Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


How does He (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) accept sannyasi?

Conversations and Morning Walks

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

Sannyāsa, there is a ceremony. Just like we have got the initiation ceremony.


Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Hayagrīva: How does He, How does He accept sannyāsī? Is it an official ceremony?

Prabhupāda: Sannyāsa, there is a ceremony. Just like we have got the initiation ceremony.

Hayagrīva: Did He have a spiritual master?

Prabhupāda: So He accepted spiritual . . . not spiritual master, but a sannyāsa-guru. That is also master, but he's not spiritual master. But he's also considered as sannyāsa-guru, spiritual master who offers him sannyāsa. Just like myself, I took initiation from my Guru Maharaja, but I took sannyāsa from a Godbrother who is a sannyāsī. So my original guru is that spiritual master who initiated me, but he's also a śikṣā guru. Like that. Teacher.

Then His renunciation of householder. He became sannyāsa. Now when He was, after taking sannyāsa, when He was going towards Vṛndāvana, He became always almost mad. So Nityānanda, He was with Him. When He saw that Lord Caitanya is in ecstasy, He misled Him just to . . .

His plan was that, "I shall take Lord Caitanya to the house of Advaita, and then I shall call His mother to see Him for the last time. If Caitanya goes away from this very point His mother will not be able to see Him."

So out of sympathy He said: "Well, Śrīpāda Caitanya, this is not . . . this side is not Vṛndāvana. You go . . ." He just misdirected Him. So . . . and He sent one man to Advaita to receive Him, that "He has taken sannyāsī. Just try to make arrangement to receive Him. Then we shall meet."

So when He came near the house of Advaita He saw that Advaita was waiting. So then He, I mean to say, came to His sense, "Oh, I am misled? I have come to Advaita's house? How is that, Nityānanda? You showed Me this way Vṛndāvana." Then He said: "Oh, wherever You stay, that is Vṛndāvana." Now Advaita says: "All right, please come to my house."

So he received Him and took Him there and sent news to His mother that, "Your son has now taken sannyāsa. Now if you want to see Him for the last time, please come and see."

So in this way at Advaita's house He remained for some time. Say about a fortnight. And during that time, in the beginning, His mother came, and His mother became so much sorry. That scene you have to describe very nicely—mother seeing that her son has taken sannyāsa: "No more He'll come to house."

So (s)he was crying. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell on his (her) feet and begged, "My dear mother, yes. This body belongs to you. This body should have been engaged for your service. Unfortunately, I've done a mistake. I have already taken sannyāsa. Please excuse Me." In this way. That scene described in the Dilip Kumar's house, that Caitanya is consulting mother, that is a false scene. The actual scene is that after accepting His sannyāsa, His mother came to see Him at Advaita's house. That is the . . .

Hayagrīva: Yes. Does she give Him her blessing finally?

Prabhupāda: No. Of course, mother's blessings are always there. But the scene was that mother was crying, and He was falling on the feet, and His mother was very sorry that He had very beautiful hair; now it is all cut off. In this way, the scene is very pathetic.

So in this way, after remaining at Advaita's house, His mother was asking Him through Advaita, "Let Him remain for some time." Then He consulted, "Mother, now just you," I mean to say, "think over that I have taken sannyāsa. And if I remain in this way, leaving My own family, and if I leave another family, do you think this is very nice for a sannyāsī? So give Me permission to go away." Then the mother agreed, and other friends like Advaita and Śrīnivāsa requested His mother that "You give Him permission." Then (s)he said: "Yes, I have to give Him permission, because He has already accept sannyāsa. If somebody blames Him, blasphemy, that is also not good. "So my last request is that He may make His headquarter at Jagannātha Purī so that . . . because people generally go to Jagannātha Purī, so I shall be able at least to know about Him, how He is faring there. That is my last request."

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu at once accepted, "My dear mother, I shall always stay in Jagannātha Purī, and sometimes I may come to Bengal also to take bath in the Ganges. So there will be meeting. Now let Me go." So in this way they departed, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu for the last time saw His friends and mother.

Hayagrīva: I don't understand Nityānanda's motive. He's a friend. Nityānanda, He's a young friend of . . . Caitanya's.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Nityānanda was not actually a family brother. But He was . . . He is the incarnation of Baladeva, the elder brother of Kṛṣṇa. So He took His birth in a different family, but He joined Caitanya's movement as other friends joined. So He is considered the elder brother of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He's actually.

Hayagrīva: He opposed Caitanya's . . . He opposed Caitanya's sannyāsa.

Prabhupāda: No, no. He did not oppose. He did not oppose. He simply, after Caitanya's acceptance of sannyāsa, He wanted simply that He should come to Advaita's place so that His mother may see Him for the last time. That was His plan.

Page Title:How does He (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) accept sannyasi?
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas, Rishab
Created:06 of Jul, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1