These are not separate lines. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja told you, “You should know who Krishna is. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” But I am telling you to forget this.
Some devotees are of the opinion, “We are the monarchs of all. Maharaja should not speak like this. This is not the line of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja.”
To them, I reply, “But this is the actual line of what Svamiji spoke. He wanted to bring everyone to the shelter of this line. There is not the slightest difference between his words and mine.”
I wanted to speak on Sri Raya Ramananda Samvad. We should know all tattvas (philosophical conclusions). I will question everyone on the ten principles of Bhakti—Dasa mula tattva. We should note these words down. Dasa mula tattva has been written and explained in Jaiva Dharma. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura especially has manifested these priceless devotional conclusions for the upliftment of the conditioned souls of this world. We should honor and serve this devotional masterpiece of a book—Jaiva dharma. I will ask everyone the ten principles Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has stated and enunciated on in Jaiva dharma. These principles are in an unmanifest form in Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, the books of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Jiva Gosvami, and in the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura manifested them for our benefit. These ten principles have also been stated in the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and the Vedas. They have been stated in all scriptures. We should know all these principles. I will question everyone on these ten principles tomorrow.
If the devotee remembers and realizes these ten principles, then jnane prayasam udapasya will manifest at the stage of bhava. This will not manifest in the stage of sadhana bhakti. In sadhana bhakti we must know all these principles.
Vishrambhena guru seva (to engage in intimate service to guru) applies to whom? It applies to those who are advanced and to those who have been initiated. Perhaps I have not taken diksa (initiation). Externally I have been initiated, but I don’t know if I am established in diksha. I don’t know if all the members of the assembly have taken diksa or not. I think most of you have taken diksa. Who have taken diksa?
[many devotees raise their hands]
When will we be established in diksa? What is diksa? Di—stands for divya jnana, sambhanda jnana, Krishna tattva jnana, bhakti tattva jnana, and maya tattva jnana. The second part of the word diksha, i.e. ksa—stands for the removal of all unwanted, repulsive elements that obstruct our sadhana- bhajana like offenses, and anarthas. The heart is washed clean of all undesirable tendencies. Then the real fruit of diksa is born. You have written your name down as a student in the preliminary class of diksa, when you have been initiated. Real, internal diksa hasn’t yet taken place. Diksa has taken place in the truest sense of the term, when you have realized all tattvas and as a result, all evil subtleties like offenses have been eliminated. During that realized stage, you will know the answers to questions like—who is Krishna? What is bhakti? Who is Srimati Radhika? What is mahabhava? You will know the answers to these questions, but you will be unrealized. If you are realized, you will be situated in the stage of prema bhakti and no longer being bound to a material body anymore. You will have realized your original spiritual body. In the stage of sadhana, you should at least have a nut shell of an idea of these tattvas.
11 May 1996, HOLY LAND