19860914 Initiations

The following is a lecture given by HH Jayapatākā Swami on September 14th 1986 at New Pānihāṭi dhāma in Atlanta, Georgia. The lecture was given on the occasion of an initiation ceremony.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

namas te sārasvate deve gaura- vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa -śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita  gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī gurum dīna-tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī-caitanyam īśvaram

Jayapatākā Swami: So the Kṛṣṇa conscious program is to give people practical realization of the self.

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam
(Bg. 9.2)

There are many methods of religious practice, but specifically, this is considered to be the topmost of all spiritual process, by which one can realize their own spiritual identity - a living force which activates the body, which is the essential living principle in the body, which is known as the ātmā or the self, as well as the Supreme Self from where everything comes. So, in order to achieve that type of realization, there are different systems which have been given, of which taking a second birth or a spiritual birth is specifically recommended in the Vedas. That one should take a spiritual birth with the guru as the father and the śāstra as the mother. And in this spiritual newly gained life, one can proceed in the practical realization of the self. To realize oneself as a spiritual entity one should start to act as one who is spiritually realized would act. So the initial practice is somewhat mechanical, that a spiritually liberated person would act in this way. By acting in that way, simultaneously chanting, reading and following the other processes, then one gradually becomes realized. And then one automatically acts that way. It is kind of like, when you take off in a bicycle in the beginning, when you don't know how to keep your balance, they have the training wheels. The bicycle you already have to pedal it the same way. It's just that you don't have your balance yet. You do not realize the system of keeping your balance while riding on bicycles, so they have the training wheels for the small tots. Once you get the hang of it, once you have the method down, then you don't need the training wheels. So in the beginning the rules and regulations guide us so that we can act in a way which spiritually realized souls should act. By acting in that way, it is very easy, it is very favourable for realizing the self, and realizing Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Self. So, process of initiation is a process where one makes a commitment that from now on I am not going to act, or I will try not to act, simply on the basis of a kind of animal in the material world. Rather I am going to act as a spirit soul embodied in a material body, and act for my spiritual interest. The spiritual interest is supervised and guided by the spiritual master. If we don't know what we should do or shouldn't do, then we ask the guru and He gives us guidance that this is the proper thing to do. This way we are always safe, we are protected.

Some of the candidates are living in the temple here, doing full time service and propagation. Some of the candidates are living in their home and they are doing jobs outside. Normal employment. Tax paying citizens. But they are practicing their Kṛṣṇa consciousness from their home very responsibly and they are feeling a complete change in their lives since they took up the Kṛṣṇa conscious process. So our program is a "gṛhe thāko vane thāko", whether someone lives in the home, or whether they live in the āśrama, everyone should practice the system of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is not very difficult but it is very sublime, and it is very effective. It is so effective that even if you are not living in an āśrama, if you make your own home into a spiritual atmosphere through chanting and other systems which we can train one, then that can also be a suitable place from which to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.  So this is our program, that first the person should try chanting. Don’t blindly believe us. We are not asking that you have blind faith, believe in our dogmas. We are giving this as a process, this is a philosophy, whether it is a philosophy, or some meditation, or some yoga, any angle you want to look at it, it is a science. And if you personally try to apply it in your own life, make an experiment, what do you have to lose?! You have everything to gain, nothing to lose. If you actually find that it works, then if you are interested in taking any forms of initiation, then that door is always open. This is totally voluntary. There is no obligation that if somebody comes 10 times here they have to take some initiation, nothing like that. In fact there are some people who have come here for years together, and they are not taking any initiation. So this is totally open, it is up to one's own volition. If they want to take more responsibility in spiritual life, if they want to have a closer relationship with the guru, for those who can chant four rounds in a day (which takes about a half-an-hour), and who want to have a close relationship with the guru, we give a prāk-dīkṣā, or pre-initiation of Gaura-sevaka. For those who chant eight to sixteen rounds and who are preparing to take initiation very seriously, and they follow the basic day to day program of spiritual sādhanā or practices, they take kṛṣṇa-sādhaka. Those who are already convinced and want to make a permanent commitment to lead a Kṛṣṇa conscious way of life, they take the harināma initiation. Those who after taking harināma initiation, want to themselves perform higher level type of services like Deity worship, be trained in these various rituals, if possible to become a priest, or other types of spiritual duties and obligations, then they may after further training take the second initiation, known as the Gāyatrī-mantra or brahminical initiation. These are various stages. There are other stages but, today these stages of initiations and pre-initiations, are being performed. But the whole process from beginning to end is totally voluntary. At any stage, it is totally up to the person. The person has to come forward and say, “I would like to take this kind of pre-initiation or initiation” or “I would like to become trained, to become qualified to take that level of spiritual responsibility.” Or if someone doesn't want, they can go on chanting. Just learn from us this process and they can chant in their own home or anywhere that they feel comfortable to chant, whether in the park, in their MARTA buses or wherever. And by doing this, they can experience for themselves what is the practical effect of practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If somebody is not yet convinced to do that, then they can study the philosophy or they can analyse it from another intellectual angle. For that we have our classes, and our question-and-answer periods and discussions.  

But tonight we are dealing now with the practical. Those people who have understood basically some of the philosophy, and they have practically applied it and they want to become more serious and more advanced in the practical process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So for this reason, we are having this ceremony. These are very important ceremonies, because there is a link which is formed between the guru and the disciple. The guru takes the responsibility for the disciple's spiritual life. The disciple also promises to follow the guidance of the guru. So this link is a soul to soul relationship, it has nothing to do with the body. Even after this body perishes, that relationship is still there. So it is a very important relationship which is established, then one has to be very responsible. That is why we do not rush anyone into it. We say take a year or so, longer if you like, and see that this is actually what you want to do. But usually when someone gets a little taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for spiritual life, then they can understand that this is something very profound, and very deep, very satisfying, they willingly like to go further.

Are there any questions? Just in case somebody by accident might just be sitting down here, they don't really want to be here, this is your chance. If someone is forcing you to be there or it is not, you know... maybe you have been brain-washed or something, then you are totally free to get out and wait for whenever you feel. So for the harināma initiation, first we have Mr. and Mrs. Cinthy and Paul. Come up together and pay your obeisances. Husband and wife team. What are the four regulative principles? How many times chanting minimum every day? So you are committed to follow the disciple succession coming from Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu through Śrīla Prabhupāda? So then, one of the names of Kṛṣṇa, and also one of the names of Kṛṣṇa's devotees. Actually Cinthy and Paul, they are Kṛṣṇa-sādhaka. Paul is working outside, managing some business things and Cinthy is working for AT&T. Although they are working outside, they are able to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This shows that anyone can practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness if they put their mind to it. Although they are very busy due to their active day, but they also come in the morning at 4’o clock, 4:30 AM, for the maṅgala-ārati. Drive from their home, attend the maṅgala-ārati here, then go back to their home, get ready and go to work. So for those who like to see the very peaceful time of the day, if you come over here every morning, we have a before dawn meditation period and you will find that is the best time for practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because that time is very peaceful and the mind is also in a very favourable state for meditation. They have been practicing that and experienced the change in their life and soul.

Your name, Bhakta Paul, is Pāṇḍava Dāsa Adhikārī.

Your name is Caitanya Rūpā Devī dāsī.

(devotees play karatālas very loudly, clapping and chanting 'Hari bol').

Nefertiti.

What are the four principles? How many times Hare Kṛṣṇa per day? Are you committed to following the disciplic succession coming from Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu? On your beads, you should all add after the eighth bead, a string. Little string that gets added. So your name means you are the servant of one who is very dear to Lord Nityānanda. Your name is Nitāi Priyā Devī dāsī

*devotees celebrate*

Then we have one pre-initiation. Kṛṣṇa-sevaka Harriott. He is taking kṛṣṇa-sādhaka. One of the Atlanta seniors. So there are four principles of kṛṣṇa-sādhaka in addition to the four sevās you took before. The 4 sevā, just to remind you, is that 1. Śrī̄ Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and 2. His pure devotional service is the highest perfection of life. 3. Your personal goal in life is to achieve pure devotional service, 4. and for that purpose you have accepted me as your śikṣā-guru and you are preparing yourself by gradually practicing devotional service to become more purified and advanced. So now, the next level of kṛṣṇa-sādhaka is has also 4 principles. Kṛṣṇa bala, kṛṣṇa bhaja, kara kṛṣṇa śikṣā, and of course sādhana-bhakti. So the first principle that you are committed to chanting regularly, how many rounds you are chanting now? So if you are committed to chanting your minimum number of rounds and attending the congregational chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa. And if you are committed to reading the books written by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, or pursuance of his teachings under my guidance, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you are committed to worshipping Lord Kṛṣṇa in the temple or your home, such things as worshipping tulasī or worshipping guru as representative of Kṛṣṇa, worshipping Kṛṣṇa by offering your foodstuff to Him, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa. And if you are committed to controlling your mind and senses by engaging them in practices of devotional service and to become completely qualified and purified, and would like blessings so you can quickly advance to take full initiation of harināma, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa-sādhaka Harriot!

*celebrations*

Verified by your humble ever Servant  

Vinoda Gopīkeśa Dāsa 
09-01-2025
Māyāpur India