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into Vaishnavism after the Upanayanam ceremony or 

 investment with the sacred thread, in the belief that it 

 is the duty of all of their creed to carry throughout 

 life a memorial of their god upon their person. To 

 eftect this, resort is had to branding with heated copper 

 seals made in the conventional form of the various 

 symbols of Vishnu, 



Members of this sect are not compelled to undergo 

 this ordeal more than once during" their lifetime, but 

 the Madhva sect which comprises chiefly Canarese- 

 speaking Brahmans, have to submit to it as often as 

 they visit their Guru. Men of other castes who become 

 followers of a Vaishnava or a Madhva Acharya (Guru) 

 are expected to present themselves before the Guru for 

 the purpose of being branded. But the ceremony is 

 optional and not compulsory as in the case of a Brahman. 

 Even the women in Vaishnavite families must submit to 

 this branding ; in their case it takes place after marriage 

 in the case of Sri Vaishnavites, while among the 

 Madhvas one form of branding should be performed at 

 any age before marriage should the Guru visit the 

 neighbourhood, and a more formal one again after 

 marriage. Regarding Sri Vaishnavites, Thurston (I., 

 S7o) states that " the disciples after a purificatory 

 bath and worship of their gods, proceed to the residence 

 of the Acharya, or to the mutt where they are initiated 

 into their religion, and branded with the chakra on the 

 right shoulder and with the chank on the left. The 

 initiation consists in imparting to the disciple, in a very 

 low tone, the Mula Mantram, the word Namonara- 

 yanaya, the sacred syllable Om, and a few mantrams 

 from the Brahma Rahasyam (Secrets about God). A 

 person who has not been initiated thus is regarded as 

 unfit to take part in the ceremonies which have to be 

 performed by Brahmans. Even close relations, if 

 orthodox, will refuse to take food prepared or touched 

 by the uninitiated." 



As Vaishnavite Gurus are few in number, it is 

 necessary for them to peregrinate the country, halting 

 at suitable centres to brand those of their followers 

 living in the neighbourhood just as a Bishop in certain 

 Christian churches tours his diocese to afford confirma- 

 tion (i.e., initiation) services at periodical interv^als. In 



