George Harrison and Initiation

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George Harrison and Initiation

 

Q & A with Swami B. V. Tripurari

 

"One's record of service does not override the need to take initiation

from a bona fide spiritual master. Even Krsna himself took initiation,

as did Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Being incarnations of God, they did not

need initiation but accepted it nonetheless to set an example for

others."

 

Q. Do you have any information on the mother of Sukadeva Goswami and

how Sukadeva Goswami came to speak Srimad-Bhagavatam?

 

A. In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana it is written that Vyasadeva married

Vatika, the daughter of Jabali, and that they performed penances

together for many years. They conceived a child, and because the child

was self-realized even before birth, and because the child was

self-realized even before birth, he remained in the womb of his mother

for an exceptionally long time to avoid entering the world and

potentially becoming influenced by the power of the illusory energy of

Visnu (Visnu-maya). When he received assurance from Krsna that he would

not be distracted, he took birth and was named Sukadeva. Later he

became attracted to the poetry describing Krsna lila and understood

that this attraction could not be the influence of Visnu-maya. He then

studied Srimad Bhagavatam carefully under the guidance of Vyasa. It is

said that he spoke the Bhagavata to Raja Pariksit at the young age of

sixteen. Imagine a sixteen-year-old boy instructing an emperor! Truth

may come from unexpected quarters. It has a life of its own and often

transcends formalities.

 

Q. What are the symptoms of an advanced devotee?

 

A. Advanced devotees who have graduated from sadhana-bhakti and

attained bhava sometimes exhibit three sattvika-bhavas (ecstatic

symptoms) to a small degree: tears, horripilation, and stammering. When

Mahaprabhu prayed for bhava-bhakti in his Siksastakam, he mentioned

these three symptoms. However, the experience of bhava is very deep and

those who have attained it tend to conceal these symptoms. Love is a

private affair. In this regard, Thakura Bhaktivinoda cites Mahaprabhu's

instructions to Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis. Mahaprabhu told them to

conceal their affection for him while continuing to attend to worldly

affairs, just as a wife involved in paramour love conceals her love,

giving extra attention to her household duties. Indeed, Narada

instructed Gopa Kumara in Brhad Bhagavatamrta that even one who has

attained prema, wherein all eight sattvika-bhavas manifest with greater

intensity, should endeavor to conceal these symptoms. At the same time

Sri Rupa Goswami has explained that others who have not attained bhava

are apt to imitate these symptoms. Furthermore, sometimes by the grace

of Bhaktidevi these symptoms appear for a short time in sincere

devotees who have not yet attained bhava.

 

Therefore, if we are to recognize an advanced devotee, we must look

beyond these external symptoms to the inner character of a devotee. Sri

Rupa mentions nine character traits we that should be present in

advanced devotees: fortitude (ksantih), not wasting time

(avyartha-kalatvam), detachment (viraktih), absence of longing for

material respect (mana-sanyata), confidence in Krsna's mercy

(asa-bandhah), eagerness (samutkantha), constant attraction to chanting

Krsna nama (nama-gane sada rucih), attachment to discussing the

qualities of Krsna (asaktis tad-gunakhyane), and attraction to places

where Krsna performed his pastimes (pritis tad-vasati-sthale). These

are symptoms of an advanced devotee.

 

Q. According to some schools of Buddhism there are twelve stages of

consciousness. How do these stages relate to Vaisnava philosophy?

 

A. There are many Buddhist sects with varying details concerning

enlightenment. I am not a student of Buddhism; therefore, I am not

familiar with all of these details. However, Buddhism does not

understand consciousness in the same way that Vedantins do. Whereas for

Buddhists consciousness is not an ontological reality distinct from

matter, Vaisnavas (and Vedantins in general) see consciousness as

categorically different from matter. Thus Buddhism is more of a

spiritual materialism, if you will. Furthermore, Buddhism is atheistic

and Vaisnavism is theistic. So the stages of enlightenment you are

concerned with do not necessarily correspond with those on the

bhakti-marga.

 

Q. I am the father of a disabled child and this has caused me much

sadness and depression. Is my situation a punishment for some misdeed

that I did in my last life?

 

A. Certainly your situation is a result of your karma, but it is

difficult to sort out exactly what happened in your past to warrant

this result. It is by no means certain that your child's condition is a

punishment for something bad that you did in your previous life. Try

not to respond to it with depression. All problems are in actuality

opportunities for service. Try to think of your child's condition in

this light and change your perspective. You have a beautiful child from

whom you have something to learn.

 

Q. When I married I found myself overcome by lust. Bhagavad-gita says

that lust is the enemy of true spirituality, so how do I keep my mind

on spiritual life and still show love for my wife?

 

A. For those desiring a relationship, sexual desire should be satisfied

and ultimately transcended through marriage and the love that marriage

fosters by providing ample opportunity for sacrifice. See your marriage

as an opportunity to grow through sacrifice, and in this spirit chant

Krsna nama. Love of one's partner fosters sacrifice, and sacrifice

combined with chanting Krsna nama fosters love of Krsna. As one

develops spiritually, love of Krsna (prema) replaces lust.

 

Q. What is the relationship between "the self" and all that is

happening in the world?

 

A. According to Bhagavad-gita, all action is performed by the modes of

material nature, although one does not realize it. The self is merely

the witness to the movements of material nature. Although the self

animates material nature, it becomes overwhelmed by material nature's

influence and thinks itself to be the doer of acts that are in

actuality performed by material nature. For example, sometimes when

people turn on the television it takes over their consciousness;

similarly, the self animates material nature by the force of desire and

then material nature consumes the self in an illusory world of

misidentification.

 

Q. I read your article called "Play of Violence"

[http://www.swami.org/sanga/QA/PlayofViolence.html]. I found it very

helpful in understanding the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita and

I plan on reading it again.

 

A. I am glad that you found the article helpful. The eleventh chapter

is perhaps most significant for Vaisnavas because it emphasizes the

supremacy of Krsna's two-armed form. This is quite interesting, given

that ostensibly it is about his universal form and thus a favorite

chapter for impersonalists. Just see how Sri Krsnacandra can satisfy

opposing parties with the same teaching!

 

When we read the Gita, we should try to get to know its speaker

personally, to love and appreciate his qualities. Yes, he is time and

time destroys all, but he exists beyond time as well, in a land free

from death and overflowing with affection.

 

Q. The late George Harrison (the ex-Beatle) did much to promote Gaudiya

Vaisnavism. He was the first to feature the Hare Krsna mantra on an

international hit recording (My Sweet Lord) and was also the first to

produce an entire record album of Gaudiya Vaisnava devotional music

(The Radha-Krsna Temple, Apple Records 1970) on a major label. He

donated to have the Krsna Book published and wrote the introduction. He

bought the devotees a beautiful estate outside London to use as their

headquarters in England and in general he helped devotees in many ways

and served Srila Prabhupada with affection.

 

My question is why did he never get initiated? Some devotees say that

Srila Prabhupada told George that he was already advanced and did not

need to get initiated or that he could do more service to Krsna as an

uninitiated devotee. Is it possible that because George Harrison had

done so much to make the world Krsna conscious he was a special person

who did not need to be initiated to achieve spiritual perfection?

 

A. George Harrison was a special person, and his popularity at the time

enabled him to successfully use the media to broadcast the Hare Krsna

maha-mantra worldwide. Although it may be a nice sentiment to think

that George was beyond the necessity of initiation, this sentiment does

not concur with scriptural conclusions. Nor have I ever heard that

Srila Prabhupada said that George or anyone else did not require

initiation to attain perfection in Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Indeed, Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Sanatana Goswami that the systematic process

of cultivating pure bhakti requires that one must accept and take

initiation from a bona fide spiritual master.

 

However, not every person who chants the name of Krsna or promotes

chanting is ready or qualified to be initiated. Srila Prabhupada did

not think George was ready, and history demonstrates that he was

correct. Although George had deep appreciation for Gaudiya Vaisnavism

and practiced it to some extent, he also dabbled in a number of

spiritual traditions besides Gaudiya Vaisnavism. In particular the

teachings of Paramahamsa Yogananda had a strong influence on him.

Although George had some faith in Krsna bhakti, it seems that for the

most part he remained on the platform of jnata-sukrti, just below the

threshold of actual sraddha, as evidenced by his eclectic orientation

to spirituality. Note, however, that I did not know him personally and

I make this assessment based on the information at my disposal.

 

Still, it is clear that from the beginning George was inspired to take

Srila Prabhupada's message of chanting seriously and to render some

very valuable service to him. So in the least, George did advance in

bhakti, even without initiation. Even so, one's record of service does

not override the need to take initiation from a bona fide spiritual

master. Even Krsna himself took initiation, as did Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Being incarnations of God, they did not need initiation but accepted it

nonetheless to set an example for others.

 

The goal of Gaudiya Vaisnavism is for each individual to become Krsna

conscious, not necessarily to make the entire world Krsna conscious.

According to Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami, one must be Krsna conscious to

actually change the hearts of others--krsna sakti vina nahe tara

pravartana. George Harrison broadcast the Hare Krsna mantra on the

advice of Srila Prabhupada. It was Srila Prabhupada who actually

changed people's hearts by engaging them in the service of Krsna. Many

heard the mantra and are still hearing it through George's music, but

only those who establish a connection with a bona fide spiritual master

will reap the full benefit of their hearing. So for you the challenge

is to become Krsna conscious, to establish a temple in your own heart.

The formal and substantial beginning of this effort is to take shelter

of a bona fide guru and to eventually receive initiation from him or

her.

 

Questions or comments may be submitted at the Q&A Forum

http://www.swami.org/sanga/ or email sangaeditor (AT) swami (DOT) org.

 

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Sunday, July, 3, 2005, Vol. VII, No. 9

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