20030116 Initiation Address

(Disclaimer: The following is a machine-generated transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. It will be reviewed and verified against the original audio soon.)

The following is an initiation lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on January 16, 2003 – in Chennai, India.

Here you need more garlic. Thank his Holiness Bhānu Swami Mahārāja for his lucid, illuminating, illustrating and interesting description of the 10 offenses of the Holy Name and why we should avoid them and what they are. I hope you all remember his words of wisdom. Now, prior to giving the beads receiving the vow of initiation, we are to speak something on the significance of initiation. We are coming in that siblings next session. From Brahma through we ask the name to Madhvācārya to the Madhva line to Mādhavendra Purī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. From Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Siddh Bhaktisiddhānta Vishnu Pad Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada. So Srila Prabhupada expressed personally that he wants his disciples to initiate and that those disciples they initiate would be disciples of his disciples and would be his grand disciples.

So only to fulfill the desire his Divine grace, we are trying to continue that Guru Parampara in ISKCON and this is our initiation ceremony with two types of initiation. Bhagavad Vidhi and Pancharat Tricki Vidhi. The Bhagavad Dharma is based on chanting the holy names, studying the Puranas and Srimad Bhagavad and Bhagavad Gita. So this entails getting. So the Bhagavad Giri means you get the beads name, neck bead, You give a new spiritual name. And you accept the Guru and the Guru accepts you on the Nama Guru. Gayatri Mantra means that you get the Gayatri Mantra. Gayatri Mantra is following the Panchrase system. So in the Srivad Bhagavatam it explains that there’s three births. We take parental birth, Guru birth and Yagic birth. Everybody here is born from their parents. That’s how we get human form of life.

That’s very important because it’s difficult for other species to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Not many birds and beasts are chanting Japa. Hanuman and Garuda are exceptions. So we take the holy name from the Guru and we promise to serve the Guru Parampara through the Diksha. Guru. Parambaraki may savage, but also everyone in ISKCON has a relationship with Prabhupada because as the founder of Acharya he is everyone Siksha Guru. So disciple always has the right to ask questions of the Guru. Everything the Guru does should be supported by Sadhu Shastra and his Guru. The second initiation is the third birth is this Yakyak Janam over. Then we can perform Yajnas. So when whatever we do, it affects the Diksha. Guru, when we are initiated, Making a promise before the fire is very solemn. In the Padma Purana there’s a history about making a promise before Krishna.

Krishna. One father made a promise to give his daughter in marriage before Krishna. But the man that he promised to give his daughter to was not really a Brahmana. He was a Chandala dressed like a Brahmana to cheat this man. But because he made the promise in front of Krishna, he didn’t want to go back on his promise. So he went ahead with a wedding. Even though he didn’t know who the boy was. At the time when he should give his daughter in marriage, Krishna personally appeared in the Yajna. Krishna. And he said, this boy is not qualified for your daughter. But because you are so honest and so truthful before me, I am very pleased with you. So I come here to bless you. So Krishna took them back to the spiritual world.

When we make this vows, which is a very solemn promise, holy promise before the fire. Prabhupada Jagannath so many Vaishnavas. Guru, we must be very committed to following his vow. And Krishna  will bless you for your efforts. But Maya  will try to test you. There are many tests, so we had to pass these tests. Someone asked me, they said, why is it every time some problem is happening, then I become weak, I make some mistake, then again it happens and again it happens. What happens when you go for your final exam and you fail, You get the diploma, you have to take the test again. What if you fail again? You get diploma and take it again and again until finally you pass it. When you pass it, do you have to take the test again? Life is like that.

Once you pass the test, you don’t have to take it again. Even if the test is given, it’s no longer a problem. Already you passed it. So Maya tests us. If we fail the test, she will test us again and again until we pass it. So better to pass it the first time. Abri sodhana kodamur. So test is part of education. And since Bhakti Path is an ongoing spiritual education, it also includes tests. If you get startled, if you get startled, surprise, fearful. And you suddenly call out on Krishna’s holy name, That’s a micro test. Just pass. But if you hit your foot or something happened, Instead you say something else. What if Death comes suddenly. You want to always immediately remember. Kṛṣṇa. In 1968 in Montreal. I was there doing some Seva and Prabhupada quarters.

And Prabhupada had gone to the basement of the apart. When he came up, his secretary told me. When Prabhupada was in the basement, a big rat jumped out. And Prabhupada as soon as he saw the rat, He called out our gutter. Rama. Rama. Rama. Rama. Rama. Rama. Rama. Rama. Rama. Rama. And the rat ran away. So like that we all pass all the tests and always remain Krishna conscious. May all the devotees here give these candidates blessings. Raise your right hand. Blessing. Krishna matir asdu. Krishna. Hare krishna. Hare krishna. Krishna. Krishna. Now we shall proceed by giving the Harina first. Also taking Brahmana. Taking the second initiation. They can bring their sacred threads to me individually. Each bring it first. Go offer. Come and give it to me. And offer your obeisances to Prabhupada. Where’s the list? It. Listen.

How can we make this quicker? Husband and wives come together. If there’s uninitiated spouse here then they can also come with their husband or wife. After them. Gopal should be ready. Mr. Gopal, Come up and you say the four principles. The vows you’re going to take. The principles you’re going to avoid breaking. And the number of rounds you’re going to chant every day. And how you’re committed to helping me fulfill Prabhupada’s mission. And for pleasing Prabhupada. No Hare Krishna, no med eating, no intoxicants. No gambling. No illicit sex. No meditating. No family. No intersection, no easy sex. How many rounds per day? Minimum 16 rounds. 16 Rounds I chant every day. You’re committed to placing Prabhupada and helping me fulfill his mission. Yes. Yes. Your name. Normally they like to glorify and tell about east devotee.

But there’s that Hyderabad devotees have to catch a train by 12. I don’t know if we have time. Your name is ashoka govinda das. And your name is dhanada radha vividasi. Giria should get Come and get ready. What are the principles to avoid breaking your whole life? How many rounds per day? You’re committed to pleasing Prabhupada and helping me fulfill his mission. Okay. Your name is now. Air basis. The Prabhupada. Kavita, get ready. Say the vows you’re going to avoid breaking. How many rounds? Committed to pleasing Prabhupada and helping me fulfill his mission. Yes. Your name is. Ganish. No, I asked for d. Anyway. Your name is nora ganasraya. One of the rows you can avoid breaking. No intoxication, no gambling, no mediating, no Illustri. How many rounds every day? Minimum 16 rounds in PR. Helping me fulfill his mission.

I will serve as much as I. I will serve pr. So all the first initiates. So be chanting. Avoiding the 10 offenses and increasing your relation with Kṛṣṇa. Holy name. Your name. The new name is Giridari Shamita. Next one. What are the four rules and regulations to avoid breaking? How many rounds? And you’re committed to pleasing Prabhupada and helping me fulfill Prabhupada’s mission. Your name means servitor radharani. Who is gopi? Poet. So your name is. Your name is kavi rupa gopikar. Baby. Darling Chakra. Myself. No gambling, no Illness is sex. No meat eating, no int. How many rounds minimum jabba per day? 16. And here I committed to pleasing Prabhupada and helping me fulfill his mission. Want to see that? Tapas? Come up. Come on. Come on. Come. Allah. Go in with us. Ishwar bangle. Come. We ready. What’s the principle your boy breaking?

No drinking, no intoxication, no meat eating, no illicit sex, no gambling. 60 Drones. And you’re committed to pleasing Prabhupada and helping me fulfill his mission. It’s not answer. Your name is Giridad. Now your name is Gopal. Breaking? No Meditating, no gambling, no. In four seconds. No elixir. How many rounds minimum 16. But I plan to do 32. And you’re committed to placing Prabhupada. Helping me fulfill his mission. I am dedicating myself more and more to Krishna consciousness. Contributing in every way I can. Your name is Keshavak Kishore Das. Keshore Kishore Das. Which one do you want? Do you have any preference? Do you like bigger or smaller? Keisha bakisha. What are the rules and regulations of the wine breaking? No meat eating, no gambling, no interrogation. No intelligent feeds. That’s the name that was there. Where’s the paper? How many rounds? 16 Rounds.

16 Rounds per day. You committed a place in Kraba and help.