ISKCON Arcana Journal -1- How to use and make a brahmana thread

The ISKCON Deity Worship Journal

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How to use and make a brahmana thread

by Caitanya-ma‰gala d€sa (®r…dh€ma M€y€pur)

Although one can purchase "br€hmaŠa threads" (upav…ta or yajñopavita) very inexpensively in the market in India, it is highly preferable for a br€hmaŠa to make them himself. Once you learn how to do it, with a little practice it becomes very simple. The main challenge is to make all strings equally long to avoid getting them tangled with each other. To make sure the strings remain equal in length, the upav…ta should be always taut while tying the knots. One may wind the upav…ta around one’s knees while sitting on the floor, or one may use one’s knee and another stable object like a heavy pot (preferable to two knees for getting sufficient length of the finished upav…ta). Although some devotees can be seen winding the string around one knee and a toe of the other leg when making an upav…ta, this is not considered proper.

G€yatr… Mantra

The word G€yatr… generally refers to a particular metre (chanda), often used in Vedic hymns. Vedic mantras, such as brahma-g€yatr…, are eternal, spiritual vibrations, representations of God in the form of sound (abda brahma). A mantra is a combination of particular energies in the form of sound, and its recitation evokes those energies externally and internally. Every mantra is a combination of particular sounds, words, meanings, rhythms, and tunes. It has a predominating deity and a particular purpose. The potency of a mantra can fully manifest only if the chanter, having received it from a bona fide spiritual master (coming from a bona fide disciplic succession), recites it without impurities. At the moment of initiation, the spiritual master gives to the disciple a mantra from the Vedas and from the Pañcar€tra according to the tradition of the parampar€. Any mantra which is not received by a bona fide disciplic succession is considered to be impotent - samprad€ya-vih…n€ ye/mantr€s te niphal€ mat€ƒ

"If one wants to advance in spiritual power, one must receive his mantras from one of these bona fide samprad€yas, otherwise he will never successfully advance in spiritual life. " (Bhag.6.8.42.)

If the disciple wishes to worship a particular form of the Lord, he must receive the proper mantras from his spiritual master, or from a devotee or scripture authorized by him. By chanting these mantras for japa and arcana, a disciple who is not under the control of ignorance realizes the relationship between the spiritual meaning of the mantra, and the identity of the deity being worshipped.

One must know the meaning of the mantra which he is reciting; without knowing the meaning of a mantra, one cannot reach the goal. (Yajñavalkya-smti).

Upav…ta

The sacred thread is given by the spiritual master (in vedic tradition by the father) along with instructions about how to chant the brahma-g€yatr…-mantra, its meaning, and the rules of conduct for life as a brahmac€ri. The sacred thread and the cloth worn on the upper body symbolise spiritual qualification and vaidika initiation (admission to the twice born status of the three superior varŠas) for members of all €ramas. Paramahaˆsas generally abandon the sacred thread to demonstrate their renunciation of all varŠ€rama designations.

The cords of the sacred thread are made up of three strands. If the upper cloth (utt€rya) is missing during a ceremony, the third cord of the upav…ta takes its place. The sacred thread must be made by a brahmaŠa or brahmaŠ… and tied with a brahma-granthi knot. The dangling part of the upav…ta must be tied under the navel, not on the chest (according to Katy€yana). Traditionally, students of the g-Veda wore it between the chest and the navel; students of the Yajur-Veda at navel level, and students of the Sama-Veda at elbow level.

The upav…ta must be changed when contaminated or spoiled. Although there is no reference in the scriptures about winding the upav…ta around the thumb while chanting G€yatr… or during acamana and p™ja, it is common practice in Bengal. It can be done, but it is not compulsory.

One should not be without upav…ta at any moment and must never allow it to come into contact with contaminated objects. It is a great offense to break the upav…ta of another brahmana, for which one must execute prayacitta (great austerities to atone sins). While passing urine or stool, the sacred thread must be placed on the right ear, which is considered to be as good as a t…rtha (always pure) and thus remains suci, although the body is muci. Otherwise it will be considered contaminated. After auca (purification/ taking a shower) the upav…ta can be again placed in its usual position (on the left side). If the thread is too short, it can be placed around the neck as a garland (while in the toilet).

The Scriptures give information about the appearance of G€yatr… devi in the form of time, for it is helpful for the meditation to chant G€yatr…-mantra at the proper time. G€yatr…-mantra must be chanted during the first sandhya which starts 24 minutes before sunrise and ends 24 minutes after. It is said that best is to chant when there are still stars in the sky, second best, when although the stars cannot be seen, the sun has not yet risen, and third best, when the sun is already in the sky.

To chant G€yatr…-mantra in one's home has a certain value; to chant in an open area is ten times better. To chant on the bank of or standing in a river up to the knees is a hundred times better, but chanting in the proximity of the Lord is infinitely better.

The best way to chant G€yatr… is manaika, in the mind. Yajñavalkya says one has to meditate on the sound of every syllable, on the meaning of every word, and of all the mantras, without moving the tongue or lips, without shaking the head or neck and without showing the teeth. The hands must be cleaned, and one must have brushed the teeth before taking the morning shower. The clothes must be dry and spotlessly clean. Tilaka must be worn on all the twelve parts of the body and the sika must be tied. G€yatr… should not be chanted on a bed, in a car, or with the back towards a guru, temple, m™rti, water, fire or a pippal tree. One should not wear shoes, doze, yawn, spit, look about or speak. If an important person such as an €c€rya arrives while chanting G€yatr…, one must stop to receive him properly, and only resume after asking his permission.

Who is a br€hmaŠa?

AND THERE IS a br€hmaŠa. What is the proof that he is a br€hmaŠa? He has got a sacred thread, that’s all. Or thread. It may not be sacred; purchased on the market. So at least we try to give a sacred thread by ceremony. But anyone can purchase a thread from the market, two-paisa worth or one-cent worth, and become a br€hmaŠa. “You are a br€hmaŠa?” “Yes, you see my sacred thread?” (laughter) Finished. “What you are doing?” “Never mind.” Don’t be such br€hmaŠas, at least in our camp. You must follow the rules and regulations. Don’t show that “I am now doubly initiated, sacred thread.” Don’t cheat in that way.

Excerpt from a Room Conversation, New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976

Method of construction

Here are the successive steps of making the upav…ta:

Wrap a thread three times around your knees (or one knee plus one object) and then hold the two ends between the fingers and thumb of the left hand. Make sure that all the strings have the same length.
diagram

Make a loop with one end, leaving about 10 to 15 cm extra. Keep all strings taut; keep hold at the place where the loop folds back along the other strings.
diagram

Wrap the other end of the thread perpendicular to the triple threads wrapped around your knee, three times. For each wrap chant one time the first line of G€yatr… mantra (brahma-g€yatr…) silently.

Put the end of the string which you have just wrapped through the loop. Pull the end which makes the loop, then pull the other end and tighten, making a simple knot.

Twist both ends of the string in the direction the threads of the strings are turning, making them tight, but not so tight that they double over.

Put the two string ends together and twist them, this time in the opposite direction from the direction you were just twisting them separately.

diagram

With the two ends make a simple knot about three cm distant from the first knot and cut off excess string.

Now you can make the second half of the upav…ta in the same way, taking care not only that it is itself having equal length strings, but that it is equal in length to the first half. To do this, it is best to keep the first half in the same position as you have made it (around your knees, or around a knee and a pot, for example) and wrap the second half on top of the first. By pulling the two halves separately with the same force (before making the first knot in the second half) you will see whether they are equal. If not, make the necessary adjustment on the second half, then tie the first knot.

To tie a completed upav…ta into a storable condition (as one gets them from the shop!) simply fold it in half, looping both ends of the upav…ta around the left forefinger and putting the forefinger of your right hand through the loop made by the fold; twist the folded end in one direction several times, such that it coils around itself; finally, insert the folded end through the loop through which the left forefinger was inserted.

Before wearing the thread, you may offer it to Lord Caitanya or Lord KŠa in His Deity form by placing it at the Deity’s feet. Of course, upav…tas can be made for the Deities in the same manner, to the appropriate length.
diagram

(Note: For further information about Pañcar€trika rules regarding chanting g€yatr… and care of the upav…ta, see the ISKCON Deity worship manual Pañcar€tra Pradipa, vol1, pp. 47-51. - Ed.)

On the meaning of VaiŠava-d…k€

It is offered by the €c€rya. It is the certificate that “This boy has been trained up as a br€hmaŠa.” Therefore the sacred thread is a symbolic presentation. Not that to purchase one two paisa worth sacred thread and one becomes br€hmaŠa. No. Now, of course, in Kali-yuga... Vipratve sutram eva hi. In Kali-yuga this will go on. Vipratve. A br€hmaŠa, ksatriya, sudra, br€hmaŠa, ksatriya, vaisya,.. Simply purchase one thread from the market and get it on your body and you become... Vipratve sutram eva hi. No, that is not actually. It is a qualification and it is certificate... Similarly, one who has got the sacred thread means that he has approached qualified €c€rya, and the €c€rya has recognized him as br€hmaŠa. This is sacred thread, not that purchase one sacred thread and get it and become a br€hmaŠa. No. This is very important thing. First of all educate, and then divide.

Excerpt from Bhagavad-g…t€ lecture by ®r…la Prabhup€da on April 4, 1974 in Bombay, India.