Srila Prabhupada's desire regarding diksa in ISKCON

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> Is it not our duty to find out without any doubt what Srila Prabhupada

> wanted. It is not a matter of what everyone wants or prefers....

> Being part of SRILA PRABHUPADA'S ISKCON means to ACCEPT WHOLEHEARTEDLY

> what SRILA PRABHUPADA wanted...

>

> Are we not to find out without any tinge of self motivation what was Srila

> Prabhupada's desire in regard with the continuation of Diksa in Iskcon???

 

Then we have to check if that what we have found out is confirmed by guru,

sadhu and sastras. Srila Prabhupada's desire is certainly in line with sadhu

and sastras. Therefore if that what we have found out it is not confirmed,

then we made a mistake.

 

Now please look at following statements by Srila Prabhupada:

 

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SB 3.32.42 Purport:

The bona fide spiritual master must see the bona fide qualities of a person

whom he is going to initiate. An unworthy person should not be initiated.

 

SB 3.33.6 Purport:

Usually, initiation depends on the bona fide spiritual master, who directs

the disciple. If he sees that a disciple has become competent and purified

by the process of chanting, he offers the sacred thread to the disciple just

so that he will be recognized as one-hundred-percent equal with a brahmana.

 

SB 4.8.30 Purport:

Sri Narada Muni, the supreme spiritual master, is testing Dhruva Maharaja to

see how determined he is to prosecute devotional service. This is the

process of accepting a disciple. The great sage Narada has come to Dhruva

under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead just to initiate

him, yet he is testing Dhruva's determination to execute the process.

 

Bg 4.34-39 Lecture:

Therefore in the system it is enjoined that the spiritual master also

observe the disciple at least for one year, and the disciple also studies

the spiritual master at least for one year. So when both of them are

convinced that "He can be my spiritual master" or "He can be my disciple,"

then the relationship is established. We initiate our students. The

preliminary initiation is offering chanting. Then we observe at least for

one year, how he is chanting, how he is doing. Then the second initiation

confirms. That is the system.

 

SB 1.16.25 Lecture:

Therefore, in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa by Sanatana Gosvami it is directed that

the spiritual master and the disciple must meet together at least for one

year so that the disciple may also understand that "Here is a person whom I

can accept as my guru," and the guru also can see that "Here is a person who

is fit for becoming my disciple."

 

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These statements (which are confirmed by the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, 2nd vilasa)

clearly indicate the the diksa-guru must meet the disciple and observe him.

And this is only possible if the diksa-guru is physically present at the

time of the initiation.

 

So if the ritvik followers 'have found out' that the diksa-guru does not

have to be physically present, their finding is incorrect.

 

ys Ramakanta dasa