"It is sometimes said that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu disapproved of the acceptance of the sannyāsa order in this Kali-yuga because in the śāstra it is said:
aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam
devareṇa sutotpattiṁ kalau pañca vivarjayet
[Cc. Ādi 17.164]
“In this Age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyāsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.” (Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, Kṛṣṇa-janma-khaṇḍa 185.180)
Nevertheless, we see that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself accepted sannyāsa and approved of the sannyāsa of His elder brother, Viśvarūpa. It is clearly said here, bhāla haila,—viśvarūpa sannyāsa karila pitṛ-kula, mātṛ-kula,—dui uddhārila. Therefore, should it be thought that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made statements that are contradictory? No, actually He did not. It is recommended that one accept sannyāsa to dedicate his life for the service of the Lord, and everyone must take that kind of sannyāsa, for by accepting such sannyāsa one renders the best service to both his paternal and maternal families. But one should not accept the sannyāsa order of the Māyāvāda school, which has practically no meaning. We find many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs simply loitering in the street thinking themselves Brahman or Nārāyaṇa and spending all day and night begging so they can fill their hungry bellies. Māyāvādī sannyāsīs have become so degraded that there is a section of them who eat everything, just like hogs and dogs. It is such degraded sannyāsa that is prohibited in this age. Actually, Śrīla Śaṅkarācārya’s principles for the acceptance of sannyāsa were very strict, but later the so-called Māyāvādī sannyāsīs became degraded because of their false philosophy, which propounds that by accepting sannyāsa one becomes Nārāyaṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected that kind of sannyāsa. But the acceptance of sannyāsa is one of the items of the varṇāśrama-dharma. How then can it be rejected?"
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 15.14, Purport)
Comments
Yes, in May 1977, although earlier in Jan. that year in Haridvara /Rishsikesa, he had said emphatically to us, "No more sanyasis!", later in Bhubaneswara he clarified, that ; no more unqualified or very young sannyasis, but that in senior years, every brahmana must take sannyasa.
He also at another time told us that it did not matter who one took sannyasa from so much, as it is an ashrama thing, social thing, that is done by any sannyasi, one need not agree with their philosophy, like getting married one may not agree with the priest, same as with my function for example as one tp here and thus ritvik. Whether i fall down or you go elsewhere, whatever, the ritvik function, such as an initiation or gayatri mantra, is not annulled, as it is between Godhead, Srila Prabhupada, and the disciple as primaries. The ritvik functions as ceremonial and advisor priest.
Yes Prabhu! Prabhupad was just defending our sampradaya allowing sannyasa although it is apparently condemned in the sastra for this age. He states elsewhere:
"One who has renounced everything for serving the Supreme, he is real sannyasa. He may take this dress or not, that doesn't matter. Anyone who has sacrificed his life for service of the Supreme Lord, he's a sannyasi."
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Jaya Suresh Prabhu; Th principle is yukta vairaga ie we are yoked to austerity, ie practical applied devotional activities in loyal dedicated service, and use all things to serve in that vision. This is one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's unique and mature practical gift to mankind.
For example, a householder has a nice car he uses for family services, and his family is devotees, so he is properly using the car in Krsna's services. Another, big sannyasi, he travels by airplane to visit a scientific meeting to express Krsna consciousness; this is also renunciation, as nothing is taken for sense gratification, everything for sankirtana works, with no restrictions. But money to go to Thailand and associate with women, never a farthing ever! A sannyasi to use Laxmi Money for meat-eating and intoxication? Better to die first! The exemplary man will be made to pay many times worse for sins than one who does not pretend to be pure and a leader, and who committs sins. The phony will pay much worse for such duplicity. SB describes that one who committs sins in knowledeg pays worse than one who committs sins out of sheer ignorance. The point is to be engaged in Krsna's service, then everything is alright, if not, then nothing is acceptable.
Srila Prabhupada warns us against mayavada sannyasis, as we are not desiring simple renunciation for the sake of personal liberation, but rather to be 100% engaged in eternal positive spiritual loving activities, based on self-knowledge of eternal identity as jivera svarupa haya, nitya krsna dasa, as taught us by Lord Krsna in Bhagavada Gita.
Suresh Prabhu is kindly exploring what is renunciation. Is it to change the dress and accept all kinds of honors? Is it to now be some big wig in the organization of iscon co? Then it is a joke only! Better never to accept such a farce. Their reward is now, on this earth, all they will get is the material honors and Krsna will not care for their services. But the poor lady devotee alone in her apartment having been thrown out by the cult GBC, she in her mind wishes to give everything, she has nothing, but she wishes she could give something to Krsna. Why, she is the perfect one, she is the sannyasis, she is the devotee! To hell with the big fat abuser pretending to be a devotee and chasing women and money. Is Krsna stupid, that He does not see every single inch and nuance? Is there no justice? Krsna is the most expert cheat. They cannot fool him, every selfish deed will be seen by Krsna and awarded accordingly.
It is said that it is better for a sannyasi to end their useless life by jumping in the Ganga, than to be engaged in even subtle sex life. So anyone thinking of taking sannyasa young must have come to this level of purity, otherwise there will be a falldown. So, it is forbidden. On the other hand, even a simple householder who serves sincerely, she is acting from the platform of renunciation and is safely situated though externally a fallen householder, paca grhasta.
So we have come for spiritual life. To again become embroiled in honors and prestigous position and controlling other devotees; very very dangerous position. Sometimes they get their head cut off, sometimes they try to poison their own best friend and only true well wisher, their guru, for more of this addictive controlling power. On the other hand, the real sannyasi is an ideal and an upholder of the strength of the grhastas, one who sets good example and by good intelligence can show the path laid out by the advanced pure devotee, is an acarya who sets the right example for us all.
Householder life is generally happy, frankly sometimes, and on the whole safe, whereas sannyasa life means constant analysis by others, constant attacks by opposers, constant austerity and self-control. This is a bit unnatural for most humans, and is not recommended at all in this age. Women in particular are not suited generally for sannyasa, and there is no need.We have found that most men also cannot maintain sannyasa, when young especially, so better they should marry, though if one can remain free to serve the spiritual master only, that is very nice.
As Suresh has pointed out, nonetheless Srila Prabhupada created sannyasis in order to push on the sankirtana movement. That many of these field-commissioned officers should fall down, is no great shock. Still even SP was angered by the antics of some of these puffed-up clowns, and seeing how utterly fallen were the Westerners, he told them to stop this farcical premature sannyasa, that only those qualified should attempt anymore.
Excellent topic, Suresh Prabhu.
Not Recommended
Our Krsna consciousness movement has actually declared war against the illusory energy, in which all the living entities are rotting in a false understanding of civilization. The soldiers in this Krsna consciousness movement must always possess physical strength, enthusiasm and sensual power. To keep themselves fit, they must therefore place themselves in a normal condition of life. What constitutes a normal condition will not be the same for everyone, and therefore there are divisions of varnasrama brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is advised that no one take sannyasa.
asvamedham gavalambham
sannyasam pala-paitrkam
devarena sutotpattim
kalau panca vivarjayet
[Cc. Adi 17.164]
(Brahma-vaivarta Purana)
From this we can understand that in this age the sannyasa-asrama is forbidden because people are not strong. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed us an example in taking sannyasa at the age of twenty-four years, but even Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya advised Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be extremely careful because He had taken sannyasa at an early age. For preaching we give young boys sannyasa, but actually it is being experienced that they are not fit for sannyasa. There is no harm, however, if one thinks that he is unfit for sannyasa; if he is very much agitated sexually, he should go to the asrama where sex is allowed, namely the grhastha-asrama. That one has been found to be very weak in one place does not mean that he should stop fighting the crocodile of maya. One should take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, as we shall see Gajendra do, and at the same time one can be a grhastha if he is satisfied with sexual indulgence. There is no need to give up the fight. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore recommended, sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. One may stay in whichever asrama is suitable for him; it is not essential that one take sannyasa. If one is sexually agitated, he can enter the grhastha-asrama. But one must continue fighting. For one who is not in a transcendental position, to take sannyasa artificially is not a very great credit. If sannyasa is not suitable, one may enter the grhastha-asrama and fight maya with great strength. But one should not give up the fighting and go away."
said:
Lectures : General Lectures : Evening Lecture — Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977 : 770123LE.BHU :
Prabhupāda: …So to accept this position-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa—is compulsory. It is not that one has to take sannyāsa as a fashion. No. Actually it is absolutely necessary for any person at the last stage of life to accept sannyāsa…”
Because; “…without this classification, the whole society will remain in chaotic condition… ”
These are Prabhupada’s instructions, reaffirmed again, more than four months after the January 7 quotes banning sannyasa in ISKCON; On May 13, 1977, Prabhupada makes his position on Varṇāśrama-dharma, including the sannyasa order abundantly clear:
“According to Vedic civilization, the bodily identification is divided into eight: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Varṇāśrama-dharma. So human civilization begins, according to Vedic understanding, when there is varṇāśrama system. Otherwise it is not human civilization. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13].This system should be followed. Then, gradually, one has to come to the spiritual. Chaotic society cannot help us. There must be systematic social order: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, cātur-varṇyam, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Sannyāsa is not voluntary, but it is compulsory. At the last stage one must take sannyāsa.”
August 29, 1967
Vrindaban, India
Letter to Hayagriva
"The principle should be that we utilize our talents for the service of the Lord. That is real sannyasa. Formal acceptance of sannyasa, as required for all old men, means that one should retire from materialistic life, and devote his time and energy for the service of the Lord. As you are devoted already to the service of the Lord, without any personal consideration, you are always sannyasa at heart." .
"It is the greatest humanitarian welfare activities to the human society."
“Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s ashrama was situated on the banks of the Ganga, and upon hearing “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” being chanted very loudly, Bhaktivinoda Thakura would know that Babaji Maharaja was coming. He would chant so loudly that his voice could be heard across the Ganga, and upon arrival at the ashrama, he would hear Shrimad-Bhagavatam and other krishna-katha from Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Babaji Maharaja didn’t associate with other babajis very much. Generally he would only wear a langoti and nothing more, but one day he begged a good quality dhoti, a kurta, a walking stick and a nice turban from someone. Wearing these, he went to Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s ashrama, and upon seeing him, Bhaktivinoda Thakura thought, “See how Babaji Maharaja’s appearance has changed! He has taken the ordinary dress of a grihastha. He is wearing nice clothes now and is carrying a walking stick like a landlord. What has happened to him?”
Babaji Maharaja offered pranama and sat down, and Bhaktivinoda Thakura asked him, “Babaji Maharaja, today I see that your appearance is of a different type. Why is this?”
Babaji Maharaja replied, “These days there are so many babajis, and many of them are such hooligans that if one even mentions their names it will be sinful. They are engaged in such misconduct that a grihastha is thousands of times superior to them. In the name of parakiya-bhajana they engage in mundane activities and they will all go to hell for it. When a babaji obtains some rasagullas or any good quality foodstuff, he should just offer it to a cow. Babajis should not go to any festival, but people invite them and off they go to these festivals simply to enjoy a good meal. Feeding the dogs of the dhama is more beneficial than feeding them. Therefore I think that I shouldn’t remain a babaji. I will wear the cloth of a grihastha, and then people will not look upon me as one of these babajis.”
Bhaktivinoda Thakura said, “You have spoken correctly.” At that time the misconduct of these babajis was so widespread that people hated to even hear the good Vaishnava name, so there was a necessity for a great personality who could preach the pure prema-dharma of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the world. Then came such a great personality, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. He preached sankirtana in such a way that in no time the world opinion had changed, and scholars, gentlemen and everyone began to accept vaishnava-dharma. If there had been no Gaura-kishora dasa Babaji, then there would have been no Prabhupada. And if there had been no Prabhupada, then the pure prema of Mahaprabhu would not be preached all around the world as it is now. Therefore the original great personality was our father’s father’s father, our great grandfather, Gaura-kishora dasa Babaji. Today with great pride we declare that he was the guru of our parama-guru, and it is our supreme good fortune that he came to this world.” – PureBhakti website re Srila Gaurakishore Babaji Thakura
Srila Prabhupada Quote of the Day:
"... this will deviate your principle of sannyasa."
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder~Acharya of the Krsna Consciousness Movement
9 January, 1974
Los Angeles
Letter to Revatinandana Swami
"I know you are a very good cook and I can understand that you have found the books useful for distribution. I have no objection to your printing it with the name "Revatinandana Swami's Cookbook," but the royalty should go to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Just as I am publishing Bhagavad-gita As It Is with Macmillan Co. but the royalty is going to the BBT. I think this method is appropriate.
If you yourself take the royalty it will be personal interest in money and trade, and this will deviate your principle of sannyasa. Sannyasi means he is in renounced order and lives by begging alms for the bare necessities of life. It is not good to make trade to get money for personal expenditure.
If the royalty is given to the BBT, we will keep a separate account from this royalty and necessary expenditures for your preaching may be supplied from the BBT."