If you question me that "Swamiji, why you have taken sannyasa?" You may ask that question. Yes. So I may tell you frankly that I had no desire to accept this sannyasa

Expressions researched:
"Swāmījī, why you have taken sannyāsa" |" . . . you may ask that question. Yes. So I may tell you frankly that I had no desire to accept this sannyāsa" |"if you question me that"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If you question me that "Swamiji, why you have taken sannyāsa?" You may ask that question. Yes. So I may tell you frankly that I had no desire to accept this sannyāsa. I never dreamt in my householder... I was a householder. I never dreamt. But circumstantially I was forced to accept the sannyāsa dress just to become a preacher. You see? That is a long history. Sannyāsa, (chuckles) but I was forced some way or other to accept the sannyāsa. Of course, as far as possible, I am following the rules and regulations of a sannyāsī, as far as possible.

Lecture BG 04.39-5.3 -- August 24, 1966, New York:

Although Kṛṣṇa appeared in India, He does not say that, "I am Indian." He says: sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "I am the proprietor of the entire planetary system." Then again, one place you'll find, sarva-yoniṣu: "The entire living species of life, not only humankind," He says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). "I am the father, the entire living entities." So Kṛṣṇa claims because He is God. So He has to claim like that. He is not any particular country's man or particular society's man. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. He is for everyone. Therefore He is Bhagavān.

So here it is stated, bhagavān uvāca: "The Personality of Godhead said, answered." What He answered? That:

sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca

niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau

tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt

karma-yogo viśiṣyate

(BG 5.2)

Now, Kṛṣṇa says that, "Either you renounce this world, either you be in the renounced order of life"—just like we are in renounced order of life—"or you are in ordinary working capacity," that "they are equally beneficial." But . . . tayos tu: but if we examine on neutral position, then Kṛṣṇa recommends that better than this sannyāsa is to work, is better. Tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśiṣyate.

This is very nice point. Try to understand. The sannyāsī . . . just like we are sannyāsī. According to our Vedic system, we are allowed to beg alms from the householder. The social system, the varṇāśrama institution, is so made that the brahmacārī, vānaprastha and the sannyāsī, and the gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means the householder. Now, the brahmacārī will beg from the householder, the vānaprastha will beg from the householder, and the sannyāsī also beg from the householder. So householder is the only earning member who will feed all these three different status of social order.

But in the Kali-yuga, in this age, some unscrupulous persons, they are taking advantage of this dress. Because this dress is not very costly. Any kind of cotton cloth you take, two-paisa-worth from, or two-cent-worth, and color, and you get it orange-colored and put on. Because in this age nobody is inquiring whether he is actually a sannyāsī or not; simply by dress. Of course, the dress is the badge.

Now, people are taking advantage of this dress, and they misusing the position. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say, foresaw that this will happen in future because He was speaking this Bhagavad-gītā five thousand years before. So, as He is full knowledge, entire knowledge, because He is God, He knows what will happen in the future. Therefore he gave preference to working order than this sannyāsa order. Lord Caitanya also, He also said that in this age sannyāsa is not recommended.

And if you question me that "Swāmījī, why you have taken sannyāsa?" . . . you may ask that question. Yes. So I may tell you frankly that I had no desire to accept this sannyāsa. I never dreamt in my householder . . . I was a householder. I never dreamt. But circumstantially I was forced to accept the sannyāsa dress just to become a preacher. You see? That is a long history. But actually, personally, I was against accepting the sannyāsa, but I was forced some way or other to accept the sannyāsa. Of course, as far as possible, I am following the rules and regulations of a sannyāsī. As far as possible.

So here Kṛṣṇa says that tayos tu karma . . . everything can be utilized for the ultimate business. Everything can be utilized. Kṛṣṇa says. So there is no difference. Why there is no difference? If your ultimate goal, aim, is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then either you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in a dress of sannyāsī or as a ordinary man, oh, there is no difference. There is no difference, because your aim is the same.