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Re: what happened?

• Subject: Re: what happened?
• From: Rob <krishna@krishna.org>
• Date: Fri Oct 25 13:57:13 1996
• Message-Id: id7003

>what happen to the swami at the end of your name?

>



I took sannyasa initiation when I was preaching by myself. At that stage I 

didn't have anything to do with any other devotees. Then about two years ago I 

started to meet lots of other devotees who were also outside ISKCON and trying 

to serve Srila Prabhupada. I was also considering trying to work with ISKCON 

again. I didn't feel the sannyasa title would be very approprate for my 

dealings with the other devotees. So at the moment I prefer to be called 

"Madhudvisa dasa". I am still living like a sannyasi, (as I was before I took 

sannyasa also) preaching and following the rules and regulations and chanting 

Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada's books... Nothing has changed. Srila 

Prabhupada says we can accept and reject the marks of sannyasa as time and 

circumstance require. So that is why I am "Madhudvisa dasa" at the moment. 



The titles are not as important as the condition of the heart. We have to 

become pure devotees of Krishna whatever condition of life we find ourselves 

in. Srila Prabhupada said all of his sincere devotees were sannyasis as they 

had given up everything for the service of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada. That 

is sannyasa, no personal interest, only Krishna's interest. Many people wear 

the sannyasa cloth and carry the danda but they still have some personal 

interest, that is not sannyasa, that is cheating and it has spoiled the whole 

thing.



The whole "sannyasa" business has been spoiled by both so many bogus Indian 

sannyasis and also many bogus ISKCON sannyasis. Hardly anyone takes sannyasis 

seriuously anymore, even in India. In the West the general public don't know 

what a sannyasi is anyhow [mostly they don't even know what a Hare Krishna is 

anymore...] so for the preaching at the moment it makes no difference 

brahmacari or sannyasa....



If you have any questions about Krishna please write...



Anyhow, chant Hare Krishna and be happy!



Madhudvisa dasa

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