Diksha.

 By Chinnajeeyar swamy 14.3.22

People take on a di:ksha to build internal strength and help attain their goals. Some di:kshas are for a duration of 1 week, 15 days, 18 days, 27 days, or 40 days, etc. The most common duration for di:ksha is 40 days and is called mandala di:ksha.

If the duration is short-term, both the resulting strength and the attained goal live temporarily. If you are looking for an ever-lasting strength and ever fulfilling goal, then you need a di:ksha that is life-long.

It is called Vyshnava Di:ksha or Pancha Samska:ra Di:ksha where one is qualified through a guru to heartfully believe in Lord as Sri Maha Vishnu, the ultimate protector, bond with him in every way, identify himself as Lord’s belonging by imprinting sankha and chakra marks on the shoulders, chant Lord’s name, always meditate on His form in his heart.

The secret to leading a life-long di:ksha is revealed by our a:cha:ryas in their teachings in a very beautiful way that elevates a person’s thought allowing every activity to be completed in a much more balanced and better way.

One who takes on this di:ksha conducts a ya:ga called ma:nasa ya:ga throughout their life-time without having to disrupt any of their activities.

Any ya:ga has a few components such as kunda (fireplace for sacred offerings), agni (fire), ho:tha (one who is offering), ladles, ghee, manthra.

The activity can be anything including and not limited to taking care of your children or working or even entertainment. Offer it to Lord through this ma:nasa ya:ga and you have realised yourself to be a tool in the hands of God in His creation.

Until you take up this di:ksha, you will be doing something that does not meet your natural state and thus bind yourself to karma. You end up taking births in different bodies over and over in an ever-ending cycle. You can step out of this cycle only with the grace of Lord. The step that makes you ready for accepting His grace is called Vyshnava Di:ksha, a di:ksha that prepares you for the ultimate goal. Vyshnavas are therefore respected by Yama at the time of their death, i.e. leaving the current body in the path to God.