Srila Prabhupada Ashraya

The Hare Krishna Cultural Centre organizes the Ashraya Program to gradually advance devotees in their devotional practices, spanning from preliminary to advanced levels. The Srila Prabhupada Ashraya Program is conducted twice a year, providing a convenient opportunity for all participants. Devotees must register in advance and adhere to the program guidelines to successfully move forward through the various Ashraya levels.

Srila Prabhupada explains

In the human form of life therefore, in every society, the system is that the children are sent to school, colleges, to understand things. Similarly, for spiritual understanding,

tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet

samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham

(MU 1.2.12)

Abhigacchet means one must. There is no alternative. One cannot say "I'll..., I may not go." No, if you do not go, then you are cheated. That is our Vaishnava system. Ādau gurvāśrayam. (Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972)

To come to this platform of confidence or Krishna consciousness, there is training. That training is called viddhi-mārga, regulative principles, following the regulative principles. We are in the egg, within the shell of ignorance. When we come out from the shell of ignorance, that is our second birth. The first birth is by father and mother, and the second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. There is also mother. The Vedic knowledge is mother, and the spiritual master is the father. So saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. The spiritual master trains the student gradually. That is called initiation.

The following are the different levels of commitment and standards of devotional service that you can practice at home while carrying out your normal activities. You can choose the level and standard that you can most comfortably practice, and Hare Krishna Movement Jaipur will offer you guidance and inspiration to practice at that level and help you to gradually reach higher and higher standards.

Levels of Srila Prabhupada Ashraya Program!

1. Srila Prabhupada SHRADDHAVAN (Everyday 1 Round Chanting)
2. Srila Prabhupada SEVAKA (Everyday 4 Round Chanting)
3. Srila Prabhupada SADHAKA (Everyday 8 round Chanting)
4. Srila Prabhupada VANDANA (Everyday 12 Round Chanting)
5. Srila Prabhupada UPASAKA ASHRAYA (Everyday 16 Round Chanting)
6. Srila Prabhupada CHARANASHRAYA (Everyday 16 Round Chanting)
7. Harinam Diksha (Everyday 16 Round Chanting)

At each level of the Srila Prabhupada Ashraya Program, it is imperative for participants to chant a specific number of Hare Krishna Maha Mantras on beads, along with adhering to other rules and regulations. These rules are methodically tailored according to the Ashraya level to ensure that devotees progress gradually and steadily in their devotional practices. Each Ashraya level must be practiced for a specified period of time before moving on to the next level of Ashraya.