19800826 Initiation Lecture

The following is an initiation lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on August 26^th 1980 in Tokyo, Japan. The lecture was given on the day of Śrī Balarāma Pūrṇimā.

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

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

namo mahā-vadānyāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho
dīna-bandho jagat-pate
gopeśa gopikā-kānta
rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi
rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari
vṛṣabhānu-sute devi
praṇamāmi hari-priye

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca
kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo
vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

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

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

So today is a very auspicious day. It is the appearance day of Lord Śrī Balarāma. Balarāma is maintaining the creation, annihilation and maintenance of all the universes with expansion of His expansion of His expansion’s expansion by just a fraction of His potency. Yet He comes down very kindly just for the pleasure of His devotees, to accept their service, to allow them to advance along the path of back to home, back to Godhead and to assist Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And this Kali-yuga, Lord Balarāma came as Lord Nityānanda to assist Lord Kṛṣṇa who came as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

The strength that we all require to advance in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness for pure devotional service can be easily gotten by the favor and mercy of Lord Balarāma. Balarāma, we saw today that for the offenders He has also very strong to act when someone does not see one’s own fault. When the Kauravas refused to see their faulty position Lord Balarāma had to teach them a lesson where He practically moved the whole Hastināpur city threatening to throw it within the Ganges River. This shows the unlimited power of Lord Balarāma just one fraction. At the same time it shows how concerned He is that one should not commit offense. Also we saw as soon as they came out and begged forgiveness He immediately softened His heart, His view changed and He began to give them mercy. Similarly, so long as we are fighting against Kṛṣṇa.

kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare
kṛṣṇa-buliya (sei) jīva (bahirmukha)
athaiva māyāra tādera dei saṁsārādi duḥkha
(Prema-vivarta)

When we turn our face away from Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma then māyā gives us so much trouble. Then we are forced to suffer repeated birth and death. We are forced to suffer not being in Their devotional service which is itself the greatest suffering and the greatest sadness. But we see that Balarāma is very quick to forgive, very quick to accept one if he approaches Balarāma in a humble attitude. Therefore it is necessary that every devotee on this very special day should pray to Lord Balarāma so that He may forgive us for our offenses and that we can advance in pure devotional service avoiding all offenses in the future.

Today we are sitting and there is a Harināma initiation ceremony. Harināma is the beginning of one’s spiritual advancement, is a positive entrance into spiritual life where Kṛṣṇa accepts the devotee as a spiritual servitor of His lotus feet. However, we have to be careful not to take the chanting of the holy name for granted. The holy name is Kṛṣṇa, holy name is Rāma. Holy name is Person. Therefore, just like we can offend anyone, if we misbehave, we can offend our teacher, we can offend our parents. Similarly, we can offend Kṛṣṇa. We can offend the holy name. The holy name, He is most merciful, therefore, we have to be very careful not to offend the holy name. Because if He is offended, then who will help us? Who is there more merciful? Just like for instance, sometimes we may do something wrong and we may offend our headmaster or he may offend some particular authority. Then we will think, who is more kind than him, who is more compassionate? Let me go to that person and plead my case so that we can get forgiven for our mistakes. But when we come to the holy name, there is no one more merciful. There is no one more kind. So if we offend the holy name, where can we go for some special favor? Therefore, one is the scriptures advise us that we have to be very careful to avoid offenses to the holy name. There are 10 kinds offenses to the holy name.

And these offenses: The first one, of course, is to blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. That anyone who has dedicated his or her life to propagating the glories of Kṛṣṇa’s name should be understood as on the transcendental platform. Of course, we may see some kind of defect with our materialistic vision. But we should not see with materialistic vision. We should see the good activities that a person is doing. Especially someone who is completely dedicated. We should never speak ill of that person. Nor we should hear anything which is blaspheming or criticism of that person which is based upon some ill motivation or which is incorrect. This is very dangerous. Just like it is explained that the spiritual master, he is not necessarily anyone see, very very great. But he is like a mailman, he delivers the message of Kṛṣṇa. And by delivering the message purely without changing the contents, that is perfection and by following that message, one can attain to the full mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

So Kṛṣṇa looks upon His devotees who have dedicated their lives with great affection in reciprocation of their surrender to Him. So if one offends such a devotee, then naturally the holy name becomes very displeased with that action. Even other godbrothers, godsisters, who are trying to preach the glories of the holy name, they may not be so advanced, but still we should not take them for granted or think that they are also not dear to the holy name. We should be careful about useless criticism of any devotee trying to spread the glories of the holy name, and especially those who are cent percent engaged. This is known as the mad elephant offense. If we participate in blaspheming devotees, then whatever advancement, whatever growth in our bhakti-latā plant, our creeper of devotion that gets smashed, just like when a mad elephant goes into a banana orchard and just smashes it under his feet with his body, there is nothing left of that orchard. They cannot stand before the man elephant, like that our creeper may be making some advancement. But as soon as we start to blaspheme, (you see) pure devotees, devotees, who have dedicated their life to preaching the holy name, then that offense can smash our creeper down. So this is very important to avoid this at all costs.

The second is to consider the names of demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā to be equal or independent of the name of Lord Viṣṇu. Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu. But one who is a devotee knows that no demigod, however great he may be, is independently as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if someone thinks that he can chant “Kālī! Kālī!” or “Durgā! Durgā!” and it is the same as Hare Kṛṣṇa that is the greatest offense. Of course, we don’t have so much difficulty with this here in the west, because devotees are trained from their beginning of their spiritual life on Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However in India, this of course is an offense which people sometimes make. So we should be very careful not to misconsider Lord Kṛṣṇa, name to be on the level with any other name, whether the demigods or anyone’s name, because His name is not different from Himself. It’s transcendental.

nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
’bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ
(Cc. Madhya 17.133)

The holy name is non different from Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. So we should not compare Him with others. He is never equal or less than anyone else. He is always transcendental to everyone.

The third is to disobey the orders of the spiritual master. The spiritual master gives various instructions for the elevation of the disciple. And these instructions, some of them are general, just like a time of initiation. A disciple promises to follow certain principles and to chant 16 rounds per day minimum. And there are also specific instructions which are given from time to time. And these instructions are inspired by Kṛṣṇa in the heart of the spiritual master. And he speaks through the spiritual master. The spiritual master is to be seen as the svarūpa of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa’s representative. Kṛṣṇa is within our heart, guiding us and from out He is guiding us through the spiritual master. So if Kṛṣṇa is so kind as to give us some instructions, some orders, so that we may advance very quickly to the shelter of His lotus feet. And if we neglect those orders, so this is very offensive to the holy name. Just like if we go to see a doctor and the doctor tells us to do this to get cured and we don’t do it, then naturally that’s a big waste of time to go to such a doctor. So this holy name is known as mahauṣadhi. It is the great medicine. But along with His holy name, there are various other diets, treatment and procedures which have to be followed. And these are given by the spiritual master. Therefore these orders have to be obeyed. If they are not, the holy name takes it as an offense.

The fourth offense is to blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. The Vedas are directly given by Kṛṣṇa, sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ [SB 6.3.19]. Therefore, they are accepted to be non different from Kṛṣṇa’s own words. Therefore, if we start to criticize or make light of these Vedic scriptures or the lessons they are giving us, this is very offensive to the holy name.

Five is to consider the glories of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa as imagination. Sometimes the scriptures describe that by chanting ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’, just by chanting one time ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’ more sins are destroyed than a person can chant, even in millions and millions of lives. So this and various other instructions about the glories of the holy name. If we think this is some imagination, this is an offense against the holy name, we should take that whatever glories are described in the scriptures about the holy name are true. They have had that effect on some devotee, and they may have that effect on any devotee. We should not think that this cannot happen or is some imagination. We should pray that it may happen very quickly to us by avoiding all these offenses.

Six is to give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. Sometimes different poets and people, they like to think that chanting the holy name is actually effective. Because of so many imagined breathing or this or that, they may make up something. (You see) They do not understand the actual position of the holy name, how He is fully cognizant, transcendental, uncomparable to anyone else, that Kṛṣṇa has infested all of His potencies in His holy name. So just try to make some mental intellectual adjustment. Avoiding Kṛṣṇa and the transcendental position of the holy name is another offense we have to avoid.

The seventh is to commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name of the Lord. This is because by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can be freed from all kinds of sinful reactions. It should not be taken that one may continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided. That means we should always be afraid to commit offenses or sins. We should be afraid to do this. We should not think that, “Oh, because I am a devotee, or I can commit this and then later I will just chant ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’ or I will approach the spiritual master or the Deity and beg forgiveness and become forgiven. So let me just do this. Even though I know it’s wrong, let me do it now. Later I will get forgiven.” You see, this is a type of dangerous cheating. We can’t cheat Kṛṣṇa. You saw what happened to Hiraṇyakaśipu, who tried to cheat Kṛṣṇa and he was killed by Nṛsiṁhadeva. No one can outsmart Kṛṣṇa. So if Kṛṣṇa gives us the intelligence to see that this is wrong, then we should try to avoid it, not think that, “Oh, I can do it and later approach Kṛṣṇa for forgiveness.” That is trying to take advantage of Kṛṣṇa’s kindness of the holy name’s mercy. So for someone who is trying to take advantage of Kṛṣṇa never believes such a devious person. In fact, Rūpa Gosvāmī advises us that we have to be straightforward. A devotee has to be straightforward in ordinary dealings. This is very important because how we act in our ordinary dealings will also by association, possibly affect how we will act with Kṛṣṇa with His holy name, with His spiritual master. So we must be straightforward on our dealings and avoid dupliciousness, avoid deviousness. Sometimes it hurts to say the truth because we may get criticized or chastised. But that is brahminical quality to say the truth. Because by saying the truth then we develop strong character and we also develop higher qualities of goodness. And even at the moment we may think that this is very unfortunate that I told the truth, now I being scolded or now I am getting some instruction. But the actual benefits are immense. And if we actually do something wrong then it’s better to get our instructions at that time and let it be finished once and for all. So sometimes people may avoid this straightforward manner in their ordinary dealings. But if this is by some unfortunate circumstance done with the holy name and one performs some sinful activity thinking that well, I will just ask Kṛṣṇa’s holy name or chant and I will get forgiven, then the mercy of the holy name is taken away. And as we mentioned before, there is no one who goes so low to pick up the devotee. We are born in this material world, especially this Kali-yuga. We are born with so many sinful desires, with so many different kind of materialistic associations. Even we don’t want it. Just by being in this material world we are in a very difficult predicament. So the holy name, however, no matter how sinful one is even as sinful as Jagāi-Mādhāi, who are very nasty people. They were thieves, they were rogues, they were armed robbers, they would molest innocent people, they would even blaspheme devotees. Of course, they were forgiven from that blasphemy by Lord Nityānanda’s special mercy. But then later they were initiated into the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa and the Harināma has lifted them up.

pāpī tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo,
tāra sākṣī jagāi mādhāi
[Hari Hari Bifale song]

So we should be careful not to offend the holy name, because He is so kind, He will lift us up, Kṛṣṇa’s name will lift us up. Even if we make a mistake, even if we are fallen nature. But if we turn away from that all merciful holy name then where do we go? Cannot repeat this point too much.

The eighth offense is to consider the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa as one of the auspicious ritualistic activities which are offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities, karma-kāṇḍa. There are so many activities that one can perform to get material benefits in the Vedas, one can build roads, plant trees alongside of roads, can also dig wells and in return for that one gets some material benefit in future life may get a nice birth or a nice financial condition. See, these are all pious activities. To think that while chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is not in the same category, even if we compare it… Haridāsa Thākura said if someone compares by performing an aśvamedha-yajña, an āśvamedha is when they take a horse in previous ages it’s not allowed in Kali-yuga they would take a horse and sacrifice the horse, an old horse at a fire sacrifice and they would give the horse a new body by Vedic mantra. They wouldn’t kill the horse but they would actually give the horse a new body. They would kill the horse and give it new life, give it a new body by mantras. So it wasn’t really killing the horse, it was a very special sacrifice. Such brāhmaṇas are not available in this Kali-yuga to perform such difficult sacrifices. So this aśvamedha-yajña, which is very powerful requires so many arrangements to be made that can even free one from the sinful reaction of killing brāhmaṇa. It’s such a powerful sacrifice. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura said if we compare that chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa once is equal to a million aśvamedha-yajña, we are a demon, we are an atheist. Because Kṛṣṇa, He is not only in the material sphere which is what these other sacrifices cover, but He is unlimited in the spiritual realm, everywhere. So to compare anything spiritual, especially the holy name with something materialistic, even a great sacrifice like aśvameadha-yajña means we haven’t understood actually Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental position. So we have to be careful not to think of Kṛṣṇa’s chanting as equal with any kind of materialistic activity, even standard religious acts.

The ninth offense is to instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name. Anyone can take part in chanting the holy name of the Lord. But in the beginning, one should not be instructed about the transcendental potency of the Lord. Those who are too sinful cannot appreciate the transcendental glories of the Lord. And therefore, it is better not to instruct them in this matter. Just like when we had our Ratha-yātrā festival, we asked everyone to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And there is nothing wrong in asking everyone to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But if were to announce over the stage that, “By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa you will destroy all your sins,” then people say, “Well, I don’t believe in sin. I don’t believe in this.” So many doubts will come up in their mind. Because they have no philosophical understanding of what is this material world. Therefore, it’s recommended not to instruct all these secrets and all the mysteries and all the glories of the holy name. Which require some spiritual advancement before one can understand. Rather, let one invite people chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, serve Kṛṣṇa, simple things. And as one is eager to know more, then he should be instructed not that an unaware, unfaithful person should immediately be told so many things which they may not be able to accept or understand. And as a result, then they will become envious against the holy name. They will become doubtful and this will create offenses for them which will hurt their spiritual advancement. And if we hurt someone else’s spiritual life, then our spiritual life gets hurt. That’s why this has been given as one of the offenses against the holy name which we should avoid.

The last and tenth offense is to not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments even after understanding so many instructions on this matter. Every devotee who claims to be a Vaiṣṇava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success. You see, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one can achieve all the desired goals of life. But if we think about not chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa or about making some alternative arrangement for achieving the goals of our life. In spite of hearing so many instructions, so many good lessons, then as a result of that, the holy name becomes offended, which is natural, which is natural. Holy name is extending His mercy, His helping hand and then if we turn away from that mercy and then we engage in some materialistic activity or some other concocted activity, naturally holy name will become offended. So all these offenses, if we… naturally we will sometimes, although we avoid we may commit some offense then we should be very sorry for that and we should pray to the holy name and pray to Kṛṣṇa, spiritual master or any Vaiṣṇava. We may have offended in a very humble way and request forgiveness. Just like the Kurus, they begged Balarāma forgiveness and He easily forgave them. Kṛṣṇa is not hard. He may strict to a point until we come to realize our mistake. We may sometimes suffer. But this is because Kṛṣṇa is allowing māyā to kick us. Because we are not surrendering, we are not accepting Kṛṣṇa’s shelter. This is Kṛṣṇa’s kindness upon us. This is His special mercy.

Śrīla Prabhupāda used to quote that Kṛṣṇa shows His special mercy upon a devotee when He takes away all the material possessions and material false egos, forcing the devotee to surrender upon Him, forcing the devotee by circumstances to remember Kṛṣṇa. Of course, only a devotee will be encouraged to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. So because of previous prayers, because of prayers of well-wishing Vaiṣṇavas and the spiritual master, sometimes Kṛṣṇa gives us some special mercy so that we can depend upon Him easier. And we have to take that as His special mercy.

So these are basically the 10 offenses of the holy name. And this chanting is never to be given up, never to be given up. Even we go to the spiritual world. Even we visit the planet of Vaikuṇṭha with Nārāyaṇa or Ayodhyā with Rāmacandra or Dvārakā, we see Kṛṣṇa in Balarāma or in Vṛndāvana, we see Kṛṣṇa in Balarāma, we don’t stop chanting ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’. Even in Vṛndāvana, the residents of Vṛndāvana, they’re always chanting ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’. This chanting is an eternal process and it begins even from our beginning of spiritual life. And it continues right up eternally without any end. So therefore this is a very joyful and glorious occasion. When someone dedicates one’s life to chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and to serving Kṛṣṇa, because that is eternal process. One is guaranteed now to be eternally engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service just by following these instructions, just by chanting faithfully. So therefore, this is a very, very happy occasion.

We offer so many flowers to the Deity, but what can be a more wonderful offering? Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to tell Śrīla Prabhupāda what could be a more glorious, more wonderful offering than offering the living flower of a spirit soul to Kṛṣṇa’s service? So when someone has become convinced that I want to serve Kṛṣṇa for my whole life, life-after-life, then Kṛṣṇa is very pleased with that soul. But that does not mean that simply by taking that one step, everything is completed. Māyā is always eager to test our sincerity. Therefore, we must protect ourselves by associating with devotees, by always obeying the orders of the spiritual master, by avoiding these offenses, and by always being enthusiastic in our service, being patient that even if we don’t seem to get some immediate result, that Kṛṣṇa will very soon have His mercy and being determined to get that mercy. And this is possible to maintain these attitudes by associating with devotees, by following regular principles, and by being straightforward. These are the six favorable aṅgas, or parts of devotional service, bhakti recommended by Rūpa Gosvāmī in the Upadeśāmṛta.

So it’s very important that we always surround ourselves, just like a king, he surrounds himself by his fort, by his ministers, by his relatives, by his army, by his treasury, and by his citizens and his country. And this is why he has so many people protecting him. Without a good family members, relatives, princes and queen, without a proper minister, advisors, without a proper army, fort, or any money in his treasury, (you see) or good citizens who are… and his order his law, the king is helpless to manage or to be protected. So similarly, we are devotees. But Kṛṣṇa has given us, we are jīvātmās – we are living entities in this ocean of material universe. But Kṛṣṇa has given us the method to stay always in the ocean of transcendental bliss (you see). So we have to be like deep water fish, we have to dive deep in that ocean, deep in the ocean, (you see) and that we have to go so deep that the fish catchers, they can’t get us with their nets or with their hooks. So we always stay in a very humble position with māyā very far overhead, by staying deep in the water of devotional service and that ocean of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, ocean of devotional nectar. And as soon as we start to want to see what is on top of the ocean, or whether there is some kind of other situation or a little care, then the danger is that fish catchers are there. They will try to catch us, māyā’s representatives. Therefore, we always stay deep in the water with all the other deep water fish. We are not alone, spiritual master is there, so many devotees are there deep in that ocean of nectar. And we know that however, up at the top there are so many ships going with so many devices for catching the frivolous fish who want to go and flop on the top (you see). So whoever is more expert, he can go deeper in the water, deeper in the nectar ocean, that means further away from māyā. So this is a special opportunity that’s given to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That opportunity was brought to the Western countries by Śrīla Prabhupāda. It is Śrīla Prabhupāda special mercy that he wanted this movement to be available to everyone and that he has made it available all over the world. So we are simply trying to follow in his footsteps and make it available to everyone to get this most valuable thing in life, is ‘service of Kṛṣṇa’. So we should always be grateful and remember our previous ācāryas, especially our founder-ācārya Śrīla Prabhupāda. And of course his previous ācārya Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, who sent him, and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Gaura-kiśora, also, everyone has done their part, but especially Śrīla Prabhupāda has brought this movement around the world. He has picked up this rascal and somehow or another is engaging me in devotional service. And by his order I am now a guru. This is not on my own potency, but on his order. Lord Caitanya said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128] – “On My order you become a guru and you deliver this land.” So on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s order, I am a spiritual master. And on his order, through the disciplic succession, I am able to accept on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, the surrender of individual souls. This is simply Prabhupāda’s mercy. I am not worthy in my own estimation of any such position. But because of his order, it is my solemn duty and responsibility to perform that order. As we just heard, the third offense to disobey the order of the spiritual master. If a spiritual master refuses someone who is eager and qualified to accept initiation, who wants to serve Kṛṣṇa sincerely, that is an offense. Because I won’t be obeying the order of my spiritual master. So it is a responsibility which I must perform, if I want to please my spiritual master and avoid offending the holy name.

And in this way, because each spiritual master is following the instructions of his spiritual master, the mercy of Kṛṣṇa is delivered through that disciplic succession. And when we offer our prasāda, the prasāda goes up, each spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī, They take the prasāda Nitāi-Gaura take the prasāda, each of the spiritual masters take and we get mahā-mahā-mahā-mahā-mahā-mahā-mahā-mahā-prasāda. We get so many times mahā-prasāda, so it’s very nectarine and sweet.

So all glories is to Lord Balarāma, all glories is to Nitāi-Gaura. These Nitāi-Gaura Deities, I believe were once worshiped in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, and then the Tokyo devotees requested their association in Tokyo because they are exactly the same size as their Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deities which they had. So very nice to have their merciful glance upon us today again here in far distant corner of the world, millions of thousands of miles away from the center of the universe, Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, where Lord Caitanya Nityānanda are eternally manifesting Their transcendental pastimes. Now we see that through the whole world They are manifesting Their pastimes through all the saṅkīrtana devotees. All the devotees in this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Their pastimes are being expanded. So thank you very much. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.

Initiation ceremony: Your name can remind you also of the Lord as well as the devotee because his name was also glorifying the Lord and is also a great name of a great book written by Rūpa Gosvāmī named after the Lord and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Her devotees and the other devotees in Dvārakā, that’s Lalita-mādhava.

Devotees: Jaya!

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