Should grihastha gurus also be addressed as Maharajas?

Answer Podcast

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feelings of others. Thank you Question What is the standard for the use of the word Maharaj within our movement Who can be called Maharaj Answer The word Maharaj refers etymologically to Rajyate one who resides one who resplendently exists at the top so in the hierarchy in Varanasi the Kshatriyas have power the Brahmin are the intellectual heads the Kshatriyas are the administrative, political, diplomatic heads they have financial power also so they are considered to be the heads of society so the Kshatriyas were called as the Kshatriya kings were called as Maharajas and similarly that was from the Varana perspective, in the Ashram perspective the Sanyasis are called as Maharajas so now Prabhupada also explained that the kings control the outer territory Sanyasis control the inner territory they conquer the senses that’s why they are called as Maharajas so now if we see we have the kings almost all of them are Grahasthas so even they were called as Maharajas so within ISKCON if we see there are Sanyasis who are definitely called as Maharajas but what about Grahasthas especially if they are spiritual masters so normally a disciple refers to one’s spiritual master as Guru Maharaj so now this Guru Maharaj is a combined there are two terms which are used together to refer to one’s spiritual master so there is the word Maharaj in it and the spiritual master who is conquered one’s senses, Maharaj so now the disciples it depends on what one’s spiritual master wants if the spiritual master is a Grahastha but the disciples may refer to that spiritual master as Prabhu or they may refer to their spiritual master as Maharaj so now the general standard within our movement is that Sanyasis are referred to as Maharajas so other so the disciples of other Gurus do not necessarily have to refer to to a Guru who is a Grahastha by the title Maharaj that Guru disciples may refer by the word so and so Maharaj while talking about although he may be a Grahastha and that is the relationship between the disciples and the spiritual master but in general within the movement Sanyasis were referred to as Maharajas and it should not be seen it should not be expected that as a necessary reference although some devotees may refer to certain initiating Gurus who are Grahastha as Maharajas that is not a necessary standard that is not the standard and that is not necessary if somebody wants to do it due to discretion that is fine but those who don’t do it should not be seen as disrespectful there are standards and there are certain ways in which certain more respect will be offered in addition to the standards and that is fine if somebody wants to offer that but that is not necessary that is not mandated so the standard within the movement presently it is not wrong to refer to Grahastha Gurus also as Maharajas but it is not necessary so we see that Prabhupada he usually gives the title of Swami and goes Swami to his Sanyasi disciples and he said that in the address he left we refer to them by Maharaj that is the standard within our movement thank you