Text 208] The Later Pastimes of Lord Caitanya 125
TEXT 208
SHS CRS Fat AT HP? HATTA’ |
CHD BIG, COAT CHD FICE CAA TA Rob tl
ji haite dunhara nama ‘rdpa’ ‘sandtana’
dainya chada, tomara dainye phate mora mana
SYNONYMS
aji haite—from this day; dunhdara—of both of you; néma—these names;
rdpa—Sri Ripa; sandtana—Srt Sanatana; dainya chéda—give up your
humility; tomaéra—your; dainye—humility; phate—breaks; mora—My;
mana—heart.
TRANSLATION
“My dear Sakara Mallika, from this day your names will be changed to
Srila Ripa and Srila Sanatana. Now please abandon your humility, for My
heart is breaking to see you so humble.
PURPORT
Actually this is $ri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s initiation of Dabira Khasa and
Sakara Mallika. They approached the Lord with all humility, and the Lord ac-
cepted them as old servants, as eternal servants, and He changed their
names. It is to be understood from this that it is essential for a disciple to
change his name after initiation.
sankha-cakraédy-Urdhva-pundra-
dharanady-adtma-laksanam
tan ndma-karanam caiva
vaisnavatvam ihocyate
‘After initiation, the disciple’s name must be changed to indicate that he is a
servant of Lord Visnu. The disciple should also immediately begin marking his
body with tilaka (Grdhva-pundra), especially his forehead. These are spiritual
marks, symptoms of a perfect Vaisnava.” This is a verse from the Padma
Purana, Uttara-khanda. A member of the sahajiya-sampradaya does not
change his name; therefore he cannot be accepted as a Gaudlya Vaisnava. If
a person does not change his name after initiation, it is to be understood that
he will continue in his bodily conception of life.
