First of all brahmacārī. Then, if one cannot remain a brahmacārī, all right, take a wife, gṛhastha. Then give up, vānaprastha. Then take sannyāsa. This is the process. The mūḍha, they'll work day and night for sense gratification. Therefore, at a certain period of life, that stupidity should be given up and taken sannyāsa. No, finished. That is sannyāsa. Now this portion of life should be completely for Kṛṣṇa's service. That is real sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ (BG 6.1). It is my duty to serve Kṛṣṇa, I am eternal servant of... Kāryam. Must I do it, must I serve Kṛṣṇa. That is my position. That is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryam karma karoti yaḥ. The karmīs, they are expecting some good result for sense gratification. That is karmī. And sannyāsī means... They are also working very hard, but not for sense gratification. For the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. This is sannyāsa and karmī. Karmī also works very hard, harder and harder but all for this āmiṣa-mada-sevā. Āmiṣa-mada-sevā. Vyavāya, only for sex life, eating meat, and intoxication. And a devotee works in the same way, hard, but for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. This is the difference. And if you, one life before, like this, no more sense gratification, simply for Kṛṣṇa, then you come to this position, na jāyate, no more death, no more birth. Because your position is na jāyate na... That is your actual position. But because you are in ignorance, pramattaḥ, you have become mad, you have become crazy; therefore you have taken to this process of sense gratification. Therefore you are entangled in a material body, and the body is changing. That is called birth and death.
That is sannyasa
Expressions researched:
"That is also sannyasa"
|"That is real sannyasa"
|"That is tridanda-sannyasa"
|"That is, practical sannyasa"
|"that is called sannyasa"
|"that is called sannyasi"
|"that is sannyasa"
|"that is sannyasi"
|"that is the sannyasi business"
|"this is sannyasa"
|"this is sannyasi"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
A sannyāsī, a renounced order of life, his main business is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is his real business. But if one has not the taste what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply accept sannyāsa, then he will do all this nonsense work. And... Of course, I don't wish to name. Some of our students went to a very big swami here in New York. He found that he was smoking. And the student said, "Swamiji, we don't smoke." And he was ashamed. He was ashamed. So what is the use of taking this kind of sannyāsa? Sannyāsa means to give up all material contaminated activities for the sake of the Supreme Lord. That is called sannyāsa.
Just like Arjuna. He sacrificed his whole family for Kṛṣṇa. In the beginning he hesitated, "How can I kill my family members, this fight?" And when he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, "Never mind, I shall kill all of them." This is called sacrifice. This is Kṛṣṇa conscious. He sacrificed all sentiments, all connection, everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is called sannyāsa, real sannyāsa. Although he was a warrior, a fighter, a householder having more than dozen wives, but he was sannyāsa. Because he sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
That is tyāga. Tyāga means to give up the result to Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Sat-nyāsa. Sat means the Supreme. And anyone who renounces everything for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, he is sannyāsī. That will be explained in the Fifth Chapter. Kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). Kāryam, "It is my duty." Just like we have got in our institution specified duties for each and every member, and they are doing, and if... They take it seriously, every one of them, that it is the order and duty. "My Guru Mahārāja has specified this duty upon me. So it is my duty." Kāryam. Kāryam means "It is my duty. I must do it." So anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti... That he is trained up. According to varṇāśrama-dharma, that is trained up.
So this is an example how they don't care for anything but Kṛṣṇa. So that is the life. Therefore... Of course, that is not material association. That can be understood when one is a little advanced in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the love between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. That is not ordinary thing. So anyway, that... They did not care anything. So that is renouncement. The father is asking, "Oh, where you are going?" The husband is asking, "Oh, where you are going?" The brother is... "No, Kṛṣṇa's flute is there." So Lord Caitanya recommended, ramya kecid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya-kalpita:(?) "There is no higher type of worship than it was done by the gopīs of the Lord." They were not very learned. They were ordinary village girls. They were not educated. They were not Vedantists, philosophers. But they had the unlimited ecstasy and love for Kṛṣṇa. That is required. That is called sannyāsa. Everything. We should, twenty-four hours, we should think in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how we can advance the cause of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
There are four stages of life according to Vedic culture. We have many times explained to you that brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. Brahmacārī means student life, to be trained up in spiritual understanding, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, fully trained up. He is called brahmacārī. Then, after full training, he accepts wife, he gets himself married and lives with family and children. That is called gṛhastha. Then, after fifty years, he leaves the children alone and gets out of home accompanied by his wife and travels in the holy places. That is called vānaprastha, retired life. And at last he gives up his wife to the care of his children, grown-up children, and he remains alone. And that is called sannyāsa, or renounced order of life. So these four orders of life there are.
So similarly, yaṁ sannyāsam iti prāhur yogaṁ taṁ viddhi pāṇḍava (BG 6.2). "Oh Arjuna." Pāṇḍava means "the son of Pāṇḍu, Arjuna." "You can understand that what is sannyāsa and what is yoga, they are the same principle." They are the same principle how? Na hy asannyasta-saṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana. Because without being freed from desires of sense gratification, nobody can become either a yogi or a sannyāsī. Everyone is trying to have some profit out of his activities. There are many yogis, they perform yoga system or teach yoga system for some profit, but that is not the idea of yoga system. Everything should be engaged in the service of the Lord. Everything. Whatever we do, either as ordinary worker or as sannyāsī or as yogi, or as jñānī, all our energies should be dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real sannyāsa, that is real yoga. Ārurukṣor muner yogaṁ karma kāraṇam ucyate. Those who are just stepping on the staircase of the yoga system, for them, karma kāraṇam ucyate, they must work. In the beginning, nobody should stop working. Nobody should stop working.
What is the difference between karmī and sannyāsa? Karmī is working so hard, day and night; he is expecting that "I shall get some money out of it and I shall enjoy." That is karmī. And sannyāsī, he is working in the same way, day and night, but he is not expecting the profit for his personal use. For Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. What is the difference? There is no..., in the activities there is no difference, but the one is accepting the result for his personal benefit, and one is creating good result but not for his personal benefit, but Kṛṣṇa's service. This is the definition of sannyāsa. Anāsakta..., anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryam: he is doing as my duty. I am Kṛṣṇa's servant, I have to do it. If I do not do it, then it is my misbehavior. Anāsakta, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma ka..., sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. Such person is yogī, such person is sannyāsī, na niragnir na cākriyaḥ. Not that artificially I have taken the dress of a sannyāsī and talking nonsense. He is not sannyāsī. Sannyāsa means one who has completely devoted his life for Kṛṣṇa. He is sannyāsī, sa sannyāsī, and he is yogī.
Now unless one is shot dead, he would not leave family life. (laughter) Even Mahatma Gandhi, he got independence and everything; still he would not leave. So he was shot dead. This is our position. All politicians, all big big men, they are not going to retire, stuck up. This is not civilization. When one is young, he can remain with family, wife, children, twenty-five to fifty years. That's all. No more. Give up. Then take vānaprastha. Train up yourself for becoming sannyāsī. Then take sannyāsa simply for understanding God. That is sannyāsa. You can take sannyāsa from the very beginning, but if it is not possible, at least at the fag end of your life everyone should take sannyāsa and completely devote in understanding the science of God. That is called sannyāsa.
Suppose if I give you some charity, say, hundred dollars I give you in charity, the reaction will be that I will have to realize four hundred dollars from you. That is the law of nature. Besides that, if my money is accumulated in some impious activities and if you take my money, you will have to suffer. You have to share my reaction. These are the laws of karma, very subtle laws of karma. So, now, if you give charity for Kṛṣṇa activities, then there is no reaction. The... Of course, there is reaction. That is called transcendental reaction, that you will gradually become elevated into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So dadāsi yat. Therefore everything should be done for Kṛṣṇa. And if you do like that, then you will neutralize the actions and reactions. Śubhāśubha-phalair evaṁ mokṣyase. You become liberated. Sannyāsa-yoga-yuktātmā vimukto mām upaiṣyasi. And this sannyāsa, renunciation, means to become free from the actions and reactions. That is called sannyāsa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Of course, because Lord Caitanya accepted this sannyāsa, so we are maintaining that system, but actual point of sannyāsa is not mukti, but satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa, how Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied, how Kṛṣṇa's representative will be satisfied. Because we have to work under Kṛṣṇa's representative. Anything we work, if we want to be expert, then we have to work under some expert. Therefore we accept guru. We do not serve Kṛṣṇa directly. We accept guru. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. The principle is guru is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and if we work under guru and if we can satisfy, then Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That is very easy to understand.
So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira prepared himself for becoming sannyāsī. Sannyāsī means renounced. No more family responsibility or any responsibility. Simply to become pure devotee of the Lord. That is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). What is the sannyāsī definition? Sannyāsī means he works, but not as the enjoyer of the fruit of the work. That is sannyāsī. Everyone, karmī... Karmī means he is working hard, day and night, but he wants the fruit of the work to enjoy himself. That is karmī. Sannyāsī also will work hard, day and night, but he will not take the fruit. It is for Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsī. Sannyāsī means sat-nyāsī. Nyāsī means renounced, and sat means the supreme truth. One who renounces everything for the sake of supreme truth, he is called sannyāsī. That sannyāsī formality is to change the dress. But anyone... Just like this Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Arjuna and his brothers, they were all sannyāsīs. But still, formality, they accepted sannyāsa, gave up attachment for the house. In this way, because he is king, if he does not set example, then others will not accept sannyāsa.
There are four daṇḍas. One daṇḍa is the, what is called, symbol of his person. And the other three daṇḍas, they are symbol of his body, mind, and speeches. This daṇḍa means, perhaps you know, do not know. You try to under... So karmaṇā, this daṇḍa, means "I have taken now vow to engage myself, even whatever assets I have got." So I have got my assets. I can work with my body, I can work with my mind, and I can work by speaking. So tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa means one who has devoted his life, means his activities, his body and his speeches. That is tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa. Anyone who has devoted his mind, his body and his speeches for the service of the Lord, he is sannyāsī. Sannyāsī does not mean simply changing the dress and thinking otherwise. No. Sannyāsī, anyone, it does not matter whether the dress is changed or not, if one is fully engaged by his body, mind and words, sa sannyāsī.
Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1), Kṛṣṇa says. Who is sannyāsī? Anāśritaḥ karma-phalam. "I shall speak for Kṛṣṇa." Then what profit you'll get? "No matter what is profit, I shall speak for Kṛṣṇa. That's all." Sa sannyāsī, Kṛṣṇa says. "This is my duty, kāryam." Kāryam means duty. "It is my duty to speak for Kṛṣṇa only. That's all. I am not going to speak anything." He's a sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma... Now, if you engage some lawyer to speak for you in the court, "Immediately bring me two thousand dollars." He'll charge. But a sannyāsī, he'll speak twenty-four hours for Kṛṣṇa, no expectation of profit. That is sannyāsī. Twenty-four hours engaging the body for Kṛṣṇa's work-he's a sannyāsī. Twenty-four hours thinking of Kṛṣṇa-he's a sannyāsī. This is sannyāsī. No other business. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma... Everyone is working for his personal benefit, "How much money I shall get? How much name and fame and reputation I shall get?" For his personal profit. And that is material. That is material. As soon as you work for your personal benefit, that is material. And as soon as you work for Kṛṣṇa's benefit, that is spiritual. That's all. This is the distinction between material and spiritual. Everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
So different species of life there is different process of eating. We are eating through mouth; the trees are eating through the legs. This is God's creation. Not that the mouth is only eating. No. There are other senses, active senses, hands and legs, tongue. These are active senses. Genital, rectum, these are active senses. So aṅghripa means tree. The sannyāsī should depend completely on God. That is sannyāsa. Not that I shall go to a rich man and beg something and take money and utilize it. No. That is not required. Completely independent. Because that kind of sannyāsa is not possible at the present age, therefore, generally, sannyāsa should not be accepted. They cannot follow the prohibit.
Instead of becoming a false sannyāsī, do not accept sannyāsa. This is the injunction of the śāstra. But for preaching work we have to get the help of some sannyāsī, but we should remember that we are in Kali-yuga. We should not be sentimentally very much anxious—"Please give me sannyāsa, give me sannyāsa"—and then fall down and go to hell. That is not good. That is not good. If one is able to strictly follow the sannyāsa rules and regulation, he should take. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa has said that sannyāsa, real sannyāsa, means one who does not take any remuneration for his service to Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). "It is my duty. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. To serve Kṛṣṇa is my duty." Kāryam: "I must do it." Actually that mentality is sannyāsa. It doesn't matter whether we have changed the dress or not, but if we decide it, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa; my only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa," that is sannyāsa.
There is one verse in Bhāgavatam. One devotee, he has taken sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means the renounced order of life. Just like as you see me by my dress, this is called sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means... This is Sanskrit word, sat-nyāsa. This is sannyāsa. Sat means the Supreme, the Absolute Truth. And nyāsa means renounced. One who has renounced everything for the service of the Supreme, he is called a sannyāsa. Sannyāsa does not mean a particular type of dress or particular type of beard. Sannyāsa means you can become a sannyāsī even with your, this coat-pant. It doesn't matter, provided you have dedicated your life for the service of God. That is called sannyāsa.
Anyway, the vānaprastha, when the gentleman is completely educated for renouncing this world, then he sends back the wife to grown-up boys and he takes sannyāsa. This is sannyāsa dress. This is preparing, not... Preparing is finished. Sannyāsa means he should distribute spiritual knowledge from door to door. That is his business. He has no family attraction, he has nothing to think for his maintenance, because the society is advised to take care of brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Just see. This is spiritual communism. One section of people, the householders, they have to maintain the three other divisions. We have divided the society into four divisions: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Only the gṛhasthas are allowed to make money, to earn money. But the brahmacārī and the vānaprastha and sannyāsī is to live at the cost the gṛhasthas. Brahmacaris shall go from door to door and beg alms and bring it for the spiritual master. The spiritual master is a sannyāsī. So whatever the brahmacārīs bring, they cook and they eat and they cultivate spiritual Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the system.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
If you want to be immortal, these things are to be followed: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. Then you can think of immortality, gradually. That is called tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Every śāstra, you'll find. At least at the end of life one should be completely free from these bad habits. That is called sannyāsa. Don't cheat, accept sannyāsa and indulge in these things. Don't be cheater. That is very bad. Sannyāsa means to take vow. In other station of life, there may be we fall down. But sannyāsa means no, no falldown. Therefore we have now taken very seriously. Unless one is found completely competent to accept sannyāsa, there is no more use of awarding sannyāsa. So this is the process. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Brahmacarya is very, very essential. And that is, when one becomes detestful to sex life, that is the beginning of spiritual life. That is the beginning of spiritual life.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Reporter: You say you have no connection with your family?
Prabhupāda: No.
Reporter: Why?
Prabhupāda: Because I have taken sannyāsa. I have dedicated my life for Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vedic system, that certain portion of your life should simply dedicate for God. That is called sannyāsa.
Reporter: To do this, did you have to divorce?
Prabhupāda: No. There is no question of. We do not know what is divorce. In our country there is no divorce, at least in Hindu law. Yes. Wife and husband, once combined, that is for life. There is no question of separation, in all circumstances. Either in distress or in happiness, there is no question of separation. Now our modern politicians, they have introduced this divorce law. Otherwise, according to Hindu, Manu-saṁhitā, there is no divorce law.
Reporter: When did you renounce your family?
Prabhupāda: In 1959.
As a learned scholar, He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. Beautiful, very beautiful body, Gaurasundara. Very beautiful wife. Very honored brāhmaṇa, Jagannātha Miśra's son, grandson of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, very social, aristocratic position. But still, He gave up everything. That means that although He had nothing material, but to show us that material things should be renounced, that is sannyāsa; and enter into the spiritual family of Kṛṣṇa. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). He does not become again entangled in these material varieties of life. In material world there is also varieties, but that is false.
Initiation Lectures
Prabhupāda: No. According to the size we have made. So which size he is I do not know. I... That's your?
Viṣṇujana: Yes.
Prabhupāda: That's your. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa... Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Dance. (break—prema-dhvani) So, this is now formal accepting of sannyāsa, but real sannyāsa purpose will be fulfilled when you'll be able to induce the people of the world dancing like you. That is real sannyāsa. This formal dress is not sannyāsa. Real sannyāsa is when you can induce other people to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and they dance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Devotees: Jaya!
Prabhupāda: If you can turn one man to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your going back to Godhead, back to home, guaranteed. That is real purpose of sannyāsa.
It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Now, this boy is very tender age. He has renounced this material life. He has got young wife, but still, he has given up with mutual consent. The wife also has agreed that "You take sannyāsa for the service of Kṛṣṇa." So this is actually renouncement. Young boy, young man, everyone wants young wife, enjoy this material life. But he has renounced everything. This is great sacrifice. Instead, in spite of presence of young wife and facilities for material enjoyment, one who renounces for the sake of serving Kṛṣṇa, he is sannyāsī. He is called sannyāsa. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). For better service he ceases to act materially. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. That is sannyāsī. He is therefore called gosvāmī. His name is, from this day, Sudāmā das Gosvāmī. Because go means the senses, and svāmī means the master.
Just like in offering arcana to the Deities from early morning up to ten o'clock at night, and then they go to rest. Again rise early in the morning. So somebody is engaged n cleansing the temple, somebody is engaged in dressing the Deity, somebody is engaged in cooking for the Deity, somebody is engaged going in Tokyo city for distributing literature, somebody is performing kīrtana here, somebody is reading our various books. In this way we have got twenty-five hours engagement instead of twenty-four hours. So mind cannot go outside Kṛṣṇa. That is called Kṛṣṇa conscious. We don't allow the mind go out of Kṛṣṇa's service. And this is sannyāsa. Practically anyone who is engaged in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, he is a sannyāsī. Never mind what is his dress. He may be in a dress of a family man, householder, or he may be in the dress of a sannyāsī—everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Therefore in the essential sense, everyone is sannyāsī. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1).
Kṛṣṇa says, kuruṣva tad mad-arpanam: "You give Me that. If you are eating, the food must be given to Me first. If you are working, the resultant profit should be given to Me. Or even loss, that is also given to Me." Yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi: (BG 9.27) "And whatever sacrificing," dadāsi yat, "whatever you give in charity, so give it to Me." This is sannyāsa. There is no, I mean to say, prohibition to act in any way. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, he was a warrior, fighter, but he fought for Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is a sannyāsī. Although he appears to be a householder, fighting for his own interest, but he was declining to fight for his own interest. When Kṛṣṇa convinced him that "This fighting is arranged by Me, Kṛṣṇa, and I want this fighting," then Arjuna fought. He understood that "It is to be fought for Kṛṣṇa, not for my self interest." And because he fought for Kṛṣṇa, he is a sannyāsī.
So sannyāsa order is Vedic order. Lord Buddha also appeared in India, and he inaugurated the Buddha philosophy. That is also sannyāsa. Bhikṣu. They are called bhikṣu, Buddha-bhikkhu. So this is a spiritual order. Otherwise, anyone who is acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a sannyāsī. That is, practical sannyāsa. So our Sudāmā das Goswami Mahārāja, from this day will... He is already engaged in preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He will now take special advantage and preach all over the world Kṛṣṇa consciousness and make his life successful. That is the mantra: etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām; parātma-niṣṭhām. Parātma-niṣṭhā means working for the Supreme, niṣṭhām. Adhyāsitāṁ pūrvatamair mahadbhiḥ. Pūrvatamair mahadbhiḥ, many great ācāryas. So we are coming through paramparā system. So we at the present moment we are Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He took sannyāsa. His spiritual master, Īśvara Purī, was also a sannyāsī. His spiritual master, Mādhavendra Purī was sannyāsī. My spiritual master was Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. He was also sannyāsī. I am also sannyāsī.
We can become free from all kinds of anxiety when we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness; otherwise it is not possible. We are aspiring, every one of us, aspiring how to become free of anxiety. But that can be done only when we take shelter of the Vaikuṇṭha-pati. Vaikuṇṭha-pati, Vaikuṇṭheśvara. So, so long we are accepting asat, asad-grahāt... Here in this material world everything is temporary. Suppose this body, your body, my body. This is called asat. Asat means temporary. It will not exist. So because we have accepted everything which will not exist, therefore we are full of anxiety. This is the full definition of anxiety. And if we take the sat, the, which will exist, and we sacrifice everything for that, that is called Sannyāsī. Sat nyāsī, sannyāsī. If we accept asat, then we will be full of anxiety, and if we accept sat, then we will be free of anxiety. This is the secret of spiritual life.
One who has given up... A sannyāsī is not supposed to cook. Ni, niragniḥ. And na niragnir na yogī. But anāśritaḥ karma-phalam. Tyāgī means karma-phala tyāga. This is tyāga, real tyāga. Suppose you are working. You are doing some business and getting lakhs of rupees' profit. If you can give up that profit for Kṛṣṇa, that is sannyāsa. Otherwise, "I shall enjoy fully the profit and I have become a great devotee"? No. Sannyāsa means, as it is stated, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ. Karma-phalaṁ. There must be some karma-phala, whatever you do. There must be some result, bad or good. So anāśritaḥ, without taking shelter of the result of activities, kāryaṁ karma karo... "It is my duty." Just like Arjuna did. Arjuna understood that Kṛṣṇa wanted the fight. He took it, kāryam, that "I, this, this, I must do. This I must do. Kṛṣṇa wants it. Because my business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.
So this is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ (BG 6.1). He was first of all judging, "If I kill my cousin-brothers, my grandfather, there will be bad result. I'll go to hell." Now, later on decided, "Hell or heaven, I don't care for it." That is called anāśritaḥ. "I don't take shelter of hell or heaven. I take shelter of Kṛṣṇa." A devotee does not discriminate what is hell or what is heaven. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kaścana na bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). One who is Nārāyaṇa parāḥ, devotee, he doesn't care for what is hell or heaven. Svargāpavarga-narakeṣu api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ. A devotee... Just like Nārada: he goes to hell, he goes to heaven. He has got freedom to go everywhere. Tulyārtha-darśinaḥ. For him, there is no hell, there is no heaven. He's preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness wherever he goes. That's all. He has nothing to do.
So this renouncement, for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is real sannyāsa. Just like when I went to your country, actually sometimes I had to live in a hell according to our Indian standard, Vedic standard. So what can be done? Hell or heaven, I have to do my duty. It doesn't matter. Factually... I do not want to describe those things. So this sannyāsa means do not care for personal sense gratification—"Oh, this is inconvenience. This is convenience." Simply go on preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī yogī. He's yogi, he's sannyāsī in everything, who is simply working for Kṛṣṇa. There will be some result, loss or gain. So if there is loss, that is Kṛṣṇa's. If there is gain, that is also Kṛṣṇa's. Not that loss is Kṛṣṇa's and gain is mine. No. Not like that. Everything Kṛṣṇa's. We have to work for Kṛṣṇa. So, so take this mantra.
So with Caitanya Mahāprabhu's blessing and spiritual strength and with the good wishes of Vaiṣṇavas, just proceed and preach and always think of Kṛṣṇa. He will help. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. If you sincerely work... Kṛṣṇa is within yourself. He will give you strength, instruction. Simply you have to become... But we should always remember that sannyāsa means material activities finished. This is sannyāsa: no more material activities. Only for the service of Kṛṣṇa to live, that's all.
General Lectures
Those who are living with wife and children, they are called householder, gṛhastha. Then vānaprastha, the retired persons. And then sannyāsa. After retirement, one dedicates his whole life for preaching work, preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is sannyāsa order. So this is... These four divisions are in the spiritual order, and the other divisions are in the social order. Human society without these eight divisions—means social divisions and spiritual divisions—it is not called civilized. They must have. Therefore Sūta Gosvāmī said, the social orders are there, and the spiritual orders are there, and each and every order, there are prescribed duties. The brāhmaṇas, they are engaged in such and such things, the brahmacārīs are engaged in such and such thing, the kṣatriyas are engaged... There are different prescribed duties. Now Sūta Gosvāmī says that varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There are divisions of duties and divisions of social and spiritual order. That's all right.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Āśrama means spiritual division. Therefore those who are following strictly the Vedic principle, that family life is called gṛhastha āśrama. Āśrama. Whenever you add this word āśrama there is spiritual significance. So all the division-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa—they are known as āśrama. Anyone can understand āśrama. As soon as there is āśrama that means "Here some men, saintly persons, spiritually advanced persons, lives." That is āśrama. So that āśrama, when a student follows the regulative principles, he is supposed to be situated in brahmacārī āśrama. A householder living with family, husband, wife, children, if they are following strictly the regulative principles—gṛhastha āśrama. Similarly, retired life, if he is following the regulative principles—the vānaprastha āśrama. Similarly, a renounced life, sannyāsa, if he is following the regulative principles, that is sannyāsa āśrama. Not that imitating somebody, I put on a saffron dress and I become a sannyāsī and by begging I live. This has killed the whole Hindu society or the sanātana-dharma society. Unqualified persons, they do not know the regulative principles but for solution of economic problem they dress themselves. This is Kali-yuga. They will pass on simply by the dress without any knowledge.
Guest (1) (Indian man): Māyāvādīs may die like that, imagining... (Hindi) Ara saba bhṛtya.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are after, inquiring after Brahmān, but nobody could give them. So they have got it. Now they are taking it. This is stage. (Hindi) That is the stage, sannyāsa stage. So these hippies, they are also giving up all work, that is sannyāsa, but there is no guide. There is no guide. And because they have no guide, therefore their intelligence is not being purified. Simply there is a propensity for renunciation, tyāga. But tyāga...(Hindi) After renunciation, what is the next stage, they do not know. That we are giving: "Yes, come here. Stand here." (laughs) Is it not?
Haṁsadūta: Yes. Exactly.
Prabhupāda: They are very successful. They are standing: "We don't want this." But they must stand. So they could not give the standing. But here is... Oh, here is standing. Therefore this movement is successful. They want some standing. And where is the standing? (Hindi) So unless you get a solid ground you cannot stand. You'll fall down.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Every one of us as good as sannyāsī because we have sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa. Sannyāsī does not mean simply having no wife and children, he's a sannyāsī. No. Nothing to possess except Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsī. One should know that "I will have simply Kṛṣṇa, nothing more." Then he is sannyāsī. This mentality, that "I have nothing to serve, I have nobody to serve except Kṛṣṇa." But if you serve Kṛṣṇa, you will serve everyone. Just like I was teaching this Indian gentleman. The same process. If you pour water on the root of the tree, automatically the branches, the leaves, and the flowers are all served. If you put the foodstuff here, not here, not here, then automatically this is served. Although the foodstuff is here, automatically this is served, this is served, this is served, this is... Everybody is served. This is practical. If you serve Kṛṣṇa, then all service will be included.
Prabhupāda: Then how you can take sannyāsa? It is a very great responsibility. (break) There is no need of taking sannyāsa. If you are sincere in preaching you can do in this dress. Where is the harm? Simply by changing, taking a rod, you'll not become God immediately. You have to work, steadily. What is there in sannyāsa? Do you mean to say taking a rod one becomes sannyāsa? Sannyāsa means you must be sacrificing everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). Sa sannyāsī, he's sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti. You went to Israel but again came back. Why? What was the difficulty?
Kulaśekhara: Well, there's no activity there Prabhupāda. I got attacked on the street. I got very sick and I was attacked on the street when I was on saṅkīrtana.
Prabhupāda: Do you like to go to Africa? It is warm country.
Kulaśekhara: Yes Prabhupāda. That would be nice.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Reporter: Sannyāsa.
Prabhupāda: No, more than akarma.
Reporter: Sannyāsa?
Prabhupāda: More than a... Sannyāsī is akarma, yes. Sannyāsī is also not akarma. Sannyāsa means... That is also described in Bhagavad-gītā. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ (BG 6.1). That is also karma. Kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī. "It is my duty"—on this principle when one works, he is sannyāsī. He does not work for himself, he works for Kṛṣṇa. And that is sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalam. Because if you are doing something, there must be some result. But you do not take the result. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalam. Kāryam: it is my duty. Kāryam. Karma karot... Karma karoti yaḥ. That is karma. Sa sannyāsī. So how you can say in sannyāsa there is no karma? Karma is always there. But you have to see for what for this karma is being done The end justify the means. What is the end of this karma? So when the end is Kṛṣṇa, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167).
Reporter: Yeah. But what is the meaning of akarma?
Prabhupāda: Akarma means that does not produce another karma. Or sometimes akarma means laziness.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Just like we do not want money. But they are having money by so many ways. So we take their money and construct a temple. We can sit down here and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We don't require that temple. But these rascals are accumulating money for wine and women. Take their money, some way or other, and builds a temple. And invite them, "Come and see." Give them prasādam. This is our policy. We are not constructing big, big buildings and temples for our convenience. For their convenience. This is sannyāsī.
Viṣṇujana: So there should always be programs in the temples for their welfare, not...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Viṣṇujana: ...that we live there and...
Prabhupāda: No. But we are taking it, "Now we have got very nice house, room. Let us sleep and eat."
Viṣṇujana: Then there'll be wide criticism.
Prabhupāda: That is... This is not good.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Sannyāsa-yoga means sa sannyāsī, the one who acts for Kṛṣṇa, sa sannyāsī.
Dr. Patel: Sannyāsa-yoga-yuktātmā. Means you have actually, I mean, sannyāsa means nyāsa of all attachment for the...
Prabhupāda: Nyāsa means giving up, giving up. Sat nyāsa, sannyāsa. Oṁ tat sat. Sat is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when you sacrifice everything for Kṛṣṇa, that is real sannyāsa, not this dress. This dress is symbolical. That's all. Real thing is kāryaṁ karma karoti ya. Kāryam. "Oh, it is my... Kṛṣṇa wants, everyone should surrender unto Him. Then I shall teach everyone to surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kāryam. "This is my business." Kāryaṁ karma karoti, sa sannyāsī. What is that kāryam? Kāryam means this is kāryam.
Prabhupāda: ...gṛha-medhinām. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Those who are gṛhamedhis and do not know anything else except maintaining the family, they are called gṛhamedhi. And those who cultivating spiritual consciousness in gṛhastha life with family and children, they are called gṛhasthas. That is the difference between gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha. So gṛhamedhi, they have no aim of life, of self-realization. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nṛnāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ. (break) ...self-realization. Nṛnāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), who cannot see what is the ātma-tattvam, what is the path of self-realization. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Therefore it is the duty of the sannyāsī... Sannyāsī does not mean that he will beg for fulfilling his hungry belly. Sannyāsī means he must enlighten—that is sannyāsī—in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (break) ...rājendra nṛnaṁ santi sahasrasaḥ apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). This is the Sukadeva Gosvāmī says that śrotavyādīni rājendra (SB 2.1.2), subject matter for hearing nrnam, for the human being, nṛnāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, thousands of... Just like in the newspaper in the morning, thousands of varieties of news they will attend, and ask them to attend the maṅgala ārati for self-realization, "No, that is not... You are disturbing, nonsense." This is gṛhamedhi. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Vedic culture is that one must rise early in the morning. And even Kṛṣṇa in His gṛhastha life, immediately He rose up.
Bali Mardana: (break) ...sanctify the whole world by your footsteps. You are criss-crossing the world.
Prabhupāda: That is stated in the śāstra. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā. Because a pure devotee carries Kṛṣṇa within his heart, therefore wherever he goes he makes a holy place. It is said in the śāstra. So not me, but every one of you, if you are pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then wherever you'll go, that is a holy place. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ... To become sannyāsī means that, that he'll be pure devotee, and wherever he will go, he will purify. That is sannyāsa means. Mahad-vicalaṁ nṛnāṁ gṛhināṁ dīna-cetasām. Mahātmās, they'll travel so that the householders, who are cripple-minded and full of sinful activities, they'll go there and make them purified. This is the idea of sannyāsa. And in the Vedic civilization a brahmacārī and a sannyāsī has open door. There is no restriction. No "Beware of dog." (laughter) But now they are prohibited. I have got practical experience. After my sannyāsa, when I was touring India, so in Ahmedabad, or Baroda, I was entering one man's house. So he was standing on the balcony. (laughter)
Devotee: Saying "Don't come"?
Prabhupāda: "Don't come."
Bali Mardana: The age of Kali is perpetrating itself. (pause)
Prabhupāda: It is not their fault. Because in India a sannyāsī has become a professional beggar. Just change the dress and you can easily eat without any working.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Karyam: "It is my duty. My Guru Mahārāja said it, so it is my duty. It doesn't matter whether it is successful or not successful. That depends on Kṛṣṇa." In this way, anyone, if he works, then he is a sannyāsī. Not the dress, but the attitude of working. Yes, that is sannyāsa. Karyam: "It is my duty." Sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. He is yogi, first-class yogi. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna officially, he did not take sannyāsa. He was a gṛhastha, soldier. But when he took it very seriously, karyam—"Kṛṣṇa wants this fight. Never mind I have to kill my relatives. I must do it"—that is sannyāsa. First of all he argued with Kṛṣṇa that "This kind of fighting is not good, family killing...," and so on, so on, so on. He argued. But after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, when he understood that "It is my duty. Kṛṣṇa wants me to do it." Karyam. So in spite of his becoming a householder, a soldier, he's a sannyāsī. He took it-karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty." That is real sannyāsa. "Kṛṣṇa wants that this Kṛṣṇa 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 sannyāsa. This is sannyāsa, sannyāsa mentality. But there is formality. That should... That may be accepted.
Prabhupāda: Preaching means to make him strong, preaching, to become firmly convinced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is preaching. So when he is firmly convinced, then he can give up preaching and sit down and simply chant. Not in the beginning. That is imitation. He must be firmly convinced. So we have to study Caitanya Mahāprabhu's life. Except—this is the clear and simple truth—except chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, there is no other business of the human being. So this preaching is also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is preaching. That has been shown by all the disciples of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. All the Gosvāmīs, Haridāsa Ṭhākura and others, only did that, how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, no other business. That is sannyāsa. He has no other business. To preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to convince Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that's all, no other business. We don't take part in politics, sociology, and mental speculation, "science," or so on, so on, all nonsense. We reject, all kicked out. That is the perfection. It is simply waste of time. These are all superficial. Just like waves in the sea. Where is the meaning? The waves are going on.
Prof. Hopkins: Well I... I have been a friend for many years now. I suspect... I suspect sometimes that I may end up as a sannyāsī among your line at some point. (laughs)
Prabhupāda: Sannyāsa does not mean change of dress. Sannyāsa means everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa.
Prof. Hopkins: What is your view of Śrī Aurobindo? (loud laughter) Or should I have left well enough alone? He is not an impersonalist, he's not a Māyāvādī.
Prabhupāda: He says that above the Māyāvāda philosophy there is something else, super. That is bhakti. (indistinct) ...bhakti, but he could not understand because he did not take any education from realized person. He wanted to realize himself. That is his defect.
Prabhupāda: They are sannyāsīs. Saurabha is sannyāsa. His wife doesn't live with him.
Kīrtanānanda: The same principle is there for everyone, in so far as one becomes detached, then he's sannyas.
Prabhupāda: Yes, sannyāsa. Detachment required.
Kīrtanānanda: It is not a matter of cloth.
Prabhupāda: No. Sa sannyāsī. Anāsaktasya viṣayān. He has no attachment for this eating, sleeping, mating. He is attached to Kṛṣṇa. And that is sannyāsī. Sannyāsī does not means dress. Detached. Sat sannyāsī. Sat, oṁ tat sat, the supreme, and for Him everything, risk all. That is sannyāsa. Anāsaktya... What is that? Bhagavad-gītā?
Indian man: Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma...
Prabhupāda: Ah, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ, kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī... (BG 6.1). One who does not take the reward of his labor, he is sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karam-phalaṁ. Everyone works for some profit, and one who does not take the profit, works for Kṛṣṇa, he is sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ, kāryam. Kāryam means it is my duty to work for Kṛṣṇa. In this way one works, he is sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca na niraghir na cākriyaḥ. He is yogi also. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (to passerby) Just like Arjuna. He is fighting not for himself; for himself he declined to fight. But when he understood that Kṛṣṇa wants, "All right, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). I shall fight. I shall kill my grandfather and everyone." This is sannyāsī.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: One should be fully satisfied: "No more I want this material disease. That's all. Enough of it." That mentality required: "I don't want anything material facility." Sannyāsa means that, that "I shall live with the minimum necessities of life and simply devote..." That is sannyāsa. "I shall become a sannyāsī and enjoy all material facilities"—that is not sannyāsa. (break) ...recommended that "If there is no need, don't take even cloth. Remain naked." That is sannyāsa. But because we have to preach, because we have to go the people, therefore some covering. Otherwise, this is also not necessary for a sannyāsī. Nothing. Lie down on the floor like the Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, and take water in your palm, no dress. Śukadeva was also not dressing, naked. That is the perfection of sannyāsa.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Gargamuni: They advise you to grow a beard and to wear Western suit, the other swamis. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...in a different style. (break) ...money. These rascals are also after woman and money, in a different style. Asat eka strī-saṅgī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately rejects him, that "He's a rascal. He's after women." Immediately. Asat strī-saṅgī. Two kinds of rascals—nondevotee of Kṛṣṇa and woman-hunter—reject immediately. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... The sannyāsa life is... What is that? Cent percent, no connection with woman. That is sannyāsa. What we have renounced? We have renounced... We are using the motorcar, we are using this machine, we are eating, we are sleeping in nice room—what is the renouncement? Only renouncement is no connection with woman. That is the real platform of renouncement. If one can renounce woman's connection, then he's liberated man. That is very, very difficult. (break) Except myself, they go for woman and money, that's all, in foreign countries. This is the position. This Vishnu, Vishnu... Vishnananda, Vishnu-ananda? Now what is that? One yogi is in Montreal?
Satsvarūpa: Vishnu-something-ananda.
Prabhupāda: He also is after women. That's all.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And now they're getting two vans for book distribution.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And now Gargamuni is asking to purchase this van and with that money they will purchase Indian van. That will solve the problem. Those who are coming... (break) Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). Kṛṣṇa says. Anāśritaḥ, now you are working so hard not for your benefit, personal, and that is sannyāsī. That is sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryam. "Oh it is my duty to serve Kṛṣṇa." And he is sannyāsī. Anyone who has got this consciousness that "It is my duty to serve Kṛṣṇa. I must serve Him with my life and soul and everything," he's a sannyāsī. Not the dress. So you are doing that. Now fix up. Go on doing this. Life is successful. That's all. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī. Find out this verse. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalam. It is so nice to work for Kṛṣṇa without any personal profit. This is Vṛndāvana. The gopīs, they sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa, their position, their honor, their prestige. So do like that. I am very glad to see when you work so hard for Kṛṣṇa. That gives me much pleasure.
Prabhupāda: So this is sannyāsī. Sannyāsī is not the dress. This mentality, that is sannyāsa. So you have taken all prasādam? No.
Jayapatākā: Now you take rest, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yes. So things are going nicely?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.
Rāmeśvara: Did you catch that?
Muralīdhara: It should be below the knees or...?
Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes. This is sannyāsī cloth. Should be shorter.
Rāmeśvara: Now, what's happening here is that his face is still very youthful, but his body is becoming very old like an old man's body. Gradually, his hands are old. The only thing left is his face and his neck.
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Rāmeśvara: It is like he's being transformed.
Prabhupāda: After cursing, the body was that, but not before.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Regarding your speculation as to whether or not you should accept a position: Krishna wants that everyone should utilize his talent as far as possible. Arjuna was a great fighter, and Krishna encouraged him to fight. He never said that he should sit down and I shall do it for you, although He was able to. The principle should be that we utilize our talents for the service of the Lord. That is real sannyasa. Formal acceptance of sannyasa, as required for all old men, means that one should retire from materialistic life, and devote his time and energy for the service of the Lord. As you are devoted already to the service of the Lord, without any personal consideration, you are always sannyasa at heart. Now if you can get some money for our cause of K.C. I think it will be a great service.
1970 Correspondence
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
Actually, all of you are more than sannyasis. Anyone who has dedicated his life to Krishna, he is sannyasi, yogi, and everything. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gita—one who does not work for his personal benefit is a sannyasi. It doesn't matter what is his dress. So all our devotees are more than sannyasis. We are members of Krishna's family. Our aim is not to become a Mayavadi sannyasi, but to become family members of Krishna's devotees. Krishna maintains 16,000 families, and if you get a chance to serve in one of the families, then your life is a success. Real sannyasa means no more interest in material activities, but simply dedicated to Krishna's service. That is real sannyasa. So you are greater than a sannyasi. You train all these boys to be practical sannyasis in the service of Krishna.
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 if the sankirtana parties in Satsvarupa's zone are irritating the public for selling so many books, that is one thing, but by their selling books they are doing the greatest service. What your one hour of preaching will do, they will hear and go away, but if they have one book at home, they will read, their friends will read, and something solid work is done. So the art is to sell many many books and not to irritate the public, so you may instruct all the others how to do this successfully. That is sannyasa. That is GBC. There are so many places to go, so why there should be business competition sankirtana parties in New York? This problem should be adjusted between the GBC men.
But you are sannyasi, and sannyasis duty is different: travel widely and preach. That is sannyasa. So I am very happy to hear you are doing that, now go on vigorously preaching and distributing books, especially among the college students, and utilize every moment to spread Krishna Consciousness knowledge to everyone. That will be the perfection of your life.
1976 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 14th inst. Why not make preaching with black people in America your lifetime preaching goal? Yes, limit to this. You preach—that is sannyasa. What is the use of changing dress? Do, actually. Regarding my leaving, I'll not leave the planet until you order.
| Page Title: | That is sannyasa |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 14 of Oct, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=32, Con=18, Let=7 |
| No. of Quotes: | 57 |