Real Initiation

Srila Gurudeva: I was explaining the duties of a madhyama-adhikari. He has four kinds of duties. To Krsna, he will have prema. Love and affection and devotion to Krsna. With devotees, he will have maitri, friendship. Then to the innocent, those who are simple hearted, they will have mercy on them. Like those who are kanistha-adhikari’s, those who are eager to know krsna-tattva and to do bhajana. They are not impressed by mayavada or sahajiya vada. Any kind of these contaminations have not come to them. They may be a sense enjoyer, no harm. They may have so many anarthas, no harm. But they should not be involved with mayavada or have so many doubts. If they have so much doubt, then certainly they will fall down.

ajnas casraddadhanas ca

samsayatma vinasyati

nayam loko ‘sti na paro

na sukham samsayatmanah

Bhagavad-Gita 4.40

[Those who are ignorant, faithless and of a doubting nature are ruined. For the doubting person, there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.]

Sastra is always repeating and repeating these words. Then, he should ignore those who are antagonistic, opposite, envious. Those who have some dvesa, envy. To whom do they have envy? To Krsna, to krsna-tattva, to Guru-tattva, and to sastra. They have envy and they should be given up. Some people think that when they are initiated, they have come to the stage of madhyama-adhikari. But it is not fully correct. It is somewhat correct, but not fully.

They should understand that initiation is of two kinds. One is called vidvat-rudhi, or true initiation. True initiation or transcendental initiation. Real initiation. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Kasi, a place where many mayavadis reside, He met Prakasananda Sarasvati, the ring leader of the mayavadis. Prakasananda saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu like a very little boy and junior sannyasi. He wanted to reform Him and to make Him a very bona fide mayavadi sannyasi. Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered the council of mayavadis and sat down where they used to wash their feet with water, near a drain that was not so pure.

Prakasananda Sarasvati at once said, “Oh, what are you doing? You are in our category, You are a fellow sannyasi, You should come sit here.” He was not ready to come and there was some question and answer between them. Prakasananda Sarasvati asked Him, “You are in our line, the mayavadi line, and it seems that You are so learned. I want to purify You, but why are You dancing, singing, and following all these things? All these things are prohibited for a sannyasi. You should not sing and dance. Sometimes You laugh, sometimes You cry, and sometimes You are rolling down on the earth. What is this? You should read Vedanta. I will teach You Vedanta.”

Caitanya Mahaprabhu simply replied, “My Gurudeva has told Me to remember this sloka:

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha

Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 17.21

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

“He told Me, ‘Now we are a fallen soul but really we are by constitution a servant of Krsna. So remember this sloka and know that only harinama can save you, harinama can save you, harinama can save you, nothing else, nothing else, nothing else. You should try to remember this and then chant, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ He then gave Me the gopala-mantra.” Mahaprabhu received that same mantra that you are taking from your Gurudeva, gopi-jana-vallabhaya and all others, like this.

“So I trusted My Gurudeva and I began to chant both that mantra and the maha-mantra. He initiated Me in that mantra and for some days I was remembering this mantra and doing kirtana of ‘Hare Krsna Hare Krsna.’ I saw that in a very short time I became mad. I saw a very beautiful black colored boy, very beautiful, smiling, having a flute on His lips, peacock feathers on His head, and a very beautiful three folded form. I saw Him nearby standing under a tree. At once I became mad and ran after Him to catch and embrace Him. But He was so tricky and He was running here and there.

“When I came very close to Him, I wanted to touch and embrace Him. But at once I saw that He went anywhere in a kunja and disappeared. I was looking here and there, but I could not find Him. I began to weep bitterly, naturally, ‘O, where are You? I cannot live without You.’ Then I went to My Gurudeva and asked him, ‘Gurudeva, what mantra have you given Me? When I chant and remember this mantra, a very beautiful, very sweet, very fragrant boy comes and I become mad. Then when He vanishes and enters any kunja, then I become mad, rolling down on the earth. Why this happens, I don’t know. So Gurudeva, what is this?’

“My Gurudeva at once become very happy, embraced Me, and said, ‘Oh, really today I have got a real disciple. This is the real effect of this initiation mantra, that it makes anyone eternally mad. It will cause them to sometimes weep loudly and sometimes laugh. So You are really initiated. You are a fool. You cannot read Bhakti-sandarbha, you cannot read Vedanta. These things are only for intellectual giants. You should only chant and remember this mantra that I am giving you, ‘Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna.’ There is no need of intelligence or anything.’”

So this is what? Transcendental diksa, vidvat-rudhi diksa. This will happen when the Guru and also the disciple is so qualified. Isvara Puripada is qualified and Mahaprabhu was a very good disciple. That is why when He received diksa initiation, He at once became faint.