Cheating sannyāsīs
“In other words, one who offers the results of his activities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually a sannyāsī and yogī. Cheating sannyāsīs and yogīs have existed since the time of Pṛthu Mahārāja’s sacrifice. This cheating was very foolishly introduced by King Indra. In some ages such cheating is very prominent, and in other ages not so prominent. It is the duty of a sannyāsī to be very cautious because, as stated by Lord Caitanya, sannyāsīra alpa chidra sarva-loke gāya: a little spot in a sannyāsī’s character will be magnified by the public (Cc. Madhya 12.51). Therefore, unless one is very sincere and serious, he should not take up the order of sannyāsa. One should not use this order as a means to cheat the public. It is better not to take up sannyāsa in this age of Kali because provocations are very strong in this age. Only a very exalted person advanced in spiritual understanding should attempt to take up sannyāsa. One should not adopt this order as a means of livelihood or for some material purpose.” (more)
Prabhupāda: “Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straight and forward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth.” (BG 10.4 purport)
Persons in this age are all śūdras and
cannot follow the rules and regulations of sannyāsa life
“In this age of Kali-yuga sannyāsa is prohibited because persons in this age are all śūdras and cannot follow the rules and regulations of sannyāsa life. It is very commonly found that so-called sannyāsīs are addicted to nonsense—even to having private relationships with women. This is the abominable situation in this age. Although they dress themselves as sannyāsīs, they still cannot free themselves from the four principles of sinful life, namely illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Since they are not freed from these four principles, they are cheating the public by posing as svāmīs.” (More)
This should be strictly outlawed, no more sannyāsīs
“This should be strictly outlawed, no more sannyāsīs. And those sannyāsīs who have fallen, you get them married, live like a… No more this showbottle, cheating. It is very ludicrous. Even there is a promise that “We shall not fall down again,” that is also not believable. What is the use? Better go and speak philosophy in your gṛhastha dress, not this dress, but you have nice coat, pants, gentleman. Who says no? I never said. Rather I shall be glad to see that up-to-date gentlemen with tilaka and śikhā are speaking. That is very prestigious everywhere. Why this false dress? What is the wrong to become gṛhastha? I was gṛhastha, pākā caliber gṛhastha.” (more)
“Cheaters are always there to manufacture their own way of spiritual realization. To get some material benefit, the conditioned soul approaches these pseudo sannyāsīs and yogīs for cheap blessings, but he does not receive any benefit from them, either spiritual or material. In this age there are many cheaters who show some jugglery and magic. They even create gold to amaze their followers, and their followers accept them as God. This type of cheating is very prominent in Kali-yuga.”
Prabhupāda: Yes. If by the dress of sannyāsī, you take some money and eat and sleep, then it is transcendental fraud. (SP laughs) (Hindi) Just like others are toiling, and we are getting money by some dress. That’s all. They are getting money by laboring hard, and we are getting money… In India, mostly the sannyāsīs, they do that. The priests also, they do that. This is our profession, just… My Guru Mahārāja said that ṭhākura dekhiye pāya rasta karache, rastaye ‘yandiya jīvika badram karam bhari (?). Instead of earning livelihood by showing the Deity in the temple, it is better to take the profession of a sweeper in the street and live honestly. He said like that. The sweeper is working hard toiling and getting some money and living. This is honest living. But just like in Vṛndāvana, all the Goswamis. They have got their Deity. People are coming, contributing. Typical example, Gauracānda Goswami. Ṭhākura dekhiye paisa rasta. (?) All the sevaites, they are meant for… Our Kunja Babu also planned like that. He thought, “By cheating all the God-brothers, I have got now Caitanya Maṭha. And people will come to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s birthplace, and I will get good income. And it will be distributed amongst my brothers and sons and myself. That’s all.” That is his scheme. (More)
The difference between weakness and cheating
by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur
I will cheat the acharya
“Cheating and weakness are two separate things. Persons devoid of a cheating propensity achieve perfection in life, but a cheater is never successful. Vaisnavism is another name for simplicity. Cheaters are nondevotees. Sincere persons can be weak, but they are not cheaters. Cheaters say something but do something else. Weak people are embarrassed by their defects, whereas cheaters are maddened by their achievements. “I will cheat the acharya,” “I will deceive the doctor,” “I will nourish the poisonous snake of my sinful propensity with banana and milk, hiding him in the hole of my cheating propensity,” and “I will demand name and fame from the people while posing as a saint”: These are not symptoms of weakness but of utter deceitfulness. Such cheaters will never achieve any good. By hearing humbly from saints with a sincere attitude, however, one will gradually attain auspiciousness. After accepting tridandi-sannyasa if one remains busy with worldly activities, thinking that family life is more important than spiritual life or maintaining the sinful mentality of kidnapping Sita from Rama as Ravana did even while dressed as a devotee, then one is a self-killer. We are far from the worship of Hari. Even if we have weakness and have enough anarthas to last us for millions of years, we are not as misfortunate as if we possessed a cheating propensity. It is better to take birth as animals or birds than to take shelter of cheating.”
Pseudo Religion
Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur
– Which religions are called irreligion, cheating religion, reflection of religion, or nonreligion?
– Religion in which various anarthas such as atheism, skepticism, materialism, and impersonalism are present, the devotees do not accept as religion. In fact, such religions are to be accepted as irreligion, cheating religion, reflection of religion, or nonreligion. (For more details on these 4 kinds of pseudo-religion see Caitanya-siksamrta 1/1)
Who are sinful and cheating on the pretext of being an ācārya?
Pseudo ascetics and hypocrites give others mantras and pretend to be ācāryas, but they engage in various sinful activities. Detached and renounced Vaishnavas must develop extremely pure characteristics. — Sajjana-toṣaṇī 5/10
What is the harm if persons who follow pseudo religion identify themselves as brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs, and paramahaṁsas?
Nowadays, being involved in various pseudo religions, many people identify themselves as brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs, and paramahaṁsas, and thus they destroy the religious principles of the āryans. —Sajjana-toṣaṇī10/7
Who are ass-like people and cheaters? Why are they unfavorable to devotional service?
Those who do not understand their qualifi but accept the instruction of a bogus guru and engage in the process of worship meant for exalted devotees are cheated ass-like people. And those who have understood their ineligibility yet with a goal to accumulate money and prestige still follow the process of worship meant for exalted devotees are called cheaters. Until this cheating in the name of religion is destroyed, ones attachment will not awaken. Such people deceive the entire world by making a show of sectarian formalities and pseudo-renunciation.” —KrishnaSaṁhitāChapter-8/16
Who are unsteady renunciates ?
“Those who take sannyāsa by being induced by temporary detachment born from quarrel, distress, lack of wealth, disease and accident, in the process of getting married, are unsteady renunciates. Their detachment does not last long; very soon they become pseudo renunciates.” —Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta 5/2
Which association of so-called Vaishnavas should be given up?
The association of the following pseudo Vaishnavas must be given up;
- Those who put on the garbs of a Vaishnava out of cunningness.
- Those who identify themselves as the followers of the Vaishnava ācāryas just to make impression among the impersonalists.
- Those who identify themselves as Vaishnavas because of greed for money, fame or any other enjoyment.”
—CaitanyaŚikṣāmṛta3/2
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