# The Process of Initiation *The process of initiation: surrender, inquiry and hearing from the spiritual master.* ← Back to [[wiki/compile/spiritual-master-disciple|The Spiritual Master and the Disciple]] --- ## Surrender and Initiation ### Lord Kṛṣṇa accepts the initiate to be as good as Himself ![[cc/antya/4/192|At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa accepts him to be as good as Himself]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/4/192|Antya 4.192]] --- ### At the time of initiation, the devotee becomes situated on the transcendental platform ![[cc/antya/4/194#purport|At the time of initiation, a devotee gives up all his material conceptions. Therefore, being in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is situated on the transcendental platform...When one is freed from material connections in this way, his body immediately becomes spiritual, and Kṛṣṇa accepts his service]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/4/194|Antya 4.194]] Purport --- ### By surrendering to the guru, one is freed from sinful reactions ![[cc/madhya/24/254#purport|When one voluntarily surrenders to a saintly person who is a representative of Kṛṣṇa and follows his instructions, one can become freed from sinful reaction...The representative of Kṛṣṇa never tells his disciple, "Surrender unto me." Rather he says, "Surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." If the disciple accepts this principle and surrenders himself through the representative of Kṛṣṇa, his life is saved]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/24/254|Madhya 24.254]] Purport --- ### In the process of initiation, the disciple must surrender to the spiritual master, inquire, and hear from him ![[cc/madhya/24/258#purport|This is the process of initiation. The disciple must surrender to the spiritual master, the representative of Kṛṣṇa...A person can be relieved from his sinful activity if he surrenders to the lotus feet of a person who actually represents Nārada Muni]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/24/258|Madhya 24.258]] Purport --- ## Other Important Instructions Concerning Initiation ### It is essential for a disciple to change his name after initiation ![[cc/madhya/1/208#purport|it is essential for a disciple to change his name after initiation...After initiation, the disciple's name must be changed to indicate that he is a servant of Lord Viṣṇu...If a person does not change his name after initiation, it is to be understood that he will continue in his bodily conception of life]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/1/208|Madhya 1.208]] Purport --- ### If after accepting initiation one does not follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, he is again fallen > Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī warns that if a person is properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, he should not think that simply by the acceptance of such initiation his business is then finished. One still has to follow the rules and regulations very carefully. If after accepting the spiritual master and being initiated one does not follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, then he is again fallen. One must be very vigilant to remember that he is the part and parcel of the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa, and it is his duty as part and parcel to give service to the whole, or Kṛṣṇa. If we do not render service to Kṛṣṇa then again we fall down. —The Nectar of Devotion --- ### As soon as a bona fide guru is encountered, one can be initiated without waiting for a suitable time or place ![[cc/madhya/24/331#purport|As soon as a bona fide guru is received by chance or by a program, one should immediately take the opportunity to receive initiation...If the sad-guru, the bona fide spiritual master, agrees, one can be initiated immediately, without waiting for a suitable time or place]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/24/331|Madhya 24.331]] Purport --- ### By following brahminical behavior, one may be offered sannyāsa initiation ![[cc/adi/17/266#purport|Any person from any part of the world may be made a brāhmaṇa by the regular process of initiation, and when he follows brahminical behavior, observing the principle of abstaining from intoxication, illicit sex, meat-eating and gambling, he may be offered sannyāsa]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/17/266|Ādi 17.266]] Purport --- ### The importance of puraścaryā-vidhi for spiritual initiation ![[cc/madhya/15/108#purport|To attain full success when taking initiation from the spiritual master, one should first perform these puraścaryā processes...one who has undergone the puraścaryā-vidhi process can attain success very easily]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/15/108|Madhya 15.108]] Purport --- ### After initiation, the disciple should engage in tapasya in devotional service > To achieve success in life, one should follow the example of Lord Brahmā, the first living creature in the beginning of creation. After being initiated by the Supreme Lord to execute *tapasya,* he was fixed in his determination to do it, and although he could not find anyone besides himself, he could rightly understand that the sound was transmitted by the Lord Himself... After being initiated by the proper spiritual master in the chain of succession, one should engage himself in the discharge of *tapasya* in the execution of devotional service. —SB [[sb/2/9/8|2.9.8]] Purport