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Nectar from Srila Prabhupada on how to become perfect Gaura Pur Nim at Toronto's New Remuna Dahm My Grandaughter's first hari-nama Sri Govardhana Puja Sedro Woolley, WA 2006 Srila Prabhupada Writing at Radha Damodara Packed Temple Celebrates Lord Krishna's Appearance With Great Pomp The Skagit Magic Music Festival Proposal for Starting a Please Prabhu Key Events Society Friendship and Love Video of the annual Ratha Yatra If You Stay With Krsna The Tradition of Debate Hare Krishna Society Panama Potency of Krsna Book Authority of the Acarya "Atheists-Blind Bluffers" Death Is God Letter to Karandhar Tittenhurst, October 1969 Why not become a wise man? It is a very great mistake Glories and Pitfalls part 4 Glories and Pitfalls part 3 Glories and Pitfalls Part 2 Glories and Pitfalls of Chanting the Holy Names Simple Method of Krishna Consciousness HKS Montreal, Canada Festival of Nityananda The Position of Imitation Spiritual Masters What is a Devotee? If Only 5% Becomes Krishna Conscious HKS Montreal Gaura Purnima Festival Gaura Purnima Sedro Woolley, WA For Your Viewing Pleasure Honoring
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Srila Prabhupada Siddhanta For Information
about Bona-Fide Initiations |
Importance of Initiations
 Madhya 15.103 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House... Satyaraja Khan said, "My dear Lord, being a householder and a materialistic man, I do not know the process of advancing in spiritual life. I therefore submit myself unto Your lotus feet and request You to give me orders." Madhya
15.104 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House...
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Without cessation continue chanting the holy name of Lord Krsna. Whenever possible, serve Him and His devotees, the Vaisnavas." Madhya
15.105 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House...
Upon hearing this, Satyaraja said, "How can I recognize a Vaisnava? Please let me know what a Vaisnava is. What are his common symptoms?" Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Whoever chants the holy name of Krsna just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being. PURPORT Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna once, a person becomes perfect. Such a person is understood to be a Vaisnava. With such faith and belief, one may begin a life of Krsna consciousness, but an ordinary person cannot chant the holy name of Krsna with such faith. This is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Upadesamrta: krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta.
One should accept the holy name of Krsna to be identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Transcendence Himself. The holy name of Krsna is also identical with Krsna and is also cintamani. The name Krsna is the personification of sound perfectly transcendental and eternally liberated from material contamination. One should understand that the name Krsna and Krsna are identical. Having such faith, one must continue to chant the holy name. When one is situated on the neophyte platform, one cannot understand the devotional ingredients of a pure, unalloyed devotee. However, when the novice engages in devotional service-especially in Deity worship-and follows the order of a bona fide spiritual master, he becomes a pure devotee. Anyone can take advantage of hearing about Krsna consciousness from a pure devotee and thus gradually become purified. A devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord is a pure devotee, even though he may be in the neophyte stage. By his association, others may also become Vaisnavas. One is known as a materialistic devotee if he simply worships the Deity of Hari with faith but does not show proper respect to the devotees and to others. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.47): arcayam eva haraye
pujam yah sraddhayehate na tad-bhaktesu canyesu sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah "Anyone who engages with faith in the worship of the Deity of Hari but does not show proper respect to the devotees and to others is known as a materialistic devotee." However, by associating with a neophyte devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one can become a devotee also. When Lord Caitanya was teaching Sanatana Gosvami, He said: sraddhavan
jana haya
bhakti-adhikari 'uttama', 'madhyama;' 'kanistha'-sraddha-anusari yahara komala-sraddha, se
'kanistha' jana krame krame tenho bhakta ha-ibe 'uttama' rati-prema-taratamye bhakta-taratama "A person who has attained firm faith is a real candidate for advancing in Krsna consciousness. According to the faith, there are first-class, second-class and neophyte devotees. One who has preliminary faith is called kanistha, or a neophyte. The neophyte, however, can become an advanced devotee if he strictly follows the regulative principles set down by the spiritual master. The pure devotee whose faith advances becomes a madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari." (Cc. Madhya 22.64,69--70) It is thus concluded that even a neophyte devotee is superior to the karmis and jnanis because he has full faith in chanting the holy name of the Lord. A karmi or a jnani, regardless of his greatness, has no faith in Lord Visnu, His holy name or His devotional service. One may be advanced religiously, but if he is not trained in devotional service, he has very little credit on the transcendental platform. Even a neophyte devotee engaged in Deity worship in accordance with the regulations set forth by the spiritual master is in a position superior to that of the fruitive worker and speculative philosopher. Madhya
15.107 The Lord Accepts Prasada at the House...
"Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna, one is relieved from all the reactions of a sinful life. One can complete the nine processes of devotional service simply by chanting the holy name. PURPORT
The nine types of devotional
service are mentioned inSrimad-Bhagavatam
(7.5.23):
sravanam
kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau
bhaktis cen nava-laksana kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye 'dhitam uttamam
These are the
activities of hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshiping,
praying, obeying, maintaining friendship and surrendering everything. As
far as chanting the holy name of Krsna is concerned, one can be freed
from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name without committing
offenses. If one chants offenselessly, hemay be saved from all sinful
reactions . It is very
important in devotional service to chant the holy name of the Lord
without committing offenses.
The nine devotional processes such as sravana and kirtana can all be
attained at once if one simply chants the holy name of the Lord
offenselessly.
In this regard, Srila Jiva Gosvami states in his book Bhakti-sandarbha (173): yadyapi anya bhaktih kalau kartavya, tada kirtanakhya-bhakti-samyogenaiva.
Out of the nine processes of
devotional service, kirtana is very important.
Srila Jiva Gosvami therefore
instructs that the other processes, such as arcana, vandana, dasya and
sakhya, should be executed, but they must be preceded and followed by
kirtana, the chanting of the holy name. We have therefore introduced
this system in all of our centers. Arcana, arati, bhoga
offering, Deity dressing and decoration are all preceded
and followed by the chanting of the holy name of the Lord-Hare Krsna,
Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama,
Hare Hare.
Madhya 15.108 The Lord Accepts Prasada at
the House of...
"One does not have to undergo initiation or execute the activities required before initiation. One simply has to vibrate the holy name with his lips. Thus even a man in the lowest class [candala] can bedelivered. PURPORT Srila Jiva Gosvami explains diksa
in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283):
divyam
jnanam yato dadyat
kuryat papasya sanksayam tasmad dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih "Diksa is the
process by which one can
awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused
by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed
scriptures knows thisprocess as diksa."
The regulative principles of diksa are explained in the
Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.3,4) and in Bhakti-sandarbha (283). As stated:
dvijanam anupetanam
svakarmadhyayanadisu yathadhikaro nastiha syac copanayanad anu
tathatradiksitanam
tu mantra-devarcanadisu
nadhikaro 'sty atah
kuryad atmanam siva-samstutam
"Even though born in a brahmana
family, one
cannot engage in Vedic rituals without being initiated and having a
sacred thread. Although born in a brahmana family, one becomes a
brahmana after initiation and the sacred thread ceremony. Unless
one is initiated as a brahmana, he cannot worship the holy name properly."
According to the Vaisnava regulative principles,
one must be initiated as a brahmana. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.6)
quotes the following injunction from the Visnu-yamala:
adiksitasya
vamoru
krtam sarvam nirarthakam pasu-yonim avapnoti diksa-virahito janah "Unless one is
initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, all his devotional
activities are useless. A person who is not properly initiated can
descend again into the animal species."
Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.10) further quotes:
ato
gurum pranamyaivam
sarva-svam vinivedya ca grhniyad vaisnavam mantram diksa-purvam vidhanatah "It is the duty of
every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving
him everything-body, mind and intelligence-one must take a Vaisnava
initiation from him."
The Bhakti-sandarbha (298)
gives the following quotation from the Tattva-sagara:
yatha kancanatam yati
kasyam rasa-vidhanatah tatha diksa-vidhanena dvijatvam jayate nrnam "By chemical manipulation, bell metal is turned into gold when touched by mercury; similarly, when a person is properly initiated, he can acquire the qualities of a brahmana." The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.11,12) in discussing the purascarya process, quotes the following verses from Agastya-samhita: puja
traikaliki nityam
japas tarpanam eva ca homo brahmana-bhuktis ca purascaranam ucyate guror
labdhasya mantrasya
prasadena yatha-vidhi pancangopasana-siddhyai puras caitad vidhiyate "In the morning,
afternoon and evening,
one should worship the Deity, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, offer
oblations, perform a fire sacrifice, and feed the brahmanas. These five
activities constitute purascarya. To attain full success when taking
initiation from the spiritual master, one should first perform these
purascarya processes."
The word purah means "before" and carya means
"activities."
Due to the necessity of these activities, we do not immediately
initiate disciples in the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness. For six months, a candidate for initiation must first
attend arati and classes in the sastras, practice the regulative
principles andassociate with other devotees. When
one is actually advanced in the purascarya-vidhi, he is recommended by
the local temple president for initiation. It is not that anyone can be
suddenly initiated withoutmeeting the requirements. When
one
is further advanced by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds
daily, following the regulative principles and attending classes, he
receives the sacred thread (brahminical recognition) after the second
six months. In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.4,5,7) it
is
stated:
vina
yena na siddhah syan
mantro varsa-satair api krtena yena labhate sadhako vanchitam phalam purascarana-sampanno
mantro hi phala-dhayakah atah puraskriyam kuryat mantravit siddhi-kanksaya puraskriya
hi mantranam
pradhanam viryam ucyate virya-hino yatha dehi sarva-karmasu na ksamah purascarana-hino hi tatha mantrah prakirtitah "Without
performing the purascarya
activities, one cannot become perfect even by chanting this mantra for
hundreds of years. However, one who has undergone the purascarya-vidhi
process can attain success very easily. If one wishes to perfect his
initiation, he must first undergo the purascarya activities. The
purascarya process is the life-force by which one is successful in
chanting the mantra. Without the life-force, one cannot do anything;
similarly, without the life
force of purascarya-vidhi, no mantra can be perfected." In his Bhakti-sandarbha (283),
Srila Jiva Gosvami states:
yadyapi sri-bhagavata-mate pancaratradi-vat
arcana-margasya
avasyakatvam nasti, tad vinapi saranapattyadinam
ekatarenapi
urusartha-siddher abhihitatvat, tathapi
ri-naradadi-vartmanusaradbhih sri-bhagavata saha
sambandha-visesam
iksa-vidhanena sri-guru-carana-sampaditam cikirsadbhih
krtayam
iksayam arcanam avasyam kriyetaiva.
Of similar importance is diksa, which is explained as
follows in Bhakti-sandarbha (284):
yadyapi svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah svabhavato
dehadi-sambandhena
kardaya-silanam viksipta-cittanam jananam
tat-tat-sankoci-karanaya
srimad-rsi-prabhrtibhir atrarcana-marge kvacit kvacit
kacit kacin
maryada sthapitasti.
Similarly in the Ramarcana-candrika it is stated:
vinaiva diksam viprendra
purascaryam vinaiva hi
vinaiva nyasa-vidhina japa-matrena siddhida In other words, the chanting of the
Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so powerful that it does not depend on
official initiation, but if one is initiated and engages in
pancaratra-vidhi (Deity worship), his Krsna consciousness will
awaken very soon,
and his identification with the material world will be vanquished. The
more one is freed from material identification, the more one can
realize that the spirit soul is qualitatively as good as the Supreme
Soul. At such a time, when one is situated on the absolute platform, he
can understand that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are
identical. At that stage of
realization, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mantra, cannot be identified with any material sound. If one accepts the Hare Krsna maha-mantra as a material vibration, he falls down. One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself. One should therefore be initiated properly according to revealed scriptures under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. Although chanting the holy name is good for both the conditioned and liberated soul, it is especially beneficial to the conditioned soul because by chanting it one is liberated. When a person who chants the holy name is liberated, he attains the ultimate perfection by returning home, back to Godhead. In the words of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 7.73): krsna-mantra
haite habe
samsara-mocana
krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana "Simply by chanting the holy
name of Krsna one
can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting
the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the
Lord."
The offenseless chanting of the holy name does not depend on the initiation process. Although initiation may depend on purascarya or purascarana, the actual chanting of the holy name does not depend on purascarya-vidhi, or the regulative principles. If one chants the holy name once without committing an offense, he attains all success. During the chanting of the holy name, the tongue must work. Simply by chanting the holy name, one is immediately delivered. The tongue is sevonmukha-jihva-it is controlled by service. One whose tongue is engaged in tasting material things and also talking about them cannot use the tongue for absolute realization. atah
sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah According to
Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 17.134):
ataeva
krsnera 'nama', 'deha','vilasa'
prakrtendriya-grahya nahe, haya sva-prakasa "With these material senses,
one cannot understand the
transcendental holy name of the Lord or His form, activities and pastimes. However, when one actually engages in devotional service, utilizing the tongue, the Lord is revealed." Madhya 15.110 The Lord Accepts Prasada at
the House of...
"By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one dissolves his entanglement in material activities. After this, one becomes very attracted to Krsna, and thus dormant love for Krsna is awakened. Madhya 15.110 The Lord Accepts Prasada at
the House of...
" 'The holy name of Lord Krsna is an attractive feature for many saintly, liberal people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is so powerful that save for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily available to everyone, including the lowest type of man, the candala. The holy name of Krsna is the controller of the opulence of liberation, and it is identical with Krsna. Simply by touching the holy name with one's tongue, immediate effects are produced. Chanting the holy name does not depend on initiation, pious activities or the purascarya regulative principles generally observed before initiation. The holy name does not wait for all these activities. It is self-sufficient.' " Madhya 15.111 The Lord Accepts Prasada at
the House of...
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then finally advised, "One who is chanting the Hare Krsna mantra is understood to be a Vaisnava; therefore you should offer all respects to him." PURPORT
In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami states: krsneti
yasya giri
tam manasadriyeta diksasti cet. An advanced devotee should respect a person who has been initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and who is situated on the transcendental platform, chanting the holy name with faith and obeisances and following the instructions of the spiritual master. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments that serving Vaisnavas is most important for householders. Whether a Vaisnava is properly initiated or not is not a subject for consideration. One may be initiated and yet contaminated by the Mayavada philosophy, but a person who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly will not be so contaminated. A properly initiated Vaisnava may be imperfect, but one who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly is all-perfect. Although he may apparently be a neophyte, he still has to be considered a pure unalloyed Vaisnava. It is the duty of the householder to offer respects to such an unalloyed Vaisnava. This is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction. [Editor's note: Hare
Krsna-so the conclusion is this: anyone who once chants the Holy Names
of Krsna, according ot Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is
worshipable/one
should take vaisnava initiation in order to easily perfect
this
mantra
chanting/ if one does not take initiation he or she can fall down into
the animal species and all previous devotional activites are
useless / the life force of the chanting is purascarya or initiation by
a
bonafide spiritual master. its true that by once chanting the
names of
God one can be liberated-like Ajamila-but this story
is to
show a
unique example and the power of the Holy Names in a severe
situation / Prabhupada mentions elsewhere that due to our restless
minds,
we MUST engage in Deity worship and follow all the rules and
regulations he has written in his books about, in order for us to
continue from neophyte to more advanced vaisnava and ultimately learn
how to chant without ANY offenses, because its in THAT state we get the
ultimate result-liberation and prema.]
Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das |
