There was one doubt that was plaguing me. I had always been taught when I was first joining that the parampara is like a link, a chain. If you don't have the perfect link, if you are not initiated - you really can not go back to the spiritual world. I presented this question to Prabhupada.

 

I followed Srila Prabhupada from Rupa Gosvami's Samadhi back into the courtyard, and just before Srila Prabhupada took the steps, in the courtyard, I said 'We are distributing so many books but if people who read them are not initiated then they can not go back to home, to the spiritual world.' And Prabhupada turned and looked at me right in the eyes and he said "Just by reading my books they are initiated". (Vaikunthanatha Dasa)