Vaisnava sannyasis

Expressions researched:
"vaisnava sannyasi" |"vaisnava sannyasis"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, who are engaged in devotional service, are happy in the discharge of their transcendental duties, and they have the guarantee of ultimate entrance into the kingdom of God.

BG 5.6, Purport:

There are two classes of sannyāsīs, or persons in the renounced order of life. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are engaged in the study of Sāṅkhya philosophy, whereas the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs are engaged in the study of Bhāgavatam philosophy, which affords the proper commentary on the Vedānta-sūtras. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs also study the Vedānta-sūtras, but use their own commentary, called Śārīraka-bhāṣya, written by Śaṅkarācārya. The students of the Bhāgavata school are engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, according to pāñcarātrikī regulations, and therefore the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs have multiple engagements in the transcendental service of the Lord. The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs have nothing to do with material activities, and yet they perform various activities in their devotional service to the Lord. But the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, engaged in the studies of Sāṅkhya and Vedānta and speculation, cannot relish the transcendental service of the Lord. Because their studies become very tedious, they sometimes become tired of Brahman speculation, and thus they take shelter of the Bhāgavatam without proper understanding. Consequently their study of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam becomes troublesome. Dry speculations and impersonal interpretations by artificial means are all useless for the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, who are engaged in devotional service, are happy in the discharge of their transcendental duties, and they have the guarantee of ultimate entrance into the kingdom of God. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs sometimes fall down from the path of self-realization and again enter into material activities of a philanthropic and altruistic nature, which are nothing but material engagements. Therefore, the conclusion is that those who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities are better situated than the sannyāsīs engaged in simple speculation about what is Brahman and what is not Brahman, although they too come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, after many births.

SB Preface and Introduction

In India there is always a kind of spiritual rivalry between the Māyāvāda and Bhāgavata schools, and thus when the news of the Lord reached Prakāśānanda he knew that the Lord was a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, and therefore he minimized the value of the Lord before those who brought him the news.

SB Introduction:

In India there is always a kind of spiritual rivalry between the Māyāvāda and Bhāgavata schools, and thus when the news of the Lord reached Prakāśānanda he knew that the Lord was a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, and therefore he minimized the value of the Lord before those who brought him the news. He deprecated the activities of the Lord because of His preaching the saṅkīrtana movement, which was in his opinion nothing but religious sentiment. Prakāśānanda was a profound student of the Vedānta, and he advised his followers to give attention to the Vedānta and not to indulge in saṅkīrtana.

SB Canto 1

The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are ekadaṇḍi-svāmīs, whereas the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs are known as tridaṇḍi-svāmīs, or more distinctly, tridaṇḍi-gosvāmīs, in order to be distinguished from the Māyāvādī philosophers.

SB 1.13.30, Purport:

The sannyāsīs accept a rod as the sign of the renounced order of life. There are two types of sannyāsīs. Those who follow the Māyāvādī philosophy, headed by Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, accept only one rod (eka-daṇḍa), but those who follow the Vaiṣṇavite philosophy accept three combined rods (tri-daṇḍa). The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are ekadaṇḍi-svāmīs, whereas the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs are known as tridaṇḍi-svāmīs, or more distinctly, tridaṇḍi-gosvāmīs, in order to be distinguished from the Māyāvādī philosophers. The ekadaṇḍi-svāmīs are mostly fond of the Himalayas, but the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs are fond of Vṛndāvana and Purī. The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs are narottamas, whereas the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are dhīras. Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra was advised to follow the dhīras because at that stage it was difficult for him to become a narottama.

SB Canto 3

The glories of the Lord as chanted by the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī are as substantial as the Lord Himself, and thus while glorifying the Lord the devotee becomes one with Him in transcendental interest, although he remains eternally a transcendental servitor.

SB 3.6.36, Purport:

Maitreya's statement is that in order to avoid unchaste conscious activities, he was trying to describe the unlimited glories of the Lord, although he did not have the ability to describe them perfectly. This glorification of the Lord is not a product of research, but the result of hearing submissively from the authority of the spiritual master. It is also not possible to repeat all that one has heard from his spiritual master, but one can narrate as far as possible by one's honest endeavor. It does not matter whether the Lord's glories are fully explained or not. One must attempt to engage one's bodily, mental and verbal activities in the transcendental glorification of the Lord, otherwise such activities will remain unchaste and impure. The existence of the conditioned soul can be purified only by the method of engaging mind and speech in the service of the Lord. The tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī of the Vaiṣṇava school accepts three rods, representing the vow to engage in the service of the Lord with body, mind and speech, whereas the ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsī takes the vow to become one with the Supreme. Since the Lord is the Absolute, there is no distinction between Him and His glories. The glories of the Lord as chanted by the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī are as substantial as the Lord Himself, and thus while glorifying the Lord the devotee becomes one with Him in transcendental interest, although he remains eternally a transcendental servitor. This simultaneously one and different position of the devotee makes him eternally purified, and thus his life becomes a complete success.

SB Canto 4

A tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī is a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, and an ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsī is a Māyāvādī sannyāsī.

SB 4.19.22, Purport:

Since time immemorial, the sannyāsa order has carried the tridaṇḍa. Later Śaṅkarācārya introduced the ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsa. A tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī is a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, and an ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsī is a Māyāvādī sannyāsī. There are many other types of sannyāsīs, who are not approved by Vedic rituals. A type of pseudo-sannyāsa was introduced by Indra when he tried to hide himself from the attack of Vijitāśva, the great son of King Pṛthu. Now there are many different types of sannyāsīs. Some of them go naked, and some of them carry a skull and trident, generally known as kāpālika. All of them were introduced under some meaningless circumstances, and those who have a poor fund of knowledge accept these false sannyāsīs 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 sannyāsīs who engage in sinful activities. The sinful activities forbidden by the śāstras are illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. These so-called sannyāsīs 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 sannyāsīs 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 sannyāsīs. As described in the following verses, such sannyāsīs are pākhaṇḍīs. Vedic literature states that a person who puts Lord Nārāyaṇa on the level with Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā immediately becomes a pākhaṇḍī.

The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs travel all over the world to make every place a place of pilgrimage by the touch of their lotus feet.

SB 4.22.11, Purport:

In this verse the word tīrtha-pādīya indicates devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, or Vaiṣṇavas. As far as brāhmaṇas are concerned, in the previous verse the mode of reception has been already described. Now, in this verse, special stress is being given to the Vaiṣṇavas. Generally the sannyāsīs, or those in the renounced order of life, take trouble to enlighten the householders. There are ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs and tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs. The ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs are generally followers of Śaṅkarācārya and are known as Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, whereas the tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs are followers of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and so on—and they take trouble to enlighten the householders. Ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs can be situated on the platform of pure Brahman because they are aware that the spirit soul is different from the body, but they are mainly impersonalists. The Vaiṣṇavas know that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person and that the Brahman effulgence is based on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.27): brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham. The conclusion is that tīrtha-pādīya refers to Vaiṣṇavas. In the Bhāgavatam (1.13.10) there is also another reference: tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. Wherever he goes, a Vaiṣṇava immediately makes that place a tīrtha, a place of pilgrimage. The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs travel all over the world to make every place a place of pilgrimage by the touch of their lotus feet. It is mentioned here that any house which does not receive a Vaiṣṇava in the manner already explained in the previous verse is to be considered the residential quarters of venomous serpents. It is said that around the sandalwood tree, which is a very valuable tree, there is a venomous serpent. Sandalwood is very cold, and venomous serpents, because of their poisonous teeth, are always very warm, and they take shelter of the sandalwood trees to become cooler.

The goal of those who have renounced the material world is the attainment of Nārāyaṇa. A Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī therefore dedicates his life to serving Nārāyaṇa; he does not falsely claim to be Nārāyaṇa.

SB 4.30.36, Purport:

In this verse it is said that Nārāyaṇa is nyāsināṁ gatiḥ, the ultimate goal of the sannyāsīs. The goal of those who have renounced the material world is the attainment of Nārāyaṇa. A Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī therefore dedicates his life to serving Nārāyaṇa; he does not falsely claim to be Nārāyaṇa.

SB Canto 7

Generally the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, being paramahaṁsas, are automatically called bābājīs, and they do not carry a kamaṇḍalu or daṇḍa.

SB 7.13.9, Purport:

There are four stages of the renounced order of life—kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya and paramahaṁsa. Herein, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam considers the paramahaṁsas among the sannyāsīs. The Māyāvādī impersonalist sannyāsīs cannot attain the paramahaṁsa stage. This is because of their impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is perceived in three stages, of which bhagavān, or realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is meant for the paramahaṁsas. Indeed, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam itself is meant for the paramahaṁsas (paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām (SB 1.1.2)). Unless one is in the paramahaṁsa stage, he is not eligible to understand the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. For paramahaṁsas, or sannyāsīs in the Vaiṣṇava order, preaching is the first duty. To preach, such sannyāsīs may accept the symbols of sannyāsa, such as the daṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu, or sometimes they may not. Generally the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, being paramahaṁsas, are automatically called bābājīs, and they do not carry a kamaṇḍalu or daṇḍa. Such a sannyāsī is free to accept or reject the marks of sannyāsa. His only thought is "Where is there an opportunity to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" Sometimes the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement sends its representative sannyāsīs to foreign countries where the daṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu are not very much appreciated. We send our preachers in ordinary dress to introduce our books and philosophy. Our only concern is to attract people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We may do this in the dress of sannyāsīs or in the regular dress of gentlemen. Our only concern is to spread interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 11.18.17, Translation:

One who has not accepted the three internal disciplines of avoiding useless speech, avoiding useless activities and controlling the life air can never be considered a sannyāsī merely because of his carrying bamboo rods.

CC Adi-lila

This verse is from the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, which was written by a great Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī named Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, who is also known as Līlāśuka. He intensely desired to enter into the eternal pastimes of the Lord, and he lived at Vṛndāvana for seven hundred years in the vicinity of Brahma-kuṇḍa, a still-existing bathing tank in Vṛndāvana.

CC Adi 1.57, Translation and Purport:

"All glories to Cintāmaṇi and my initiating spiritual master, Somagiri. All glories to my instructing spiritual master, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who wears peacock feathers in His crown. Under the shade of His lotus feet, which are like desire trees, Jayaśrī (Rādhārāṇī) enjoys the transcendental mellow of an eternal consort."

This verse is from the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, which was written by a great Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī named Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, who is also known as Līlāśuka. He intensely desired to enter into the eternal pastimes of the Lord, and he lived at Vṛndāvana for seven hundred years in the vicinity of Brahma-kuṇḍa, a still-existing bathing tank in Vṛndāvana. The history of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura is given in a book called Śrī-vallabha-digvijaya. He appeared in the eighth century of the Śaka Era in the province of Draviḍa and was the chief disciple of Viṣṇu Svāmī. In a list of temples and monasteries kept in Śaṅkarācārya's monastery in Dvārakā, Bilvamaṅgala is mentioned as the founder of the Dvārakādhīśa temple there. He entrusted the service of his Deity to Hari Brahmacārī, a disciple of Vallabha Bhaṭṭa.

Another famous book by Sanātana Gosvāmī is the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, which states the rules and regulations for all divisions of Vaiṣṇavas, namely, Vaiṣṇava householders, Vaiṣṇava brahmacārīs, Vaiṣṇava vānaprasthas and Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs. This book was especially written, however, for Vaiṣṇava householders.

CC Adi 5.203, Purport:

Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta is very famous; anyone who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Kṛṣṇa must read this book. Sanātana Gosvāmī also wrote a special commentary on the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam known as the Daśama-ṭippanī, which is so excellent that by reading it one can understand very deeply the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in His exchanges of loving activities. Another famous book by Sanātana Gosvāmī is the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, which states the rules and regulations for all divisions of Vaiṣṇavas, namely, Vaiṣṇava householders, Vaiṣṇava brahmacārīs, Vaiṣṇava vānaprasthas and Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs. This book was especially written, however, for Vaiṣṇava householders.

This exemplary behavior of Lord Caitanya definitely proves that a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī cannot accept invitations from Māyāvādī sannyāsīs or intimately mix with them.

CC Adi 7.46, Translation and Purport:

As a matter of principle, Lord Caitanya regularly accepted His food at the house of Tapana Miśra. He never mixed with other sannyāsīs, nor did He accept invitations from them.

This exemplary behavior of Lord Caitanya definitely proves that a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī cannot accept invitations from Māyāvādī sannyāsīs or intimately mix with them.

This brāhmaṇa knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the only Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī in Benares at that time and all the others were Māyāvādīs.

CC Adi 7.54, Translation and Purport:

“My dear Lord, I have invited all the sannyāsīs of Benares to my home. My desires will be fulfilled if You also accept my invitation.

This brāhmaṇa knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the only Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī in Benares at that time and all the others were Māyāvādīs. It is the duty of a gṛhastha to sometimes invite sannyāsīs to take food at his home. This gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa wanted to invite all the sannyāsīs to his house, but he also knew that it would be very difficult to induce Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to accept such an invitation because the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs would be present. Therefore he fell down at His feet and fervently appealed to the Lord to be compassionate and grant his request. Thus he humbly submitted his desire.

To remain distinct from Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, the sannyāsīs of the Māyāvādi-sampradāya always think themselves to be situated in a very much elevated spiritual order, but Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in order to teach them how to become humble and meek, accepted Himself as belonging to a lower sampradāya of sannyāsīs.

CC Adi 7.64, Purport:

Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are very puffed up if they hold the elevated sannyāsa title Tīrtha, Āśrama or Sarasvatī. Even among Māyāvādīs, those who belong to other sampradāyas and hold other titles, such as Vana, Araṇya or Bhāratī, are considered to be lower-grade sannyāsīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa from the Bhāratī-sampradāya, and thus He considered Himself a lower sannyāsī than Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. To remain distinct from Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, the sannyāsīs of the Māyāvādi-sampradāya always think themselves to be situated in a very much elevated spiritual order, but Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in order to teach them how to become humble and meek, accepted Himself as belonging to a lower sampradāya of sannyāsīs. Thus He wanted to point out clearly that a sannyāsī is one who is advanced in spiritual knowledge. One who is advanced in spiritual knowledge should be accepted as occupying a better position than those who lack such knowledge.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very tactfully gave Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī an opportunity to advance in ajñāta-sukṛti so that in the future he might actually become a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī.

CC Adi 7.65, Translation and Purport:

Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, however, caught Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally by the hand and seated Him with great respect in the midst of the assembly.

The respectful behavior of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī toward Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very much to be appreciated. Such behavior is calculated to be ajñāta-sukṛti, or pious activities that one executes unknowingly. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very tactfully gave Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī an opportunity to advance in ajñāta-sukṛti so that in the future he might actually become a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī.

A Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī or a Vaiṣṇava in the second stage of advancement in spiritual knowledge can understand four principles—namely, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotees, the innocent and the jealous—and he behaves differently with each. He tries to increase his love for Godhead, make friendship with devotees and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness among the innocent, but he avoids the jealous who are envious of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

CC Adi 7.67, Purport:

A Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī or a Vaiṣṇava in the second stage of advancement in spiritual knowledge can understand four principles—namely, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotees, the innocent and the jealous—and he behaves differently with each. He tries to increase his love for Godhead, make friendship with devotees and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness among the innocent, but he avoids the jealous who are envious of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself exemplified such behavior, and this is why Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī inquired why He did not associate or even talk with them. Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed by example that a preacher of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement generally should not waste his time talking with Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, but when there are arguments on the basis of śāstra, a Vaiṣṇava must come forward to talk and defeat them in philosophy.

Generally Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and worshipers of Lord Śiva live in Vārāṇasī, but how is it that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who took the part of a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, also visited the Viśveśvara temple? The answer is that a Vaiṣṇava does not behave impudently toward the demigods.

CC Adi 7.157, Translation and Purport:

When the Lord went to visit the temple of Viśveśvara, hundreds of thousands of people assembled to see Him.

The important point in this verse is that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regularly visited the temple of Viśveśvara (Lord Śiva) at Vārāṇasī. Vaiṣṇavas generally do not visit a demigod's temple, but here we see that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regularly visited the temple of Viśveśvara, who was the predominating deity of Vārāṇasī. Generally Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and worshipers of Lord Śiva live in Vārāṇasī, but how is it that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who took the part of a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, also visited the Viśveśvara temple? The answer is that a Vaiṣṇava does not behave impudently toward the demigods. A Vaiṣṇava gives proper respect to all, although he never accepts a demigod to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Śrī Brahmānanda Purī was one of the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu while He was performing kīrtana in Navadvīpa, and he also joined Lord Caitanya in Jagannātha Purī. We may note in this connection that the name Brahmānanda is accepted not only by Māyāvādī sannyāsīs but by Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs also.

CC Adi 9.13-15, Purport:

Brahmānanda Purī: Śrī Brahmānanda Purī was one of the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu while He was performing kīrtana in Navadvīpa, and he also joined Lord Caitanya in Jagannātha Purī. We may note in this connection that the name Brahmānanda is accepted not only by Māyāvādī sannyāsīs but by Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs also. One of our foolish Godbrothers criticized our sannyāsī Brahmānanda Svāmī, saying that this was a Māyāvādī name. The foolish man did not know that Brahmānanda does not always refer to the impersonal Brahman. Parabrahman, the Supreme Brahman, is Kṛṣṇa. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa can therefore also be called Brahmānanda; this is evident from the fact that Brahmānanda Purī was one of the chief sannyāsī associates of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Brahmānanda Bhāratī: Brahmānanda Bhāratī went to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha-dhāma. At that time he used to wear only a deerskin to cover himself, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu indirectly indicated that He did not like this deerskin covering. Brahmānanda Bhāratī therefore gave it up and accepted a loincloth of saffron color, as used by Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs. For some time he lived with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Jagannātha Purī.

Unfortunately caste brāhmaṇas do not offer obeisances to a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. They are so proud that they do not offer obeisances even to Indian sannyāsīs, what to speak of European and American sannyāsīs.

CC Adi 17.265, Purport:

Among the members of the varṇāśrama institution's social orders (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra), the brāhmaṇa is considered the foremost, for he is the teacher and spiritual master of all the other varṇas. Similarly, among the spiritual orders (brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa), the sannyāsa order is the most elevated. Therefore a sannyāsī is the spiritual master of all the varṇas and āśramas, and a brāhmaṇa is also expected to offer obeisances to a sannyāsī. Unfortunately, however, caste brāhmaṇas do not offer obeisances to a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. They are so proud that they do not offer obeisances even to Indian sannyāsīs, what to speak of European and American sannyāsīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, expected that even the caste brāhmaṇas would offer respectful obeisances to a sannyāsī because five hundred years ago the social custom was to offer obeisances immediately to any sannyāsī, known or unknown.

The more we offer obeisances to sannyāsīs, especially Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, the more we diminish our offenses and purify our hearts.

CC Adi 17.266, Purport:

According to the Vedic injunctions, only a brāhmaṇa may be offered sannyāsa. The Śaṅkara-sampradāya (ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa-sampradāya) awards the sannyāsa order only to caste brāhmaṇas, or born brāhmaṇas, but in the Vaiṣṇava system even one not born in a brāhmaṇa family may be made a brāhmaṇa according to the direction of the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām). Any person from any part of the world may be made a brāhmaṇa by the regular process of initiation, and when he follows brahminical behavior, observing the principle of abstaining from intoxication, illicit sex, meat-eating and gambling, he may be offered sannyāsa. All the sannyāsīs in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, who are preaching all over the world, are regular brāhmaṇa-sannyāsīs. Thus the so-called caste brāhmaṇas should not object to offering them respectful obeisances. By offering such obeisances, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they will diminish their offenses and automatically awaken to their natural position of devotional service. As it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya: (Cc. madhya 22.107) kṛṣṇa-prema can be awakened in a purified heart. The more we offer obeisances to sannyāsīs, especially Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, the more we diminish our offenses and purify our hearts. Only in a purified heart can kṛṣṇa-prema awaken. This is the process of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

CC Madhya-lila

The Māyāvādīs think that the world is false, but the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs do not think like this. Vaiṣṇavas say, "Why should the world be false? It is reality, and it is meant for the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." For a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, renunciation means not accepting anything for personal sense enjoyment. Devotional service means engaging everything for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

CC Madhya 1.91, Translation and Purport:

This is the first synopsis: After accepting the sannyāsa order, Caitanya Mahāprabhu proceeded toward Vṛndāvana.

Clearly these statements are a real account of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's acceptance of the renounced order of life. His acceptance of this renounced order is not at all comparable to the acceptance of sannyāsa by Māyāvādīs. After accepting sannyāsa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to reach Vṛndāvana. He was unlike the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, who desire to merge into the existence of the Absolute. For a Vaiṣṇava, acceptance of sannyāsa means getting relief from all material activities and completely devoting oneself to the transcendental loving service of the Lord. This is confirmed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī (Brs. 1.2.255): anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ/ nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. For a Vaiṣṇava, the renounced order means completely giving up attachment for material things and engaging nonstop in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, however, do not know how to engage everything in the service of the Lord. Because they have no devotional training, they think material objects to be untouchable. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: The Māyāvādīs think that the world is false, but the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs do not think like this. Vaiṣṇavas say, "Why should the world be false? It is reality, and it is meant for the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." For a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, renunciation means not accepting anything for personal sense enjoyment. Devotional service means engaging everything for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī is known as a tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī. The Māyāvādī sannyāsī accepts only one daṇḍa, not understanding the meaning of tri-daṇḍa.

CC Madhya 3.6, Purport:

The word parātma-niṣṭhā means being a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Parātmā, the Supreme Person, is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Those who are completely dedicated to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in service are actually sannyāsīs. As a matter of formality, the devotee accepts the sannyāsa dress as previous ācāryas did. He also accepts the three daṇḍas. Later Viṣṇu Svāmī considered that accepting the dress of a tri-daṇḍī was parātma-niṣṭhā. Therefore sincere devotees add another daṇḍa, the jīva-daṇḍa, to the three existing daṇḍas. The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī is known as a tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī. The Māyāvādī sannyāsī accepts only one daṇḍa, not understanding the meaning of tri-daṇḍa. Later, many persons in the community of Śiva Svāmī gave up the ātma-niṣṭhā (devotional service) of the Lord and followed the path of Śaṅkarācārya. Instead of accepting 108 names, those in the Śiva Svāmī sampradāya follow the path of Śaṅkarācārya and accept the ten names of sannyāsa. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the then-existing order of sannyāsa (namely eka-daṇḍa), He still recited a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa accepted by the brāhmaṇa of Avantīpura. Indirectly He declared that within that eka-daṇḍa, one daṇḍa, four daṇḍas existed as one. Accepting ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa without parātma-niṣṭhā (devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa) is not acceptable to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In addition, according to the exact regulative principles, one should add the jīva-daṇḍa to the tri-daṇḍa. These four daṇḍas, bound together as one, are symbolic of unalloyed devotional service to the Lord. Because the ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsīs of the Māyāvāda school are not devoted to the service of Kṛṣṇa, they try to merge into the Brahman effulgence, which is a marginal position between material and spiritual existence. They accept this impersonal position as liberation. Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, not knowing that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a tridaṇḍī, think of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as an ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsī. This is due to their vivarta, bewilderment. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is no such thing as an ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsī; indeed, the tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī is accepted as the symbolic representation of the sannyāsa order. By citing this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the sannyāsa order recommended in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, who are enamored of the external energy of the Lord, cannot understand the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

To date, all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, following in His footsteps, accept the sannyāsa order and keep the sacred thread and tuft of unshaved hair. The ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsīs of the Māyāvādī school give up the sacred thread and do not keep any tuft of hair. Therefore they are unable to understand the purport of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa, and as such they are not inclined to dedicate their lives to the service of Mukunda. They simply think of merging into the existence of Brahman because of their disgust with material existence. The ācāryas who advocate the daiva-varṇāśrama (the social order of cātur-varṇyam mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā) do not accept the proposition of āsura-varṇāśrama, which maintains that the social order of varṇa is indicated by birth.

The most intimate devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, namely Gadādhara Paṇḍita, accepted tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa and also accepted Mādhava Upādhyāya as his tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī disciple. It is said that from this Mādhavācārya the sampradāya known in western India as the Vallabhācārya sampradāya has begun. Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who is known as a smṛty-ācārya in the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava-sampradāya, later accepted the tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa order from Tridaṇḍipāda Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. Although acceptance of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa is not distinctly mentioned in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava literature, the first verse of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Upadeśāmṛta advocates that one should accept the tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa order by controlling the six forces:

vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ

jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ

sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt

(NOI 1)

"One who can control the forces of speech, mind, anger, belly, tongue and genitals is known as a gosvāmī and is competent to accept disciples all over the world." The followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never accepted the Māyāvāda order of sannyāsa, and for this they cannot be blamed. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted Śrīdhara Svāmī, who was a tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī, but the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, not understanding Śrīdhara Svāmī, sometimes think that Śrīdhara Svāmī belonged to the Māyāvāda ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa community. Actually this was not the case.

Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs never think of themselves as being one with the Lord; they always consider themselves eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, and they want to see everyone in the world become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

CC Madhya 6.48, Purport:

It is the etiquette among sannyāsīs, those on the fourth platform of spiritual life, to offer respects by saying oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya ("I offer my respectful obeisances unto Nārāyaṇa"). This greeting is used especially by Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. According to the smṛti scriptures, a sannyāsī should not expect anything from anyone, nor should he consider himself identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs never think of themselves as being one with the Lord; they always consider themselves eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, and they want to see everyone in the world become Kṛṣṇa conscious. For this reason, a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī always offers his blessings to everyone, saying kṛṣṇe matir astu ("May you become Kṛṣṇa conscious").

CC Madhya 6.49, Translation:

Hearing these words, Sārvabhauma understood Lord Caitanya to be a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī.

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya intended to convert Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, into a Māyāvādī sannyāsī.

CC Madhya 6.120, Purport:

The Vedānta- or Brahma-sūtra, written by Śrīla Vyāsadeva, is a book studied by all advanced spiritual students, especially by the sannyāsīs of all religious communities (sampradāyas). The sannyāsīs must read the Vedānta-sūtra to establish their final conclusions concerning Vedic knowledge. Here, of course, the Vedānta mentioned is the commentary of Śaṅkarācārya, known as Śārīraka-bhāṣya. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya intended to convert Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, into a Māyāvādī sannyāsī. He therefore made this arrangement to instruct Him in the Vedānta-sūtra according to the Śārīraka commentary of Śaṅkarācārya. All the sannyāsīs of the Śaṅkara-sampradāya enjoy seriously studying the Vedānta-sūtra with the Śārīraka-bhāṣya commentary. It is said, vedānta-vākyeṣu sadā ramantaḥ: "One should always enjoy the studies of the Vedānta-sūtra."

In the Śṛṅgeri-maṭha, the sannyāsīs assume the designations Sarasvatī, Bhāratī and Purī. They are all ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsīs, distinguished from the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, who are known as tridaṇḍi-sannyāsīs.

CC Madhya 9.244, Purport:

Śaṅkarācārya had four principal disciples, and he established four centers under their management. In North India at Badarikāśrama, the monastery named Jyotir-maṭha was established. At Puruṣottama, the Bhogavardhana or Govardhana monastery was established. In Dvārakā, the Sāradā monastery was established. And the fourth monastery, established in South India, is known as Śṛṅgeri-maṭha. In the Śṛṅgeri-maṭha, the sannyāsīs assume the designations Sarasvatī, Bhāratī and Purī. They are all ekadaṇḍi-sannyāsīs, distinguished from the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, who are known as tridaṇḍi-sannyāsīs. The Śṛṅgeri-maṭha is situated in South India, in a portion of the country comprising Āndhra, Draviḍa, Karṇāṭa and Kerala. The community is called Bhūrivāra, and the dynasty is called Bhūr-bhuvaḥ. The place is called Rāmeśvara, and the slogan is ahaṁ brahmāsmi. The Deity is Lord Varāha, and the energetic power is Kāmākṣī. The ācārya is Hastāmalaka, and the brahmacārī assistants of the sannyāsīs are known as Caitanya. The place of pilgrimage is called Tuṅgabhadrā, and the subject for Vedic study is the Yajur Veda.

A Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī never accepts an invitation from a party who considers Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs to be one and the same.

CC Madhya 17.103, Purport:

A Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī never accepts an invitation from a party who considers Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs to be one and the same. In other words, Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs do not at all like to associate with Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, to say nothing of eating with them. This principle must be followed by the sannyāsīs of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, given by His personal behavior.

CC Antya-lila

When a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī meets another Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, they both remember Kṛṣṇa.

CC Antya 8.9, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered obeisances to Rāmacandra Purī in consideration of his being a disciple of Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī, the spiritual master of His own spiritual master, Īśvara Purī. When a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī meets another Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, they both remember Kṛṣṇa. Even Māyāvādī sannyāsīs generally remember Nārāyaṇa, who is also Kṛṣṇa, by saying oṁ namo bhagavate nārāyaṇāya or namo nārāyaṇāya. Thus it is the duty of a sannyāsī to remember Kṛṣṇa. According to smṛti-śāstra, a sannyāsī does not offer obeisances or blessings to anyone. It is said, sannyāsī nirāśīr nirnamaskriyaḥ: a sannyāsī should not offer anyone blessings or obeisances.

Rī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the renounced order from a sannyāsī of the Māyāvāda school. Present-day Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, however, never think that by accepting the dress of the sannyāsa order they have become equal to Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

CC Antya 13.61, Translation and Purport:

"This saffron cloth is unfit for a Vaiṣṇava to wear; therefore I have no use for it. I shall give it to a stranger."

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments on this incident as follows: Vaiṣṇavas are all liberated persons, unattached to anything material. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava need not accept the dress of a sannyāsī to prove his exalted position. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the renounced order from a sannyāsī of the Māyāvāda school. Present-day Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, however, never think that by accepting the dress of the sannyāsa order they have become equal to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In fact, a Vaiṣṇava accepts the sannyāsa order to remain an eternal servant of his spiritual master. He accepts the sannyāsa order knowing that he is unequal to his spiritual master, who is a paramahaṁsa, and he thinks that he is unfit to dress like a paramahaṁsa. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava accepts sannyāsa out of humility, not out of pride.

Sanātana Gosvāmī had adopted the dress of a paramahaṁsa; therefore it was inappropriate for him to wear the saffron cloth on his head. However, a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī does not think himself fit to imitate the dress of a paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava. According to the principles set down by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (tṛṇād api su-nīcena), one should always think himself in the lowest stage, not on the level of a paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava. Thus a Vaiṣṇava will sometimes accept the sannyāsa order just to keep himself below the level of a paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava. This is the instruction of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

It was at the age of 16 or 17 that Nimāi Paṇḍita traveled to Gayā with a host of his students and there took his spiritual initiation from Īśvara Purī, a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī and a disciple of the renowned Madhavendra Purī.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Prologue:

Keśava Miśra of Kashmir, who had called himself the Great Digvijayī, came to Nadia with a view to discuss with the paṇḍitas of that place. Afraid of the so-called conquering paṇḍita, the tola professors of Nadia left their town on pretence of Invitation. Keśava met Mahāprabhu at the Barokona-ghāṭā in Māyāpur, and after a very short discussion with him he was defeated by the boy, and mortification obliged him to decamp. Nimāi Paṇḍita was now the most important paṇḍita of his times. It was at the age of 16 or 17 that he traveled to Gayā with a host of his students and there took his spiritual initiation from Īśvara Purī, a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī and a disciple of the renowned Madhavendra Purī. Upon his return to Nadia, Nimāi Paṇḍita turned religious preacher, and his religious nature became so strongly represented that Advaita Prabhu, Śrīvāsa and others who had before the birth of Caitanya already accepted the Vaiṣṇava faith were astonished at the change of the young man. He was then no more a contending naiyāyika, a wrangling smārta and a criticising rhetorican. He swooned at the name of Kṛṣṇa and behaved as an inspired man under the influence of his religious sentiment.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

The three rods, or tridaṇḍa, indicate that a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī vows to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his body, mind and words. The system of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa has been in existence for a long time, and the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs are called tridaṇḍīs, or sometimes tridaṇḍi-svāmīs or tridaṇḍi-gosvāmīs.

Krsna Book 86:

After hearing of the incidents described in the last chapter, King Parīkṣit became more inquisitive to hear about Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes, and thus he inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī how his grandmother Subhadrā was kidnapped by his grandfather Arjuna at the instigation of Lord Kṛṣṇa. King Parīkṣit was very eager to learn how his grandfather kidnapped and married his grandmother.

Thus Śukadeva Gosvāmī began to narrate the story as follows: Once upon a time, King Parīkṣit's grandfather Arjuna, the great hero, was visiting several holy places of pilgrimage, and while thus traveling all over he happened to come to Prabhāsa-kṣetra. In Prabhāsa-kṣetra he heard the news that Lord Balarāma was negotiating the marriage of Subhadrā, the daughter of Arjuna's maternal uncle, Vasudeva. Although her father, Vasudeva, and her brother Kṛṣṇa were not in agreement with Him, Balarāma was in favor of marrying Subhadrā to Duryodhana. Arjuna, however, desired to gain Subhadrā’s hand himself. As he thought of Subhadrā and her beauty, Arjuna became more and more captivated with the idea of marrying her, and with a plan in mind he dressed himself like a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, carrying a tridaṇḍa in his hand.

The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs take one daṇḍa, or one rod, whereas the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs take three daṇḍas, or three rods. The three rods, or tridaṇḍa, indicate that a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī vows to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his body, mind and words. The system of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa has been in existence for a long time, and the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs are called tridaṇḍīs, or sometimes tridaṇḍi-svāmīs or tridaṇḍi-gosvāmīs.

Sannyāsīs are generally meant to travel all over the country for preaching work, but during the four months of the rainy season in India, from July through October, they do not travel but take shelter in one place and remain there without moving. This nonmovement of the sannyāsī is called Cāturmāsya-vrata. When a sannyāsī stays in one place for these four months, the local inhabitants of that place take advantage of his presence to become spiritually advanced.

Arjuna, in the dress of a tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī, remained in the city of Dvārakā for the four months of the rainy season, devising a plan whereby he could get Subhadrā as his wife. None of the inhabitants of Dvārakā, including Lord Balarāma, could recognize the sannyāsī to be Arjuna; therefore all of them offered their respects and obeisances to the sannyāsī without knowing the actual situation.

One day Lord Balarāma invited this particular sannyāsī to lunch at His home. Balarāmajī very respectfully offered him all kinds of palatable dishes, and the so-called sannyāsī was eating sumptuously. While eating at the home of Balarāmajī, Arjuna was simply looking at beautiful Subhadrā, who was very enchanting to great heroes and kings. Out of love for her, Arjuna's eyes brightened, and he looked at her with glittering eyes. Arjuna decided that somehow or other he would achieve Subhadrā as his wife, and his mind became agitated on account of this strong desire.

A materialist sticks to the world for sense gratification, but a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, although not accepting anything for his personal sense gratification, knows the art of utilizing everything for the service of the Lord.

Krsna Book 87:

Sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers push forward the argument that if this material world is truth, then why are householders advised to give up their connection with this material world and take sannyāsa? But the Vaiṣṇava philosopher's view of sannyāsa is not that because the world is false one must therefore give up material activities. The purpose of Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa is to utilize things as they are intended to be utilized. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given transcendentalists two formulas for dealing with this material world. When a Vaiṣṇava renounces the materialistic way of life and takes to sannyāsa, it is not on the conception of the falsity of the material world but to devote himself fully to engaging everything in the service of the Lord. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī therefore gives this formula: "One should be unattached to the material world because material attachment is meaningless. The entire material world, the entire cosmic manifestation, belongs to God, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, everything should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa, and the devotee should remain unattached to material things." This is the purpose of Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa. A materialist sticks to the world for sense gratification, but a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, although not accepting anything for his personal sense gratification, knows the art of utilizing everything for the service of the Lord. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has therefore criticized the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs with his second formula: "Because the Māyāvādīs do not know that everything has a utilization for the service of the Lord, they take the world to be false and falsely think they are liberated from the contamination of the material world." Since everything is an expansion of the energy of the Supreme Lord, the expansions are as real as the Supreme Lord is.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī means anyone who gives up everything and devotes simply his time for pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is also sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Paramahaṁsa means the supreme position of a human being. That is called paramahaṁsa. There are... You know, according to Vedic system, there are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The eight stages. The sannyāsī is to be supposed the first-class stage. So amongst the sannyāsa stage also, there are four stages: kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Not that all sannyāsīs on the equal status. The first status is kuṭīcaka. Sannyāsa means one has to give up the relationship with family. So in the beginning of stage, because he is newly entered in the sannyāsa life, it is not possible for him to give up immediately his village or... Of course, when there was systematic sannyāsa system, then that anyone had to take sannyāsa at a certain stage. Nowadays there is... Sannyāsa, accepting sannyāsa life, is also forbidden because nobody can actually follow strictly the rules and regulations. And neither anybody has got any inclination to accept sannyāsa. Therefore in this age sannyāsa is sometimes forbidden. Kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164). But if you ask that "Why you have taken sannyāsa?" or "You have got some sannyāsīs," this sannyāsa is not karma-sannyāsa. This sannyāsa is devotion, Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa. Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī means anyone who gives up everything and devotes simply his time for pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is also sannyāsa.

Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, either he is in sannyāsī dress or in not sannyāsī dress, simply because his aim and object is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

It is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā: sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ (BG 6.1). One who is working, anāśritaḥ karma-phalam, without any desire to enjoy the fruits of his activity. These sannyāsīs, they are working for Kṛṣṇa. They have no desire to make any profit out of it. Other sannyāsīs, they are making any profit. They want mukti, mokṣa. But these sannyāsīs, they do not want even mokṣa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the ideal sannyāsī. He says, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). He never claimed that "I may not have any more birth." Mokṣa means one who hasn't got to take birth of this material body. That is called mokṣa. So a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, they do not want even mokṣa. Therefore they have no demand. So that sannyāsī is different from the ordinary sannyāsī. Ordinary sannyāsī, he has demand. He wants mukti. But Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, either he is in sannyāsī dress or in not sannyāsī dress, simply because his aim and object is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma. He has no shelter of the work that he is doing for Kṛṣṇa. Not that "I shall work in this way, and there will be good result, and I will enjoy it." Other sannyāsīs, they are thinking like that: "I will go austerities and penances severely. I shall go to Himalayas and execute very rigidly all the principles of sannyāsa. But as a result of this, I will get liberated, mukti." Therefore he has got demand.

We Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, we take three daṇḍa. This is three, karmaṇā manasā vācā: by activities, by mind and by words.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Mayapur, February 19, 1976:

So the real process is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and act according to your... Yes, Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence. First of all we have to become sincere, heart and soul. Sarvātmanā. Sarva means all, or ātmā means body, ātmā means mind, ātmā means soul. Three meanings of ātmā. So sarvātmanā. Your body the other day I explained, karmaṇā manasā vācā: "By your working capacity, by your mind, by your words..." This is called tri-daṇḍa. We Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, we take three daṇḍa. This is three, karmaṇā manasā vācā: by activities, by mind and by words. The preaching is word; therefore word is the last: thinking, feeling, willing, and then action. So mind should be settled up that "I shall sincerely serve Kṛṣṇa, and because I am not expert, therefore to understand how to serve..." Ādau gurvāśrayam. One has to accept guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). The śāstra says, "In order to take direction, one must surrender to guru." Kṛṣṇa says, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). That is the whole Vedic injunction.

Philosophy Discussions

Our Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, they are performing saṅkīrtana yajña and they are distributing Kṛṣṇa love. And to keep themselves fit, they are observing the rules and regulations and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: The whole plan is that the living entities, especially the human beings, they are meant for performing yajña. Yajña means to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. The Bhagavad-gītā also says, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā na tyājam. You cannot give up these three things, even if you are in the renounced order of life. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. It is just like our Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, they are performing saṅkīrtana yajña and they are distributing Kṛṣṇa love. And to keep themselves fit, they are observing the rules and regulations and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. Following the rules and regulations and regularly chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that is tapasya. And this is the best dāna, charity. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was eulogized by Rūpa Gosvāmī: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "You are the most munificent incarnation because You are giving love of Godhead." So those who are distributing the idea of love of Godhead, they are the best charitably disposed man. So we, we have not given up yajña-dāna-tapaḥ. That is not to be renounced. Because a sannyāsī is renounced. Renounced means he should renounce his sense gratification, not renounce these things, yajña-dana-tapaḥ.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

The Śaṅkara sampradāya sannyāsī are more strict than the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī.

Morning Walk -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Before me, for the last two hundred years, so many swamis and yogis went to the Western countries. Nobody could convert a single person to Hinduism. That is a fact in the history. These foreigners-giving up meat-eating, illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling—it is a horrible thing for them. Lord Zetland said, "This is impossible for us." Factually it is impossible, because American government spent millions of dollars to stop this LSD intoxication but it was not successful. But they have seen that as soon as the same boy comes to our camp, he immediately gives up, immediately, without any protest, that "Why shall I give up?" No. I ask, "You have to give up." "Yes, we do." That's a fact. Therefore this Swami Chit?

Jagadīśa: Chandra Swami.

Prabhupāda: Ah, Chandra Swami, has strongly recommended that "This is the only movement which is converting Christian into Hindu." He is pleased on this account. He is not interested our Hare... He has said that "I am not very much interested in Hare Kṛṣṇa, but I am interested in this point." That is natural, that nobody could convert the Christian to Hindu, but this movement is doing that.

Yaśomatīnandana: That is indirectly accepting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact. We do not make any compromise. Vivekananda went there. He came back. He said, "What is the wrong in meat-eating?" He introduced meat-eating amongst his contemporary sannyāsīs. This is his vedānta-pracāra. So he is advertised that he preached Vedānta all over America, and everyone has become Vedantist. What is...? What kind of Vedantist? Now, he introduced meat-eating amongst the sannyāsīs, which was never in India, any... There are two sets of sannyāsīs, the Śaṅkara sampradāya and Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. But their ācāra is the same. They may differ in philosophy, but their ācāra is the same. Rather, the Śaṅkara sampradāya sannyāsī are more strict than the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. Śaṅkara sampradāya sannyāsī, they'll never occupy a seat, those who are strictly following. They'll sit down on the floor. Without any āsana. They lie down on the floor. They are so renounced. And what is this, that sannyāsī smoking and drinking? And ordinary sannyāsīs, they are drinking also tea, one ghara (?). I have seen it.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

I am an Indian Vaisnava Sannyasi dedicated to the cause of spiritual upliftment of the human society.

Letter to Sir -- Delhi 15 April, 1961:

I beg to inform you that I have very kindly been invited by the noble Japanese organizers of the International Congress for Cultivating Human Spirit, to be held in your different important cities. I am an Indian Vaisnava Sannyasi dedicated to the cause of spiritual upliftment of the human society. I have therefore taken up the cause of the ensuing congress in your country and wish to meet you conveniently when I am in Japan.

1966 Correspondence

I beg to inform you that I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi and I have come from India (Vrindaban U.P.) for establishing a preaching centre in America for the first time in the study of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Letter to Salvation Army -- New York 5 March, 1966:

I beg to inform you that I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi and I have come from India (Vrindaban U.P.) for establishing a preaching centre in America for the first time in the study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. A small literature in this connection is sent herewith for your kind perusal. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the post graduate study of the Bhagavad-gita and both of them are sciences of Theism. I am seeking your good cooperation in this attempt for developing higher sense of God consciousness.

I beg to inform you that I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi in the line of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Letter to Reserve Bank of India -- New York 30 April, 1966:

I beg to inform you that I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi in the line of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In pursuance of the cult of Love of Godhead as propounded by Lord Caitanya 500 years before, I have come to America to preach the same cultural mission on the principles of the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam. My translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (published in three volume first canto) is recognized by the Government of India both central and the states. Here in America also the same publication is approved by the State Library of Congress in Washington, New York Public Library, the Philadelphia University and many other institutions. Arrangement is also being attempted to get an American Edition of this publication as well as editing my paper "Back to Godhead".

I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi in the line of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In pursuance of the cult of Love of Krishna philosophy as propounded in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, I have come to America to preach the cultural mission.

Letter to Ministry of Finance (India) -- New York 28 May, 1966:

Re: Release of Exchange for erecting a cultural Institution of Radha Krishna Temple in New York for preaching the cult of Krishna philosophy as revealed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavad-gita.

With reference to the above I beg to inform you that I am a Vaisnava Sannyasi in the line of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In pursuance of the cult of Love of Krishna philosophy as propounded in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, I have come to America to preach the cultural mission. My translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (published in three volumes first canto) is recognized by the Government of India both central and states education department. Here in America also my book is approved by the State Library of Congress Washington, the Public Library and many universities.

1968 Correspondence

The forked stick is a symbol of ekadandi. The Mayavadi sannyasis, they carry ekadanda, one stick. As we Vaisnava sannyasis carry 3 danda, or three sticks, combined together.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Montreal 30 August, 1968:

Regarding your question: "about the six-armed Lord Caitanya you gave me (Krishna, Lord Caitanya, and Lord Rama combined.) Why is Lord Caitanya carrying a forked stick? What do the Saivite-like tilakas on His arms signify? And to whom was this form revealed?" The forked stick is a symbol of ekadandi. The Mayavadi sannyasis, they carry ekadanda, one stick. As we Vaisnava sannyasis carry 3 danda, or three sticks, combined together. The one stick is the symbol of understanding oneness. The monists only accept chin matra, there is only one spirit soul; they do not understand the varieties of the spiritual world. And so far our three sticks are concerned, we take it for granted that we have dedicated our life, for Krishna's service in 3 ways, namely, in our body, in our mind, and in our words. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura has sung in a poetry that my mind, my body, and my home is surrendered unto You. So a Grhastha or householder like you, you are also tridandi. Because you have sacrificed everything, your life, your home, and your child, so you are a tridandi sannyasi, in fact. So continue this attitude seriously and sincerely, so you will be also as good as a sannyasi even though you are in the dress of a Grhastha. The Saivite tilaka is three pundra, 3 lines, on the forehead, in 3 parallel lines. Our tilak udra pundra, they are distinctive marks of different sections. There are two sections of the Vedic followers. Namely, the impersonalists and personalists. So the tilak distinguishes one from the impersonalists. Our udra pundra, Visnu temple, udra pundra means Visnu temple, so we are distinguished from the mayavadis who use the three parallel lines, tripundra.

1974 Correspondence

According to sastra anyone who wears tilaka and sikha and kunti over and above the Vaisnava dress or Vaisnava sannyasi must be accepted especially while chanting Hare Krishna mantra with bead bags.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Bombay 8 April, 1974:

I do not know what makes the management take this attitude. If you can remove this restriction you will do a great service to the Gaudiya Vaisnava community. According to sastra anyone who wears tilaka and sikha and kunti over and above the Vaisnava dress or Vaisnava sannyasi must be accepted especially while chanting Hare Krishna mantra with bead bags. Kindly convince them and induce them to allow these Vaisnavas to enter Jagannatha Temple.