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DIKSHA1

Diksha, or spiritual initiation, is the process by which one awakens transcendental knowledge and becomes freed from material contamination. It involves accepting a bona fide spiritual master who can impart this knowledge. Unless initiated by a spiritual master, one's devotional activities will not be fruitful. To be qualified for initiation, one must be prepared to practice austerity, celibacy, and control of the mind and body. They must also be eager to receive spiritual enlightenment. Those who cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master or who want initiation only for prestige are not qualified candidates.

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Leena Purohit
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99 views2 pages

DIKSHA1

Diksha, or spiritual initiation, is the process by which one awakens transcendental knowledge and becomes freed from material contamination. It involves accepting a bona fide spiritual master who can impart this knowledge. Unless initiated by a spiritual master, one's devotional activities will not be fruitful. To be qualified for initiation, one must be prepared to practice austerity, celibacy, and control of the mind and body. They must also be eager to receive spiritual enlightenment. Those who cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master or who want initiation only for prestige are not qualified candidates.

Uploaded by

Leena Purohit
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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DIKSHA

What happens by Diksha ?


Diksha is a process by which
 One can awaken his transcendental knowledge and
 Vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity.
`divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sankshayam’

Diksha actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes
freed from all material contamination. [cc. Madh. 4.111]

What if one does not take Diksha ?


Unless one is initiated by a bonafide guru,
All his devotional activities are useless.

To carry the SPOG within one’s heart, one must be initiated by another person
 Krishna was transferred from the mind of Vasudeva to the mind of Devaki.
 Devaki thus been initiated by Vasudeva, became beautiful by carrying Lord Krishna
 Unless one is initiated by the right person, who always carries within his heart the SPOG, one
cannot acquire the power to carry the SPOG within the core of one’s own heart. Lord’s
presence is awakened through initiation by guru.

Initiation changes disciple’s life


When Narada was impregnated with spiritual knowledge by the grace of the great sages, there was
a tangible change in his life, although he was only a boy of 5 years. This is an important symptom
visible after initiation by the bonafide guru.

At the time of initiation the disciple :


 Agrees to give up sinful activity and
 To execute the order of the spiritual master

The hunter then said, `My dear sir, whatever you say I shall do.’
Narada immediately ordered him, `First of all, break your now. Then I shall tell you what is to be
don.’

SP : This is the process of initiation. The disciple must admit that he will no longer commit sinful
activity – 4 sins. He promises to execute the order of guru.
The spiritual master takes care of him and elevates him to spiritual emancipation.

Qualification
Who is qualified ?
Must be prepared to practice austerity, celibacy, control of mind and body.
Must be eager to receive `divya jnan’ enlightenment
Who is not qualified ?
One who cannot follow instructions
One who wants to make a fashionable show of spiritual life without being jijnasu

- Radheshyam das, ISKCON, PUNE

What is the process by which a devotee becomes attached to Krishna ? (or)


Who is the candidate that can be considered fit for initiation ? (or)
When should one accept a spiritual master ?

Dékñä, or spiritual initiation, is explained in the Bhakti-sandarbha (868) by Çréla Jéva Gosvämé:
divyaà jïänaà yato dadyät kuryät päpasya saìkñayam
tasmäd dékñeti sä proktä deçikais tattva-kovidaiù
“By dékñä one gradually becomes disinterested in material enjoyment and gradually becomes interested in
spiritual life.”

In Europe and America, many students who come to ISKCON from rich and respectable families quickly lose all
interest in material enjoyment and become very eager to enter into spiritual life. Although they come from very
wealthy families, many of them accept living conditions that are not very comfortable. Indeed, for Kåñëa’s sake
they are prepared to accept any living condition as long as they can live in the temple and associate with the
Vaiñëavas.

1) When one becomes so disinterested in material enjoyment, he becomes fit for initiation by
the spiritual master.
2) For the advancement of spiritual life Çrémad-Bhägavatam (6.1.13) prescribes: tapasä
brahmacaryeëa çamena ca damena ca. When a person is serious about accepting dékñä, he
must be prepared to practice austerity, celibacy and control of the mind and body. If one is
so prepared and is desirous of receiving spiritual enlightenment (divyaà jïänam), he is fit for being
initiated.
3) Divyaà jïänam is technically called tad-vijïäna, or knowledge about the Supreme. Tad-
vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] when one is interested in the transcendental
subject matter of the Absolute Truth, he should be initiated. Such a person should approach a
spiritual master in order to take dékñä.

When should one not accept a spiritual master ?

1) One should not accept a spiritual master without following his instructions.
2) Nor should one accept a spiritual master just to make a fashionable show of spiritual life.
3) One must be jijïäsu, very much inquisitive to learn from the bona fide spiritual master. The
inquiries one makes should strictly pertain to transcendental science (jijïäsuù çreya uttamam).
The word uttamam refers to that which is above material knowledge. Tama means “the darkness of
this material world,” and ut means “transcendental.” Generally people are very interested in
inquiring about mundane subject matters, but when one has lost such interest and is simply
interested in transcendental subject matters, he is quite fit for being initiated.

When one chants the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra offenselessly, carefully avoiding the ten
offenses what understanding can he achieve?

He can certainly be gradually elevated to the point of understanding that there is no difference
between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself.

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