Initiation Ceremony

Giriraj Swami: Srila Gurudeva he was a very powerful servant of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, and I hope almost everyone here knows that he was the person responsible for developing the project because this property was acquired during Srila Prabhupada personal presence, having come here in the community, preached to establish a gurukula, a full school. So, he began, but for the last decades, it was His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami who developed the project here, initiated many disciples and trained them very expertly. And they are continuing this mission which is Srila Prabhupada mission. So, it is really on His behalf that I have this great responsibility and to offer such initiations to some of His disciples. But I am sure that He will always guide them, inspire them, and encourage them in their efforts.

The relationship with the spiritual master is eternal; it doesn’t depend on the physical body. So even after the spiritual master’s disappearance or departure, he continues to guide the disciples, encourage them, and continue to serve them following the instructions. The body is material in the ultimate sense, but the body is important because in the human form of life, we take to Krishna consciousness, and great souls’ walk on earth, to give us knowledge and encouragement. We need to follow the process to go back to Godhead. And when we follow the process successfully and when we follow properly, then we are united in the spiritual Kingdom. And if some disciples don’t finish in this lifetime, then the spiritual Master will come back again, But Srila Prabhupada says don’t let your spiritual master come back. Finish in this life. so that is our challenge. It is possible, such a simple process, therefore, we can be successful in the present life. And the spiritual Masters who are the Servants are there to help us.

So, on such occasions, the spiritual master generally speaks about the ten offenses regarding the Chanting of the holy name. Because to get the benefit of the chanting one should chant without the offense, they are ten as given in Padma Purāṇa. But I will focus on three of them. I’ll read the list, so you have an idea but I will comment on a few. I mentioned that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was spoken by Śukadeva Gosvami in reply to King Parīkṣit is question: what is the duty of one who is about to die. And the immediate answer was that one can become free from fear at the time of death. One should always hear about, chant about, and remember Lord Krishna. śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ. And then he says that the best way is to chant the holy name. So, I will read that verse and some of the purport, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto Two, Chapter One,

TEXT 11

etan nirvidyamānānām
icchatām akuto-bhayam
yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ
harer nāmānukīrtanam

TRANSLATION

O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.

COMMENT

So, it has already been concluded by great authorities. That means there is no need for further discussion; it is already been concluded. And this word, following the ways of great authorities nāmānukīrtanam. That means avoiding the ten offenses.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī instructs that chanting of the holy name of the Lord should be loudly done, and it should be performed offenselessly as well, as recommended in the Padma Purāṇa. One can deliver himself from the effects of all sins by surrendering himself unto the Lord. One can deliver himself from all offenses at the feet of the Lord by taking shelter of His holy name. But one cannot protect himself if one commits an offense at the feet of the holy name of the Lord. Such offenses are mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa as being ten in number.

The first offense is to vilify the great devotees who have preached about the glories of the holy name.

COMMENT

“sadhu-ninda” And that is a very dangerous offense because the sadhus or devotees are our greatest well-wishers. They give us the holy name. They help us to chant the holy name. They help us to be steady in our efforts in devotional service. So, if we find faults with devotees, if we blaspheme devotees, then we cut ourselves off from our best friends and greatest lovers. And Devotees who preach the holy name, who distribute the holy name, are very dear to the holy name. And so, if we offend the servants of the holy name, who are dear to the holy name, the holy name himself feels pain. It is just like if a person is walking in the hot sun barefoot, he can tolerate the scorching heat on his head, but he cannot bear the scorching heat under his feet. The common experience if anyone walks on hot sand by the beach in summer or on sidewalk on parikramā marg.

So, Krishna can tolerate offenses to himself, but he cannot bear offenses against the devotees who have taken shelter of his lotus feet. And therefore if we commit offenses against the devotees, against the servants of the holy name, the holy name will feel pain and the holy name will withdraw from the offender. And the punishment, if you will, that Krishna, the holy name is Krishna, awards to offenders are for the benefit of the offenders as well. So they learn not to commit offenses, and so that they don’t commit offenses, so that we should be careful about that. And like they say, the best defense is a good offense. So, the best defense against committing this offense and other offenses is positive. In other words, okay, we don’t want to think ill of devotees. So, we should appreciate devotees. We appreciate their devotion. We appreciate their service. Naturally, when we gather, we should glorify devotees. And that should be more, not blasphemy. Now, we should serve devotees. So, that is the positive approach and that is really how we should fill our life through our consciousness into our life.

PURPORT (continued)

The second offense is to see the holy names of the Lord in terms of worldly distinction.

COMMENT

Those who said to consider the names of demigods, such as Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, to be equal to or independent of the holy name of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. So there are people, they may chant Hare Krishna, but if they think that there are many gods, and they are all equal, and Krishna is one of them, Rama is one of them, Shiva is one of them, Ganesh is one of them, that is an offense, and their chanting will not immediately bring the desired result. But the hope is that by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, especially in the association of pure devotees, they will become pure devotees.

PURPORT (continued)

The third offense is to neglect the orders of the authorized ācāryas or spiritual masters.

COMMENT

That is important. If one follows the orders of the spiritual master, he’ll be pleased, and when he’s pleased, Krishna is pleased. Yasya prasadat bhagavata prasado.And if one disobeys the orders of the spiritual master, then he’ll be displeased, and then Krishna will be too. yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi. So we should follow the orders. The basic instructions are beginning here, chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, following the ways of authorities without offense, and following the great Guru. But one must have faith. To follow the instructions, one must have faith. Otherwise, if one thinks that Krishna is just an ordinary human being, why would one follow Him? Why would one follow his instructions in the Bhagavad-gītā? One would just either interpret the instructions according to one’s own ideas, or one would just neglect them. So one must have faith. That is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā. One must have faith. When one has faith, one will voluntarily follow the instructions. And that is the best way.

PURPORT (continued)

The fourth offense is to vilify scriptures or Vedic knowledge.

The fifth offense is to define the holy name of the Lord in terms of one’s mundane calculation. The holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord Himself, and one should understand the holy name of the Lord to be nondifferent from Him.

The sixth offense is to interpret the holy name. The Lord is not imaginary, nor is His holy name.

The seventh offense is to commit sins intentionally on the strength of the holy name. In the scriptures it is said that one can be liberated from the effects of all sinful actions simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. One who takes advantage of this transcendental method and continues to commit sins on the expectation of neutralizing the effects of sins by chanting the holy name of the Lord is the greatest offender at the feet of the holy name. 

The eighth offense is to consider the holy name of the Lord and His chanting method to be equal to some material auspicious activity. 

COMMENT

In other words, one feels like we do ritualistic performances to get some material result, so we shouldn’t think the holy name is like that, where I’ll do some nāma-vratā or something, and then I’ll graduate with a grade on my exam, or a good job, or a good placement, or whatever you like. Of course, if one has those desires, it is good to chant, because the verse says that even those who are full of material desires should chant the holy name for success. So they should chant. I am not saying they shouldn’t chant. But they will get a better result if they chant just for the sake of pleasing Krishna and purifying their consciousness. But still its better if they chant, even if they have material desires.

PURPORT (continued)

The ninth offense is to instruct those who are not interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord about the transcendental nature of the holy name. If such instruction is imparted to an unwilling audience, the act is considered to be an offense at the feet of the holy name.

The tenth offense is to become uninterested in the holy name of the Lord even after hearing of the transcendental nature of the holy name. The effect of chanting the holy name of the Lord is perceived by the chanter as liberation from the conception of false egoism. False egoism is exhibited by thinking oneself to be the enjoyer of the world and thinking everything in the world to be meant for the enjoyment of one’s self only. The whole materialistic world is moving under such false egoism of “I” and “mine,” but the factual effect of chanting the holy name is to become free from such misconceptions.

COMMENT

And when one does, one will chant with attention. Sometimes that injunction to chant with attention is linked to the tenth offense, although there is one word, pramāda, that appears earlier in the list, that means that it sometimes can be inattentive while chanting. So when we chant, we should chant with attention. Chanting isn’t something we do while watching television, while climbing up the house, while driving to work or to shop. Chanting is something that we do without any distraction. So when we vow to chant sixteen rounds daily, we mean sixteen rounds with attention, with concentration. Not something we do just for the sake of doing it. And it takes time, it takes two hours, but two hours isn’t really a lot of time. We have time for so many other things.

So when we chant our sixteen rounds, we should chant in a place and at a time when we have no distractions or interruptions. Ideally we’d chant at a stretch, but if we can’t chant at a stretch, then whenever we do chant, it should be with focus. Srila Prabhupada described that when he was in grihastha ashram, he would chant four rounds before breakfast, four rounds before lunch, four rounds before dinner, and four rounds before sleep. And that way he was always sure to chant his sixteen rounds. Because most people don’t want to miss their meals. And if they know they have to chant their rounds before they eat, they will chant their rounds. And most people don’t want to miss their sleep. So if they think they have to finish their last rounds before they go to sleep, then they will finish their rounds. So that way he was sure to complete his sixteen rounds. And four rounds at a time are practical. But if one can, it is ideal to chant early in the morning. Brāhma-muhūrta begins roughly an hour and a half before sunrise.

And in the temple devotees chant. Well, that would be maṅgala-ārati from 4.30 to 5.00, then Nṛsiṁha prayers, tulasi-puja, Vaishnava praṇāma. And say from 5.15 to 7:00, they will chant their rounds in the temple together. It is nice to chant in front of the deities. It is nice to chant with other devotees who are focused. It is nice to chant in front of Tulasi-devi. But if, because one has children who have to go to school or one has work in the morning, one can’t chant all the rounds in the morning, then whenever one can, but one should get up early, take their time, and chant as much as one can at a stretch in the morning and later. Because somehow, one should chant sixteen rounds. But when chanting sixteen rounds, nothing else. Nothing else. One devotee said that the devotees become very expert at using their left hands.

So while their right hand is in their bead bag, they can tidy up around the house, they can type on the computer. They become very expert with their left hand. So their work isn’t hampered by having their right hand in their bead bag. So you don’t want that. One devotee said that at first, he thought that his chanting was getting in the way of his life. Now he thinks his life is getting in the way of his chanting. So you want to have that context. So it is a very auspicious occasion. Very auspicious occasion. And everyone here today is fortunate. Fortunate to be in the presence of the deities. Sri Sri Radha-Kalachandji, Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai in presence of Srila Prabhupada and Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. And for this momentous occasion in the lives of these devotees, it is a very momentous occasion. It is a very wonderful event to be accepted by the disciplic succession and ultimately be accepted by the Lord.

So it is such a dramatic event. It is such a dramatic event to be accepted by the disciplic succession and the Lord after who knows how many lifetimes of wandering in the material universes, suffering in different species of life, sometimes with dogs and hogs and cats, sometimes with demigods, kings, princes, paupers, fish, amoebas, and then somehow we come to the human form of life and then in this human form, in this lifetime as a human being, we come in touch with devotees of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Radha-Kalachandji, and then they accept us. They accept us as one of theirs and they promise to take us back to Godhead. And one is actually, in this process, one is actually leaving the material world. It might look like we are just sitting in the temple room. We are all sitting in the temple room. There could be, I mean not in this temple room, but there could be bugs in the temple room too, so what is the big thing? But although they are sitting in the temple room, they are actually, their souls, their hearts, their consciousness are being lifted out of the material world altogether. They are being pulled or taken or dragged or carried. Let’s just say carried. They are being taken back to Godhead. It is like when someone is taking a long cherished pilgrimage or trip, and either one goes to the airport and says such a big thing. Of course here they are going but they are staying. Those types of farewells are missed. It is like it is a great event because they are going. Their long cherished desire to visit the holy land is being fulfilled. But we miss them because we are being left behind. But they are leaving us. But they are staying with us at the same time.

But the fact that they are leaving, not leaving, but they are on their way, it is very romantic. It is spectacular. Spectacular for so many lifetimes. Spectacular. So it is a momentous occasion. We are all part of it. We are all blessed to be part of it. So now we will call forward the two devotees who are receiving their first initiations. We will call them forth to take their vows. And at the time of initiation they receive a new name. So we request you all to bless them. So first we will call forth Bhakta Manoj. Haribol! So please go to Srila Prabhupada vyāsāsana, Gosvamis and come here. Those of you standing near the door, if you can come in. There are a lot of people walking around here.