By Brahma prabhu – http://www.swami.org/sanga

The eighteen sannyasa initiates of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura:

A reply to Jalakara dasa

Many devotees think that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura initiated an army of sannyasis but factually he initiated only eighteen men into the sannyasa ashrama and contrary to rumor he did not give sannyasa to anyone born outside of India. A complete list of the eighteen-sannyasa initiates of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta taken from Gaudiya Math archives can be found in the book "Prabhupada Saraswati Thakura" available from Mandala Publishing (www.mandala.org). This book is an excellent source of information on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and the history of the Gaudiya Math.

In a discussion on this issue Bhakti Promode Puri Maharaja confirmed that all of the eighteen-sannyasa disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta had been born into Brahmin families and this is common knowledge among senior members of the various Gaudiya missions. This is not surprising because socio-religious customs of the times dictated that sannyasa be awarded only to Brahmins by birth. This practice had been established by the Shankara sampradaya and is also the accepted system in the Ramanuja sampradaya, after which Srila Bhaktisiddhanta modeled his concept of Gaudiya tridandi sannyasa.

Shankaracharya taught that moksa was only available to those of Brahmin birth who had renounced the world by taking sannyasa. This standard for sannyasa was the norm in the caste-conscious religious culture of India at the time Srila Bhaktisiddhanta began his mission, and the rules regarding sannyasa were already well established among the sampradayika traditions. Mahaprabhu taught that varnashrama in general and sannyasa in particular were external but Srila Bhaktisiddhanta decided to establish the ashram in Gaudiya Vaisnavism because religious Hindus of all sects considered sannyasa highly respectable.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta did have a German disciple named Satananda but he did not give him sannyasa. In India during WWII the British interned people from Axis countries in concentration camps for the duration of the war. During internment in one of these camps Satananda met and converted an Austrian named Walter Eidlitz who wrote a book about his experiences with Gaudiya Math. This fascinating book called "Journey to Unknown India" is also available from Mandala publishing.

Eventually a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta initiated Eidlitz but the book does not indicate that Eidlitz ever took sannyasa. Throughout the book Edlitz refers to his mentor by the name Satananda which indicates that Satananda had not taken sannyasa from Bhaktisiddhanta or anyone else at that time. If Edilitz or Satananda did eventually take sannyasa it could not have been from Bhaktisiddhanta because the Thakura had ended his manifest presence in 1937 which was before Satananda met and converted Eidlitz. Srila Prabhupada discussed how one of these first foreign-born devotees had a problem keeping the vow of celibacy but I never read anything about either of them ever taking sannyasa. (If anyone has further information let me know, as I would be interested to read it.)

Bhaktisiddhanta also did not allow women to cook for or perform the seva puja of the deity, as this was also contrary to the religious practices of his day. Although Srila Prabhupada allowed women to serve the deity he rescinded this mandate in his Vrndavana temple and in other places in India to avoid criticism from the still powerful Hindu-Brahmin orthodoxy. Prabhupada felt this restriction was necessary in order for Iskcon to be accepted in that culture, therefore in essence this restriction was for preaching purposes as well. The prohibition against women pujaris in Iskcon Vrndavana is still in effect.

Admittedly, evidence provided shows that Prabhupada at that time was not in favor of women taking sannyasa. However Srila Prabhupada was overwhelmingly in favor of promoting Krishna consciousness and there are instances when he adjusted his position on relative rules and issues to increase book distribution and preaching. For this purpose he even encouraged some sannyasis to wear disguises and secular clothes and even talk with and take money from the hands of women, all of which are against Vedic rules for that ashram. Sannyasa was established in Gaudiya Vaisnavism to expand the preaching even though Mahaprabhu taught that it was external and non-essential to the culture of bhakti. Considering this there may come a time when the rules regarding sannyasa may require further adjustment in order to fulfill the purpose for which the ashram was introduced into the mission. The challenges of preaching in changing cultures and times will require this and in our present day and age I believe Prabhupada's disciples and grand-disciples should ask themselves this question:

Are Prabhupada's prohibitions regarding women, including those about women and sannyasa and women and seva puja, meant to be considered absolute into eternity regardless of ever-changing culture and times?

Personally I believe not. This is because Prabhupada taught that preaching had dynamic application and showed by example that one should make adjustments in the presentation of Krishna consciousness according to time and circumstances?

The sympathy of modern culture flows in favor of women's struggle for equality. On relative issues such as the awarding of sannyasa, are we to stand against the current of that struggle and further lose sympathy for our message or are disciples of a great guru permitted to consider adjusting his presentation in order to deliver his principal message?

I believe that ultimately qualified disciples are permitted to adjust the details of presentation in order to deliver the principal. The essential message of bhakti is the all-important principal that the sannyasa ashram was re-introduced into Gaudiya Vaisnavism by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura to promote. The sannyasa ashram is not the goal of Krishna consciousness nor is it absolutely essential to the culture of bhakti.

Prabhupada writes: "If one is following the instruction of his spiritual master and that instruction is different from the instructions of another spiritual master, this is called detailed information. But the basic principle of acceptance of a spiritual master is good everywhere, although the details may be different." (Nectar of Devotion)

Bhaktivinode writes: "Differences that arise from places, times, languages, behaviors, foods, dresses, and natures of various communities are incorporated within peoples spiritual practices and gradually make one community so completely different from another community that even the consideration that everyone is a human being may cease to exist. Due to these differences there is disagreement, cessation of social intercourse, and fighting, even up to the point of killing one another. When this ass-like mentality becomes prominent within the kanistha-adhikaris, they certainly indulge in these things. But if they develop a swanlike mentality, then they do not take part in quarrels; rather, they endeavor to attain a higher level." (Sri Krishna Samita)

brahmadasa@yahoo.com

These are the eighteen-sannyasa initiates of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

Bhakti Pradipa Tirtha Maharaja
Bhakti Hrdaya Bon Maharaja
Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja
Bhakti Sarvasya Giri Maharaja
Bhakti Sambandha Turyasrami Maharaja
Bhakti Viveka Bharati Maharaja
Bhakti Srirupa Puri Maharaja
Bhakti Prakasa Aranya Maharaja
Bhakti Vilasa Gabhastinemi Maharaja
Bhakti Bhudeva Srauti Maharaja
Bhakti Svarupa Parvata Maharaja
Bhakti Prasuna Bodhayana Maharaja
Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanasa Maharaja
Bhakti Sambala Bhagavata Maharaja
Bhakti Vijnana Asrama Maharaja
Bhakti Sudhira Yachaka Maharaja
Bhakti Vaibhava Sagara Maharaja
Bhakti Vardhana Sagara Maharaja