Prabhupada 0299 - A Sannyasi Cannot Meet His Wife
Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, after Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa, in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya it says He met His mother. I always thought that a sannyāsī could not do that.
Prabhupāda: No, a sannyāsī cannot meet his wife. A sannyāsī is forbidden to go home, and never meet his wife, but he can meet if other... But that... Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not go to His home. It is by arrangement. Advaita Prabhu brought His mother to see Caitanya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after accepting sannyāsa He was just like mad after Kṛṣṇa. He was going on the shore of the Ganges forgetting that this is Ganges. He thought that "This is Yamunā. I am going to Vṛndāvana, following the..." So Nityānanda Prabhu sent one man, that "I am following Caitanya. Please inform Advaita to bring one boat in some ghāṭa so that He'll be able to take Him to His home." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was in ecstasy. Then He saw all of a sudden that Advaita was waiting with a boat. So He asked Him, "Advaita, why You are here? Here, it is Yamunā." Advaita said, "Yes, My dear Lord, wherever You are it is Yamunā. So You come with Me." So He went, and when He went He went to Advaita's home. Then He saw, "You have misled Me. You have brought Me at Your home. It is not Vṛndāvana. How is that?" "All right, Sir, You have come by mistake, so...," (laughter) "please remain here." So He immediately sent one man to His mother. Because He knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu has accepted sannyāsa; He's never coming back again to home. So His mother is mad after the son. He was the only son. So He gave a chance to His mother to see Him for the last time. That was arranged by Advaita. So when mother came, Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately fell down on the feet of His mother. He was a young man, twenty-four years old, and the mother, when she saw that her son has accepted sannyāsa, there is daughter-in-law at home, naturally woman, she was very much affected, began to cry. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu tried to pacify her with very nice words. He said, "My dear mother, this body is given by you, so I should have engaged My body in your service. But I am your foolish son. I have done some mistake. Please excuse Me." So that scene is very pathetic—separation between mother... (indistinct).