Real, Transcendental Diksa

Srila Gurudeva: Gopala-mantra means Himself Gopala. Who is Gopala? Vrajendra-nandana, who is He?

kasturi-tilakam lalata-patale vaksah-sthale kaustubham

nasagre vara-mauktikam kara-tale venuh kare kankanam

sarvange hari-candanam sulalitam kanthe ca muktavali

gopa-stri-parivestito vijayate gopala-cudamanih

Sri Gopala-sahasra-nama-stotra 28

[His forehead is decorated with musk tilaka, upon His chest rests the Kaustubha jewel, and exquisite pearl adorns the tip of His nose, His lotus hand holds the flute, bracelets adorn His wrists, His entire form is anointed with candana, a necklace of pearls graces His very charming neck, and He is surrounded by cowherd maidens—all glories unto He who is the crest jewel of cowherd boys!]

barhapidam nata-vara-vapuh karnayoh karnikaram
bibhrad vasah kanaka-kapisam vaijayantim ca malam
randhran venor adhara-sudhayapurayan gopa-vrndair
vrndaranyam sva-pada-ramanam pravisad gita-kirtih
Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.5

[Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karnikara flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayanti garland, Lord Krsna exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered the forest of Vrndavana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys sang His glories.]

How beautiful this is! There is no difference between gopala-mantra and Himself Gopala. If you are sincere and you have this vidvat-rudhi diksa, then at once Krsna will come in your heart. In Jaiva-dharma you have seen that when Vijaya Kumara and Brajanatha were given initiation, at once they saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates and they fell flat on the ground and they realized everything. A Guru may be so high class, he may be a very qualified and realized soul, but yet the disciple may not be so qualified. He may be in a very low stage, having so many anarthas. He may not even be a kanistha-adhikari. But yet, diksa initiation is given.

To be qualified for that transcendental diksa is very rare. Really only that transcendental diksa is qualified and bona fide. This external diksa is only to create some strength in the heart of any disciple. What has been written in Caitanya-caritamrta is reffering to that transcendental diksa, not this external diksa:

diksa-kale bhakta kare atma-samarpana

sei-kale krsna tare kare atma-sama

sei deha kare tara cid-ananda-maya

aprakrta-dehe tanra carana bhajaya

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 4.192-3

[At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Krsna accepts him to be as good as Himself. When the devotee’s body is thus transformed into spiritual existence, the devotee, in that transcendental body, renders service to the lotus feet of the Lord.]

It is reffering to that transcendental diksa, not for these things, [Srila Gurudeva speaks in a monotone voice:] “The fire sacrifice is done. You should wear tilaka, you should take mala, and you should chant it ten times, like this, three times in a day. Give up intoxication, cigarettes, ganja, smoking. and all bad habits. You should give up malice and all other things.” They don’t even know what a mala is but yet Gurudeva will give all these things.

But that disciple will say, “But Gurudeva, I am very fond of cigarettes.”

“No harm, you should gradually give this up. The fire sacrifice is done, so you should observe the four basic principles.”

“I will try gradually, but not now.” How will this kind of diksa be transcendental? Anyhow Gurudeva is very kind and merciful. He wants to help him, so gradually he has been admitted in the school of diksa. Actually that diksa is not diksa. But we are thinking that, “Oh, we have taken initiation.” But really, what is diksa?

divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam

tasmat dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih

Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.9

[That process which bestows transcendental knowledge (di—divya-jnana) and destroys (ksa) sinful desires for sense gratification is called diksa by learned authorities in the absolute truth.]

A process which gives divya-jnana. What is divya-jnana? Realization of krsna-tattva, jiva-tattva, bhakti-tattva, vraja-tattva, prema-tattva, rasa-tattva, and all other kinds of tattvas. Everything is included in divya-jnana. At the time of this common, general diksa initiation, is anyone knowing all these things? Do they have this divya-jnana, sambandha-jnana? Never. So you have been admitted into the school of diksa. It is not that real diksa has in a day or two been given to you. You have been admitted into the school and gradually that transcendental diksa will be given.

When divya-jnana will come, when all kinds of sins and anarthas and aparadha will go away, then it will be completed and real diksa will come. Now you are like a boy, an infant boy, and you don’t want to go to school, leaving your mother and father. When you are taken to school, you are always weeping, “O Mother, mother, mother!” But a beautiful picture book has been given to you and any very beautiful pencil and so many dresses, like a school uniform. You have a bag here and some toffee and other things and you are coming to school and the teacher will pet you and say, “Oh, very good boy, very good boy. Don’t weep, don’t weep. You are a very good student.”

But after two days he will say, “Oh mother, I will not go to school.” We are like this. So this is not real diksa. When all doubts will go and you will realize and you will see Krsna and you find that you are always weeping, this will be real diksa.

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya

vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira

pulakair nicitam vapuh kada

tava nama-grahane bhavisyati

Sri Siksastakam 6

[O Prabhu! When will my eyes be filled with a stream of tears? When will my voice choke up? And when will the hairs of my body stand erect in ecstasy as I chant Your holy name?]

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching us what real diksa is. So don’t think that now you have been given initiation and you have that real diksa. This has been given only to give some encouragement to progress towards that transcendental diksa. Really, at that time we are kanistha-adhikari. Some are not even in kanistha-adhikara yet. They have no fixed understanding that Thakurji is Himself Krsna.