diksha
Babaji studying from his guru Sri Haridas Shastri Maharaja ji
Bhakti Gaudiya Vaishnavas Sandarbhas

Diksha Guru Is Also Shiksha Guru

The following are the last questions in the context of Babaji’s podcast interview with Namarasa.   Question: If dīkṣā and śikṣā are never separated, why did Narottama, Śyāmānanda, and Śrīnivāsācārya all take śikṣā from Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī who was not their dīkṣā guru?  Answer: First of all, I did not say that dīkṣā and śikṣā

Read More
devotee meditating
Questions & Answers

Karma, Guru–Disciple, Mantra-diksha

Question: What is the use of karma if person cannot remember what he has done wrong in a past life, but his karma fructifies this life? The lesson is likely not to be learned. Answer: Suppose a person is heavily drunk and is driving. He loses control of his car and kills a pedestrian. In the

Read More
Questions & Answers

Dīkṣā and Varṇāśrama

Question: If husband and wife take initiation from the same guru, do they become god brother and god sister? How can they be husband and wife?  Answer: This confusion is due to the use of the words, “god brother” and “god sister.” The Sanskrit term is satirtha, which means, “having a common guru.” Initiation is

Read More
Gaudiya Vaishnavas General Questions & Answers Sadhana

Mahamantra and Diksha Mantras

Question: As practicing Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, we chant the Hare Krishna mahāmantra. Did Śrī Caitanya and His associates chant the Hare Krishna mantra? In Caitanya-caritāmṛta or other biographies of Śrī Caitanya, the mahāmantra is not mentioned as the mantra that was chanted. The mahāmantra is itself a legitimate mantra as per Kali-saṇṭāraṇa Upaniṣad, so I have

Read More
Gaudiya Vaishnavas Questions & Answers

Sri Gadadhara Pandita’s Role in the Gaudiya Sampradaya

Question: On your website [under Lineage], you say that “Jiva Gosvami’s uncles, Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami received diksha from Gadadhara Pandita and Jiva Gosvami followed in the line of his uncles.” I do not see that anywhere in our Vaishnava literature. Is that in Chaitanya Charitamrta?

Read More