Lecture

Initiation of Jayapatāka Dāsā

Prabhupāda: [prayers for fire sacrifice—devotees responding]

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

namo bhaktivinodāya sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda, who is the transcendental energy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is a strict follower of the Gosvāmīs, headed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.]

gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ vaiṣṅava-sārvabhaumaḥ ṣrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances to Śrīla Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, who is respected by the entire Vaiṣṅava community and who confirmed the discovery of the place where Lord Caitanya appeared.]

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṅavebhyo namo namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṅava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.]

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṅāya kṛṣṅa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṅa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmātī Rādhārāṅī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṅa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.]

he kṛṣṅa karuṅā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[O my dear Kṛṣṅa, O ocean of mercy, O friend of the distressed and the source of creation, O master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopīs, especially Rādhārāṅī, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.]

jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gate mat-sarvasva-padāmbhojau rādhā-madana-mohanau

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[Glory to the all-merciful Rādhā and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.]

dīvyad-vṛndāraṅya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ śrīmad-ratnāgāra-siṁhāsana-sthau śrī-śrī-rādhā-śrīla-govinda-devau preṣṭhālībhiḥ sevyamānau smarāmi

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[In a temple of jewels in Vṛndāvana, underneath a desire tree, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them.]

śrīmān rāsa-rasārambhī vaṁśī-vaṭa-taṭa-sthitaḥ karṣan veṅu-svanair gopīr gopīnāthaḥśriye 'stu naḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[Śrī Śrīla Gopīnātha, who originated the transcendental mellow of the rāsa dance, stands on the shore in Vaṁśīvaṭa and attracts the attention of the cowherd damsels with the sound of His celebrated flute. May they all confer upon us their benediction.]

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari vṛṣabhānu-sute devī praṅamāmi hari-priye

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respects to Rādhārāṅī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vṛndāvana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Kṛṣṅa.]

Now take banana, each one. Stand up. [prayers for fire sacrifice continue—devotees responding]

nama oṁ, brahmaṅya, devāya go, brāhmaṅa, hitāya ca jagad, dhitāya, kṛṣṅāya govindāya, namo, namaḥ [Viṣṅu Purāṅa 1.19.65]

[I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krishna, who is the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas as well as the living entities in general. I offer my repeated obeisances to Govinda [Krishna], who is the pleasure reservoir for all the senses.]

Hold this. Slowly, very good. [prayers for fire sacrifice continue—devotees responding]

hare kṛṣṅa hare kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

[My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.]

Now bow down.

nama oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya kṛṣṅa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

[devotees offer obeisances] Now chant Hare Kṛṣṅa.

[break] [prayers for fire sacrifice continue—devotees responding]

...sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ vaiṣṅava-sārvabhaumaḥ ṣrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṅavebhyo namo namaḥ

kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti prabhaviṣṅave namaḥ [SB 2.4.18]

[Kirātas, Hūṅas, Āndhras, Pulindas, Pulkaśas, Ābhīras, Śumbhas, Yavanas, members of the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.]

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṅāya kṛṣṅa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṅaṁ bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ namāmi bhakta-śaktikam

[I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṅa, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional manifestation, devotional incarnation, pure devotee and devotional energy.]

he kṛṣṅa karuṅā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gate mat-sarvasva-padāmbhojau rādhā-madana-mohanau

[Glory to the all-merciful Rādhā and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.]

dīvyad-vṛndāraṅya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ śrīmad-ratnāgāra-siṁhāsana-sthau śrī-śrī-rādhā-śrīla-govinda-devau preṣṭhālībhiḥ sevyamānau smarāmi

śrīmān rāsa-rasārambhī vaṁśī-vaṭa-taṭa-sthitaḥ karṣan veṅu-svanair gopīr gopīnāthaḥśriye 'stu naḥ

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari vṛṣabhānu-sute devī praṅamāmi hari-priye

cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.29]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor who is tending the cows, yielding all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of lakṣmīs or gopīs.]

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari vṛṣabhānu-sute devī praṅamāmi hari-priye

hare kṛṣṅa hare kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

[O Śrīmāti Rādhārāṅī (the divine energy of the Lord Kṛṣṅa), O all-attractive reservoir of pleasure, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa, please engage me in Your loving devotional service.]

So, put this small [indistinct]. You give me that [indistinct]. Now you chant, those who are initiated, Hare Kṛṣṅa. [japa] Chant loudly [devotees chant japa]

[break] So, beginning from this big bead, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and then after finishing, begin second. In this way, there are 108—one, two, three. Come to this point, then begin from this point.

So following? Yes. Then continue in this way—one, two, three, four; sixteen rounds, at least. If you can increase more, that's all right. Otherwise sixteen rounds. Your spiritual name is Jayapatāka. Bow down. You know the mantra?

oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya kṛṣṅa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṅa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.]

Jayapatāka:

nama oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya kṛṣṅa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

Prabhupāda: That's all. Take it.

[aside:] You have got that copy of these ten kinds of offenses? Where is that?

Devotee: We have a copy...

Devotee (2): In the kitchen.

Prabhupāda: Bring it. Bring it. Now in order to chant... What is that? You read. What is this copy?

Devotee: Prayers, different prayers.

Prabhupāda: Prayers. That's all. There are ten kinds of offenses in chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa. There are three stages of this chanting process. The first stage is offensive stage, and the second stage is light stage, and the third stage is liberated stage. So generally in the beginning we are almost in the offensive stage, but we shall try to avoid the ten kinds of offenses as it will be explained. You have got printed copy. You'll take it. The first offense is śruti-śāstra-nindanam [Padma Purāṅa].

[To blaspheme the Vedic literatures or literatures in pursuance of the Vedic version.]

No scripture of the world should be blasphemed. Śruti, especially Vedas. Śruti means Vedas.

Actually, Vedas are the original scripture. Gradually many other scriptures have developed. They are called smṛti. Śruti smṛti.

śruti-smṛti-[purāṅādi-] pāñcarātriki vidhiṁ vinā aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.101]

[Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, Purāṅas and Nārada-pañcarātra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.]

This is the definition given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, that to become a devotee of the Lord, Kṛṣṅa, one has to follow the principles of śruti and smṛti, and pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, there is no Vedic vidhi, because Vedic vidhi is lost. Formerly, initiation was offered to a person who is actually born of a brāhmaṅa father. Otherwise... Or the higher caste, the brāhmaṅas, the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas, they were offered initiation, and the śūdras were not offered. That was the Vedic system.

But in this age the śāstra says that kalau śūdra sambhava. In this age of Kali practically there is no more any brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya or vaiśya. Maybe by name, but in qualification they are not existing. Everyone is supposed to be śūdra. So in Kali-yuga the pāñcarātriki-vidhi is accepted. This pāñcarātriki-vidhi is also Vedic vidhi, corollary, given by Nārada Mahāmuni. But it is accepted by the Vedic followers, pāñcarātriki-vidhi.

Pāñcarātriki-vidhi means if anyone has a little inclination for spiritual development, he should be given chance. This initiation means to give chance. The Bhāgavata says that kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ [SB 2.4.18].

These are the list of the caṅḍālas, or less than the śūdras. So Bhāgavata gives open road for everyone. Even one is kirāta... Kirāta means... Generally they are called aborigines, or the very black aborigines living in the jungles, they are called kirāta. In our country it is called hantā[?]. So anyway, Hun, Hun, a class of people in the hill side of north Arctic [indistinct], they are called Huns. So kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā... There are very great list of the caṅḍālas, less than the śūdras.

The Bhāgavata says ye 'nye ca pāpā, not these classes, even less than them, even they are born in the family of sinful tribe, they can be also purified. Śudhyanti: they can be also purified. Kirāta-hūṅāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā..., ye 'nye ca pāpā śudhyanti [SB 2.4.18]. They can be purified by association of Vaiṣṅava. Ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ. Upāśraya means just like a person who is a devotee of Kṛṣṅa, and if anyone takes shelter of such devotee, he can be purified. This is called paramparā system.

So for this bhāgavata-dharma, there is no restriction. Anywhere, any part of the world, they can accept this bhāgavata-dharma. On that principle in Caitanya Mahāprabhu's life also He accepted many Muhammadans also as His disciple. Just like Ṭhākura Haridāsa, he was born in a Muhammadan family; and He took many Pathans as His disciple when He was coming back from Vṛndāvana. So in this system, disciplic system of Vedic process, there is no restriction. Anyone can come.

And this is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṅa says that māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ [Bg 9.32]. Never mind, even one is born in a family which is considered to be sinful. Striya śūdrās tathā vaiśya. Even woman, the śūdra, and the mercantile class of men—anyone. Mām... Ye 'nye ca pāpā.

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striya śūdrās tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim [Bg 9.32]

[O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.]

They can also be elevated to the highest platform of perfection by the process of initiation. And kiṁ punar brāhmaṅaḥ puṅyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā [Bg 9.33]:

[How much greater then are the brāhmaṅas, the righteous, the devotees and saintly kings who in this temporary miserable world engage in loving service unto Me.]

Even such persons can be elevated, and what to speak of the brāhmaṅas, bhaktas, those whom are devotees, and rājarṣaya, and great kṣatriyas. There is nothing to speak about them. Even these people can be elevated.

So this bhāgavata-dharma is very nice, it is universal, it can be accepted by everyone. Unfortunately, so long there was no preaching of this bhāgavata-dharma. Now, by the grace of Kṛṣṅa, Lord Caitanya, the bhāgavata-dharma is now being expanded in the Western countries. I am very glad that boys and girls from this part of the world, they are also embracing, and they are nicely chanting and following the rules and regulation. So I think Kṛṣṅa will be very...

So initiation means this is the beginning. Now you have to follow the rules and regulation. What are the rules and regulation? Only four principles: Don't have any illicit sex life. Don't have any food besides prasādam, or foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṅa. And Kṛṣṅa does not eat anything beyond the vegetarian group. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg 9.26].

[If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.]

So you cannot offer Kṛṣṅa anything beyond this scope. So there is no question of nonvegetarian diet, including fish, eggs, even onions and lentils. What is called? Lentils? That dāl, pulses? So you have got from your Godbrother, you will know. And you are eating here Kṛṣṅa prasādam.

And no gambling and no intoxication, including smoking, tea-taking, coffee-taking. No gambling, no intoxication. These four principles. No illicit sex life, no nonvegetarian diet, no gambling and no intoxication. These four principles have to be followed, and in the beginning the offenses... Where is...? You read the offenses. You haven't got?

So offenses are ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to deride at the Vedic literature or scriptures. Satāṁ nindā.

[To blaspheme the great saintly persons who are preaching the glories of the Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra is the worst offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. The Nāma-prabhu, who is identical with Kṛṣṅa, will never tolerate such blasphemous activities, even from one who passes as a great devotee.]

And those who are preaching God consciousness, never mind in any part of the world. Those who are preaching God consciousness. In your country, Christian... Not in your country; of course, it was preached in Central Asia, but now Christianism is spread all over. So Lord Jesus Christ, he also preached God consciousness. And Muhammad, Hazrat Muhammad, he also preached God consciousness. Similarly, in India there was several ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, God consciousness they preached.

So Lord Buddha, He, of course, did not preach directly God consciousness, but we accept Him as the incarnation of God. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare [Śrī Daśāvatāra-stotra 9].

[O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of Buddha! All glories to You! Your heart filled with compassion, you decry animal slaughter performed according to the scriptural rules of Vedic sacrifice.]

He had to preach amongst the atheist class of men who were too much addicted with animal slaughter, and He wanted to stop animal slaughter. That was His main business. So I've several times explained. Therefore He rejected Vedic authority. Because in the Vedic authority there is recommendation, under certain condition, of animal sacrifice. But He wanted to stop completely animal sacrifice. Therefore superficially He said..., He denied the authority of Vedic ritual. Because if He accepted Vedic rituals, then He could not preach this ahiṁsā paramo dharma. So that is a great story.

Anyway, we accept, we Vaiṣṅavas, we accept Lord Buddha as incarnation. That is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He is incarnation of Kṛṣṅa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra. So indirectly the Buddhists are worshiping God. They are denying, there is no existence of God, but they are accepting the incarnation of God.

So anywhere the four prime religions of the world, namely Hinduism, Christianism, Muhammadanism or Buddhism, directly or indirectly, they are accepting God. And without accepting God there is no meaning of religion. That is not religion. According to Bhāgavata, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṅītam [SB 6.3.19].

[Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṅas.]

Dharma, what this dharma, religion, means the codes given by God. That's all. Just like Kṛṣṅa says in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

Now Kṛṣṅa in the beginning said that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge: "I come, descend, in order to establish religion."

Now again at the end He says sarva-dharmān parityajya. He came to establish religion. And in the end He says that "Give up all sorts of religion." What does it mean? That means religion means surrendering unto God, or Kṛṣṅa. That is religion. If there is no such principle... Surrendering unto God, that is religion. Not the rituals. Rituals are superficial. The Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6].

[The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.]

You follow any kind of religion, that doesn't matter. But the test will be how much you have developed God consciousness, or Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That is the test. If that is lacking, then you have simply wasted your time.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed ratiṁ yadi śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]

[The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.]

If, by following the ritualistic principles of any kind of religion, if one has not developed God consciousness or love of God, then it is simply waste of time, laboring. That's all.

So gradually people are coming to the stage that God is dead. They have developed so much love for God that they want to see God is dead. That means they have not followed any kinds of religion. This is all useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Simply they have wasted. God cannot be dead. It is crazy proposal. How God can be...?

If we are praying to God, "O God, give us our daily bread," and the bread is supplied to us, how God is dead? God cannot be dead. So these are crazy proposals. Don't be attached to all these nonsense proposal. God is existing. He is nitya nityānām. Just like we are existing, similarly God is existing. And He is the chief amongst the eternal. We are also eternal. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit [Bg 2.20].

[For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.]

So these are Vedic injunctions. God is there, I am here; God is eternal, I am eternal; He is sac-cid-vigrahaḥ, I am also. At the present moment, my body is material. But when I am liberated I also become sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ [Bs 5.1].

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

So these things gradually you'll learn from Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā. Now this Hare Kṛṣṅa, this chanting process is cleansing your heart. As you advance in cleansing your heart, so God becomes revealed unto you. God is sitting with you. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61].

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

Kṛṣṅa is sitting in everyone's heart. Simply we can see Him as soon as the heart is clean. Śṛṅvatām... And God will help you.

śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho abhadrāṅi vidhunoti suhṛt satām [SB 1.2.17]

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

As soon as with devotion and faith you chant this Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, God will help you. Kṛṣṅa will help you from within to cleanse your heart so that you will be able to see things as they are.

So we should avoid blaspheming the persons who have preached God consciousness all over the world. We should not deprecate the value of scriptures. And the most obstinate sinful activity is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa. Because it is said that as soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṅa you become freed from all sinful activity.

There is no difference between Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa name. Absolute. So if somebody thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, therefore I can continue committing all kinds of sinful activities," that is the greatest... Nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir [Padma Purāṅa, Brahma-khaṅḍa 25.16].

[To think that the Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra can counteract all sinful reactions and one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and at the same time chant the Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra to neutralize them is the greatest offense at the lotus feet of Hari-nāma.]

Anyone who commits sinful activities... I have already explained the four kinds of sinful activities you should avoid. But if you think that you are chanting, therefore there will be no reaction of sinful activities, that is the greatest sin, greatest offense. Never. Don't commit any sinful activities. And sāmyaṁ śubha-kriyā api pramādaḥ.

[To disobey the order of the spiritual master, or to consider the spiritual master to be material, and therefore to envy his exalted position.]

This is another great offense, that don't accept this chanting as something auspicious activity. It is transcendental to auspicious and inauspicious activities. It is a vibration from the spiritual sky which will attract you gradually to the spiritual sky, beyond this material sky.

'Vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Paras tasmād tu bhāva anya [Bg 8.20].

[Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.]

As you get information from the Bhagavad-gītā, there is another nature, which is called spiritual nature, and the devotees are trying, all the transcendentalists... Some are trying to merge into the spiritual existence only, and we devotees, we want to keep individuality and want to become associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṅa.

So gradually you shall learn it from the lectures and the books and with association with your Godbrothers and -sisters. So this is your initiation. Take it very seriously. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa very faithfully, and your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. [devotees chant japa]

Chant, loudly.

[break] [indistinct] When I say "svāhā" you [indistinct]. Everyone take. [chants prayers for fire sacrifice, devotees responding].

oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā yaḥ smaret puṅḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ

[Either pure or impure, or having passed through all conditions of material life, if one can remember the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṅa, he becomes externally and internally clean.]

nama oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya kṛṣṅa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṅa on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.]

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṅavāṁś ca śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṅa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṅa-caitanya-devaṁ śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṅa-pādān saha-gaṅa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṅavas and unto the Six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṅa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.]

nama oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya kṛṣṅa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṅa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.]

śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayitāya kṛpābdhaye kṛṣṅa-sambandha-vijñāna-dāyine prabhave namaḥ

I offer my respectful obeisances to Śrī Vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayita dāsa [another name of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī], who is favored by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī and who is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the deliverer of the science of Kṛṣṅa.

mādhuryojjvala-premāḍhya-śrī-rūpānuga-bhaktida- śrī-gaura-karuṅā-śakti-vigrahāya namo 'stu te

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, the personified energy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy, who delivers devotional service enriched with conjugal love of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, coming exactly in the line of revelation of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.]

namas te gaura-vāṅī-śrī-mūrtaye dīna-tāriṅe rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṅe

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who are the personified teachings of Lord Caitanya. You are the deliverer of the fallen souls. You do not tolerate any statement against the teachings of devotional service enunciated by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.]

namo gaura-kiśorāya sākṣād-vairāgya-mūrtaye vipralambha-rasāmbhodhe pādāmbujāya te namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīla Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja [the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī], who is renunciation personified. He is always merged in a feeling of separation and intense love of Kṛṣṅa.]

namo bhaktivinodāya sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ vaiṣṅava-sārvabhaumaḥ śrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvenebhyo vaiṣṅavebhyo namo namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṅa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṅāya kṛṣṅa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṅaṁ bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ namāmi bhakta-śaktikam

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṅa, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional manifestation, devotional incarnation, pure devotee and devotional energy.]

he kṛṣṅa karuṅā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

jayatāṁ, suratau, paṅgor, mama, manda, mater, gate mat, sarvasva, padām, bhojau, rādhā, madana, mohanau [Sambandhādhideva Praṅāma]

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[Glory to the all-merciful Rādhā and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.]

dīvyad, vṛnda, araṅya, kalpa, drumādhaḥ śrīmad, ratna, agāra, siṁha, asana-sthau śrī śrī, rādhā, śrīla, govinda, devau preṣṭhā, devī, sevya, mānau, smarāmi [Abhidheyādhideva Praṅāma]

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

[In a temple of jewels in Vṛndāvana, underneath a desire tree, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my most humble obeisances unto Them.]

śrīmān, rāsa, rasa, arambhī, vaṁśī, vaṭa, taṭa, sthitaḥ karṣan, veṅu, svanair, gopīr, gopī, nāthaḥ, śriye, astu, naḥ [Prayojanādhideva Praṅāma]

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.29]

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari vṛṣabhānu-sute devī praṅamāmi hari-priye

svāhā, svāhā, svāhā

There is another? No, that's all right. Stand. All stand up.

[continues chanting prayers for fire sacrifice, devotees responding]

nama oṁ, brahmaṅya, devāya go, brāhmaṅa, hitāya ca jagad, dhitāya, kṛṣṅāya govindāya, namo, namaḥ [Viṣṅu Purāṅa 1.19.65]

Put this, like this. Slowly, yes. No. Fold your hands.

[continues chanting prayers for fire sacrifice, devotees responding]

hare kṛṣṅa hare kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

[My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.]

Bow down, nama oṁ viṣṅu-pādāya. [devotees offer obeisances]

Where is Nanda-kiśora? Nanda-kiśora, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. Play harmonium. Chant. [indistinct] [devotees leads kīrtana]

[break] [japa] Now you can distribute prasādam.

[break] Distribute that. [Hindi to guest]

You can stop it [referring to tape recorder]. [end]

Initiation of Jayapatāka Dāsā

Referenced verses