Initiation begins true spiritual life through purity, chanting, and surrender to Krishna's guiding light.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Prabhupāda: [prema-dhvani prayers] ...Śrī advaita-gadādhara-śrīvāsādi gaura bhakta vṛnda ki jaya. Śrī Śrī rādhā-kṛṣṇa gopa gopīnātha śyāma-kuṇḍa rādhā-kuṇḍa giri-goverdhana ki jaya. Vṛndāvana dhāma ki jaya. Rādha-madana-mohana ki jaya, samaveta bhaktavṛnda ki jaya. All glories to the assembled devotees.
All glories to the assembled devotees. Thank you very much.] Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda: So this morning we are having initiation ceremony for some devotees. The initiation means beginning. The Sanskrit name is dīkṣā.
Dīkṣā, divya-jñānaṁ kṣapayati iti dīkṣā. Initiation, beginning of spiritual life. This is the Vedic function. Every human being must be initiated in Vedic culture, to make his life fulfilled, successful, because we are born animals.
Animal means one who does not know except four things: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. These are animal life. So a dog is interested in eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, and if the man also remains in the same platform—eating, sleeping, sex life and defense—then he is no better than dog. Human beings, from this dog platform, can be raised to God platform.
That is possible. And human life is meant for that purpose. Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, athāto brahma-jijñāsā. Human life is meant for inquiring about Brahman, the Absolute Truth.
So this brahma-jijñāsā, if one is actually interested in brahma-jijñāsā, then he requires a guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12(1)]. If one is actually interested. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. So guru is required for one who is actually interested in the highest status of life.
Those who are like cats and dogs, they do not require guru. A dog does not require. He knows very well how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend. That does not require any guru.