Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976

From Vanisource

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Prabhupāda: I have to speak something?

Pradyumna: If you like. There are some Indians, if you want to speak.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Pradyumna: You could if you wish.

Prabhupāda: Where is Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa?

Pradyumna: He's very behind on typing or something, so he wanted to...

Prabhupāda: Oh. So this is... So many devotees are being initiated. So initiation means, the Sanskrit word is dīkṣā. Dīkṣā, divya jñānaṁ kṣapayati iti dīkṣā. Divya-jñāna. There are two kinds of knowledge: divya and mundane. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam SB 5.5.1 . This is the instruction of Mahārāja... What is? Bhārata Mahārāja's father?

Pradyumna: Ṛṣabhadeva.

Prabhupāda: Ṛṣabhadeva. Ṛṣabhadeva is the father of Mahārāja Bhārata, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. From Mahārāja Bhārata. Formerly, the king of Bhāratavarṣa... The whole planet was called Bhāratavarṣa. So this... Before that, it was known as Ilāvativarṣa. So Mahārāja Bhārata, the eldest son of Ṛṣabhadeva. Ṛṣabhadeva was incarnation of God. So He advised His one hundred sons, "My dear boys, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam SB 5.5.1 . " Before retirement and making Bhārata Mahārāja the emperor of the world, He gave them advice. It is the duty of the father. Generally, we do also. Before retirement, the instruction is given by the father how to rule over the kingdom or manage the business. Anyone, as it is. So retirement was compulsory. Not that unless he's shot dead he's not going to retire. No. This was not Vedic civilization. At the present moment there is no Vedic civilization. Nobody is going to retire unless he shot dead. But Vedic civilization was not like that. Retirement compulsory. Brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Four divisions of spiritual order. Human life is meant for spiritual realization. And sense gratification is animal life. This meeting is for the human beings, not for the cats and dogs. They cannot come here, neither they will understand what is going on here. A human body, human being, has the chance to understand the philosophy of life as it was enunciated by Ṛṣabhadeva.

He said,

He said, "My dear boys, this human form of life," ayaṁ deha, this body... Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājām. Everyone has got body. The Brahmā has got body and the small insect, it has got also body. The spirit soul is encaged in this material body. So lower than human being up to the animals, there are so many forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. In this way, varieties of life. But Ṛṣabhadeva said, "Now you have got this human form of life, don't spoil it like the hogs and dogs simply by sense gratification." Sense gratification is available by the hogs and dogs also. That was the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva. And what is the duty of human life? Tapo, tapasya. Tapasya. Voluntarily accepting some inconvenience. That is called tapasya. Generally, we want loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityasta jantu. Jantu, when one is not on the platform of spiritual understanding, they are called jantu. Jantu means anyone who has got life. The cats and dogs, they have also got life. So loke, in this material world, vyavāya āmiṣa madya sevā. Vyavāya means sex indulgence, sex life. And āmiṣa means meat, fish, egg-eating. Āmiṣa. Therefore vegetarian diet is called nirāmiṣa, not āmiṣa. So it is general tendency of the living being to become āmiṣa, to eat meat. That is the general laws of nature. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. One living entity is the life for another living entity. Ahastāni sahastānām. There are animals, two-legged animals, and there are four-legged animals. The four-legged animals is the food for the two-legged animals. So long we remain as animals, then there is the necessity of eating meat. Ahastāni sahastānām. Hasta means hands. So those who are living like animals, only two legs. The other animals, four legs, and here is an animal of two legs, dvipad-paśu. For them, the animal is eatable, āmiṣa-madya sevā. And drinking wine, or intoxication, and vyavāya, sex life. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya sevayā nityastu jantu. So long he is jantu, these things are required. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalā. That is general tendency. But when one gives up voluntarily for higher status of life, that is called nivṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga and nivṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means to fulfill these desires, āmiṣa vyavāya madya sevā. But when one is trained up to give up these habits, that is called nirvrtti-mārga. So we have got so many pravṛttis, inclinations. But when you voluntarily give up all these nonsense habits, that is called nivṛtti-mārga and tapasya.

So human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo-divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam SB 5.5.1 . Don't be carried away by the general, menial, abominable tendencies. Therefore tapasya required. Tapa, we prescribe for tapasya no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling. This is tapasya. This is tapasya. We have to accept if we want superior position of life. Tapo divyam. Tapasya, the aim of tapasya is to be situated on the transcendental platform of knowledge. Tapo divyam. So this life, this human form of life, is meant for tapasya and transcendental knowledge. This is the purport. Not to waste this life, this human form of life, ayaṁ deha. The cats and dogs also have deha, body. The... Analyze the body of a dog and analyze your body, what is the difference? No difference. There is blood, there is flesh, there is vein, there is so many things, all common things. Then what is the difference between the cat's body and dog's body and your body? The advancement of knowledge and consciousness. So for that divyam, knowledge, one has to be initiated. Divyam, dīkṣā means beginning of transcendental knowledge. So Vedic civilization is janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is born a śūdra, fourth-class man. But there is chance of the fourth-class man to become the first-class man. That is possible. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone, when he's born by the sex behavior of the father and mother, he's a śūdra. Then saṁskārād-bhaved dvija. By saṁskāra, by the purificatory method, this tapasya, he's becomes a dvija. Dvi means twice and ja means birth, second birth. Saṁskārād-bhaved dvija. Then when he becomes dvija, properly initiated, then he's allowed to read Vedic literature. Veda-patha. Śūdra cannot. If you remain a śūdra, no saṁskāra, no purification, then you have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. Either you have no right or you cannot understand. Why... The Bhagavad-gītā is there throughout the whole world. Everyone knows Bhagavad-gītā. But they have misunderstood, because they are kept śūdra. Veda-patha. First of all, by birth, he's a śūdra, and when he's purified, then he becomes dvija. Dvija, the sacred thread is, means that this man... Upanayana. This is called upanayana. Upa means near and nayana means bringing. So when one is brought nearer to the spiritual master and he accepts him as his disciple, he gives the sacred thread as badge, that "This man is now dvija, twice-born. He's no more śūdra. He's brāhmaṇa. " So he has the right to read the Vedic literature.

So the Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of all Vedic knowledge. So if we pass through this process of divya-jñāna, dīkṣā, then we rightly understand what is Bhagavad-gītā or we become interested that what is the lesson of Bhagavad-gītā. Veda pathād bhaved vipra. After reading... Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of Vedic literature. You cannot read all the Vedas at the present moment, neither you have time, nor you have got the capacity. In this Kali-yuga, mandāḥ sumanda-matayo SB 1.1.10 , everyone is fallen. Manda-bhāgyā. So this human life should be utilized for understanding the Vedic knowledge, divya-jñāna; then he'll be purified, tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattvam SB 1.1.10 . My existential identity will be purified. At the present moment it is not purified. Because it is not purified, therefore we are repeatedly dying. But there is no knowledge how to stop death. They think death is natural. It is not natural. It is unnatural. They do not know it. But in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll get the information, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin: "The soul is never born, never dies." Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. "I see he's died, he is dead." No, he's not dying, his body is being annihi... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre SB 1.1.10 . By seeing the body is destroyed don't think he's destroyed. He'll get another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati SB 1.1.10 . So this is our position. We have accepted one body, and we live in that body for some days, and then again we give up this body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir. So this is disease. So in order to get out of this disease there is necessity of tapasya, how to stop this disease.

So this initiation means... Don't think that it is something official, ritualistic ceremony, and as soon as we get the initiation, now we have become perfect, and then whatever nonsense I like I can do. No. Tapasya must continue. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam SB 5.5.1 . In order to purify yourself, your existence, you have to continue the tapasya— no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you follow these five principles, then your existence will be purified, you'll understand Kṛṣṇa from the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll know Kṛṣṇa, you'll know what is the purpose of life. The purpose of life is to understand Kṛṣṇa. There is no other business in this human form of life, but because we have given up Kṛṣṇa we have invented so many occupational duties. So these so-called occupational duties, running here and there on motorcar, is not the end of life. There is something more for the human being, and that is divya-jñāna. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam, yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam SB 5.5.1 . Why shall I purify my existence? Because you want happiness. That is your desire. So you'll get brahma-saukhyam, the greatest happiness, which will never end. If you purify your existence by tapasya then you will be happy eternally. There will be no end. Here in this material world any happiness is temporary—either for five minutes or five days or five years or five hundred years or five millions of years. It will end. But if you purify your existence, then the happiness will never end. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam SB 5.5.1 . Anantam means unlimited. It is very serious thing, and it is offered to the human being. So anyone can take advantage of this opportunity and make his life successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya!

Hari-śauri: ...all mixed up. [break] ...got to do the men first, then the women... [break] ...initiated.

Prabhupāda: No. Why the men? Anyone can come. Take one, yes.

Devotee: Steve? Steve? (devotee offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: So you know the rules and regulations?

Steve: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex life.

Prabhupāda: And chanting?

Steve: Sixteen rounds per day.

Prabhupāda: Minimum.

Pradyumna: Sthiti-kartā dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Your spiritual name, Sthiti-kartā dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya, Haribol. (another devotee offers obeisances)

Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: You know what are the rules and regulations, regulative principles?

Devotee: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex and no gambling.

Prabhupāda: Your spiritual name, Gauḍīya dāsa.

Hari-śauri: Robert Richards? (devotee offers obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa ) What are the rules and regulations?

Robert: No illicit sex life, no meat-eating, no gambling, and no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: Prabhu-pati dāsa.

Hari-śauri: Bhakta Lloyd?

Prabhupāda: Is he a doctor?

Hari-śauri: Bhakta.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. What are the rules and regulations?

Lloyd: No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat-eating.

Prabhupāda: Līlā-kīrtana dāsa. (another devotee offers obeisances) What are the rules?

Devotee: No illicit sex life, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating, and minimum sixteen rounds.

Prabhupāda: Thank you.

Pradyumna: Devideva dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Devideva dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. What are the rules and regulations?

Devotee: No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating, chanting minimum sixteen rounds of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Pradyumna: Deśikā dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Diksik?

Pradyumna: Deśikā

Prabhupāda: Oh. Deśikā dāsa.

Hari-śauri: Bhakta Ivan?

Prabhupāda: ( japa ) What are the rules and regulations?

Ivan: No intoxication, no meat-eating, no sex illicit, no gambling.

Pradyumna: Īśāvatāra dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Īśāvatāra dāsa.

Hari-śauri: Richard Hoffman?

Prabhupāda: ( japa ) What are the rules and regulations?

Richard: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling.

Pradyumna: Ṛṣi dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Ṛṣi dāsa.

Hari-śauri: Gary Hannon?

Prabhupāda: What are the rules?

Gary: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling.

Prabhupāda: Gurubhāvanā dāsa.

Hari-śauri: Bhakta Allen?

Prabhupāda: What are the rules and regulations?

Allen: No gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no illicit sex.

Prabhupāda: So after performance of the sacrifice, those who are to be doubly initiated, how many? Eight. They may come upstairs, one by one. So one thing I request that these promises—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling—these promises are made by you before Kṛṣṇa, before the fire, before the Vaiṣṇavas and before your spiritual master. Don't break it. It will be great sin. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)