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The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri
Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati
Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in
the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri
Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to
rejoin them. (Click on photo to see a larger
image.) |
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Our Mission: To help everyone awaken
their original Krishna consciousness, which is
eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss.
Such a global awakening will, in one stroke,
solve all the problems of the world society
bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and
prosperity for all. May that day, which the
world so desperately needs, come very soon. We
request you to participate in this mission by
reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and
assisting us in spreading this science all over
the world. |
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Dedicated with love to
ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His
Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and
to you, our dear readers. |
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Today's Thought: |
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Spiritual Seekers Beware
Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin,
Texas USA |
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Unfortunately
many people nowadays who are seeking spiritual
enlightenment by taking shelter of a spiritual master
end up being grossly cheated by charlatans who use the
position of guru for sense gratification. Due to the
absence of spiritually enlightened governments these
cheaters are allowed to continue with their nonsense
without any restriction. Thus it is very easy to find a
guru who will take away your money and very difficult to
find a guru who will take away your anxiety. Therefore
all spiritual seekers should be very cautious before
accepting a spiritual master. They should make sure that
he is bona fide. How does one tell? Here are some
essential guidelines:
1. He must be coming in an unbroken line of disciplic
succession from the original spiritual master. Lord Sri
Krishna.
2. He must present the teachings of his predecessor
gurus without any addition or subtraction.
3. He must be solidly fixed in the Absolute Truth and
thus be fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness 24 hours
daily.
4. He should be a living embodiment of the scriptures in
all of his thoughts, words, and deeds.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Bona Fide
Spiritual Master: His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
http://www.backtohome.com/images/Prabhupada/compassionate-sp.jpg
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Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: |
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Question:
Is Initiation Required? |
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Dear Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
It is stated by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur
that we are a siksha (instruction based) sampradaya
(disciplic succession). Furthermore I have heard that
diksha (initiation) is essentially given only for the
sake of doing deity worship and is not very important
for getting the desired result of Krishna prema (pure
love of Krishna). Please explain the importance of
initiation and whether or not it is compulsory.
Your unworthy servant,
Charan
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Answer: Initiation is
Absolutely Required |
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It is true that our
disciplic line is based on siksha or instructions.
Without the knowledge of Krishna's teachings purely
passed down from master to disciple there would be no
meaning to the initiation ceremony. But this does not
mean that initiation is not important. Initiation is
equally important because it is a contract in which the
disciple vows to always follow the instructions of the
spiritual master and the spiritual master vows to
deliver the disciple from the cycle of birth and death.
Just as a train runs on
two tracks, our disciplic line runs on two tracks:
siksha (instructions) and diksha (initiation). I would
be interested to see if such a quote from
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati actually exists, or if it is
just hearsay, because according to Srila Jiva Goswami
diksha is how one gets the awakening of transcendental
knowledge and the release from his previous sinful
activities, as confirmed in his Bhakti-sandarbha (verse
283):
divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato
dadyāt
kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam
tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā
deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ
"Diksha is the process by which one can awaken his
transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions
caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study
of the revealed scriptures knows this process as
diksha."
These two aspects of the guru/disciple relationship are
both are of the topmost importance. Instructions are
most essential because if one simply takes initiation
from the spiritual master but does not follow his
instructions, he has no connection with the spiritual
master. Initiation is also most essential because if one
decides to follow the spiritual master with no serious
commitment, he can easily be deviated by the whims of
the fickle mind.
Srila Prabhupada confirms the absolute necessity of
diksha or initiation in the Nectar of Devotion as
follows:
"The connection with the spiritual master is called
initiation. From the date of initiation by the spiritual
master, the connection between Krishna and a person
cultivating Krishna consciousness is established.
Without initiation by a bona fide spiritual master, the
actual connection with Krishna consciousness is never
performed."
In conclusion, both instructions (sikhsa) and the solid
commitment to follow those instructions (diksha) are
absolutely essential for attaining the topmost
perfection of going back to home, back to Godhead.
Therefore everyone who aspires for spiritual perfection
should seek out a bona fide spiritual master who can
instruct him how to become spiritually perfect and
should commit himself to follow that spiritual master's
instructions through the holy sacrament known as diksha
or initiation.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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