Avoiding Naam apradha | Initiation lecture | 18 July 2022 | Baltimore | Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami

There are three births. The first birth is from the womb of the mother. This birth is called shokra janma. Shokra in Sanskrit means semen, and oka janma means both as a result of sāmṇikā-dṛṣṭhasaṇa. And this is what is common both to human beings and to animals. Can you all hear in the four corners? Yes. Clear. So the first one is both as a result of sāmṇikā-dṛṣṭhasaṇa. This is called śrūpa-jñāna. To achieve this both, Nīvāṇa-bhakti is not for credit. The second birth is realized when one gets initiated into the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Just like in today's program, over 25 candidates are accepting initiation in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. But this is your Second birth. And because it is your second birth, you also get a spiritual name. And next to the spiritual name, the word tāskā-dāsī, it means going to the Lord. And the third birth is realized when one gets initiated into the chanting of these yānti-mantras. This is called yajñikā-jñāna. And as a result of this service, one will become eligible to dress the Deities, offer ārati to the Deities. In the program today, several candidates are taking initiation through the chanting of the Holy Name, and several are taking initiation in the chanting of the Yāsyamāntara. The Vedas say human form of life should be used for self-realization. In our Hare Kṛṣṇa Society, a high-rank dikṣā can be awarded to one who has chanted the Holy Name for at least 2 years. Mudhva. And when that gives you form, more principles: no meat, fish, and eggs, no intoxication, no illicit sex life. These four, when executed, become the pillars of spiritual life. And when they're not executed, they become the pillars of sin. And who was that? So, he says, "Anand, may you give it to us by Prabhupāda." So to chant the Holy Name is the prime process for making us Vaiṣṇu-devān. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that when we go on chanting Holy Name, word of the Lord. We want nothing more than this. We want to have love of God. Pāu janmā-karī-karī-samana-kṛṭana abhutānā-pāya-kṛṣṇa-paraye hemaṇā. Kṛṣṇa-kavirāṣṇa. One may go on chanting Holy Name, word of the Lord, then one comes to avoid the offenses, you will not get full benefit. If you chant around what is recommended in the scriptures, you chant without offenses. Broadly speaking, the 10 offenses, other sages talk about it. They may just go and temple after the morning program. We recite the Ten Affirmances. Why? Because the Ten Affirmances are very important to everyone if you want to make spiritual advance. If you commit offenses, you can't make spiritual advance. The Four Ashrams, who knows the Four Ashrams? What are the Four Ashrams? So, envy, jealousy, sometimes inspired by criticism. But you're not indulging in fault-finding or criticizing. We should not indulge in false finding just because of hatred, just because of envy. If we have something constructive, more powerful, that can be presented. But our action should not be motivated by envy. Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Lord, and He will make compassion to everyone. The Lord Caitanya, being the Supreme Lord, was very compassionate. Devotee was there. "I am merciful to everyone, but not to your mother." And the Lord was there. My mother had offended. What was her offense? She had a certain anger against Advaita Charia. She thought that He was responsible for influencing her two sons to be evil. So, Lord Caitanya said, "That is why Mother had tones. She was not in love of God." And once when Lord was revealing His stance as a leader, Mother said, "She was always obedient." "Religion was on me." "Please listen." And so she came from behind and took His head from the feet. "Ava adhūr satyāya." And then the Lord said, "Now my mother is well known." The Lord showed by His example that even His mother, if she committed offense, it is not Non-native minds. Second offense is, no? What is the second offense? Say the names of Dainika Lakṣmi. The name of Dainika Lakṣmi will be equal to or independent of the Holy Name of the Lord. These Holy Names of the Lord are non-native minds. Before we came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Most of us believe it. All gods are one. Take any path, it will all be the same. All right. How do you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? You get the training. Īśvānapārma-kṛṣṇa, aśīrṇanda-vikara. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. All others are subordinate. So to think that All gods are one. Take any path, the result is the same. You know, the Vedas say, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme." Eka īśvā Kṛṣṇa, aṁ saṁprataya. Kṛṣṇa is the only proprietor. All others are subordinate. So we should understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Just like by watering the root of the tree, you water all the branches, similarly by worshipping Him, Lord, all the demigods and goddesses also take care. We should not be in any doubt regarding who Kṛṣṇa is and who the demigods are. Next one says, "So, what is the relevance?" This is the way, this is another spiritual path. And there is another way.

You have many paths.

The way they say, to obtain spiritual knowledge, one should take shelter of a qualified guru. What is the qualification of the guru? Vāśya vega manasa-krodha-vega. "Ivā-vigraṁ mudhaḥ paṣavega." He must have full control over his mind and sense organs. What is the desire of the guru? Desire of the guru is that the disciple may get attached to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. And the guru presents the teaching of the Pampa as it is. That's like Śrīla Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda gave us a pure teaching, without any distortion at all. The guru is, as Prabhupāda used to say, a spiritual postman. He delivers the message of the Lord as it is. And the desire of the guru is that the disciple make Śrīla Advaita Mahāprabhu. The instructions are for our benefit. So we should repeat all these instructions. We should not think that the spiritual master's duty is to flatter me, to praise me. The duty of the spiritual master is to preach by example. Once there was a boy suffering from diabetes. His mother would tell him all the time, "Stop taking sugar. It's not good for your health." The boy did not stop. Finally, the mother took her son to the guru and said, "Guruji, this son of mine has very high diabetes." and he won't stop eating sugar. Please tell him to stop. Guru said, "Come back after 2 weeks." After 2 weeks they went back and the guru said, "Son, no more sweets. It's bad for your health." And the son said, "Okay, Guruji, I won't do it." So the mother was surprised. And Guruji said one word, and the son agreed. He said, "Guru, this is all you had to do. Why didn't you do it 2 weeks ago?" And the Guru said, "2 weeks ago I was eating sugar myself. How could I do that? Now I stopped it." The guru preaches by example, and the desire is disciple makes spiritual advancement. Getting initiated has value only if we are serious about spiritual advancement. Abhādaṣuṣaya, don't get initiated as a body of thing. Sanskrit fashion. You can get initiated only if you're ready to follow her principles. She is serious about spiritual advancement. To think that the Vedas are not relevant in today's environment is also an offense. Vedas contain eternal wisdom. To properly establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world and show that the Vedic messages are not eternal. So to think that Vedas are not relevant today is a myth. We should not think that the glories of the Holy Name are an exaggeration. The scriptures say, "Āina mā āina mā āina meva kevala." That's what I say when it comes to my name— thank you very much! Chanda holy name, chanda holy name, chanda holy name. This is the way of description. So think that the glory of the Holy Name is exaggeration? Jagadguru Paramahansa Yogananda. To commit sins on the strength of chanting, Prasada used to say, this is the most serious of all of it. You get initiated. Now I'm initiated. I got initiated in front of the deity, so I can commit offenses. I'll be forgiven. This is the way it happens. We should not make sins on the day of Trinity. One should be careful that you don't sin anymore. Papa Rāmaṇī used to say, "No more sinning." So we should not commit sins on the day of Trinity. The sin, we genuinely open it. It is genuine opening. It is not some karma kind of activity. Karma-kanda is a type of business engagement with the Lord. Next, devobrī. One should develop pure love of the Lord. We don't preach the message, faithless. You will change into an attachment. The fire of chaitanya will begin. It will develop. And one should not be inattentive or unfriendly. In the scriptures we read about the attachments we need to give up. Śrīla Mahāprabhu said, "Accept what is favorable, reject what is unfavorable." So we have taken initiation and we should give all our attachments. So that is a— we read the books, hear the lectures, and we realize what is auspicious, what is inauspicious. Accept what is favorable, reject what is unfavorable. So, to maintain the mutual attachment, the gate was accomplished. One should be intentive on chanting the Holy Name. The Holy Name is not everywhere from the Lord. Nāma jyotām nivreṣṇa ca itarāṣṛrīyaḥ puruṣuddha-nityam uksaṁ venaṇḍho 'nam nāmaḥ. Holy name is non-different from Godhead. So when we chant the Holy Name, especially when we are chanting our 16 rounds, our effort should be to chant attentively. Attentively doesn't mean that your mind won't wander. Then the mind wanders, but you concentrate on one activity, chanting the Holy Name. Not that I'm chanting with one hand, with the other hand doing something else. The more you tend to be on chanting, the better will be. That's Krishna's mantra. So we should be, we tend to have intent. Especially when you are doing your 16 rounds every day. That should be done very attentively. When you come to see another auspicious day, the goal should be to chant Hare Krishna. So those who accept initiation must agree to follow by these guidelines, and it makes spiritual advancement. We should realize the importance of śrāvana-mānana-vṛtṇa. Hātam vṛtṇa-māṇana, a very important book. Hātam vṛtṇa-māṇana, very important. In the Kṛṣṇa-kṛṣṇa-karma-vṛtṇa movement, as you know, Prabhupāda gave the legal message, and we should be anxious to do the same work. We get initiated because we want to make spiritual advancement. Spiritual advancement means getting attached to the Holy Name, getting attached to the scriptures, developing the mood of humility. Humility on the spiritual path is an asset, and our goal should be to develop humility and consider oneself to be a servant of the Lord for the Vaiṣṇavas. So we hope that all those candidates, especially any accepting my Nāmādhikāṣatri, they will take it very seriously. They will follow these standards and be determined to make spiritual advancements. Prabhupāda gave us very valuable knowledge in his books. We should regularly study these books. And if we regularly study these books, you will be able to make spiritual advancement. The main devotee today was accepting initiation in the chanting of the Gyan Tray mantra. In the chanting of the Gyan Tray mantra, the Brahmin clan initiation is awarded After one has chanted the Holy Name for a period of time, and one has passed the Bhakti Shastra exam, and one has exhibited good behaviour, then can get into Vedic philosophy. Chatur varnamaya asya, vunaka-kam evah asah. One becomes a Brahmin on the basis of guna. So Brahmin must have Brahminical qualities, and these are mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, chapter 18, text 42. Shamo vādam asamo soja, āndhirājivaniya vashya, gāṇamigāṇam asṛkyaṇa, brahma-brahma-svaroṇa-veṣyam. A Brahman must cultivate these qualities and exhibit them in his behaviour. Now that I'm called Brahman, it means I can act in any way that I want. One day somebody asked Prasad Raaval, "Swami, can you do some magic?" Papa said, "No, I can't do any magic." But any poet has said, 'But what magic have I done?' The man was very curious. 'What magic has Prasad Raaval done?' 'I have converted thousands of netchas into Brahmins.' So those who were addicted to non-dilatory eating, running, extended of being, they didn't bother. So those who are having initiation into the channel of the Gācyamāntara, which is called the yogic Anjanma, you must exhibit these qualities. You must be idle in behaviour, and you must also have passionless. Of course, over here, many yogis get recommended to probably get initiation. So that they can do Deity worship and they can do Deities, because Deities— many of the devotees, they are given— this is the reason why they are sitting in brahman. So we should be ready to serve. Deity means worshipping the Lord, Lord in Your presence and in the heart of your couple. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave 5 items priority. One was adhu-sanga. The second was more chanting the Holy Name. Next was studying the scriptures. And the next one was, "Vasudeva devi, devi, devi, devi." So the Lord manifests Himself in the archyavaka form. This is not just a murti, our understanding should be. It is God, and He has a golden opportunity for us to engage in seva. So those who are accepting Brahman must Worship the Deity, do service to the Deity, and by doing so, make spiritual advancement. A Brahmin must have good character. He must have rādhā-nāma. He should be peaceful. He must believe in austerity. Austerity in spiritual life means sacrificing one's ego. 'Por desdén de mi interés, acepté muerte, con disgusto.' So, we hope that all those who are taking Brahminical initiation will regularly come and serve the Deities in the temples and cook for the Deities, etc. We should be exemplary. We hope that all the candidates accepting initiation today, they should realize they are taking their vows in front of their Lordship, Shri Guruji Maharaj, in front of Radha Madam, and in front of our Nithyananda Swami Madam. They are all witness to every commitment that you have made. And we should honor our commitment. What are our commitments? I will chant 16 rounds every day. Is that right? All of you agree? Yes. You are going to acknowledge that. And there will be several witnesses. Prabhupāda, the Deity, Śrī Mahārāja Mahāprabhu, and all the video cameras. They all will certify. Yes, on this day you took this vow. If you break the vow, you become a criminal. And then you can't just say, 'Na, there are 3, you know, 25 of us.' And then we should also actively support the Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Hindi.

We chant the Holy Name. When we chant the Holy Name, what are we praying to the Lord? We are praying, "Please give me devotional service. Please give me devotional service." And when we get devotional service, we back out. So we should be anxious to So, this is Prasada's mission. And according to our means, we should also financially support the temple. And we should be determined to make spiritual advancement. We should regularly read Prabhupāda's books. Prabhupāda's books are available in virtually every language. It doesn't matter what your mother tongue is. Our books are available and we should read it. Those who have the ability to read must regularly read of our books, especially read a small book called Lecture on Instruction. We hope that all of you will take your responsibility seriously and be an asset to the Krishna consciousness movement and be determined to make spiritual advancement. Is that okay? Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna. So it's a little late, so we have a fast, right? Jnanadan Maharaj, he would have said, he would have said—

I don't know, maybe over there is better.

Jnanadan Maharaj would have said in the corner there, and we call the names of— Suppose you go to Jnanadan Maharaj and he asks you, the Guru mantra in the four related And if you answer correctly, then you come to me and I will give you your bead and your name. He said, "Okay." So we called 5 names at a time. You go in Om Buddha Nama Sopraṁbha, and then you go to Nāṇa Mahāññāna, which stands up and bow. Ramana and explain the 4 principles, and then he come to me. They say we save time.

Okay. Okay, first one is Ashish Faria, then Cher Engel, Jiten Kumar Luthra, Jigar Shah, Pankaj Singh. Again, Ashish Faria is first.

All these names are equally powerful. Please don't think you got a better name than me. Spiritual advancement is not going to be based on your name. You're going to be patient in the effort. You ready, my guy?

Yes.

We play the cards that are in our hand, and the only thing we can do. So, give me a beat. Give me the beat on this. Give me the beat. Give me the beat on this. Ajit, are you okay? Along with his name, we are giving you a slip. In that slip, your spiritual name is mentioned. That's the meaning of that name. So, Ajit, you Good, good. Then move ahead and offer a visit. Make sure, make sure you take this slip with you.

Keeping your slip with you, baby.

And in you go.

Das—

Jagadpran, sham, das.

Jagatpranam, Shambhav.

You go ahead and I will be a little bit trapped in jam. Sometimes I will say to Krishnamurti, "Why enjoy the living?" Why you stay here? I was going there. For example, Jagadishā is a doctor. His special name is Jagadeesh Mahāprasād RAVAL.

This for whose yoga?

Yogeshwar is from Toronto.

Yes, yes, good.

Yogeshwar is Subramānya. His spiritual name is Yogeshwar Madhusudana. His spiritual name is, his spiritual name is— Rāmānanda Caitanya Dāsa.

Santil Kumar Maharaj, Prasad Raaval.

Santil Kumar, where are you from?

I'm from Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh. Chandrakumar, your spiritual name is very special. All your names are special, but your name is Shrinivas Pundrik Das.

Hindi. Okay, Arati Mahajan, Arjuna Babuta, Rumati Vimal, Gayatri Palimaru, and Gunavanti Shukla.

And please come in the order that he announces.

Das.

The priests inside getting ready. Another 10 minutes.

He has already done the initial ceremony.

When I slip your name and the meaning of the name is there.

I should have— One second.

Thank you, Maharaj.

Give me a new name and I'll give my new life to You. Thank You very much.

Be a good devotee. And both your parents named you Gayatri, so you kept that. There were 25 candidates for Brahmanical initiation. After the yagya, I can come to my room. I'm going to give you the gas. Jyoti Sonik. Jyoti Sonik. His major name is Janaki Vishnupriya Devi Das.

Janaki Vishnupriya Devi Das ji ki. Hi, everybody.

Yes. You are a spiritual name, eh? Nehemiah, Madhvi.

Devi Dasi.

In the precious name of Vaishnavi Devi Das Ji. Vishakha Kalavati Devi Das.

Vishakha Kalavati Devi Das.

Okay, this is the last one. Okay, get going. This is the fast track process. The slow track will take an hour. So all those that are here right now should not— should always remember the vows they have taken in front of the Deities. Okay.

Come closer to Ma.

You okay?

You okay?

I'm your servant.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Everyone please just give your spiritual name. From today you all become a Jyoti Vatara. So I'm going to chant the mantra. So all of you please offer the Mool Samadhi next to your plate, okay? So later on we'll bring together and then do ultima avutini.

Yes, probably. No, no, no. Okay. No conformidad en la regla.

Santi, santi, santi. We're going to do the empty ma rogi. So I'll request everyone to please get up.

Okay.