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I am speaking for the benefit of new people. Let me say a few words about Mantra Dīkṣā. How can you know if you are ready? What does it mean to be ready? First, you should know that you want to walk the spiritual path. Second, you must know that you want to practice yoga, and that this is your life decision. You have to be certain that you truly wish to practice yoga and that this is your life—a determination that directs your entire existence. Then, speak with your yoga teacher. What does it mean to receive a mantra? To receive a mantra means you are going to choose your spiritual leader or guru. "Guru" means teacher, and teacher means guru. "Guru" is a Sanskrit word for the teacher or the master. A teacher instructs; they need not be perfect. Intellectually, they can teach you. A master means one who is perfect in the subject. So, you receive a mantra from that person whom you genuinely accept, both by heart and by intellect, as someone who can be your guru for life—your spiritual guide, not only in this life but in astral form as well. When you are sure, then you should ask for a mantra, and then you receive it. A mantra is not only for one weekend, one year, or two years, after which you say, "Oh, I don't need this." You can have any mantra, like those for peace or prayers; these are also mantras. Therefore, you must first be sure that this is what you want. Then, according to my teaching, you also have to turn your life to vegetarianism. We do not want to kill any animals for our eating, following ahiṃsā, non-violence. I would offer my life for the sake of adhering to this non-violent, vegetarian principle. First, you must be sure this is what you want. Then you receive the mantra. Then you must be ready to adopt a vegetarian way of life, in accordance with my teaching. We do not wish to cause death to any animal. Also, ensure there is mutual understanding with your husband or wife, that there is no fighting. This means it is your decision and lifelong commitment. You must be sure you want to have a mantra, for instance, from me. Then, okay. But you should know I am not an easy person. I am a very hard person, a very difficult person. My God, one day you will say, "Oh God, why did I choose this master?" Yet, we are all under the protection, the umbrella of our spiritual release. As Mr. Sarma said yesterday, there are no words to describe the glory of Mahāprabhujī, Gurujī. I can only tell you that it must have been great karma in a past life that we came under this shelter. Therefore, think it over peacefully. Take your time. Once I told Gurujī that a bhakta should think over peacefully if he or she wants a mantra, and could receive it next time. So Gurujī told me a story. Gurujī was in Ahmedabad. There was an officer, nearly like a minister—a commissioner. By religion, he was a Mohammedan. Gurujī was passing by his office, his residence. Gurujī always liked to walk, so he was walking by his residence and became thirsty. He decided to go in, drink water, and sit. As you heard from Mr. Sharma yesterday, Gurujī was a personality known to everybody. In Indian bureaucracy, officers have big residences with gardens provided by the government. Gurujī entered the residence. In front of a big, nice garden, Gurujī wanted to sit. The people in the commissioner's house called the servants—peons, government workers. They quickly brought a nice chair and table for Gurujī, and he was getting water. That commissioner, who was eating his lunch, heard Gurujī was there. He quickly got up, washed his hands, came out, touched Gurujī's feet completely, and made a praṇām. Gurujī said, "No, no, first you should finish your meal, then you should come. I'm not going; I would have waited for you." And that Kāmeśda answered, "Gurujī, this jīva has been eating for many, many lives, constantly. I know that you would not have gone without blessing me. You would have waited. But one thing I don't know: if I would have suddenly died, then I would not have had the privilege of greeting you and receiving your blessing. Being unsure when my breath will stop, and that I might not be able to receive your blessing, is why I stopped eating and came to greet you." Gurujī told me this story, and it is also written in the Līlāmṛt. Therefore, Gurujī said, "Don't let bhaktas wait for next time." Still, I said to Gurujī, the Western mentality is different. In the West, nothing is sure. You never know when a disciple will just disappear. You never know when a husband will not come home anymore. This is the situation in this modern world, in this part of the world. When a woman leaves the house for the office, she is not sure if, upon returning, she will find her husband or a letter that says, "Darling, I love you, but we can't understand each other. Therefore, I have decided to be alone or go somewhere else. Thank you, and have a good time, darling. Bye-bye." Lost and gone forever. If a woman goes to work, when she gets home, she may not find her husband. Instead, she might find a letter saying, "I love you very much, but we don't understand each other. I'm leaving," or "I'm alone," or "I'm leaving because I've chosen someone else." And with that, we can say it is forever. There is a situation today, in this part of the world, that when a woman goes to work in the morning, she cannot be sure her husband will be there when she returns. It can happen that a letter comes saying, "Dear, I love you, but we cannot understand each other, and that is why I am leaving. I will live somewhere else. I wish you all the best, with God." Gurujī gave me another example. When a farmer goes to his field to sow seeds, he knows that not every seed will grow. But still, it is his duty to put the seeds in. So Mahāprabhujī gave you the seeds to go round the world and sow. If it grows, it will grow; if it does not, it will not. There are some seeds that will even grow on rock. I said, "But what about the seeds which will not grow? What is the use of that?" Gurujī said that is very good, because some birds and other creatures will eat them. As a farmer, you should not be greedy. Just throw them, renounce. The Master is always the winner. So I have to say yes. That's it. So always saying yes is very important.