My understanding, not that it has any importance, is that the generic populace, not counting just full-fledged devotees, can't discriminate between advancement in bhakti and a social position. They think that guru, sannyasi, elder person, TP, or any kind of manager is a well-deserved position signifying their high level of bhakti. I do not blame them. They do not have experience with what the bhakti is. That is the reason. Though they ought to be educated if they are willing to. It is a precious gem of the highest level available to the very few in this world. Due to their inability to surrender to the reception of the freely available flow of pure transcendental nectar of Hari-katha they are bound to be cheated. They see their paper mâche of saintliness falling apart when immoral devotees' actions fall short to continue their positions as per the social status of guru, sannyasi, etc. Therefore they create a web of hypocrisy to keep it all looking pinkish - mutual praising company in exchange for lavish compliments, positions, money, and promise of holyfied existence in the future. They can't comprehend that the fallen devotees can be still considered saintly even while proving disqualified for holding on to the position they used to be in. It is too tempting for both sides.
Centrally machinized approach to giving pancaratra-diksa, sannyasa, etc. does not help to clear out this illusion of hypocritical saintliness. The bureaucratic approach in providing divya-jnana is the weak link for benefitting the conditioned souls. Gaudiya succession is not based on the preference of pancaratra-diksa over bhagavata-viddhi. The guru and disciple who think that the ritualistic aspect of initiation is the end of it all are neophytes satisfied making one small step in the progress of bhakti. For them, it is enough to be certified for general recognition, addressed as Prabhu, thinking to be liberated from previous sins - vimukta-maninah. Factions such as Jata-gosai, Smarta, posthumous rtvik-vada, etc. fall into this. True Gaudiyas hanker for the daily association in the stream of never-ending bliss of sravanam kirtanam - nitya bhagavata sevaya. That is the meaning of diksa which naturally imparts transcendental knowledge and destroys the tendency for sin - prema bhakti jaha hoite, avidya vinasa jate.
There are too many Kali-yuga examples of theatrical perpetration of saintliness on large scale not just within our society. Everyone has his choice. What is a better example of this than the fall-down of Arjuna? He wished for holly non-violence. He would have been a well-set cheating well-being influencer guru, having thousands of disciples and followers, money flowing in like Ganges, chicks' smiles and glances glued on his handsome form. For sure he would propagate hare krishna mahamantra too since he is a devotee. Why Krishna scolded his idiotic "saintly" idea? Because it would have been a hypocrisy walk full of fall-downs. He, fortunately, opted for sincerity over hypocrisy. For which he is celebrated till today, and we are very thankful to him.
I greatly apologize to those who might feel offended by these words. The truth is forcing its way through.
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