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Sannyasi's business

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Because the householders are engaged in family affairs and have forgotten their actual purpose in life—awakening their Kṛṣṇa consciousness—it is the business of the sannyāsīs to go as beggars to the householders and encourage them to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.
BG 10.4-5, Purport:

In the Vedic literature, charity is also to be awarded to one in the renounced order of life, the sannyāsī. The sannyāsīs beg from door to door, not for money but for missionary purposes. The system is that they go from door to door to awaken the householders from the slumber of ignorance. Because the householders are engaged in family affairs and have forgotten their actual purpose in life—awakening their Kṛṣṇa consciousness—it is the business of the sannyāsīs to go as beggars to the householders and encourage them to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. As it is said in the Vedas, one should awake and achieve what is due him in this human form of life. This knowledge and method is distributed by the sannyāsīs; hence charity is to be given to the renouncer of life, to the brāhmaṇas, and similar good causes, not to any whimsical cause.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

The sannyāsī's business is not to become proprietor of so many things and amass money from the innocent public.
SB 3.24.34, Purport:

Actually, sannyāsa, or renunciation of material household life, necessitates complete absorption in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and immersion in the self. One does not take sannyāsa, freedom from family responsibility in the renounced order of life, to make another family or to create an embarrassing transcendental fraud in the name of sannyāsa. The sannyāsī's business is not to become proprietor of so many things and amass money from the innocent public. A sannyāsī is proud that he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself. Of course, there are two kinds of devotees of the Lord. One is called goṣṭhy-ānandī, which means those who are preachers and have many followers for preaching the glories of the Lord and who live among those many, many followers just to organize missionary activities. Other devotees are ātmānandī, or self-satisfied, and do not take the risk of preaching work. They remain, therefore, alone with God.

SB Canto 7

The first business of the sannyāsī is to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but if, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, facilities are available, then he may construct temples and monasteries to give shelter to the serious students of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
SB 7.13.8, Purport:

In the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we welcome everyone who agrees at least to follow the movement's regulative principles—no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no gambling. In the temples and monasteries, gatherings of unnecessary, rejected, lazy fellows should be strictly disallowed. The temples and monasteries should be used exclusively by devotees who are serious about spiritual advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains the word ārambhān as meaning maṭhādi-vyāpārān, which means "attempts to construct temples and monasteries." The first business of the sannyāsī is to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but if, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, facilities are available, then he may construct temples and monasteries to give shelter to the serious students of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise such temples and monasteries are not needed.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Sannyāsīs, their business is to travel. When there are many disciples, workers, it is going on, then he can take rest. Otherwise it is the business of the sannyāsī to travel.
Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

So this Nārada Muni's history is very interesting, that he was not educated, a boy, and not coming from cultured family—maidservant's son. The only qualification was that nirūpito bālaka eva yoginām. He was engaged as a boy servant to the yogis. So how he got this opportunity? That is here: śuśrūṣaṇe. Śuśrūṣaṇe means in service; prāvṛṣi, during the rainy season. Because saintly persons, mendicants, sannyāsīs, their business is to travel. Travel. When, of course, something established, then a sannyāsī can rest, paramahaṁsa stage. When there are many disciples, workers, it is going on, then he can take rest. Otherwise it is the business of the sannyāsī to travel.

A great Māyāvāda sannyāsī, used to criticize that "This sannyāsī is sentimental. Sannyāsī's business is reading Vedānta, but this sannyāsī is chanting and dancing."
Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:

They are covered. Therefore they are called Māyāvādī. So the unfortunate Māyāvādī cannot chant. They criticize, "This chanting is sentimentalism." Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu was criticized at Benares when He was chanting. You know the story. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, a great Māyāvāda sannyāsī, he used to criticize that "This sannyāsī is sentimental. Sannyāsī's business is reading Vedānta, but this sannyāsī is chanting and dancing." So there was strong criticism. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu was arranged to meet this Māyāvāda sannyāsī, and He talked on Vedānta and He defeated him. And the sannyāsī , along with his 60,000 disciples, became His followers. So you should not be simply chanting and dancing. Along with, you must know philosophy. There are so many Māyāvādīs; you have to defeat them. It is not that we are cowards. We are Kṛṣṇa's soldiers. So as soon as there is Māyāvādī attack, you must immediately defeat them. That is wanted. Therefore so many books are being written. Jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam.

Sannyāsī means he will give good instruction, spiritual knowledge. But that is his business, wandering all over the world and giving good instruction. This is sannyāsī's business. So they must be well received.
Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- San Francisco, July 16, 1975:

Still in Indian village, if a sannyāsī goes, he has no problem for eating or staying, residence. Everyone will request, "Swamiji, today you take prasādam at my place." So there are many villagers. So he can stay three days, four days. So there is no scarcity. Still they will invite you, "Please come. Take prasādam." So because... Why this system? Because sannyāsī means he will give good instruction, spiritual knowledge. But that is his business, parivrājakācārya, wandering all over the world and giving good instruction. Therefore parivrājaka. Parivrājaka means wandering, and ācārya means teacher. Parivrājakācārya. This is sannyāsī's business. So they must be well received. At the present moment, if a sannyāsī is trying to enter in some householder's house, immediately the doorman, "Please get out. Get out. Get out." Because some of the sannyāsīs, they have taken this dress as a means of livelihood. But still in the village, any sannyāsī—he may be a cheater, still he is welcome. In the cities, of course, in India, they are now doubtful, "Whether he is actually sannyāsī or to fill up his belly he has taken this dress?" So this is the formula. So very learned men, the... generally, the sannyāsī and brāhmaṇas, they should be worshiped, not the fools and rascals.

The sannyāsī's business is to walk from village to village, town to town, and approach the householder as beggar.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

When you are grown up... Nānu yauvane gṛhāsakto 'pi paśyad viraktaḥ syān kṣemaṁ yac chreyāt tat asambhavaṁ darśayan kaumāram eva ācaret. Now we have general tendency... The Śaṅkarācārya said... He was walking on the street, a sannyāsī. The sannyāsī's business is to walk from village to village, town to town, and approach the householder as beggar: "Mother, give me something to eat." He's not a beggar, but he takes the position of beggar. Because everyone is charitably disposed, he thinks proud, "Oh, here is a nice beggar, sannyāsī, let me give him something." But the sannyāsī's desire is to introduce himself as a beggar so that the householder can take up the advantage that "Here is a sannyāsī. Please come on." Naturally he'll ask something, "Swamiji, what is this? What is this?" So he'll get some opportunity to speak something.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Sannyāsīs's business is to travel all over the world, or as far as he can, and enlighten people about Brahman. That is sannyāsīs' business.
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 9, 1968:

Śaṅkarācārya says... He was a sannyāsī. Sannyāsīs's business is to travel all over the world, or as far as he can, and enlighten people about Brahman. That is sannyāsīs' business. So Śaṅkarācārya is lamenting, bālasya tāvad kriyā-saktaḥ: "Oh, what I see? I see the boys are engaged in playing." Bālasya tāvad kriyāsaktas taruṇas tāvad taruṇī-raktaḥ: "Young boys, they are after young girls. That is their business. Boys are playing. Young boys are after young girls." And vṛddhas tāvad cinta-magnaḥ: "And those who are old, they are absorbed in thought, 'Oh, what I have done? I could not do this. I have...' " Vṛddhas tāvad cinta-magnaḥ, taruṇī, parame brahmaṇi ko 'pi na lagnaḥ: "Nobody is interested with the Paraṁbrahman. Oh, what nonsense society it is." He analyzed the whole population—boys, youths, old men—and he saw nobody is, no rascal is interested with Brahman. So that is the position. But it is meant for Brahma-jijñāsā. This is the defect of material civilization. The human form of life is being spoiled, simply spoiled.

Festival Lectures

One has to adjust things. Not that "Because I am gṛhastha, householder, I cannot become a preacher. It is the business.. It is the business of the sannyāsī or brahmacārī."
His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

So this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, regularly he was coming from his office, and after taking his supper immediately he goes to bed, and wake up at twelve o'clock, and he used to write books. He wrote, he left behind him about one hundred books. And he excavated the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, organized how to develop that birth site, Māyāpur. He had so many business. He used to go to preach about Caitanya's philosophy. He used to sell books to foreign countries. In 1896 he attempted to sell Life and Precepts of Caitanya in the MacGill University in Montreal. So he was busy, ācārya. So one has to adjust things. Not that "Because I am gṛhastha, householder, I cannot become a preacher. It is the business..." (aside:) Give me water. "It is the business of the sannyāsī or brahmacārī." No. It is the business of everyone. The whole world is suffering for want of knowledge. The present civilization is animal civilization. They do not know anything beyond eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all. This is animal civilization. Animal does not know beyond these four principles of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all. No. Human life is meant for something else: "What I am? What is God? What is my relation with God? What is this material world? Why I am here? Where I have to go next?" So many things one has to learn.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Aristocrats. The same system the Britishers introduced in India also. They were called zamindari. That is sannyāsī's business.
Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: Not exactly brāhmaṇas. They were proprietors of large tracts of land, and they were responsible for giving protection to a certain number of people under them.

Prabhupāda: Aristocrats. The same system the Britishers introduced in India also. They were called zamindari. (break) That is sannyāsī's business.

Hayagrīva: I see somebody's going to get stuck with a lot of traveling tickets.

Prabhupāda: That Kṛṣṇa will provide. That doesn't matter. You see?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

It is not sannyāsī business. For starting school the government is there, public is there.
Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Yukta-vairāgya. After all, you have to practice vairāgya. Not under attachment. But in connection with Kṛṣṇa, nonattachment is required. Otherwise this nonattachment will not stay. Just like this, now you are talking of mithyā, how do they consider mithyā? Because this artificial nonattachment will not stay. Therefore, they say it is mithyā, but they are accepting it, under a different name—"Now let us start this school, now let us start this hospital..." They're coming to the mithyā platform, under some disguise of philanthropy activities. If it is mithyā why you are starting a school?

Reporter: Yes. Only way is to sannyāsa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is not sannyāsī business. For starting school the government is there, public is there. Why you... That means brahma satyam you could not understand; you are coming to the school-starting. He could not perceive that brahma satyam. Although he tried to do it, but he could not understand. Therefore now he has to maintain himself, eh? So, people will not give him alms, so he must show that, "I'm starting this school, I'm starting this hospital, I'm doing this, give me some candana." "Give me some subscription," and taking subscription and become fat, that's all. This is going on. If brahma..., jagat is mithyā, why you are coming again to this mithyā platform?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is sannyāsī's business: to enlighten. ...everything, and only for understanding future, they'll be left on the hand of the nature.
Room Conversation -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: (tape very distorted) They are not beggar. But Kṛṣṇa has assured, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahām... Why they should go to beg? That this is only a process to approach them. If you approach any gentleman as beggar, he'll give you, at least in India. Not.... Just to enlighten, give them education. (break) He's thinking, "This is life." And the sannyāsī's duty is: "No, not this is life. You are in darkness, mūḍha." That is sannyāsī's business: to enlighten. (break) ...everything, and only for understanding future, they'll be left on the hand of the nature. Is that very good proposal? Hmm? No. There must be.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Regarding your insurance policy, I do not wish to engage you in litigation; that is not a sannyasi's business.
Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1969:

Regarding your insurance policy, I do not wish to engage you in litigation; that is not a sannyasi's business. In India, since I left, people have grabbed my money up to many thousands of rupees. That Hitsaran took away 2000 Rs, the landlord has taken away more than 2000 Rs, but what can I do? If I go to litigation I will have to put myself in so many anxieties. It is better to forget. If peacefuly you can draw the money from your father that is all right. I do not know what kinds of devious means you want to use in this connection, but any means, if it does not put you into difficulties, will be acceptable.

I understand that you are proposing for delivering children. That is not a Sannyasi's business.
Letter to Kirtanananda -- Hawaii 24 March, 1969:

I understand that you are proposing for delivering children. That is not a Sannyasi's business. You should not bother about it. A Sannyasi should not much bother about family affairs. Best thing is that they shall go to a bona fide physician for delivering the children, otherwise there may be complications which only a physician may have experience in handling.

1970 Correspondence

Sannyas means they should travel extensively, create new centers and new devotees—that is sannyasa business.
Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 28 October, 1970:

I've sent the sannyasis letters requesting them to preach from different centers. I'm glad that Subala das Swami has gone to Amsterdam. Similarly the other three may go to other places. Why they are together? Sannyas means they should travel extensively, create new centers and new devotees—that is sannyasa business. Also they can create life members.

1972 Correspondence

That is the sannyasi business, to travel from center to center and instruct the devotees in spiritual life.
Letter to Pusta Krsna -- London 5 August, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 30, 1972 and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, that is the sannyasi business, to travel from center to center and instruct the devotees in spiritual life. That is a good program for you, to learn the books very thoroughly and practice the knowledge you are learning. Without practice of the knowledge, what good is the knowledge? But I do not think it is necessary for you to return to your university for taking further education. Your education is to be found in our books, the material education is finished. If you want to teach in universities and colleges, they must accept us on our high degree of Vedic learning, not on our so-called credentials. They must accept our system of scholarly learning from the spiritual master. So do not bother yourself anymore with this idea but go on learning from our own scriptural evidence how great is the supreme science. Your depth of understanding it will be the credentials, let them accept us on that basis. I shall be reaching New Vrindaban by the end of this month, and we shall discuss further.

Page Title:Sannyasi's business
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene, Jayaram
Created:20 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=6, Con=3, Let=4
No. of Quotes:16