20260430 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: Su-svāgatam! Today we are observing a dīkṣā ceremony. Candidates have gone through different stages. And you have all heard the lecture on the ten offences to the holy name. We should avoid these ten offences very carefully. Actually, in Kali-yuga there are no good qualities. It is an ocean of faults.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
[SB 12.3.51]

Only one good quality! That is the kīrtana, that is the chanting of the holy names of Kṛṣṇa! That gives us transcendental association, takes us to the spiritual world! So, in Kali-yuga there is no hope except the holy name! Now, if we offend the holy name, no one else will be able to help us. If we offend the Deities, anyone if we offend, the holy name can help us and liberate us. But if we offend the holy name, no one will help us except the holy name! So we have to chant the holy name, beg for forgiveness and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra constantly. Harināma is the most merciful! So, it is our dearest friend! So those who are taking initiation are declaring a war against māyā! Soldiers in modern days, they carry rifles, etc. In this war against māyā we have bhakti-yogīs and yoginīs, and we carry the arm of Harināma! Haribol! Gaurāṅga!

Lord Caitanya came down from Goloka Vṛndāvana to present this saṅkīrtana-yajña! His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda spread it all over the world! And his followers are further spreading it now. It says that a guru should deliver his disciples. I could do that because Lord Caitanya has given the sublime process! But I can only do it, if you follow! If you don’t follow, you think I will take initiation, bas! That is it! If you think this way, then you can leave from this auditorium! Now, we are into this together! And this is a very serious thing. So, we need you all to very strictly follow. No excuse! So, someone asked me, how can I sustain my enthusiasm all my life? Life is short and we are taking initiation means, yes, I am willing to do kṛṣṇa-bhakti! And I want to follow the guru-paramparā, Śrīla Prabhupāda and all the previous ācāryas. So, the purpose of initiation is to relate formally to the guru-paramparā. It may be that informally you have taken that already. So it is a very serious ceremony, I am taking a big responsibility, you are taking a responsibility. And you have taken your vows right? So, anyone who did not take their vows? So you chant every day 16 rounds, 1728 mantras of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. And you are following to avoid breaking the four regulative principles. Like this, you will try to do everything systematically in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Actually, although now we are saying it very seriously, it is actually very blissful! That is why, we are doing it for so many years! We could not do it if we does not give us happiness! So people in this material world are suffering. In Kali-yuga people are unlucky, unfortunate, lazy, disgruntled and, in anxiety, etc. For nothing people are arguing, divorcing, doing various negative things. You see the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all good! And by His association, everything becomes correct. But this Kali-yuga is godless. So, that is the unfortunate situation! So we are trying to get people – Kṛṣṇa’s name, fame, pastimes, etc., are all divine. If people can associate with Kṛṣṇa, then it is all auspicious for them!

Today is the very auspicious day, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared to save His devotee, Prahlāda. We pray to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, Bhakta Prahlāda, Lakṣmī devī, that all the candidates may cross over all the obstacles that māyā gives, and be very successful in your devotional service. This human life is to understand our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Eating, mating, sleeping, fighting, defending, it is even available to animals. But human beings have the intelligence, the ability to understand Kṛṣṇa. By engaging in His devotional service life becomes successful. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Some ladies are not opening their right ear, moving their saree – your right ear should be exposed.

So, I will chant, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra three times:

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