Spiritual Initiation and Its Utility — Swami Bhaskarananda

Recorded at the Vedanta Society of Western Washington on December 17, 2017.In this talk, Swami Bhaskarananda explains the meaning and purpose of spiritual initiation, or mantra diksha, in the Vedanta tradition. When a person develops a sincere yearning to know God, a qualified spiritual teacher, or guru, gives the disciple a mantra—a holy name of God to be repeated as a spiritual practice. Swami Bhaskarananda describes how repetition of the mantra gradually fills the mind with divine thoughts, purifying it and allowing the divinity already present within a person to become increasingly manifest. He discusses the traditional qualifications of a true guru, including knowledge of the scriptures, purity of character, freedom from selfish motives, and the humility to recognize that God alone is the real teacher. He also describes qualities important in a disciple, particularly sincere yearning, reverence for the teacher, truthfulness, self-control, concern for the welfare of others, and simplicity of life.Through stories from the Upanishads, accounts of saints, and experiences from his own spiritual life, Swami Bhaskarananda emphasizes the special relationship between guru and disciple and the importance of faithfully practicing the mantra received at initiation. A mantra, he explains, is not merely a word or formula but a spiritual discipline whose power becomes effective through regular practice and the guidance of a genuine teacher. He concludes with accounts illustrating the enduring bond between teacher and disciple and the assurance that divine grace accompanies the sincere seeker throughout the spiritual journey.