Text 331] Explanations of the Atmarama Verse 275
sadhvinam adhikdro ‘sti
sudradinam ca sad-dhiyam
“Sddras and women who are chaste and sincerely interested in understanding the
Absolute Truth are qualified to be initiated with the paficaratrika-mantras.” This is
also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.32):
mam hi partha vyapdsritya
ye ‘pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sddras
te ‘pi yanti param gatim
“O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—
women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sidras [workers]—can approach the
supreme destination.”

If one actually wants to serve Krsna, it doesn’t matter whether one is a sddra,
vaisya, or even a woman. If one is sincerely eager to chant the Hare Krsna mantra
or diksd-mantra, he is qualified to be initiated according to the pdficaratrika pro-
cess. According to Vedic principles, only a brahmana who is fully engaged in his
occupational duties can be initiated. Sddras and women are not admitted to a
vaidika initiation. Unless one is fit according to the estimation of the spiritual
master, one cannot accept a mantra from the pdaficaratrika-vidhi or the vaidika-
vidhi. When one is fit to accept the mantra, he is initiated by the pdaficaratrika-
vidhi or the vaidika-vidhi. In any case, the result is the same.

Regarding mantra-siddhi-adi-sodhana, the efficiency of the mantra, Srila Bhakti-
siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gives sixteen divisions, which are confirmed in the
Hari-bhakti-vilasa (beginning with 1.204):

siddha-sadhya-susiddhari-

kramaj jieyo vicaksanaih
These are (1) siddha, (2) sddhya, (3) susiddha and (4) ari. These four principles
can be divided further: (1) siddha-siddha, (2) siddha-sadhya, (3) siddha-susid-
dha, (4) siddha-ari, (5) sadhya-siddha, (6) sadhya-sadhya, (7) sadhya-susiddha,
(8) sadhya-ari, (9) susiddha-siddha, (10) susiddha-sadhya, (11) susiddha-susid-
dha, (12) susiddha-ari, (13) ari-siddha, (14) ari-sadhya, (15) ari-susiddha, and
(16) ari-ari.

Those who are initiated with the eighteen-alphabet mantra do not need to
consider the above-mentioned sixteen divisions. As enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-
vilasa (1.215, 219, 220):

na Catra satrava dosa
narnasvadi-vicadrana
