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Notes on names

Notes on spiritual names

Devotees usually receive a spiritual name from their guru at initiation, consisting of a name of Krishna, a great devotee of Krishna, or an aspect of the spiritual world, coupled with "Das". Devotees usually also have a different legal name. Some devotees, for example second-generation devotees, may have a spiritual legal name because their parent gave them one. Gurus usually give a spiritual name related to a devotees legal name, at least the first letter, for example "Melanie" could be initiated as "Manjula Dasi".

"Das" means servant. "Dasa" is the masculine, and "Dasi" is the feminine. "Dasa" is pronounced "Das". Sometimes devotees use "Das", sometimes "das", and sometimes "dasa" or "dasi".

So, all devotees are named as servants of Krishna, or servants of servants of Krishna. If you are writing an article, and wish to shorten a devotee's name, it is clearer to use their first name rather than "Das" - all devotees are 'someone Das', so to refer to just "Das" is rather like referring to someone as just "Mr". Devotees usually address each other as "Prabhu" (master), by first name, or both first name then "prabhu". Women are usually referred to as "Mataji" (honoured mother), or as "Mother" then first name.

"Swami" also means master, but is more honourific than "prabhu", and is the title given to sannyasis (advanced renunciates). Sannyasis are also often addressed as "Maharaja" (literally 'great king').

In formal communications, devotees names are preceded by "His/Her Grace". Gurus and sannyasis names are prefixed by "His Holiness" (female gurus are rare). Single male monks' names are sometimes suffixed by "bramachari", and married men by "adhikari" to denote their ashram (stage in life).