image credit: Cidānandanāthar “Sir” of Guhānandamaṇḍali
In the thirty-fourth verse of his Cidvilāsastava (‘Hymn to the Play of Consciousness’), Amṛtānanda teaches about the inner meaning of dīkṣā (initiation) as follows:
दीयते परशिवैक्यभावना क्षीयते सकलपापसंचयः ।
येन चिज्जलधिपारसेतुना दीक्षणं गुरुकटाक्षवीक्षणम् ॥ ३४ ॥
dīyate paraśivaikyabhāvanā kṣīyate sakalapāpasaṃcayaḥ |
yena cijjaladhipārasetunā dīkṣaṇaṃ gurukaṭākṣavīkṣaṇam || 34 ||
“The rite of initiation, [which is ultimately nothing but the] sudden glance of the Guru, is a bridge over the ocean of Consciousness that bestows (dīyate) meditation on one’s unity with Supreme Śiva and dissolves (kṣīyate) the entire mass of negativities.” (translation by Ben Williams)
