subjects/spiritual

We have to become qualified to talk with the Supreme Person, and He will give us advice. He's giving us advice. He's ready to give us advice from within and from without -- from within as Supersoul and from without as the spiritual master. Therefore it is said, guru-krsna-krpaya bhakti-lata-bija. Both things are required -- guru and Krsna. If we are sincere, if we actually want Krsna, Krsna is within your heart. He will help you in meeting the spiritual master, His representative. And by the instruction of the spiritual master, you will develop more and more your Krsna consciousness, your original position. This is called devotional service, or bhakti-lata. Bhakti-lata-bija. Just like one small creeper, first of all to sow the seed and water it, then gradually it spouts and gradually, I mean to say, grows. Similarly, by the mercy of Krsna and His representative, guru, spiritual master, you get the seed of bhakti-lata, devotional service, and if you sow it in the heart, mali haya sei bija kare aropana. Just like if you take a seed, nice seed, and if you sow it, and pour water little, little, then it will grow and it will become a big tree or big creeper and give you the fruits. You'll enjoy it. Similarly, the bhakti-lata-bija is given by the spiritual master in cooperation with Krsna. That is initiation. This initiation arrangement means sowing the seed of devotional service. Now, if you get, if you think that after getting initiation, "I have become perfect. Now again, whatever nonsense I was doing, I shall go on doing it," then it will be useless. It will be useless. Suppose if you get a seed. If you don't take proper care, water it nicely, then it will not grow; it will be stunned there. You have to take, mali haya sei bija kar aropana sravana-kirtana-jale karaye secana.

So this initiation means by the mercy of Krsna though His agent, the spiritual master, you are getting the seed of bhakti-lata. So you have to take care of yourself by the instruction. Not that, "Now I have got a spiritual master and I have got the initiation, my business is finished. Let me do all nonsense." No. This initiation process, we take promise from you that no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication -- before the fire. The fire ceremony means, fire is also representation of yajna-purusa, and through fire, the yaj\ va-purusa eats, purusottama. So there is fire, there is spiritual master, there is sastra, there is Krsna, before -- they are all witness. Just like before the high court judge you promise, "Yes I'll speak... Whatever I'll speak in this court, it is all truth." So this promise the judge knows, and he gives his judgment on that. Similarly, these promises must be kept; otherwise it will be useless. That is your business, the same thing, guru-krsna..., that by the mercy of guru, by the mercy of Krsna, you get the thing. Now to use the thing properly, that will depend on you. Guru-krsna-krpaya bhakti-lata-bija. I can give you very nice thing, but you keep it locked up in your treasury and never use it, then what will you do? Mali haya sei bija kare aropana. You have to sow it and pour water and see that it is nicely growing. This..., that is very nicely described in rupa-siksa, mali hay sei bija kare aropana. So don't think that after the official ceremony of initiation your business and my business is finished. No. The business begins. It is not the finishing; it is the beginning. So if you don't go farther, adau guru-asrayah... The beginning is to take shelter of guru. That is the beginning. And, adau guru-asrayah, then the student must be very inquisitive, sad-dharma-prccha. Sadhu-marga-anugamanam. You'll find all these things, instruction, in The Nectar of Devotion. They are there.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.35
Hawaii, January 28, 1974
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