How Spiritual Life Begins

The journey toward self-realization is often thought to be a complex intellectual pursuit or a mystical endeavor involving severe austerities. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the beginning of spiritual life is accessible to everyone. It starts with simple, practical changes in one's habits and consciousness. This article outlines the authorized starting points of spiritual life, focusing on the control of the tongue, the importance of faith, and the necessity of accepting a spiritual master.

Beginning with the Tongue

The most practical entrance into spiritual life is through the tongue. The Vedic scriptures state, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: service begins with the tongue. This might seem surprising, but the tongue is the most voracious and difficult sense to control. If one can master the tongue by vibrating the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and eating only Kṛṣṇa-prasādam, the other senses are automatically conquered.

• With the tongue begins spiritual life. If we restrict our tongue not to talk uselessly, simply talk of Krsna or chant Hare Krsna, read Krsna books, and when you are hungry, take krsna-prasadam, then it will be possible, you can control the tongue.
• So if you engage your tongue for vibrating this transcendental sound, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare - Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, and do not take anything except prasadam of Krsna, then your spiritual life immediately begins.

Faith and Association

The internal spark that ignites spiritual life is called śraddhā, or faith. This is not blind faith, but a respectful trust that there is a higher reality. This faith naturally leads one to seek the company of those who are already advanced—the sādhus. Without the association of devotees, the spiritual spark cannot be fanned into a fire.

• Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15). Spiritual life begins, first of all, sraddha, some faith. Just like you are coming here, kindly, to hear me. You have got little faith. This is the beginning.
• Spiritual life begins with the association of a devotee, a sadhu. One cannot progress an inch without the mercy of a sadhu.

Second Birth

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that in Vedic culture, a person is considered born again when they accept a spiritual master. The first birth is by the biological parents, but the second birth (dvija) occurs when one surrenders to the guru and begins to follow the scriptural injunctions. This formal acceptance of authority marks the transition from animalistic life to true human life.

• The first and foremost point is that one should accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is the beginning of spiritual life.
• Initiation regular meaning is also, initiation, "something to begin." This is beginning of spiritual life. Without initiation, there is no beginning of spiritual life.
• This is called dvija, or the second birth. When you catch hold of a bona fide spiritual master just to guide you to act on the spiritual platform, then your second life begins. It is called dvija. So this life is so important that one must begin it.

Detachment from Matter

A sure sign that spiritual life has begun is a growing detachment from material sense gratification. As long as one is enamored by the temporary pleasures of the body, spiritual life is only theoretical. Real spiritual life begins when one becomes "detestful" of material enjoyment and tastes the superior pleasure of devotion.

• We have to be detestful from this sense gratification. Then our spiritual life will begin. That is possible by bhakti.
• Spiritual life begins when a person understands that he is not the body. In the material world, all our connections - whether social or political or in the field of eating, sleeping, defending, and mating - are due only to the material body.

Conclusion

As Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches, spiritual life is not a distant goal; it is an immediate possibility. It begins the moment we decide to stop acting for our own sense gratification and start acting for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. By vibrating the holy name on our tongue, associating with sincere souls, and following the instructions of a bona fide spiritual master, anyone can step out of the darkness of ignorance and begin their eternal life of knowledge and bliss.

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Beginning of Spiritual Life. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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