Twice born. Once born in this material body in darkness, and twice born by hearing the Vedic wisdom from the bona fide spiritual master.

Twice Born

Sri Guru and Gauranga

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Spiritual Master - Rittvik - Initiation

Breaking out from the shell

"The institution of varna and ashrama prescribes many regulative duties to be observed by its followers. Such duties enjoin that a candidate willing to study the Vedas must approach a bona fide spiritual master and request acceptance as his disciple. The sacred thread is a sign of those who are competent to study the Vedas from the acharya, or the bona fide spiritual master. Generally, a man is born as an ordinary being, and by the purificatory processes he is born for the second time. When he sees a new light and seeks direction for spiritual progress, he approaches a spiritual master for instruction in the Vedas. The spiritual master accepts only the sincere inquirer as his disciple and gives him the sacred thread. In this way a man becomes twiceborn, or a dvija. After qualifying as a dvija one may study the Vedas, and after becoming well versed in the Vedas one becomes a vipra. A vipra, or a qualified brahmana, thus realizes the Absolute and makes further progress in spiritual iife until he reaches the Vaishnava stage. The Vaishnava stage is the postgraduate status of a brahmana. A progressive brahmana must necessarily become a Vaishnava, for a Vaishnava is a self-realized, learned brahmana." [Spiritual Master and the Disciple by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]

Twice born. Once born in this material body in darkness, and twice born by hearing the Vedic wisdom from the bona fide spiritual master. He becomes a brahmana and then a Vaishnava. So twice born. The example is given of a bird, which is twice born—born first in the egg, which is in darkness, and born second when the shell is broken and the bird comes out and flies away into the free sky in due course of time. So we are like that. We are born in the egg or in the shell of this body in ignorance, thinking "I am this body", and when the ignorance is broken, when the shell of the concept of the material body as self is broken, then he becomes twice born.

So the spiritual master helps... gives birth to the disciple. The spiritual master is thus the spiritual father, and the Vedas are the spiritual mother. So mother and father combine and give birth to the child. The mother alone cannot give birth. The father alone cannot give birth. Similarly, in spiritual life there is combination of spiritual father and spiritual mother, guru and shastra, not one without the other.

Implantation and training

Everyone is born in ignorance. Bhagavad-gita (7.27) says: "Every living entity is born into delusion, overcome by the duality of desire and hate." What is that ignorance? The ignorance is accepting this material body as one's self. When one is in the bodily conception of life, then everything he does is defeated. Whereas spiritual life, initiation is considered to be the real life. Just as a bird is born once in the egg, but it is life in darkness. When the shell is broken and the bird comes out, it begins its real life. Similarly, we are born from the womb of the mother, born in this body, and covered by the bodily conception of life, but that birth, material birth, is the birth of darkness only, the first birth, because we are thinking we are this body and suffering the pains and pleasures and anxiety of the bodily condition. Initiation means breaking the bodily concept of life, understanding that I'm not this body but the soul within the body, and the soul is part and parcel of the supreme soul, servant of God.

The initiation ceremony means to understand that I am not this body; I am the soul within the body and the servant of Krishna. Accepting the spiritual master means to begin training, to be trained up in the service of Krishna, to be trained in devotional service. Just like when a person is inducted into the army, he is trained to serve his country. Similarly, initiation means to be accepted for training in the service of Krishna and to make one's life successful.

What is that success? To become perfectly Krishna conscious, so much so that at the time of leaving this body the person's mind will be completely absorbed in Krishna. Krishna says, "Always think of Me, become My devotee, bow down to Me, worship Me, give your love to Me. Surely you will come to Me." (Bg 9.34) The sum and substance of all spiritual instruction is to remember Krishna always. "Whosoever thinks of Me at the time of death immediately attains to a nature like My own." (Bg 8.5) The whole training is to bring the mind into focus that that everything one does, everything one says, everything one thinks, everything one sees, everything one eats connects him to Krishna.

The beginning it to chant the holy names of Krishna: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In the material world, if we want to establish a relationship with someone, we must first know his name. The relationship begins there. The beginning is to chant the holy name, and from there everything unfolds.

The holy name of the Lord is sometimes compared to a seed, for example, the seed of a mango tree. If I want a mango tree, I must have a mango seed. Although the seed is small, everything is compressed or compacted and contained in the seed for manifesting the entire tree. The holy name of the Lord, the holy name of Krishna is identical with Krishna, and by practicing chanting the name of Krishna without offences, our spiritual life expands and grows. Just like if I put the mango seed in the ground, in proper soil and fence it off from wild animals and pour water, then it will sprout and grow and eventually produce mango fruits. This holy name of Krishna is the seed of spiritual life, bhakti-lata-bija. Bija means seed.

Brahmananda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krishna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

It says in Chaitanya-charitamrita that the living entity is wandering throughout the universe in millions of lifetimes, different species up and down, sometimes as a human being, sometimes as a deva, sometimes as an animal, sometimes as an insect. In this way, since time immemorial, the conditioned soul is wandering through different species of life up and down in the brahmanda or creation of Lord Brahma. Brahmanda means this universe. Sometimes on this planet, sometimes on another planet. If a living entity is fortunate, in the course of his wandering he meets a devotee, pure devotee of the Lord, who sows the seed of devotional service within his heart—bhakti-lata-bija. What is the seed? The seed is this holy name, Hare Krishna. It is planted within his heart. That opens up the door to freedom, liberation.

Freedom from what? Freedom from repetition of birth, old age, disease and death. Every one of us in this room is condemned. we are born and condemned to die... today, tomorrow or after some years. Birth, old age, disease and death. We are repeating this perpetually, but to receive the seed of devotional service, the holy name of the Lord and to be initiated in the chanting of the holy name and devotional service means the opportunity to get free from this perpetual cycle of birth and death and go back to Krishna. That is the significance of the initiation ceremony.

Initiation in the heart and in the formality

GUEST: I was wondering if there is a middle path. By that I mean, say, there are millions of people in the world, and not all of them can take initiation.

HANSADUTTA: Why not? They can all take initiation. But they don't want to.

GUEST: Is there a medium whereby you can make some advancement but still stay in the world?

HANSADUTTA: No. Just like with arithmetic. Either two plus two equals four, or it's wrong. It's not anything else. The answer if either four or it's wrong. You can't say, "Well, five is almost right." It's absolutely wrong. So spiritual life begins when you surrender to Krishna, just like the university begins when you enroll. When you go there and sign up and pay your fees, then you're a student. Before that, you can read all the books in the library, but nobody cares. You'll never get a degree like that. You'll nver be recognized. Suppose you want to be a doctor. So you say, "I'm not going to a university. I'm going to the library to read all the medical books." You can do that, but no one will give you a medical degree, and if you open a practice, you'll be arrested.

Similarly, spiritual life begins when one formally accepts initiation from a bona fide spiritual master. When he takes vows and agrees to surrender to Krishna, then his spiritual life begins. Before that, he may be standing at the door, on the threshold of spiritual life. Just like I may have a bottle of honey. I can lick the bottle. I almost have the honey, but actually I'm not getting any taste. The real taste is by opening the bottle. So naturally, you are very close to the honey. There's no doubt about it. You can see it, and you can think about it, and talk about it, and you can lick the bottle, and it's just a quarter of a centimeter away, but actually you're not getting any honey. You might as well not have anything. Spiritual life begins when you agree to surrender, just like the taste of honey is experienced when you actually open the bottle.

GUEST: Isn't there some benefit, though, if you chant, eat prasadam, go to arati?

HANSADUTTA: Yes, the benefit is like that, like licking the outside of the bottle. You've got the bottle in your hand, but you're not really digging into it.

GUEST: Like passive appreciation?

HANSADUTTA: Maybe. But passive means zero. If somone is passing out hundred-dollar notes, will you just stand by and passively appreciate or grab it?

GUEST: Are you saying that unless one is initiated, all they're doing is licking the bottle?

HANSADUTTA: Yes. You're thinking about opening the bottle of honey, "Well, there's honey inside... maybe I should open it?"

GUEST: No, I'm concerned—

HANSADUTTA: It's just like that. Say someone opens you a bottle of honey, he says, "Here's a bottle of honey", and you say, "Wow, I got a bottle of honey." That's all. But the real thing is when you open the bottle and taste the honey. You might keep it for 10 years, but that will do nothing for you. Right? It's the same thing. So chanting Hare Krishna and eating prasadam is very nice, you're coming in touch with Krishna. Oh, here is Krishna. Now what to do? I have to surrender to Krishna.

GUEST: If you do that and leave your body, will you get the jar of honey next time again?

HANSADUTTA: Yes, of course. Honey is honey. It lasts. They even found honey in the pyramids. It keeps for thousands of years.

DEVOTEE: I one time heard Srila Prabhupada say that the real initiation begins when the disciple sincerely accepts the guru in his heart.

HANSADUTTA: When he accepts in his heart, he'll also accept in his hand. What is this heart business? Put your money where your heart is. That's what they say. If your heart is in it, your money's also there. Just like a boy says, "Yes, I love you but I'm not buying anything for you." No. You have to show by your actions. "Faith without works is dead." If it is in your heart, it must be in your hand.

GUEST: Do you mean, then that unless one is initiated, spiritual advancement is very limited?

HANSADUTTA: Definitely. Certainly. Of course. Otherwise, just the fact that one avoids being initiated means that he's not prepared to accept the absolute authority. It means he's hesitating. He has reservations. Reservations mean that there still msut be some material desire, that he's not finished with material life yet. He may be proud. He's thinking, "Well, maybe this, maybe that." On the other hand, initiation means that he is submitting himself, "All right, do whatever you like with me." That's what surrender means, initiation. Just like as soon as you join the army. You agree, "Whatever you do with me is all right." You sign a contract, agree to so many things. They shave your head, they give you a uniform, command "Forward march! About face! Left! right! Get up, get down, wash your clothes." They're just always on you. But you have agreed to accept their authority. Similarly, initiation means, "Okay, I agree to accept your authority. Whatever you say is all right." Just like Krishna says, "Give up all other engagements and just surrender unto Me." [Bhagavad-gita 18.66]

So spiritual life actually begins when we agree to be initiated, when we surrender. We can come to the threshold of spiritual life by hearing, chanting and taking prasadam, but it actually begins formally, seriously when one accepts initiation from the bona fide spiritual master. Just like a university student begins student life when he formally enrolls in the school. Before that, he may be reading so many books, but it has no meaning.

DEVOTEE: Srila Prabhupada one time said that the wife accepts the husband as guru. Does that mean—

HANSADUTTA: If the husband accepts the guru, then yes, it's all right. Otherwise no. If the husband is actually following the guru, then the wife can follow her husband as her guru, and the children follow their mother in the same way.

GUEST: But—

HANSADUTTA: There's no but about it. That's it.

DEVOTEE: Would it be advisable, then, for the wife, even though her husband is following and she accepts her husband, to also approach and accept a spiritual master?

HANSADUTTA: Yes. If her husband doesn't follow, she should give him up or make him follow. One or the other.

DEVOTEE: But if her husband is following, is he as good as the guru for her?

HANSADUTTA: No, not in that sense. She should also be initiated. But for practical purposes her husband will instruct her.

DEVOTEE: So he can be the shiksha [instructing guru], but she should still take diksha [formal initiation]?

HANSADUTTA: Yes. He gives instructions. Shiksha guru is also a formal position, but just as the temple president sometimes gives instructions to the devotees, although he is not their guru, because he is older and more experienced he is giving them some advice. Or just like an older brother sometimes takes care of the little ones, but he's not their father. It's like that.

Everyone must have guru. That is the sign of a human being. Without guru, you remain an animal. Just like if a dog doesn't have a master, the dog-catcher comes and throws him into the pound. So without a guru, your position is not secure; it's very dangerous, because you have no guide, you have no teacher to show you the way. You are simply loitering in this material world. As soon as you accept the guru, your human life begins. The guru trains you enlightens you, and you become happy and free from material anxiety. That is guru's first business: to relieve the disciple from all kinds of anxiety. He does that by giving him knowledge, not by some magic trick or by shock therapy. He enlightens him in the Vedic knowledge.

GUEST: Is this like baptism?

HANSADUTTA: Yes, baptism is actually initiation. The original idea of being baptized was that you accept a spiritual master. Just like Jesus accepted John. Jesus was formally baptized by John just to show that you have to accept a spiritual master. It shouldn't just be a ritual. It must be done with faith and understanding, not just rubber-stamping or automated process like being baptized in infancy and then undergoing confirmation at 12 years old. It shouldn't be like that. There has to be knowledge, understanding. Without understanding, it is nothing more than ritual. Ritual means I'm doing something but without knowing why I'm doing it.

DEVOTEE: What I was trying to understand earlier was that Srila Prabhupada had said that real initiation occurs within the heart of the disciple when he accepts—

HANSADUTTA: Yes, but the formality confirms your acceptance of the spiritual master.

DEVOTEE: So the ritual is also important?

HANSADUTTA: It is a formality, but it confirms your heart. Just like you might think you love Susie Q, but it's confirmed when you give her a wedding ring. On the other hand, "I love you, but I'm not going to marry you, baby"... you know where that's at, right? It's the same thing. There is inner and outer— both must be there. Suppose you go to a restaurant and order a big meal. Is it enough to afterwards say, "Oh, thank you very much, it was very good, completely satisfying"? No, the proprietor will say, "Yes, please pay the bill." Try saying, "Yes, in my heart I've paid it already." No, you have to actually pay. So these two aspects, internal and external, must combine. You may say, "Yes, in my heart I love Jesus," but in your deed you must also love him. The material world is the place of deeds. Deeds means work, karma. Karma means work. You've all come here to work, and when you actually become a lover of God, then your work is done for Him. Up until that point, your work is done for your personal enjoyment only. So there must be deed.

DEVOTEE: Then both aspects are necessary?

HANSADUTTA: Yes, they are inseparable.

GUEST: The formality without the heart is nowhere, and vice versa.

HANSADUTTA: Yes, and the heart without formality also. Just like someone studies medicine even to the extent that he gets his PhD, medical license, but then he actually has to cure the patients. He has to open a practice and apply the medicine. Right? Otherwise it's useless. He may be a PhD, but I'm dying. Please cure me. If he's not willing to practice, if he just wants to be a brainchild, then there's no value. Or say he becomes a rich man, but doesn't spend any money. No value. So spiritual life means both things must be there—internal and external—because we exist internally and externally. The body constitutes our external existence, and the soul constitutes our internal existence. These two must become one and the same thing, absolute, without any duality. Not I'm saying one thing but doing another. He may say, "Yes, I believe in Christ," but if he does all nonsense things, he's not a Christian. You must do and think and say everything as one.

GUEST: So to be initiated, somebody has to realize that your actions are really coming from your heart?

HANSADUTTA: Oh yes, the spiritual master understands that. That is the beginning. Initiation means the beginning of spiritual life and the end of material life simultaneously.

GUEST: If you could clarify just a little bit? Say, for example, if we go home tonight, pick up the Srimad-Bhagavatam and read 30 pages, there must be some raising of—

HANSADUTTA: Yes, but on every page you find that the first thing is you have to surrender to the spiritual master, right? So you have to do that. Do you follow? On every page, the instructions are that for one who is serious in making advancement in spiritual life, he has to approach a bona fide spiritual master. So if you keep reading that again and again but don't do that, what is the use of it? Do you understand what I'm saying?

GUEST: It's like reading instructions for a cake mix, but you never make it. You just read them, but you never put all the ingredients together.

HANSADUTTA: Right. You have to mix them. Or if you look at the map how to go to New York... looking is all right, but it's not the same as going. You have to get in your car and start driving, follow the map. The map is only giving you some idea, some guide—"Go this way, go left, go right", like that. So the scriptures are just giving you the inspiration and guidance, and the spiritual master sets the example, but the disciple actually has to follow. It's simple.