प्रपद्ये गतवानस्मि जीवोऽहं भृशदुःखितः । सोऽहं यः शरणं प्राप्तो मम तस्य यदस्ति च
I surrender, I have come; I am a soul, greatly afflicted; whoever has reached refuge, whatever belongs to me, belongs to him.
सर्वं ताभ्यां तदर्थं हि तद्भोग्यं न ह्यहं मम । इत्यसौ कथितो विप्र मंत्रस्यार्थः समासतः
All is for those two, for their sake; it is for their enjoyment, not mine nor mine alone. Thus, O brāhmaṇa, the meaning of the mantra has been stated in brief.
युगलार्थस्तथा न्यासः प्रपत्तिः शरणागतिः । आत्मार्पणमिमे पंच पर्यायास्ते मयोदिताः
For the sake of the pair, so too are dedication, surrender, seeking refuge, self-offering—these five synonyms have been declared by me.
अयमेव चिंतनीयो दिवानक्तमतंद्रितैः
This alone should be contemplated, day and night, without fatigue.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे वृंदावनमाहात्म्ये एकाशीतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the Pātāla section, in the glory of Vṛndāvana, the eighty-first chapter ends.
शिव उवाच- अथ दीक्षाविधिं वक्ष्ये शृणु नारद तत्त्वतः । श्रवणादेव मुच्येत विना तस्य विधानतः
Śiva said: Now I will explain the method of initiation; listen, Nārada, to the truth. By hearing alone, one is freed, even without its formal procedure.
आविरंच्याज्जगत्सर्वं विज्ञाय नश्वरं बुधः । आध्यात्मिकादि त्रिविध दुःखमेवानुभूय च
Having understood that the entire world, from Brahmā onward, is perishable, the wise one, experiencing the threefold suffering—spiritual and otherwise—
अनित्यत्वाच्च सर्वेषां सुखानां मुनिसत्तम । दुःखपक्षे विनिक्षिप्य तानि तेभ्यो विवर्जितः
And because all pleasures are impermanent, O best of sages, he casts them aside in the realm of sorrow, and remains free from them.
विरज्य संसृतेर्हानौ साधनानि विचिंतयेत् । अनुत्तमसुखस्यापि संप्राप्तौ भृशनिर्वृतः
Renouncing the cycle of existence, he should consider the means for its cessation; even upon attaining supreme happiness, he is deeply content.
नराणां दुष्करत्वं हि विज्ञाय च महामतिः । भृशमार्त्तस्ततो विप्र मां गुरुं शरणं व्रजेत्
Understanding the difficulty for men, the wise one, greatly afflicted, O brāhmaṇa, should approach me, the guru, for refuge.
शांतो विमत्सरः कृष्णे भक्तोऽनन्यप्रयोजनः । अनन्यसाधनः श्रीमान्कामलोभविवर्जितः
Peaceful, free from envy, devoted to Kṛṣṇa with no other aim, relying on no other means, prosperous, free from desire and greed—
श्रीकृष्णरसतत्त्वज्ञः कृष्णमंत्रविदां वरः । कृष्णमंत्राश्रयो नित्यं मंत्रभक्तः सदा शुचिः
Knowing the essence of Kṛṣṇa's delight, foremost among those who know Kṛṣṇa's mantra, always devoted to the Kṛṣṇa mantra, always pure—
सद्धर्मशासकोनित्यं सदाचारनियोजकः । संप्रदायी कृपापूर्णो विरागी गुरुरुच्यते
Constantly teaching true dharma, establishing good conduct, belonging to the tradition, full of compassion, detached—such is called the guru.
एवमादिगुणः प्रायः शुश्रूषुर्गुरुपादयोः । गुरौ नितांतभक्तश्च मुमुक्षुः शिष्य उच्यते
With such qualities, mostly, the disciple serves at the guru's feet; one who is ever devoted to the guru, desiring liberation, is called the disciple.
यत्साक्षात्सेवनं तस्य प्रेम्णा भागवतो भवेत् । स मोक्षः प्रोच्यते प्राज्ञैर्वेदवेदांगवेदिभिः
Direct service to him, with love, is the way of the devotee; this is called liberation by the wise, who know the Veda and its branches.
आश्रित्य स्वगुरोः पादौ निजवृत्तं निवेदयेत् । स संदेहानपाकृत्य बोधयित्वा पुनः पुनः
Taking refuge at his own guru's feet, he should declare his conduct; the guru, removing all doubts, instructs him again and again.
स्वपादप्रणतं शांतं शुश्रूषुं निजपादयोः । अतिहृष्टमनाः शिष्यं मनुमध्यापयेत्परम्
Let the teacher instruct the disciple, who is calm, devoted, eager to serve at his feet, and has bowed before him, with a mind filled with great joy.
चंदनेन मृदा वापि विलिखेद्बाहुमूलयोः । वामदक्षिणयोर्विप्र शंखचक्रे यथाक्रमम्
With sandal paste or clay, let him mark the bases of the disciple’s arms, O brāhmaṇa, with the conch and discus, on the left and right respectively, in due order.
ऊर्द्ध्वपुंड्रं ततः कुर्याद्भालादिषु विधानतः । ततोमंत्रद्वयं तस्य दक्षकर्णे विनिर्दिशेत्
Then, he should make the vertical mark (ūrdhva-puṇḍra) on the forehead and other prescribed places; after that, he should recite the two mantras into the disciple’s right ear.
मंत्रार्थं च वदेत्तस्मै यथावदनुपूर्वशः । दासशब्दयुतं नाम धार्यं तस्य प्रयत्नतः
He should explain the meaning of the mantra to him, properly and in sequence; the disciple must carefully bear a name that includes the word 'servant.'
ततोऽतिभक्त्या सस्नेहं वैष्णवान्भोजयेद्बुधः । श्रीगुरुं पूजयेच्चापि वस्त्रालंकरणादिभिः
Then, with great devotion and affection, the wise one should feed Vaiṣṇavas, and also worship the revered teacher with garments, ornaments, and the like.
सर्वस्वं गुरवे दद्यात्तदर्द्धं वा महामुने । स्वदेहमपि निक्षिप्य गुरौ स्थेयमकिंचनैः
One should give everything to the teacher, or at least half, O great sage; even one’s own body should be surrendered to the teacher, remaining without possessions.
य एतैः पंचभिर्विद्वान्संस्कारैः संस्कृतो भवेत् । दास्यभागी स कृष्णस्य नान्यथा कल्पकोटिभिः
He who is consecrated by these five sacraments by a learned teacher becomes eligible for service to Kṛṣṇa; not otherwise, even in millions of aeons.
अंकनं चोर्द्ध्वपुंड्रश्च मंत्रो नामविधारणम् । पंचमो याग इत्युक्ताः संस्काराः पूर्वसूरिभिः
Marking, vertical mark, mantra, bearing of a name, and worship—these five sacraments have been declared by the ancient sages.
अंकनं शंखचक्राद्यैः सच्छिद्रं पुंड्रमुच्यते । दासशब्दयुतं नाममंत्रो युगलसंज्ञकः
Marking is called the application of the conch and discus, and the vertical mark is the sacred mark with a split; the name must include the word 'servant,' and the mantra is known as the pair of mantras.
गुरुवैष्णवयोः पूजा याग इत्यभिधीयते । एते परमसंस्कारा मया ते परिकीर्तिताः
The worship of the teacher and the Vaiṣṇavas is called 'worship'; these supreme sacraments have been described to you by me.
अथ तुभ्यं प्रपन्नानां धर्मान्वक्ष्यामि नारद । यानास्थाय गमिष्यंति हरिधाम नराः कलौ
Now, O Nārada, I shall tell you the duties of those who have surrendered, by which men in the age of Kali will attain the abode of Hari.
इत्थं गुरोर्लब्धमंत्रो गुरुभक्तिपरायणः । सेवमानो गुरुं नित्यं तत्कृपां भावयेत्सुधीः
Thus, having received the mantra from the teacher, being devoted to the teacher, the wise one should always serve the teacher and contemplate his grace.
सतां धर्मां स्ततः शिक्षेत्प्रपन्नानां विशेषतः । स्वेष्टदेवधिया नित्यं वैष्णवान्परितोषयेत्
He should then learn the duties of the virtuous, especially those of the surrendered, and always please the Vaiṣṇavas with devotion to his chosen deity.
ताडनं भर्त्सनं कामिभोग्यत्वेन यथा स्त्रियः । गृह्णंति वैष्णवानां च तत्तद्ग्राह्यं तथा बुधैः
Just as women accept beating, rebuke, and being treated as objects of enjoyment by those they desire, so too should the wise accept whatever comes from Vaiṣṇavas.