We have to execute tapasya, austerity, to purify. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). So it is not a formality. It is a process to become free from this material bondage and go back home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). We should be very serious, not that to take initiation as a matter of fashion, but it should be very carefully and seriously done. (break) Human life is meant for this purpose: athāto brahma jijñāsā. If you do not inquire about Brahman, if you simply inquire, "Where is food? Where is sense gratification . . .?" The whole world is going like that. Anywhere you go, the inquiry is, "Where is sense gratification?" "Where is sex?" "Where is safety," and "Where is eating?" This is the inquiry generally. The cats, dogs, birds, beast—everyone is inquiring like that. In the morning you'll find the birds are chirping: "Now it is morning. Where we have to go to have our necessities of life?" This is the inquiry of this material body. But when you get this human form of body, the inquiry should be different. (aside:) Explain this. (Gaura-Govinda translates) (break)
So Narottama das Ṭhākura sings,
- hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu
- manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā
- jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu
So we should always remember this song of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He is ācārya. He's guru. Ācāryopāsanam. Ācārya upāsanā is one of the process of making progress. So this song is very important.