Is Our Disciplic Succession a Diksha Line or Siksha Line?

Sometimes in ISKCON we hear it said that our disciplic succession is a siksha disciplic succession, not a diksha disciplic succession, a disciplic succession based on instructions (siksha) not on initiation (diksha). But even though there is an exception of Gaura Kishore Das Babaji not being initiated by Bhaktivinode Thakur and only having a siksha relationship with him, this does change the fact that many of the guru/disciple relationships in our line of succession are based of diksha (initiation) which automatically includes (siksha) instructions.

So the fact is that our line of disciplic succession is both. It is simultaneously a diksha line of succession (which automatically includes siksha) as well a siksha line of succession.

One danger of minimizing the importance of diksa (initiation) is that a devotee may think that he does not have to strictly follow the instructions of his initiating guru, that he can choose to instead accept someone else as his instructing guru and follow his instructions instead of his initiating guru's instructions.

So what is the proper understanding? For this we will turn to the predominating siksha guru (instructing spiritual master) for all ISKCON devotees, ISKCON's Founder-Acharya: His Divine A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, to see what he has authoritatively taught us in this regard. He stated as follows while giving a Bhagavad-gita lecture in Honolulu, USA on 4 July 1974:

"A śikṣā-guru who instructs against the instruction of the spiritual master (dīkṣā-guru), is not a śikṣā guru. He is a demon. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru means... Sometimes a dīkṣā-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the śikṣā-guru. Śikṣā-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the dīkṣā-guru. He is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a rascal."

Srila Prabhupada has thus reconfirmed that one must always remain dedicated to carrying out the orders he has received from his initiating spiritual master. Any devotee whose instructions help him to follow his initiating guru's instructions can be be accepted as an instructing guru, not those who instruct him differently from the instructions of his initiating guru.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Our Predominant Siksha Guru is Srila Prabhupada

Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom

Question: Why Did We Come to this Material World?

Dear Sankarshan Das Adhikari,

Why did we come to the earth in the beginning? Did Krishna send us to this world? What are the purposes that we come to the world?

Regards,

David Lio

Answer: A Foolish Attempt to Enjoy Separately

My Dear David,

Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Krishna did not send us here. We are like children who ran away from home. We came here out of a foolish desire to try to enjoy separately from Krishna. This is like a hand who wants to enjoy the ice cream without feeding it to the mouth.

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

Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari

The Hand Cannot Independently Enjoy Ice Cream

Sankarshan Das Adhikari is one of the spiritual masters of the worldwide Hare Krishna Movement. He has dedicated the last 50 years of his life for bringing a spiritual revolution to planet earth by spreading the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna all over the world. He is based in Austin, Texas and when there is no pandemic he regularly travels all over the world teaching his audiences how to attain Krishna consciousness, the highest stage of spiritual awakening. He is available for media interviews and to speak to groups and organizations either in person or via the internet.