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| SANNYASA |
"The society of human being is naturally divided into eight by orders and statuses of lifethe four divisions of occupation and four divisions of cultural advancement. The intelligent class, the administrative class, the productive class and the laborer class are the four divisions of occupation. And the student life, the householder's life, retired life and renounced life are the four statuses of cultural advancement towards the path of spiritual realization. Out of these, the renounced order of life, or the order of sannyäsa, is considered the highest of all, and a sannyäsé is constitutionally the spiritual master for all the orders and divisions. In the sannyäsa order also there are four stages of upliftment toward perfection. These stages are called kutécaka, bahüdaka, parivräjakäcärya, and paramahàmsa"
SB 1.3.13
"Those who oppose Vedic culture pass laws to make begging by saintly persons a criminal act. They thus insult and persecute saintly beggars, considering them to be ordinary vagrants. A lazy person begging to avoid work is certainly abominable, but a saintly person dedicated to the service of the Lord and practicing the discipline of begging to develop full dependence on the Lord's mercy should be given all facility in human society. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Thäkura explains that there are three forms of collecting alms. Mädhukara is the process of imitating the bee, who collects a tiny amount of nectar from each flower. In this way, the saintly person accepts a very small amount from each person, avoiding social conflict. The process mentioned here is asanklpta, by which one indiscriminately approaches seven houses, being satisfied with whatever may be obtained. Präk-pranéta is that process by which one establishes regular donors and collects one's maintenance from them. In this regard Çréla Véraräghava Äcärya has described the initial stage of sannyäsa, called kutécaka, as follows. A man accepting the initial stage of sannyäsa arranges for his children or other relatives and well-wishers to build him a kuté, or meditation cottage. He gives up worldly affairs and sits within the cottage, trying to remain free from lust, anger, greed, illusion and so on. According to the prescribed injunctions of regulated life, he accepts a tri-danda, purifies himself with a waterpot, shaves his head (leaving a çikhä, or tuft), chants Gäyatré mantra on the sacred thread and wears saffron garments. Bathing regularly, cleansing, performing äcamana, chanting japa, studying the Vedas, remaining celibate and meditating on the Lord, he receives regular supplies of food from his children, friends and relatives. Accepting only the bare necessities of life, he remains fixed in his cottage up to the moment of liberation. "
SB 11.18.18
"There are four orders of spiritual life, namely, brahmacarya, grhastha, vänaprastha and sannyäsa, and in each of these äçramas there are four divisions. The divisions of the brahmacarya-äçrama are sävitrya, präjäpatya, brähma and brhat, and the divisions of the grhasthäçrama are värtä (professionals), sancaya (accumulators), çäléna (those who do not ask anything from anyone) and çilonchana (those who collect grains from the paddy fields). Similarly, the divisions of the vänaprastha-äçrama are vaikhänasa, välakhilya, audumbara and phenapa, and the divisions of sannyäsa are kutécaka, bahüdaka, hàmsa and niskriya. There are two kinds of sannyäsés, who are called dhéras and narottamas, as stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.13.2627). At the end of the month of January in the year 1432 çakäbda (A.D. 1510), Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu accepted the sannyäsa order from Keçava Bhäraté, who belonged to the Çankara-sampradäya."
CC Adi 7.34
"When one takes ksetra-sannyäsa, he leaves his household life and goes to a place of pilgrimage devoted to Lord Visñu. Such places include Purusottama (Jagannätha Puré), Navadvépa-dhäma and Mathurä-dhäma. The ksetra-sannyäsé lives in these places alone or with his family. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Thäkura considers ksetra-sannyäsa to be the preferable vänaprastha situation in this Age of Kali. Särvabhauma Bhatäcärya lived in this way, and he has been called a ksetra-sannyäséthat is, a sannyäsé living in Jagannätha Puré."
CC Madhya 16.130