Types Of Tilak & the System Followed By Different Sampradhayas!
We have seen what Srila Prabhupada said about Tilaka. Let me write about the Types Of Tilak & the System Followed By Different Sampradhayas!
When I think of other Sampradhayas, I immediately remember Sri Chandrasekarendra Swami Sankaracharya, who came in the line of Adhi Shankara.
Excerpts from the Collections VOICE OF GOD- Volume-1:
(1) Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that “Gnana” burns all karma like agni burns all wood. Thus, sacred ash is the symbolic sign of Gnana that remains after burning karma.
(2) Sastras like “Amara Gosh” says that Vibhoodhi (Sacred Ash) and Aishwarya – both have the same meaning.
(28 SCIENTIFIC AND SPIRITUAL REASONS FOR WEARING TILAK (MARK ON FOREHEAD)! READ HERE!)
(3) If you put any article in fire, it will first become black after burning. If it is further burnt in the same fire, finally, it will become white coloured sacred ash. After getting white colour, it will not change its colour further. This shows that the Lord is also like this sacred ash. When everything has been destroyed, Lord alone will remain like unchanging ash eternally.
(4) Colour means Vesha. There may be many colours. Whatever colour it may be, once it is burnt, it will become white ash. So, ONLY THE THING THAT REMAINS ‘AFTER BURNING’ IS REAL. COLOURS ARE NOT REAL. WHITE IS REAL BECAUSE IT ONLY REMAINS AFTER BURNING. WHITE DOES NOT CHANGE FURTHER.
(5) So, Gnana burns all our karma and finally only Paramathma (Ash) remains.
(6) In general, when one wears tilak all over the body, he can get all the wealth of knowledge.
(7) Wearing Tilaka/ ash protects us from Bhootha, Preta, Ghosts, etc. No ghost can come near a person who wears tilaka.
(8) Saivaits wear sacred ashes and vaishnavaits wear Sacred soil.
(9) Both wearing of sacred ashes and Sacred soil indicates the same topmost tatva:
(i) Wearing the Sacred Ash means: Both a king and a well learnt person become ashes finally.
(ii) Wearing the Sacred soil means: We came from the soil and we are going to the soil again.
(10) So, when we wear either sacred ash or sacred soil as tilaka, we can remember this unchanging fact frequently.
(11) Sacred ash is taken from the cow’s dung. Cow is the living place of Lakshmi. Cow’s dung can clear all the bad odour and keep the surrounding hygenic. So, this sacred ash can cleanse even our athma that has been contaminated.
(12) Twelve namas are important for Vishnu. They are: Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinddha, Vishnu, Madhusudhana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Hrishikesa, Padmanabha, Dhamodhara. So, Vaishnavas apply Tilak all over their body telling all these twelve namas of Lord Vishnu. That is why, even Tilak is called NAMA in some languages.
(13) By wearing Tilak using either sacred soil or sacred ash, one can always remember the temporary nature of this material world and eternal Paramathma swarup.
(HOW TO APPLY TILAKA ON OUR BODY (As Per Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradhaya)? READ HERE!)
TYPES OF TILAK IN DIFFERENT SAMPRADHAYAS
(1) VALLABHA/ RUDHRA SAMPRADHAYA:
The tilak worn is generally a single vertical red line that represents Yamuna devi. The form of Krishna worshiped in the Vallabha line is Sri Nathji or Govardhana. The consort of the Govardhana hill is the river Yamuna. Their process of surrender goes through Yamuna devi.
(2) MADHWA SAMPRADHAYA:
The devotees mark two vertical lines representing Krishna’s ‘lotus feet’. In between a vertical black line is made from the daily coal of the yajna-kunda (fire sacrifice). Underneath the black line, a yellow or red dot is added to indicate either Lakshmi or Radharani. Those who did not perform daily fire sacrifice wear the simple two line tilak only.
(Why Krishna wears a tilak that marks Tulasi and His own Feet? READ HERE!)
(3) GAUDIYA VAISHNAVA SAMPRADHAYA:
The tilak is usually made out of mud from Vrindavan called Gopi Chandan or the clay from Gopi Kunda lake in Dwarka, Gujarat. The main tilak is basically identical to the Madhva tilak. The black line made from the ash of the fire sacrifice is not included. In the Gaudiya sampradhaya, devotees do not approach Radha and Krishna directly, but always ‘indirectly’ through their servant. To indicate this, the red dot representing Radha is replaced with a tulsi leaf offered at the base of Krishna’s feet. In Gaudiya Vaishnava belief only through the mercy of Tulsi Devi (or another pure devotee) can pure devotion to Radha & Krishna or Krishna & Balarama be awakened.
(4) SRI VAISHNAVA SAMPRADHAYA:
Members of the Sri Vaishnava tradition form tilak with two lines representing the feet of Narayana, with a red line in the middle which representing Lakshmi devi. They approach Narayana through Lakshmi.
(5) NIMBARKA SAMPRADHAYA:
In the Nimbarka Sampradaya, the tilak is made of Gopi-Chandana (the clay from Gopi Kunda lake in Dwarka, Gujarat), as described in the Vasudeva Upanishad. It starts at the bridge of the nose and continues as two vertical lines to the top of the forehead. This is said to represent the temple of God. Within these lines, between the eyebrows is a black dot, made from the slate found in Barsana, Uttar Pradesh, the sacred birthplace of Radha. This is said to represent God as Radha and Krishna together.
Hope this article has given clear details of the types Of Tilak & the System Followed By Different Sampradhayas!
(WEAPONS TO BEAT MAYA – TILAKA, TULASI BEADS AND PRASADAM! READ HERE!)