SB 3.15.25 – Initiation—Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Disappearance Day

Swarup Damodar: Hare Krishna dear devotees and welcome to this most auspicious occasion of the initiation ceremony for five very very wonderful devotees based out of Durban, South Africa. We want to offer a very, very special welcome this evening, this morning to His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja who has also just joined us. 

Srila Giriraj Swami Maharaja ki jaya!

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

So, yes, thank you again dear devotees for joining. As I said, this is a special occasion. Of course, the initiation ceremony, the initiation process in the life of any sincere devotee is a very momentous and historic event where the devotee is being formally linked to that very powerful conduit of mercy coming from Lord Krishna through the line of disciplic succession, spiritual masters coming from Him all the way down to Lord Chaitanya down through His Divine Grace Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and through many of His very very qualified and exalted followers, one of them being in the form of His Holiness Srila Giriraj Swami Maharaja who serves Srila Prabhupada as a spiritual master in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. 

So, we are very very fortunate to witness this event today. I especially want to, on behalf of International Society for Krishna Consciousness here in Durban, South Africa, welcome the family and friends of these five wonderful devotees who are receiving initiation today. For all of them I can say very confidently it has been a long road and very confident road for them coming to this point. I know each of them very very well and I think I can echo all of your sentiments here this evening, this morning. How very happy, extremely happy we are to be sharing this day with them. And not only for their sake but for our sake just by being here, we are also getting the blessings of Srila Prabhupada and His Holiness Srila Giriraj Swami Maharaja. 

We also would like to welcome joining the program HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami Maharaja who is currently based in Mauritius. Thank you so much, Maharaja. I know it is a bit late there but thank you for joining and thank you to the devotees in India and other parts of the world who are also joining. Thank you all so much.

So, the five devotees that will be getting initiated today by the mercy of Giriraj Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada are Roshni and Jeevan Chandanram who have served Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada’s movement for, twenty or more years, performing all sorts of significant services especially through the ISKCON Durban temple, the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath temple of understanding. Also, we have Terence and Sharan or Prabhashani Naidu also serving Srila Prabhupada and Giriraj Maharaja for many many years and also performing very wonderful services and also Bhaktin Karmella who is currently based in Switzerland from Durban and she has been connected to His Holiness Giriraj Swami since a young teenager for the last twenty or more years, I think. Also, very dedicated in her commitment to Srila Giriraj Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada.

So, congratulations to you five devotees and thank you for allowing us to join you in this wonderful day. We would now like to begin the program. We would like to request His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Maharaja to kindly lead the initiates this evening in the achamana procedure where they will purify themselves before taking their vows. 

So, Maharaja if you could kindly lead us into that process. Also, just one housekeeping consideration, devotees. If all of you could please mute yourselves. We did not engage the full meeting mute. If all of you could mute yourself, save and except Giriraj Maharaja and Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Maharaja and the five initiates for this evening; the rest of you could be kindly muted. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: I would like them to put on their cameras.

Swarup Damodar: Oh yes! So, devotees please as a request, personal request from Maharaja, kindly turn on your cameras. It just adds more blessings to the occasion to the devotees. It is like the personified Vedas in the Upanishads to please remove your effulgence so we can see you better. So, you can remove your effulgence by clicking on the stop video button on the bottom left. So, yes that will be wonderful if we can see you all. Thank you. Brhat Maharaja if you could please lead us.

Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami: Hare Krishna. I am most happy to be in your nice company today especially on this occasion of these five wonderful devotees entering into our discipline succession. Well formally, they have already there but in the formal way now. So, the initiates can hear me clearly? I don’t see Jeevan and Roshni. Terence is there. 

Swarup Damodar: I am locating them, Maharaja.

Bhakti Brhata Bhagavat Swami: Yes.

Terence Naidu: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Can you hear me?

Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami: Can you hear me? 

Terence Naidu: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. I am here.

Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami: Okay. Hare Krishna. That is Terence, right?

Terence Naidu: Yes, Maharaja.

Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami: And the other initiates are online? I am not sure I cannot see.

Swarup Damodar: Yes, can all the initiates, please, everybody please turn on your videos? Okay, I got Roshni now and Jeevan and Terence, are you are you in the temple there, in Phoenix temple?

Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami: Yes, He is in temple.

Swarup Damodar: Okay.

Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami: I can see Karmella. I can see her.

Swarup Damodar: Okay, here we go. 

Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami: So, everyone is with us. Okay, you can recite after me Guru Maharaja’s praṇāma mantra first and then we will go on to performing the achamana mantra. So, you can recite after me.

[Prayers]

Now, each of you have to have your achamana cups near you. There must be water in it. Okay, there must be water in it. Okay. Now we are going to perform the achamana mantra and we will recite it three times. But before we do that, I will just read the translation for you a little bit what the meaning of mantra before we recite it and the translation for this achamana mantra is:

“Whether one is pure or contaminated, and regardless of one’s external situation, simply by remembering the lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead one can internally and externally cleanse one’s existence.”

This is from the Garuda-Purana. So, now you have your achamana cups with. You take some water with your right hand in the achamana spoon, right hand and you put it in your left hand now and you sort of drop the water away from you on the floor next to you. Okay? Then you take the achamana spoon and you put it in your left hand and you take some water with the achamana spoon in your left and then you cup it into your right hand and you take the water and you put it a little away from you on the floor. That means your both hands are now purified. And you keep the achamana spoon in your left hand all the time now and you take again water and you put it in your right hand. You with me? And then we will come to that point where we say the mantra first and then we will do that again. I just thought of telling you the procedure. So, keep your achamana spoon in your left hand and let’s recite this mantra now. You can repeat after me.

oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā
sarvāvasthāṁ gato ‘pi vā
yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ
śrī-viṣṇuḥ śrī-viṣṇuḥ śrī-viṣṇuḥ

Now the achamana spoon is in your left hand, you take water and you put it in the palm of your right hand and you bring it to your mouth. Try and avoid your lips touching the hand and you try to let the water roll into your mouth and say, “oṁ keshavaya namaḥ.” Okay. Now we say the mantra again. But before we say that, you take water again and you put in your right hand and you place the water gently onto the floor again. That means you are purifying your hand after you touched to your mouth. Okay, now we are ready for the second time. We do it three times.

oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā
sarvāvasthāṁ gato ‘pi vā
yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ
śrī-viṣṇuḥ śrī-viṣṇuḥ śrī-viṣṇuḥ.

Now, take water again and put the achamana spoon in your left hand and put it into your right hand and you bring it to your lips slowly, mouth, and say, “oṁ Narayana namaḥ.” Say it and sip the water. Okay? Then you take water again and you put it into your right hand and you purifying that hand again and you put the water away onto the ground. Okay? Then one more time we will do this. Everyone is with me. Okay? 

oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā
sarvāvasthāṁ gato ‘pi vā
yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ
śrī-viṣṇuḥ śrī-viṣṇuḥ śrī-viṣṇuḥ.

Now take water again from achamana cup with your left hand on the spoon and put it into your right hand and bring it close to your mouth and before you sip say the mantra, “oṁ Madhvaya namaḥ,” and sip the water. And now you take water again with your spoon, achamana spoon, and you put it into your right hand, sort of throw it away onto the floor. Okay? Now you take the spoon into your right hand and you put some achamana water in your left hand and you can put it away onto the ground, so gently away from the ground. So, now we are over with that procedure for performing achamana mantra. Thank you very much. You can repeat after me.

[Prayers]

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Okay. Thank you very much for giving me some service. 

Swarup Damodar: Thank you very much, Maharaja. That was a great blessing and all the devotees taking initiation today. Now that everyone has been duly purified, we would now request Guru Maharaja, Srila Giriraj Swami Maharaja to please bless everyone in attendance with a lecture for this evening. Guru Maharaja.

Srila Giriraj Maharaja ki jaya!

Giriraj Swami: So, I will begin by Maṅgalācaraṇa Prayers and leading a short kirtan. I will speak and you can call forward [Inaudible 00:23:36].

Swarup Damodar: Bhakti Chaitanya Swami has just joined us.

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: Hare Krishna, everyone, particularly Giriraj Maharaja, my most humble obeisances. All glories to Prabhupada. Haribol. 

Giriraj Swami: My most humble obeisances to you. Thank you for joining.

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: Hare Krishna everyone. Nice to be here with you all. [Inaudible 00:24:20] 

Swarup Damodar: Your camera needs to be in focus Maharaja. 

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: Oh! my camera. Sorry.

Swarup Damodar: Welcome, Maharaja. Thank you so much for gracing the occasion. 

Giriraj Swami: Feel purified and enlivened by your presence.

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: It is my privilege and honor.

[Prayers]

Giriraj Swami: So, we welcome all of you to today’s gathering. We will be initiating five devotees into the chanting of the holy names, hari-nāma, and Srila Prabhupada, on the occasion of initiations, would speak about the ten offenses, so that the candidates and all of us can be mindful of the offenses when we chant and avoid them as far as possible. Some of the offenses such as, being inattentive, relate to while we are chanting and other of the offenses relate to our mentality when we are chanting or not. So, I will read a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Three, Chapter Fifteen, “Description of the Kingdom of God, in the purport of which, Srila Prabhupada speaks about the holy name and the ten offenses.

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Three, Chapter Fifteen, Description of the Kingdom of God,

TEXT 25

yac ca vrajanty animiṣām ṛṣabhānuvṛttyā
dūre yamā hy upari naḥ spṛhaṇīya-śīlāḥ
bhartur mithaḥ suyaśasaḥ kathanānurāga-
vaiklavya-bāṣpa-kalayā pulakī-kṛtāṅgāḥ

TRANSLATION: 

Persons whose bodily features change in ecstasy and who breathe heavily and perspire due to hearing the glories of the Lord are promoted to the kingdom of God, even though they do not care for meditation and other austerities. The kingdom of God is above the material universes, and it is desired by Brahmā and other demigods.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada 

It is clearly stated herein that the kingdom of God is above the material universes. Brahmājī states herein that the spiritual kingdom is above the kingdom of the demigods. One can enter the kingdom of the Supreme Lord only when one is highly developed in desirable qualities. All good qualities develop in the person of a devotee. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, verse 12, that anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious is endowed with all the good qualities of the demigods. In the material world the qualities of the demigods are highly appreciated, just as, even in our experience, the qualities of a gentleman are more highly appreciated than the qualities of a man in ignorance or in a lower condition of life.

Brahmājī confirms herewith that only persons who have developed the desirable qualities can enter into the kingdom of God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the devotee’s desirable qualities are described to be twenty-six in number. 

COMMENT

So, our goal is to enter the kingdom of God and as stated here to do so, we must develop good qualities. Of course, the living entity being part and parcel of Krishna by nature, has the same qualities as Krishna although, in minute quantity. But those qualities are covered in our conditional life and by a combination of two processes, those good qualities are manifest. The first process is chanting and hearing which cleanses the heart and enables the natural good qualities to shine forth and the other is that we make an effort to develop these good qualities and exhibit them. So, as I read the list, please keep in mind how you are doing in terms of these qualities and what you can do to improve and manifest the qualities more fully and more consistently.

So, back to the purport.

PURPORT (continued)

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the devotee’s desirable qualities are described to be twenty-six in number. They are stated as follows: He is very kind; he does not quarrel with anyone; he accepts Kṛṣṇa consciousness as the highest goal of life; he is equal to everyone; no one can find fault in his character; he is magnanimous, mild and always clean, internally and externally; he does not profess to possess anything in this material world; he is a benefactor to all living entities; he is peaceful and is a soul completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa; he has no material desire to fulfill; he is meek and humble, always steady, and has conquered the sensual activities; he does not eat more than required to maintain body and soul together; he is never mad after material identity; he is respectful to all others and does not demand respect for himself;

COMMENT

Let’s read that again.

PURPORT (continued) 

He is respectful to all others and does not demand respect for himself; he is very grave, very compassionate and very friendly; he is poetic; he is expert in all activities; and he is silent in nonsense. 

COMMENT

As Srila Prabhupada said in a talk in Los Angeles, “If you have got time chant Hare Krishna. Don’t speak nonsense. Chant Hare Krishna.” 

PURPORT (continued)

Similarly, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, verse 21.

COMMENT

On which I spoke on Makar Sankranti for the celebration in Juhu. 

PURPORT (continued)

Similarly, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, verse 21, the qualifications of a saintly person are mentioned. It is said there that a saintly person eligible to enter into the kingdom of God is very tolerant.

COMMENT

Titikṣava.

PURPORT (continued))

And very kind to all living entities.

COMMENT

Kāruṇika.

PURPORT (continued)

He is not partial; he is kind both to human beings and to animals.. He is very kind to all living entities; therefore he has no enemy. He is very peaceful. These are the qualities of persons who are eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. That such a person gradually becomes liberated and enters the kingdom of God is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto, Fifth Chapter, verse 2. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Second Canto, Third Chapter, verse 24, also states that if a person does not cry or exhibit bodily changes after chanting the holy name of God without offense, it is to be understood that he is hardhearted and that therefore his heart does not change even after he chants the holy name of God, Hare Kṛṣṇa. These bodily changes can take place due to ecstasy when we offenselessly chant the holy names of God: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

It may be noted that there are ten offenses we should avoid.

COMMENT

So, please listen my dear devotees.

PURPORT (continued) 

The first offense is to decry persons who try in their lives to broadcast the glories of the Lord. People must be educated in understanding the glories of the Supreme; therefore the devotees who engage in preaching the glories of the Lord are never to be decried. It is the greatest offense.

COMMENT

In Sanskrit, this is called sādhu-nindā, to blaspheme devotees or stated in The Nectar of Devotion, to blaspheme devotees who have dedicated their lives for the propagation of the holy name of the Lord. And Srila Prabhupada says this is the worst, greatest offense. My dear God brother, Bhurijana Prabhu, often conducts japa retreats and workshops, seminars, and at one such retreat, he gave the devotees two homework assignments. One, to see how attentive they are while chanting and the other to see how they do on avoiding sādhu-nindā or criticism of devotees. And the next day, he asked the students how they had done with their homework. So, one lady replied that she had every intention of avoiding criticizing devotees but that it was in the environment and so she couldn’t help herself. 

Now this is a very critical point. What we do if we are in a situation where there is sādhu-nindā? So, Bhurijana Prabhu said to her that you have two choices. One is, you can change the environment and if you want to change the environment good luck, because the environment doesn’t want to change. The environment wants to criticize devotees. The other alternative is that you leave that environment and that sounds more practical. So, yes, we should. . . and just as it is an offense to blaspheme a devotee, it is also an offense to hear blasphemy. 

So, yes, we should be very very careful about this. Again, as Srila Prabhupada says it is the greatest offense, sādhu-nindā. 

PURPORT (continued)

Furthermore, the holy name of Viṣṇu is the most auspicious name, and His pastimes are also nondifferent from the holy name of the Lord. There are many foolish persons who say that one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or chant the name of Kālī or Durgā or Śiva because they are all the same. If one thinks that the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the names and activities of the demigods are on the same level, or if one accepts the holy name of Viṣṇu to be a material sound vibration, that is also an offense.

COMMENT

Or again, as stated in The Nectar of Devotion, to consider the names of the demigods such as Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma to be equal to or independent of the holy name of Krishna. Now, there was a popular weekly magazine in India called The Illustrated Weekly of India, which was edited back then by Khushwant Singh, who was an atheist and he ran an article under the title Hare Krishna versus Shiva-Shiva. And the article was the account given by an Austrian sannyasi named Ageha Nanda Bharati who was initiated into a Mayavada sampradāya. So, the article was his account, of his debate with our Hridayananda dasa Gosvami. Now, this title that Khushwant Singh devised Hare Krishna versus Shiva-Shiva, was meant to make both parties look silly, like, ‘Oh! how silly. they are arguing over who is Supreme, who is better, what is better; Hare Krishna versus Shiva-Shiva. And I could see what he was doing and I wrote Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada wrote back that, “yes you are right. Bharati is a fool but Singh is a demon.” 

And I am reminded of that reading this; there are many foolish persons who say that one can chant Hare Krishna or chant the name of Kali or Durga or Shiva because they are all the same.

PURPORT (continued)

The third offense is to think of the spiritual master who spreads the glories of the Lord as an ordinary human being.

COMMENT

Now the actual offense is guror avajñā, which means to disobey the orders of the spiritual master. But here, in the purport, Srila Prabhupada describes the underlying psychology of one who would disobey the orders of the spiritual master and that mentality is that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being just like you and me. So, why should I follow, what he says? I also have my own ideas. So yes, guror avajñā, to disobey the orders of the spiritual master. 

PURPORT (continued)

The fourth offense is to consider the Vedic literatures, such as the Purāṇas or other transcendentally revealed scriptures, to be ordinary books of knowledge. 

COMMENT

Now again, in The Nectar of Devotion, this is rendered as, to blaspheme the Vedic literatures or literatures in pursuance of the Vedic version. So that would be a gross offense. But a subtle offense would be to avoid reading the Vedic literature and in particular Srila Prabhupada’s books, to avoid the discussions of Srila Prabhupada’s books, the classes, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class, Bhagavad-gītā class. So, again here Srila Prabhupada is describing the psychology of someone. 

PURPORT (continued) 

The fourth offense is to consider the Vedic literatures, such as the Purāṇas or other transcendentally revealed scriptures, to be ordinary books of knowledge. 

COMMENT

Similarly, spiritual master is an ordinary human being, these are ordinary books of knowledge. 

PURPORT (continued)

The fifth offense is to think that devotees have given artificial importance to the holy name of God. The actual fact is that the Lord is nondifferent from His name. The highest realization of spiritual value is to chant the holy name of God, as prescribed for the age — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

COMMENT

So, in this one purport Srila Prabhupada has quoted the entire Hare Krishna maha-mantra twice. So yes, sometimes this. . . again in The Nectar of Devotion is rendered as, to consider the glories of chanting Hare Krishna to be imagination and our godbrother His Holiness Sacinandana Swami also conducts many japa retreats and workshops. And his impetus was related to this offense to consider the glories of chanting Hare Krishna to be imagination. Because if a devotee does not chant properly, he will not feel the full beneficial effects of chanting. And thus, he might think that the glories are imagination or exaggeration. So, His Holiness Sacinandana Swami decided to conduct these japa retreats and workshops so that people, devotees can actually chant properly and experience the glories of chanting Hare Krishna; the benefits of chanting Hare Krishna and not think that the statements are imagination or exaggeration. 

PURPORT (continued) 

The sixth offense is to give some interpretation on the holy name of God.

COMMENT

Anyway, we just read that the holy name is identical with Krishna and there is no other interpretation.

PURPORT (continued)

The seventh offense is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting the holy name of God. It is understood that one can be freed from all sinful reaction simply by chanting the holy name of God, but if one thinks that he is therefore at liberty to commit all kinds of sinful acts, that is a symptom of offense.

COMMENT

Yes, balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir, to commit sin on the strength of chanting Hare Krishna. It is true if one chants the holy names, he is freed from all sinful reactions. But if one is cunning and calculating and thinks, “Oh! well this is great, I can engage in sinful activities and then I can chant the holy name to neutralize the effects,” that is a great offense. So, the idea is yes, before we came to the association of devotees, before we came to the process of bhakti- yoga, we may have engaged in sinful activities. We likely did engage in sinful activities but when we chant Hare Krishna, we become freed from the sinful reactions. As Lord Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gītā, 

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

If you surrender to Krishna, he frees you from all sins, actions and reactions and the holy name is Krishna, we surrender to the process of chanting then we become free from all sinful reactions. But after becoming free, we have to avoid committing sinful actions again. And that was Srila Prabhupada’s criticism of Christians, who go to the church on Sunday and confess. There is a benefit to confession but then after confessing and getting some relief they go out and engage in sinful activities again and then they come back on Sunday and confess. 

So yes, we really want to avoid sinful activities and initiated devotees vow to avoid what Srila Prabhupada calls the four pillars of sinful life. So yes, it is our vow now. 

PURPORT (continued) 

It is understood that one can be freed from all sinful reaction simply by chanting the holy name of God, but if one thinks that he is therefore at liberty to commit all kinds of sinful acts, that is a symptom of offense. The eighth offense is to equate the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa with other spiritual activities, such as meditation, austerity, penance or sacrifice. They cannot be equated at any level. 

COMMENT

Or again, as rendered in The Nectar of Devotion, to consider the chanting of Hare Krishna, one of the auspicious ritual activities mentioned in the Vedas as fruitive activity, karma-kāṇḍa. Once Srila Prabhupada was invited by Srimati Lilavati Munshi, who was the head of the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, to a conference held at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan on how the Bhagavad-gītā could solve all problems. And before the session began, she invited the participants to her library for an informal discussion. And there was one man there, I don’t know his name or I don’t remember it. Anyway, he was somewhat elderly, white beard and he said to Srila Prabhupada that he was having gatherings of people and telling them that if they chant the name of God, they will be freed of their material diseases. So, the man said to Srila Prabhupada, “I am gathering people together and you are gathering people together. I am getting them to chant the holy names and you are getting them to chant the holy names, so we should cooperate.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “No, what you are doing is against our principles. The holy name of Krishna is Krishna and we are meant to serve Krishna. We are not meant to engage Him in our service, to cure our diseases or whatever.” 

PURPORT (continued) 

The eighth offense is to equate the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa with other spiritual activities, such as meditation, austerity, penance or sacrifice.

COMMENT

Or to consider it one of the auspicious ritualistic activities mentioned in the Vedas as fruitive activities.

PURPORT (continued) 

They cannot be equated at any level. The ninth offense is to specifically glorify the importance of the holy name before persons who have no interest.

COMMENT

Or, to preach the glories of the holy name to the faithless. There was one conversation with Srila Prabhupada and a professor in Sweden and during the conversation, somehow one of Prabhupada’s disciples started to, preached the glories of the holy name and Srila Prabhupada stopped the disciple. He said, “No, this is an offense.” Because that professor didn’t have faith in the holy name. He didn’t have faith in the scriptures that describe the glories of the holy name. And Srila Prabhupada said that first we have to create faith, on the basis of logic and reason and until the person has faith, we should not jump ahead and preach the glories of the holy name to the faithless. Prabhupada actually took that very seriously and he stopped his disciple from doing that.

PURPORT (continued) 

The ninth offense is to specifically glorify the importance of the holy name before persons who have no interest. The tenth offense is to be attached to the misconception of possessing something, or to accept the body as one’s self, while executing the process of spiritual cultivation.

COMMENT

So yes, again in The Nectar of Devotion, to not have complete faith in the chanting of Hare Krishna in spite of hearing so many instructions on the matter and to maintain material attachments. And the two go together. We maintain material attachments because we don’t have faith in the holy name. But the holy name is Krishna and the holy name can fulfill all our desires. So, they know well, I have to fulfill my desires through material things. So, to not have complete faith in chanting Hare Krishna and maintain material desires spite of hearing so many instructions on the matter. 

So, it is not an offense to have material desires. It is an anartha, for sure, it is an anartha to have material desires but it is not an offense to have material desires. But the purpose of chanting is to cleanse the heart, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, and become free from material attachments. And so, if we are chanting and at the same time maintaining material attachments it’s contradictory and it is offensive to the holy name. 

Now, often in our temples as the practice was introduced by Srila Prabhupada, devotees read the list of ten offenses from The Nectar of Devotion after maṅgala-ārati and before chanting and, reading the list is purifying. It reminds us of what we have to be aware of, what we have to take care of, and it is just purifying to read the list. And generally, after reading the list, a devotee will say, will add, “It is also an offense to be inattentive while chanting,” which is certainly true. 

Now Sanskrit is such a language that it can be divided in different ways and in Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s rendering of the ten offenses, because there is a Sanskrit word pramādaha, which Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura counts as the ninth offense, which is inattention. And he says that if one is attentive while chanting then the chanting will eradicate all the other offenses. But if one is inattentive while chanting then all the other offenses can flourish. So, that is a very very important point and we should try our best to chant with attention. And yes, as a Bhurijana Prabhu said, “It is a battle with the mind.” Because the mind wants to go here and there; it is a battle with the mind but that battle must be fought. We can’t surrender and just let the mind go here and there while we are chanting. As Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā, whenever and from wherever the mind wanders, one must bring it back to self. 

PURPORT (continued) 

When one is free from all ten of these offenses in chanting the holy name of God, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakāśru. Pulaka means “symptoms of happiness,” and aśru means “tears in the eyes.” The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. Here in this verse it is stated that those who have actually developed the symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes by chanting the glories of the Lord are eligible to enter the kingdom of God.

COMMENT

Which is our goal.

PURPORT (continued)

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that if one does not develop these symptoms while chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that he is still offensive. Caitanya-caritāmṛta suggests a nice remedy in this connection.

COMMENT

And that is what we need. We need a nice remedy. And then Srila Prabhupada describes where in Caitanya-caritāmṛta one gets that nice remedy and I will read that in a minute. I will just come back. 

Swarup Damodar: Hare Krishna devotees. I had omitted one important aspect of the initiation ceremony which I think we can quickly do now while Maharaja, before he comes back. If we could get someone who is with the initiates to please change their neck beads and offer them fresh garlands. We could do that now. And also, devotees we are very pleased to also welcome His Holiness Ram Govinda Swami who is also joined us in Zoom. Thank you, Maharaja, for joining us. I hope it won’t be too much but could you kindly turn on your camera so we can have darshan of you. 

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. So, coming to the end of the purport. Okay.

PURPORT (continued) 

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that if one does not develop these symptoms while chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that he is still offensive. Caitanya-caritāmṛta suggests a nice remedy in this connection. There it is said in verse 31, Chapter Eight, of Ādi-līlā, that if anyone takes shelter of Lord Caitanya and just chants the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, he becomes freed from all offenses.

COMMENT

So yes, as a rule in kirtan, we chant the Pancha-tattva mantra first. As the Srila Prabhupada says that the Pancha-tattva mantra:

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

will help us to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. And many devotees, before each round, they chant the Pancha-tattva mantra and that helps. His Holiness Bhakti Chaitanya Swami would you like to say something, some words of instructions or blessings to the new initiates in particular and all of us in general? You are on mute, Maharaja.

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: Yes. Well, by your order I can say a few words. I think I should.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, please. 

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: Just a few words. [Prayers]

Thank you very much for allowing me to be present and thank you very much for the very beautiful words, such a wonderful purport by Srila Prabhupada and such a wonderful explanation and elaboration, Maharaja. Thank you so much. 

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. Thank you.

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: And as I was listening. My mind went back to the first initiation that you performed, Maharaja, which I was present at, which was in Muldersdrift, Johannesburg, many years ago I can’t remember. But it was late 80s, I think and I performed the fire sacrifice and it was just such a nice occasion. I really felt so happy during and after that and so, I was thinking of this occasion and how nice it is again. It is just really nice. Even though it is virtual and all that but still we are together on the level of the heart and it is very nice and thank you. And I thought I would just, if you bear with me, just for a couple of minutes read a few verses. It might be three or four from Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter Twenty-five, “How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas” and I will read from the first of all, verse 277. I will just read the translations.

TEXT 277

The pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are full of nectar, and the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa are like camphor. When one mixes these, they taste very sweet. By the mercy of the pure devotees, whoever tastes them can understand the depths of that sweetness.

TEXT 278

Men become strong and stout by eating sufficient grains, but the devotee who simply eats ordinary grains but does not taste the transcendental pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Kṛṣṇa gradually becomes weak and falls down from the transcendental position. However, if one drinks but a drop of the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, his body and mind begin to bloom, and he begins to laugh, sing and dance.

TEXT 279 

The readers should relish this wonderful nectar because nothing compares to it. Keeping their faith firmly fixed within their minds, they should be careful not to fall into the pit of false arguments or the whirlpools of unfortunate situations. If one falls into such positions, he is finished.

TEXT 280

In conclusion, I submit to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu and all the other devotees and readers that I accept your lotus feet as the helmet on my head. In this way, all my purposes will be served.

COMMENT

And that is basically almost the end of that chapter but it is just so beautiful, so beautiful, amazing, amazing. And these are amongst my favorite verses and when I read them, whenever I read them and when I was thinking of reading them just a little while ago just now, then I was thinking yes, I remember those days when we were in Muldersdrift and Giriraj Maharaja was there and we would hear from him regularly, maybe not every day but regularly, and that is Krishna consciousness. It is just an ocean of nectar and all we have to do is dive in. So, the devotees this evening are receiving initiation, first initiation, I know them all. Some better than others particularly Jeevan and Roshni. I think I know the best but I know everyone, all local people and it is just so nice seeing very sincere people who I know, who have witnessed as being very sincere devotees coming forward and getting the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, Giriraj Maharaja and getting the firmer connection with Srila Prabhupada and the paramparā. It is just so wonderful.

So, I am very happy and in my capacity as your very humble servant, I just like to say if I can be of any service at any point, please don’t hesitate. Please let me know and give me the opportunity and Giriraj Maharaja same goes for you. If I can be of service, please give me the opportunity. I will be just so happy. Thank you.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Giriraj Swami: Yes, what you read was beautiful, what you said was wonderful and recently I came across some photos of that first initiation. Yes, really nice. It shows you at the fire, doing the fire ceremony and yes, that was a very special occasion and thank you for that. Okay, it did look a little different from what I recalled.

Swarup Damodar: That is the Durban picture Maharaja. It is not Muldersdrift. 

Giriraj Swami: Krishna Kirtan sent that. I do have the Johannesburg one. 

Swarup Damodar: You can share it, guru Maharaja, you can share it you are a host to the meeting.

Giriraj Swami: Maybe I don’t know how to find it. I mean, I have it. 

Devotee: Damodar Prabhu had it last time. [Inaudible 01:33:16]

Giriraj Swami: Well, anyway it would be nice but it might not be practical. Okay. So, now I think we should proceed with taking the vows.

Swarup Damodar: Yes, Maharaja. This is one thing I think we wanted to share. Well, a few things but one in particular now, is that today is such an auspicious day that Guru Maharaja has chosen for the initiation the disappearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami and if devotees will notice just behind the left shoulder of His Holiness Srila Giriraj Maharaja, is a beautiful deity of Srila Jiva Gosvami that was recently blessing the home and ashram of Giriraj Maharaja with the full set of the six Gosvamis. So, we would be very fortunate to have darshan and the mercy of Srila Jiva Gosvami today.

Giriraj Swami: He is there looking at the proceedings to give mercy and blessings.

Swarup Damodar: So please go ahead, guru Maharaja. 

[Skipped 01:34:47–01:50:30] 

Giriraj Swami: Congratulations.

Swarup Damodar: Thank you so much, Guru Maharaja, those were such wonderful names for such wonderful devotees and thank you also to Bhakti Chaitanya Swami Maharaja for his wonderful sharing of his realizations and the reading from Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and thank you to the devotees who have taken the step and have reminded all of us also of our goal in life as well. Thank you also for that. Thank you so much.

Although we don’t want this evening or morning to end. It has been a few days of absolute bliss in the association of His Holiness Srila Giriraj Swami Maharaja. Just yesterday we all witnessed a most historic and momentous occasion, the 43rd anniversary of the opening of the Juhu temple and especially highlighted by the launch of this amazing book authored by His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja entitled I’ll build you a Temple. The Juhu story. It was such a wonderful event in the presence of Maharaja and His Holiness Gopal Krishna Gosvami, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami and His Holiness Radhanath Swami and many senior devotees right there at the Juhu temple.

So, devotees the book has been printed in India and in a few weeks, a few short weeks I hope, it will arrive in the different parts of the world. I mean, we thought it was enough quantity but it turns out that it is a very small quantity eventually when we saw the interest of so many devotees all over the world. So, devotees please be very quick to order the book. A pre-order system is available online and you can see it. I am not sure if the co-host can share the picture of where it is available at the website thejuhustory.com. So, please go there immediately after this program and order your books as soon as possible. Already, some of the devotees have started reading and are sharing their realizations on Facebook, the appreciation of Maharaja, on Facebook. 

So yes, please take full advantage of having the head start and pre-ordering it. In South Africa, in particular, you can contact His Grace Vibhu Chaitanya Prabhu. I contact him soon because I think he is got many plans of how to distribute the book very quickly. In Mauritius, I understand almost all the books are out, already sold in advance, but you may also contact His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami there in Mauritius and at the website, thejuhustory.com, we will have more information of how the devotees can directly access the books from different devotees in your area or temples in your area. 

Also, on this day, the very auspicious disappearance anniversary of Srila Jiva Gosvami, we also want to offer our prayers to all the many devotees around the world that are afflicted with the Covid-19 virus. Here in South Africa, many many devotees are struggling with it at the moment. Some have landed in hospital, dozens of devotees actually. So, together we also want to offer our sincere prayers for their well-being. Also, two of Guru Maharaja’s disciples are slowly coming out of it. So, we also extend further prayers that they can swiftly get out of it and that is Jamuna devi and Tulsi Priya Mataji. Please offer your prayers for them. Also, Gopal Raj Prabhu, who is showing symptoms of Covid, although tested negative but the classic symptoms are there. So, please devotees offer your prayers for all of them.

So, yes, thank you again to His Holiness Srila Giriraj Maharaja for spending this time with us and yes, I think we can speak on behalf of all the devotees. We are really really looking forward to the book coming to our shores and entering into it and bathing in the nectar of Srila Prabhupada association. The association of all those wonderful devotees that helped Srila Prabhupada established that amazing temple in Hare Krishna Land in Juhu. And we also just eagerly anticipating to be in each other’s personal association again somewhere in the world.

Thank you again to His Holiness Bhakti Chaitanya Maharaja, His Holiness Ram Govinda Maharaja and His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavat Swami Maharaja for blessing the devotees with your presence today. Guru Maharaja, would you like to conclude the program? 

Giriraj Swami: Well, I thought with all the dangers of Covid-19 and others, we could sing the Nṛsiṁha prayers.

Swarup Damodar: Yes, wonderful.

[Prayers]

So. . . 

Swarup Damodar: Guru Maharaja, your microphone is… may have been disconnected. It is very… [Unintelligible 02:02:27].

Giriraj Swami: Is this better? 

Swarup Damodar: A little better, yes. 

Giriraj Swami: I was going to say that if we are going to end now, I suggest we conclude with Vaishnava prayers. 

Swarup Damodar: Yes. 

Giriraj Swami: Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto all the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord who are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone. They are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

[Prayers]

Swarup Damodar: I would just like to offer our appreciation to many devotees who helped set up the program. We would like to especially thank Guru Maharaja’s team there in Carpinteria, Kunti devi Mataji, Damodar Prabhu, Mother Ganga devi who helped in so many wonderful ways setting up the program. Also, especially to Giridhari Priya Prabhu, who made such beautiful garlands. He has been making a lot of garlands; today was very beautiful. To the Tech team on the Zoom, Bhakti Shantal and Bhakti Nivedita, thank you so much. And to all of the devotees who joined, friends and families of the initiates, thank you so much. I hope this was an enlivening program for you all and as Bhakti Chaitanya Maharaja commented just keep diving deep into Krishna consciousness and there, you will find wonderful nectar in the association of the devotees. 

And don’t forget, order that book as soon as possible otherwise you will be disappointed. Well, you won’t be disappointed. We will always find some way to get you the book but try to order as soon as possible. Thank you, all devotees, so much.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Srila Jiva Gosvami ki jaya!

Srila Giriraj Maharaja ki jaya!

Hare Krishna.

Guru Maharaja your mike is completely off.

Giriraj Swami: Someone suggested that I repeat the names of the new initiates. 

Swarup Damodar: Okay. 

Giriraj Swami: So, again, Jeevan Chandan Ram is now Jivadaya dasa, Roshni Chandan Ram is now Radhika Sundari dasi, Terence Naidu is now Karuna Baladeva dasa, Sharon Naidu is now Shrida dasi and Karmella Naidu is now Kamala Radha dasi. 

Haribo!

Swarup Damodar: Jaya!