Taking Initiation Within the Heart--A Bogus Proposition?

[Guest guest]

Found this conversation in Prabhupada's Lectures, Srimad Bhagavatam (1975)

 

Prabhupada: Initiation is the third stage. First stage is that... Just like

you have come. This is called sraddha, faith, little faith, not full faith.

Then you have to increase this faith by association of devotee. That is

required. And when the faith is increased, then the question of initiation.

Initiation should not be immediately offered. That will be misused. Therefore

when we initiate, we inquire from the head of the temple "How long he is

coming? What is his behavior." If he certifies that "Yes, he is doing nice,"

then we initiate. Our initiation is not so cheap, "You come and be initiated."

No, we do not do that. We must test you first of all. Then we initiate.

 

Madhudvisa: His question was that can you take initiation by accepting the

spiritual master in your heart without actually taking...

 

Prabhupada: These are bogus proposition. It has no meaning. (laughter) It has

no meaning. If you think within yourself, "I am eating," will you be

satisfied? You starve and simply think "I have eaten everything." (laughter)

Is that very practical proposal? You must eat. We don't say all these bogus

proposition. All right. Thank you very much. (end)

 

 

© 1991 by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust