotus feet of Hari, is known as the highest goal of the jīva. That which manifests in the ātmā, the mind and the body is ūrdhva-puṇḍra. Becoming detached from saṁsāra and becoming attached to the Supreme Lord is called tāpa and puṇḍra. These two ornaments are most essential for bound jīvas. A body without ūrdhva–puṇḍra is like a corpse. Perceiving this, we must be cleansed by repentance. Without ūrdhva–puṇḍra, the mind simply wanders amongst negligible mundane things, it becomes attached to negligible mundane things, and it deliberates upon negligible mundane things. O repentant jīva! Without delay, mark your body, mind and ātmā with ūrdhva-puṇḍra and turn your face towards the supreme abode of the Vaiṣṇavas! Without ūrdhva-puṇḍra, the ātmā’s svārūpa is extinguished. Therefore, put on ūrdhva-puṇḍra!
Seeing his dear disciple effulgent with tāpa and ūrdhva-puṇḍra, with great bliss, Gurudeva imparts nāma to him. Nāma means that be bestows hari-nāma. By giving hari-nāma, he awakens the svarūpa of the jīva. The jīva’s eternal nature is eternal servitorship to Hari. By immersing the jīva in nāma-rasāmṛta (the nectar of the mellows of the Holy Name), he leads him to the Supreme Abode. Then the jīva declares, “I am a servant of Hari! I am not an enjoyer of Māyā! Being appointed as His servant, Māyā is also eternally connected to Kṛṣṇa. I am a servant of Kṛṣṇa. I know that Māyā is a maidservant of Kṛṣṇa and I relate everything in the world to Kṛṣṇa and engage it accordingly.” Then the jīva is incessantly absorbed in singing the Names of Hari. By taking refuge in Bhagavān’s Name, which is the embodiment of rasa, one remains focussed on the reality of spiritual bliss. O wise men! Always sing hari–nāma with your mouths, always remember hari-nāma with you minds, and always adorn your ātmā with hari-nāma.
Gurudeva, out of affection for the disciple, gives instruction in a mantra which allows him access to drink the rasa of hari-nāma. This mantra, which includes the Name of Hari, is in the dative case and through connection with this, nāma-rasa continues to express itself. When one says, haraye namaḥ, he establishes a relationship through the dative case to relish the nectar of hari-nāma. In this way, through the mutual relationship of the three eternal realities – the upāsaka (the worshipper), the upāsthya (the worshipped) and upāsana (the worship), one’s activities become fully perfect. Hence, relishing rasa becomes easily accessible. One has not seen such pleasure as one who has received the mantra and the happiness that he relishes. Those fortunate persons who are capable of contemplating the meaning of the eighteen-syllable mantra know that the mantra itself is simply a concise example of bhagavat-rasa. Even deliberating upon the gāyatrī will lead to such a conclusion. The conversations of those who do not accept a mantra, yet discuss bhagavad-rasa and other topics are extremely weak and fragmented. The component which, when properly connected, yields desired results, is specifically known as mantra. Thus, accepting a mantra is obligatory at all times. Accepting a mantra is the primary saṁskāra. Despite being aware of all types of philosophical principles, many fail to achieve stable ground in regards to upāsana. The reason for this is that they have not received tāpa, puṇḍra, nāma and instructions on mantra from a competent guru. All things have a sequence and a process. Sometimes, the worship of those who have rejected the sequence and process, becomes a cause of disturbance. Thus it is said:
śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātayaiva kalpate
Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorised Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas and the Pañcarātra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society. (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.101)
Therefore O wise persons! Do not corrupt your intellect through logic – instead accept tāpa, puṇḍra, nāma, and mantra from the worshipable Śrī Gurudeva. Not only will it be beneficial for you, but through the protection of that supremely pure connection, you will also achieve the welfare of all the jīvas of this world.
Expressing greater affection for the disciple, Gurudeva teaches him the method of yāga. Without the system of yāga, real auspiciousness cannot be acquired by the bound jīva. Even after attaining tāpa, puṇḍra, nāma and mantra, the jīva’s connection to matter does not easily go away. Through upāsana, Hari is satisfied, and the jīva gains freedom from the material world at death. Therefore, even a person who has received the mantra must wait until death. During that time, even if there is no attachment to material things, worldly duties continue incessantly. Thus, the method that has been prepared as a way to utilise matter is called yāga.
Yāga is the name of the method of Deity worship which has been developed to cultivate spiritual life through the activities of seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, tasting, thinking, discerning, and action. In śalagrāma-pūjā, all these aspects are integrated into spiritual activities. The process of serving the Deity is called Vaiṣṇava yāga. We are present in this world – if all activities are not performed, we will not be able to maintain our bodies. Therefore, it is the duty of a jīva who has received mantra to spend his whole life performing all actions with bhakti according to the rules of arcana, and offering everything to Bhagavān. By instructing the disciple in this process of yāga, the most compassionate Gurudeva delivers him from the ocean of birth and death. Yāga is the fifth saṁskāra. The life of a person devoid of yāga becomes empty – otherwise they will receive worldly results from activities that are averse to the Lord. Thus, a Vaiṣṇava engages in yāga and remains present in this world. A specific explanation of the principles of yāga is to be found in the book Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta in the discussion concerning vaidhi-bhakti.
I have explained the literal meaning and the fundamental explanation of pañca-saṁskāra. At this point a question may arise as to why nowadays disciples do not see this sort of teaching from their gurus. The answer is that due to the defects found at this present time, people’s discernment regarding gurus has become extremely corrupted. Today people accept instructions from kula-gurus (family gurus) or other such persons, thus they are unable to take refuge in a worshipable Gurudeva. Śāstra states that inquisitive persons seeking the ultimate good of the ātmā should approach and surrender to a Gurudeva who is devoted to and has taken shelter of śabda-brahma (transcendental sound) and the Supreme. Thus it is said:
tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam
Thus, being inquisitive about the highest benefit, one should surrender unto a guru who is learned in the śāstra, has realised the Supreme, and is an abode of peacefulness. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.3.21)
In this way, when such surrender is present, then the ocean of material life is considered to be comparable to the hoofprint of a cow. Yet if accepting the shelter of guru is in name only, then everything is useless. Nowadays, generally, people do not seek shelter in a guru. Only very specific individuals who have been scorched by the fire of the material world, after great endeavour, inquire from a sādhu and eventually attain a true guru. Thus it is the duty of the jīva to seek out real guru. Even if one does not find a real guru, there is no loss because Bhagavān will reveal Himself as guru to the seeker and deliver him. The stronger one’s hankering for a genuine guru, the more auspicious it will be. But it is not proper to accept anyone as guru simply to satisfy that hankering. As one continues to search, one will gradually recognise whom to consider as a real guru. After that, they should examine that person for a year before accepting them as Śrī Gurudeva. A guru-disciple relationship without such a test is simply the cause of anarthas! Through a comprehensive analysis, it is established that for bound jīvas, without undergoing pañca-saṁskāra, exclusive bhakti is never possible under any circumstances, therefore, pañca-saṁskāra is absolutely essential.