20230305 Initiation Address

The following is an initiation address given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on March 5th, 202 in Śrīdhāma 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: I will talk very short. Now this initiation ceremony and this is the birth in devotional path. After this birth you go grow in this path. And Gāyatrī mantra, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that is like 12 years old. A small child could make mistakes. But if a 12-year-old passes water on the mother’s lap then it is not good right? Now those who are going to take Gāyatrī mantra, they have to know a lot of things. That means those who are getting the Harināma or first initiation, they also have to learn a lot. We say that without Bhakti-śāstrī degree, they cannot get second initiation. That means immediately after first initiation, you should start studying the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam seriously. And before first initiation, you should have read the Bhagavad-gītā and the first canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now our endeavor is that this spiritual preaching should be expanded all over the world. Lord Caitanya said,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(Cc. Ādi 9.41)

To perfect this reading the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is essential. And the husband and wife the gṛhasthas, along with their children should do devotional service at home. Those who are brahmacārīs, they also should read the scriptures and do devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. And the gṛhasthas they should perform the garbhādāna-saṁskāra and try to have Kṛṣṇa consciousness children. Now, husband and wife praying to the Lord is not shameful, you do the garbhādāna-saṁskāra, pray to the Lord that He give you a Kṛṣṇa consciousness, healthy, long-lived daughter or son. Hare Kṛṣṇa! Now whatever you do, try to do that which would please Kṛṣṇa. We have to understand that we are not this body, we are eternal souls. And our duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera 'svarūpa' haya-kṛṣṇera 'nitya-dāsa' [Cc. Madhya 20.108] This way, if we do this way, so much happiness can be experienced. Ordinarily, it takes a long time to understand Kṛṣṇa. But with the mercy of Nitāi-Gaura, this is possible fast. Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa, in kīrtana, japa, all these facilitate the path of devotional service. This way, those who do not want to go back to Kṛṣṇa, who do not want to do devotional service, they should not take initiation. Now there is the chance for you, you can leave. Who all of you have taken their vows? Raise your hands. Who have not taken vows, raise your hands. None. Not even one? Good! I understand that all of you are bound by the four regulative principles and chanting of 16 rounds every day. I will chant the mahā-mantra, you will keep your right ears open, especially ladies. No one should chant together. After I finish you can chant.

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

Everyone of you will say your name and I will hand over the chanting beads.