Important Question

When Lord Caitanya was seated, Prakasananda Sarasvati said, "I think Your name is Sri Krsna Caitanya and You have accepted this renounced order of life from Kesava Bharati." Although Caitanya Mahaprabhu was initiated by a Vaisnava, devotee, He took sannyasa from Kesava Bharati, who belonged to the Sahkara sect. The rule is if one wishes to accept the renounced order of life, there is an initiation ceremony and that ceremony must be performed by a bona fide member of the renounced order. It is not that one can take one's cloth, dye the color, and in one day become a sannyasi. No. There is a ceremony. Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa from Kesava Bharati, who belonged to the Sahkara disciplic succession. Therefore Prakasananda Sarasvati, who also belonged to this Sahkara line, said, "I understand that Your name is Sri Krsna Caitanya." There are different names for brahmacari students also, who are under the guidance of a sannyasi. A brahmacari who is under the guidance of Bharati is named Caitanya. Although Caitanya Mahaprabhu was a sannyasi, He did not change His brahmacari name. That is also very significant. As soon as a Mavavadi takes sannyasa, he thinks, "I have become Narayana. I have become God." Therefore although Caitanya Mahaprabhu was a sannyasi, He did not change His brahmacari name. A brahmacari is meant to serve the spiritual master, so He continued to be a servitor.

Prakasananda Sarasvati asked, "You are a sannyasi of our line because You have accepted the renounced order from Kesava Bharati, so what is the reason that You do not mix with us?" That was his first question. And another complaint was: "Because You are a sannyasi, You should devote Your time to discussing Sahkara philosophy and Vedanta-sūtra. You should understand why You have taken sannyasa. Why are You simply dancing and chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare?" This was his question. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was simply dancing and chanting. This was the specific contribution of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But amongst the Mayavadi sannyasis, dancing and singing is considered to be a sin. A sannyasi is supposed to stop sense gratification, and according to them, that is also a kind of sense gratification. They took it to be ordinary singing. Prakasananda Sarasvati asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Why do You follow this sentimentalism, chanting and dancing." Prakasananda said, "As far as I can see from Your bodily features You appear to be very glorious." Because He was a boy and Prakasananda was very elderly-Caitanya Mahaprabhu was only twenty-four years old-he appreciated Him: "From Your face it appears that You are very learned, advanced and intelligent. Why, then, do You indulge in this sentimentalism?" This is a very important question for the sahkirtana movement, and the answer is very significant.