19860704 Initiation Ceremony

The following is a lecture given by HH Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 4^th July 1985. The lecture was given during an initiation ceremony.

Jayapātāka Swami: We cross over this material ocean of nescience. Even if there are a few tests, Kṛṣṇa helps those who are trying to help themselves or trying to advance in this service. So I don’t take any more time. We are very endeared to see that people by chanting, those who have taken sevaka, most of them received such inspiration that they are now coming up to take sādhaka or even in some cases harināma, which shows that they are steadily advancing. Spiritual life is not theoretical. Real spiritual life means that you get a real taste for it. You get real reciprocation from Kṛṣṇa. So no one can get that taste unless they initially begin to chant. Unless they take this step and follow the instructions of guru. So those who are starting off as sevakas taking this beginning step, or even those who are previous to sevaka, who are starting to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa on a regular basis as a trial, we extend our hand to them that they can advance very quickly and develop their taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our only objective is to see that people get back to home, back to Godhead. As many as we can save in the short time of our lifespan, that is our objective because once you go there “nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gataḥ (Bg. 8.15)”– you don’t have to come back again down into this material suffering again. So that end of suffering we like to do for as many people as possible. And what can be easier if one doesn’t have to go through extreme suffering to do it. One doesn’t have to go through extreme austerity to do it. One can simply lead a regulated life, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance in ecstasy, feast on Kṛṣṇa prasādam, go back home back to Godhead! It is not very difficult because naturally our attraction and love for Kṛṣṇa will draw us back to that spiritual world. So thank you very much for waiting.

So the sevakas are the first to get blessed, then sādhakas, then harināma. So the principles of the sevakas are accepted by the others. The principles of sādhakas are accepted by harināma. Also the principles of harināma of course, they are even more advanced. So when I ask the question, “Who are the sevaka and sevikā candidates?”, raise your hands. Nice, so I am going to ask the four basic principles. When I ask the principle, if you agree then you will be saying Hare Kṛṣṇa. The other sādhaka candidates can also confirm by saying Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then I will call up for getting the blessing, then we will go to the next, sādhaka. We can have a cameraman take pictures when they come up, each one individually. They may want to keep it.

So those who believe that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Absolute Truth is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and who believe that Kṛṣṇa has appeared in the age of Kali as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the most merciful avatāra, say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

If you believe that pure devotional service unto the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the perfection of life, and your goal in life is to ultimately achieve pure devotional service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

In order to quickly achieve this pure devotional service unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, if you want spiritual guidance from me and accept me as your instructing spiritual master, śīkṣā-guru, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

If as a kṛṣṇa-sevaka, you intend to gradually increase your devotional service with practice to eventually become pure in your personal habits so that you can achieve eternal shelter of Kṛṣṇa in this lifetime; for the kṛṣṇa-sevaka candidates, if in the future you want to receive harināma initiation from me, for that you want my blessings to advance quickly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Jayapātāka Swami: Alright, if I call a husband, because it does not mark here who the husband is so, the wife should also come at the same time. Jaya Gopāla… his wife is Sangeeta? Kṛṣṇa-sevaka, Jaya Gopāla. There are four other principles for sādhakas which we will read out quickly. If you agree with these principles, then you fold your hands and say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

If you follow the principle of regularly chanting a daily minimum of rounds, that should be minimum 8, upto 16, depending upon each individual, what they have mentioned here to me. And to regularly chant Hare Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting as taught by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

The principle of studying Lord Kṛṣṇa’s teachings – if you intend to regularly study and attend classes on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and other books by Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda under the guidance of myself and my representatives, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Then there is the principle of worshipping Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. If you are dedicated to practice worshipping Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the Kṛṣṇa conscious temples (and in your home, if you are living outside the āśrama) as far as practical including offering foodstuff and āratika to Lord Kṛṣṇa, worshipping the sacred tulasī plant, worshipping the spiritual master as non-different representative of Lord Kṛṣṇa, as well as following basic devotional practices or sādhanas, whether living in the temple or at home, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!                

Jayapātāka Swami: Then there is the principle of determination and desire for advancement. Actually, this is very important because if we simply desire to advance and we are determined to step by step try for it, Kṛṣṇa, He always helps His devotees. He takes ten steps towards you, for every one step you take towards Him. This is the principle: If you are determined to attempt controlling your mind and senses by engaging them productively in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service under my guidance through the regulative practice of bhakti-yoga, and if you want to quickly become qualified to accept the eternal shelter of harināma and become fixed in pure joy of spiritual practices, for this purpose if you want spiritual blessings from me, then say Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Okay so here we have Mr. and Mrs. Sivaneshan. Kṛṣṇa-sādhaka Sivaneshan.

Devotees: Hari bol!

Kṛṣṇe matir astu!

Now harināma initiations. The process is that they come up one by one, both husband and wife, and then they offer their obeisances here. Then when I ask them, they state the four principles and chanting. Then I give them their spiritual name and their beads.

So we have here Dr. Sitaram and Sheela. One problem is that these beads, after the eighth bead, they are to have a string attached like this. But this is not attached, so this can be added later. But kindly don’t forget to add.

What are the four regulative principles?

How many times Hare Kṛṣṇa per day?

And dedicated to following the disciplic succession coming down through Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrīla Prabhupāda, in his teachings?

*candidates answers all questions*

So your name already had Sitarama. I didn’t want to change it too much because it was already a holy name. So slight change is there. Now instead of the servant of Sitā and Rāma, you are the servant of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Your name is Śrī Rādhā Rāmana.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Sitaraman to Rādhārāmaṇa! Śrī Rādhārāmaṇa.

The servant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī who possesses all perfections, your name is Siddheśvarī Devī dāsī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Mrs and Mr Venkataraman. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Kṛṣṇe matir astu!

The four principles?

How many times chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa every day? 

And dedicated to following the disciplic succession from Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrīla Prabhupāda?

*candidates answer all the questions*

So your name means that you are the servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa who is the knower of the Vedas. By Kṛṣṇa’s mercy one can know all the Vedas, because He is the knower of the Vedas. Your name is Vedavit dāsa adhikārī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Your name means you are the servant of the Supreme Form of pure love for Kṛṣṇa, which is only manifested by Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī and Lord Caitanya. Your name is Mahābhāva Devī dāsī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

We have Mahendra.

What are the four principles?

How many times chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa every day?

And dedicated to following the principles, the disciplic succession from Prabhupāda?

*candidate answers all the questions*

So your name means you are the servant of – it is self-explanatory, everyone knows what it means. Your name is, right now you are unmarried so that means you are still a brahmacārī. Your name is Mahā-Viṣṇu dāsa brahmacārī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Next we have Vinod.

Four principles?

And how many times Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting every day?

And dedicated to following the disciple succession from and Śrīla Prabhupāda and Caitanya Mahāprabhu?

*candidate answers all questions*

Your name is Vijaya Mādhava dāsa adhikārī. Mādhava is a form of Kṛṣṇa that takes away the impediments from the heart of the devotees.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Jayapātāka Swami: Also, we have here Govindan.

How many times chanting every day?

You are dedicated to the disciple succession from Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya?

*candidate answers*

Your name is Gaura Govinda dāsa brahmacārī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

*next comes a candidate named Gopi*

Four principles?

How many times chanting every day?

And dedicated to following the disciple succession from Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Prabhupāda?

*candidate answers*

So name is already there Gopi, just a slight change, Gopīnātha dāsa adhikārī. Gopi to Gopīnātha.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Ramānujan.

What are the four principles?

How many times Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting every day?

Dedicated to following the guru-paraṁparā, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

*candidate answers*

Your name means you are a servant of Lord Nityānanda, who is an incarnation of Balarāma. Your name is Rāma Nitāi dāsa adhikārī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Sudhakaran.

What are the four principles?

How many times Hare Kṛṣṇa per day?

Committed to following the guru-paraṁparā from Prabhupāda?

*candidate answers*

Your name is – you are the servant of the spiritual master who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa – your name is Sadguru dāsa adhikārī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Balakrishnan.

What are the four principles?

How many times Hare Kṛṣṇa miminum every day?

Are you committed to following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciplic succession from Caitanya Mahāprabhu?

*candidate answers*

So your name – you are the servant of Lord Caitanya as a boy – your name is Bāla Gaurāṅga dāsa adhikārī.

Devotees: Hari bol!!

Bāla Gaurāṅgan.

Now we need some initiated devotees or sādhakas to take up positions in the four corners of the fire. One here, one here, one there, one there, and to be reading from some scripture, Gītā or Bhāgavatam during the ceremony.

♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ

svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca
śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

nama om viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāyabhūtale
śrīmate jayapatākā-svāmin iti nāmine.

svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

nama om viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhūtale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine.

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta sarasvatī iti nāmine

 svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayitāya kṛpābdhaye
kṛṣṇa-sambandha-vijñāna-dāyine prabhave namaḥ

svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

nama gaura kiśoraya sākṣād vairagya mūrtaye
vipralambha-rasāmbodhe pādāmbhujāya te namaḥ

svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

namo bhaktivinodāya sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine
gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

svāhā! svāhā! svāhā!

♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦

 

Verified by your humble ever Servant 
Vinoda Gopīkeśa Dāsa
09-01-2025
Māyāpur India