His Special Arrangement for My Dīkṣā

During my first visit to India in 2008, I happily took harināma initiation from Śrīla Gurudeva in Māyāpur-dhāma. Some senior devotees urged me to immediately take dīkṣā then also. I didn’t really understand the reasons to take dīkṣā, and also felt unqualified to even ask for it. 

Nevertheless, I went to Śrīla Gurudeva and asked. He gravely inquired why I wanted it, and feeling a little bit conscience-stricken to ask so soon after having received harināma initiation, I replied that the devotees urged me to take it. Śrīla Gurudeva then told me to do some devotional practice first. 

After that, I went back to the Netherlands and started, according to my limited capability, and despite my manifold drawbacks and anarthas, to perform devotional practice with a bit more intensity than before. Even though I felt my efforts were inadequate, by Śrīla Gurudeva's blessings, I was able to attend the Navadvipa-dhāma parikramā of 2009. It was a purifying and auspicious time. I went again to Śrīla Gurudeva to ask for dīkṣā initiation. 

This time I told him, “Gurudeva, I know that I am totally unqualified, but I only want to receive dīkṣā from you, not from anyone else. Who knows when I will die, therefore, I want to ask for dīkṣā.” I was advised to travel back to Kolkata along with the maṭha residents, as the dīkṣā initiation would be given there. 

However, my flight back to the Netherlands was planned some days before the initiation. I thought that I was going to have to go home without having received it, because why would the date be changed for just one person, a wretched person no less, while there were so many nice devotees who were actually ready to take dīkṣā?

Then, to my great astonishment, Śrīla Gurudeva personally and adamantly ordered the dīkṣā ceremony to be moved back to the day of my flight, so that I could receive dīkṣā! It is no exaggeration that great haste was being made to prepare for the fire ceremony under the strict order of Śrīla Gurudeva. 

After a spacious room on the upper floors of the maṭha was cleared, cleaned, and prepared, Śrīla Padmanābha Mahārāja of our Māyāpur maṭha performed the yajna for the first batch of devotees. Meanwhile, I was still very much dumbstruck from what had just happened. Such incredible mercy! 

After the ceremony, I was immediately rushed to Śrīla Gurudeva’s room to receive the mantras. After offering puṣpāñjali to the lotus feet of Śrīla Gurudeva, I then prepared to have the mantra whispered to me in my right ear. 

I had previously watched a documentary about the life of Abhaya Caraṇa, Śrīla Svāmī Mahārāja of ISKCON. In that film, Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Babajī Mahārāja whispered the mantra into the right ear of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda, and the narrator explained this was the custom.  

So, I asked Śrīla Gurudeva, “Should I move closer to you?” Śrīla Gurudeva looked sincerely puzzled and replied, “Why? Is there some problem with your hearing?” Later I realized how funny this incident was.

Śrīla Gurudeva then became very, very grave when he gave me the mantras and then gave some instructions. Within the space of a few hours, I went from receiving dīkṣā to being on my way to the airport, clutching the folded mantra paper in my hand like the greatest treasure in the world.

I am eternally indebted to Śrīla Guru Mahārāja for the causeless and boundless mercy that he bestowed upon me. May he forgive my continuous mistakes and offenses. Without his mercy, I am nowhere.

- Jānakīnātha Dāsa, Netherlands

Srila Gurudeva with Jānakīnātha Dāsa