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Deepak_Shah
Entry Level Member


17 Posts
Posted - 20 December 2012 :  06:53:21
Jai Shri Krishna

I recently purchased dhoti-bandi on my trip to India so that I can offer Jhariji at various bethakji(s).

After I used it (after offering Jhariji), many Vaishnavas told me not to wash dhoti-bandi pair since this was made from cotton. If I wash it it will become useless to offer any kind of seva to Thakorji/Mahaprabhuji. If material was from Resham, I could wash it and reuse it thousands of time and this is not the issue.

When I asked them why, they all said the same thing that (in gujarati) "Cotton Chho-vai jai."

Can someone please provide logical and/or scientific answer if this is true and what is "Chho-Vai Javu?". I had been to Haveli regularly while I was in India, and everyone including Mukhiyaji, Kirtaniya, Bhitarya were wearing cotton dhoti-bandi.

I am sure many of the 84/252 Vaishnavas were very poor and could hardly afford Reshami clothes. Does it mean Thakorji/Mahaprabhiji/Guisaiji would have not accepted their seva?

I also went to Pratham Bethakji in Gokul. As per protocols, I took quick shower from head to toe, was not allowed to dry myself (reason being Towel was not made from Resham). If I touch towel, it will break my "Apras". To my knowledge, to be in Apras, means person is totally soaked in Ras of Ap (Bhagvan). If I am in Apras then I would not even know that I have used cotton Towel.

I had my 3 year old son with me. I was strickly told by one of the Sevak at Bethakji, that I should not touch my son after shower, since my son did not take shower and thus was not in Apras. So I explained my son that he is not allowed to offer Jhariji and also cannot touch me. (Because do so will also break my Apras). I offered Jhariji and was on my way to change cloths. My son came running down to me and asked if I can do similar Tilak to him (on his forehead) as I did. So I went to the same place from where I did tilak, took the "Tilaki" and pressed it against forehead of my son. Sevak, who saw me doing this was so furious what he immidiately took Tilaki from my hand, and threw away along with "Kanku" saying this is no good for Vaishnavas who are in Apras now.

I am not sure what I did was correct or not. I seek your opinion about this. I know when you visit someone, you need to follow their protocol. But I think taking Apras to a level where it becomes totally illogical and superstition was not motive of Mahaprabhuji. I am sure according to Mahaprabhiji, being in "Apras" means one who is drenched in Ras of Bhagvan, and not wearing Reshmi clothes and always reminding them not to touch someone/something else.

When I went to Bansibat Bethakji, view of Mukhiyaji over there was totally different. He told me there is no need for three year old to be in Apras, becuase(1) he is very young, (2) Thakorji resides in them, they have purest of heart, so they are always in "Apras" (Kids).

govindshah2
Senior Member


154 Posts
Posted - 27 December 2012 :  00:41:47

Deepakji!!!!

you had raised a most common question but most important question-query on behalf of major of the members, vaishnavas. You approached to solve your query, and majority tried to avoid the question to ask.

Apras - A+sparsh. No sparsh means apras. Why to do apras, first we just have small discussion....

In television a advertisement of Vicks vaporub comes.....explains the effect of sparsh-touching.....Maa ka sparsh de rahaat.....something like the quote. Means the positive touch of others enters the feelings to us also when they touch us or we touch them. When we go for Seva-Tahel of ShriPrabhu only with HIS grace, that time we had our own feelings. Our feelings to do the seva-tahel. So we maintain the decoram, discipline, a Shistachar of becoming pure by clothes, and body. So we do bath and wear good clothes. Inpure clothes stings or smell bad....so we wear new or washed clothes......

But here for going to seva-tahel of shriprabhu-shrigurudev, we avoid to touch others so that the thoughts upcoming in our mind remains intact. Person feels calm and easy.

Now for cotton clothes and others.......Clothes which gets wet or in other words in gujarati we say je vastra pani-jal-water ne sosi-chusi le, te vastra paherva thi aapni apras chhovai javani sambhavna che.....cotton clothes gets sucked with water when it comes in contact. Atle je koi pan vastra jal ne sosi-soki-chusi le, te vastra aapni apras chhovi de che.......Logic behind this is been already answered by you......to be in Aapras......

further if someone eloborates....and clarifies to me also.....if i mistaken anywhere, please guide me properly..

 



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Deepak_Shah
Entry Level Member


17 Posts
Posted - 27 December 2012 :  10:12:09
Jai Shree Krishna Govindbhai, Thanks for the answer. But I am still not satisfied with the answer. You have repeated the same thing what others have told me. First of all, let me correct yourself. The word APRAS means AP (Bhagvan) + RAS. It is similar to the word APVAAS (so called fasting) but real meaning is AP(Bhagvan) + VAAS (to stay, to be near) but we have framed the whole word and have given new meaning to it, meaning to be fasting. Coming back to word APRAS, one who is in Apras, is allowed to touch other who is in Apras as well (I know this because I have experienced it while I was offering Jariji at various Bethakji's). Well then, as per A + Sparsh meaning, he/she is no more in Apras as they have already touched other. Coming back to cotton, thread in Kanthi is also made from cotton. Few Vaishnavs now a days use nylon thread but still going back to roots, Kanthi is made from Tulsi and Cotton thread. So technically, even though you say, you are in Apras, water has touched thread of Kanthi and thus Kanthi is now "cho-vai gaye". I am sure you don't change your Kanthi now, that it is touched by water. On the contrary, Mahaprabhuji wear Cotton throughout His life. I have seen VallabhBalak, Bhitaryaji, Mukhiyaji wearing cotton Dhoti Bandi while offering Seva. Govindbhai, I don't want to hurt anyone's feeling but sorry, I am not satisfied with the answer. I am, now more confused as what to wear now while doing Seva because now I have to look for cloth material which does not get wet by water. Which is more confusing because if by chance I find cloth material which does not get wet by water, then how will I wash it. Not washing it will make it more stinky and smelly and is not suitable for Apras. So I am back to square one.

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govindshah2
Senior Member


154 Posts
Posted - 27 December 2012 :  10:29:53
Deepakji when we do fast we dont call as Apvas, but it is UPVAAS, up means to to near and Vaas means to take shelter. On day of fast our preference remains to stay near to ShriThakorji. Humne apni bolchal ki bhasha me Apvas kar diya. Ap arthat dur Vas arthat rehna, ashray. Upvas aur Apvas me arthbhed hai. Vaise hi humne APRAS arthat multah ASPARSH tha, jo apbhransh hoke Apras ho gaya.

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govindshah2
Senior Member


154 Posts
Posted - 27 December 2012 :  10:44:36
Deepakji, one best thing is that we should try to be always in touch with our Dikshadata ShriGurudev, take samadhan from aapshri.

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govindshah2
Senior Member


154 Posts
Posted - 27 December 2012 :  12:35:34
Pushtimarg me koi bhi chesta, upchar, kriya ShriThakorji abhipret hai, voh sadaiv uchit hai. Kahi hamare samajke bahar hone se illogical nahi ban jati. Hume sahi margdarshan karnewala koi mil jaye, to ye sanshay ka niras hoke sulabh ban jayenge. Pushtimarg ki pratyeg vyavastha suruchipurn rup se sanchit ki gayi hai. Satpratisat logical hai. Jo ShriGuru ke paas se swamargiya diksha prapt karte hai, unse hum kuch bhi vinanti nahi karte. Guru ka sthan bada ucha hai. Veh sarva margdarshan karte hai, bus bashart hamari tatparta, janne ki jigyasa, uske liye vinanti karni jaruri hai. Apne diksharthi Gurudev ka bhi kartavya banta hai apne sharan aye shishya ka margiya samadhan kare. Kshama kijiye, yadi kuch bhi anuchit keh diya ho to......

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govindshah2
Senior Member


154 Posts
Posted - 27 December 2012 :  12:40:45
Regarding kanthi, the thread is not of cotton but of Sutar. Is vishay par hum charcha age bhi karenge, tat krupa se uchit samadhan avashya prapt hoga.

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govindshah2
Senior Member


154 Posts
Posted - 02 January 2013 :  10:18:10
SHRIGURU Shishya ka sambandh atut hota hai, jaise deh me pranvayu. Is sambandh me aupcharikta nahi hoti. Ek shishya jab kisi ko Guru banata hai aur ek Guru kisi ko shishya banata hai, tab shreyast marg Guru hi dikhlayenge. Vartamaan paristhiti aisi ho gayi hai ki hum aaj Diksha le lete hai, phir hum unhe bhul jate hai. Hamara margiya vikas apne dikshadata Guru hi karta hai. Isliye apekshit hai hum apne Dikshadata ShriGuru ka sadashray kare.

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Deepak_Shah
Entry Level Member


17 Posts
Posted - 03 January 2013 :  08:24:26
Jai Shree Krishna Govindbhai, Thanks for the answer. I always thought cotton and Sutar is same. I checked few online dictionaries and they confirm the same thing. Cotton and Sutar is same. Which means thread of Kanthi is made from cotton or sutar. This brings me back to my original question. (My second post in the same article).

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