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Since time immemorial, the sannyasa order has carried the tridanda. Later Sankaracarya introduced the ekadandi-sannyasa. A tridandi-sannyasi is a Vaisnava sannyasi, and an ekadandi-sannyasi is a Mayavadi sannyasi. There are many other types of sannyasis, who are not approved by Vedic rituals. A type of pseudo-sannyasa was introduced by Indra when he tried to hide himself from the attack of Vijitasva, the great son of King Prthu. Now there are many different types of sannyasis. Some of them go naked, and some of them carry a skull and trident, generally known as kapalika. All of them were introduced under some meaningless circumstances, and those who have a poor fund of knowledge accept these false sannyasis and their pretenses, although they are not bona fide guides to spiritual advancement. At the present moment some missionary institutions, without referring to the Vedic rituals, have introduced some sannyasis who engage in sinful activities. The sinful activities forbidden by the sastras are illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. These so-called sannyasis indulge in all these activities. They eat meat and flesh, fish, eggs and just about everything. They sometimes drink with the excuse that without alcohol, fish and meat, it is impossible to remain in the cold countries near the Arctic zone. These sannyasis introduce all these sinful activities in the name of serving the poor, and consequently poor animals are cut to pieces and go into the bellies of these sannyasis. As described in the following verses, such sannyasis are pakhandis. Vedic literature states that a person who puts Lord Narayana on the level with Lord Siva or Lord Brahma immediately becomes a pakhandi. As stated in the Puranas: (More...) According to Vedic civilization, sannyasa is one of the essential items in the program of the varna-asrama institution. One should accept sannyasa according to the parampara system of the acaryas. At the present moment, however, many so-called sannyasis or mendicants have no understanding of God consciousness. Such sannyasa was introduced by Indra because of his jealousy of Maharaja Prthu, and what he introduced is again appearing in the age of Kali. practically none of the sannyasis in this age are bona fide. No one can introduce any new system into the Vedic way of life; if one does so out of malice, he is to be known as a pasandi, or atheist. In the Vaisnava Tantra it is said: (More...) In this way, King Indra, in order to steal the horse from King Prthus sacrifice, adopted several orders of sannyasa. Some sannyasis go naked, and sometimes they wear red garments and pass under the name of kapalika. These are simply symbolic representations of their sinful activities. These so-called sannyasis are very much appreciated by sinful men because they are all godless atheists and very expert in putting forward arguments and reasons to support their case. We must know, however, that they are only passing as adherents of religion and are not so in fact. Unfortunately, bewildered persons accept them as religious, and being attracted to them, they spoil their life. (More...) On the whole, for spiritual advancement, one must give up the company of women. This is what is meant by the order of sannyasa, the renounced order. Before taking sannyasa, or completely renouncing the material world, one has to practice avoiding illicit sex. Sex life, licit or illicit, is practically the same, but through illicit sex one becomes more and more captivated. By regulating ones sex life there is a chance that one may eventually be able to renounce sex or renounce the association of women. If this can be done, advancement in spiritual life comes very easily. (More...) The paramahamsa stage is the topmost position in renounced life. In sannyasa, the renounced order, there are four stageskuticaka, bahudaka, parivrajakacarya and paramahamsa. According to the Vedic system, when one accepts the renounced order, he stays outside his village in a cottage, and his necessities, especially his food, are supplied from home. This is called the kuticaka stage. When a sannyasi advances further, he no longer accepts anything from home: instead, he collects his necessities, especially his food, from many places. This system is called madhukari, which literally means the profession of the bumblebees. As bumblebees collect honey from many flowers, a little from each, so a sannyasi should beg from door to door but not accept very much food from any particular house; he should collect a little bit from every house. This is called the bahudaka stage. When a sannyasi is still more experienced, he travels all over the world to preach the glories of Lord Vasudeva. He is then known as parivrajakacarya. The sannyasi reaches the paramahamsa stage when he finishes his preaching work and sits down in one place, strictly for the sake of advancing in spiritual life. An actual paramahamsa is one who completely controls his senses and engages in the unalloyed service of the Lord. Therefore all three of these sons of Priyavrata, namely Kavi, Mahavira and Savana, were situated in the paramahamsa stage from the very beginning. Their senses could not disturb them, for their senses were completely engaged in serving the Lord. Therefore the three brothers are described in this verse as upasama-silah. Upasama means completely subdued. Because they completely subdued their senses, they are understood to have been great sages and saints. (More...) Balarama had three wives and nine sons. The youngest son of his first wife was known as Madhusudana Gosvami. He took the title Bhattacarya and accepted the path of the smarta or Mayavada philosophy. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura notes that the son of Gosvami Bhattacarya, Sri Radharamana Gosvami Bhattacarya, refused the title gosvami because it is generally meant for sannyasis, those who have taken the renounced order of life. One who is still in family life should not misuse the title gosvami. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did not recognize the caste gosvamis because they were not in the line of the six Gosvamis in the renounced order who were direct disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu-namely, Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Srila Bhatta Raghunatha Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said that the grhastha asrama, or the status of family life, is a sort of concession for sense gratification. Therefore a grhastha should not falsely adopt the title gosvami. The ISKCON movement has never conferred the title gosvami upon a householder. Although all the sannyasis we have initiated in ISKCON are young, we have awarded them the titles of the renounced order of life, svami and gosvami, because they have completely dedicated their lives to preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura mentions that not only do the householder caste gosvamis disrespect the title gosvami, but also, following the principles of the smarta Raghunandana, they exhibit great foolishness by burning a straw image of Advaita Acarya in a sraddha ceremony, thus acting as Raksasas and disrespecting the cause of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which is the guide for Vaisnavas. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that sometimes these smarta caste gosvamis write books on Vaisnava philosophy or commentaries on the original scriptures, but a pure devotee should cautiously avoid reading them. (More...) Prabhupada: Anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yah, sa sannyasi [Bg. 6.1]. Anasritah kar... Everyone is expecting some good result for his sense gratification. That is asritah karma-phalam. He has taken the shelter of good result. But one who does not take shelter of the result of activities... It is my duty. Karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty. Doesn't matter what is the result. I must do it sincerely to my best capacity. Then I don't care for the result. Result is in Krsna's hand." Karyam: "It is my duty. My Guru Maharaja said it, so it is my duty. It doesn't matter whether it is successful or not successful. That depends on Krsna." In this way, anyone, if he works, then he is a sannyasi. Not the dress, but the attitude of working. Yes, that is sannyasa. Karyam: "It is my duty." Sa sannyasi ca yogi ca. He is yogi, first-class yogi. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna officially, he did not take sannyasa. He was a grhastha, soldier. But when he took it very seriously, karyam"Krsna wants this fight. Never mind I have to kill my relatives. I must do it"that is sannyasa. First of all he argued with Krsna that "This kind of fighting is not good, family killing...," and so on, so on, so on. He argued. But after hearing Bhagavad-gita, when he understood that "It is my duty. Krsna wants me to do it." Karyam. So in spite of his becoming a householder, a soldier, he's a sannyasi. He took it-karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty." That is real sannyasa. "Krsna wants that this Krsna consciousness movement must be spread. So this is my karyam. This is my duty. And the direction is my spiritual master. So I must do it." This is sannyasa. This is sannyasa, sannyasa mentality. But there is formality. That should... That may be accepted. (More...) Guest (3) (Indian man): That has got some psychological effect. (More...) Prabhupada: Ah. In India especially, people like. Sannyasi may preach. Otherwise, the formula of sannyasa is given-karyam: "But this is my only duty. That's all. Krsna consciousness movement should be pushed. This is my only duty." He's sannyasi. Because Krsna personally comes, He demands... Sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna, He says, yei krsna tattva vettha sei guru haya: "Anyone who knows the science of Krsna, he's guru." And what is the guru's business? Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "Whomever you meet, you just try to impress upon him about the instruction of Krsna." Sarva-dharman parityaja... So in this way, if we take it up, very seriously"This is my duty"then you are a sannyasi. That's all. Sa sannyasi. Krsna certifies, sa sannyasi. People are not taking seriously about Krsna's teaching. That is India's misfortune. They're bringing in so many competition of Krsna. Is Krsna... And "Krsna... Ramakrishna is as good as Krsna." This rascaldom has killed. They have done the greatest disservice. Instead of Krsna, they have brought one rascal, Ramakrishna. (More...) One who is serious about making his life perfect surely adopts the sannyāsa order of life in spite of all difficulties. O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation. (More...) Anyone who is steady in his determination for the advanced stage of spiritual realization and can equally tolerate the onslaughts of distress and happiness is certainly a person eligible for liberation. In the varnasrama institution, the fourth stage of life, namely the renounced order (sannyasa) is a painstaking situation. But one who is serious about making his life perfect surely adopts the sannyasa order of life in spite of all difficulties. The difficulties usually arise from having to sever family relationships, to give up the connection of wife and children. But if anyone is able to tolerate such difficulties, surely his path to spiritual realization is complete. Similarly, in Arjuna's discharge of duties as a ksatriya, he is advised to persevere, even if it is difficult to fight with his family members or similarly beloved persons. Lord Caitanya took sannyasa at the age of twenty-four, and His dependants, young wife as well as old mother, had no one else to look after them. Yet for a higher cause He took sannyasa and was steady in the discharge of higher duties. That is the way of achieving liberation from material bondage. (More...) Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?g=1909 Previous: [none] Next: [none]
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