20231205 Initiation Address

The following is an initiation class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on December 5th, 2023 in Namahatta auditorium 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: Today you have all come to take initiation. This is being performed in accordance with our guru-paramparā system. Then the devotees are given spiritual names with dāsa or dāsī suffix. Meaning that we become the Lord’s man servant or maid servant. If any of you do not want to become the Lord’s man or maid servant, you may leave this place. Kṛṣṇa said, He will always protect His devotees. This society of our is Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. That means we will always think of Kṛṣṇa and always be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Morning, afternoon, and night, all the time think of Kṛṣṇa. That is why we take the oath that we will chant 16 rounds every day. Other than that, we will also think of Kṛṣṇa while doing other services. Mother Yaśodā used to do various services. She used to churn the yogurt and make butter. When she was doing this, she would sing the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. What is the problem? If we do this, we will be happy. This is the secret, how all the time we can remember Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, Kṛṣṇa’s qualities, Kṛṣṇa’s names. That is why we take the oath that we will chant 16 rounds every day. Other than that, we will also think of Kṛṣṇa while doing other services.

Mother Yaśodā used to do various services. She used to churn the yogurt and make butter. When she was doing this, she would sing the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. What is the problem? If we do this, we will be happy. This is the secret, how all the time we can remember Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, Kṛṣṇa’s qualities, Kṛṣṇa’s names. Now, not doing that, people now listen to cinema songs, think about football and cricket! But we all the time try to see how we can remember Kṛṣṇa all the time. This is the society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our previous ācāryas have explained the value of this to us.

Someone may think that Caitanyadeva was here 500 years ago, but we can think of the Lord in the mood of separation. That way, there is no difference between the Lord, His name, His thoughts, His service. So every day chanting 16 rounds we remember the Lord. In addition, we do saṅkīrtana, nagara-saṅkīrtana. In many ways Lord Caitanya has taught is to always remember Kṛṣṇa. Yesterday I was reading the 10th Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Rukmiṇī before her wedding to Śiśupāla had gone to the temple of Ambikā Devī. There she offered her obeisances to Ambikā Devī and Mahādeva. She also offered obeisances to Ambikā Devī’s sons, Kārtikeya and Gaṇeśa. The girls who were there told Rukmiṇī to say whatever her greatest desire was. Rukmiṇī Devī told Ambikā Devī, “I desire Kṛṣṇa as my husband. I want Kṛṣṇa!” It is not a big deal to pray to Devas and Devīs. What we desire and what we ask of them is what is most important. Rukmiṇī wanted and prayed for that. And her wish was fulfilled. Kṛṣṇa came and took her away. This way, wherever we go, whatever we do, we have one thought, Gaurāṅga, Kṛṣṇa, how we will be able to always think of Them.

It is late in the night now and I will not talk more. You heard talks by His Holiness Gaurāṅga Prema Mahārāja and His Holiness Bhakti Vilāsa Gauracandra Mahārāja and Cārucandra Prabhu. Hare Kṛṣṇa!