Devotional Nectar,Vol.

5,2007
Initiation Lecture (Morning Class)
H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
8th May 2008.
Mumbai.

Lecture begins:

On this very auspicious day of the disappearance of Srila Ramananda Roy, for the
pleasure of Srila Prabhu Pad and our guru paramapara, Srila Nitai Guara Chandra, Radha
Gopinath and Gopal we begin the initiation ceremony.

Om apavitra pavitro va…..

(shloka not found)

Purified or unpurified or even having passed through all circumstances of life, one who
remembers the beautiful lotus eyed personality of god head is purified both within and
without Lord Chaitanya taught,

nitya-siddha-kåñëa-prema 'sädhya' kabhu naya

çravaëädi-çuddha-citte karaye udaya
(Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya 22.107)

WHY DO WE CHANT?

Pure love for god Krishna is dormant within the heart of every living being. It is not
something that is given, it is something that must be awaked by associating with the
saintly people and chanting the holy names of god, Krishna prem is awakened form
within. Sri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu, he prayed,

ceto-darpaëa-märjanaà bhava-mahä-dävägni-nirväpaëaà
çreyaù-kairava-candrikä-vitaraëaà vidyä-vadhü-jévanam
änandämbudhi-vardhanaà prati-padaà pürëämåtäsvädanaà
sarvätma-snapanaà paraà vijayate çré-kåñëa-saëkértanam
(Çré Çré Çikñäñöaka 1)

It is for this reason that we take the spiritual life and chant the holy names to cleanse the
mirror of the heart. The nature of the heart is to refract the true glory of the soul. But
when that heart becomes filled with dust and greed and various layers of contamination
all that we can see in the mirror is the contamination. There may not even be affiant hint
of being ourselves. The path of Bhakti is to cleanse the mirror of the heart, to allow our
real essence to shine through in our life. And that essence lord Chaitanya taught is,
jévera ‘svarüpa’ haya—kåñëera ‘nitya-däsa’ we are eternal servants of Krishna.
Krishna is the supreme enjoyer; our real happiness is to be enjoyed by him. Krishna is the
supreme proprietor. Our real happiness is to accept that the perfection of every thing in
this universe is when it is utilized in harmony with the will of god, in service of god.
Krishna is the supreme controller. To be controlled by Krishna’s love, is real happiness.
Otherwise we are controlled by Krishna’s external material energy. By goodness
sometimes, by passion and by ignorance

nityo nityänäà cetanaç cetanänäm

eko bahünäà yo vidadhäti kämän.
(Kaöha Upaniñad 2.2.13)

It is the constitutional and eternal nature of every soul to be subordinate to the god. Either
we conclude to be subordinate to lord’s material energy or lord’s spiritual energy. One is
the cause of all frustration, suffering and one is eternal enlightenment and happiness.
Anada mayo abhyasat.

WHY DO WE TAKE INITIATION?

Every one is seeking happiness. Krishna come to this world through so many
incarnations, avatar. He speaks scriptures according to time place and circumstances. At
times he sends his devotees to remind us that real pleasure is in love and pure love is
between the soul and the god. That is the purpose of human life and that is the exclusive
purpose of taking initiation. It is not simply gain the social status we gain. We may have
but that is all rubbish social status. We may get a little prestige but that’s also just
rubbish. What we are really concerned with is making progress in purifying our heart and
loving god through following the process and the wows of initiation. We take the wow to
carefully follow the basic principles of Bhakti. As started by Krishna and the great
Achrya’s it must be done not only in action and words but inspirit. It is a commitment; no
one should be pressurized or forced for taking initiation. It should be done as a spring in
the heart as owns enthusiasm to dedicate oneself to the path of purity and servitude.
Krishna explains in Gita,
evaà paramparä-präptam
imaà räjarñayo viduù
(Bahgwta gita 4.2)

That this knowledge of the highest truth has been handed down since time memorial the
disciplic succession.
tad viddhi praëipätena
paripraçnena sevayä
upadekñyanti te jïänaà
jïäninas tattva-darçinaù
(Bhagwat Gita 4.34)

CONNECTION BETWEEN, KRISHNA, YOU AND SPIRITUAL MASTER…..

The idea of initiation and spiritual master is created by god himself. It’s the process; he
has created for extending his mercy to this world. When Krishna embraces his devotee,
that embrace is the connection he makes with the fallen soul and the spiritual master. The
spiritual master is simply the instrument the representative of Krishna and his authority is
coming through humble service and adherence to the principles of paramapara. The
spiritual master is the servant of the servant of the servant in the paramapara and the
disciple is the servant of the servant of the servant in the paramapara. In this sense what
ever position we may haven this holy society is always of the servant of the servant of the
servant. A humble dedicated service attitude is what attracts Krishna nothing else. False
pride repels Krishna’s grace: Humility attracts Krishna’s grace. And real humility is
about our desire to serve simply for the satisfaction of the lord, his devotees and other
living beings. Not to take credit, not to blame others for our mistakes, a devotee simply
wants to be a puppet. Srila Prabhu Pad is our founder Äcärya, through his action and
through his life and through a beautiful prayer he taught us the essence of spiritual life.
“My lord allows me to be your puppet and make me dance as you want me to dance.” To
be Krishna’s puppet doesn’t mean we forget the puppeteer and we want every one to
praise us. We want all the praise to Krishna that is the proper service attitude. And all
praise to others who are serving Krishna. Krishna finds greatest happiness when we
glorify his devotees, when we serve his devotees, when we make sacrifices to help his
devotees and essentially there are those who know they are his devotees and those who
do not know him. In Bhagwat Gita Krishna tells that “There is no service more dear to be
nor will there ever be, than explaining this message to my devotees.” Srila Prabhu pad
understood that everyone is potentially Krishna’s devotee. Who ever we explain it to, the
conditional souls, to aspire and waken them, to resume their devotion to god, is very very
dear to Krishna.

WHY DO WE TAKE THE WOWS?

So please understand that these wows that you will be taking today are the most
important and serious commitment in your life. Taking the wows will not bring you
closer to god. Keeping the wows is what will bring you close to god. Anybody can speak
some words, but when we speak these words before the holy deities, before the spiritual
master and the devotees and the sacred fire, and all the devatas there are many witnesses
watching you form within and without. So we should have sincere honest intent to keep
these wows, in spirit and in practice. Srila Prabhu Pad our beloved guru maharaja has
established how we can follow this great Gaudiya Viashnava system in a very practical
way even in toady’s modern world. Without compromising the sanctity of our life. But in
order to do that properly we need the association of those who are striving to do so. Srila
Prabhu Pad said, “united we stand, divided we fall.” He also said, “If anyone thinks that
they can be Krishna consciousness without the proper association of devotees, is in
illusion. We need association but proper association. Association based on hearing and
chanting the glories of lord, helping each other to remember the lord and inspiring one
another to adopt a genuine service attitude.

KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IN………….THE SAMPRADAYA.

Today the disappearance of Ramananda Roy, we remember and honor the extraordinary
gift that Srila Prabhu Pad has given us. Yes, there are many religions that have taught the
way to god through the ages, Santana Dharma means to love god and to serve god, to
understand you are not this body you are the eternal soul. But there are different levels
and degrees of realization of god.
Lord Chaitanya when he was in Kavurd on the bank of Godavari River, he spoke through
the mouth of Ramananda Roy for the purpose of revealing the whole world the highest
treasure of the spiritual world. The deepest secrets of all secrets. God is great but how
great is god? He is not only all beautiful but he is all attractive. Ramananda Ray
described from the very basics fundamental principles of religions and expanded to the
highest ecstasies of love, in Goloka Vrindavan which culminates in the love of Radha and
Krishna. This Gaudiya Sampradaya gives us that connection to Radha Rani. Srila Rupa
Gosvämé was especially empowered to lead all; Gaudiya Viashnava into the loving
service of Sri Sri Radha Govinda. As the loving assistance of Sri Radhika to give the
highest satisfaction to Krishna. Krishna das Kaviraj Gosvämé describes that, there is a
vine or creeper, the creeper is around the tree Krishna’s like the tree and Srimati Radha
Rani is the creeper always embracing Krishna with her hearts love, the highest supreme
most love. But there are little flowers called Manjiris on that creeper and those flowers
because they are connected to Srimati Radha Rani in the form of creeper they are
nourished with her love. Although they are not directly embracing Krishna all the
happiness, the ecstasy she is experiencing in embracing Krishna is going to each and
every flower.

THE RAREST OF ALL THE LOVING DEVOTION.

To love god is great, it is blissful but the supreme bliss is to love god as an assistant of
Srimati Radha Rani, to be connected to her. Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Radha Krishna
Nahi Anaya. Lord Chaitanya is Krishna in the mood of Radha. To taste the sweetness of
he love and to give people the sweetness of her love. And Rupa Gosvämé he has taught
us how to enter in that spiritual ecstasy.

anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà
jïäna-karmädy-anävåtam
änukülyena kåñëänu-
çélanaà bhaktir uttamä
(Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.1.11)

Rupa Gosvämé taught what is true devotional service. It must be un tinged by any selfish
desires; all our desires should be favorably please Krishna. That means not only any
desire of relief of sufferings in this world. Pleasures of the heavenly worlds, no desire of
any mystic powers, not even desire for liberation,. Salvation or Mukti.
Just the day beefier yesterday there was the verse in the class,

muktänäm api siddhänäà

näräyaëa-paräyaëaù
su-durlabhaù praçäntätmä
 kotiñv api mahä-mune
(Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.14.5)

This is the exalted state of pure love. Even million and trillions of people who have
attained liberation and millions and trillions of people who have attained the eight mystic
siddhis. Now consider its very are to find any one in this world even one person who has
liberation or even one mystic siddhis, yes! Do you know anyone who is perfectly
liberated and Brahman consciousness? Do you now anyone who as the eight mystic
siddhis? Hardly, impossible to find one in this world. But Parikshit Maharaj describes out
of millions and trillions who have attained that it’s very rare to find one person who is
Narayan Parayana, who is pure devotee of lord Krishna and only that person is really
peaceful. Because only that person is In his or her natural spiritual condition. But lord
Chaitanya and his associates are giving that highest treasure, the Purusharth shiromani,
really to every one and anyone at such a affordable price, our sincerity that’s all! In Kali
Yuga people are so unqualified, but the lord is so merciful. Only once on a day of
Brahma does he give this mercy. Just be sincere to follow these four regulative principles,
no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication. Just be sincere to every
day chant at least sixteen rounds of the beautiful most treasure of all treasures the Maha
mantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare
Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Sugar Cane juice is very sweet, but if you have the diseases of jaundice it tastes very
bitter. It’s really amazing how the sweetest thing that we were just feasting on, something
that we just were longing to taste for 24 hrs a day, the rest of eternity the sweetest thing.
The taste of greatest enjoyments of heavenly world as and his world is not even a drop
compared to the ocean of happiness of liberation. But the happiness of liberation is like a
drop compared to the boundless, sure lees, fathomless, ocean of the taste we receive by
chanting the holy name of Radha and Krishna. That is the natural state. So its not that
lord chaitanya is very strict, he tells us we have to chant at least sixteen rounds every
day.” Traditionally it was 64 rounds Prabhu Pad said,” I am as lenient as I could possibly
be. I can’t go any less.” But we take it as an austerity. (Sound distorted),,,,,,,,, what a
diseased condition, it’s a Tapasya to chant sixteen round. May be none of you have ever
had that experience. But possibly you have. Is it a Tapasya to drink sweet rice when you
are hungry? But yet, this is our condition. But lord Chaitanya is so kind, he is so merciful,
he told us just chant the holy name and cleanse your heart and live a descent, moral life
and under the guidance of the spiritual master and association of the devotees learn how
to be the servant of the servant of eth servant. That is the simple process that we have
been given, but the nature of the mind is that we want to make excuses and exceptions
and justifications.
BLESSINGS OF INITIATION.

But one of the greatest blessings of taking initiation is you commit your self, take a wow.
You know that you have a taken a wow, other people know you have taken a wow and
just the fact that you have taken a wow gives you strength,”I have to do it.” And that will
protect us if we are sincere. Another special blessing of initiation is we are formally
connecting or self to the flow of divine grace that is coming from paramapara. And if we
honor and we honor those relationships the mercy, the power of love of all the great
Äcärya and Radha and Krishna are there to protect us and uplift us. The time of initiation
should really be a time of incessant gratitude, no one should think I deserve. You cannot
deserve in this material world, it can only come by the causeless mercy and we are
depending on that causeless mercy. And we have to be grateful to the causeless mercy
and we are willing to reciprocate for that causeless mercy however difficult it may be to
remain faithful lot the promises we made and the expectation that Krishna has for us.

THE GOAL OF YOUR LIFE…….

Srila Prabhu Pad is the founder Äcärya of the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness and we are all his servants and all devotees who may be initiated and
followers of various servants of Srila Prabhu Pad they are all our family. They are all to
be honored, loved, respected and served. My purpose is simply to try to fulfill his desire.
My life and soul is to somehow or other according to my capacity to install within all of
your hearts the understanding of the way to best fulfill Srila Prabhu Pad’s desire because
through that process this grace will lift us, to the highest grounds of Radha Gopinath’s
service. We must be pure in our life and we must religiously purify ourselves through
strict and faith full Sadhna. But we also must create a society, as society that is not only
pure for itself but it can purify the world and for that we must follow the holy principle.
tåëäd api sunécena
taror api sahiñëunä
amäninä mänadena
kértanéyaù sadä hariù
(Çré Çré Çikñäñöaka 3)

We must become humble like a blade of grass, tolerant like a tree. Even to Offer all
respect to others and to expect none in return and in this way we can chant the holy name
of god, individually and collectively. In such a way that Krishna will shower blessings of
mercy upon us. By this process we must chant and carefully guard against the ten
offences. Request you all to loudly chant the ten offenses.
Thank you very much.
Srila Prabhu Pad Ki jay!
Ananta Koti Viashnava Vrind Ki Jay!

End of the document.