Inquiries into the Absolute: Digest 25

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Digest 25, February 21 2002

 

Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

 

Spiritual Master

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Q.1) My sister and I have been receiving instructions for some time from a very

nice devotee. Now we want to approach him for initiation. However his guru is

also present in body and we are not sure what the protocol is in such a

situation. Also should we take the initiative and approach him or wait for his

approval and desire to initiate us?

 

Answer:

To respond to your specific question, I would like to first give some general

vaishnava principles from which you may benefit. According to vaishnava

teachings, there are two equally respected kinds of guru - diksa guru or

initiating spiritual master, and siksa guru or instructing spiritual master.

One may have many instructing spiritual masters, but the initiating spiritual

master is one; the siksa gurus instruct the disciple either in consultation

with the diksa guru or along the general guidelines given by the diksa guru.

 

One may accept instructions in Krishna consciousness from a siksa guru, and

submit to the instructor and to his instructions; such a very significant

relationship is extremely important. Such relationships may be many, while

accepting diksa, likewise, is another serious consideration. The general

etiquette or protocol is that a devotee does not accept formal disciples and

initiate in the presence of his own spiritual master, although he may be

instructing many students. When the spiritual master departs from the planet,

then the disciple may begin to accept initiated disciples under the

authorization of his own spiritual master and the sanga of senior vaishnavas.

During Srila Prabhupada's time, many devotees did not get Prabhupada's personal

association very much; they were being trained by and working under

Prabhupada's disciples but formally they accepted Srila Prabhupada as their

eternal spiritual master and were initiated by him.

 

>From the information you supplied, it seems that you have been very fortunate

to have a siksa relationship with the devotee who you wrote about, and

etiquette dictates that you should continue to cultivate the relationship in

that manner. Diksa should be sought elsewhere.

 

It is an approved vaishnava principle and is welcome that a disciple approach

the spiritual master, take shelter of his lotus feet and request initiation, as

recommended by Krishna in Bg 4.34.

 

Q.2) When one thinks he has found a bona fide spiritual master and later it

proves to be wrong, would it be appropriate to say that initially, or in the

first place, the judgment of the disciple was wrong and thus he never got a

bonafide spiritual master?

 

Answer:

That may be a possibility. There are some instances when one does accept a bona

fide spiritual master but later on that spiritual master may fall away from the

strict standards. Narahari Sarkar, one very saintly follower of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, has written one text which describes the latter of these two

situations. In either case, the aspiring devotee should just go forward on his

spiritual journey, with greater wisdom, and accept the shelter of one who is a

bona fide spiritual master. When one is fully sincere to attain spiritual

perfection, then Krishna will bring the devotee to His bona fide

representative.

 

Q.3) When one accepts a spiritual master, it is said that the relationship is

eternal. However, if one is not able to go back to Godhead in one lifetime,

then how can he accept another guru in the next life? Or does the same guru

have to come back to fulfill his duty?

 

Answer:

The concept of 'guru-tattva' is inconceivable and most difficult to understand.

In principle, as Srila Prabhupada explains in his famous Vyasa-puja address,

the Guru is one; guru cannot be two. (Cf. Science of Self Realization pp.

70-71) The Original spiritual master is Lord Balarama or Lord Nityananda and He

appears in infinite forms to instruct us. This of course does not

de-personalize or minimize the value of the empowered devotee of the Lord who

plays the part of a spiritual master. This fundamental spiritual principle is

difficult to understand with mundane logic, but with this understanding we can

simply accept that one's relationship with his spiritual master is eternal.

 

Karma

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Q.4) Can any person get more than he is destined to get especially by

worshiping demigods? Prahlada Maharaja has said that material happiness and

unhappiness is fixed. Then why do people get immediate results when they start

worshipping demigods? Are these results in addition to what they are destined

to get? What is destiny then?

 

Answer:

By performance of punya of any type, one increases one's entitlement to reap

the fruits of one's piety. Prahlada Maharaja's statement is not contradicted by

a demigod worshiper's enjoying fruits coming from their worship. As you have

written, yes, "these results in addition to what they are destined to get". The

worshiper's previous 'punya account' has just been increased by a 'deposit',

and their prayers for receiving a benediction has just depleted the 'punya

account' by a sizable 'withdrawl'.

 

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----- Festivals over the next week ------

Feb 21 2002, Thursday Disappearance Sri Madhvacarya

Feb 22 2002, Friday Disappearance Sri Ramanujacarya

Feb 23 2002, Saturday Ekadasi Bhaimi (Break fast 06:48-10:30) (Fast)

Feb 24 2002, Sunday Appearance Varaha Dvadasi: of Lord Varahadeva

(The fast is observed till noon on the Ekadasi.)

(Feasting is done today.)

Feb 25 2002, Monday Appearance Nityananda Trayodasi: of Sri Nityananda

Prabhu (Fast)

(Fasting till noon)

Feb 26 2002, Tuesday Appearance Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura

Sri Krsna Madhura utsava

 

*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

For festival information for your city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and

click on 'Calendar'

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