BG shows physical presence is required

[Guest guest]

>

> Prabhuji, this is all very nice; no one in ISKCON can deny/argue with it.

>

> Except for your last sentence; regarding what "diksha" actually means.

>

> Yes, "transcendental knowledge" is indeed the essence of diksha.

>

> However, kindly note that there is a formal ceremony "conferring" that

> knowledge in form of the "panchangas"; i.e. 1. "nama", the Holy name, 2.

> "pundra", the tilak marks of a vaishnava, 3. "mantra" - the gayatri

> mantra, 4. "homa" - the fire sacrifice & 5. "tapa" - administration of the

> marks of shankha & chakra.

 

 

 

But are these necessary for Krsna consciousness? When Srila Prabhupada

opened the Krsna-Balarama temple he hired smarta-brahmanas to perform the

Vedic rituals from the Pancharatrika-vidhi, though he did it only to satisfy

the locals. He said sankirtana alone would have been sufficient and he would

have preferred it to the rituals. He said the rituals are for those attached

to such flowery Vedic things and thus facility can be made like Deity

worship.

 

Its not really Bhagavat philosophy though, is it? The Srimad Bhagavatam has

no mention of Pancharatrika. Why didn't Srila Prabhupada translate

Pancharatrika-vidhi?

 

 

> Simply by referring to the "gift" of "transcendental knowledge" by the

> guru to the disciple, nor by quoting 100 or 1000 places where SP talks

> about " transcendental knowledge", you cannot cancel this "pancharatrika

> vidhi" of "panchanga diksha". Those who do so....

 

 

I am not saying we can't ot shouldn't do it. But it should be minor

consideration. Siksa from Srila Prabhupada is, ultimately, all that is

necessary to go back home. Isn't it? It worked for Visvanatha Cakravarti

Thakur. Why not us?

 

 

> Therefore I again most humbly request you to please search again in the SP

> Folio using the word(s) "pancaratrika" & "pancaratriki" & satisfy yourself

> in this regard.

 

Sorry, I do not have folio. I have all of Srila Prabhupada's original books

and I have read them all twice or more, but my retention is very poor. I'll

keep reading.

 

Sincerely,

 

yfs,

Janesvara dasa