Prabhupada stressed that initiation should not be taken leniently

The early morning was set aside for a ceremony in the temple. About a dozen young men and women were to receive initiation into the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. A few others would receive their gayatri mantra, enabling them to become brahmanas and worship the temple Deities. Prabhupada spoke on the significance of initiation. ?In the Caitanya-caritamrita, while teaching Srila Rupa Goswami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ei rupe brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva, guru krishna kripaya paya bhakti lata bija. The living entities are transmigrating from one form of life to another, and wandering from one planet to another, sometimes low-grade life, sometimes high-grade life. This is going on. This is called samsara cakra vartmani.? Prabhupada stressed that initiation should not be taken leniently. ?Take it very seriously. It is a great opportunity. Whatever you have promised before the Lord, before your spiritual master, before the fire, before Vaishnavas, never deviate from this promise. Then you will keep fixed up in your spiritual life, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. These four ?no?s? and chanting Hare Krishna?one ?yes?. Four ?no?s? and one ?yes?. That will make your life successful.? The word bija, Prabhupada explained, meant seed. The seed of devotion, bhakti lata bija, was planted by the mercy of guru and Krishna. ?So when you get a nice seed, you have to sow it within the earth. The example is, just like if you get a very nice seed of a first-class rose flower, so you sow it on the ground and just offer little, little water. It will grow. So this seed can be grown by watering. What is that watering? Sravana kirtana jale karaye secana. This watering of the seed, bhakti-lata, is sravana kirtana, hearing and chanting.? The process, Prabhupada stressed, was easy. ?It is not difficult. But maya is very strong, and sometimes deviates us. So when there is endeavour by maya to deviate us, just pray to Krishna, ?Please save me. I am surrendered, fully surrendered, and kindly give me protection?. And Krishna will give you protection. But don?t miss this opportunity. That is my request. I have all my good wishes and blessings upon you. So let us take the opportunity of bhakti, bhakti lata bija.?