Srila Prabhupada writes on his purport of SB1.12.13:
“There
is a need for a good and intelligent class of brāhmaṇas who are expert in
performing the purificatory processes prescribed in the system of
varṇāśrama-dharma. Unless such purificatory processes are performed, there is
no possibility of good population, and in the age of Kali the population all
over the world is of śūdra quality or lower for want of this purificatory
process. It is not possible, however, to revive the Vedic process of
purification in this age, for want of proper facilities and good brāhmaṇas,
but there is the Pāñcarātrika system also recommended for this age. The
Pāñcarātrika system acts on the śūdra class of men, supposedly the population
of the Kali-yuga, and it is the prescribed purificatory process suitable to the
age and time. Such a purificatory process is allowed only for spiritual
upliftment and not for any other purpose. Spiritual upliftment is never
conditioned by higher or lower parentage.
After the garbhādhāna purificatory process, there are
certain other saḿskāras like sīmantonnayana, sadhabhakṣaṇam, etc., during
the period of pregnancy, and when the child is born the first purificatory
process is jātakarman. This was performed duly by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira with
the help of good and learned brāhmaṇas like Dhaumya, the royal priest, and
Kṛpācārya, who was not only a priest but also a great general. Both these
learned and perfect priests, assisted by other good brāhmaṇas, were employed
by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira to perform the ceremony. Therefore all the
saḿskāras, purificatory processes, are not mere formalities or social
functions only, but they are all for practical purposes and can be successfully
performed by expert brāhmaṇas like Dhaumya and Kṛpa. Such brāhmaṇas are not
only rare, but also not available in this age, and therefore, for the purpose
of spiritual upliftment in this fallen age, the Gosvāmīs prefer the
purificatory processes under Pāñcarātrika formulas to the Vedic rites…”
.
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