Final Countdown

After many weeks of preparation for our fourth around-the-world-preaching tour we are finally down to the last hours before departure. There are so many minute details that must be attended to. If one of them is missed it can cause great havoc. Therefore it is with great sobriety that we are spending the final hours before departure carefully minding all of the details.

All this trouble is definitely worth it. It is such a wonderful, fulfilling adventure to be spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, said his disciples should do twice as much as he did. So since he traveled eleven times around the world for spreading the Krishna consciousness movement, my duty is circle the globe at least 22 times for the same purpose. I have my work cut out for me. After completing this fourth tour in July I will have to do at least 18 more. What could be more worthwhile?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Guru Before Initiation?

Dear Guru Maharaja,

Is a spiritual master considered as a spiritual master only if the devotee is initiated? Or can we take shelter of a spiritual master even without being initiated and later get initiated?

I consider you as my spiritual master. I would love to meet you. I live in Hyderabad.

Youre aspiring servant.
Shweta

Answer: Guru-Disciple Relationship Begins with First Meeting

From: Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas, USA

My Dear Shweta,

Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

One's relationship as a disciple of his or her spiritual master begins from the very first meeting. That meeting can be face to face, or it can also happen by reading his written words. Accepting a guru is a matter of the heart. When we know that we have found our spiritual master and we fully dedicate ourselves to him, this is called practical initiation. The formal initiation ceremony then naturally follows in due course of time.

This is what happened in the case of Srila Prabhupada. He first heard Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur speak one evening in 1922 on a rooftop in Ulta Danga, Calcutta. It was at this first meeting in which he realized that he had met his eternal spiritual master. From then on he always remembered his spiritual master. And then in 1933 he was formally initiated as a disciple. So for eleven years he was practically already initiated, even though the ceremony had not been held yet.

So if you are feeling that I am your spiritual master and you are fully dedicated to carrying out my instructions, practically you are already initiated. And your formal initiation will naturally come in due course of time.

I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.

Always your well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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