The anti-climax

Posted by dinesh

Sent to you by dinesh via Google Reader:

The anti-climax

via kksblog.com by hina on 10/4/12

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Pretoria, South Africa, 15th September 2012) Lecture: Initiation talk

If you want to summarise the Bhagavad-Gita in one sentence, then that is, 'We are eternal spirit soul and the eternal servant of Krsna!'

So, understanding that, this initiation is meant to formally change our priorities in life. Of course, although we come out as a new person, we still in many ways look quite similar to the one that we looked like when we sat down for the yagña. It's not that the initiates will stand up in their spiritual bodies and be all effulgent. No, they will continue also in their material identities – they will continue with their lives.

In one way nothing changes. This is the anti-climax. There is a big ceremony and you are going through the whole thing and you get a new name, then the anti-climax is that life is still the same after that in one sense. So yes, that is there, that materially life is still the same – still at the same address, still the same bills to pay, the same life and the same issues.

But what has distinctly changed is that Krsna has now formally become the first and foremost priority in our life.

At this point, yes, we'll take care of the material things, of course. That is to be done, but that is secondary. This doesn't mean that that it's not important – of course it is important. Similarly we can say, 'The house is more important than the garden.' Because we live in the house after all. We can have a very good garden but still if your garden begins to look like a jungle, it's not that important.

In other words the soul is more important than the body! Therefore the interest of the soul is now coming to the forefront, more than it has ever been! Therefore initiation means we must make changes in our life. If after the initiation nothing changes, then something is not right. Something is meant to change!