TEXT 64
prabhu kahe,--ami ha-i hina-sampradaya
toma-sabara sabhaya vasite na yuyaya
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahethe Lord replied; amiI; ha-iam; hina-sampradayabelonging to a lower spiritual school; toma-sabaraof all of you; sabhayain the assembly; vasiteto sit down; nanever; yuyayaI can dare.
TRANSLATION
The Lord replied: "I belong to a lower order of sannyasis. Therefore I do not deserve to sit with you."
PURPORT
Mayavadi sannyasis are always very puffed up because of their knowledge of Sanskrit and because they belong to the Sankara-sampradaya. They are always under the impression that unless one is a brahmana and a very good Sanskrit scholar, especially in grammar, one cannot accept the renounced order of life or become a preacher. Mayavadi sannyasis always misinterpret all the sastras with their word jugglery and grammatical compositions, yet Sripada Sankaracarya himself condemned such jugglery of words in the verse prapte sannihite kale na hi na hi raksati dukrn karane. Dukrn refers to suffixes and prefixes in Sanskrit grammar. Sankaracarya warned his disciples that if they concerned themselves only with the principles of grammar, not worshiping Govinda, they were fools who would never be saved. Yet in spite of Sripada Sankaracarya's instructions, foolish Mayavadi sannyasis are always busy juggling words on the basis of strict Sanskrit grammar.
Mayavadi sannyasis are very puffed up if they hold the elevated sannyasa title Tirtha, Asrama or Sarasvati. Even among Mayavadis, those who belong to other sampradayas and hold other titles, such as Vana, Aranya or Bharati, are considered to be lower-grade sannyasis. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa from the Bharati-sampradaya, and thus He considered Himself a lower sannyasi than Prakasananda Sarasvati. To remain distinct from Vaisnava sannyasis, the sannyasis of the Mayavadi-sampradaya always think themselves to be situated in a very elevated spiritual order, but Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in order to teach them how to become humble and meek, accepted Himself as belonging to a lower sampradaya of sannyasis. Thus He wanted to point out clearly that a sannyasi is one who is advanced in spiritual knowledge. One who is advanced in spiritual knowledge should be accepted as occupying a better position than those who lack such knowledge.
The Mayavadi-sampradaya sannyasis are generally known as Vedantis, as if Vedanta were their monopoly. Actually, however, Vedanti refers to a person who perfectly knows Krsna. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: "By all the Vedas it is Krsna who is to be known." (Bg. 15.15) The so-called Mayavadi Vedantis do not know who Krsna is; therefore their title of Vedanti, or "knower of Vedanta philosophy," is simply a pretension. Mayavadi sannyasis always think of themselves as real sannyasis and consider sannyasis of the Vaisnava order to be brahmacaris. A brahmacari is supposed to engage in the service of a sannyasi and accept him as his guru. Mayavadi sannyasis therefore declare themselves to be not only gurus but jagad-gurus, or the spiritual masters of the entire world, although, of course, they cannot see the entire world. Sometimes they dress gorgeously and travel on the backs of elephants in processions, and thus they are always puffed up, accepting themselves as jagad-gurus. Srila Rupa Gosvami, however, has explained that jagad-guru properly refers to one who is the controller of his tongue, mind, words, belly, genitals and anger. Prthivim sa sisyat: such a jagad-guru is completely fit to make disciples all over the world. Due to false prestige, Mayavadi sannyasis who do not have these qualifications sometimes harass and blaspheme a Vaisnava sannyasi who humbly engages in the service of the Lord.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/7/64

Previous: Adi 7.63     Next: Adi 7.65

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada