48 Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta
TEXT 64
HS FeS— ALA FB Va-HMTT |
GOlA-HAANA HASTA SHC A FATS 11 vs I
prabhu kahe,—ami ha-i hina-sampradaya
toma-sabara sabhaya vasite na yuyaya
SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—the Lord replied; ami-—|;ha-i-am; hina-sampradaya—belonging to a
lower spiritual school; tomma-sabara—of all of you; sabhaya—in the assembly; vasite—
to sit down; na—never; yuyaya—| can dare.

TRANSLATION

The Lord replied: ‘1 belong to a lower order of sannyasis. Therefore | do not

deserve to sit with you.”
PURPORT

Mayavadi sannyasis are always very puffed up because of their knowledge of
Sanskrit and because they belong to the Sankara-sampradaya. They are always
under the impression that unless one is a brahmana and a very good Sanskrit
scholar, especially in grammar, one cannot accept the renounced order of life nor
become a preacher. Mayavadi sannyasis always misinterpret all the sastras with
their word jugglery and grammatical compositions, yet Sripada Sankaracarya him-
self condemned such jugglery of words in the verse, prapte sannihite khalu marane
nahi nahi raksati dukrh-karane. Dukrn refers to suffixes and prefixes in Sanskrit
grammar. Sankaracarya warned his disciples that if they concerned themselves only
with the principles of grammar, not worshiping Govinda, they were fools who would
never be saved. Yet in spite of Sripada Sankaracarya’s instructions, foolish Mayavadi
sannyasis are always busy juggling words on the basis of strict Sanskrit grammar.

Mayavadi sannyasis are very puffed up if they hold the elevated sannyasa titles
firtha, asrama, and sarasvati. Even among Mayavadis, those who belong to other
sampradayas and hold other titles such as Vana, Aranya, Bharati, etc., are con-
sidered to be lower-grade sannyasis. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa
from the Bharati-sampradaya, and thus He considered Himself a lower sannyast
than Prakasananda Sarasvati. To remain distinct from Vaisnava sannyasis, the
sannyasis of the Mayavadi-sampradaya always think themselves to be situated ina
very elevated spiritual order, but Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in order to teach
them how to become humble and meek, accepted Himself as belonging to a lower
sampradaya of sannyasis. Thus He wanted to point out clearly that a sannyasi 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.
