Initiations

One of the most auspicious features of our 2008 spring tour of Europe is that we have held four initiation ceremonies bringing eight new members into Srila Prabhupada's family. I initiated two disciples in Germany, one in Estonia, two in Latvia, and three in Lithuania. There is nothing more auspicious than the moment of initiation because that is the moment when the disciple fully enters into eternity. Then if he or she faithfully executes their initiation vows, they remain eternally in their deathless position as servants of Krishna. At initiation the disciple vows to chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads as well as strictly avoiding illicit sex life, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Ecstatic Initiation Ceremony
in Kaunas, Lithuania 18 May 2008

Initiates (front row left to right):
Rupanuga Das
Sankirtan Das
Krishna Caitanya das
Abhinanda Das (2nd Initiation)
Vygintas (seated behind and between Sankirtan and Krishna Caitanya. He was given formal shelter, the step prior to initiation)

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Auspicious Names

Hare Krishna!

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Please accept my humble obeisances, Maharaja.

I am so very grateful for your service to Sri Sri Radha Krishna.

Please help me to understand the auspiciousness of Krishna's name. My name is Kristina and I have heard that every letter of Krishna's name is auspicious. I have been called Krishna by mistake many times by devotees and non-devotees alike. Can it be because of the potency of Krishna's name? Can this hold any benefit for myself or others? Please educate me, Gurudeva! I am but a neophyte and thirsty for the nectar of your wisdom.

Humbly your das, das, anu das...

Kristina Schreidl

Answer: You Are Indeed Fortunate

There is nothing more auspicious than the name of God. If fact, the name of God is God Himself appearing in the form of transcendental sound vibration. When the name of God is uttered with love, the Lord personally appears. Even when it is accidentally uttered there is great benefit.

Once a Muslim was being killed in the forest by a wild pig. Muslims do not eat the flesh of the pig because they consider it to be condemned. So as he was being killed he uttered in his Urdu language the word "haram", which means "condemned." But because even unintentionally he uttered the name of God "Ram" when he said "haram" at the time of his death, he achieved the spiritual world. So the holy name of God is so powerful that even if it is uttered accidentally or unintentionally, one can achieve spiritual perfection.

So you are indeed fortunate to have such a name as Kristina. That your name is almost the name of Krishna is very auspicious. In fact if we leave out the "ti" from your name, your name becomes Krisna, which is almost the same as Krishna. Therefore whenever someone says your name, they are almost uttering Krishna.

Kristina means a follower of Christ. And since Christ is another way of saying Krishna, Kristina means a follower of Krishna. It is also auspicious that many times when calling your name people say Krishna instead of Kristina. So now you should capitalize on all of this special mercy that Lord Sri Krishna has bestowed you by fully surrendering yourself unto Lord Sri Krishna under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari