20220829 Addressing Dīkṣā Ceremony

The following is a Vizak initiation talk given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 29th, 2022 in Vishkhapatnam,India.

Jayapatākā Swami: Bhakti-śāstri is Bhagavad-gītā and various small books.

Bhakti-vaibhava and Bhaktivedānta is studying the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

It is important that we know these literatures because they are the literary incarnations of the Lord.

Arjuna was taught the Bhagavad-gītā by Lord Kṛṣṇa.

His grandson was taught the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Parīkṣit Mahārāja sacrificed his life for everyone to hear the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, these are the highest literatures.

Of course, Caitanya-caritāmṛta is after Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So, bhakti-yoga process means to follow the answers given in these literatures.

There was a medical doctor told me he said he was illiterate, and he could not read these literatures.

How could he be illiterate and be a doctor?

He said well, I am not educated in spiritual matters.

But if a person can read then he could read some Śrīla Prabhupāda books.

And get the degrees, get the knowledge.

So, I am glad here in Andhra Pradesh, people are more into bhakti-yoga.

Here Śrīnivāsa Govinda, Narasiṁhadeva various Viṣṇu Deities are there.

So we can go back to the spiritual world if we understand the transcendental nature of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s appearance and activities.

Everyone should read and understand the birth and activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

We don’t get to choose our parents.

Have any one of your children said, I want this mother and this father?

We are assigned, we have no choice.

But Kṛṣṇa chooses He will be the son of Devakī and Vasudeva.

I will grow up with Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja.

He chooses His activities, His parents – they are transcendental.

And He came in the prison house of Kaṁsa in Mathurā.

He came dressed up in yellow garments, four arms as Viṣṇu.

Because He wanted to convince Devakī and Vasudeva He could so.

Devakī asked Him, please take a baby form.

He said take Me to Vṛndāvana and leave me in the house of Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja. 

So the process of initiation means that we are dedicating ourselves to do everything to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa.

We want two things that are pleasing to Lord Kṛṣṇa – hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate.

How many people, like animals, they don’t do things with a higher purpose.

Generally, they think they are the body, and they do āhāra, nidrā, maithuna, bhaya.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said the real goal of life is to understand we are not this body.

Animals cannot do that, humans can do that.

We have karma.

Many people waste their valuable human life.

The sthāvara-jaṅgamam, the trees are – jaṅgam means moving.

Insects, birds, cows, animals, human beings.

We reach human life after going through 8 million forms of life.

This is a very rare opportunity.

We can achieve the spiritual world by simply engaging in bhakti-yoga.

How many here, may be more than a 100-students of the Divine and the parents have their children trained in this Divine school so that they can be trained in the real purpose of life.

So if one becomes a parent, mother or father, they should be able to liberate their children from birth and death.

So here those who are taking initiation, they are also liberating their mother and father.

So, we take vows – have everyone taken their vows?

Who have not taken their vows?

To do some austerity is the aim of life.

We cannot do very difficult austerities.

We avoid sinful actions.

We don’t take intoxication, we don’t eat non-veg and we don’t have illicit sex or sex outside of marriage.

So, this is the minimal austerity we do.

And so, all those who are taking initiation have promised to do this.

Am trying to learn a little Telugu!

I learnt Bengali and little Hindi.

I can understand Odia and Nepali.

But just trying to learn Telugu!