SB 3.15.25 – Initiations

Giriraj Swami:

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. Just as there are many hundreds of thousands of higher planets above this earth, so there are many millions and billions of spiritual planets belonging to the spiritual sky. 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.

COMMENT

As explained in the verse, spṛhaṇīya-śīlāḥ. spṛhaṇīya means to be desired, and śīlāḥ means good qualities. So back to the purport.

PURPORT (continued)

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.

COMMENT

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ 

That yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana, by engaging in pure devotional service, one develops all the good qualities of the demigods. And harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā, and if one is not a devotee, where are his good qualities. He is simply hovering on the mental platform in the external energy of the Lord.

PURPORT (continued)

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. The qualities of the demigods in the higher planets are far superior to the qualities of the inhabitants of this earth.

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. They are stated as follows: 

COMMENT

So, my dear devotees, please pay attention to the list of desirable qualities, and look within yourself and consider to what extent you have developed or are developing these qualities, and try to improve. Because only one who has developed these desirable qualities can enter into the kingdom of God, and we all want to enter the kingdom of God. So please pay attention.

PURPORT (continued)

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; 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

In one talk in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada said, if you have time, chant Hare Krishna, not necessarily kirtan, it could be japa. If you have got time, chant Hare Krishna, don’t speak nonsense. (Laughter and Applause).

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 and very kind to all living entities.

COMMENT

Yes,

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām

titikṣavaḥ means tolerance, kāruṇikāḥ means merciful, and suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām means friendly towards every living entity.

PURPORT (continued)

He is not partial; he is kind both to human beings and to animals. He is not such a fool that he will kill a goat Nārāyaṇa to feed a human Nārāyaṇa, or daridra-nārāyaṇa. 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

Listen very carefully, especially the new initiates, but everyone.

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

So, this is called sādhu-nindā. Blaspheme the devotees who dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name.

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.

COMMENT

There was a popular weekly journal called The Illustrated Weekly of India. And many years, the editor was Khushwant Singh who was an atheist. So, he ran an article which he titled Hare Krishna versus Shiva Shiva. The article was an account by one Dr. Aghyenanada Bharati who was an Austrian sannyasi in a Mayavadi line, so it was his account of his discussion or debate with our Hridayananda Gosvami. So I expressed my view to Srila Prabhupada that Khushwant Singh was trying to make us all look foolish, arguing whether one should chant Hare Krishna or Shiva Shiva. And Prabhupada said, “Yes, Bharati is a fool but Singh is a demon.” Rakshas is a bit strong, asura.

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

COMMENT

So, this is call guror avajñā, which literally means to disobey the orders of the spiritual master. And why would one disobey the orders of the spiritual master? The psychology is explained by Srila Prabhupada in the purport, to think of the spiritual master as an ordinary human being.

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

Read and study Srila Prabhupada’s books. They are not ordinary books of knowledge. They are sublime and by reading them, our hearts become purified, and our minds become enlightened, and our souls become satisfied.

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

Srila Prabhupada has quoted the entire Hare Krishna mantra twice in this one report.

PURPORT (continued)

The sixth offense is to give some interpretation on the holy name of God. 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, (and then neutralize them by chanting) 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. The ninth offense is to specifically glorify the importance of the holy name before persons who have no interest. 

COMMENT

To preach the glories of the holy name to the faithless, anyone can hear the holy name. We want everyone to hear the holy name as much as possible. But we should not tell them about the glories of the holy name unless they have faith in the shastra, in which the glories of the holy name are explained.

PURPORT (continued)

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

Yes, as stated in The Nectar of Devotion, to not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names, and to maintain material attachments even after understanding so many instructions on the matter.

Now, Srila Prabhupada instructed that we read the list of ten offenses from The Nectar of Devotion every morning after maṅgala-ārati before the devotees chant japa, and after reading the list, the devotee will add, “It is also offensive to be inattentive while chanting.” So Sanskrit is such a language that it can be divided in different ways to form different meanings. And Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has discovered inattention to be the ninth offense, pramāda. And Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that if you are inattentive while chanting, all the other offenses can flourish, and if you are attentive while chanting, all the other offenses will be destroyed. So we should be attentive while chanting, that is most important. To articulate, hear them attentively. And if your mind wanders, which it will, you have to bring it back to the sound of the holy name. It takes some effort, but it is worth the effort.

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. 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

That is what we need, a nice remedy.

PURPORT (continued)

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, Srila Prabhupada said, if we chant the Pancha-tattva mantra, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. That will help us to chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra. So in kirtan, we always chant Pancha-tattva mantra before we chant the Hare Krishna mantra. And many devotees, including myself, chant the Pancha-tattva mantra each round of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. And it really does help. So now, let us chant Pancha-tattva mantra, then the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

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

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

So we have discussed the ten offenses. Another part of the initiation ceremony is the obviously acceptance of a spiritual master by the disciple and acceptance of the disciple by the spiritual master. And I would like to request His Holiness Bhakti Brihad Bhagavat Swami Maharaja to speak to us a little about spiritual master and disciple. And after Maharaja’s brief talk, there is a brief shift over there, sacrificial arena, and the new disciples will take their vows and receive their beads and new name.

[Talk by Brihad-Bhagavat Swami Maharaja]

[Initiation ceremony begins]

Giriraj Swami: What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And is there anything else you would like to say on this auspicious occasion?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: On behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Bindhu Mati Radika dasi. Bindhu Mati Radhika means rise and bright Radhika.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: On behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Binmala Krishna dasa. Binmala means pure.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: On behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Kaveri Priya Radha. Kaveri is the name of Krishna, so Kaveri Priya Radha means Radha who was gift to Krishna.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex.

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Sixteen rounds

Giriraj Swami: And is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: What did you say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: On behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Karuma Sundari dasi. Karuma is Radha who is merciful and Sundari means beautiful. Manta.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Sixteen Rounds.

Giriraj Swami: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: On behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Madhavi Kumari dasi. Madhavi is the name for Srimati Radharani, and Kumari means as a young girl. Meenu Sharma.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Good. Is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Beautiful. Wonderful. Thank you. So on behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Mukhya Gopi dasi. Mukhya means a principle and Gopi, so this is the name of Srimati Radharani, who is the principal gopī. Monica Patel.

Hare Krishna. What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex.

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: A minimum of sixteen attentive rounds.

Giriraj Swami: Okay, very good. Is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Jaya. Wonderful. So on behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Mohini Gopika dasi. Mohini Gopika is the first of Srimati Radharani and Mohini means attractive.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex.

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Sixteen minimum.

Giriraj Swami: And is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Wonderful. I wish you all the best. On behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Nirmala Prema dasi. Nirmala Prema means pure love. Pinky.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Sixteen rounds.

Giriraj Swami: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. On behalf of, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Prema Mai Radhika. Prema Mai Radhika means Radhika who is very loving. Raman Dinga.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Minimum sixteen rounds.

Giriraj Swami: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: All right. On behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Rasa Parayana dasa. Rasa Parayana is the name of Krishna, which means Krishna who enjoys the rasa dance.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, and no gambling.

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Minimum sixteen rounds.

Giriraj Swami: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Nice. On behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Ragini Priya dasi. Ragini is the name of Srimati Radharani, who is loving and affectionate and Priya means who is dear to Ragini. Pragadia Prabhu.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, and no gambling.

Giriraj Swami: On behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Radha Jivan dasa. Radha Jivan means Krishna, the life of Radha. Rupa Bagadia.

What are the four regulative principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, and no gambling.

Giriraj Swami: And is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Jaya. Wonderful. So, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Radha Kripa dasi. Radha Kripa means Krishna’s mercy. You will be the servant of Radha’s mercy. Ruchika Dinga.

What are the four regulated principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex.

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Minimum sixteen rounds.

Giriraj Swami: And is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. So, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Rasa Keli dasi. Rasa Keli means the [Unintelligible]. Suman.

What are the four regulated principles you vow to follow every day for the rest of your life?

Devotee: No meat eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling.

Giriraj Swami: And how many rounds?

Devotee: Minimum sixteen rounds.

Giriraj Swami: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Devotee: [Unintelligible]

Giriraj Swami: Wonderful. On behalf of Srila Prabhupada and the guru-paramparā, I am pleased to accept you as my duly initiated disciple, and henceforth your name will be Sumohini Radhika. Sumohini Radhika means Radhika who is very charming and attractive.