20200925 Initiation Ceremony for Kanhaiyā, Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa-Kathā deśas

The following is an Initiation Ceremony via Zoom for the Kanhaiya Balaram Krishna Katha desa devotees by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on September 25th,2020 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Jayapatākā Swami: Puruṣottama month prayer:

govardhana dharam vande
gopalam gopa-rūpinam
gokulotsava īśānam
govindam gopikā priyam

So today we have all gathered together to take initiation. Before this was practice, from this time is your spiritual birth. I think you have all taken your four vows. I have an additional vow that you will help me in fulfilling Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission. And also that you will chant minimum, 16 rounds a day of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

So you should make a regular practice to read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. And you should try to engage yourself in yukta-vairāgya, serving Kṛṣṇa with everything. I am very happy that husband and wife are cooperating together to serve Kṛṣṇa. The purpose in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to live a peaceful life and to serve Kṛṣṇa. We want to use our senses to please Hṛṣīkeśa, the Master of the senses. In this way our human life is successful, and we go back to Kṛṣṇa at the end of life. We had the sheltered stage, the aspiring stage that people can try out. And now when you take initiation, this is a serious commitment.

In the pastime of Dhruva Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa said unless Dhruva was initiated, I will not take him seriously or something like that. So, when you are accepted for initiation that means also Kṛṣṇa accepts you. We have to be very careful not to commit any offence to guru, Kṛṣṇa or Vaisnavas. You are all working in the Middle East. Of course, most of you! So, we use our occupation, work, also as part of our service to Kṛṣṇa. It is very important that we use our thoughts, our words, our deeds in Kṛṣṇa’s service. We recently saw the World Holy Name, many devotees in the Middle East got their friends to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra for this. People come there for their economic development. But we want them also to achieve the real purpose of life, to achieve Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa reveals that one can surrender directly to Him. And by surrendering to Him, He will give freedom from all your past karmas and take you back to Him. I am just acting as a humble representative of the guru-paramparā. My job is to help you get back to Kṛṣṇa. I am being assisted by many devotees. I want to see that you get back to Kṛṣṇa in this lifetime. We would like to see that your children also get back to Kṛṣṇa. So, part of our mission is that you should see that not only yourself but as many people as possible get back through you. Thank you all for your serious commitment to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

If you follow carefully, I benefit, if you are lax, I suffer. So please be very careful. Be very respectful to all the Vaiṣṇavas. Use every opportunity to increase your devotional service. So now I will say the mantra once. Please keep your right ear open. Ladies may take their sarees from their right ear. Listen, don’t speak till after I finish.

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

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

Alright, Oṁ tat sat !