My pranams to all,
An example of how shankaracharya was accepting shisyas---
When shankaracharya was there he was accepting shisyas only if they were completely qualified(yogya) and were free from kama,krodha etc.
Once a pandit approached the acharya and said that make me your shisya,but he said that i accept shisya who is an adhikari(yogya) only and not everyone whoever comes to me..
Meanwhile,acarya said to a bhangin that tommorow a pandit will come to meet me,while he comes, you take a broom and put mud with the broomstick at him .So the pandit came the next day after bathing in ganga and she put mud at him.He became very angry and said that -- andhi hai kya,dikhai nahi deta at her and after this he want to the acharya,the acharya said ---
now you shouted at her,you have so much of anger only by falling of mud at you .Go away and do sadhana.Again the pandit came after 1 year,now again the acharya said to the bhangin that this time you touch the end of the broom at him.She did like that and the pandit this time didn't shouted at her,but only expressed anger and he went to the acharya and the acharya said -- now you express anger,why did you do that, go away and again do sadhana.
Again,the acarya said to that bhangin this time when he comes pour this basket full of garbage at him and she did it.the pandit instead of shouting etc at her now hold her feet and said -- you are my shiksha guru because of whom i'm going to become the shisya of the acharya,the acharya was seeing this and he said to the pandit come to me and now you are yogya and i accept you as my shisya(disciple).
So this was the way how the acharyas were accepting people as disciples and now in iskcon -- the gurus say you just follow four regulative principles and we give you diksha.No complete pariksha is taken.
Replies
Bg 4.34
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Every guru has his set of rules by which he gives diksha. In ISKCON, we follow what Prabhupada propogated - His Divine Grace has assured that as long as you chant 16 and follow 4, I will take you back. Now the initiation process is much more streamlined in ISKCON. THere are shiksha levels, certificates - Shraddhavan, Sadhaka, Sevaka, Guru Ashray & Prabhupada Ashray certificates are given based on recommendation from congregation leader, no of rounds chanted and no of books read, frequency of visit to temple, no of services rendered - this is given by local temple.
Then a person is allowed to take shelter and made to do ISKCON Disciple Course. Then there are written exam and interview sessions - by the local temple authorities and the relevant guru's team. Then only the initiation is given.
What would you suggest prabhuji? What should be the process to be followed - considering how vast ISKCON Is - spread across the globe.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD