Everyone observes dharma. Dharma means one’s natural inclination. We are all compelled to obey the dharma of our own bodies. Since the body decomposes, the dharma of the body is temporary and of an inferior nature, being subject to decay and death. The causal principle behind the body is the mind, and the mind exists for a longer span of time than the body. Although in a relative sense, the mind exists longer than the body, it too is restless. The cause behind both the body and the mind is buddhi (intelligence), or atma. If there were no intelligence present, the mind would have nothing on which to ruminate. Thus, the dharma of the body, mind and atma are in an ascending order. There are, however, many who do not believe in the dharma of the atma. There are many who stubbornly declare that they do not believe in dharma at all. This is incorrect thinking. All have to obey dharma, but instead of true dharma, they follow false dharma. The need for wealth (artha) is not unknown to anyone, but there are few who realise the need for paramartha, the supreme goal of life.

yasmin vijñate sarvam idam vijñatam bhavati
yasmin prapte sarvam idam praptam bhavati
tad vijijñasasva tad eva brahma
(Upaniṣads)

“Inquire into that upon knowing which, nothing further remains to be known. Try to achieve that upon gaining which, nothing further remains to be gained.”

yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito na duhkhena
gurunapi vicalyate
(Bhagavad-gita 6.22)

“Upon gaining this, one thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty.” That Complete Reality is bhagavat-tattva (the Supreme Lord). That is why He is known as Paramartha. A sign saying that a place is a maṭha or a monastery does not make it so. A maṭha is a place where a striving for paramartha reigns. The building itself is not the maṭha. For it to qualify as one, there must be spiritual seekers and spiritual teachers. That place wherein the gods are worshipped is called a temple. A maṭha is not just a temple. It is a centre for learning about and seeking paramartha. Our Gurudeva founded many such maṭhas. Sri Saṅkaracarya, Sri Ramanujacarya, Sri Madhvacarya and others also set up many maṭhas. In later times, Sri Kṛṣna Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not establish any maṭhas at all. However, Sriman Mahaprabhu had given four tasks to His disciples:

1. The dissemination of the Holy Name.
2. The compilation of devotional scriptures.
3. The rediscovery and renovation of lost pilgrimage sites.
4. The service of the Lord manifested in His Holy Deity Forms (Sri Vigraha).

The six Gosvamis performed the above four duties with notable credit. In Vṛndavana, each Gosvami has duly served the Sri Vigrahas.

mahaprabhura bhakta-ganera vairagya pradhana
yaha dekhi’ prita hana gaura-bhagavan
(Caitanya-caritamṛta, Antya-lila 6.220)

Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees. On seeing their renunciation, Sri Gaura Bhagavan is extremely satisfied.

None of Mahaprabhu’s devotees took the vows of sannyasa, but they took on the attire of the paramahamsa (topmost swan-like devotee). Being transcendental to the varnasrama system, this position of paramahamsa is the greatest. However, when the paramahamsa attire was insulted and abused by many who, irrespective of their high or low worth, took it on and indulged in perversions, and when the symbol of the Gosvamis came to be treated with disrespect, our Gurudeva became disinclined to adopt the attire of the paramahamsa. Knowing himself to be a part of the classification of varnasrama, he assumed the robes of a monk. By his own example, Gurudeva illustrated that it is better to accept the divisions of varnasrama rather than cause greater harm by abusing the paramahamsa attire. To serve the paramahamsa Vaiṣnavas, Gurudeva took the vows of tridanda-sannyasa. Although our Gurudeva is the best among the best of the paramahamsas, he nonetheless included himself in the bonds of rules and codes of conduct, and humbly accepted the sannyasa-asrama. Each and every step an acarya takes is for the welfare of the world. It is a case of extreme humility when one who is above the three material qualities (gunas) allows himself to enter the world of defining and limiting attributes. The tridanda or three staffs stand for the body, mind and speech. They indicate that the body will not be engaged in anything temporal, but instead, will be utilised only for those things that pertain to Kṛṣna. The mind will only contemplate Kṛṣna and the speech will only be about Kṛṣna. The tridandi is one who accepts these three things. My body, mind and tongue (speech) are restless, but nevertheless, I have resolved to employ them only in the work of and for Kṛṣna, just as the brahmana of Avanti did while taking the oath of tridanda-sannyasa as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.23.29).

The robe of the tridandi is the holiest of attires. Its worship has been illustrated in smṛti, the tradition of the smartas. At the time of accepting the vows of tridanda-sannyasa, the following hymn of the tridandi mendicants is chanted:

devata-pratimam dṛṣṭva
yatim caiva tridandinam
namaskaram na kuryad yah
prayascittiyate narah
(smṛti-vakya)

[One who does not offer respect to the Supreme Lord, to His Deity in the temple or to a tridandi-sannyasi must undergo prayascitta (atonement).]

It was Ravana who took advantage of the reverence shown to the tridandi attire and, revealing his contempt for it, abducted Sita. Ravana had done this quite openly, but there are others who abduct on the sly.

The vision of the true disciple is ever filled with the greatness of the guru. Differences in behaviour of disciples arise due to differences in their relationships and capabilities. The arrival of devotees at the home of the gṛhastha and the vibrations of kṛṣna-katha bring auspiciousness for the householder. The host of this program has brought the Vaiṣnavas here and has served the Vaiṣnavas. The fires of Vaiṣnava homa (sacrifice) have been lit. From this, there will surely come all that is good and holy. Those who feel the need for Bhagavan will definitely seek out the company of devotees:

bhaktis tu bhagavad-bhakta-
saṅgena parijayate
sat-saṅgah prapyate pumbhih
sukṛtaih pūrva-sañcitaih
(Bṛhan-naradiya Purana 4.33, Hari-bhakti-vilasa 10.279)

“Devotion is born out of association with devotees of the Lord. Contact with such saintly persons is given to those who have accumulated pious merit (sukṛti) in previous lifetimes.”

A household in which devotees do not gather is like a dark well. The scriptures advise us to give up such a place of falldown of the soul. In this context, the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, containing the advice of Prahlada Maharaja, is to be perused:

tat sadhu manye ’sura-varya dehinam
sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat
hitvatma patam gṛham andha-kūpam
vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.5)

“O best of the asuras, King of the demons, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen into a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position, go to the forest and take shelter of the Supreme Lord.”