Some Special etiquettes for disciples to be followed!

Some Special etiquettes for disciples to be followed!
(Part-4 of the series DUTIES OF A DISCIPLE TO HIS GURU)

Is taking Initiation (Diksha) means the advancement of Spiritual Life?

A common practice in our devotee community is, when some devotees  are initiated, they behave as if they have reached the ultimate stage of devotion.

It is not so.  It is called INITIATION because it is the beginning of a dedicated spiritual life.

Some devotees (not all) come to the temple as “humble and co-operative devotees” and perform some services until they are initiated.

(How to repent for not following the Vows given to Guru? READ HERE!)

The temple management also recommends him/ her for initiation and helps them to get initiation, believing that they will continue to serve their respective temples.

But what happens?

We have to search and find out where they are after initiation.  They stop coming to the temples regularly after getting initiation.

How to take their behaviour?

Smartness? Talent?

All such smartness and talents do not give satisfaction to the Lord. The Devotees should be honest.

Keep your word. If not, what is the difference between devotees and others?

What did we took as Vow when we took 16 rounds of Siksha?

We said that we will visit the temple regularly and perform services.

But what happens in practice?

“Yes, I am not visiting the temple regularly. Is the Lord going to watch me in person?”

That’s an oversight. We forget that Lord Krishna who is the Paramatma is  present within us and witnesses our actions.

(Why Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati took diksha from the Picture of his guru Gaur Kishore Babaji? READ HERE!)

Why do we love children? They are Innocent. Is it true that God loves those who are as guileless as children?

Therefore, the vows taken by the devotees should not be violated. The vow should be kept as much as possible because they are the vows we have given in the temple. Ok, at least try to follow. Krishna will help you.

It’s okay to miss out occasionally for honest reasons. But deliberately avoiding temple services is not good.

Initiation is not the end of spiritual life. So far we have been “so and so”. But, after initiation, we should be serious.

Sankalpa means the Vows we take having Guru and Agni as witness, to be serious in spiritual life under Guru’s guidance.

So let it go if it has been forgotten and neglected by you so far. Let us take a reassurance atleast from today that we, the initiated devotees will visit the temple regularly and engage in any possible service of the Lord with a humble attitude.

It will benefit you. That’s it!

So visit the temple, get the sathsangha and engage in devotional service for your spiritual progress.

(Is Brahmana Diksha (Second Initiation) Compulsory for all? READ HERE!)

ROLE OF SIKSHA GURU IN A DISCIPLE’S LIFE

A disciple should know who is the right Siksha guru before learning anything from anyone.

Who is Siksha guru? How should we identify and accept a right Siksha Guru?

When will a Siksha guru become a Violator?

What is the Primary offense against the guru?

How to atone for the offenses against our diksha guru?

Let us see one by one:

Srila Prabhupada explains how a Siksha guru can be identified and the primary offense against guru – guror avajñā, defying the authority of guru.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 — Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

Srila Prabhupāda:

Then so śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru… A śikṣā-guru who instructs against the instruction of spiritual, he is not a śikṣā guru. He is a demon.

Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru means… Sometimes a dīkṣā-guru is not present always. Therefore, one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the śikṣā-guru.

Śikṣā-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the dīkṣā-guru. He is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a rascal.

Woman Devotee: People are instructing with these sessions?

Prabhupāda: (Ignoring question) Because that is offense. Guror avajñā, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense. So one who is offensive, how he can make advance in chanting? He cannot make. Then everything is finished in the beginning. Guror avajñā. Everything is there. If one is disobeying the spiritual master, he cannot remain in the pure status of life. He cannot be śikṣā-guru or anything else. He is finished, immediately. Guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam, nāmno balād yasya hi… 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. That is first offense. So if you are offensive, how you can become advanced by chanting? That is also not possible.”

(Are the offenses in mind also punishable in kaliyuga too? READ HERE!)

A disciple should consider himself a fool!

A disciple should consider himself as a fool in front of his spiritual master as said by Lord Caitanya.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) — Mexico, February 11, 1975: 

A disciple means who voluntarily agrees to be disciplined by the spiritual master. When one becomes disciple, he cannot disobey the order of the spiritual master. Śiṣya. Śiṣya, this word, comes from the root śās-dhātu, means “I accept your ruling.” So previously Arjuna has accepted, śiṣyas te ‘haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) “I am now surrendered to You, and I agree voluntarily to accept Your ruling.” This is the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple.

So we have got ten kinds of offenses in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So the first offense is guror avajna, means to disobey the orders of guru, spiritual master. One cannot disobey the orders of guru.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, he also says, guru more mūrkha dekhi’ karila śāsana: (CC Adi 7.71) “My guru, My spiritual master, saw Me a fool, and therefore he has chastised Me.”

Let us now come to the important Point:

How to atone if a disciple has offended his guru?

Question: If a disciple has committed offences against Guru Maharaj, what is the process of atonement? How can we rise to serving offenselessly?

H.H.JAYAPATAKA SWAMI (14-Aug-2020 SRI MAYAPUR DHAM, INDIA): That is why we offer daily guru puja and on the Vyasa puja we offer the pushpanjali three times. That way we pray that we may be forgiven any knowing or unknowing offences.

(Let us continue in the next part)

(Is Chanting without initiation (diksha) offensive as 10th offense? READ HERE!)

RESPECTING THE DISCIPLES OF OTHER GURUS

This is a very important aspect every disciple should always keep in mind.

ISKCON follows Multi Guru System.

This is better for a worldwide organization like ISKCON.

Even in other sampradhayas, there are multiple mutts that have their own gurus who follow any particular Sampradhaya.

Small number of Sampradhayas, but large number of gurus.

For example, in Sri Vaishnavam, there are different acharyas situated in different places associated with different temples.

Even in Advaita Sect, Adhi Shankara established different mutts in different places in India.

In Gaudiya Vaishnavam, there are different gurus running different mutts.

Similarly, ISKCON too gives permission for multiple gurus to function because being a global organization, many gurus are required to spread the network of dedicated devotees.

PRIMARY ETHICS IN A MULTI GURU SYSTEM

The devotees should always keep in mind a major fact:

“The disciples of all the gurus in ISKCON enjoy equal status in the organization. No disciple of a guru is superior than the disciples of other gurus. There is no difference in terms of which guru we accept.”

Next one is still important:

“A disciple of a guru should give equal honour and importance to the disciples of other gurus also. There should be no discrimination based on whose disciple one is.”

Unless the disciples of all gurus cooperate and function together, we can’t serve the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

All the gurus and disciples are working with a single goal of strengthening and expanding the services of ISKCON as per the guidelines stipulated by Srila Prabhupada.

If a disciple considers that he is a special disciple because he is the disciple of a particular guru, that means, he is weakening the organization.

Srila Prabhupada says in CC (25-121, Purport):

Everyone has an EQUAL RIGHT to execute devotional service. That is the platform of oneness and the basis for a classless society.

Simple. Platform of Oneness.

All the devotees deserve equal respects.

Though the gurus are in multiple, there should be oneness in the purpose of taking initiation.

What is the common purpose?

Serving and helping the movement of Srila Prabhupada grow.

With this motive, we should see all the disciples of all the gurus in ISKCON as similar in status and the qualification to go back to Krishna.

In the Next part, we will see how a guru should test a devotee before accepting him as his disciple and how a disciple should test a guru before accepting him as per the official recommendation of ISKCON.

(Will accepting a Guru alone elevate a devotee to attain perfection? READ HERE!)

Author: RAJAN

RAJAN from Tamil Nadu, India, a Life Patron and an Initiated Devotee being in ISKCON for nearly three decades, serves anonymously to avoid Prominence and crowd as an insignificant, Humble and Neutral Servant for all the devotees of Krishna! He promotes Social media forums and this blog-website as e-satsangha (e-forums) blessed with Lakhs of followers, to give Spiritual Solutions for all the Material Problems of the devotees since 2011! He writes friendly and practical tips to practice devotion (i) without hurting the followers of other paths, (ii) without affecting the personal and career life, and (iii) without the blind, superstitious and ritualistic approach! He dedicates all the glories and credits to his Guru and Krishna.