Get Initiated As Soon As Possible
Srila Prabhupada states in his purport to Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 24.331:
"As soon as a bona fide guru is received by chance or by a program, one should immediately take the opportunity to receive initiation."
Why is this important? Srila Prabhupada explains further in his purport to Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 19.152 how the seed of pure devotional service (bhakti-lata-bija) is received from the bona fide spiritual master at the time of initiation. He explains how without this initiation that instead of devotion he will cultivate the seeds such as karma, jnana, politics and philanthropy:
"This bhakti-lata-bija is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. Other seeds, called anyabhilasa-bija, include karma-bija and jnana-bija. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-lata-bija from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates such seeds as karma-bija, jnana-bija, or political, social or philanthropic bijas. However, the bhakti-lata-bija is different from these other bijas. The bhakti-lata-bija can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get the bhakti-lata-bija (yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah). The bhakti-lata-bija is the origin of devotional service. Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bija, or root cause, of karma, jnana and yoga without the benefit of devotional service. But one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-lata-bija. This bhakti-lata-bija is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master."
So in addition to being initiated one must then please one's spiritual master by always being faithful to following his instructions.
Sometimes we hear the advice that one should wait 10,15 or 20 years before being initiated. Is this good advice? Prabhupada says that if something is auspicious, it should be done immediately, and if something is inauspicious it should be postponed. So is initiation from the bona fide spiritual master auspicious or inauspicious? Factually it is the most auspicious thing you can do in thousands and millions of lifetimes. Therefore the conclusion is that one should get initiated as soon as possible.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
The Room Was Cold, But the Hearts Were Warm
And Prabhupada's Books Went Out Like Crazy
If coming and going to and from the spiritual world is a regular feature since time immemorial, is it not shameless? I fail to understand such a common folly of inhabitants of the spiritual world.
Thank You.
Mukesh Doshi
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
"As soon as a bona fide guru is received by chance or by a program, one should immediately take the opportunity to receive initiation."
Why is this important? Srila Prabhupada explains further in his purport to Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 19.152 how the seed of pure devotional service (bhakti-lata-bija) is received from the bona fide spiritual master at the time of initiation. He explains how without this initiation that instead of devotion he will cultivate the seeds such as karma, jnana, politics and philanthropy:
"This bhakti-lata-bija is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. Other seeds, called anyabhilasa-bija, include karma-bija and jnana-bija. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-lata-bija from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates such seeds as karma-bija, jnana-bija, or political, social or philanthropic bijas. However, the bhakti-lata-bija is different from these other bijas. The bhakti-lata-bija can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get the bhakti-lata-bija (yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah). The bhakti-lata-bija is the origin of devotional service. Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bija, or root cause, of karma, jnana and yoga without the benefit of devotional service. But one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-lata-bija. This bhakti-lata-bija is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master."
So in addition to being initiated one must then please one's spiritual master by always being faithful to following his instructions.
Sometimes we hear the advice that one should wait 10,15 or 20 years before being initiated. Is this good advice? Prabhupada says that if something is auspicious, it should be done immediately, and if something is inauspicious it should be postponed. So is initiation from the bona fide spiritual master auspicious or inauspicious? Factually it is the most auspicious thing you can do in thousands and millions of lifetimes. Therefore the conclusion is that one should get initiated as soon as possible.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Mantra Yoga Lecture--Alytus, Lithuania--23 October 2014
The Room Was Cold, But the Hearts Were Warm
And Prabhupada's Books Went Out Like Crazy
Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:
Question: How Can Someone Fall Down From The Spiritual World?
On one hand, fallen souls are returning to spiritual planets after strenuous efforts. The residents of spiritual world, even after seeing such a regular phenomenon, they continue to fall down to the material world, from where going back will be a really tough job! They are highly enlightened souls, in fact. even then they are taking such a risky step! Great surprise!If coming and going to and from the spiritual world is a regular feature since time immemorial, is it not shameless? I fail to understand such a common folly of inhabitants of the spiritual world.
Thank You.
Mukesh Doshi
Answer: Misuse Of Independence
Free will means that there is always the potential of making the wrong choice. So sometimes it happens that a soul from the spiritual world falls down into this material world. But the jiva will not make that mistake more than once. Once he makes the mistake of falling into material existence, learns his lesson, and goes back to Godhead--he will not be so foolish as to make the same mistake again.Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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