Jaya Pataka Swami discusses ISKCON's second-initiation requirements: typically six months to one year after first initiation, with tests on five standard books and 16 daily rounds. Different regions adapt the standards, from the UK's emphasis on cleanliness and preaching to India and Bangladesh's oral teaching for lower literacy.
Books before I was shaping, some people wait six years to get. I don't know if it changed that, but sometimes they do. You have to check up, you know, what requirements. But generally it's like in the Soviet Union or they put in Russia, CIS, they say you have to have a Bach 2 Shasta degree before they can get a second initiation. In my case, I have a 55, 60 question test, which you can download on the Internet, study up for and then pass your test. But if you have a Bhakti shastra, you don't have to take the test. I don't know the minimum as far as this guy is concerned. The basic ISKCON institutional standard is after giving the first initiation, you have to second initiation.
After.
First minimum one year, first minimum six months after. So I heard here in the Ukraine. Then of course there's the four principles.
And the.
16 rounds and there's a test. Usually that's Gordo.
Specifically.
What does the UK require to get second plus plus, because you're becoming an ordained minister. So the main institutional requirement, because you're allowed to do marriages and things. So there'll be something. You really have to have second to go back to Ganya. But if you have it, it helps to control your mind, it increases the closeness between you and the spiritual master and it gives you more opportunities for doing services like Yagya's deity worship. That's the importance. But if you're not very strict and you have second, it's more reaction. So you want to just like you want to drive on the motorway, you got to be a good driver.
You.
Want to take second, you have to be very. You have to be very careful. What are the UK requirements?
Yeah, UK requirements, they shift, you see, Maharaj, because here in England we have initiated disciples of about 26 different gurus. So it's a constant challenge to come up with a UK national standard. It has its sort of lower level and it has its upper level. We've got Krishna Kshetra Prabhu living here and then we've got various other spiritual masters who are these days in constant contact with disciples through email, saying, I will give you a second initiation next week. And another spiritual master says, I will give you second initiation in six years. So when someone asks me, what is the UK national standard? We have various, what we consider to be helpful qualifiers, but it's cleanliness, punctuality, especially if a person's being considered for second initiation. In order to do deity worship, they have to have a good understanding of the standard books the five standard books that promise that everyone should read the basics. They should have demonstrated a certain aptitude for preaching. Because if they've done that, then there'll be a strong second initiate. If they haven't risen to the level where they're sharing Ka consciousness with others, then it will be difficult. It's difficult to be a selfish Brahmin. Preaching means selfless. So if you haven't got to the level of preaching, second initiation may be simply something. So even if they want to do deity worship, they really have to show that they have a preaching mood and a good relationship with their peers. Actually, no point being a Brahmin if you're going to fight with all your God brothers and God sisters. So we look for that too. We look for personal characteristics and then that must be the final, final.
Devotees are very determined that we should all study the scriptures, which I also agree with. But people are different. And there may be people who will struggle to read Papa Katz books but have been good listeners who are good listeners. Like for example, I never read Prabhupada's books for 20 years. But I always associate a lot with Papa Paths. Besides now I've gotten more taste. But it took me so many years and maybe purification. But there might be devotees who don't come to that standard ever. But I'm definitely not talking about myself now. But who in their attitude have assimilated the essence of Ka consciousness in humility and love and service attitude. Because we are all descending. So it's a tough one having to read all the five standard books for some people.
We have other problems in India where you have people that are not educated. You have a 16 year old lady that's only educated up to fourth grade. So they can't really read the books. So for them we have. I reduced it like 11 basic questions. Bangladesh, Bengal. Some people are totally illiterate. They still have to initially chant 16 rounds for years. So you have to have somebody teach them the mantra by repeating in the ear and getting to remember the mantras. They have to know Prabhupada's Prana mantra. They have to know the Guru's Prna mantra even if they're illiterate. So there's some very basic things that they have to do. I think that's the problem in the uk, that kind of flexibility to deal with the local situation, part of preaching. Time, place and circumstances. Thank you very much for your enlightening questions.
I'm just going to take a short break and then more questions.
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