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June 8 2011, Bangalore, India — Amongst the tension and tussle in Bangalore after the Hon’ble High Court’s verdict, May 29th was a memorable day for 37 devotees in the temple here. On the auspicious appearance day of Srila Vrindavana Dasa Thakura, 37 devotees took shelter under the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and accepted him as their spiritual master. I was one among the 37 devotees who took diksha from Srila Prabhupada on that day.
Everything was as how Srila Prabhupada instructed in July 9th Directive. We had to first write a test for 200 marks and to pass this test we had to score minimum 150 marks (By Srila Prabhupada’s mercy I scored 198; question paper was little easy). After we pass in the test, we are interviewed by our Group Coordinator (We have a very nice and well organized Krishna Ashraya Program in temple).
Once the group-coordinator’s interview is cleared, we then go for an interview with the Temple President. And once the Temple President is satisfied, he recommends the candidates for the initiation. All these processes are basically to test the candidates that whether they can keep up to the standards enshrined by Srila Prabhupada.
Then the candidates attend the grand initiation ceremony. We all were made to sit in front of the Deities and Srila Prabhupada’s altar. One by one we vowed in front of Srila Prabhupada for chanting 16 rounds everyday and following the four regulative principles throughout our lives. Then our names were announced by the Temple President.
My name is Agrani Krishna Dasa meaning the servant of Krishna who guides His devotees back to His Supreme abode. And some other names were Annapurna Devi Dasi, Amalabhakta Anjaneya Dasa, Urjita Krishna Dasa, Srikara Govinda Dasa, Nakula Dasa, Nirantara Radha Devi Dasi, Narakesari Dasa, etc. After hearing our name we had to pick our malas which were chanted upon by the ritviks. After that Vaishnava homa and guru-dakshina – this made our initiation process complete.
Every step of this process, we all always felt only one thing – we are getting the shelter of a pure devotee now, who will accept us as his disciple formally. Now it all lies in our hand that we should follow the vowed instructions strictly, take the instructions of Srila Prabhupada as our lives and soul and execute his will. Initiation is just the admission. But the real teaching happens in the classrooms.
I had been hearing from many disciples of the gurus that they need to feel being initiated and that can happen only if the guru is initiating you physically, gives you a mala and then gives you the name. I was wondering if this initiation was to be such a feeling than the initiating guru becomes the “Physical Master” and not the “Spiritual Master”.
There are evidences of many disciples who got initiated during the physical presence of Srila Prabhupada but they had not seen him even once in their life time. Does that mean that they were not initiated by Srila Prabhupada and not his disciples?
Srila Prabhupada is a bonafide spiritual master and a representative of the guru-tattva, Lord Balarama and Lord Nityananda. He is on the absolute platform and has the potency to be present through his vani, his instructions, and his books. Is this not enough for all of us to come and take his shelter?
Do these people accept false gurus just for a fashion? We are all the disciples of Srila Prabhupada and it is not very hard to realize this. We need to just approach Prabhupada and pray to him for his ultimate mercy. Rest he shall take care.
Ys
Agrani Krishna Dasa
When Srila Prabhupada was present His Divine Grace would chant on the beads of the devotees whom were to be initiated. In this case those that chanted on your beads and gave your new name are the representative guru the one who has connected you to Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada, the last two weeks His Divine Grace was in Vrindaban, referred to the persons whom were to give the names and chant on the beads as Ritvik Acaryas, transparent to the previous Acarya (Srila Prabhupada).
Real initiation is he who gives us the knowledge which will liberate us. In ISKCON that is Srila Prabhupada the founder and Acarya …the ritvik Acarya depending on how surrended they are to Guru is empowered THAT MUCH in giving, helping us in Krishna Consciouness
Dear Pita Das,
What you are saying is not historically true. Please be careful when making such statements. Right from 1973, Srila Prabhupada had his senior disciples chant on beads for new initiates. And all of them are still considered Srila Prabhupada’s disciples! And nowhere has Srila Prabhupada said that they are “representative guru” connecting them to Srila Prabhupada. The connection is directly between the initate and Srila Prabhupada. Please refer the following excerpts from various letters of Srila Prabhupada:
Bombay
4 January, 1973
73-01-04
My Dear Revatinandana,
Please accept my blessings. Just now I have received some more requests for giving first initiation from Dhananjaya, and now I am receiving weekly not less than ten to fifteen such requests from new students. So it is becoming very expensive to send so many sets of beads such long distance, and it has become little bothersome for me also, so I think now you may be appointed by me to give first initiations to new disciples by chanting on their beads on my behalf. In America Kirtanananda Swami is going that. So now if there are two of you that will give me great relief. Kirtanananda will chant on the beads for new devotees in America, Canada, like that, you can chant on the beads for the European continent new disciples. They shall, of course, still be considered as my disciples, not that they shall become your disciples, but you will be empowered by me to chant their beads and that is the same effect of binding master and disciple as if I were personally chanting. They may continue to send me their letters of request, along the President’s recommendation, and I shall give them name and it will be entered by my Secretary in our records, only I will send my letter of reply to you and you will purchase beads there and chant them and send, along with my letter to the new initiates. Is that all right?
Letter to: Revatinandana
—
Honolulu
20 May, 1976
76-05-20
On your recommendation I agree to accept the following persons for first initiation. Their spiritual names are as follows:
Leon Lane—Devala das
Mark Haley—Agastya das
Chriss Glenn—Devadatta das
Lenny Willoughby—Svetadvipa das
Wayne Bell—Sankhadhara das
Beverly Bell—Dvarakavasini dasi
Laura Banks—Candravamsi dasi
You can chant on their beads and give them their names and beads at the time of the fire sacrifice. They must promise to follow the four regulative principles: no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex-life, and to chant a minimum of 16 rounds of japa daily.
Letter to: Nandevara
—
Honolulu
23 May, 1976
76-05-23
Montreal
My dear Nandevara das,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your telephone message from my secretary and on your recommendation I am accepting Allan (spiritual name Taraksa das) for first initiation, and the following devotees for second initiation: Dyapaka das, Jitarati das, Dayalaji das, Gauranga das, and Jaganmatha devi dasi.
You can hold a fire sacrifice and you can have Taraksa’s beads chanted on by one of the sannyasis. Give the beads and spiritual name at the time of initiation.
Letter to: Nityananda
—
Honolulu
23 May, 1976
76-05-23
On your recommendation I am accepting Danny Miller and Michael McKinly for first initiation into Hare Krishna chanting. You can have sannyasis chant on their beads, and give them their spiritual names and beads at the fire sacrifice. They must abide by the regulative principles; no illicit-sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating, and chanting minimum of 16 rounds daily. Then there will be steady and sure progress. Their spiritual names are:
Danny—Kalaksara das
Michael—Gunavasa das
Letter to: Narayana
—
Los Angeles
4 June, 1976
76-06-04
You can perform the fire sacrifice, and at that time give out the japa beads (which should have been chanted on by one of the sannyasis beforehand) at the time of initiation.
Letter to: Radha Sarana
—
Washington D.C.
5 July, 1976
76-07-05
On your recommendation I am accepting the following for first and second initiation:
First Initiation:
Bhakta Carlos—Karunamaya dasa
Bhakta Lalo—Lalitagovinda dasa
Bhakta Jonathan—Jyotsna dasa
Bhakta Willo—Visvadeva dasa
Second Initiation:
Minaksi dasa Brahmacari
Hold a fire sacrifice and the initiates should refrain from the four pillars of sinful life: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating. This is very easy when one chants daily their prescribed rounds seriously, at least 16 rounds daily. Enclosed you will also find one brahmana thread and gayatri mantra. After the sacrifice the tape of gayatri should be played in the right ear of the brahmana initiate. To become brahmana one must be clean outside and inside. Outside by regularly bathing and inside by always chanting Hare Krishna. The beads for first initiates can be chanted upon by Hrdayananda Maharaja and they should be given these beads and names at the time of initiation.
Letter to: Vegavan
76-08-03
the beads for the first initiates may be chanted on by Sriman Jayatirtha das and they should be given these beads and names at the time of the fire sacrifice.
Letter to: Cittahari
—
Vrindaban
12 September, 1976
76-09-12
On your recommendation I am accepting Usapati das for brahminical initiation and Kedara dasa shall be the spiritual name for Bhakta Kevin. Please hold a fire sacrifice and present the name at that time. Your local GBC man may chant on the beads.
Letter to: Pancadravida
—
Vrindaban
20 September, 1976
76-09-20
Hold a fire sacrifice and Hrdayananda Maharaja may chant on the beads. Give the bead, threads, and names at this time and the gayatri mantra may be heard by tape through the right ear.
Letter to: Vicitravirya
—
Vrindaban
30 September, 1976
76-09-30
Hold a fire sacrifice and the disciples may receive their names at that time. Jayatirtha may chant on the beads and give them to the devotees.
It is very clear from Srila Prabhupada’s above letters that there is no one between Srila Prabhupada and the new disciple, though a rtvik may be involved in the formal ceremony.
Your servant,
Suvyakta Narasimha Dasa