Sannyasa addressed to Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa

Respected Swamiji and all Vaisnavas,

       Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna! All glories to the guru parampara! Please accept my respectful obeisances.

      While going through the Caitanya Bhagavata I find that many times Nityananda Prabhu is addresse with the word sannyasi. Like for e.g. when Lord Nityananda and Haridasa Thakura went from door to door to preach the holy name of Krishna, they were called sannyasis.

     In another place Haridasa Thakura is called a naistika brahmachari. Since he was born in a Muslim family he did not accept sannyasa formally. Can you please tell me what sannyasa means in that case?

      The more important thing is that Nityananda Prabhu always has his two potencies, Jahnava Devi and Vasudha devi as his consorts. According to the commentary he was a brahmachari and he wore the dress and danda carried by brahmacharis. Later on he gave them up when he married his two consorts.

       So why is Nityananda Prabhu described as sannyasi? He was not formally a sannyasi so what does sannyasa mean for the Lord? It is not the regular meaning, so why are both of them called sannyasis?

       Was this just according to the viewpoint of how they were addressed respectfully by ordinary people?

In doubt,

Srinath

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