Initiation - Jai Balarama Dasa

B V Bhagavat Swami: I got my first initiation from him about three months, four months. Prabhupada had come back from, after going first time to Paris, then he went to San Francisco for Ratha-yatra there. Then he went to London, and it would have been nice to been able to go and see him in London. But the temple was very poor in Paris at that time. We didn't have any money. 

I was the only one who had any money, because my parents had given me some money. I was helping to keep the temple going, but they didn't let me go to London to have darshana of Prabhupada there. 

So one devotee went, Lochanananda Dasa, and he brought back our letters. We had written letters of initiation. They asked me, "Would you like to get initiated?" I didn't really know what was initiation. You know, it sounds really interesting, and so I thought, "Okay, I think I'd like to get, to take initiation." So I wrote a letter saying that, I think it is my very good fortune that I have been attracted to practice of Krishna consciousness. Please accept me as your disciple.

My name was Anthony, at the time.

Then the devotee brought back a letter of initiation, and it was just a very brief letter. But Prabhupada had personally designed it. He said that please accept my blessings. I accept you as my disciple giving you the spiritual name as Jai Balarama Dasa Brahmachari. Please chant the maha-mantra, and follow the guidance of your senior Godbrothers. That's actually... your ever well-wisher, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.