This initiation does not mean . . . of course, this chanting will save you, only chanting. But if you read some literatures also, and the philosophy also, then it will be more and more convincing that you are making progress. And in the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā you will find that this is the process by which you can understand practically whether you are making actually progress in spiritual life. Pratyakṣam avagamaṁ dharmyam (BG 9.2). This bhakti-yoga system is so nice that one can directly understand how he is making progress, and very quickly. That's a fact. All of our students who have taken to this process, within very short time they are realizing that actually they are making some progress. Therefore they are sticking to the principles and going on.
So my request to you all who are going to be initiated, that you keep always yourself in contact with this chanting, and that will make you, I mean to say, able to be always purified, śuci. Material contamination cannot . . . and you avoid these four principles: illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication of all description. Intoxication does not mean simply liquor.
Intoxication means even tea-drinking. Tea is also intoxication, in slight degree. Tea, coffee, cigarette—everything should be avoided. In India they chew pān. So these things are to be given up, intoxication group, and meat-eating group. Then you make very quickly progress, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). After leaving this body, one hasn't got to take another material body and suffer. So long we have got this material body, we have to suffer the material pangs. There cannot be any adjustment.
So if anyone is serious for ending all troubles . . . everyone wants to live peacefully and happily. That is natural, because spirit soul is ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12): by nature joyful. He wants to keep himself joyful, but he does not know how eternal joyful life can be attained. That is spiritual life. You cannot become joyful by material adjustment. No. You may be joyful for the time being by drinking or by intoxication, but how long? So long the intoxication influence is there, you may feel something. That is artificially. But that is not actually the state of joyfulness. A real state of joyfulness is to be situated in spiritual life, and when you (are) actually in the spiritual kingdom, then you become sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), eternal life, joyful life, blissful life, with full knowledge.
So on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to distribute this knowledge at least in this part of the world. Now, those who are fortunate, they will take it and be benefited. Our business is to distribute. Now it is up to you. Every individual soul is independent. He may accept or may not accept. That depends on him. But if he accepts, it is good for him. Otherwise, he may make his choice. Kṛṣṇa never . . . God never interferes with your independence. No. He will never do that. Then what is the meaning of living being? The dull matter, it has no independence. Even it is a big mountain or big thing, it has no independence. It will stand still. But a small ant, even a microbe, it has got independence, because it is living creature.
So God has made you or given you little independence. That independence does not mean that you shall misuse it. You shall use it properly. And what is that proper use? To be engaged in His loving service. Just like you citizens of this German state, what you are meant for? You are meant for rendering service to the state. Similarly, the whole . . . this is a small state. America is a small . . . or this planet is a small state. But there is a huge state which is called the cosmic manifestation. That state belongs to Kṛṣṇa, or God.
So naturally, you have to render service to the supreme state, supreme will. Then it is all right. Your independence is there. So long you are rendering service to the state properly, your independence as citizen is there. But as soon as you rebel against the state, your independence is gone. Similarly, our this conditioned life is due to our rebellious condition towards God. And as soon as we agree surrender and be one with Him by transcendental loving service, the whole thing becomes adjusted.
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to teach people and to give them practical suggestion and help to come to that stage those who are fortunate they'll take advantage of it otherwise we shall of course go on canvassing for this business. That's all.