20250314 Sannyāsa Ceremony Address

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: So today, I am giving sannyāsa initiation to two disciples of my beloved godbrothers. One is a disciple of His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami and the other is a disciple of His Holiness Gaura Govinda Goswami Mahārāja. If they would have been here today, they could easily give sannyāsa initiation! But I am doing this sevā for my beloved godbrothers.

His Holiness Śivarāma Mahārāja, he already told Lord Caitanya’s pastime, in which way Lord Caitanya sannyāsa. Actually, He gave initiation to His sannyāsa guru! That mantra was given back to Lord Caitanya!

I went many times to Katwa to see the place that Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa. Once I went because I wanted to find Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s place. So I asked the sevaite there to give us a guide. He said, “take some prasāda” and I said, “I don’t have time.” He said, “I cannot give you a guide if you don’t take prasāda!” He was giving a hard offer! So I took prasāda and got the guide! There, is the hair of Lord Caitanya in samādhi. And Keśava Bhāratī’ samādhi is there also. When Lord Caitanya asked, “Shave My hair!” But as soon as the barber held his razor to Lord Caitanya’s hair, “ahhhh! No! No! No! No!” the barber, he freaked out! Lord Caitanya said, “You are a barber, you do your duty!” Then, he shaved Lord Caitanya’s head. So His hair is in the samādhi. And this barber in the picture, when he was cutting Lord Caitanya’s hair, he was feeling ecstasy. It shows, someone made a picture, he fell down on the hair and he was crying and there was a pool of water! When Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us sannyāsa, there was one śloka that the Avantī Brāhmaṇa chanted, that śloka is recommended to be chanted by the sannyāsī:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.23.57:

etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām
adhyāsitāṁ pūrvatamair maharṣibhiḥ
ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ
tamo mukundāṅghri-niṣevayaiva

Translation: I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This was approved by the previous ācāryas, who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord, Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So we don’t follow the Māyāvādī sannyāsa. We have our own Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa tradition. In the previous yugas, sannyāsīs went to live in the forest. In Kali-yuga we are told that Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs should stay in an āśrama. Some years I would travel five to six times around the world! But I only know the airports and the āśramas! Anyway, this sannyāsa is varnāśrama, the last āśrama. Now you are declaring war against māyā – everyone is doing that, but you are alone! So, if you are convinced that you can take this vow, then I would like to facilitate your desire. So the candidates should take blessings from all the sannyāsīs present here and especially, His Holiness Śivarāma Mahārāja.

Jayapatākā Swami: Oh fortunate one, if you so desire this, then say preṣa, three times.

So, Ātmārāma wanted to have the longest name in the world! I don’t know how anyone could say his name! But they will figure out – Bhakti Vilakṣana Ātmāramānanda Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Swami! I will give you the secret sannyāsa mantra in private.

Govindānanda dāsa Prabhu’s name is a little shorter – Bhaktisāra Govindānanda Swami!

I will go behind and in a private place will give the secret mantra to the two sannyāsīs. So, His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami has taken a vrata to distribute 5,000 Caitanya-caritāmṛtas. I am part of that team, whatever I distribute I give to him. So I have to leave now but whatever books you take from His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami, I will give my blessings!