Process and Qualifications for Becoming Initiated

This article examines the spiritual milestones and strict requirements necessary for becoming initiated into the line of disciplic succession. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that initiation is a serious vow that follows a natural progression of faith and association. The mandatory purification process—known as tapasya—and the ultimate acceptance of the spiritual master's shelter, which formally begins one's education in devotional service.

Natural Evolution of Faith

Becoming initiated is not the first step in spiritual life but rather a mature stage that develops from initial faith and association. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how individuals first approach the movement with curiosity, engage in chanting and hearing, and through this association, naturally develop the desire to dedicate themselves fully as disciples.

• Many people come in our Society not in the beginning as devotee - as a matter of inquisitiveness. Then gradually he wants to become initiated. He approaches, "Kindly initiate me. Make me a disciple." Bhajana kriya. This is called bhajana-kriya.
• Anyone can come and live with us. That is called association. Faith, association. Then by association somebody becomes interested to become initiated: So I shall also become bona fide initiated disciple.
• So our program is very easy. And actually, these boys and girls, they were not advised in the beginning to become my initiated student. I simply invited, - You please come.

Necessity of Tapasya and Purification

Before formal acceptance, a candidate must demonstrate their sincerity through tapasya, or austerity. Śrīla Prabhupāda is firm that one cannot continue sinful activities and simultaneously become initiated; prospective disciples must strictly abandon habits like illicit sex, intoxication, and meat-eating to qualify for the spiritual master's mercy.

• If one wants to become an initiated member of our Krsna consciousness society, we first of all ask him to undergo tapasya. In the Western countries especially it is a great tapasya to give up illicit sex life, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling.
• You can do any nonsense and still you become initiated. Give me some money. No. We don't make such compromise. You must first of all agree to give up all these sinful activities. Then I can accept you. I can initiate you. This is our process.
• According to external vision, Haridasa Thakura belonged to a Muslim family. Nevertheless, because he engaged himself in performing the yajna of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he became a regularly initiated brahmana.

Acceptance of Shelter and Instruction

Initiation marks the formal acceptance of the spiritual master's shelter and the beginning of serious training in devotional service. Upon becoming initiated, the disciple commits to avoiding offenses, particularly disobeying the guru, and learns the practical execution of service under expert guidance.

• He (Rupa Gosvami) mentions the basic principles as follows: 1) accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, 2) becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning how to discharge devotional service from him.
• In next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service.
• You do not study all these things. You become initiated . . . there are ten kinds of offenses. Do you have any regard for these things or not? You must avoid these ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to disobey the orders of guru.

Conclusion

Becoming initiated is a transformative junction in the life of a spiritual seeker. It is not merely a ritual but the culmination of a process involving faith, association, and the rigorous purification of one's habits. By voluntarily accepting the austerity of giving up sinful life and submitting to the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, the disciple becomes eligible to enter the path of devotional service properly. This formal connection links the sincere soul to the disciplic succession, opening the door to the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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