"Better to be a sincere street sweeper, than a charlatan meditator"-SP

Madhya 16.237    "Be patient and return home. Don't be a crazy fellow. By and by you
will be able to cross the ocean of material existence.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.58):

 

                   samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
                    mahat-padam punya-yaso-murareh
                 bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam
                   padam padam yad vipadam na tesam

 

   This material world is just like a big ocean. It begins with
Brahmaloka and extends to Patalaloka, and there are many planets, or
islands, in this ocean. Not knowing about devotional service, the
living entity wanders about this ocean, just as a man tries to swim to
reach the shore. Our struggle for existence is similar to this.
Everyone is trying to get out of the ocean of material existence. One
cannot immediately reach the coast, but if one endeavors, he can cross
the ocean by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy. One may be very eager to

cross this ocean, but he cannot attain success by acting like a
madman. He must swim over the ocean very patiently and intelligently
under the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His
representative. Then, one day, he will reach the shore and return
home, back to Godhead.

Madhya 16.238    "You should not make yourself a showbottle devotee and become a
false renunciant. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a
befitting way and do not become attached to it."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word markata-vairagya, indicating false renunciation, is very
important in this verse. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, in
commenting on this word, points out that monkeys make an external show
of renunciation by not accepting clothing and by living naked in the
forest. In this way they consider themselves renunciants, but actually
they are very busy enjoying sense gratification with dozens of female
monkeys. Such renunciation is called markata-vairagye-the renunciation
of a monkey. One cannot be really renounced until one actually becomes
disgusted with material activity and sees it as a stumbling block to
spiritual advancement. Renunciation should not be phalgu, temporary,
but should exist throughout one's life. Temporary renunciation, or
monkey renunciation, is like the renunciation one feels at a cremation
ground. When a man takes a dead body to the crematorium, he sometimes
thinks, "This is the final end of the body. Why am I working so hard

day and night?" Such sentiments naturally arise in the mind of any man
who goes to a crematorial ghata. However, as soon as he returns from
the cremation grounds, he again engages in material activity for sense
enjoyment. This is called smasana-vairagya, or markata-vairagya.
   In order to render service to the Lord, one may accept necessary
things. If one lives in this way, he may actually become renounced. In
the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.108), it is said:

 

                       yavata syat sva-nirvahah
                       svikuryat tavad arthavit
                        adhikye nyunatayam ca
                        cyavate paramarthatah

 

   "The bare necessities of life must be accepted, but one should not
superfluously increase his necessities. Nor should they be
unnecessarily decreased. One should simply accept what is necessary to
help one advance spiritually."
   In his Durgama-sangamani, Sri Jiva Gosvami comments that the word
sva-nirvahah actually means sva-sva-bhakti-nirvahah. The experienced
devotee will accept only those material things that will help him

render service to the Lord. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.256),
markata-vairagya, or phalgu-vairagya, is explained as follows:

 

                        prapancikataya buddhya
                       hari-sambandhi-vastunah
                        mumuksubhih parityago
                      vairagyam phalgu kathyate

 

   "Whatever is favorable for the rendering of service to the Lord
should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material thing."
Yukta-vairagya, or befitting renunciation, is thus explained:

 

                         anasaktasya visayan
                        yatharham upayunjatah
                      nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe
                       yuktam vairagyam ucyate

 

   "Things should be accepted for the Lord's service and not for one's
personal sense gratification. If one accepts something without
attachment and accepts it because it is related to Krsna, one's

renunciation is called yukta-vairagya." Since Krsna is the Absolute
Truth, whatever is accepted for His service is also the Absolute
Truth.
   The word markata-vairagya is used by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to
indicate so-called Vaisnavas who dress themselves in loincloths trying
to imitate Srila Rupa Gosvami. Such people carry a beadbag and chant,
but at heart they are always thinking about getting women and money.
Unknown to others, these markata-vairagis maintain women but
externally present themselves as renunciants. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
was very much opposed to these markata-vairagis, or pseudo-Vaisnavas.