Devotees Residing Within Temple Communities

In addition to satisfying the above requirements, devotees residing in temple communities must, during the one-year preparatory period, regularly attend the full morning program.

 

Devotees Residing Outside of Temple Communities

Devotees who do not live in a temple community and who cannot come daily to the temple programs may be initiated provided they have regular morning programs at home or attend regular morning programs at the Nama-hatta center.

Pass Examination

Before a devotee can be permitted to formally take shelter of a particular ISKCON spiritual master and be subsequently recommended for initiation, he or she must demonstrate a basic understanding of Srila Prabhupada's teachings by answering an oral or written test administered by the Temple President or other recommending authority. The questions to be answered are:

 

1. What are the qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master?

2. Why are you convinced to follow the orders of the spiritual master in this life, and even life after life?

3. Why does one worship the spiritual master like God?

4. Do you believe the spiritual master speaks the Absolute Truth? If so, why?

5. Under what circumstances should the spiritual master be rejected?

6. What are the qualifications and responsibilities of a disciple?

7. What is the unique position of Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON?

8. Why do you accept Lord Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

9. Why do we follow the four regulative principles?

10. Why do we chant Hare Krsna?

11. What is the position of the GBC Body?

12. Explain the difference between the body and the self.

13. What is ISKCON, and why should one remain in ISKCON?

14. Have you read the paper “Harmonizing ISKCON’s Lines of Authority”?

15. What have you understood as the most important points of the “Harmonizing ISKCON’s Lines of Authority” paper?

16. Have you read GBC Resolution 303/2013: “GBC Statement on the Position of Srila Prabhupada?”

 

Change of Prospective Guru

Sometimes a candidate for initiation who had formally accepted shelter from one spiritual master as a prospective initiating guru may subsequently decide to change to another. Such a candidate must communicate this change to the former prospective spiritual master, new prospective spiritual master, and local Temple President. The candidate must also remain fixed under the shelter of the newly proposed initiating guru for six continuous months prior to receiving initiation, starting from the time of newly accepting formal shelter.

Procedure of Formal Recommendation

This formal recommendation process is not intended to replace or overshadow the (more important) need for other regular contact among the various ISKCON devotees guiding the candidate and his prospective spiritual master regarding the spiritual progress of the candidate. Furthermore, the prospective spiritual master is under no obligation to initiate a devotee because a proper recommendation has been given.

Guru Receives Recommendation in Writing

Before a candidate can receive first initiation, his prospective guru must receive a formal written recommendation from the appropriate ISKCON spiritual authority, as determined by the candidate's situation.

 

Contents of Recommendation

The recommendation of the recommending ISKCON authority must certify that the candidate has fulfilled the qualifications for initiation to the best of his understanding. The recommending authority must specifically attest that the candidate has been engaged in favorable devotional service, has chanted sixteen rounds of japa daily, has adhered to the four regulative principles, and has regularly attended a morning program, all for the previous twelve months.

The recommender must also attest that the candidate is sufficiently knowledgeable in the philosophy of Krsna consciousness and in the structure and purpose of ISKCON to have passed the prescribed examination, and that he has accepted shelter of the guru for at least six months.