We Do Not Present Our Own Opinion

From time to time some of our readers will write in to inform us that we are wrong on different points. According to them they have a higher, more accurate understanding of what is true than what we are presenting. One reader wrote in to tell us that we are crazy if we believe that the spirit-souls in this material world transmigrate through the 8,400,000 species. They speak to us as if we are presenting our own opinion, and then they present their opinion, which they consider to be far more enlightened than ours. What they fail to understand is that we are not presenting our own opinions here. We are presenting the conclusion given in the authoritative Vedic literatures and confirmed by the great Vedic authorities who guided the world civilization for thousands of years. We are simply messengers for the explanations given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all existence. If they want to continue dreaming that they have a better understanding of reality than the person who created it, that is their prerogative. But we are not such fools to consider that we know more than the Supreme Omniscient Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Regarding Initiation

I have a couple of questions regarding initiation.

I had been a Buddhist the last 4 years under a Tibetan Lama, before I came across the books of Swami Prabhupada. These books have had a powerful impact on my life. They inspired me to begin chanting 20 rounds of the Maha mantra daily. I wish to earnestly pursue the path of Krishna consciousness. What are the requirements for initiation? How should I go about pursuing this?

Felix

Answer: We Will Happy to Accept You

For initiation you must chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads and follow these principles:

1. No illicit sex
2. No meat eating
3. No intoxication
4. No gambling

If you live near an ISKCON center, you should go there regularly to attend the classes and render volunteer service. This will greatly enhance your getting ready for initiation. Our normal procedure is take recommendation from someone who is seeing your progress. When the devotees who are seeing your progress recommend that you are steady enough in your practice of Krishna consciousness to be initiated, we will be happy to accept you as our initiated disciple with the performance of an initiation fire sacrifice ceremony and awarding you with a spiritual name.

Do you live near an ISKCON center?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Little Sparrow Who Conquered the Ocean

Image
In his purport to Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 6, Text 24 Srila Prabhupada wonderfully teaches us the power of determinations by telling us the story of the little sparrow who conquered the ocean: "As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Visnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked t
Read more

Heart Melting Reunion with Amarendra and Gayatri

Image
On Friday 26 June 2015 I was blessed with the greatest good fortune of meeting with two of the dearest devotees of my entire life, His Grace Amarendra Prabhu and his good wife, Srimati Gayatri devi dasi. I am eternally indebted to these great souls for how much they helped me in my spiritual life when I was a young devotee. When I was young brahmacari monk in 1973 I joined with the two of them in Gainesville, Florida. We were a three person preaching center, and they were just like a mother and father to me. I had so many wonderful Krishna conscious experiences in their association that I can hardly begin to describe them here. But at least may it suffice for me to say for now that Gayatri taught me what it means to be a soft-hearted devotee of the Lord and she gave me my first cooking lesson, teaching me how to make cauliflower pakoras, and Amarendra taught me the art of how to preach strongly, intelligently, and coolly to defeat opposing arguments. Recently Gayatri almost died. But
Read more

Misguided Fools Say that Masturbation is Healthy

Image
Foolish modern day materialists recommend masturbation as follows: "Masturbation is a common activity. It’s a natural and safe way to explore your body, feel pleasure, and release built-up sexual tension. It occurs among people of all backgrounds, genders, and races. Despite the myths, there are actually no physically harmful side effects of masturbation." They are wrong. To get a proper understanding on this this topic read the question and answer section below. Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom Question: What are the Ill Effects of Masturbation? Since you answered questions related to understanding the real need of sex in a human being's life, so I also request you to please enlighten us with the knowledge about semen conservation, it's importance, and the consequences of frequently releasing it thorough sex or masturbation. Since today most of the youth are indulged in mansturbation and they think it to be good in comparison to doing sex with some female for
Read more