They are accepting the renounced order of life

"So today is a special function day," Prabhupada begins. "Some of our advanced students, they are accepting the renounced order of life. First of all, one of our students, Kirtanananda Brahmacari, he was offered this sannyasa order when I was in India, Vrindavana, on Janmashtami day in the Radha-Damodara temple. Similarly, here we have got also Radha-Krishna temple. There is no difference between Radha-Damodara temple and Radha-Krishna temple. So we postponed this to be held on the Janmashtami day at New Vrindaban, but by some reason we are now postponing to go there, and we have decided to perform this function here. And I am very glad that we are all present."

Prabhupada's tone is grave as he speaks from his vyasasana. Karandhara, who will act as the officiating priest and perform the fire yajna, sits before the sannyasa candidates in front of the yajna-sthana. "Now, this sannyasa mantra should be studied very seriously and we shall chant this mantra after the regular function. Especially those who are accepting the sannyasa order, they should try to understand the import of this important mantra. The import of this important mantra especially is that, as we prohibit several things during ordinary initiation, just like no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling, similarly there are many 'Nos' in accepting the sannyasa order. Especially mating. And politics. If we remain in the materialistic order of life, then this sannyasa order will be a facility for cheating. That responsibility you must have. That is the meaning of the sannyasa order." Prabhupada begins the chanting of the mantras. "namo apavitrah pavitro va sarvavastham gato pi va yah smaret pundarikaksham sa bahyabhyantarah sucih sri vishnu sri vishnu sri vishnu." Then he leads the devotees in the mangalacarana prayers.

Riktananda: Prabhupada was chanting mantras and he seemed ten feet tall. He sat on the vyasasana and brought these mantras right down from the spiritual world. You could see that every important personality in the universe was there. It was just like the temple ceiling was blown off. Everybody was looking at Prabhupada. It was heavy. It wasn't light hearted. It wasn't sweet. It was heavy! We were gasping for breath. The room was filled with more than the colors from the fire. It was just awesome. Here were all these big devotees sitting there like little boys, receiving their sannyasa. Prabhupada was really etching these mantras into their brains. This was important.

Next Prabhupada quotes the verse by the Avanti Brahmana from the Eleventh Canto. "I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of the darkness of ignorance simply by taking shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Mukunda, who gives all kinds of liberations and who is worshipped by many great previous acaryas." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.57). After explaining the purport Prabhupada instructs the new initiates to take their dandas. He begins a kirtan, requesting all present to get up and dance. After the prema-dhvani prayers, Prabhupada gives final instructions. "So, this is now formal accepting of sannyasa, but real sannyasa purpose will be fulfilled when you'll be able to induce the people of the world to dance like you. That is real sannyasa. This formal dress is not sannyasa. Real sannyasa is when you can induce other people to become Krishna conscious and they dance in Krishna consciousness. If you can turn one man to become Krishna conscious, then you're going back to Godhead, back to home, guaranteed. That is real purpose of sannyasa."

Rishabhadeva: We had come up from San Diego for the sannyasa initiation ceremony. It was the first public sannyasa initiation in the West. This was a new thing, so it was a very big event. I remember Prabhupada saying, "Sannyasa means you must all go out and travel and preach." Immediately after the sannyasa ceremony, plans are made for the sannyasis. Brahmananda Swami, Gargamuni Swami, Subala Swami, and Vishnujana Swami to go to Boston.

Originally, Prabhupada had made plans to go, but now he sends the new sannyasis in his place. They will do a short tour of the East Coast, go to New Vrindavana for Janmashtami and Vyasa Puja, and then fly to England to help Syamasundara launch his bus preaching program. Vishnujana Swami is curious about Prabhupada's final words concerning the real purpose of sannyasa since he is already making devotees and training them in Krishna consciousness. He takes the opportunity to ask Srila Prabhupada in private about the meaning of sannyasa initiation.

Nanda Kishor: I wasn't there, but Vishnujana Maharaja told me about his sannyasa initiation. Vishnujana was always thoughtful, and after Prabhupada gave him sannyasa, he asked, "Srila Prabhupada, what does sannyasa mean?" Prabhupada said, "sannyasa means no regrets." No regrets. That's all. That's perfect. Within two days, three sannyasis have already left New Dwaraka. Subala Swami returns quickly to Philadelphia where he is still president. He will spend a few days there just to train up Nayanabhirama as the next temple president before rejoining the other sannyasis in Boston. Brahmananda Swami and Gargamuni Swami leave directly for Boston where they have scheduled a meeting with ISKCON Press.

Pradyumna: Someone was on the phone to LA and asked to speak to Brahmananda, and the brahmacari said, "Oh, their Holinesses have just gone to take rest." And that was the new note. They were now sannyasis. It put them apart from everyone, and in a way elevated them. So when they came to Boston, everyone had a lot of respect that they were now sannyasis.

Only Vishnujana Swami remains behind since he wants to ensure that all the programs in LA will go on in his absence. Danavir is now an accomplished kirtan man, very enthusiastic and active, so he steps right in and takes over the sankirtana party. The mood of training devotees is very strong. There is no official Bhakta Program because the whole temple is so conscious of new devotees. Everyone goes out of their way to offer guidance or help. The atmosphere is very warm, although the sadhana is strict. No one is allowed to nod off during the day. If someone dozes off, he is gently roused, "Haribol Prabhu. Hare Krishna," and mildly told to stay awake or stand up. The devotees are so attached to Vishnujana that no one wants him to be a sannyasi, because it means he has to travel and preach. Everybody feels vacant that Vishnujana will be leaving. He has been so attentive and compassionate in helping them become devotees. Now he won't be there for them anymore.

Riktananda: After his sannyasa initiation, Vishnujana continued to sleep on the bare floor of the upstairs New Dwaraka ashram, always returning each individual devotee's obeisances that we always made between waking up and showering.

Rishabhadeva: When Vishnujana was leaving, it was certainly a heartbreak for all the devotees. Everyone was attached because he would actually give you energy to do your devotional service. He was an inspiration for both the women and the men. He was just as loving to the women as to the men. Even though there was some male chauvinism developing in the temple at that time, he was beyond that kind of mentality. I would hear certain leaders disparage women, criticize heavily, and speak to them in ways that were harsh. He never got into that lack of culture. That was evident because the women were all very attached to him. He was always open and approachable. Anyone could tell he was very attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was a person you could look at and you could know that he was actually thinking of the form of Krishna within himself. His focus wasn't material. You could see that his eyes weren't focused on objects in the material world. He was kind of in a trance, and the only way one can stay like that is to have something happening inside.

With the three sannyasis gone to the East Coast, Prabhupada is very busy back in New Dwaraka. Recognizing that Karandhara is perfectly capable to manage, Prabhupada puts him in charge of the temple. On July 24, he makes two more sannyasis, Devananda Swami and Karttikeya Swami, his secretary and personal servant, respectively. He calls Rupanuga and Bhagavan to Los Angeles and reveals his mind about a "conspiracy" that is going on. He writes to Satsvarupa expressing his concern about the crisis. "At the present moment in our ISKCON campus, politics and diplomacy has entered. Some of my beloved students, on whom I counted very, very much, have been involved in this matter influenced by Maya. As such there has been some activity which I consider as disrespectful. So I have decided to retire and divert attention to book writing and nothing more." Letter to Satsvarupa, Uddhava July 27, 1970