BY: BHAKTA MARK
July 29 2011, Alachua, USA
Dear Devotees,
After reading the article, Don’t Let ISKCON or the Rtviks Get the
Better of You, I found that Mr. Smith has an insufficient
understanding of the essential nature of Diksa and Siksa as well as
the ritvik process of formal initiations utililzed by HDG A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, as is evidenced by the following
mistakes in his presentation.
He begins his errors by stating: “Rtviks stress the importance of
accepting initiation to one’s spiritual life in such a way… that we
must accept… initiation through the Rtvik process in order for our
spiritual lives even to begin”
In response, I don’t know too many, if any ritvik proponents who would
make such a claim. Those I know fully understand that Spiritual life
can begin by simply hearing some chanting from any level of devotee
and being inspired by it. And that the importance of formal
initiation is of another nature entirely.
This aside, the depth of his misunderstanding is further glimpsed by
noting that his major premise is predicated by his position that the
“uninitiated” are being approached fraudulently, stating…
“Both ISKCON and the Rtviks stress the importance of accepting
initiation to one’s spiritual life in such a way as to make those of
us who are uninitiated think that we must take the shelter of one or
another side.”
Note here that he again equates accepting initiation with the
beginning of one’s spiritual life, indicating again the formal side of
intitiation.
Ironically, although Mr. Smith is formally uninitiated, he is
obviously to some degree spiritually initiated, to be a regular
participant at high levels of spiritual discussion.
And since IN REALITY THE PUBLIC RECORD SHOWS that the more reasonable
proponents of the ritvik initiation process all concur that said
process is mostly a function of the FORMAL side, Mr Smith’s conflation
of the aspects of Diksa initiation in order to suit his agenda,
becomes apparent.
The essence of initiation wherein spiritual life begins is the
transfer of some degree of spiritual knowledge and some degree of
realization of the Mantra, known as Diksa or Divya Jnana. Which no
ritvik proponent I know will mistake for the limited value of the
formal side of initiation known as the Diksa initiation ceremony.
Mr. Smith goes on to quote some of the purport to NOI ch.5 in order to
show that some degree of spiritual life may be initiated and advanced
through discipline offered by a neophyte (kanistha) or intermediate
(madhyama) devotee. Which again I find is not in contention by most
of the ritvik proponents I know of.
However, in using this passage to back his specious argument against
his straw man ritvik proponents, he loses sight of the fact that a
devotee of any adhikari may legitmately accept a Siksa disciple who
has already received both Spiritual and Formal initiations from
another. For a disciple may appropriately leave their original
initiating guru under the following circumstances.
1. That Initiating Guru was originally a strictly following Kanistha
or madhyama, authorized by his spiritual master to give formal
initiations, who later fell from the path.
2. That Initiating Guru is an unfallen kanishta or madhyama devotee
but the disciple was a more advanced soul to begin with, or made quick
advancement, and was given permission by his guru to take shelter of a
more advanced Siksa guru (some Madhayma adhikari or greater).
3. That initiating Guru disappeared from his body, and the disciple
sought to become a disciple of some other source of Siksa in order to
advance further.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, Mr Smith ignores the import of the 2 statements from
the purport which encapsulate the statements that he did quote in
order to make his specious arguments.
First. “One should not become a spiritual master unless he has
attained the platform of uttama-adhikari…”
Last. “….it should be understood that they cannot advance very well
toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance.
Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari as
a spiritual master.”
Here the discerning eye can see that Srila Prabhupada unequivocally
equates a SPIRITUAL MASTER with an uttama-adhikari. This implies that
becoming a disciple of a kanistha or a madhyama can only be fully
valid in the sense of SIKSA. For one of the requirements of a DIKSA
guru is their realization of the science of Krsna consciousness is
complete, and at such a level that they understand with FULL
REALIZATION that the Maha-Mantra is non different from Sri Krsna
Himself.
This is the only way that the most essential function of
Diksa can be fulfilled. Which is that the imparted Mantra and
instructions to progress is FULL of the potency to absorb and
annihilate the sinful reactions of the recipient, and bring them to
the ultimate goal of life, Krsna Prema.
Although being spiritually initiated by a neophyte or madhyama is a
legitimate spiritual activity, it is only a beginning thrust into
spiritual life. It is only sufficient enough to initiate someone into
the beginnings of spiritual life by sharing the maha mantra and giving
them some level of instruction which will lead to the kanistha or
madhayma level. But as Srila Prabhupada points out this is
INSUFFICIENT to reach the ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIFE.
Thus such a level of initiation is incomplete. There must at some
point be contact with the instructions of an uttama-adhikari. Not
necessarily a FORMAL re-initiation, but the INFERENCE is that the
higher stage of spiritual life wherein all sinful reactions are
annihilated and one may ACTUALLY APPROACH THE ULTIMATE GOAL, begins or
is INITIATED when one becomes a disciple of the instructions an UTTAMA
ADHIKARI.
Therefore, Diksa proper is dependent on the Siksa of an uttama.
The ritvik proponents who I know understand that in His inconceivable
mercy, Sri Krsna’s Sampradaya Acarya made arrangements that His uttama
level Diksa (encompassing his complete realization of the nature of
the Maha-Mantra and his comprehensive uttama level Siksa) would ALWAYS
be available in his Iskcon institution through his representatives,
JUST AS IT WAS BEFORE HIS DISAPPEARANCE. That even a temple president
on the kanistha or madhyama level could pass this on by accepting
unlimited disciples under 2 conditions.
1. That each new disciple be formally considered a Diksa disciple of
the uttama adhikari acarya (Srila Prabhupada) by getting approval of
the regional ritvik representative of the acarya and following the
formal initiation process as designed and utilitzed by Srila
Prabhupada himself.
2. That all Siksa given to the disciple of that TP be inline with the
body of Siksa left by the Uttama-adhikari Spiritual master (Srila
Prabhupada).
Unfortunately, today we have kanisthas or madhyama devotees such as
Mr. George Smith who, due to their lack of surrender to the clear
instructions of the uttama they once obeyed, are simply concocting
their own understanding on how to guide those who hear from them
(their disciples), and are therefore guilty of giving insufficient
guidance, barring their disciples from reaching the ultimate goal of
life.
Consequently, they are taking on the higher and more weighty function
of a Diksa Guru (ie. the absorption and annihilation of their
disciples sins) and without the empowerment to do so. This can only
lead to their own eventual suffering and downfall as that is strictly
the job for an uttama adhikari.
I hope somehow the explanation of this mistaken understanding can help
them to see their way out of their current dilemma.
Hare Krsna
YS
B.Mark
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