Initiation Ceremony – May 15, 1973, Los Angeles

Anyone who does not know what is the value of life, he is sleeping

Prabhupada: So first of all I shall distribute, then kirtana?

Karandhara: Yes. Will all the new initiates step forward [indistinct]?

Prabhupada: Neck beads fixed up?

[leads word-by-word chanting of mantra]

Now take water. Go on, stick with... Who is purahit[?] today?

Pradyumna: Jagadisa was going to do the [indistinct] after.

Prabhupada: All right. [devotees chant japa] All water finished? Then again. [leads chanting of mantra again]

Take water again.

Jagadisa: Everybody has neck beads? Bali-mardana?

Prabhupada: [leads chanting of mantra again]

So? Call. Come on.

Devotee: Andy.

Jagadisa: Arjuna.

Prabhupada: You know the principles?

Andy: Yes. No gambling, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication.

Prabhupada: Yes. Your name is Arjuna dasa.

Devotees: Jaya.

Jagadisa: Julie? Jagarini.

Prabhupada: You know the rules and regulation? Yes.

Julie: [indistinct]

Prabhupada: So your name is Jagarini. Jagarini-who is always awake; never sleeps. [laughter] Just see. This life is for jagarana. Uttisthata jagrata. Everyone is sleeping, dull, like animal. The animals are sleeping. Although they are running very fast, but according to sastra, they are sleeping because they do not know what is life. So anyone who does not know what is the value of life, he is sleeping.

And one who knows what is the value of life, he is jagrata. The Vedic injunction is this, uttisthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata [Katha Upanisad 1.3.14]: "Now, this time, in human form of life, you become awakened, and the benediction which you have got, utilize it." They do not know. They are just like animals, sleeping. Ignorance. Ignorance is sleeping. Does not know what is the value of life. Come on.

Jagadisa: Hamsa. Hasyapriya.

Prabhupada: What are the rules?

Hamsa: No gambling, no illicit sex, no meat-eating and no intoxication.

Prabhupada: So your name is Hasyapriya, friend of Krsna.

Jagadisa: Bruce. Bruce? Brahma-rupa.

Prabhupada: [to child] You want? You want? Oh, they were not distributed prasadam? All right, wait. [laughter] So what are the rules and regulations?

Bruce: No illicit sex, meat-eating, no intoxications and no gambling.

Prabhupada: Actually or theoretically? [laughter] Thank you. What is his name?

Jagadisa: Brahma-rupa.

Prabhupada: Ah, your name is Brahma-rupa. The impersonalists, they say Brahman has no rupa. We say, "No, there is rupa. That is Krsna." Brahma-rupa. Brahma-rupa dasa.

Jagadisa: Naureen? Nirakula.

Prabhupada: So you know the rules and regulation?

Naureen: No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling and no intoxications.

Prabhupada: Yes. So your name is Nirakula dasi. Nirakula. Akula means one who becomes confused, and nira means not. One who does not become confused; fixed up. Hare Krsna.

Jagadisa: Leon? Loka-saranya.

Prabhupada: What are the rules?

Leon: No gambling, no meat-eating, no illicit sex and no intoxication.

Prabhupada: So your name is Loka-saranya, "one under whose lotus feet everyone takes shelter." That is Krsna. Loka-saranya.

Jagadisa: Rory? Rabindranatha.

Prabhupada: What are the rules?

Rory: No meat-eating, no illicit sex life, no intoxication and no gambling.

Prabhupada: Cigarette allowed? Cigarette?

Rory: No cigarettes.

Prabhupada: That's all right. [laughter]

[aside:] What is that?

Jagadisa: Rabindranatha.

Prabhupada: Rabindranatha.

Jagadisa: Toni? Tusti-dasi. Tusti-dasi.

Prabhupada: So what are the rules?

Toni: No illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxicants.

Prabhupada: Thank you. Your name is Tusti. Tusti means after eating, when you feel satisfaction, that is called tusti. So without eating, you have to become satisfied. [laughter] Hare Krsna.

Jagadisa: Terry? Tirtharthi dasa. Tirtharthi.

Terry: No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication and no gambling.

Prabhupada: So your name is Tirtharthi. Tirtha means great saintly persons. One who is hankering after a great saintly person, he is called tirtharthi. Come on. Hare Krsna. So kirtana next? Chant Hare Krsna.

[devotees chant loudly] [end]