Inquiries Into the Absolute: Digest 178, Siksa, Diksa, SrilaPrabhupada

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Digest 178, July 25th, 2006. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

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Siksa, Diksa, Srila Prabhupada

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Q: Let us assume hypothetically that someone accepts the Bhagavad Gita of Srila

Prabhupada, and decides to follow and accept that Krishna is the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Then he realizes his inability to choose a guru who is

a pure devotee. If he then resorts to simply following Prabhupada, but

accepting that he is not a diksha disciple of Prabhupada but a siksha disciple,

can he go back to Godhead by following the instructions of Prabhupada and

chanting?

 

Didn't some acharyas simply take siksha initiation seriously and not the diksha

initiation?

 

Answer: If we want to follow the instructions of Srila Prabhupada, one of his

often repeated and clear instructions is the necessity for everyone of us to

accept a bona fide spiritual master and serve such a spiritual master with

surrender and submission. Those who faithfully accept this instruction of

Prabhupada will be empowered to find and take shelter of a pure spiritual

master and follower of Srila Prabhupada, since within the instruction of the

guru is the ability to carry it out. Srila Prabhupada would not have given this

unequivocal direction if this was not possible.

 

Taking diksa or spiritual initiation formally establishes one's relationship

with the disciplic succession and Krishna. This is not dispensible, rather the

scriptures state it as mandatory. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet

[Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.12]. The word 'abhigacchet' is used in the sense of

'compulsory' or 'imperative'. There are few rare exceptional cases such as that

of Sukadeva Gosvami, who was liberated from birth and did not have to undergo

any purificatory ceremonies. But for those of us who are not of the caliber of

Sukadeva Gosvami, initiation is necessary for purification from our past

samskaras and sinful reactions, to help us advance on the spiritual path

without obstacles.

 

As recommended in BG 4.34, Surrender and service are to be offered to a

personal spiritual master who is purely and transparently representing the

disciplic succession and from whom we can hear and inquire of the practical

applications of Srila Prabhupada's teachings specific to our lives. Through

this personal relationship we are able to factually access the teachings of

previous acharyas most effectively. If this were not a necessary principle, one

might as well insist that we can override Pfabhupada and accept Vyasadeva or

Narada as the siksa guru and directly access their teachings!

 

There are examples in our disciplic succession of acharyas having very special

relationship and deriving immense inspiration from a siksha guru or a previous

acharya, but not circumventing or neglecting the diksha relationship. Rather,

it is under the approval and direction of the diksha guru that one takes

instructions from a particular siksha guru, as demonstrated in those examples

in our disciplic succession.

 

The qualifications and duties of a bona fide spiritual master are adequately

described by Srila Prabhupada in his books, and it is the duty of a sincere

devotee to assimilate them and search out such a bona fide spiritual master.

For such a sincere seeker, Krishna always sends His bona fide representative.

By Krishna's plan & desire, pure devotee spiritual masters are always present

in this material world at any point in time; if not, it would defeat one of the

main purposes of Krishna creating this material world, which is to give us a

chance for rectification and reestablish our connection with the Lord through

the association of His pure devotees.

 

 

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Responses to some very frequently asked questions (Karma, free-will, demigods,

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Jesus Christ, spiritual and material relationships and morality of Lord Krsna's

conjugal pastimes, spiritual master, spirit soul/jiva/living entity):

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