Editor’s Note: We post below an article from Sri Gaura Keshava Dasa, which was part of an email exchange.
The author seems to have been influenced by the “Living Guru” theory manufactured by the ISKCON GBC to justify and fulfill their Guru career aspirations. He agrees that Srila Prabhupada lives forever in his instructions and the same should be followed without hesitation or doubt.
However, he is not ready to accept the system of Diksha given by Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON.
Instead he falls trap to the so called ‘posthumous diksha’ and ‘Maryada vyatikrama’ scare perpetrated by the ‘Voted in’ Acharyas to deny the natural relationship between the spiritual aspirant and Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON.
We will be posting responses and clarifications in a series of articles in the coming days .We hope that Sri Gaura Keshava dasa will be convinced to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada and eternally live with him under his divine care after reading these.
We certainly all agree with the proponents of ritvik system like Roopa Manjari mataji and others that Srila Prabhupada lives forever in his divine instructions and anyone who follows these, lives with him. At the same time I would like to direct your attention to the Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi Lila where Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja explain Guru Tattva.
QUOTE A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden. There is no limit, however, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept. Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on. One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead. One who is not properly initiated may present
himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiritual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief. Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for such a ship can never reach its destination. It is imperative, therefore, that one accept a spiritual master if he at all desires to gain the favor of the Lord. The service of the spiritual master is essential. If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual master’s instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple. If one thinks that he is above consulting anyone else, including a spiritual master, he is at once an offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. Such an offender can never go back to Godhead. It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the shastric injunctions. Sri Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding. – Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 1.35 END QUOTE I'd like to point out to you that Srila Prabhupada here says "It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the shastric injunctions." That means that one should search out and test a living Vaishnava and accept Vaishnava diksha from him (or her).
Sampradaya vihinam ye mantras te nisphala matah. If one does not receive one's mantra in a bonafide sampradaya it will have no effect. The shastric system is clear and has been and always will be the system of Vaishnava diksha for time immemorial. Srila Prabhupada further warns "One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead. One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiritual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief." This does not mean that ONLY the diksha guru is important in the spiritual life of the devotee. There are of course many instances where the siksha guru is as important or even more important in our spiritual life. Certainly Srila Prabhupada is the pre-eminent siksha guru for all devotees following in his footsteps and taking diksha from his direct disciples or disciple of his direct disciples. There is no restriction in taking Srila Prabhupada (or any of the previous acharyas for that matter) as our siksha gurus. As Srila Prabhupada says "A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden. There is no limit, however, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept." Generally however the siksha guru who constantly instructs one in spiritual life will give one diksha mantra as one advances under his (or her) direct supervision and guidance, "Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on." Diksha is the giving of transcendental knowledge that destroys sin. Here's some more explanation about the process of diksha:
Diksha: From Srila Prabhupada's books this term is described as follows:
"Srila Jiva Gosvami quotes Hari-bhakti-vilasa to explain diksha in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283)": divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sankshayam tasmat diksheti 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. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksha." – Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 15.108 "Diksha actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination." – Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 4.111 The word diksha is a compound word in Sanskrit and is derived from the two words 'diyate' the verb 'to give' and 'kshiyate' the verb 'to destroy' The following sloka describes the meanings of these two words in the context of diksha. diyate muktiranaya kshiyate carsya patakam diyate kshiyate tasmat sa dikshetya vidhiyate "Diyate (to give) indicates the giving of liberation, kshiyate (to destroy) indicates the destruction of sins, thus these two words come together in the word diksha to mean that process by which sins are destroyed and liberation is given": Pancharatra Aniruddha Samhita 4.4 From the above quotation of Jiva Gosvami's Bhakti sandarbha, which he is quoting from Hari- bhakti-vilasa 2.9, we understand that initiation is the process of giving transcendental knowledge to a person, by the understanding of which, he becomes purified from his previous bad habits and becomes a Vaishnava. The example is also given by Srila Prabhupada of pulling the plug of an electric fan, which causes the fan to slow down and finally stop.
This explanation of diksha is very general and Baladeva Vidyabhushana in his Prameya Ratnavali has made a further detailed explanation of the nature of the knowledge given, as well as the other ceremonies to be performed in the giving of diksha. avapta panca samskaro labdha dvi vidha bhaktikah sakshat krtya harim tasya dhamni nityam premodate tapah pundram tatho nama mantro yagas ca pancamah amihi panca samskarah paramaikanti hetavah tapo'tra tapta cakradi mudra dharanam ucyate tenaiva harinamadi mudra capyupalakshyate harinamaksharair gatram ankayec candanadina sa lokapavano bhutva tasya lokam avapnuyat pundram syad urddhva pundram tac chastre bahuvidham smrtam hari mandira tat pada krtyadi subhavaham namatra gaditam sadbhir hari bhrtyatva bodhakam
mantro'shtadasa varnadih sveshta deva vapurmatah salagramadi puja tu yaga sabdena kathyate pramananyeshu drsyani puranadishu sadhubhih "He, who is purified with the five sacraments of initiation and who endeavors on the two paths of bhakti (vaidhi and raganuga), realizes the supreme Lord Hari and rejoices forever in His abode." "The five sacraments of initiation are as follows: 1. Branding the body with the symbols of Lord Vishnu (Conch and Disc) 2. Putting on of Vaishnava tilaka 3. Accepting a name as a servant of the Lord (e.g. Krishna dasa) 4. Receiving the mantra of the sampradaya (in this case the Gopal mantra with Kama bija) 5. Surrender and worship of the Supreme Lord through a bonafide disciplic succession.
These five sacraments of initiation are indeed conducive to one-pointed devotion to the Supreme Lord." (A further explanation is given by Baladeva individually of these five.) "The word 'tapa' or 'branding' means the putting on the body (shoulders) of the marks of the disc, etc, with heated metal brands (also called mudras). Besides branding, it includes also the writing of the name of Hari on one's body (with tilaka or sandal paste)." (N.B. This practice is found in Hari-bhakti-vilasa, and has been mentioned by Srila Prabhupada in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya Lila 1.35 Purport, while referring to the subject matter of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, quote "There are also descriptions of branding the body with the symbols of Vishnu" It should also be noted that this system of branding although still common today amongst the Vaishnavas of the Madhva and Ramanuja sampradayas, has fallen into disuse among Gaudiya Vaishnavas who prefer to stamp or draw the symbols on their bodies with tilaka or sandal paste.) "Let him mark on his body with sandalwood paste the syllables of the name of Lord Hari. Such a person purifies this world (while alive) and (after death) obtains the spiritual world." "The tilaka mark which is made of straight perpendicular lines on the forehead is called Urddhva Pundra. The scriptures describe several kinds. It may represent the temple of Lord Hari (as a reminder that the body is the temple of the Supersoul). According to others it should be like a footprint of Lord Hari on the forehead of the devotee (showing that one is a servant of God).
This tilaka is a most auspicious mark." "The word 'nama' indicates that the guru gives a name which translated should indicate that the devotee is a "servant of God" (e.g. Hari dasa, etc)." "The mantra must be the Vaishnava mantra of eighteen syllables (Klim Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijanavallabhaya Svaha). It is considered to be the body of one's ishta devata (Lord Krishna)." (By this process of giving the mantra the guru is giving the disciple, the essence of all knowledge by which he can come to know everything in spiritual life. The mantra is considered non-different from Lord Krishna. The guru thus gives Krishna to the disciple.) "The word 'yaga' means the worship of the Supreme Lord in the form of the deity, such as salagrama sila, etc."
"The sadhus (Vaishnava holy men) should find the details of these operations in the scriptures (Puranas, Pancharatras, etc.) that are the authorities on these five sacraments." Quoted from Prameya Ratnavali 8. 5-6 by Baladeva Vidyabhushana who himself is quoting from Padma Purana.
In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, second vilasa, Sanatana and Gopala Bhatta Gosvamis give a very detailed explanation of the process of diksha. In this description the whole process is summarized by saying that the only necessary and indeed essential act in initiation, is the speaking or giving of the mantra, (not the Hare Krishna mantra which is referred to correctly as Hari nam and not mantra) Klim Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijanavallabhaya Svaha, by the guru into the disciple's ear. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.243-6). athopadesas tattva sare atrapyasaktah kascicced avjambhyarccya sakshatam tad ambhasabhishicyashta varan mulena ke karam nidhayasum japet karne upadese tvayam vidhih candra suryya grahe tirthe siddha kshetre sivalaye mantra matra prakathanam upadesah sa ucyete tatra tatraiva viseshah sri narada pancaratre vitta lobhadvi muktasya svalpa vittasya dehinah samsara bhaya bhitasya vishnu bhaktasya tattvatah agna vajyan vite vijaih salileh kevalais ca va dravya hinasya kurvita vacasanugraham guruh yah samah sarva bhuteshu virago vita matsarah jitendriyah sucir dakshah sarvangavayavanvitah karmana manasa vaca bhite cabhayadah sada sama buddhi padam praptas tatrapi bhagavan mayah panca kala paras caiva pancaratrartha vit tatha vishnu tattvam parijnaya ekam caneka bhedagam dikshayen medinim sarvam kim punas copasan natam "In the Tantra Sagara it is stated that if one is unable to execute the above mentioned rituals, then he can establish a conchshell full of water by chanting the mantra over it. He should then sprinkle the prospective disciple with that water eight times. Placing his right hand on the head of the disciple, he should then utter the mantra into his right ear." "At the time of solar or lunar eclipses, or in a holy place, or a spiritual place, or in a temple, nothing is required except the giving of the mantra." In the Narada Pancharatra equal importance is given to the long and short methods of initiation.
"The mantra may be imparted to the disciple after sprinkling him with water from a pot which has been placed in a Sarvatobhadra Mandala, or with water from a consecrated lotus, or after performing fire sacrifice with grains or even with words alone." Taking the above quotes into consideration, it is seen that initiation or diksha although comprised of five main stages, is essentially the aural transmission of the mantra of the sampradaya (again not to be confused with the Hare Krishna mantra which is technically called Hari nam) to the disciple by the guru.
So many instructions about diksha, diksha mantra and diksha guru are given in bonafide
shastras like Hari Bhakti Vilasa and others. This process of Pancharatric Vaishnava Diksha is being strictly followed in the four Vaishnava sampradayas since time immemorial.
Srila Prabhupada warns that if we do not follow the prescriptions of the sruti smrti and especially the pancharatra then we simply create a disturbance in devotional society: QUOTE sruti-smriti-puranadi- pancaratra-vidhim vina aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate "Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanishads, puranas and Narada-pancharatra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society." (Bhakti- rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.101) Those who are very advanced in knowledge and are situated in the mode of goodness follow the Vedic instructions of the sruti and smriti and other religious scriptures, including the pancharatriki-vidhi. Without understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this way, one only creates a disturbance. In this age of Kali, so many gurus have sprung up, and because they do not refer to the sruti-smriti-puranadi-pancaratrika-vidhi, they are creating a great disturbance in the world in regard to understanding the Absolute Truth.
However, those who follow the pancharatriki-vidhi under the guidance of a proper spiritual master can understand the Absolute Truth. – Srimad Bhagavatam 8.12.10 sruti-smriti mamaivajne yas te ullanghya vartate ajna-cchedi mama dveshi mad-bhakto 'pi na vaishnavah "The sruti and smriti literatures are to be understood as My injunctions, and one who violates such codes is to be understood as violating My will and thus opposing Me. Although such a person may claim to be My devotee, he is not actually a Vaishnava." – Srimad Bhagavatam 11.20.9 END QUOTE Therefore we should not accept any system of diksha (like posthumous ritvik diksha) that is not accepted in the bonafide Vaishnava scriptures nor which has been presented by any Vaishnava acharyas including Srila Prabhupada. (Some persons have postulated that Srila Prabhupada has actually invented such a system based on the single word "henceforward" given in a letter written by his secretary Tamal Krishna Goswami for the institution of a system of ritvik priests to help him in giving diksha during his illness at the end of his worldly pastimes. However this cannot be maintained as no misinterpretation of one single word can stand against the whole lifetime of contrary teachings on the subject of guru parampara given to us by Srila Prabhupada himself, what to speak of all the previous acharyas of all the four bonafide Vaishnava sampradayas and the fact that this would directly contradict all the other srutis, smritis and pancharatric literatures on this point.) Here are also further some practical problems with the process of posthumous ritvik diksha. 1. The posthumous guru has no possibility for testing the disciple and therefore has no possibility of accepting or rejecting him. 2. The disciple cannot be sure that the guru accepts him. The guru must intercede on behalf of the disciple to the Lord. 3. The mantra cannot be transmitted by the guru directly to the disciple. Therefore the mantra guru will be someone else. This person is the actual mantra diksha guru.
4. Vaishnava etiquette cannot be maintained as everyone will be disciples of the same diksha guru. 5. Guru parampara will cease.
It has to be admitted that there are very, very RARE examples of a posthumous guru giving diksha to a disciple through the process of a dream or transcendental trance. Two examples are Namma Alvar initiating Natha Muni in the Sri Sampradaya in a yogic trance and Ramanuja initiating Ramananda in a dream. In each of these cases the disciple received the diksha mantra and knew it without being told it by any other method or person. These very, very RARE exceptions prove the rule that NO REGULAR SYSTEM of posthumous initiation is accepted by bonafide Vaishnava sampradayas or shastras.
Editor's Note: Many devotees have responded to this during the email exchange and after reading the post, which we will be posted as articles please find links below: http://www.struggle-for-truth.org/articles/vedic-knowledge-is-received-through-the-parampara http://www.struggle-for-truth.org/articles/the-eternal-guru-parampara http://www.struggle-for-truth.org/articles/infallible-disciplic-succession-of-acharyas http://www.struggle-for-truth.org/articles/gaurakeshava-propounding-apa-siddhantha We have more responses to this article which we will be posting shortly in our site and the links for those will be updated here, readers are requested watchout for the same. We encourage readers also to send in their responses.