Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Says - Pure Devotees Must Abandon Hypocrisy and Preach
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the spiritual master of Śrīla Prabhupāda, was a lion-like guru who strictly condemned pretension in the name of spirituality. He emphasized that genuine love for Kṛṣṇa is proven through active preaching and strict adherence to regulative principles, rather than through cheap displays of emotion or solitary imitation of advanced devotees. This article explores his instructions on avoiding hypocrisy, the dangers of "sahajiyā" mentality, and the supreme importance of distributing transcendental knowledge.
Condemnation of Imitation and Cheap Popularity
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that his Guru Mahārāja strongly criticized the mentality of those who prematurely try to imitate great saints like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Real advancement is not shown by artificial solitude or weeping, but by genuine service; attempting to bypass the regulative principles for the sake of public adoration is merely cheating.
- Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Says: My dear mind, you are trying to imitate Haridasa Thakura and chant the Hare Krsna mantra in a secluded place, but you are not worth being called a Vaisnava because what you want is cheap popularity.
- He (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) said: "My dear mind, what kind of devotee are you? Simply for cheap adoration, you sit in a solitary place and pretend to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, but this is all cheating."
- Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he said that "When our men will be sahajiya, oh, they'll be more dangerous."
Strict Standards for Spiritual Life
To maintain the purity of the saṅkīrtana movement, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī insisted that devotees must avoid intimate association with women for sense gratification. He highlighted the pastime of Lord Caitanya banishing Junior Haridāsa to demonstrate that hypocrisy and subtle lust have no place in the life of a serious practitioner.
- In connection with stri-sambhasana, talking with women, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that talking with women for the purpose of mingling with them for sense gratification, subtle or gross, is strictly prohibited.
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati says that Caitanya, the ocean of mercy, chastised Junior Haridasa, although Junior Haridasa was His dear devotee, to establish that one in the devotional line, engaged in pure devotional service, should not be a hypocrite.
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said that the grhastha asrama, or the status of family life, is a sort of concession for sense gratification. Therefore a grhastha should not falsely adopt the title gosvami.
The Supreme Importance of Preaching and Books
Śrīla Prabhupāda recalls his spiritual master's burning desire to spread the message of Lord Caitanya worldwide, valuing the publication of literature over the construction of marble temples. He considered the mission successful if even one person truly understood the philosophy, emphasizing quality over quantity.
- Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, after seeing me, said that you all are learned then why don’t you preach the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in foreign countries, On this I argued with him, I said we are dependent country, who will listen to us?
- To save this fire, I wish to get out all the marbles from this house and sell it and publish some books. That will remain. - He (Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati) said to me. Then I understood that he is giving more stress on books.
- My Guru Maharaja used to say that, After propagating this missionary activities, if I see one man has understood this philosophy, I will take my mission as a success. I don't want many.
Identifying True Devotion vs Showbottle Service
External displays of piety or vast learning do not constitute pure devotional service if one remains attached to material enjoyment or caste consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that his Guru Mahārāja warned against "showbottle" devotees who perform ritualistic worship while retaining material desires, and he advised caution regarding works by those who lack genuine realization.
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that people who are advanced in learning but attached to material enjoyment, who are puffed up by education, may offer showbottle devotional service to the Deity and also offer prasadam to Vaisnavas.
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada says, Persons without attainment of the highest perfectional stage of loving service cannot achieve any auspiciousness simply by artificially laughing, crying, or dancing without any spiritual understanding.
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that sometimes these smarta caste gosvamis write books on Vaisnava philosophy or commentaries on the original scriptures, but a pure devotee should cautiously avoid reading them.
Conclusion
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura's teachings serve as a sharp sword against the illusions of pseudo-spirituality. He made it clear that a true follower of Lord Caitanya cannot be a hypocrite; one must abandon the desire for cheap fame and sense gratification. Instead of engaging in "showbottle" devotion or solitary imitation, his followers are urged to dedicate their lives to the serious mission of preaching and publishing books to save humanity.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Says. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.