* Rituals performed in giving Mahadiksha to Shree Hari. * Preaching of Mahamantra to Shree Hari. * Naming of Shree Hari in His initiation. * Ramanand Swami blesses Shree Hari that He will have darshan of Lord Shree Krishna.
Shri Hari’s taking of great initiation at the hands of Ramanand Muni.
Suvrat said:-
On Prabhodini Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the fortnight ‘the ascetic supreme Ramanand Swami invited one of the best Brahmins, who followed true qualities, and who was peaceful and a master in rituals of giving initiation. 1.
The great sage observed all the rituals through him; and he also per- formed all the rituals as intended by scriptures in the right manner. 2.
To begin with, Shri Hari was made to observe penance in the place of three Krurchhra vows, for purification of the body. 3.
He drew an auspicious circle (Sarvatobhadra mandalam) decorated by various colours, and then placed nine pots on it. 4.
Among those pots, eight copper pots were put on each of the eight directions with due order, and at the center, the noble one put the golden pot. 5.
He installed deities on those pots full of water, gems leaves, fruits, and covered those with clothes. 6.
He placed Lord Krishna’s idol along with Radha, on the middle golden pot, Goddess Durga on the eastern, on the southern the sun, Lord Gajanana on the western and Shiva on the northern, Vishvaksena on the south eastern, the Garuda on southwest, Maruti on the northwest and Shridaman on northeast according to this order. 7 - 9.
Then the Brahmin, with Vedic and Puranic chants and also with particular chants similar to those deities, worshipped at the hands of Shri Hari, the principal deity Shri Krishna along with subsequent deities. The worship included sixteen offerings along with a mixture of five ingredients (Panchamruta) and pure eatables and a lighted lamp. 10 - 11.
At that hour the sounds of the devotees singing glories of the Lord, accompanied by Mrudanga and cymbals, mixed with other instruments like Turya and others, creating a booming sound that filled in all the direc- tions. 12.
Having established the sacred fire on a purified altar, he observed the sacrifice with hundred and eight oblations of ghee offered to Shri Krishna by reciting the mantra “Shri Krishnaya Namah”. 13.
Then the great ascetic Shri Ramanand Swami gave Shri Hari, a white strip of cloth for loins as well as an upper garment, who sat before him. Then he gave the celibate two new fine Tulasi wood garlands to wear in the neck. He also gave the Brahmin Shri Hari, two small new garlands made of Tulasi wood as the grace of Lord, to wear in the neck. 14 - 15.
Then he made Shri Hari to mark vertical lines on the forehead with remains of sandal paste of Krishna worship, and a moon like mark in between those lines with remains of saffron of Radha-worship. 16.
The preceptor’s narration of significance of the chants.
The Master then facing north, having meditated Krishna, uttered an eight syllable Mantra of Krishna, in His right ear. 17.
Following the beliefs of tradition, the preceptor taught pure-minded Shri Hari, the meaning of Mantra as it is. 18.
There are two entities as the (individual) physical body (Pinda) and the universal one (Brahmanda) resided by the little-knowing jiva (Kshetrajna) and the all-knowing one, both dominated by their respective ego. 19.
These two jivas (Kshetrajna) are controlled by one distinct entity, named the imperishable Brahma (Akshar Brahma). 20.
The highest one Purusottama, the supreme being is beyond Akshar Brahma, on whose support this Akshar Brahma operates (whole cre- ation). 21.
This Purusottama the Supreme Being, for the welfare of living beings, takes divine human form, bestows knowledge of the self and attracts its nescience, and in turn gets the name Krishna. 22.
The jiva - individual self, should serve the Lord Purusottama, with love, for its own prosperity; and whoever, has this sort of bondage for the Lord, is the real servant (Dasa) as determined in the chant. 23.
The word ‘Asmi’ that denotes ‘I am’ The Jiva being in a state of complete fulfillment by knowing and obtaining Purusottama alone. By virtue of this liberated state, there remains nothing to be known by the one who is living though. 24.
As the devotees get the fulfillment of their desire to dwell in Vaikuntha or Goloka, or in the Svetadvipa or in Brahmapur, offering service to the Lord; similarly here also serving Shri Hari in the form of divine human, gives the same fulfillment of desire - is the meaning of the Mantra. 25.
It is told that the fruit of the chant is the limit on the outgoing tenden- cies of inner organs like mind, mental power etc., and having enlightenment in one’s heart of Krishna’s vision. 26.
Having explained the meaning of the chant thus, the preceptor told Him again, ‘As long as the remembrance of the body persists, do not leave the religious duties at all’. 27.
The preceptor’s instruction of religious beliefs to Shri Hari.
You have learnt about the religious duties according to our path, and all the followers including your father have always observed them. 29.
Not leaving any of those duties as well as observing occasional ones, Krishna should be worshipped with regularity, from within and without, always. 30.
Having read five chapters from tenth Skandha of Shrimad Bhagavata (Panchadhyayi) in the beginning of the worship, the text on greatness of Vasudeva, should be read at the end, single mindedly. 30-31
Food should be taken, that being offered to Krishna Even water should be drunk the same way. No fruits or leaves, to be eaten, that has not been offered to Krishna. 32.
Glories of Krishna’s names should be sung always, and time should not be spent uselessly without devotion to the Lord. 33.
O ascetic! Wherever the greatness of Krishna or His story is nar- rated, such texts should be heard every day, always. 34.
By virtue of listening to such discourses and compositions only, the devotion unto Him develops, hence one should hear it, read it loudly, by oneself always. 35.
The preceptor’s naming of Shri Hari and the bestowal of His desired boon.
O King! Having instructed the religious beliefs thus, Ramanand Muni, named his disciple accordingly, having thought over it. 36.
The preceptor first named him ‘Sahajanand’, and himself gave him another name Narayan Muni. Due to His complete appearance in pen- ance, behaviour, and in form to Narayan Muni himself, the preceptor hap- pily named Him thus. 37 - 38.
Then Shri Hari served his master Ramanand Swami respectfully having circumambulated and prostrated before him. 39.
The Brahmin concluded the rite of initiation accordingly, and served humbly the saints, Brahmins, and Vaishnavas. 40.
The celibate-supreme stood there with folded hands before the preceptor, and the preceptor being pleased at Him, said have your desired boon from me’. 41.
Nilakantha said:-
‘As the Lord Krishna becomes manifest in person accepting the offering, laughing and conversing in your worship every day, likewise I wish to have Him in my worship, acting in the same way, this is my desire ; if you are pleased, grant me that’. 42 - 43.
Suvrat said:-
The great sage was pleased unto him, accepted it and said - ‘Let it be like that’. On that night, all of them were awake and spent the whole night singing glories of Krishna. 44.
The master Ramanand Swami offered food on the next day to Brahmins, saints and ascetics according to their tastes, along with gifts of clothes and money. 45.
From there on, in Shri Hari’s worship Lord Krishna, used to accept the offerings along with other articles in person, as He did in the master’s. 46.
Having seen Krishna in person accepting his offerings, he became fully satisfied. He told about his meaningful experience to the preceptor Ramanand Swami. 47.
At times he saw Krishna in person along with Radha, with two arms, playing on the flute, in the form of an actor. Sometimes with Balarama, sometimes with Rukmini somewhere with Arjuna, and ‘somewhere’ saw Him alone. 48. - 49.
At times he saw him two armed or four armed, thus his love for Krishna grew deeply. 50.
O King, thus in the human form, Shri Hari played the role of an ascetic, and regarding the preceptor Ramanand as real Krishna himself, all
the while offered services to him very politely. 51.
Thus ends the fifty-eighth chapter entitled ‘Shri Hari taking Vaishnava Initiation’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 58