Those who are initiated this evening, I have several times explained what is the meaning of initiation. Initiation means beginning of receiving transcendental knowledge. In the Vedas it is enjoined that in order to understand the transcendental science, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). The human form of life is meant for understanding transcendental knowledge. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth.
So everyone should be interested to understand the Absolute Truth. But this is Kali-yuga. Practically nobody is interested. The symptoms of Kali-yuga is Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very slow or all bad, mandāḥ. And even if one is little anxious, he is victimized by some false way. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo. And Manda-bhāgyā. Therefore preaching is required to awaken them to spiritual consciousness.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to awaken the victimized soul to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa personally comes to awaken this consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's servants, they also try to do the same business on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa recognizes such preachers as very, very dear to Him. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). So the whole world is suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So those who are initiated, they should decide that "In this life we shall simply serve Kṛṣṇa." That should be the . . . Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajanti māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28).
So this is the . . . initiation means beginning. Now, if you follow the rules and regulation—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication up to the drinking of tea and smoking and chewing pān. So these are considered as the four pillars of sinful life. So nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa with sinful activities. That is not possible.
- yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
- janānāṁ puṇya-karmāṇām
- te dvanda-moha-nirmuktā
- bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
- (BG 7.28)
So if you are actually serious, approaching Kṛṣṇa—He is paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramam (BG 10.12)—you have to cleanse yourself from all sinful activities. So therefore we request everyone to give up these habits: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Then he becomes gradually purified. And if he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra . . . Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). One side, he should personally endeavor, and other side, he should chant, ceto-darpaṇa, the method of cleansing the heart.