Question: I have a question regarding initiation names. Usually initiation names are given as Krishna/Devotee’s Das for Male devotees and Radharani/Devotee’s Dasi for Female Devotee’s. Does this name have any special significance apart from indicating being Servant of Krishna/Radharani/devotee? Also, during discussion with a devotee, this question came up, if the name is eternal (indicating the servant of the particular form/feature of the lord/devotee)- the female devotees will all be female forms in the spiritual world(Dasi) and male devotee’s will all be male forms(Das) ? Or is the name suggestive of purification process (devotional service) that needs to be undertaken by the devotee identifying with that designation (name), and real liberation entails revealing the actual name/features of the devotee in relation to the Lord? Please help me to understand this properly.
Answer by Romapada Swami: Initiation name is not intended to identify our original spiritual name, as a general rule. The purpose of giving an initiated name as a name of Krsna or Radharani or Their devotees followed by das/dasi, is meant to remind us of our eternal position, of who we are – servants of God. Receiving a particular name may help the devotee remember the Lord in a particular feature, which ultimately comes from Krsna.
