Process of Initiation
BY: HDG Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj
Aug 1, INDIA (SUN) — The words 'Initiation' in the west and 'Diksha' in India are not
synonymous. The words do not express completely the same meaning. India's
spiritual characteristics and cultures are intrinsically different from the
cultures prevalent in other countries in this world. Very often Indians find
difficulty in using appropriate words to express their thoughts in other
languages. This is because of the prevalence of materialistic way of
thinking in other countries outside India.
Even after about sixty years of independence, we are to face
dominance of the western culture in India and day by day the influence of
foreign culture is increasing. To understand the implication of spiritual
thoughts peculiar to India, it seems necessary to introduce some words in
their languages. As per English Oxford dictionary, 'Initiation' means:
admitting or introducing somebody to membership of a group etc, often by
means of a special ceremony e.g. initiate somebody into a religious sect,
secret society, etc. By the word 'initiation', externally it seems to be at
par with 'diksha' for mentioning the words group, religious sect and secret
society. The definition of 'diksha' is given in Hari-bhakti-vilas referring
evidence from 'Vishnujamala'- divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya samksayam
tasmat dikseti sa prokta desikais tattyakovidaih
'The procedure by which self-effulgent knowledge (Divine
Knowledge) is conferred, eradicates the cause of all sins and because of
that it is stated as 'diksha' by the wise who have realized the Divinity.'
In the word diksha, the knowledge is divine and self-effulgent, which
indicates that self-effulgent knowledge descends through bona fide
preceptorial channel from Supreme Lord.
Sin is the cause of sufferings. Cause of sin is desire for
committing sin. Misconception of self is the cause of desire for committing
sin. Nescience is the cause of misconception of self and aversion to
Absolute Knowledge is the cause of nescience. So the root cause of sin is
aversion to Sree Krishna, Who is All-Existence, All-Knowledge and All-Bliss.
This Divine Knowledge only can be imparted by a bona fide Guru, the
absolute-counterpart and grace-incarnate form of Supreme Lord. This
implication of diksha is not clearly mentioned in the word initiation.
Divine knowledge descends to a completely surrendered soul
through revelation. One who has got realization of Supreme Lord can impart
that self-effulgent knowledge to others also, provided the aspirant has
complete submission to Lord and His Absolute Counterpart Guru. Conditioned
souls of the world are not eligible to impart or to get that Transcendental
Divine Knowledge. Initiator Guru must have two qualifications as mentioned
in Mundaka Sruti are (1) Srotriyam- Well-versed in Sruti sastras- the Vedas
and other allied scriptures, another interpretation of Srotriyam is- blessed
by the descent of the Divine knowledge through preceptorial channel and (2)
Brahma-Nistham- must have realization of Divinity. Only academic or
theoretical knowledge is not sufficient, he must have practical realization
also.
After eight million births we have got this precious human
birth, Supreme Lord is pleased by creating human beings because human beings
have got the discriminating power between eternal and non-eternal, good
deeds and bad deeds, they have got the capability to worship Lord. But other
living beings have got no such conscience, discriminating power. So it is
said 'Shubhasya shighram, ashubhasya kalaharanam'- when there will be good
desire, we should do it immediately, otherwise later there might be some
hindrance and obstacle to it and when there will be evil desire, you should
make late to do it, you should not do it immediately- this is Ravana's
advice to Lakshman. There is no guarantee that next we shall get human
birth. It is stated in the Gita (8.6) - yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty
ante kalevaram / tam tam evaiti kaunteya sada tad-bhava-bhavitah- Whatever
we shall think at the time of death, we shall get birth accordingly.
The votary should have firm faith in God- Supreme Lord Sri
Krishna. Supreme Lord is One, He cannot be many. Even a particle cannot be
outside Krishna. He is the only sustainer and maintainer. By serving Him we
serve all. If we pour water at the root of the tree, all parts of the tree
will be nourished, if we give food to the stomach, all parts of the body
will be nourished, like that we should have firm faith- by serving Him we
serve all. Without serving Him, Who is the Prime Cause of all causes, we can
neither do any good to ourselves nor to others, but only the valuable time
of precious human birth will be unnecessarily wasted. Krishna has stated in
the Gita (9.24) - 'aham hi sarva-yajnanam bhokta ca prabhur eva ca'- I am
the only Master and Enjoyer. Srila Rupa Goswami has stated in 'Sri
Laghubhagvatamrita'- 'Visnos tu trini rupani purushakhyany atho viduh / ekam
tu mahatah srashtri dvitiyam tv anda-samsthitam / tritiyam sarva-bhuta-stham
tani jnatva vimucyate'-Here in this world we see male and female living
beings, but actual Purush (male) is Supreme Lord and all living beings are
the outcome of His energy (prakriti), tatastha sakti (marginal potency).
When we see Supreme Lord as Purush (male) then we will be delivered from
this maya, we shall have no desire to enjoy this world. The aspirant should
associate with bona fide sadhu to get firm faith in God and worship God with
different devotional forms to satisfy Him- mainly nine forms of devotion of
which Nama-sankirtan is the best. We are to accept that which is congenial
for His service and give up that which is prohibited viz. gambling, any kind
of intoxication, illicit connection with women, eating meat, onion, garlic
etc. which increase raja-guna and tama-guna such as onion, garlic etc.
Harinam is medicine, remedy of the disease and food should be Prasad- so
that which cannot be offered to God, we cannot take. This basis should be
there before taking Harinam initiation. In addition, we should observe
devotional vows viz. Ekadasi tithi, Janmashtami tithi, Advent Anniversary of
Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Narasingha Chaturdasi, etc. We should wear Tulasi (holy
basil) neck beads.
There are two kinds of Guru- (1) 'So-called guru' who initiates to get
worldly benefits for himself and his disciples. A bona fide Guru does not
think himself as Guru while giving mantra to disciples. Outwardly it is seen
that somebody is giving mantra and instruction and some persons are taking
mantra for worship of God. But actually a real Guru never makes disciples
with the ego of being Guru. He always serves his object of worship. Krishna
is highly satisfied if those conditioned souls who are averse to Him, accept
rules and regulations to serve Him. This kind of showing the actual path of
eternal welfare to the aspirants or votaries is the greatest service of
Krishna. Outside person by seeing the ceremony may think that one is giving
mantra as Guru and other is taking mantra as disciple. True eternal servant
of Krishna, wherever they may stay, their ultimate goal is to serve Krishna
and His devotees and not for any other ulterior motives. There is a gulf of
difference between a bona fide Guru and a pseudo guru- one is serving
Krishna, his target is to satiate Krishna and other's motive is to get
mundane non-eternal benefit.
Those who give mantra with mundane ulterior motives are to
suffer for the sinful acts of the disciples because they are not doing it
for Supreme Lord's satisfaction. But the surrendered souls who are giving
mantra as per direction of Guru and Gauranga for Their satisfaction, cannot
get the fruits of the sinful actions of the so-called disciples. As God is
Omniscient and controller of the fruits of actions, so nobody can deceive
Him.
Conditioned souls who are entangled by illusory energy are
unable to remove their non-eternal desires imbibed in their hearts after
passing through numerous births. It is not possible for them to remove the
previous bad impressions by their own efforts. But if they take shelter to
the lotus feet of a bona fide Guru without deceitfulness, by Guru's grace
their spiritual life will be successful. Even Krishna has given warning in
the Gita (9.30), 'api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak / sadhur eva
sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah'- A devotee who has taken absolute
shelter to Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and does not stop worshipping Krishna
steadfastly, in case does any abominable action due to the pressure of his
previous bad impressions caused by bad actions, should not be condemned or
censured for his evil deed, because he will have serious repentance for his
bad actions, he will pray continuously to Lord to forgive him for the
offence. This verse- this pithy saying of Krishna proves how much love he
has got for the neophyte votaries who want to worship Him sincerely from the
core of their hearts. Lord has directed his personal associate Arjuna to
declare with pledge in the whole universe to all other forms of worshippers,
Karmi, Jnani, Yogi etc. and worshippers of all other demigods that His
worshipper will never be ruined, instead he will become a great saint at the
earliest and he will get eternal bliss. In this connection this is to be
seriously noted that offence of a hypocrite will never be forgiven, because
his prayer to the Lord is only an outward show, he cheats himself and cheats
others. He does not want eternal welfare. A deceitful person is ever doomed.
It is already stated earlier, 'Shubhasya Shighram, ashubhasya
kalaharanam'. There is no guarantee that we shall get human birth after our
present birth. Why one should take risk. Atleast if you do worship sincerely
for some years in the company of Sadhus, the association will not go in
vain. That good impression sometimes may not remain permanently- but the
momentum of good ideas in the heart will come again with greater velocity.
So it is better to start bhajan immediately rather than not doing anything.
Take absolute shelter and pray to Nityananda Prabhu and Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
They have come to rescue all and give the highest Krishna prema to all,
without consideration. Utter their names and pray to Them. It is the nature
of Supreme Lord to rescue the surrendered souls. He has said in the Gita
(6.40), 'Na hi kalyana krit kascid durgatim tata gacchati'- 'A sincere soul
will never be deceived.'
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math
www.sreecgmath.org
