On the Vamana Jayanti (15 Sept 2024), the auspicious appearance day of Lord Vamana, ISKCON Hare Krishna Hill Temple, Rajajinagar, conducted the Harinama Diksha, or Initiation Ceremony.
Devotees who aspired to become disciples of Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, received initiation as instructed by His Divine Grace in a letter to ISKCON leaders on 9 July 1977. The devotees took an oath to chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra sixteen rounds daily and adhere to the four regulative principles throughout their lives under the auspices of Their Lordships, Srila Prabhupada, Vaishnavas, and sacrificial fire as witnesses.
The four regulative principles are
1. No meat-eating (includes eggs, onion and garlic)
2. No intoxication (includes tea, coffee, alcohol, drugs and tobacco)
3. No illicit sex (no illicit relations outside of marriage)
4. No gambling
Harinama Diksha signifies a profound commitment to the path of Bhakti, as outlined by Srila Prabhupada. The ceremony embodies the devotee’s pledge to lead a life dedicated to spiritual growth and service to Lord Krishna.
Eligible candidates, having demonstrated their understanding of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings through rigorous study and a written examination, received the privilege of initiation from a Ritvik (priest). They are accepted as duly initiated disciples of Srila Prabhupada.
Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa, President of ISKCON Bangalore, as a representative of the Acharya, conducted the ceremony on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and announced spiritual names for the newly initiated devotees.
Newly initiated devotees receive a Tulasi bead for chanting their 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, along with a new spiritual name. For men, the name signifies that they are servants of Lord Krishna or His expansions, while for women; it indicates that they are servants of Srimati Radharani or Her expansions.
A fire sacrifice was performed accompanied with the chanting of the Vaishnava pranama mantras, followed by a grand guru puja to His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The initiation ceremony also emphasised the significance of spiritual guidance and structured devotional practice. ISKCON Bangalore offers a tiered approach to spiritual growth, starting from the shraddhavan level, providing devotees with guidance and support to progress steadily on their spiritual journey.
In the words of Srila Prabhupada, “Initiation marks the beginning of a journey towards spiritual advancement in Krishna Consciousness.” With this initiation, the devotees embark on a path of devotion to Krishna with unwavering determination and faith by the grace of Lord Krishna and the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.