720406 - Lecture Initiation and Installation - Melbourne

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720406IN-MELBOURNE - April 06, 1972 - 91:43 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . or one is situated in his external existence, if he happens to remember Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, puṇḍarīkākṣam, sa bahyābhyantara-śuciḥ (Garuḍa Purāṇa), he immediately becomes purified internally and externally.

So you are getting initiation in this auspicious day when Lord Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, His eternal consort, is now being situated, er, established, installed, on this auspicious moment, and you will be initiated to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in the beginning:

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

As it is indicated in this verse, one who remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead always, he remains always purified, śuci. Śuci. Śuci means . . . another meaning of śuci is brāhmaṇa, purified.

A brāhmaṇa . . . according to nature's division, there are four classes of men: the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means the intellectual class of men who knows hygienic rules, keeps himself always purified and engaged in studying Vedic literatures for understanding this world, God, himself, the interrelation. They are called brāhmaṇa. And the kṣatriya means those who live their life under the instruction of the brahmin but they are engaged in administration of the state, they are called kṣatriyas. Then vaiśyas, still less intelligent class.

The brāhmaṇa is the first-intelligent class of men, the kṣatriyas the next intelligent class of men, and the vaiśyas, or the mercantile class of men, interested in money by trade, commerce, agriculture, industry, they are called vaiśyas. So next, the last class is called śūdra. Śūdra means workers. They haven't got much intelligence, neither they can work as administrator or traders, but they work and get some salary. They are called śūdras.

So śuci means the first-class intellectual class of men. So anyone who is always chanting the holy name of God and keeps himself purified, he is śuci. Śuci means the first-class purified intelligent class of man. So they are called brāhmaṇas in Sanskrit. So it is not that the brāhmaṇas are to be found in India only. Any intelligent class of men, anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is brahmin.

In this initiation ceremony there will be some persons who will be initiated for chanting the holy name, and some of them will be initiated for the second time. They were initiated before for chanting the holy name; now they will be initiated with a sacred thread. Sacred thread means recognition of complete brahminical culture.

So a brahmin is, the qualification of brahmin is:

satya śama dama titikṣa ārjavam

jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam

brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

(BG 18.42)

So a brahmin should be truthful in any circumstances. He will never speak lie. Truthful, satya. Śama. Śama means keeping the mind always in equilibrium. And dama, dama means keeping the senses under control. Śama dama titikṣa. Titikṣa means toleration. There may be so many tribulations, but a brahmin is supposed to be very, very tolerant. Toleration.

The first-class example of toleration in the Western country: Lord Jesus Christ. He was being crucified; still, he did not take any steps. If he wanted, he could take steps, but he was tolerating. So this is the sign of brahminical symptom. Titikṣa ārjava. Ārjava means simplicity. A brahmin is not supposed to be crooked and duplicity. No. Simple.

It is said even the enemy wants to know something from him, he will clearly say: "It is this." That is called simplicity. Then jñānam. Jñānam means knowledge, full knowledge. And vijñānam means scientific knowledge, practical application in life. That is called vijñānam. Āstikyam. Āstikyam means to have full faith in Vedic literature. That is called āstikyam. These are the signs of brahmin.

So those who are going to be initiated with this sacred thread, they must always remember to follow all these rules and regulations. We should always remember that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for purifying the human society. Unless the human society is purified, there will be so many problems and disturbances in the human society.

At least a certain percentage of the human society must be brahmin, otherwise the society cannot make any progress in spiritual life. And if we cannot make progress in spiritual life, then our human life is frustrated. After 8,400,000 species of life, evolution, one gets this human form of life. And if he does not properly utilize it, then he is committing suicide.

So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest welfare activity for the human society because this movement is educating everyone how to fulfill the aim of life. The purport of the verse:

apavitraḥ pavitro vā

sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā

yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam

sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ

śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu

(Garuḍa Purāṇa)

Hare Kṛṣṇa. Now give them beads.

(japa)

These flowers, these flowers you can lay down. Flowers, flowers, yes. Flower! Flower here flower! Yes. This is not for Deity? This is not for the Deity? No, you can lay down, lay down on the floor, on the . . . yes.

Devotee (1): They were for the wedding.

Prabhupāda: Wedding? There is wedding also? All right. Keep it.

Devotee (2): I have some flowers for the temple room.

(Prabhupāda chants japa)

Prabhupāda: So you know the rules and regulations? What is that?

Doug: Four rules.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes.

Doug: No meat-eating . . .

Prabhupāda: Speak loudly.

Doug: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling . . .

Prabhupāda: No intoxication.

Doug: . . . and no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: Including tea, coffee, cigarettes, everything. No more. Is that all right? Hmm. And how many rounds you will chant? At least sixteen rounds. You'll begin from here, come here. Don't cross. Again begin from here. In this way, sixteen rounds at least.

So what is the name? Oh, list.

Śyāmasundara: Dhaumya dāsa.

Prabhupāda: What is his original name?

Śyāmasundara: Doug.

Prabhupāda: Dhaumya. Your name is Dhaumya dāsa, Dhaumya dāsa, one of the commander in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Dhaumya. (laughter) Don't laugh. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Now bow down here. (japa)

Chant. You'll get bead, bead bag. Keep it in that. Yes. (japa)

You know what are the rules? What are the four rules?

John: No intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling and no illicit sex life.

Prabhupāda: So how many rounds you will chant?

John: At least sixteen.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is the name?

Śyāmasundara: Jayadharma dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Your name is Jayadharma dāsa. Yes. He is one of the ācāryas in the Madhva-Gauḍīya sampradāya. Bow down and take. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on chanting. Go on like this. (japa)

You know the rules? Yes.

Cheryl: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex.

Prabhupāda: And how many rounds you will chant?

Cheryl: Sixteen.

Prabhupāda: Minimum, yes. What is your name?

Cheryl: Cheryl.

Śyāmasundara: Satyavatī.

Prabhupāda: Satyavatī dāsī. Satyavatī dāsī was one of the queens of Kṛṣṇa. Bow down. (japa)

What is it? What is it you have got? Do you know rules?

Mignonne: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxicants.

Prabhupāda: What is your name?

Mignonne: Mignonne.

Śyāmasundara: Mekhalā dāsī.

Prabhupāda: Mekhalā dāsī, belt of the universe. Mekhalā. (japa)

Mix it nicely and distribute. (japa) You wait. Stop. I have sent this. You have not signed? If it is difficult, there is no . . . yes. All right.

What is your name? You know the rules?

Della: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, intoxication and no gambling.

Prabhupāda: So your name is Devadarśana dāsī, "who can see all the demigods." Right hand. (japa)

Give them garland. After initiation they'll exchange it. Give them. Give them on the . . . yes. On their neck? You can sit down here. Where is that red powder? Get some. You sit there. He sits here. After changing garlands they will change place, and the bride will give the powder and cover her head. No, the bride, bridegroom, yes.

Oh, come on. What is name?

Śyāmasundara: Sanaka dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Sanaka dāsa. Know rules and regulations? What is that?

Sanaka: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: That's good. And how many rounds?

Sanaka: Minimum of sixteen.

Prabhupāda: Yes, minimum. Now get them promised. You sit down here and ask him to . . . "I, such and such . . ."

Śyāmasundara: "Henceforward from this day . . ."

Prabhupāda: Let him promise.

Śyāmasundara: Hmm.

Prabhupāda: You promise, "I . . ."

Śyāmasundara: You, Sanaka dāsa . . .

Prabhupāda: Say, "I, Sanaka dāsa . . ."

Sanaka: I, Sanaka dāsa . . .

Prabhupāda: Ah! ". . . take charge of you . . ."

Śyāmasundara: ". . . take charge of you . . ."

(girl laughs)

Prabhupāda: Why you are laughing? It is laughing thing? I told you first, don't take anything very lenient. Very serious.

Śyāmasundara: "I, Sanaka dāsa, (Sanaka dāsa repeats) do hereby promise from this day henceforward to always protect and take for my wife Devadarśana dāsī."

Prabhupāda: Yes. And you say that, "I shall serve you . . ."

Śyāmasundara: Now, "I, Devadarśana dāsī, (Devadarśana repeating) do from this day henceforward, I do promise to always serve and obey my husband, Sanaka dāsa."

Prabhupāda: Now change the garland. Now give her the vermilion, red powder. Cover her head.

Śyāmasundara: Cover her head with the sārī.

Prabhupāda: Do like that. Now you come this side.

Śyāmasundara: Now you change places.

Prabhupāda: So you have agreed that there is no question of divorce in your life? In any circumstances you cannot separate. Is that all right? You also agree? You cannot separate. There is no question of divorce.

Even if you fight, you can remain in one temple, he can remain, but there is no question of divorce. So take in mind. That's all. Now have this . . .

Śyāmasundara: Er, the Hanumān sannyāsa . . .

Prabhupāda: After this yajña. After this.

Śyāmasundara: They have a gift for you. Shall I give it now?

Prabhupāda: Yes. All right. Bow down. Now begin the fire. Give help. Ignite the fire. Come on. First of all . . . first of all . . . burn, fire . . . very fine. Oh, this is not. Very fine one put in the beginning. Yes, like that. (japa)

Have you got little straw?

Devotee Priest: Straw?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that will help. Ohhh, you do not know. You never done it.

Devotee Priest: Yes.

Prabhupāda: How is that, it is . . .? Do. Do. Do. Yes. Let him. Let him do one more. Now you can put it. Simply . . . that's all right. Don't . . . yes. Go on. Yes, like that. There is no need of . . . do that. Yes. Yes, like that. Go on. You know the mantras? Then you can do. Go on putting fuel in. Yes. Yes. Like that.

Devotee Priest: Should I begin to chant?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

(Devotee Priest chants standard prayers for fire sacrifice, with devotees and Śrīla Prabhupāda repeating, and Śrīla Prabhupāda giving instructions on pouring the ghee)

Devotee:

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

svāhā svāhā svāhā

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Now other mantra. Go on.

Devotee:

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

svāhā svāhā svāhā

Prabhupāda: Go on.

Devotee:

namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe

nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

svāhā svāhā svāhā

Prabhupāda: Next mantra.

Devotee:

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

Prabhupāda: Go on. Go on.

Devoteet:

śrī-vārṣabhānavī-devī-dayitāya kṛpābdhaye

kṛṣṇa-sambandha-vijñāna-dāyine prabhave namaḥ

mādhuryojjvala-premāḍhya-śrī-rūpānuga-bhaktida

śrī-gaura-karuṇā-śakti-vigrahāya namo 'stu te

svāhā svāhā svāhā

namas te gaura-vāṇī-śrī-

Prabhupāda: Next.

Devotee:

rūpānuga

Prabhupāda:

mūrtaye dīna-tāriṇe

rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe

svāhā svāhā svāhā

Devotee:

namo gaura-kiśorāya sākṣād-vairāgya-mūrtaye

vipralambha-rasāmbhode pādāmbujāya te namaḥ

svāhā svāhā svāhā

Prabhupāda: Put on the fire. Why are you putting here? Put on the fire. Put the ghee on the fire. Why are you putting here? Go on.

Devotee:

namo bhaktivinodāya sac-cid-ānanda-nāmine

gaura-śakti-svarūpāya rūpānuga-varāya te

svāhā svāhā svāhā

gaurāvirbhāva-bhūmes tvaṁ nirdeṣṭā saj-jana-priyaḥ

vaiṣṇava-sārvabhaumaḥṣrī-jagannāthāya te namaḥ

svāhā svāhā svāhā

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

svāhā svāhā svāhā

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

svāhā svāhā svāhā

pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam

bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ namāmi bhakta-śaktikam

svāhā svāhā svāhā

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

svāhā svāhā svāhā

jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gate

mat-sarvasva-padāmbhojau rādhā-madana-mohanau

svāhā svāhā svāhā

dīvyad-vṛndāraṇya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ

śrīmad-ratnāgāra-siṁhāsana-sthau

śrī-śrī-rādhā-śrīla-govinda-devau

preṣṭhālībhiḥ sevyamānau smarāmi

svāhā svāhā svāhā

śrīmān rāsa-rasārambhī vaṁśī-vaṭa-taṭa-sthitaḥ

karṣan veṇu-svanair gopīr gopīnāthaḥśriye 'stu naḥ

svāhā svāhā svāhā

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devī praṇamāmi hari-priye

svāhā svāhā svāhā

Prabhupāda: Now stand with banana, all. Take the banana and stand up. You also take.

namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ

namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ

namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.19.65)

Svāhā. Now put. Put those bananas one after another. Put. Put that stick also.

Now, you changed your cloth? You chant,

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa

Devotee: Shall I put a shirt on?

Prabhupāda: Heh?

Devotee: Shall I put a shirt on? Shall I put a shirt on?

Prabhupāda: Yes yes. Put the wood also, wood, remaining wood. (japa)

All chant,

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare . . .

(japa)

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: No no . . . (indistinct) . . . what is this?

Devotee: These are the Gāyatrī . . . (indistinct) . . . for . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Heh?

Devotee: Some Gāyatrī mantras for some brāhmaṇas.

Prabhupāda: All the initiated they should take and correct them. (japa)

So, nothing prepared? Heh?

Devotee: It's not quite finished yet.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . after bhoga ārotika, has to be performed. So bring bhoga. (japa)

Bow down. So . . . (indistinct) . . . now take this . . . (indistinct)

etām, sa āsthāya, parātma-niṣṭhām, upāsitām, pūrva, tamaiḥ, mahadbhiḥ, aham, tariṣyāmi, duranta, pāram, tamo, mukundāṅghri, niṣeyevayaiva.

Stand up . . . (indistinct) . . .?

Śyāmasundara: Translation of this . . . (indistinct) . . . mantra, this mantra is especially meant for those who are taking sannyas, the renounced order of life . . . (indistinct) . . . human society.

Translation: "I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of darkness of ignorance simply by taking shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Mukunda, who gives all kinds of liberations and was worshiped by many great previous ācāryas."

Purport. "There are sixty-four kinds of rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of which, to accept the uniform dress of a tridaṇḍī-sannyāsa is also an important item. One who accepts this order of life, surely by rendering service unto the Supreme Lord, becomes eligible to cross over the insurmountable ocean of ignorance. All previous sages used to accept such order of life, and later ācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, adopted this order of life and firm conviction in the matter of devotional service."

"Those who are unalloyed devotees, they add one more staff along with the original three. This extra one is representation of the living entity. There is another sect who are known as ekadaṇḍī sect. They misunderstand the purpose of tridaṇḍa,"

(Śyāmasundara's purport)

. . . and by such deviation, Śrīvāsa Swami sannyāsa, who proclaimed to belong to the Viṣṇu Svāmī sect, turned to be impersonalists and follow the footsteps of Śaṅkarācārya, accepting only the ekadaṇḍa.

Instead of naming themselves out of the 108 names of Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, this Śrīvāsa Swami sect accepts ten names of the sannyāsī, following Śaṅkarācārya. Lord Caitanya, although in terms of the practice at that time, accepted ekadaṇḍī sannyāsa order, but He acceptance the tridaṇḍi sannyāsa is understood.

This mantra was first chanted by a learned brāhmaṇa of Avantipur after being very much disgusted in this materialistic way of life. This happened long, long years ago because it is mentioned in the Bhāgavatam, which was composed by Vyāsadeva at least five thousand years ago. So it is to be concluded, therefore, that this tridaṇḍī sannyāsīn order is coming down since a time long, long years ago. And within five hundred years of time Lord Caitanya adopted this order of life.

And in the latest years His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakur Prabhupāda adopted it personally and he made many of his disciples tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs. We are also following his footsteps, and the purport of this mantra is that the ekadaṇḍī sannyāsī is devoid of paramaṁ niṣṭha, which is explained above. In other words, impersonalists cannot have any faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they prefer to merge into the impersonal Brahman effulgence.

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we do not find any mention of ekadaṇḍī sannyāsa. This tridaṇḍa sannyāsa is accepted, therefore, as standard. Lord Caitanya accepts Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the supreme authority. Under the circumstances, persons who accept Lord Caitanya as ekadaṇḍī sannyāsī are mistaken. So following the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, still the tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs are in existence, keeping the sacred thread and śikhā intact, distinct from the Māyāvādī ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs, who give up the sacred thread and śikhā.

They have no inclination to render service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Being very much disgusted by the materialistic way of life, they do not understand the purpose of the sannyāsa order. Those who are strictly followers of the Vaiṣṇava principles, they do not accept the Māyāvādī way of sannyāsa. In the sect of Lord Caitanya, the most venerable learned scholar known as Gadādhara Pandit Gosvāmī accepted this tridaṇḍī sannyāsa order, and he offered this facility to his disciple known as Śrī Mādhava Upadhyaya.

This Mādhava Ācārya is the origin of the Vallabhācārya sect. One of the Six Gosvāmīs, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who is the authority of Vaiṣṇava regulations, was initiated by another tridaṇḍī sannyāsī known as Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. Therefore this sannyāsī order is completely in pursuance of Vaiṣṇava authority.

Prabhupāda: Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra . . . (indistinct) . . . ceremony given . . . (indistinct)

Now chant and bhoga ārotika . . . (indistinct)

(kirtana) (end)