Our Vaisnava philosophy instructs to become "Vidvati sannyasis", this means a man who knows things as they are, therefore a devotee who knows that everything belongs to Krishna and that He is the proprietor of all such a devotee is certainly a Vidvati Sannyasi. Our philosophy is that we should accept things as prasadam of Krishna and nothing for sense enjoyment. Anyone who accepts things for sense enjoyment even if he is externally a saffron dressed man is not a sannyasi. The mayavadi sannyasi considers himself as God, this concept of life develops under illusion. When a person fails to become the Lord of the universe it is like the sly fox who attempts to taste grapes and failing to do so says the grapes are sour. The mayavadi sannyasins are frustrated beings in their attempt to enjoy the world, therefore they say the world is fake or the grapes are sour, the world is not false, Krishna is the supreme truth and the world is His energy therefore the energy of the supreme truth cannot be false; but we must know that this energy is inferior to His spiritual energy. As there are hairs and nails on the body and sometimes we separate these parts from the body similarly when the the material energy is separated from the service of the Lord it is inferior energy. Inferior energy is not false but temporary.
Mayavadi sannyasis (Letters)
Expressions researched:
"Mayavadi (impersonalist) sannyasis"
|"Mayavadi impersonalist sannyasis"
|"Mayavadi-sampradaya sannyasis"
|"mayavadi sannyasa"
|"mayavadi sannyasi"
|"mayavadi sannyasis"
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
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.
1970 Correspondence
Regarding your questions how to offer respects to Sannyasis. Every Sannyasi, even if you see a Mayavadi Sannyasi, offer him your respects—there will be no harm. As you have observed we shall follow Lord Caitanya's instruction that we give all due respects to others regarding their position, but there is no need of always associating with each of them. Even if one is Vaisnava, but not of good character, we can give him the Vaisnava respect, but we cannot associate with him.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 1st, 1970 and have noted the contents carefully. In regards to why you have been branded as Mayavadi sannyasi by society members, that is because you are identifying the Spiritual Master as God. We always represent ourselves as servant of God and you are preaching contrary. The Spiritual Master should be given respect of God but that doesn't mean he is God. That is Mayavadi. You should always remember that the Spiritual Master is the representative of God and should be given the respect of God but that doesn't mean that he is God Himself! You can speak of the Spiritual Master as "servant God" whereas Krishna is "master God". I think this is sufficient to clear the idea.
am in due receipt of your letter dated December 23rd, 1970, Along with a press letter. I am very glad that Advaita has come back to his position, but I am very much concerned that there is a Mayavadi Sannyasi among yourselves. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, anything spoken by the Mayavadis is very, very dangerous. If the Sannyasi who has come to our shelter becomes clean shaved and keeps a sikha with beads on his neck and chants Hare Krsna Mantra 16 rounds at least and changes his dress, then he can be allowed to stay with us. Until six months pass he cannot lecture in the meetings. On these conditions, he can render us service in the matter of Sanskrit composition, otherwise there is no need of him. Please take immediate steps in this connection and let me know what you have done in this matter.
At present I am at Surat, which is very nice city in India. People are very responsive and we are getting practically every day a Life Member. There is an important meeting in Calcutta on the sixth of January, so I may be going there on the 5th of January, 1971. I am writing you this letter in great haste on account of being concerned about a Mayavadi Sannyasi being present among you. Therefore, if he completely surrenders to our principles and lives as other newcomers live, then he can be allowed. Otherwise there is no need of his staying with us.
1971 Correspondence
What action you have taken on the Mayavadi Sannyasi?
A man is known by his notions and by his words. But sometimes it may appear that he is doing something, but he may be thinking something else. So a man is really known when he speaks, then everything is revealed. So if this Mayavadi sannyasi does not speak, then he can fool everyone. But if you force him to speak he will expose himself, therefore he is silent. Even he remains silent, we shall speak very loudly and expose these bogus men. Let our philosophy be challenged by anyone and we shall defeat them. I want that you distribute our books very widely, as many as possible, then people will get the right information. We show people by the results: so many centers, happy devotees, big books, strong conviction—like that. Let people judge who is better by the results.
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 am very glad that you are in contact with the chief minister of Orissa, Mr. Dass, he must have full knowledge of our world wide activities. Jagannatha Puri is one of the main headquarters of the Vaisnavas, so if the outsiders have trouble in entering Jagannatha Temple it will be a great scandal, so the government must be liberal on this point and co-operate, as we are trying to interest so many foreigners and tourists to come there. And if they co-operate we shall build a very nice center there. At least the government must agree to admit anyone who is certified by ISKCON. I know that they admit foreigners into the temple who are certified by some mayavadi sannyasis living there. So why not they shall allow anyone who is certified by me or the society? You know how strictly we are following the principles of Vaisnava way of life. So kindly try to persuade the government officials on this point and it will be a very great service to Srila Prabhupada's cause.
1973 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 19, 1973. Yes, why not get Devahuti to paint, she's a good painter. Now I want for Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day one book of Ādi lila published, 400 pages at least, hardbound, for being distributed at Mayapur. Regarding the enclosed photo, the Yamadutas are all right. Yes, it is all right to show the subtle body looking just like the gross body. Regarding Lord Caitanya's danda, it was broken for good. So after Puri, He never took danda. So for painting Him as sannyasa, it depends on the time as to whether He had danda or not. The eka danda is all right, as in the Sadbhujah picture I sent. Do not be concerned with how the Mayavadi sannyasi dandas are wrapped because we are not following them.
1974 Correspondence
6. The Mayavadi sannyasis generally wear their dhotis up over their knees, and because Lord Caitanya took sannyasa from a Mayavadi sannyasi He is shown like that. So He is seen like this as a sannyasi.
| Page Title: | Mayavadi sannyasis (Letters) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 04 of Apr, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=12 |
| No. of Quotes: | 12 |