Title: Mahadiksha

User: Damodara Svarupa dasa      Date: 2005-01-08 11:35:48

 

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Jaya Swami Gaurangapada! Jaya Shrila Prabhupada, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta, Shrila Bhaktivinoda and Shri Shri Nitai-Gaura Bhakta Vrinda!

 

My dearest Swami Gaurangapada,

 

Could you please elaborate on the practical meaning of accepting/giving Mahadiksha? What is the correct way to approach a Guru and ask for initiation? How does this apply for married men who chant the 3 Mantra Rajas on a daily basis?

 

Yours in the service of the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna,

 

Daniel

 

Title: (2) Things to know before Mahadiksha

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2005-01-19 12:24:12

 

The different Stages of Mahadiksha and of advancement in the Mantra Meditation on the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra are as follows:

 

Stages of Mahadiksha

 

http://pictures.gaurangapada.com/23g-chanting-levels.jpg

 

In Text format:

 

(1) Gauranga Ashraya   -> 010 NG - 001 HK - Total Names Daily 003888

(2) Nityananda Ashraya  -> 010 NG - 004 HK - Total Names Daily 009072

(3) Gaura Nama Ashraya -> 010 NG - 010 HK - Total Names Daily 019440

(4) Hari Nama Diksha   -> 016 NG - 016 HK - Total Names Daily 031104

(5) Gaura Hari Nama    -> 064 NG - 016 HK - Total Names Daily 041472

(6) Ardha Laksheshvara  -> 064 NG - 032 HK - Total Names Daily 069120

(7) Laksheshvara       ->064 NG - 064 HK - Total Names Daily 124416

(8) Nityananda Priya     ->128 NG - 064 HK - Total Names Daily 138240

(9) Gauranga Priya      ->256 NG - 064 HK - Total Names Daily 165888

(10) Dvi Laksheshvara   ->256 NG - 096 HK - Total Names Daily 221184

(11) Tri Laksheshvara   -> 368 NG - 128 HK - Total Names Daily 300672

 

Swami Gaurangapada would like all devotees to read the below points carefully before requesting for Mahadiksha:

 

Important Things to know before requesting for Mahadiksha:

 

 The Stage (5) of Gaura Hari Nama Diksha is the most recommended minimum ideal goal which all disciples and devotees should aim for. The ultimate goal of Stage Laksheshvara (7) established by Lord Gauranga Himself, should also be greatly respected, adored and worshiped even if one cannot reach that Stage. By reading and understanding the ebooks on the website http://Gaurangapada.com, every aspiring disciple should be fully convinced about the essential necessity to chant the most merciful offenseless Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga and read and hear the pastimes of Lords Nityananda Gauranga along with the chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

 

 If an aspiring disciple is in either of the first three Stages of Gauranga Ashraya (1), Nityananda Ashraya (2) and Gaura Nama Ashraya (3), and is not able to follow any other rules and regulations, Swami Gaurangapada will impart Ashraya Diksha or Shelter Diksha in the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas to that devotee.

 

 If an aspiring disciple is in either of the first three Stages of Gauranga Ashraya (1), Nityananda Ashraya (2) and Gaura Nama Ashraya (3) for some time, and is able to follow the principles of avoiding grains on Ekadashi, non-veg food, drinking, smoking, drugs and sex outside of marriage, then Swami Gaurangapada will impart full-fledged Mahadiksha in the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas to that devotee.

 

 Swami Gaurangapada will impart Harinama or Hare Krishna Mahamantra Diksha only if the devotee is steadily situated on the Stage (4) (31104 Names daily) for some time and following the regulations of avoiding grains on Ekadashi, non-veg food, drinking, smoking, drugs etc., illicit sex life and gambling.

 

 An initiated devotee devotee will get a new spiritual name at  and some devotees may get at  also.

 

 All devotees at least from Stage (3) Gaura Nama Ashraya onwards, should read or hear at least half an hour daily the glories of the Holy Names & Pastimes of Lords Nityananda Gauranga from the Translations, Commentaries, Compositions, Writings & Audio of Swami Gaurangapada and in this way learn the spiritual science daily directly from their Spiritual Master. Reading the books of all the previous Acharyas including Shrila Prabhupada and Shrila Bhaktivinoda is highly recommended and should be done be in addition to reading or hearing from Swami Gaurangapada. Daily kirtana (singing of the Holy Names) for some time along with the family or alone even just by clapping is the most pleasing devotional service to Guru and Gauranga in Kali Yuga. Regular reading or singing or hearing of the 108 most essential verses composed by Swami Gaurangapada summarizing the entire Nityananda and Gauranga philosophy is highly recommended to revitalize one's focus on chanting the Holy Names.

 

 The Gayatri Mantra Diksha can be imparted after 6 -12 months after the Stage (4) is reached.

 

 The devotee will have to call up Swami Gaurangapada at the time of Diksha or come and receive it personally. The devotee will have to receive the Mantras in the right ear on the phone or by meeting personally. There is a small purifying achmana procedure to be performed before calling. Also the disciple will have to chant a few Auspicious Invocation Mantras of the Lord along with Swami Gaurangapada on the phone or personally before receiving the Diksha Mantras in the right ear.

 

 Diksha on a particular stage of chanting means that disciple commits or vows in front of the Spiritual Master, the Parampara Acharyas, Lords Nityananda Gauranga and Shri Shri Radha Krishna to chant a fixed number of Holy Names (for that Stage) of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna daily and try to purely follow the teachings of Guru and Gauranga. If some chanting is missed on one day, it should be made up by completing the chanting on the next day. Some part of the daily chanting can be done on the fingers or clickers if Tulasi beads are not available at a particular place or if it is practically not possible to carry them along.

 

 A Mahasankalpa Vow for completing the chanting of the prescribed number of Holy Names daily will have to be taken by the disciple after accepting the full-fledged Diksha . This vow is not necessary at the time of Ashraya (Shelter) Diksha . This vow will be taken on the phone or personally with Bhagavad Gita in one's hand after the Mantras have been imparted in the right ear. Nama Vrata or Vow to chant a fixed number of Holy Names daily is the only effective Vow in Kali Yuga which actually pleases Lord Gauranga-Krishna. Since the Lord is giving us air to breathe, food to eat, good health etc. etc. for 24 hours daily, we have to take a determined vow to chant a fixed number of His Holy Names daily, as our token thanks for what He is doing for us.

 

 Every time a disciple goes to the next higher Stage of chanting, it is recommended that the disciple contact Swami Gaurangapada through email or phone or meet personally and take a fresh vow to chant the new increased number of Holy Names daily. That will be the Diksha Vow in the new Stage. The Spiritual Master is always happy to see the disciples and devotees advancing to higher Stages of Mantra Meditation and that is the only thing which he requests from his disciples and devotees.

 

 An official fire-sacrifice may not be required or performed for Diksha because as per Lord Krishna Himself in the Adi Purana, the Holy Names Themselves include the potency and purity of millions of fire sacrifices - Nama eva para Makha (Accepting the Holy Names Itself is the topmost Sacrifice in Kali Yuga). Diksha will be imparted in the direct presence and witness of Nama Bhagavan or Nama Prabhu i.e. The Incarnation of the Lord in the form of His Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna. Everything in creation is included in the Holy Names. For eg. Shrila Gaura Kishore dasa Babaji gave Diksha to Parama Guru Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada in Shri Navadvipa Dhama without any fire-sacrifice in the direct presence of the Nama Bhagavana.

 

 Swami Gaurangapada will send sanctified Diksha beads after personally chanting the Diksha Mantras on them and impregnating them with the Mantra potency for those who receive full-fledged Diksha as mentioned in  and . For Ashraya (Shelter) Diksha as in , disciples will have to ask him specifically to send the Ashraya Diksha beads to them.

 

 Those disciples who accept full-fledged Diksha should wear Tulasi neck beads of at least three rounds on their necks or chest and also apply Gopichandana Tilaka or even invisible Mantra Water Tilaka at least once a day, ideally on all twelve places of their bodies, or if not possible at least on their forehead. Male bodied disciples should also have a Shikha or a tuft of hair at the back of the head which is automatically there in most cases when the hair is long. They should also try if possible to worship the Tulasi plant and Deities of Lords Nityananda Gauranga daily in their homes and eat food which is offered to the Deities or Pictures of Lords Nityananda Gauranga as much as possible.

 

 Due to Swami Gaurangapada's personal bhajana and extensive chanting, writing and epublishing services, he may only be able to meet visiting devotees and disciples in his Ashram or take them to the Holy Pastimes Places in Puri Dhama between 3 pm to 6 pm daily apart from special festival days. 6 pm to 8 pm daily will be the daily Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata lectures by him which all the visiting disciples and devotees can attend also. So effectively, Swami Gaurangapada will be available from 3 pm to 8 pm daily for physical meeting for visiting disciples and devotees. Chanting, Writing and ePublishing services are most dear to Swami Gaurangapada and he will not be able to compromise them at any costs. For some years, touring or travelling to different places for preaching may also not be regularly possible due to the Swami Gaurangapada's full concentration in Chanting, Writing and ePublishing services.

 

 For the Internet Guidance, Swami Gaurangapada will try to respond to emails from disciples and devotees and also queries on the online Forum within 72 hours, but sometimes due to heavy load of services, the replies may take one week or more. The complete upto date Writings, Audio and Video preaching of Swami Gaurangapada are available on the Internet to read, hear, for free download or to order online, which should be the main sources of inspiration (Vani association) for all the disciples and devotees. A regular online one-hour live Gauragosthi Chat Room with Swami Gaurangapada is also a way to associate with him online.

 

 It is therefore recommended that all disciples and devotees of Swami Gaurangapada should have regular access to a computer to keep in touch with the Writings and Instructions of their Spiritual Master. It should also be known though, to all disicples and devotees, just for their information, that there is always a chance that due to some unpredictable and unexpected problems or difficulties in the future caused due to unavailable resources, the Internet preaching may get temporarily affected sometimes. Disciples and devotees should voluntarily try to spread the chanting of the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna to one and all they meet as per one's capacity.

 

 Thus, apart from the Internet Association as explained above, if a devotee feels that 5 hours daily is inadequate physical association, then such a devotee is free to accept shelter and guidance from another Gaudiya Vaishnava Spiritual Master after requesting for Diksha withdrawal from Swami Gaurangapada. Withdrawal of the Diksha and Diksha Mantras imparted by Swami Gaurangapada is possible to be done only by Swami Gaurangapada himself because it is he who has imparted the Mantrarajas. A disciple should make a special request for Diksha withdrawal to Swami Gaurangapada through email or phone or personally and the request will be granted after due consideration. Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states in the Hari Nama Chintamani that the relationship between Guru and Disciple is eternal as long as both want to maintain it mutually since it is the voluntary decision of the soul and cannot be maintained by force.

 

 Due to improper association, if a disciple develops some doubts regarding Guru then they should be asked directly to Swami Gaurangapada without gossiping behind the back. If the disciple is not satisfied with the replies of Swami Gaurangapada and strongly wants to go somewhere else, then the disciple can request Swami Gaurangapada to withdraw the Mantra Diksha. As a courtesy for all the services which Swami Gaurangapada is unceasingly rendering to his disciples, if a disciple wants to leave his shelter and go somewhere else, instead of simply disappearing into nowhere, he or she is requested to kindly request Swami Gaurangapada for an official withdrawal of the Guru-Disciple relationship, which will be given as requested, and the devotee will be free to go anywhere he or she likes. This approach will be very much appeciated by Swami Gaurangapada and is considered proper spiritual etiquette. Swami Gaurangapada can also unilaterally withdraw his Mantra Diksha to any disciple if it is repeatedly found that the disciple is committing offenses against the Guru or the Devotees or the Lord Himself or is repeatedly found to act unfavourably towards the Guru and the Vaishnavas or is trying to lord it over his own Guru or is proved llater to have had unscrupulous and ulterior motives for accepting Diksha or is repeatedly creating disturbances to the personal bhajana of Swami Gaurangapada.

 

 If a disciple of Swami Gaurangapada want to accept Shiksha or spiritual guidance from another Gaudiya Vaishnava Spiritual Master, that disciple should request the permission of Swami Gaurangapada for doing so. If Swami Gaurangapada finds this unsuitable for the disciple's spiritual life then Swami Gaurangapada will provide scriptural reasons for the same and suggest another appropriate Shiksha Guru (Instructing Spritual Master) for the disciple to go to. But if the disciple insists on going to one particular Shiksha Guru which Swami Gaurangapada's is not in favor of due to philosophical reasons or because such a Guru may not be accepting or may be minimizing the science of chanting the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga along with the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, then it will be better that Swami Gaurangapada withdraws his Diksha to that disciple so that the disciple can then freely go to that particular Spiritual Master as per his or her desire and accept re-Diksha from him. Also if the disciple wants to accept re-Diksha from another Gaudiya Vaishnava Spiritual Master, then the disciple should request for withdrawal of the Diksha from Swami Gaurangapada, not just leave without any intimation.

 

 If someone does not want to personally chant and is personally neutral to the process of chanting the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga daily along with the Mahamantra that is ok but Swami Gaurangapada would not like to have any contact with such persons who criticize or minimize or stop or discourage others from chanting the most merciful offenseless Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga daily which is the only hope for the souls of Kali Yuga according to Shri Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya. Due to the all-prevalent flickering and unsteady mind, a mad craze for newer things and wrong association in Kali Yuga, if a disciple at any point of time looses his or her faith beyond the point of no-return, in the chanting of the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga or Their Lordships Nityananda Gauranga Themselves or the preaching of Swami Gaurangapada, then the disciple should request for Mahadiksha withdrawal from Swami Gaurangapada, which will be granted as per the request.

 

 If some devotee wants to accept the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas Diksha from Swami Gaurangapada and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra from another Gaudiya Vaishnava Spiritual Master, such a facility is open in the Vedic scriptures as we see Mayadevi Parvati accepting the Gauranga Mantra & Rama Mantra from Lord Shiva and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra from Shrila Haridasa Thakura. This should be done however by the mutual consent and blessings of both the Diksha Gurus. If one of the Gurus is not agreed for the other Guru or there are some obstacles, then better it is that the disciple accepts Diksha from one the Gurus and exclusively accepts his shelter sincerely while keeping on chanting the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga along with the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

 

 If a disciple of another living Gaudiya Vaishnava Spiritual Master wants to seek the spiritual shelter and guidance (Shiksha) from Swami Gaurangapada or accept Diksha in the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas from Swami Gaurangapada, then such a devotee should first receive permission from his Spiritual Master to do so. In another case, if a disciple of another living Gaudiya Vaishnava Spiritual Master is absolutely not able to continue with that Spiritual Master and thus very strongly desires to accept reinitiation (re-Diksha) from Swami Gaurangapada, then that devotee should humbly and politely first ask for withdrawal of Diksha from his or her present Spiritual Master. Such rare cases of re-Diksha should be handled in such a way that no offenses are caused to any Vaishnava devotees, disciples or Gurus.

 

 If any disciple disappears for a considerable amount of time after accepting the full-fledged Diksha and does not contact Swami Gaurangapada for a very long time, then the Guru-Disciple relationship is also automatically cancelled. Swami Gaurangapada will not take the responsibility for the sins and spiritual progress of the disciple who no longer contacts him or informs him at least once in a few months if not regularly about his or her spiritual progress for a long time. If such a devotee comes back again after a very long time and again wants to accept the shelter of Swami Gaurangapada then he or she will have to be take Diksha initiation again from Swami Gaurangapada.

 

 Swami Gaurangapada does not expect nor request any monetary donations from any disciples and devotees but simply wants them to chant the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna daily and hear or read daily for some time. Swami Gaurangapada will accept the voluntary and spontaneous donations from disciples and devotees for the mission of spreading the Holy Names and Pastimes of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna to one and all.

 

 Swami Gaurangapada will be able to meet female-bodied disciples or devotees in the Ashram between 3 to 6 pm daily only if they are accompanied by a male-bodied devotee or person. They can also come for the daily 6 pm to 8 pm lecture only if they are acompanied by a male-bodied person. It will not be possible to accomodate any devotee in Swami Gaurangapada's personal ashram for staying. Also Swami Gaurangapada will not be able to counsel in detail male or female bodied disciples and devotees in day to day practical matters of their personal lives and families. He will be always available to them for spiritual guidance.

 

 Disciples should try to have at least a small worship altar in their homes with the pictures of Lords Nityananda Gauranga and Shri Shri Radha Krishna. On the second level of the altar, there should be a picture of Swami Gaurangapada and all our Parampara Acharyas which is available from the Picture Galleries section of Gaurangapada.com. Disciples should recite the Pranama Mantra of Swami Gaurangapada and Shrila Prabhupada and if possible of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta and Shrila Bhaktivinoda also at least once daily (Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti explains that the Guru Varga should be ideally worshiped three times a day) before beginning the daily chanting.

 

 Disciples and devotees who have accepted the shelter of Swami Gaurangapada as their Spiritual Master should totally abstain from criticizing, loosely gossiping about or judging other devotees or other devotee institutions in any kind of way either through verbal talk or on the internet since it is totally irrelevant and harmful for a devotee's spiritual advancement. If someone tries to talk to the disciples and devotees about faults in other devotees and other political talk minimizing devotees or our previous Acharyas or Lords Nityananda Gauranga, the disciples should either tell them to stop immediately and talk only about the pure Holy Names and Pastimes of Lords Nityananda Gauranga and Shri Shri Radha Krishna or if they do not stop then one should immediately leave that place. Talking about others negatively and judging them wil never help our own spiritual advancement but it will affect it adversely. One should never commit the mistake of judging or passing comments about other devotees as per the external institution they belong to and should never get into groupism, fanatacism, or sectarianism in the name of spiritual life. Even if some devotees commit mistakes or wrong acts and have glaring shortcomings etc, it is not our business to criticize or judge them and we should leave it to Guru and Gauranga to administer proper justice. Disciples should be just like honey-bees simply and only interested in the nectar of the flowers of Bhakti (Devotion) overlooking everything else and not like flies who are only interested in the abominable stool in the garden.

 

 Disciples should be very vigilant and careful not to hear any offensive statements minimizing or belittling their own Gurudeva (Spiritual Master) and also the process of chanting the most merciful Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga, from other "devotees" and non-devotees. Either they should defeat them philosophically or avoid such association totally by all means. It is better to remain alone and peacefully practice Mantra Meditation (Nama Bhajana) on the Holy Names under the guidance of Gurudeva, humble godbrothers and godsisters and under the direct mercy of Lords Nityananda Gauranga, then to get involved in association of such persons who minimize or criticize our Spiritual Master and the chanting of the most merciful Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga.

 

Title: The Importance of Mahadiksha

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2005-01-20 18:15:22

 

The Importance of Mahadiksha

 

In the Padma Purana it is stated:

 

sampradaya-vihina ye, mantras te nisphala matah; atah kalau bhavisyanti, catvarah sampradayinah.

shri-brahma-rudra-sanaka, vaishnavah ksiti-pavanah; catvaras te kalau bhavya, hy utkale purusottamat.

ramnujam shrih svi-cakre, madhvacaryam caturmukhah; shri-visnu-svaminam rudro, nimbadityam catuhsanah.

 

"Unless one is initiated by a bona-fide Vaishnava spiritual master in a bonafide and authentic Vaishnava disciplic succession, the Mantra one might have received is without any effect. For this reason, the Lord revealed the four authorized Vaishnava Guru-Disciple disciplic successions in Kali Yuga, inaugurated by Lord Brahma, Shri Lakshmi-devi, Lord Shiva, and the four Sanata Kumaras. The teachings of these four Sampradayas will be spread by the mercy of the Supreme Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu from the holy place of Shri Jagannatha Puri Dhama in Orissa and thus purify the entire earth during the age of Kali. Anyone accepting Diksha Initiation outside these four authorized Vaishnava sampradayas is at a big risk. Lord Brahma chose Shrila Madhvacharya to represent his disciplic succession. In the same way, Shri Lakshmi-devi chose Shrila Ramanujacharya, Lord Shiva chose Shrila Vishnuswami Acharya, and the four Sanata Kumaras chose Shrila Nimbaditya Acharya to lead their respective disciplic successions."

 

Lord Brahma instructs Shrila Narada in the Skanda Purana, Kartika-Mahatmya:

 

te narah pasavo loke, kim tesam jivane phalam; yair na labdha harer diksa, narcito va janardanah.

 

"Unfortunate people do not accept Mantra Diksha from a bonafide Vaishnava guru in any of these four sampradayas and thus they remain unqualified to worship Lord Krishna. Such people are simply like animals since there is no higher purpose for their human form of life."

 

tapasvinah karma nistha, sresthaste vai nara bhuvi; prapta yaistu harer diksa, sarva dukha vimocani.

 

"Those persons who accept Diksha from a bonafide Vaishnava Spiritual Master from any of these four sampradayas are completely delivered from all the miseries of material existence. In this world, they become superior even to the great ascetics and karma-nistha yogis."

 

The Vishnu-yamala states:

 

adikshitasya vamoru kritam sarvam nirarthakam; pashu-yonim avapnoti diksha-virahito janah.

 

"Unless one is Diksha Initiated by a bona fide Spiritual Master from any of the above four sampradayas, all one's activities are useless. A person who is not Initiated into any of these four authorized Vaishnava sampradayas will surely descend again into the animal species in his next life."

 

divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam; tasmat dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih.

 

"Diksha is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity by the causeless mercy of the living Spiritual Master. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as Diksha."

 

ato gurum pranamyaivam sarva-svam vinivedya cha; grihniyad vaishnavam mantram diksa-purvam vidhanatah.

 

"That is why the prime duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide Vaishnava Spiritual Master in any of the four authorized Vaishnava sampradayas. Giving him everything - body, mind and intelligence - one must take Diksha Initiation from him into Vaishnava Mantras."

 

The Bhakti-sandarbha (298) gives the following quotation from the Tattva-Sagara:

 

yatha kanchanatam yati kamsyam rasa-vidhanatah; tatha diksha-vidhanena dvijatvam jayate nrinam.

 

"By chemical manipulation, bell metal is turned into gold when touched by mercury; similarly, when a person is Initiated by a bonafide Vaishnava Spiritual Master, he or she acquires the qualities of a brahmana or second birth."

 

THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION OF THE KRISHNA BRAHMA-MADHVA-NITYANADA-GAURANGA-GAUDIYA-VINODA-SARASVATA-SAMPRADAYA OF SWAMI GAURANGAPADA:

 

01. Lord Krishna & Shrimati Radha

02. Shrila Brahma

03. Shrila Narada

04. Shrila Vyasa

05. Shrila Madhva

06. Shrila Padmanabha

07. Shrila Shrila Nrhari

08. Shrila Madhava

09. Shrila Akshobhya

10. Shrila Jaya Tirtha

11. Shrila Jnanasindhu

12. Shrila Dayanidhi

13. Shrila Vidyanidhi

14. Shrila Rajendra

15. Shrila Jayadharma

16. Shrila Purusottama

17. Shrila Brahmanya Tirtha

18. Shrila Vyasa Tirtha

19. Shrila Lakshmipati

20. Shrila Madhavendra Puri

 

21. Lord Nityananda Prabhu, Shrila Ishvara Puri, Lord Advaita Acharya

22. Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Shri Shachi-devi, Shrila Jagannatha Mishra, Shri Lakshmipriya-devi, Shri Vishnupriya-devi, Shri Jahnavi-devi, Shri Vasudha-devi, Shrila Haridasa Thakura, Shrila Yadunandana, Shrila Gauridasa Pandita, Shrila Vrindavana dasa

 

23. Shrila Shivananda Sena, Shrila Prabodhananda, Shrila Shrivasa Thakura, Shrila Virabhadra, Shrila Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Shrila Svarupa Damodara, Shrila Ramananda Raya, Shrila Narahari Sarakara, Shrila Jagadananda, Shrila Murari Gupta, Shrila Sarvabhauma, Shrila Lokanatha, Shrila Hridaya Chaitanya, Shrila Sanatana, Shrila Rupa, Shrila Raghunatha dasa, Shrila Raghunatha Bhatta

 

24. Shrila Gadadhara Pandita, Shrila Gopala Bhatta, Shrila Jiva, Shrila Krishnadasa Kaviraja, Shrila Kavi Karnapura, Shrila Lochana dasa

 

25. Shrila Shrinivasa Acharya, Shrila Narottama, Shrila Shyamananda

26. Shrila Ganganarayana Chakravarti, Shrila Rasikananda

27. Shrila Krishnacharana Chakravarti

28. Shrila Radha Ramana Chakravarti

29. Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti

30. Shrila Baladeva Vidyabhushana, Shrila Narahari Chakravarti

31. Shrila Uddhava dasa

32. Shrila Madhusudana dasa

33. Shrila Jagannatha dasa

34. Shrila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura

35. Shrila Gaura Kishore dasa

36. Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

37. Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Shrila Bhaktishastri Parampada dasa, Shrila Bhaktikumuda Santa Goswami

38. Shrila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada

 

The Vedas say: yo mantrah sa guruh saksat, yo guruh sa harih svayam; guru yasya bhavet tustas, tasya tusto harih svayam.

 

 "The Mantras given by the Guru itself act as the Guru, and the Guru is a direct manifestation of Lord Hari. If one pleases the Guru, one directly pleases Lord Hari."

 

The transcendental knowledge of the Holy Names, Form, Qualities, Pastimes, Abode and Associates of Lords Nityananda Gauranga and Shri Shri Radha Krishna is transmitted to disciple by the Guru in the seed form of the the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra uttered by the Guru in the right ear of the disciple at the time of Diksha or Initiation. Diksha is the beginning of spiritual life and not the end. The disciple has to very carefully water this seed of the Holy Names imparted by the Guru by chanting and hearing daily and protect it by making a fence it for guarding it from sins, offenses and especially the greatest sin of criticizing other devotees. By continuous chanting of the Holy Names imparted by the Guru, the seed will gradually blossom in one's heart and gradually but certainly reveal to the disciple, the soul's constitutional position in relationship with the Lord in the spiritual world.

 

Through the medium of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas, the Spiritual Master conveys and transmits his internal mood of service to Lords Shri Shri Nityananda-Gauranga and through the Hare Krishna Mahamantra towards Lordships Shri Shri Radha Krishna. The disciple will not perceive this immediately, but he or she will gradually understand everything by Guru-bhakti, daily chanting of the imparted Holy Names and service to the Holy Names, the Guru, Acharyas and Lords Nityananda Gauranga. The Diksha Mantras, therefore, are the direct representation of the Spiritual Master.

 

The Vedic mantras are eternal representations of God in the form of sound, shabda brahma. By repetition of a particular Mantra under authorized guidance a purified person can realize the spiritual purpose of the Mantra.

 

The Narada-pancaratra, Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, Hari-bhakti-vilasa, and many other scriptures explain that the potency of a mantra fully manifests when it is received from a bona fide Spiritual Master and recited without impurities. Although one may see Mantras written in books, and then try to chant them, these Mantras will produce themost powerful results only when received from the Spiritual Master through Diksha.

 

Mantras are like seeds in that they contain vast potencies within them, but they need outside factors to manifest their power. The tiny seed of a banyan tree contains the form of a huge, full-grown tree. Placing the seed directly into the ground, however, will not produce a tree. But if a sparrow eats the seed and passes it on the ground with its stool, then a majestic banyan tree will grow forth. The banyan seed must be processed in this way to give results. Similarly, if one begins chanting a Mantra after randomly hearing or reading it in a book, it may not give the highest benefit. But if one receives the Mantra by hearing from the Guru, then that Mantra, which is coated with the Guru's love and realizations for the Lord will produce love in the heart of the sincere disciple.

 

"A Mantra is purified when chanted with proper knowledge." (SB 11.24.32). In the purport to this verse Shrila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, "A Mantra becomes very effective when it issues from the mouth of a bonafide Spiritual Master who instructs the disciple in the method, meaning and ultimate purpose of the Mantra."

 

"It is confidential in this sense: one may receive a published Mantra anywhere, but unless it is accepted through the Vaishnava Spiritual Master in the chain of disciplic succession, the Mantra may not act fully. Mantras and the process of devotional service have special power if they are received and learnt from the bonafide Guru.

 

The Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra have more effect when received from the Guru. The hearts of Gurudeva and the Pure Devotees are compared to gem-filled mountains of Nityananda-Gauranga and Radha-Krishna's love; rivers of devotional realizations and mellows rush down from these mountains to drown anyone and everyone who accepts their mercy. The Holy Names chanted by an advanced devotee is saturated with Nityananda-Gauranga's pure love. When this Prema-Nama is poured into the ear of the eager disciple, it nourishes the tiny creeper of devotion and eventually produces the nectarean fruit of prema-bhakti, pure love of God in the heart of the disciple if the disciple nourishes and relishes that nectar.

 

The pure sound vibration from the realized Guru of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra works like a forest fire to burn up all the sins and impurities within the mind and heart of the disciple. When Lord Krishna and Arjuna were traveling on a chariot through the covering of the universe, the Lord used His Sudarsana Chakra (disc) to penetrate the dense and fearful layers on the universe. In the same way, the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra received from the Guru act like a Chakra or a Disc to burn away all the dark coverings of the disciple's heart and clear the path to pure love of God. The results and effects in the disciple on hearing the Mantra from an advanced and realized devotee Guru manifest as per the intensity, sincerity and qualification of the receptacle disciple for attaining pure love for Lord Gauranga-Krishna.

 

Thus, when the disciple submissively and attentively hears the Mantras from his Guru with great faith and begins chanting the Mantras regularly with great devotion, then he or she will gradually realize the unlimited Spiritual Meanings behind those Mantras and eventually see the Lord face to face. That is called Mahadiksha or Diksha or Initiation. It is very important that after Diksha, the disciple regularly keeps on hearing the spiritual sound vibration from one's Guru through his writings and audio lectures to always remain in spiritual fire of Gauranga-Krishna consciousness.

 

As per the Scriptures and the Acharyas, receiving the Mantras in one's right ear from the bonafide Spiritual Master with the proper mood of surrender to the Holy Names and Gurudeva is Mahadiksha. The transmission of the sound vibration of the Mantrarajas is most important. This transmission can be accomplished on the phone or personally etc. There is no difference since it is spiritual sound vibration. Ofcourse since the Guru and the disciple have to voluntarily accept each other, that is why they have to be living and physically present on the manifested platform. That is the reason why we cannot accept Diksha from the previous Acharyas who are no longer manifesting their pastimes in a prakata way since there is no such precedent in the Scriptures or the lives of our Acharyas. The Diksha Mantras are imbued with transcendental knowledge and also with the realizations of the Guru. This is how the disciple receives the transcendental knowledge in seed form in the form of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Then by repeated chanting, the Mantra seeds sprout and blosson gradually and give the ultimate result to the disciple which is pure love for Lord Gauranga-Krishna.

 

The fire sacrifice is a formality. The most powerful presence of the Holy Names Themselves is actually sufficient. It is the confirmed in the Adi Purana by Lord Krishna Himself who states to Arjuna: Nama eva para Makhah: The Holy Name Itself is the Greatest Fire Sacrifice. The Mantrarajas of Nityananda and Gauranga and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra include the potency of millions of fire sacrifices and millions of universes. Infact the full potency of the spiritual and material creation is present in the Holy Names. Shrila Gaura Kishore dasa Babaji Maharaja initiated Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada without any fire sacrifice because the Name Itself is topmost Sakshi (seer).

 

Diksa is the process of formalization of the relationship between Guru and Disciple. However, within the formal ceremony, the most substantial things takes place: transmission of the Mantras on the part of the Guru and vows on the part of the disciple. The imparting of the Mantras is not a formality. It is the substance.

 

This spiritual principle surrounding the imparting of the Mantrarajas involves the invisible sharing of the Guru's transcendental experiences and realizations of the Mantrarajas and the Mahamantra. It is an act of giving, motivated by nothing other than genuine compassion, karunayaha purana guhyam. It is not a business. Compassion is the motive behind the imparting of the Mantras during Diksha, the compassionate desire of the Guru to see all souls quickly realize their eternal constitutional relationship with Lords Nityananda Gauranga and Lordships Radha Krishna. Through Shraddha (faith), Sharanagati (Surrender), Mantra Dhyana (Mantra Meditation), and avoidance of Vaishnava Ninda (Blasphemy of Devotees), the disciple can achieve complete success in the chanting of the Mantras imparted by Gurudeva.

 

Receiving the Diksha Mantras means to be given a second birth. Consider that a bird has given birth to a few chicks. Birds are called dwija in Sanskrit because they are born twice, once within the egg and a second time when the eggs hatch. Our material birth is like that of the chicks within the egg. In this birth our possibilities are extremely limited. But if we are fortunate to meet a genuine Spiritual Master and receive a second birth from him in the form of Diksha, our spiritual possibilities in life expand beyond anything we could imagine within the egg of our material birth.

 

Title: (3) The Procedure for Mahadiksha

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2005-01-21 06:17:18

 

(3) The Procedure for Mahadiksha

 

Step 1: Simple Purification Procedure

 

Before making the Mahadiksha phone call or after meeting in person:

 

Perform simple achamana (sadharana acamana) Purification Procedure:

 

Sit on an asana (pure sitting mat); with a small spoon take some water from the achamana-patra (a small pot) and sprinkle it on your hands and feet.

 

Chant om keshavaya namah; sip water from the brahma-tirtha (base of the thumb) of your right hand.

Chant om narayanaya namah; sip water from the brahma-tirtha of your right hand.

Chant om madhavaya namah; sip water from the brahma-tirtha of your right hand.

Clean your right hand (from having been touched by your lips) with a few drops of water from the acamana-patra, throwing the water aside.

 

 

 

Step 2: Offering of Obeisances, Pranama Mantras & Asking Benedictions

 

After the achamana procedure, obeisances should be offered to Swami Gaurangapada, Shrila Prabhupada, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta, Shrila Bhaktivinoda and Lordships Nityananda Gauranga and Lordships Radha Krishna by reciting the following respective Pranama Mantras and invoke Their auspicious blessings:

 

(1) Swami Gaurangapada Pranama

 

nama om gaurangapadaya nitai-presthaya bhutale; shrimate bhaktiratna sadhu iti namine.

 

"I offer my humble obeisances unto His Holiness Tridandi Bhikshu Shrila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada, who is very dear to Lord Shri Nityananda Prabhu,

having taken shelter at Lord Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu's lotus feet."

 

gauranga-nama-lila-bhakta-dhama pracharine; nityananda-gauranga-nama-sahitya vitarine.

 

"He is instrumental in preaching, spreading and distributing the glories of the Holy Names, Pastimes, Associates and Abodes of the Supreme Lords Nityananda Gauranga and the distribution of the ebooks and paperbooks of Their glories."

 

(2) Shrila Prabhupada Pranama

 

nama om visnu-padaya krishna-presthaya bhu-tale, shrimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine.

 

"I offer my humble obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Shri Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

 

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine, nirvisesa-sunyavadi-paschatya-desha-tarine.

 

“Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada. You are kindly preaching the Holy Message of Lord Gaurangadeva and delivering the Western countries which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.”

 

(3) Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Pranama

 

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale; shrimate bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvatiti namine.

 

"I offer my humble obeisances unto His Divine Grace Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet."

 

shri-varshabhanavi-devi-dayitaya kripabdhaye; krishna-sambandha-vijnana-dayine prabhave namah.

 

"I offer my humble obeisances to Shri Varshabhanavi-devi-dayita dasa , who is favored by Shrimati Radharani and who is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the deliverer of the science of Krishna."

 

(4) Shrila Bhaktivinoda Pranama

 

namo bhaktivinodaya sac-cid-ananda-namine; gaura-sakti-svarupaya rupanuga-varaya te.

 

"I offer my humble obeisances unto Shrila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda who has the form of eternal truth, knowldge and bliss and who is the personaification of the transcendental energy of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu. He is the most dear and topmost follower of the six Gosvamis, headed by Shrila Rupa Goswami."

 

(5) Shri Nityananda Pranama

 

nityanandam aham naumi, sarvananda-karam param; hari-nama-pradam devam, avadhuta-shiromanim.

 

"I humbly bow down to the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead Nityananda Prabhu, who is the awarder of the supreme happiness of Bhakti and the bestower of the pure Holy Names to all souls in creation and the crest-jewel of all paramahamsa mendicants."

 

(6) Shri Gauranga Pranama

 

namo maha-vadanyaya, krishna-prema-pradaya te; krishnaya krishna-chaitanya,-namne gaura-tvishe namah,

 

"O most munificent and magnanimous incarnation of Lord Gauranga! You are Lord Shri Krishna Himself appearing as Lord Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden complexion of Shrimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna through the indiscriminate distribution of Your own Holy Names. We offer our most humble obeisances unto You."

 

(7) Shri Shri Radha Krishna Pranama

 

shriman rasa-rasarambhi vamsi-vata-tata-sthitah; karshan venu-svanair gopir gopinathah shriye ’stu nah

 

"Lord Shri Gopinatha, who originated the transcendental mellow of the rasa dance, stands on the shore of the Yamuna in Vamshivata in Shri Vrindavana Dhama and also in the gardens of Yameshvara Tota in Shri Jagannatha Puri Dhama, and attracts the hearts of all the cowherd damsels beginning with Shrimati Radha, with the sound of His celebrated flute. May they all confer upon us their benediction."

 

(8) Shri Shri Nityananda Gauranga Mantraraja Pranama

 

nityananda mantra sakti, gauranga gaura gopala; hare krishna maha mantrair, sarva jiva uddharakah.

 

“The Supreme Power of the Nityananda Mantraraja combined with the Gaura Gopala Mantraraja -Gauranga and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra will completely deliver all the living entities from this formidable cycle of birth and death in Kali Yuga and very certainly promote them to the topmost abode of Shri Navadvipa-Puri-Vrindavana.”

 

(9) Pancha Tattva Pranma

 

shri krishna chaitanya, prabhu nityananda; shri advaita gadadhara shrivasadi gaura bhakta vrinda.

 

(10) Hare Krishna Mahamantra

 

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare.

 

 

 

Step 3. Receiving the Mantras in the right ear

 

Swami Gaurangapada will now imart each of the Mantras three times each in the disciple's right ear and the disciple has to repeat after him each of the three times. if the Mahadiksha is being received on the phone, the phone should be in the right ear of the disciple.

 

 

 

Step 4. Nityananda Gauranga Mahasankalpa Vrata or Resolution or Vow

 

There is a small Vow in Sanskrit which you will have to repeat after Swami Gaurangapada after accepting the Mantraraja or Mahamantra Mahadiksha while holding the Bhagavad-Gita in your hand after receiving the Nityananda Gauranga Mantraraja or the Hare Krishna Mahamantra Mahadiksha in the right year whichever is the case.

 

idam nityananda-gauranga-mantrarajam hare krishna mahamantram parama pavitram, parama mangalam, maha shaktivantam, aham _______________ namadheyasya, achyuta gotrodbhavasya, anudinam ____ mala mantrarajam ____ mala mahamantram amaranam karisyami. iti vachanam aham shri bhagavad-gita samikshe, shri shri nityananada gauranga nama-bhagavana samikshe, shri shri radha krishna bhagavana samikshe, shrila prabhupada samikshe, shri gurudeva samikshe, karisyami. iti maha sankalpa-vratam sampurnam.

 

The Vow again with english meanings in the brackets for your reference:

 

idam nityananda-gauranga-mantrarajam hare krishna manhamantram (The Nityananda-Gauranga Mantrarajas and Hare Krishna Mahamantra are) parama pavitram (supremely pure), parama mangalam (supremely auspicious), maha shaktivantam (supremely powerful), aham (I with the following Name)_______________ namadheyasya, achyuta gotrodbhavasya (of the Achyuta Gotra of the soul), anudinam (will chant daily) ___ mala mantrarajam (this many rounds of the Nityananda Gauranga Mantrarajas) and ____ mala mahamantram (this many rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra) amaranam (for my whole life) karisyami (will do). iti vachanam aham (I vow or promise the above) shrimad bhagavad-gita samikshe (in presence of Shrimad Bhagavad-Gita), shri shri nityananda gauranga nama-bhagavana samikshe (in the presence of the Holy Names of the Supreme Lords Nityananda-Gauranga), shri shri radha krishna bhagavana samikshe (in the presence of the Their Lordships Radha-Krishna), acharya samikshe (in the presence of all the Acharyas of our Guru Parampara), shrila prabhupada samikshe (in the presence of Shrila Prabhupada), shri gurudeva samikshe (in the presence of Shri Gurudeva Swami Gaurangapada), karisyami (I will do). iti maha sankalpa-vratam sampurnam (Thus the Great Vow for Kali Yuga and the Mahadiksha procedure is herewith completed.)

 

 

 

Title: Re: Mahadiksha

User: Damodara Svarupa dasa      Date: 2005-01-25 20:49:37

 

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Jaya Swami Gaurangapada! Jaya Shrila Prabhupada, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta, Shrila Bhaktivinoda and Shri Shri Nitai-Gaura Bhakta Vrinda!

 

My dearest Swami Gaurangapada,

 

Thank you so much for this very elaborate answer.

 

- Are there auspicious days (like the appearance day of Nityananda Prabhu - Feb 21) to receive Mahadiksha?

 

- How does one obtain the Mantra Water Tilaka?

 

- Is there an audio file which allows us to hear the correct pronounciation of the Pranama Mantras and the Nityananda Gauranga Mahasankalpa Vrata?

 

Yours in the service of the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna,

 

Daniel

 

Title:

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2005-02-04 09:17:43

 

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Yes surely without a doubt, Lord Nityananda Prabhu's Appearance Day is the most auspicious day to receive Mahadiksha because Heis the most magnanimous and merciful Lord and Incarnation in the past, present and future.

 

Mantra Water Tilaka is that you have to spiritualize the water (ideally water from the Dhamas) by chanting the the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra with the tip of your ring finger in the water. Normally brahmanas do that with their sacred thread. You can apply that water in the 12 places of your body in the same way you apply normal tilaka.

 

Good suggestion. I will try to record the audio file of the Pranama Mantras and Mahasankalpa Vrata and put it online. Thanks.