20201203 Initiations given virtually to Māyāpur Brahmacārīs

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: So we are all gathered here for this initiation ceremony. Initiation means getting connected with the guru-paramparā. And the Founder Ācārya of ISKCON is Śrīla Prabhupāda. Every devotee has a special connection with him. As we are reading his books and following his instructions, that is why we have special worship and program for him. Now the initiation ceremony is being conducted through the guru. Whatever you do with a good mind, that will be good for me. If you do some mistakes, I will suffer for that. If you get prema-bhakti, love for Godhead, that will be good for me. Anyway, initially there may be one or two mistakes, but everyone should try that they don’t commit any mistakes. Have all the candidates who are taking initiation, taken their vows? Have you heard about the ten offences against the Holy Name? We will preach Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desire and Lord Caitanya’s desire. We worship Prahlāda Narasiṁhadeva – Prahlāda was a goṣṭhyānandī. And Śrīla Prabhupāda he was a goṣṭhyānandī. We desire that the number of devotees increase. And, that way, with body, mind and soul, serve by preaching.

The life of a brahmacārī is a time of examination. All of you will do the examination in such a way that you follow the brahmacarya āśrama properly. Our duty is to fight with māyā. Which of the āśramas will be strong for that has to be seen. For some being a brahmacārī is suitable and for some being a gṛhastha is suitable. There is a saying, one man’s food is another man’s poison. We desire that all will fight with māyā, whichever āśrama they be in. Now this brahmacarya āśrama is fully dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Those who are taking up wearing saffron or red clothes for some time, they will wear saffron, but if they stay longer, it is very good. One devotee brahmacārī came to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s room and said that, “I don’t have any sex desire.” Śrīla Prabhupāda asked him, “Are you sick or something? Do you have some disease?” To observe brahmacarya āśrama means to tolerate these things. It is not that we don’t have any material desires. They could be there, but we keep ourselves so busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service that we don’t have time to think about māyā, about these things. There are some brahmacārīs who in hiding speak with girls. But being a brahmacārī, they have to speak to them in a proper way. There should be no personal talks or teasing with girls. We will stay in kṛṣṇa-kathā, properly.

Now, gṛhastha āśrama, they have a wife and children, a group. That is another kind of subtle body. In New Mexico, in America, I had met with an accident in a car. In the accident the car I was in spun seven times. I was chanting Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa! But the gṛhastha who was with me, he was saying, “You are chanting ‘Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa’ but I was thinking my wife, my children, what will happen to them?” This way there is an advantage of living the life of a brahmacārī. But this brahmacarya āśrama is called bṛhad-vrata. It is not very easy. You have to be very careful. All time, engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service. With women, one should talk in a controlled manner. Personal discussions are only allowed in gṛhastha āśrama and not in brahmacārī āśrama. This way, in one way, if we see, the life of a brahmacārī has not many responsibilities. Their only responsibility is to stay in Kṛṣṇa’s service. But in gṛhastha life, there are many responsibilities. I won’t talk much about gṛhasthas now. But you are willing to following brahmacarya way of living is very good. Let us see if you are able to follow it or not. That way, following the brahmacarya way of living, we want to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Now, initiation whether for brahmacārīs, gṛhasthas, or ladies, they all have the same vows to follow. Follow the four regulative principles, whatever is prohibited, we accept. You will help me in following and implementing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions. And every day all of you will at least chant 16 rounds. This way, there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s name. As we chant Kṛṣṇa’s names, gradually we will realize the association of Kṛṣṇa. That way, chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy names has these effects. I hope that everyone will chant Kṛṣṇa’s name and be engaged fully in Kṛṣṇa’s service. That way māyā will have no chance of entering your lives. As we have Harināma initiation, brāhmaṇa initiation now I will offer you my hearty wishes and end my talk.