Replies

  • E-Counselor

    Hare Krsna Pandora Mataji,

    PAMHO.

    There are no rules for shiksha gurus - practically anybody and everybody who preaches to you is a shiksha guru. If you are attending any course like bhakti vriksha or bhakti shastri, then the person teaching is a shikha guru. If not, whoever is giving lecture in your temple and you are attending is your shiksha guru.

    Regarding etiquette to accept a shiksha guru, it is a good idea to do dandvats to shiksha guru. Whether you say formally or not, it doesnt matter, as long you are attending the classes of the guru and following his teachings.

    Haribol,

    Your servant,

    Rashmi

    • Hare Krishna Rashmi Khaitan

      Thanks for explaining it to me so clearly. I have heard people talk about having "shiksha gurus" for years but was never really quite sure what it actually meant.

  • Volunteer

    Dear Mataji,

    Please accept my humble obeisances.

    All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

    The instructions of our Guru and other advanced devotees are the most important thing. Initiation ceremony is only the confirmation that we are really serious about following the Guru's instructions. If without getting re-initiated we can be really serious about following other advanced devotees as Siksha Gurus, then it is not required to get re-initiated. Just as Maharaja Parikshit did not get initiated by Sukadeva Goswami, simply by listening to his Guru he went back to Godhead. But we must note that they were both Uttama adhikaris.

    So for many devotees who are not on that level it may be difficult to continue seriously in Krishna consciousness and be fully committed unless they again receive initiation. So then if we have the fire ceremony, throw the grains, get the beads and a new name, then we get that feeling that something has happened and now I have to be really serious to follow my Guru. I know some advanced devotees who took re-initiation just to show example to younger devotees, even though it was probably not necessary for their own sake.

    So the main thing is taking absolutely seriously the instructions, whether with or without official initiation.

    Your humble servant

    • Hare Krishna. Thanks to all for your comments. I did see an "advanced devotee" take a reinitiation at my Temple. Perhaps he did it so he could be an example to the younger devotees. What is the proper etiquette to get a Siksha Guru? Do you approach him and ask him to be your Siksha Guru or do you just keep quiet about it and make him your Siksha Guru in your own mind? Or is it best to have several advanced devotees as your

      Siksha Guru's?

  • Volunteer

    Hare Krishna dear Devotees,

    please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

    We cannot approach Krishna directly. 

    Only through our Guru we will be recommended to Srimati Radharani's  friends and then She will take us to Krishna.

    So to be connected to a bonafide Guru is very much needed.

    But before we have to be ourselves honest. Pray to Krishna to give us to the hands of a true Guru.

    When Krishna is merciful to us He meets us with true Guru and by the mercy of Guru we get Krishna.

    There were many disciples of Your Guru, Mataji in our country also. So it was a crisis for them also when he left chanting. But we should  not be attached to a person but to a process. 

    So some of them got re-initiated; some left also chanting which is very sad.

    For example, HH Bhakti Vigyana Goswami Maharaja who is now preaching in Russia was also disciple of Your Guru but after he was re-initiated.

    Your servant,  

  • E-Counselor

    Hare KRsna Mataji,

    PAMHO.

    I think it is more important to follow the principles than to get initiated/ re-initiated. I mean, all the gurus will leave one day or the other. If you already had a guru and have taken initiation from him, please follow his principles rathar than bother about finding another guru.

    Srila Prabhupada has said that as long as you follow 4 regulative principles and chant 16 rounds, it is enough to take yo back to Godhead.

    For the sake of argument, suppose you take re-initiation and that guru also leaves, then will you again get initiated? How many times?

    See, initiation is very personal matter. I am giving you purely my views.

    I hope i have not offended you in any manner.

    Haribol,

    Your servant,

    Rashmi

    • Thank you both for your comments. I totally agree. The thought of getting re-initiated in the future does not appeal to me at all. My Temple is full of "advanced devotees" so I am very fortunate.

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