Pancaratriki-vidhi means if any one has a little inclination for spiritual development, he should be given chance. This initiation means to give chance. The Bhagavata says that kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah [SB 2.4.18]. These are the list of the candalas or less than the sudras. So Bhagavata gives open road for everyone. Even one is kirata... Kirata means... Generally they are called aborigines, or the very black aborigines living in the jungles, they are called kirata. In our country it is called hanta (?). So anyway, Hun, Hun a class of people in the hill side of north Arctic. They are called Huns. So kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha... There are very great list of the candalas, less than the sudras. The Bhagavata says ye 'nye ca papa, not these classes, even less than them, even they are born in the family of sinful tribe, they can be also purified. Sudhyanti, they can be also purified. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah, ye 'nye ca papa sudhyanti. They can be purified by association of Vaisnava. Yad-apa, yad-apasrayasrayah. Upasraya means just like a person who is a devotee of Krsna and if anyone takes shelter of such devotee, he can be purified. This is called parampara system.

So for this Bhagavata-dharma, there is no restriction. Anywhere, any part of the world, they can accept this Bhagavata-dharma. On that principle in Caitanya Mahaprabhu's life also He accepted many Muhammadans also as His disciples. Just like Thakura Haridasa, he was born in a Muhammadan family, and He took many Pathans as His disciples when He was coming back from Vrndavana. So in this system, disciplic system of Vedic process, there is no restriction. Anyone can come. And this is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita also. Bhagavad-gita, Krsna says that mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah. Never mind. Even one is born in a family which is considered to be sinful. Striya sudras tatha vaisya. Even woman, the sudra, and the mercantile class of men, anyone. Mam... Ye 'nye ca papa.

So this Bhagavata-dharma is very nice, it is universal, it can be accepted by everyone. Unfortunately, so long there was no preaching of this Bhagavata-dharma. Now, by the grace of Krsna, Lord Caitanya, the Bhagavata-dharma is now being expanded in the Western countries. I am very glad that boys and girls from this part of the world, they are also embracing and they are nicely chanting and following the rules and regulations. So I think Krsna will be very... So initiation means this is the beginning. Now you have to follow the rules and regulations. What are the rules and regulations? Only four principles. Don't have any illicit sex life. Don't have any food besides prasadam or foodstuff offered to Krsna. And Krsna does not eat anything beyond the vegetarian group. Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is said patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. So you cannot offer Krsna anything beyond this scope. So there is no question of nonvegetarian diet, including fish, eggs, even onions, and lentils, what is called? Lentils? That dahl, pulses? So you have got from your Godbrother, you will know. And you are eating here Krsna prasadam. And no gambling and no intoxication, including smoking, tea taking, coffee taking. No gambling, no intoxication. These four principles. No illicit sex life, no nonvegetarian diet, no gambling, and no intoxication. These four principles have to be followed and in the beginning the offenses. Where is...? You read the offenses. You haven't got?

So offenses are ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to deride at the Vedic literature or scriptures. Satam ninda. And those who are preaching God consciousness, never mind in any part of the world. Those who are preaching God consciousness. In your country, Christian... Not in your country. Of course, it was preached in Central Asia, but now Christianism is spread all over. So Lord Jesus Christ, he also preached God consciousness. And Mohammed, Hazrat Mohammed, he also preached God consciousness. Similarly, in India there was several acaryas, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, God consciousness they preached.

So Lord Buddha, he, of course, did not preach directly God consciousness, but we accept him as the incarnation of God. Kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare. He had to preach amongst the atheist class of men who were too much addicted with animal slaughter and he wanted to stop animal slaughter. That was his main business. So I've several times explained. Therefore he rejected Vedic authority. Because in the Vedic authority there is recommendation, under certain condition, of animal sacrifice. But he wanted to stop completely animal sacrifice. Therefore superficially he said, he denied the authority of Vedic ritual. Because if he accepted Vedic rituals then he could not preach this ahimsa paramo dharma. So that is a great story. Anyway we accept, we Vaisnavas, we accept Lord Buddha as incarnation. That is mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. He is incarnation of Krsna. Kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira. So indirectly the Buddhists are worshiping God. They are denying, there is no existence of God but they are accepting the incarnation of God.

So anywhere the four prime religions of the world, namely Hinduism, Christianism, Mohammedanism or Buddhism, directly or indirectly, they are accepting God. And without accepting God there is no meaning of religion. That is not religion. According to Bhagavata, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma, what this dharma, religion means, the codes given by God. That's all. Just like Krsna says in the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Now Krsna, in the beginning said that dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge. "I come, descend, in order to establish religion." Now again at the end He says sarva-dharman parityajya. He came to establish religion. And in the end He says that "Give up all sorts of religion." What does it mean? That means religion means surrendering unto God, or Krsna. That is religion. If there is no such principle... Surrendering unto God, that is religion. Not the rituals. Rituals are superficial. The Bhagavata says sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. You follow any kind of religion, that doesn't matter. But the test will be how much you have developed God consciousness or Krsna consciousness. That is the test. If that is lacking, then you have simply wasted your time.

So these are Vedic injunctions. God is there, I am here, God is eternal, I am eternal, He is sac-cid-vigrahah, I am also, at the present moment, my body is material. But when I am liberated I also become sac-cid-ananda vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. So these things gradually you'll learn from Srimad-Bhagavata, Bhagavad-gita. Now this Hare Krsna, this chanting process is cleansing your heart. As you advance in cleansing your heart, so God becomes revealed unto You. God is sitting with you. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart. Simply we can see Him as soon as the heart is clean. Srnvatam... And God will help you.

So we should avoid blaspheming the persons who have preached God consciousness all over the world. We should not deprecate the value of scriptures. And the most obstinate sinful activity is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting Hare Krsna. Because it is said that as soon as you chant Hare Krsna you become freed from all sinful activities. There is no difference between Krsna and Krsna name. Absolute. So if somebody thinks that "I am chanting Hare Krsna, therefore I can continue committing all kinds of sinful activities," that is the greatest... Namnad balad yasya hi papa-buddhir. Anyone who commits sinful activities... I have already explained the four kinds of sinful activities you should avoid. But if you think that you are chanting, therefore there will be no reaction of sinful activities, that is the greatest sin. Greatest offense. Never. Don't commit any sinful activities. And samyam subha-kriya api pramadah. This is another great offense. That don't accept this chanting as something auspicious activity. It is transcendental to auspicious and inauspicious activities. It is a vibration from the spiritual sky which will attract you gradually to the spiritual sky, beyond this material sky.

'Vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah. Paras tasmad tu bhava anya. As you get information from the Bhagavad-gita, there is another nature which is called spiritual nature and the devotees are trying, all the transcendentalists... Some are trying to merge into the spiritual existence only, and we devotees, we want to keep individuality and want to become associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna. So gradually you can learn it from the lectures and the books and with association with your Godbrothers and sisters. So this is your initiation. Take it very seriously. Chant Hare Krsna very faithfully and your life will be successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Now chant Hare Krsna. (end)