20260406 Initiation Address

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: So today we have gathered together the first dīkṣā and Harināma ceremony. Śrīla Prabhupāda had said that the dīkṣā ceremony puruścaryā is divided into two – the first initiation has some things and the second has other things. First initiation is not just Harināma. It is Harināma plus vows, sacrifice, spiritual name, so this is not just Harināma, it is first initiation. You heard about the ten offences to the holy name and you should avoid those. Harināma is the Kali-yuga, yuga-dharma and Harināma is our best friend! If we commit any offence then the Harināma can forgive them. But if we commit offence to Harināma, no one else can forgive us. Harināma is the most merciful!

Harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Cc. Ādi 17.21]

Eva means certainly and nāsty eva – nāsti means no, no, certainly no other way. It is said three times. That means it is very emphatic. So by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra every day we get special mercy from Lord Kṛṣṇa. Also, there is one dīkṣā-guru but there may be many śikṣā-gurus. So, by accepting dīkṣā you are connected to the guru-paramparā. We have A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupāda and his guru Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda and then Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Śrīla Siddha Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī. Like that up to Lord Caitanya. And beyond that we are in the Brahma-Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. You should all read Śrīla Prabhupāda books – Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, get the degrees. Now our Brahma-sampradāya is known for its knowledge of the śāstras. So please study Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books and get the degrees. Those who are gṛhasthas, they should offer their work to Kṛṣṇa. Everybody should offer their work to Kṛṣṇa. But the gṛhasthas are working to maintain their families and they should also be thinking that I am doing this work to please Kṛṣṇa. And some portion of their income should be given to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Those who do not have the Gāyatrī mantra, we chant the Gāyatrī morning, noon and evening. That is called tri-sandhyā. So, that is a very serious stage. But I recently read in one of the śāstras where it said that you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa 108 times at the tri-sandhyās. So those who do not have the Gāyatrī mantra they should chant three rounds of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra tri-sandhyā. If you want to count it in the 16 rounds every day or you can do it extra as well. I want to see you all go back to the spiritual world. Haribol!

Now if you want to go, then you can stay for the ceremony! If you don’t want to go, then you can leave right away! It is not that you want to stay here but don’t want to take initiation. So, anyone leaving? Alright! So, I am going to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra three times. Ladies, everybody keep your right ear open and hear.

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