यथा काञ्चनतां याति कांस्यं रसविधानतः ।
तथा दीक्षाविधानेन द्विजत्वं जायते नॄणाम् ॥
yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ |
tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṝṇām ||
(Tattva-sāgara; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 2.12; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 5.455; Bhakti Sandarbha: 298)
“As by means of mercury bell metal acquires goldness [i.e., as an alchemical process involving mercury is believed to turn bell metal into gold], so by means of dīkṣā the twice-bornness of human beings arises.”
Commentary
nṝṇāṁ sarveṣām eva dvijatvaṁ vipratā |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“The ‘twice-bornness’ (dvijatvam), that is, brāhmaṇa-hood (vipratā), ‘of human beings’ (nṝṇām), that is, verily of all, [arises by means of dīkṣā].”