Sources of Gopi Chandan & Vibhuti! Can a devotee wear the both?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhuji, I hail from a Iyer Brahmin family. Myself, father and grandfather wear Gobichandan (U-shape) in morning and Vibhuti in the evening. Even my father couldn’t give me a proper explanation. I am asking this question out of curiosity and to know about the ethnicity of my family prabhuji. Please forgive me if my question is silly prabhuji. Thanking You prabhuji.”
REPLY:
Hare Krishna. If you read my posts, I have written against sticking to some identity and differentiate between them.
I always see the purpose of any custom.
Gopi chandan tilak is a sacred soil applied on their forehead by some section of Vaishnavas.
(Why do the Symbols of one Sampradhaya differ from others? READ HERE!)
Viboodhi is also a sacred ash applied by the saivites and others.
SOURCE OF GOPI CHANDAN
FROM GARGHA SAMHITA:
It is said that Gopis made a secret meeting with Krishna when He was ruling as the king of Dwaraka.
They played Rasa dance with Krishna outside the Palace and became tired.
The Gopis played with Krishna in the water of Gopi Talab lake in Dwaraka.
During the play, the Tilak and chandan of Krishna and the sandalwood, mascara, fragrant oils, saffron and musk that the gopis were applying on their body were washed off in the lake water.
So, the lakebed and the mud under the lake water became mixed with the chandan and other fragrances came from the body of Krishna and the Gopis.
That is why, that mud is called Gopi Chandan.
The same is used even now by the devotees of Krishna as Gopi Chandan.
Applying Gopi Chandan is believed to take a devotee to Krishna.
(If Vaishnava Symbols are not Permitted in Job, Should we quit job or look? READ HERE!)
SOURCE OF VIBHUTI (BHASMA)
Vibhuti also called as Bhasma is the sacred ash made of burnt dried wood, burnt cow dung and/or cremated bodies used in Agamic rituals.
As per the Shiva Purana, applying Vibhuti on the forehead purifies the soul and elevates the devotee of Shiva, and that works done without wearing bhasma are fruitless.
So, it is understood that applying Vibhuti takes a devotee to Lord Shiva.
Now, Let us come to your question:
You and your family wear Gopi Chandan in the morning and Vibhuti in the evening.
Since yours is an Iyer family who took Krishna Consciousness in the later period, you are unable to give up your traditional custom of applying Vibhuti.
(HOW TO APPLY TILAKA ON OUR BODY (As Per Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradhaya)? READ HERE!)
Since you took up Krishna Consciousness in the middle, you had to apply Gopi Chandan also.
The deep meaning of applying Tilak and Vibhuti are the same. Gopi Chandan or any Vaishnava Tilak are made from sacred soils. So, it reminds us that at the end of life, all of us are going to become one with the soil.
Applying Vibhuti reminds us that all of us are going to become ashes after getting cremated.
When we develop this maturity and awareness that we will become one with the soil or ashes, it will help us to develop detachment with the bodily affairs, ie, material affairs.
We will understand the actual state of this body that is going to become a soil or ashes after the soul leaves the body.
Realizing this, we will think more of cultivating the athma, ie soul, ie, our real identity.
Since Vibuti is used by the devotees of Lord Shiva and Gopi Chandan by the Vaishnavas, using both of them is unnecessary because it is advisable to develop any single bhava at a time.
So, wearing both the Gopi chandan and Vibuti may not affect your devotion, but, in devotional life, these external symbols are used to develop dedication to a particular deity.
(WEAPONS TO BEAT MAYA – TILAKA, TULASI BEADS AND PRASADAM! READ HERE!)
If your target is going back to Krishna, apply Gopi Chandan that enhances your bhava of love for Krishna like the gopis.
If your target is going back to Lord shiva, apply Vibhuti that enhances your dedication towards Lord Shiva.
If you apply both, and also follow sincere devotion to Krishna, you can still go back to Krishna, but, the bhava towards Shiva given by Vibhuti will interfere in the bhava of love for Krishna.
And, you may be neither a pure Vaishnava nor a Pure Saivaite, but a Mixed Vaishnava.
So, you may require another birth to become either a pure vaishnava or a pure saivaite.
If you are going to write CBSE exams, you should prepare the sylabus for CBSE. If you are going to write STATE BOARD exams, you should prepare the syllabus of the State Board.
So, evaluate yourself. If your desire is to go back to Krishna, apply Gopi Chandan only that will give pure bhava of love for Krishna.
Already, you have embraced Krishna who is the supreme Lord. Lord Shiva will not get angry and curse you if you apply Gopi Chandan only. Instead, He will bless you to be a good devotee of Krishna.
Similarly, if you apply only the Vibhuti, Krishna is not going to punish you and He Himself will ascertain your faith in Lord Shiva as assured by Krishna in bhagavad Gita.
So, no need for any sentiments about wearing Gopi Chandan & Vibhuti!
(28 SCIENTIFIC AND SPIRITUAL REASONS FOR WEARING TILAK (MARK ON FOREHEAD)! READ HERE!)