# Cc. Ādi 17.265 ## Text > ataeva avaśya āmi sannyāsa kariba > sannyāsi-buddhye more praṇata ha-iba ## Synonyms *ataeva*—therefore; *avaśya*—certainly; *āmi*—I; *sannyāsa*—the renounced order of life; *kariba*—shall accept; *sannyāsi*-*buddhye*—by thinking of Me as a *sannyāsī*; *more*—unto Me; *praṇata*—bow down; *ha*-*iba*—they shall do. ## Translation **"I shall accept the sannyāsa order of life, for thus people will offer Me their obeisances, thinking of Me as a member of the renounced order.** ## Purport Among the members of the *varṇāśrama* institution's social orders (*brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya* and *śūdra*), the *brāhmaṇa* is considered the foremost, for he is the teacher and spiritual master of all the other *varṇas.* Similarly, among the spiritual orders (*brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha* and *sannyāsa*), the *sannyāsa* order is the most elevated. Therefore a *sannyāsī* is the spiritual master of all the *varṇas* and *āśramas,* and a *brāhmaṇa* is also expected to offer obeisances to a *sannyāsī.* Unfortunately, however, caste *brāhmaṇas* do not offer obeisances to a Vaiṣṇava *sannyāsī.* They are so proud that they do not offer obeisances even to Indian *sannyāsīs,* what to speak of European and American *sannyāsīs.* Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, expected that even the caste *brāhmaṇas* would offer respectful obeisances to a *sannyāsī* because five hundred years ago the social custom was to offer obeisances immediately to any *sannyāsī,* known or unknown. The *sannyāsīs* of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are bona fide. All the students of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have undergone the regular process of initiation. As enjoined in the *Hari-bhakti-vilāsa* by Sanātana Gosvāmī, *tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām:* by the regular process of initiation, any man can become a *brāhmaṇa.* Thus in the beginning the students of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement agree to live with devotees, and gradually, having given up four prohibited activities-illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication—they become advanced in the activities of spiritual life. When one is found to be regularly following these principles, he is given the first initiation (*hari-nāma*), and he regularly chants at least sixteen rounds a day. Then, after six months or a year, he is initiated for the second time and given the sacred thread with the regular sacrifice and rituals. After some time, when he advances still further and is willing to give up this material world, he is given the *sannyāsa* order. At that time he receives the title *svāmī or gosvāmī,* both of which mean "master of the senses." Unfortunately, debauched so-called *brāhmaṇas* in India neither offer them respect nor accept them as bona fide *sannyāsīs.* Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expected the so-called *brāhmaṇas* to offer respect to such Vaiṣṇava *sannyāsīs.* Nevertheless, it does not matter whether they offer respect or whether they accept these *sannyāsīs* as bona fide, for the *śāstra* describes punishment for such disobedient so-called *brāhmaṇas.* The śāstric injuction declares: > devatā-pratimāṁ dṛṣṭvā > yatiṁ caiva tridaṇḍinam > namaskāraṁ na kuryād yaḥ > prāyaścittīyate naraḥ "One who does not offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His Deity in the temple or to a *tridaṇḍī sannyāsī* must undergo *prāyaścitta* [atonement]." If one does not offer obeisances to such a *sannyāsī,* the prescribed *prāyaścitta* is to fast for one day.