What does the term “diikśá” mean? During the DMC discourse in Madras, I said that the Saḿskrta word “diikśá” and the English word “initiation”, do not have quite the same meaning. But as there is no exact English equivalent for diikśá, the word “initiation” is generally, used. According to the scriptural meaning, diikśá is derived from “dii” and “kśa”. Dii is the first letter of the word “diipajiṋána” (light of knowledge) and kśa is the first letter of “kśayam” (exhaustion of saḿskaras).

Diipajiṋánaḿ yato dadyát kurhát pápakśayaḿ tatah
Tasmát diikśeti sá proktá sarvatantrasya samnata.

Diikśá is the process which leads to the attainment of the light of knowledge and the exhaustion of accumulated saḿskaras. There is no difference of opinion amongst the different schools of Tantra on this point. Suppose you have to travel to a certain place in the dark along a path strewn with sharp stones and boulders. If you attempt to take even one step forward you might fall down and injure yourself. So, you should take a lamp with you. This is called “diipajiṋánam”. When people are given dikśa they gain momentum to move along the spiritual path through mantra caetanya (conceptual understanding of the psychic meaning of mantra) and mantraghat (striking by incantation). All human beings possess a set of saḿskáras. When they receive dikśa according to their saḿskáras, mantraghat occurs. That is, the incantation strikes at the sleeping divinity (kulakuńd́alinii or coiled serpentine) and arouses it. This results in the aspirant’s spiritual progress. People cannot make any spiritual progress prior to initiation due to a lack of diipajiṋánam. “Dii” is the first letter of diipajiṋánam, and [[the second is [the “kśa” letter of] pápakśayam.]] Pápa means “saḿskaras” and kśayam means “exhaustion”.

What do we mean by the exhaustion of saḿskáras? According to natural law, each action has an equal and opposite reaction provided the three fundamental factors of time, place and person remain unchanged. However, there is almost always a change in these relative factors. Hence, an action does not always have an equal and opposite reaction. Suppose you have borrowed a thousand rupees from someone. If you return the money after a few months or even after a few years, you will have to pay some interest. If you return the loan immediately, however, there is no change in time, place and person and you will only have to return the original amount. If an action’s reaction is immediate, it will be equal and opposite. But if the reaction occurs after a change in time, place or person, its magnitude will increase. Some people suffer the reaction immediately, some after two years, some after one hundred years, and some after twenty lifetimes. The more the delay, the greater the reaction. That is, some “interest” will have to be added to the reaction of the original action. This is the natural law.

Nábhuktaḿ kśiiyate karma kalpakot́i shátaerapi;
Avashyameva bhoktavyaḿ krtaḿ karma shubhá shubham.
Yávanna kśiiyate karma shubhaḿ cá shubhamaeva ca;
Távanna jáyate mokśo nrńáḿ kalpa shataerapi.
Yathá laohamayaerpáshaeh páshaeh svarńamayaerapi;
Tathá baddho bhavejjiivo karmá bhishcá shubhaershubhaeh.

But when this is the law, how does initiation lead to the exhaustion of one’s accumulated saḿskáras? Everyone has to carry the load of his or her saḿskáras. Now, if the reactions of one’s actions occur quickly, one will not have to carry the load for a long period – the mind will not be burdened for long. People will experience mental peace and will advance happily along the path of life. After learning sádhana, even if there is a change in the relative factors of time, place and person, the payment of extra “interest” will not be necessary. That is, the reactions will be equal and opposite to the original actions. What is the reason for this? Another of Parama Puruśa’s names is Hari. What is the meaning of Hari? “Harati pápáni ityarthe”. One who steals one’s pápa (here pápa means “saḿskáras”) is called Hari. But why should Parama Puruśa steal anything? He already has everything. He does not need anything from anyone. Yet Parama Puruśa steals from His devotees – not directly but indirectly. This is a sorrowful matter as it goes against the principle of asteya, which tells us to refrain from theft. Parama Puruśa Himself steals. How shameful! How deplorable! Actually, He is compelled to steal. Why? He steals because He dearly loves His devotees.

In this world it is almost impossible to find people who have never committed sins in their lives. Whether one is a confirmed thief or a petty thief, whether one is a pátakii, an atipátakii or a mahapátakii, one should not worry, as all are equal in the eyes of Parama Puruśa. All belong to Him, all are sitting on His lap. No one is different from Him. Even the worst sinners on whom society spits are not an object of hatred for Parama Puruśa. They, too, are His dear children. He cannot hate anyone. He desires the spiritual progress of all. Society may declare that women are not entitled to do certain things and should not enjoy certain rights, but should remain confined within four walls. In this way society lays down different injunctions for different individuals. But Parama Puruśa does not discriminate in this way : His daughters are as worthy of love as His sons. When a father plays with his children he does not differentiate between his son and daughter. He takes both on his lap. Both are treated equally. But today’s society is a villain which continues to exploit women.

In the eyes of Parama Puruśa all are equal. One who has become an ardent spiritual devotee of Parama Puruśa today may have been a wicked person in the past. Parama Puruśa will think how His devotees may get final liberation from the burden of their accumulated saḿskaras. He is bound to think in this way. After all, it is the duty of a father to think about the future of his children. So Parama Puruśa says to His devotees, “Just see how difficult it is for you to carry such a heavy load of saḿskaras. You are small children. The load weighs more than you. How long will you be able to carry such a burden? You have accumulated so many saḿskaras that you will have to carry the load for many lives, for thousands of years. One life will certainly be insufficient. So I have a proposition. Give me the entire load of your accumulated saḿskaras. I will carry it for you”.

The devotees reply, “How can we possibly give our heavy burden to You? No, we must carry the load ourselves. We will sing songs and dance for you, but We will never give you such a heavy load of sins”.

But Parama Puruśa knows that His dear devotees cannot carry such a heavy load of sins. If they do not give away the load it will be a constant strain for them. So what does Parama Puruśa do in such circumstances? He takes their sins without their permission. If someone takes things from others without their permission, what is it called? It is called theft. Thus, as Parama Puruśa takes the load of sins from the devotees without their permission, He is certainly a thief “Harati pápah yah sah Harih.” One who steals others sins is called Hari. So, one of His names is Hari.

To receive diikśá means to come into the shelter of Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Father. It is the mandatory duty of the Supreme Father to steal the saḿskáras of His favourite children. Hence it is said, “Kuryát Pápakśayaḿ tatah”. That is, after receiving diikśá one’s load of accumulated saḿskáras gets exhausted. So diikśá is a must for everyone. This is why the scriptures place so much importance on diikśá.