“Initiation”

by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

27 August 69 , Hamburg

Prabhupada: Apavitrah pavitro va. One may be in impure condition and one may be in pure condition. Sarvavastham, in all conditions. Avastha means all conditions. Gato ‘pi va, situated, in any condition situated; yah, anybody; smaret, remembers;pundarikaksam. Pundarikaksam means “the Lord whose eyes are like the lotus petal.” Lotus eyes. Pundarikaksam. Sa, that person becomes; sa bahyabhyantaram. Bahya means externally and abhyantara means internally. Bahyabhyantaram sucih. Sucih means purified. Another suci means brahmana. A brahmana is called suci. A brahmana means a purified person. Not that by birth one becomes pure. No. The purificatory process. There are purificatory processes. Just like in infectious condition, those who are vaccinated, given injection, he is supposed to be purified. He cannot be attacked or infected by the disease. Similarly, in spiritual life also one has to remain purified. The whole process, this Krsna consciousness movement, is to purify the people in general from the contaminated condition of material existence. Purifying. It is purifying process. A living entity by nature is pure because he is part and parcel of the Supreme Pure, God. But due to his impure condition, he has forgotten his eternal relationship with God. So this initiation means that one is being accepted as student by the spiritual master to promote him gradually to the purified state, where he can realize himself and God. This is the whole process. In contaminated state we cannot approach. I have given this example many times. Just like if you want to enter into certain place, then you must be adjusted with the conditions. Just like people are going to the moon planet. There it is supposed to be it is very cold. So people go with a certain type of dress by adjusting. Similarly, if you want to enter into the spiritual kingdom, the abode, the planet where Krsna lives, so you must be purified. Adjust yourself. Not only to the spiritual kingdom of Krsna — any planet you want to enter, you must adjust yourself in that way. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutejya yanti bhutani
mad-yajino ‘pi yanti mam
[Bg. 9.25]

If you adjust yourself, then you can go to the higher planetary system. Deva-vrata devan. Devan means the planetary system or the different planets where demigods are living. Just like this moon planet. This moon planet is also another planet of the demigod Candra. I do not know the modern expedition of going to the moon planet, how far it will be successful. I think it cannot be successful. According to Vedic literature, it cannot be successful because people cannot adjust to enter that planet. One has to adjust, make the bodily condition in that way so that one can live there. In this planet also, there are different climates. In India the climate is different, and your Western country, the climate is different. So when one comes to the Western country, he also adjusts with different coats and shirts. In India we can remain naked body practically throughout the whole year, but you cannot live here. So there is adjustment. So this adjustment, the Bhagavad-gita says, mad-yajino ‘pi yanti mam[Bg. 9.25]. “Those who have adjusted themselves to come to Me, he can come.” There is no obstruction. So this initiation process, this Krsna consciousness, means to adjust your condition so that after leaving this body, you can enter into the planet where Krsna lives. These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: [Bg. 15.6] “That supreme abode, where entering, one does not come back again to this material world, that is My supreme abode.” There is…

na yatra bhasayate suryo
na sasanko na pavakah
yad gatva na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama
[Bg. 15.6]

These kind are explained. In that spiritual kingdom there is no need of sunshine, there is no need of moonshine, there is no need of electricity. And one who goes there, he does not come back. He lives there eternally, blissful life of knowledge.

So the initiation process means to give the conditioned soul a chance. This chance can be available in this human form of life. The cats and dogs, they cannot take chance of entering into the spiritual kingdom, or they cannot… It is not possible they can take initiation for purifying the body. So everybody, every human being, should take advantage of this form of life, human form of life, and cultivate this Krsna consciousness. And it is very simple and easy also. For this age, Lord…, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, we have got very easy method: simply chanting Hare Krsna. This mantra also which we uttered just now, it is said,yah smaret pundarikaksam: “Anyone who remembers pundarikaksam, Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately he becomes purified.” Suci. Suci. Suci means purified. Sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu. Three times. So the Krsna and Visnu is the same thing. Krsna is the original person of all visnu-tattva. So anyone who is keeping himself always in touch with the vibration of Krsna consciousness — Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare — that is the only, I mean to say, guaranteed platform where you can keep yourself purified without any material contamination. And in this purified state, if we can leave this body ultimately, then there is no doubt we enter into the supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead. These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita, and you read carefully. This initiation does not mean… Of course, this chanting will save you, only chanting. But if you read some literatures also, and the philosophy also, then it will be more and more convincing that you are making progress. And in the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita you will find that this is the process by which you can understand practically whether you are making actually progress in spiritual life. Pratyaksam avagamam dharmyam. This bhakti-yoga system is so nice that one can directly understand how he is making progress, and very quickly. That’s a fact. All of our students who have taken to this process, within very short time, they are realizing that actually they are making some progress. Therefore they are sticking to the principles and going on.

So my request to you all who are going to be initiated, that you keep always yourself in contact with this chanting and that will make you, I mean to say, able to be always purified, suci. Material contamination cannot… And you avoid these four principles: illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication of all descriptions. Intoxication does not mean simply liquor. Intoxication means even tea-drinking. Tea is also intoxication, in slight degree. Tea, coffee, cigarettes — everything should be avoided. In India they chew pan. So these things are to be give up, intoxication group, and meat-eating group. Then you make very quickly progress, and by the grace of Krsna, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. After leaving this body, one hasn’t got to take another material body and suffer. So long we have got this material body, we have to suffer the material pangs. There cannot be any adjustment. So if anyone is serious for ending all troubles… Everyone wants to live peacefully and happily. That is natural, because spirit soul is anandamayo ‘bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12), by nature joyful. He wants to keep himself joyful, but he does not know how eternal joyful life can be attained. That is spiritual life. You cannot become joyful by material adjustment. No. You may be joyful for the time being by drinking or by intoxication, but how long? So long the intoxication influence is there, you may feel something. That is artificially. But that is not actually the state of joyfulness. Real state of joyfulness is to be situated in spiritual life, and when you (are) actually in the spiritual kingdom, then you become sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], eternal life, joyful life, blissful life, with full knowledge.

So on behalf of Krsna, we are trying to distribute this knowledge at least in this part of the world. Now, those who are fortunate, they will take it and be benefited. Our business is to distribute. Now it is up to you. Every individual soul is independent. He may accept or may not accept. That depends on him. But if he accepts, it is good for him. Otherwise, he may make his choice. Krsna never…, God never interferes with your independence. No. He will never do that. Then what is the meaning of living being? Dull matter, it has no independence. Even it is a big mountain or big thing, it has no independence. It will stand still. But a small ant, even a microbe, it has got independence because it is living creature. So God has made you or given you little independence. That independence does not mean that you shall misuse it. You shall use it properly. And what is that proper use? To be engaged in His loving service. Just like you citizens of this German state, what you are meant for? You are meant for rendering service to the state. Similarly, the whole… This is a small state. America is a small… Or this planet is a small state. But there is a huge state which is called the cosmic manifestation. That state belongs to Krsna, or God. So naturally, you have to render service to the supreme state, supreme will. Then it is all right. Your independence is there. So long you are rendering service to the state properly, your independence as citizen is there. But as soon as you rebel against the state, your independence is gone. Similarly, our, this conditional life is due to our rebellious condition towards God. As soon as we agree surrender and be one with Him by transcendental loving service, the whole thing becomes adjusted. So Krsna consciousness movement means to teach people and to give them practical suggestion and help to… (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Initiation Lecture — Hamburg, August 27, 1969