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I suppose Sanatan Gosvami didn't know what the formal ritual means, but you probably don't know who he was.

I was around when Prabupada was and know for certain what he taught us, people like you come along a decade or two later and take a few letters he sent to people and think that was his primary instruction. If you have ever read his books you would know, Prabupada was part of an unbroken disciplic and supported that over and over again. This is too funny, I won't waste my time with such a baffoon. I'm sorry but your understanding of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a complete fabrication.

You don't know what your taking about and I bet anything your somewhat of a newcomer and certainly have never spent time in India. "Prabhupada has said unambigously and definitely that formal diksa is unnecessary" That is completely 100% false, and my Guru Srila Prabupada, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, Bhaktivinode Thakur and the Gosvamis themselves disagree with you as well, the proof is in Prabupadas books over and over again as well as Hari Bhakti vilasa itself (maybe that means nothing to you). You take a few statements Prabupada made to certain people and twist them and say they are applicable to people in general, very offensive really. Again I ask you, how long have you been involved in Gaudiya Vaishnavism? ♣♣♣

"not necessary" was Prabupadas instruction for George Harrison, not you or people in general coming to Krishna Counsciousness at all. Prabupada followed the system of Guru Parampara (and stressed it's importance over and over again) as is followed not only in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, but also in every other tradition in India be it Shiava, Vaishnava, Smarta etc. Prabupada often quoted the famous verse from Padma purana: sampradayavihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: "Mantras which are not received in sampradaya are considered fruitless.Unless one is initiated by a bona-fide spiritual master in the disciplic succession, the mantra he might have received is without any effect." Now we know that chanting Hari nam without diksha will bring one to a certain point, give some taste indeed. But initiation from a proper preceptor is without doubt of the upmost importance and to minimize that is making up your own philosophy and against the teachings of the Gaudiya Sampradaya and certainly not in accordance with the teachings of the Gosvamis, in particular Sanatan Gosvami and Hari Bhakti vilasa. ♣♣♣

How long have you been involved in Gaudiya Vaishnavism..?

"cbrahma gave the quote earlier that initiation does not depend on formality and another member gave the example of George Harrison. These two are great examples of initiation of the heart" Thing is George never got close to any kind of nishta really, he was into many different things spititually, sometimes into Krishna other times into SRF and again TM and other things. He was like a good life member. Iskcon Devotees idealize him as some special devotee (almost demi-god) when in fact he was a celebrity who gave some support and brought attention to the devotees with his celebrity status. However, George was a bit naive about certain aspects of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Don't get me wrong, he was a very spiritual person, I loved him immensely, it was his songs and devotion that brought me to Gaudiya vaishnavism. Perhaps because he never accepted proper diksha his bhajan never crystalized to the point of nistha? ♣♣♣

I'm not laughing with you..

"formal diksa is not necessary" LOL