Srila |Prabhpadasome nectar

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February 25th, 1976

 

This morning, before going out for his walk, Srila Prabhupada called Sudama

Vipra Swami into his room. Sudama Vipra, a gangly, loud, and capricious fellow,

has a questionable reputation among the devotees. Prabhupada is aware of this.

But Sudama Vipra professes to have faith in Srila Prabhupada. So Prabhupada did

not directly reprove him; he merely tactfully hinted at Sudama Vipra's shaky

position while encouraging him to do better.

 

As Srila Prabhupada sat at his desk applying tilaka, he quoted one of his

favorite sayings: "Big, big monkey, big, big belly; Ceylon jumping --

melancholy!" With a smile he told Sudama Vipra, "So don't become like big, big

monkey. In the beginning you were so enthusiastic for sannyasa, now you must do

something."

 

Sudama Vipra promised he would try.

 

When Prabhupada walked out of his room, he was joined by other senior devotees.

As they all climbed the stairs and emerged onto the roof, Srila Prabhupada

continued to emphasize the actual qualification for a sannyasa. He said that if

one has any thought that a woman is beautiful, that material wealth and comfort

are desirable, or if he has any desire to enjoy material life, he cannot take

sannyasa. If one takes sannyasa simply as a means to beg and fill his belly, he

will only cheat himself; others will not be fooled.

 

Hridayananda Maharaja said that outside India such a sannyasi would starve.

 

Prabhupada laughed. He inquired from us, "So I do not know why our disciples

are so anxious to take sannyasa. Everyone comes, 'Give me sannyasa.' What is

the idea?"

 

Although he was in a good humor, it was clearly a complaint, one he has voiced

quite frequently over the last couple of months. Nearly every week he receives

requests for sannyasa.

 

Jayapataka Swami replied that a brahmacari who gets tired of taking

instructions asks for sannyasa so he can be independent. Prabhupada said that

this is not good. Sannyasa is designed for rendering service to everyone. It is

not, "I am sannyasa, you are my servants!"

 

Jayapataka Swami asked Prabhupada if one must be fixed up to take sannyasa, or

does one take sannyasa to become fixed up?

 

Prabhupada replied that the four asramas are meant to fix one up gradually so

that ultimately he becomes free of material desires and actually becomes

sannyasa. If one has material desires he must become a grhastha and accept

sannyasa later in life.

 

The conversation turned to Sharma dasa, an American devotee who came here after

serving in Africa. Disturbed by the misbehavior and poor standards there, he

came to Vrndavana to see Srila Prabhupada late last year, saying he only wanted

to chant Hare Krsna. Prabhupada allowed him to come here to Mayapur.

 

At present he is living at the gosala, chanting 150 rounds a day and eating

only the remnants of foodstuffs left by the devotees.

 

Recently he came to see Prabhupada to get permission to build a tree hut to

live in, so that he could avoid seeing anyone. He complained that he was being

disturbed because devotees coming to see him interrupted his chanting. But

Prabhupada condemned his idea, which he said was "living like a monkey." He

said that Sharma's so-called renunciation was actually only another form of

sense gratification. It was also based on selfish interest, even if it was only

a small display of it.

 

Prabhupada gave the example of two thieves, one who stole a diamond and the

other who stole a cucumber. Prabhupada explained that simply because one steals

in a small way, it does not mean that he is not a thief.

 

Jayapataka Swami asked if grhastha life was meant for the one who steals

cucumbers. Prabhupada laughed. "Yes. Krsna is giving allowance for stealing

cucumber."

 

Prabhupada conceded that Sharma at least wasn't doing anything bad. But he said

that active service is better. Prabhupada was not displeased with him, as

something is better than nothing. He allowed him to stay here because if he

leaves he may end up going elsewhere to practice something other than Krsna

consciousness.

 

Some of the senior men also felt that Mahavira was not mature enough to take

sannyasa. As Prabhupada circumambulated on the roof, he turned and smiled at

Mahavira, whose name is another name for Hanuman. "So, Mahavira prabhu," he

asked, "do you still want to take sannyasa? But don't be like this big, big

monkey!"

 

"I will try to jump, Srila Prabhupada."

 

"Don't try. Do it! Sannyasa means one must turn out successful."

 

- From the "A Transcendental Diary Vol 1" by HG Hari Sauri dasa

 

 

 

CHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY

Your humble servant

radhabhava gaur das

 

 

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