# Definition and Purpose of Initiation *The definition and purpose of dīkṣā (spiritual initiation).* ← Back to [[wiki/compile/spiritual-master-disciple|The Spiritual Master and the Disciple]] --- ## The Definition of Dīkṣā ### The definition of dīkṣā—awakening transcendental knowledge and vanquishing sinful reactions > Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains *dīkṣā* in his *Bhakti-sandarbha* (283): > > *divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt* > *kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam* > *tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā* > *deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ* > > "*Dīkṣā* is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as *dīkṣā.*" —Cc. [[cc/madhya/15/108|Madhya 15.108]] Purport --- ### The meaning of dīkṣā—becoming freed from all material contamination > *Dīkṣa* actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination. —Cc. [[cc/madhya/4/111|Madhya 4.111]] Purport --- ### The purpose of initiation—to awaken the sleeping living entity to worship Lord Viṣṇu > It is the spiritual master who delivers the disciple from the clutches of *māyā* by initiating him into the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra.* In this way a sleeping human being can revive his consciousness by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In other words, the spiritual master awakens the sleeping living entity to his original consciousness so that he can worship Lord Viṣṇu. This is the purpose of *dīkṣā,* or initiation. Initiation means receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness. —Cc. [[cc/madhya/9/61|Madhya 9.61]] Purport --- ## The Necessity of Initiation ### One's actual connection with Kṛṣṇa is established at the time of initiation > This relationship [with Kṛṣṇa] is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master who is the direct representative of Kṛṣṇa in disciplic succession... The connection with the spiritual master is called initiation. From the date of initiation by the spiritual master, the connection between Kṛṣṇa and a person cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness is established. Without initiation by a bona fide spiritual master, the actual connection with Kṛṣṇa consciousness is never performed. —The Nectar of Devotion --- ### Unless properly initiated, one's devotional activities are useless > According to the Vaiṣṇava regulative principles, one must be initiated as a *brāhmaṇa.* The *Hari-bhakti-vilāsa* (2.6) quotes the following injunction from the *Viṣṇu-yāmala:* > > *adīkṣitasya vāmoru* > *kṛtaṁ sarvaṁ nirarthakam* > *paśu-yonim avāpnoti* > *dīkṣā-virahito janaḥ* > > "Unless one is initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, all his devotional activities are useless. A person who is not properly initiated can descend again into the animal species." —Cc. [[cc/madhya/15/108|Madhya 15.108]] Purport --- ### Initiation by and following the spiritual master is part of sādhana-bhakti > "In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in association with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of *sādhana-bhakti,* the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles." —*Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* 1.4.15-16 --- ## Upanīti—The Function That Brings One Nearer to the Spiritual Master ### The initiation ceremony is called upanīti > A bona fide spiritual master accepts charge of disciples, teaches them the Vedic knowledge with all its intricacies, and gives them their second birth. The ceremony performed to initiate a disciple into the study of spiritual science is called *upanīti,* or the function that brings one nearer to the spiritual master. One who cannot be brought nearer to a spiritual master cannot have a sacred thread, and thus he is indicated to be a *śūdra.* —Cc. [[cc/adi/1/46|Ādi 1.46]] Purport --- ### To carry the Supreme Personality of Godhead within one's heart, one must be initiated by another person who does ![[sb/10/2/18#purport|Thus the importance of initiation is mentioned here. Unless one is initiated by the right person, who always carries within his heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot acquire the power to carry the Supreme Godhead within the core of one's own heart...For a devotee, however, the Lord is present, and His presence need only be awakened through initiation by a bona fide spiritual master]] —SB [[sb/10/2/18|10.2.18]] Purport --- ## Second Birth Through Initiation ### In second birth, one accepts the spiritual master as father and the Vedas as mother ![[sb/3/24/15#|Human beings must be twice-born. A child is first born of a good father and mother, and then he is born again of the spiritual master and the Vedas. The first mother and father bring about his birth into the world; then the spiritual master and the Vedas become his second father and mother]] —SB [[sb/3/24/15|3.24.15]] --- ### A civilized man must be twice-born by contact with a spiritual master ![[sb/3/5/7#purport|the bona fide spiritual master, as the representative of the Lord, is the eternal father because the spiritual master has the responsibility to lead the disciple to spiritual salvation, or the ultimate goal of life. Therefore, a civilized man must be twice-born, otherwise he is no more than the lower animals]] —SB [[sb/3/5/7|3.5.7]] Purport --- ## Effects of Initiation ### Initiation by a bona fide spiritual master changes the disciple's life ![[sb/1/6/5#purport|In his previous life, when Nāradajī was impregnated with spiritual knowledge by the grace of the great sages, there was a tangible change in his life, although he was only a boy of five years. That is an important symptom visible after initiation by the bona fide spiritual master. Actual association of devotees brings about a quick change in life for spiritual realization]] —SB [[sb/1/6/5|1.6.5]] Purport --- ### When one is initiated and follows the principles, one attains freedom from the contamination of material life > If one is sincere, he is initiated, and this stage is called *bhajana-kriyā.* One then actually engages in the service of the Lord by regularly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra,* sixteen rounds daily, and refraining from illicit sex, intoxicants, meat-eating and gambling. By *bhajana-kriyā* one attains freedom from the contamination of materialistic life. He no longer goes to a restaurant or hotel to taste so-called palatable dishes made with meat and onions, nor does he care to smoke or drink tea or coffee. He not only refrains from illicit sex, but avoids sex life entirely. Nor is he interested in wasting his time in speculating or gambling. In this way it is to be understood that one is becoming cleansed of unwanted things (*anartha-nivṛtti*). The word *anartha* refers to unwanted things. *Anarthas* are vanquished when one becomes attached to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. —Nectar of Instruction, Text 7, Purport --- ### Initiation aids in the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa and the awakening of Kṛṣṇa consciousness > The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* is so powerful that it does not depend on official initiation, but if one is initiated and engages in *pañcarātra-vidhi* (Deity worship), his Kṛṣṇa consciousness will awaken very soon, and his identification with the material world will be vanquished... One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself. One should therefore be properly initiated according to revealed scriptures under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. —Cc. [[cc/madhya/15/108|Madhya 15.108]] Purport