Sannyasis and SINyasis
BY: HH B. RADHA-GOVINDA SWAMI
Nov 12, USA (SUN) — Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. May we all attain that Krsna Prema which Srila Prabhupada was trying to give so freely to us.
Please note that the following applies only to those to which this is applicable, NOT to those who are genuinely living as sannyasis:
I haven't been seeing the articles on Sampradaya Sun as I've been in Africa, but I was able to get to a computer today to check if there were any important emails for me to reply to. Besides some other emails, one devotee sent me two articles, David Gould prabhu's "Brahminical Culture vs. Kali Yuga Culture" and Yuga Avatar prabhu's "Yukta Viragya in the Golden Age," and asked me to make comment; thus, this write-in.
First, thank you David Gould prabhu for your clear-cut and simple-hearted article; simple-hearted in relation to Caitanya-caritamrta's Adi 1.106: "Essential truth spoken concisely is true eloquence."
You delineated the following important points:
1) The need for a brahminical council to provide sastric deliberation and
spiritual direction to ISKCON to ensure compliance with the standards
of Srila Prabhupada.
2) The need for proper definition concerning (the difference between)
brahmanas and administrators within Srila Prabhupada's society.
3) The need for address concerning the independent incomes and material
assets of sannyasis - which goes against the instructions of sastra and
has contributed hugely to corruption with ISKCON. Sannyasis equipped
with every gadget and IT device is not synonymous with simplicity and
purity.
Regarding the third, (sannyasis' acceptance of material amenities), Yuga Avatar prabhu answers back with "yukta vairagya." Srila Rupa Goswami explains, in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.2.255,256, anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah nirbandhah krsna sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate prapancikataya buddhya hari sambandhi vastunah mumuksubhih parityago vairagyam phalgu kathyate: (English translation from Srila Prabhupada's BG 5.10 purport) "When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krsna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krsna is not as complete in his renunciation."
Certainly IF a sannyasi is living/serving according to the yukta vairagya principle, Yuga Avatar prabhu's answer is legitimate, but the question comes, "How many ISKCON sannyasis are doing so?" If a sannyasi is not, (and is instead accepting such things for his own material benefit), then he becomes (IS) a SINyasi; a sense gratifier and cheater.
Srila Prabhupada as ISKCON's Founder-Acarya (and topmost Suddha-Bhakta) gave instructions regarding how He wanted ISKCON sannyasis to live/serve within ISKCON, (SIMPLE LIVING included), as well as how the temples should be run. Srila Prabhupada also explained (based on the Vedas, along with how to be appropriately applied within His ISKCON society) what is (are the duties of) a brahmana and what is (are the duties of) an administrator (ksatriya). We also know that administrators took instruction from genuine brahmanas - possessed of brahminical qualities - regarding how to protect the praja by proper administrational ruling, these brahmanas giving such instructions based on the Vedic injunctions. What is going on in present-day ISKCON regarding the above three is NOT according to the criteria given by His Divine Grace (or sastra).
With no intention to address all, let's go to the third point regarding sannyasis, since things have become disrupted from the top down: There is sannyasi and SINyasi. It is quite amazing that many are NOT aware of the difference(s).
Although the following words from Srimad Bhagavatam do not hold true for everyone dressed in sannyasa vesha, they certainly do for quite a number of sannyasis, including within ISKCON: (Starting from SB 12.3.31, "Because of the bad qualities of the age of Kali) verse 33 finishes with, "Sannyasis will become greedy for wealth." Anyone who tries to deny this, based on the predictive words of Srimad Bhagavatam, as well as seeing practically what IS going on, is a fool. Again, this is only in application to those who are SINyasis, NOT genuine sannyasis.
It should be noted that Srila Prabhupada became so disgusted with certain so-called ISKCON sannyasis USING their position for self-aggrandizement, ego and bodily - living "high on the hog" - (as opposed to Krsna) centered desires, as well as using their sannyasa "position" for taking advantage over and bullying devotees, (along with some of them falling down), thus making a sham(e) of the sannyasa ashram that Srila Prabhupada in Bombay 7/1/77 said the following, (including that the giving of sannyasa should be stopped):
"This should be strictly outlawed, (my caps) NO MORE SANNYASIS. AND THOSE SANNYASIS WHO HAVE FALLEN, YOU CAN GET THEM MARRIED, live like a...NO MORE THIS SHOWBOTTLE CHEATING. IT IS VERY LUDICROUS. Even there is a promise that 'We shall not fall down again,' that is also not believable. What is the use?...And this kind of hypocrisy - they have taken sannyasa and mixing with woman. This is not to be allowed. IF YOU WANT WOMAN YOU GET YOURSELF MARRIED. LIVE RESPECTFULLY. We have no objection. But THIS HYPOCRISY SHOULD BE STOPPED. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY FALLEN DOWN. First of all THERE WILL BE NO SANNYASI ANYMORE. I have got very bad experience. And at least, WE ARE NOT GOING TO CREATE NEW SANNYASIS. AND THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN DOWN, LET THEM MARRY, live like respectable gentlemen. I have no objection. [...] Get one wife and live like a gentleman. Similarly woman. Live with one husband fastidiously, with children. What is the wrong there? We have so many
grhastha devotees. (...) But what is this nonsense that you take sannyasa and make relation with...? This should be completely stopped."
Thus, sannyasa is one thing; SINyas another. A GENUINE sannyasi is able to (WILL) stay under a tree at night if necessary for Krsna's service, and FOR KRSNA'S SERVICE will stay in a palace if necessary. It is simply a matter of what is the consciousness of the particular sannyasi/SINyasi; the reason WHY he will make the choice he does for staying in a "palace," hotel, using a fancy car, top of the line gadget, etc. IF it's for Krsna then he's sannyasi. If it's for himself, then he's a SINyasi, a cheater.
I'm sure that many devotees KNOW/are VERY AWARE that certain sannyasis (SINyasis) will make (have MANY times made) the choice to NOT (even REFUSE to) stay in Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON temples. (No need to go any further on this as to the whys.) Srila Prabhupada Himself usually stayed in the ISKCON temples, and unless it was some very UNusual circumstance, while Srila Prabhupada was present, Srila Prabhupada wanted that His (ISKCON) sannyasis stay (at night) IN the temples as opposed to a hotel, opulent grhastha's house, etc.) And as to the "gadgets," this also depends upon the consciousness behind the sannyasi's/SINyasi's use of such.
A GENUINE sannyasi lives by the principle of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's trinad api sunicena verse. The (real) sannyasi lives a very simple NON-duplicitous, NON-pretentious (and pure) life, and is thus the teacher of all other ashrams, by dint of such, as well as scriptural knowledge.
karmendriyani samyamya ya aste manasa smaran indriyarthan vimudhatma mithyacarah sa ucyate yas tv indriyani manasa niyamyarabhate 'rjuna karmendriyaih karma yogam asaktah sa visisyate - "One who restrains the senses and organs of action, but whose mind dwells on sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender. On the other hand, he who controls the senses by the mind and engages his active organs in works of devotion, without attachment, is by far superior."
Thus, you have one of two; either/or: a sannyasi, or a SINyasi. If one is attributing the qualities of sannyasa - first qualification of a sannyasi is fearlessness, a (real) sannyasi possessed of the brahminical qualities (first being truthfulness - on ALL levels) - to a SINyasi, then this is most foolish (and so very sad). From Srila Prabhupada's preaching, along with the examples of Sastra, it's obvious in what consciousness a genuine sannyasi lives, the tridunda representative of a sannyasi's full offering of his body, mind and words in (complete) service to (bona fide) Guru and Krsna.
As stated in the beginning, Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.33 states the following concerning SINyasis to give warning, so that we will not be deluded by pretenders (SINyasis): (Verse 31 ""Because of the bad qualities of the age of Kali") "Sannyasis will become greedy for wealth." In complete context from verses 31-33, "Because of the bad qualities of the age of Kali, human beings will become shortsighted, unfortunate, gluttonous, lustful and poverty-stricken. The women, becoming unchaste, will freely wander from one man to the next. Cities will be dominated by thieves. The Vedas will be contaminated by speculative interpretations of atheists. Political leaders will virtually consume the citizens, and the so-called priests and intellectuals will be devotees of their bellies and genitals. The brahmacaris will fail to execute their vows and become generally unclean, the householders will become beggars, the vanaprasthas will live in the villages, and the SANNYASIS WILL BECOME GREEDY FOR WEALTH."
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.38:
"UNCULTURED MEN WILL ACCEPT CHARITY ON BEHALF OF THE LORD AND WILL EARN THEIR LIVELIHOOD BY MAKING A SHOW OF AUSTERITY AND WEARING A MENDICANT'S DRESS. THOSE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT RELIGION WILL MOUNT A HIGH SEAT AND PRESUME TO SPEAK ON RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES."
I'm including other verses (Chapter 2) for obvious reasons:
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.2-7:
"In Kali yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man's good birth, proper behavior and fine qualities. And law and justice will be applied only on the basis of one's power...a man will be known as a brahmana just by his wearing a thread. A person's spiritual position will be ascertained merely according to external symbols, and on that same basis people will change from one spiritual order to the next. A person's propriety will be seriously questioned if he does not earn a good living. And one who is very clever at juggling words will be considered a learned scholar. A person will be judged unholy if he does not have money, and hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue...and beauty will be thought to depend on one's hairstyle. Filling the belly will become the goal of life, and one who is audacious will be accepted as truthful...and the principles of religion will be observed only for the sake of reputation. As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of the social classes shows himself to be the strongest will gain political power."
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.3,4:
"Kings and politicians imagine: 'First I will conquer my senses and mind; then I will subdue my chief ministers and rid myself of the thorn-pricks of my advisors, citizens, friends and relatives, as well as the keepers of my elephants. In this way I will gradually conquer the entire earth.' Because the hearts of these leaders are bound by great expectations, they fail to see death waiting nearby." (Kings and politicians also refers to those dressed as devotees, but possessed of worldly-wide consciousness. See Srila Prabhupada's CC Adi 1.220 purport concerning Kali celas.)
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.7,8:
(Mother Bhumi speaking) "For the sake of conquering me, materialistic persons fight one another. Fathers oppose their sons, and brothers fight one another, because their hearts are bound to possessing political power. Political leaders challenge one another: 'All this land is mine! It's not yours, you fool!' Thus they attack one another and die."
(We have seen at times the "territorial" consciousness of certain ISKCON leaders, including sannyasis and gurus...)
So despite the idealism of Yuga Avatar prabhu, Srila Prabhupada wanted us to walk with open(ed) eyes, and NOT follow blindly, mistaking cheaters for "good devotees," or SINyasis for sannyasis. I made so many mistakes in these regards, thus I write for others so hopefully they will not make the same mistakes I did. Let me conclude with Srila Prabhupada's words in BG purport 10.4: "Asammoha, freedom from doubt and delusion...Nothing should be accepted blindly; everything should be accepted with care and with caution."
Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.2.101:
sruti smrti puranadi pancaratra vidhim vina
atyantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate
"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanisads, Puranas and Pancaratra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."
May we somehow in this age of Kali attain that Krsna Prema which is the gift of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and our Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya, and may we be possessed of proper discrimination on the way.
This fallen servant,
Dasi, B. Radha-Govinda
Hare Krsna
