Babaji Sannyasa

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

KRSNA TALK 38

 

Babaji Sannyasa

by

 

Swami B.G. Narasingha

 

Devotee: On this past Radhastami you gave babaji-sannyasa (initiation)

to a disciple of one of your Godbrothers (Srila Turya dasa Prabhu

Mahasaya). But as per my understanding the babaji-sannyasa is not authorized

in the disciplic succession of your Guru Maharaja (A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Svami Prabhupada). So why have you done something so unprecedented as

this?

 

Swami Narasingha: Actually the precedence is there. My Guru Maharaja

gave babaji-vesa (babaji-sannyasa) to two of his disciples (each on

separate occasions). Normally Srila Prabhupada gave tridandi-sannyasa to his

disciples for the purpose of preaching work, but on two occasions he

gave babaji-sannyasa. This was also the standard of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati Thakura. Generally tridandi-sannyasa was given to the

majority of disciples who were fit for renunciation and for preaching work. In

a few cases the babaji-sannyasa was given. Sarasvati Thakura told that

babaji-vesa is the dress of the paramahamsas, the top-most class of

Vaisnavas. He told that it is better to take the dress of a

tridandi-sannyasi and serve the higher Vaisnavas, rather than to imitate the dress of

the higher Vaisnavas and thus become a hypocrite. But on occasion he

did award babaji-vesa.

 

Our Guru Maharaja gave babaji-sannyasa to his disciples only under

special circumstances. It so happened that these disciples of our Guru

Maharaja thought that they would die and leave the world very soon due to

some incurable disease. So they were given babaji-sannyasa and

instructed to absorb themselves in chanting of the Holy Name of Krsna.

 

Devotee: But those devotees were given babaji-sannyasa under very

special circumstances. Those devotees thought that they would die soon!

 

Swami Narasingha: Yes, they were young men and they thought that they

might die soon. But when you pass fifty years of age you should no

longer think that you 'might die soon', you should know it for a fact! After

fifty, death is certain! And at that stage of life every man should

prepare himself for the next life by taking sannyasa - pancasordhvam

vanam vrajet. After fifty years of age (pancasordhvam) one should go to the

forest (vanam). This must be done. It is obligatory (vrajet). This is

the injunction of the sastra. Either tridandi-sannyasa or

babaji-sannyasa, the difference is very small but in any case one must get out of the

family attachment after fifty years of age.

 

My Guru Maharaja had the following to say about the matter. "Ultimate

goal of life is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Because in your busy life, you have very little time; therefore after

grhastha life, fifty years, up to, not more than that, pancasordhvam vanam

vrajet, then you must retire. It doesn't matter whether you have finished

your duty or not. It doesn't matter. You must retire. And then, after

being trained for some time, being retired from the family life, living

secluded life-not exactly secluded, but detached from family life-let

the elderly sons, daughters, they can take care of the family, and the

husband, wife, they travel in different places of pilgrimage. Again they

come for some time, but without any attachment, as guest in the house

of his son. In this way, when he is trained up, then he says to the

wife, "Now you live with your sons. They will take care of you. I am taking

sannyasa."

 

"So everyone has to take sannyasa. It is not that a particular man,

simply Caitanya Mahaprabhu has to take sannyasa. No. That is obligation.

You must. In Buddha philosophy, everyone has to take sannyasa and live

as a sannyasi for some years. That is their duty. So Maharaja

Yudhisthira prepared himself for becoming sannyasi. Sannyasi means renounced. No

more family responsibility or any responsibility. Simply to become pure

devotee of the Lord, that is sannyasa."

 

"Pancasordhvam vanam vrajet. You show your all nonsense ability up to

fifty years. Don't go more than that. Because you are rascal, you will

never be able to do anything, but jump like monkey up to fifty years,

not more than that. Monkey jumping may be continued up to fifty years.

Then retire. They will continue monkey jumping up to the last point of

death."

 

There are two types renunciation in Gaudiya Vaisnavism; gosthi-anandi

and bhajan-anandi. Both these classes are 'anandi' that is they take

pleasure in seeking the perfection of life. The gosthi-anandi class (the

tridandi-sannyasis) takes to the path of preaching Krsna-nama to

achieve perfection while the bhajan-anandi class takes to the path of

absorbing themselves in the chanting of Krsna-nama. Some are suited for one

path while others are suited for the other. In the end both these classes

of devotees arrive at the same destination, Krsna-prema.

 

The tridandi-sannyasis are in the public eye and they are expected to

lead the assembly of devotees in all manners of devotional service.

Especially they are to defend the dignity of the devotional school by

defeating all opposing philosophical opinions. For this the

tridandi-sannyasi accepts some pratistha or position in the service of the Supreme

Lord. The babajis however avoid all types of position and simply instruct

others by their example of being absorbed in humble service and

Krsna-nama.

 

In many ways the tridandi-sannyasi and the babaji-sannyasi share the

same dharma. Both are to live their life free from the association of

women, both are to eat, sleep, and dress simply, both are to chant

Krsna-nama, both study the Vaisnava sastra, and most importantly both are to

serve the lotus feet of Guru and Krsna. This is the way to cross over

the ocean of material existence.

 

etam sa astaya paratma-nistham

adhyasitam purvatamair maharsibhih

aham tarisyami duranta-param

tamo mukundangri-nisevayaiva

 

"I shall cross over the ocean of material existence, which is extremely

difficult to cross by becoming fixed in serving the lotus feet of

Mukunda and by taking complete shelter of Him. This is approved by the

previous great saints and sages who were fixed in devotion to the Supreme

Lord." (Bhag.11.23.57)

 

A man should take sannyasa with only one intention and that is to

dedicate his full energy to serve Guru and Krsna. At the time of taking

sannyasa both the tridandi-sannyasi and the babaji-sannyasi receive the

same mantra, gopi-bhava mantra. This mantra is sometimes called the

raga-marga mantra and this gives one entrance into the service of Sri Sri

Radha Krsna in the mood of the residents of Vraja. In this way there is

practically no difference between the tridandi-sannyasi and the

babaji-sannyasi.

 

Another consideration as to what path of renunciation one will take may

largely depend upon one's nature and capability. Those who have got

more energy, who are comfortable with being in the forefront of an

assembly etc may find that they are more suited for tridandi-sannyasa, while

those with a less assertive nature, who do not feel confident leading

the Vaisnava assembly may find that they are more suited for

babaji-sannyasa. In any case, after the age of fifty a man must seriously make

plans to accept the renounced order of life.

 

Devotee: Since the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta is there any other

precedence for babaji-sannyasa in our parampara?

 

Swami Narasingha: Yes. As we know it Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava

Maharaja initiated some twenty or so babaji-sanyasis and to my knowledge

Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja initiated many more

babaji-sannyasis than that. I think also that in other branches of the Gaudiya

Matha you will find that babaji-sannyasa is also there.

 

So either you accept tridandi-sannyasa or you accept babaji-sannyasa

but the point is that every man after the age of fifty must prepare for

the next life by accepting sannyasa. That is compulsory.