Duties Of A Grahastha

2010-04-02
Srimad Bhagavatam 08.16.10-11 - Duties Of A Grahastha (download mp3)
by Muralidhar Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
ww.iskcondesiretree.net






SB 8.16.10
api sarve kusalinas
tava putra manasvini
laksaye 'svastham atmanam
bhavatya laksanair aham
Translation: 
O great-minded lady, are all your sons faring well? Seeing your withered face, I can perceive that your mind is not tranquil. How is this so?


SB 8.16.11
sri-aditir uvaca
bhadram dvija-gavam brahman
dharmasyasya janasya ca
tri-vargasya param ksetram
grhamedhin grha ime

Translation: 
Aditi said: O my respected brahmana husband, all is well with the brahmanas, the cows, religion and the welfare of other people. O master of the house, the three principles of dharma, artha and kama flourish in household life, which is consequently full of good fortune.

Purport: 
In household life one can develop the three principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification according to the regulations given in the sastras, but to attain liberation one must give up household life and place himself in the transcendental renounced order. Kasyapa Muni was not in the renounced order of life. Therefore he is addressed here once as brahman and another time as grhamedhin. Aditi, his wife, assured him that as far as household life was concerned, everything was going nicely, and the brahmanas and cows were being honored and protected. In other words, there were no disturbances; household life was duly progressing.