Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 7: “The Science of God”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Twelve
The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes
SB7.12Summary
This chapter particularly describes the brahmacari and the person in the vanaprastha stage, and it also gives a general description of the four asramas—brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. In the previous chapter, the great saint Narada Muni has described the varna institution of society, and now, in this chapter, he will describe the stages of spiritual advancement in the four asramas, which are known as brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa.
The brahmacari should live under the care of the true spiritual master, giving him sincere respect and obeisances, acting as his menial servant, and always carrying out his order. The brahmacari should engage himself in spiritual activities and study the Vedic literature under the direction of the spiritual master. According to the brahmacarya system, he should dress with a belt, deerskin, and matted hair and should bear a danda, waterpot and sacred thread. He should collect alms daily in the morning, and in the evening whatever alms he has collected he should offer to the spiritual master. A brahmacari should accept prasada upon the order of the spiritual master, and if the spiritual master sometimes forgets to order the disciple to eat, the disciple should not take prasada on his own initiative; rather, he should fast. The brahmacari should be trained to be satisfied with eating what is absolutely necessary, he should be very expert in executing responsibilities, he should be faithful, and he should control his senses and try to avoid the association of women as far as possible. A brahmacari should very strictly abstain from living with women and should not meet with grhasthas and those too addicted to women. Nor should a brahmacari speak in a lonely place with a woman.
After completing one’s education as a brahmacari in this way, one should give daksina, an offering of gratitude, to one’s guru, and then one may leave for home and accept the next asrama—the grhastha-asrama—or else one may continue in the brahmacarya-asrama without adulteration. The duties for the grhastha-asrama and brahmacarya-asrama, as well as the duties for sannyasis, are prescribed in the sastras. A grhastha is not meant to enjoy sex life without restriction. Indeed, the whole purpose of Vedic life is to become free from sexual indulgence. All the asramas are recognized for spiritual progress, and therefore although the grhastha-asrama gives a kind of license for sex life for a certain time, it does not allow unrestricted sex life. Therefore, in grhastha life also, there is no illicit sex. A grhastha should not accept a woman for sexual enjoyment. Wasting semen is also illicit sex.
After the grhastha-asrama is another asrama, known as vanaprastha, which is midway between grhastha and sannyasa. A person in the vanaprastha order is restricted in eating food grains and forbidden to eat fruits that have not ripened on the tree. Nor should he cook food with fire, although he is allowed to eat caru, grains that have been offered in a sacrificial fire. He may also eat fruits and grains that have grown naturally. Living in a thatched cottage, the vanaprastha should endure all kinds of heat and cold. He should not cut his nails or hair, and he should give up cleaning his body and teeth. He should wear tree bark, accept a danda, and practice life in the forest, taking a vow to live there for twelve years, eight years, four years, two years or at least one year. At last, when because of old age he can no longer perform the activities of a vanaprastha, he should gradually stop everything and in this way give up his body. SB7.12.1 TEXT 1 sri-narada uvaca brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam acaran dasavan nico gurau sudrdha-sauhrdah SYNONYMS sri-naradah uvaca—Sri Narada Muni said; brahmacari—a brahmacari, a student living at the residence of the guru; guru-kule—at the residence of the guru; vasan—by living; dantah—continuously practicing control of the senses; guroh hitam—only for the benefit of the guru (not for one’s personal benefit); acaran—practicing; dasa-vat—very humbly, like a slave; nicah—submissive, obedient; gurau—unto the spiritual master; su-drdha—firmly; sauhrdah—in friendship or good will. TRANSLATION Narada Muni said: A student should practice completely controlling his senses. He should be submissive and should have an attitude of firm friendship for the spiritual master. With a great vow, the brahmacari should live at the guru-kula, only for the benefit of the guru. SB7.12.2 TEXT 2 sayam pratar upasita gurv-agny-arka-surottaman sandhye ubhe ca yata-vag japan brahma samahitah SYNONYMS sayam—in the evening; pratah—in the morning; upasita—he should worship; guru—the spiritual master; agni—the fire (by a fire sacrifice); arka—the sun; sura-uttaman—and Lord Visnu, Purusottama, the best of personalities; sandhye—morning and evening; ubhe—both; ca—also; yata-vak—without talking, being silent; japan—murmuring; brahma—the Gayatri mantra; samahitah—being fully absorbed. TRANSLATION At both junctions of day and night, namely, in the early morning and in the evening, he should be fully absorbed in thoughts of the spiritual master, fire, the sun-god and Lord Visnu and by chanting the Gayatri mantra he should worship them. SB7.12.3 TEXT 3 chandamsy adhiyita guror ahutas cet suyantritah upakrame ’vasane ca caranau sirasa namet SYNONYMS chandamsi—mantras in the Vedas, like the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and the Gayatri mantra; adhiyita—one should chant or read regularly; guroh—from the spiritual master; ahutah—being addressed or called (by him); cet—if; su-yantritah—faithful, well behaved; upakrame—in the beginning; avasane—at the end (of reading Vedic mantras); ca—also; caranau—at the lotus feet; sirasa—by the head; namet—one should offer obeisances. TRANSLATION Being called by the spiritual master, the student should study the Vedic mantras regularly. Every day, before beginning his studies and at the end of his studies, the disciple should respectfully offer obeisances unto the spiritual master. SB7.12.4 TEXT 4 mekhalajina-vasamsi jata-danda-kamandalun bibhryad upavitam ca darbha-panir yathoditam SYNONYMS mekhala—a belt made of straw; ajina-vasamsi—garments made of deerskin; jata—matted hair; danda—a rod; kamandalun—and a waterpot known as a kamandalu; bibhryat—he (the brahmacari) should regularly carry or wear; upavitam ca—and a sacred thread; darbha-panih—taking purified kusa in his hand; yatha uditam—as recommended in the sastras. TRANSLATION Carrying pure kusa grass in his hand, the brahmacari should dress regularly with a belt of straw and with deerskin garments. He should wear matted hair, carry a rod and waterpot and be decorated with a sacred thread, as recommended in the sastras. SB7.12.5 TEXT 5 sayam pratas cared bhaiksyam gurave tan nivedayet bhunjita yady anujnato no ced upavaset kvacit SYNONYMS sayam—in the evening; pratah—in the morning; caret—should go out; bhaiksyam—to collect alms; gurave—unto the spiritual master; tat—all that he collects; nivedayet—should offer; bhunjita—he should eat; yadi—if; anujnatah—ordered (by the spiritual master); no—otherwise; cet—if; upavaset—should observe fasting; kvacit—sometimes. TRANSLATION The brahmacari should go out morning and evening to collect alms, and he should offer all that he collects to the spiritual master. He should eat only if ordered to take food by the spiritual master; otherwise, if the spiritual master does not give this order, he may sometimes have to fast. SB7.12.6 TEXT 6 susilo mita-bhug daksah sraddadhano jitendriyah yavad-artham vyavaharet strisu stri-nirjitesu ca SYNONYMS su-silah—very polite and well behaved; mita-bhuk—eating only exactly what he needs, neither more nor less; daksah—expert or without laziness, always busy; sraddadhanah—possessing full faith in the instructions of the sastra and the spiritual master; jita-indriyah—having full control over the senses; yavat-artham—as much as necessary; vyavaharet—should behave externally; strisu—unto women; stri-nirjitesu—men who are henpecked, controlled by women; ca—also. TRANSLATION A brahmacari should be quite well behaved and gentle and should not eat or collect more than necessary. He must always be active and expert, fully believing in the instructions of the spiritual master and the sastra. Fully controlling his senses, he should associate only as much as necessary with women or those controlled by women. PURPORT A brahmacari should be very careful not to mix with women or with men addicted to women. Although when he goes out to beg alms it is necessary to talk with women and with men very much attached to women, this association should be very short, and he should talk with them only about begging alms, and not more. A brahmacari should be very careful in associating with men who are attached to women. SB7.12.7 TEXT 7 varjayet pramada-gatham agrhastho brhad-vratah indriyani pramathini haranty api yater manah SYNONYMS varjayet—must give up; pramada-gatham—talking with women; agrhasthah—a person who has not accepted the grhastha-asrama (a brahmacari or sannyasi); brhat-vratah—invariably observing the vow of celibacy; indriyani—the senses; pramathini—almost always unconquerable; haranti—take away; api—even; yateh—of the sannyasi; manah—the mind. TRANSLATION A brahmacari, or one who has not accepted the grhastha-asrama [family life], must rigidly avoid talking with women or about women, for the senses are so powerful that they may agitate even the mind of a sannyasi, a member of the renounced order of life. PURPORT Brahmacarya essentially means the vow not to marry but to observe strict celibacy (brhad-vrata). A brahmacari or sannyasi should avoid talking with women or reading literature concerning talks between man and woman. The injunction restricting association with women is the basic principle of spiritual life. Associating or talking with women is never advised in any of the Vedic literatures. The entire Vedic system teaches one to avoid sex life so that one may gradually progress from brahmacarya to grhastha, from grhastha to vanaprastha, and from vanaprastha to sannyasa and thus give up material enjoyment, which is the original cause of bondage to this material world. The word brhad-vrata refers to one who has decided not to marry, or in other words, not to indulge in sex life throughout his entire life. SB7.12.8 TEXT 8 kesa-prasadhanonmarda- snapanabhyanjanadikam guru-stribhir yuvatibhih karayen natmano yuva SYNONYMS kesa-prasadhana—brushing the hair; unmarda—massaging the body; snapana—bathing; abhyanjana-adikam—massaging the body with oil and so on; guru-stribhih—by the wife of the spiritual master; yuvatibhih—very young; karayet—should allow to do; na—never; atmanah—for personal service; yuva—if the student is a young man. TRANSLATION If the wife of the spiritual master is young, a young brahmacari should not allow her to care for his hair, massage his body with oil, or bathe him with affection like a mother. PURPORT The relationship between the student or disciple and the wife of the spiritual master or teacher is like that between son and mother. A mother sometimes cares for her son by combing his hair, massaging his body with oil, or bathing him. Similarly, the wife of the teacher is also a mother (guru-patni), and therefore she may also care for the disciple in a motherly way. If the wife of the teacher is a young woman, however, a young brahmacari should not allow such a mother to touch him. This is strictly prohibited. There are seven kinds of mothers: atma-mata guroh patni These mothers are the original mother, the wife of the teacher or spiritual master, the wife of a brahmana, the king’s wife, the cow, the nurse and the earth. Unnecessary association with women, even with one’s mother, sister or daughter, is strictly prohibited. This is human civilization. A civilization that allows men to mix unrestrictedly with women is an animal civilization. In Kali-yuga, people are extremely liberal, but mixing with women and talking with them as equals actually constitutes an uncivilized way of life. SB7.12.9 TEXT 9 nanv agnih pramada nama ghrta-kumbha-samah puman sutam api raho jahyad anyada yavad-artha-krt SYNONYMS nanu—certainly; agnih—the fire; pramada—the woman (one who bewilders the mind of man); nama—the very name; ghrta-kumbha—a pot of butter; samah—like; puman—a man; sutam api—even one’s daughter; rahah—in a secluded place; jahyat—one must not associate with; anyada—with other women also; yavat—as much as; artha-krt—required. TRANSLATION Woman is compared to fire, and man is compared to a butter pot. Therefore a man should avoid associating even with his own daughter in a secluded place. Similarly, he should also avoid association with other women. One should associate with women only for important business and not otherwise. PURPORT If a butter pot and fire are kept together, the butter within the pot will certainly melt. Woman is compared to fire, and man is compared to a butter pot. However advanced one may be in restraining the senses, it is almost impossible for a man to keep himself controlled in the presence of a woman, even if she is his own daughter, mother or sister. Indeed, his mind is agitated even if one is in the renounced order of life. Therefore, Vedic civilization carefully restricts mingling between men and women. If one cannot understand the basic principle of restraining association between man and woman, he is to be considered an animal. That is the purport of this verse. SB7.12.10 TEXT 10 kalpayitvatmana yavad abhasam idam isvarah dvaitam tavan na viramet tato hy asya viparyayah SYNONYMS kalpayitva—ascertaining positively; atmana—by self-realization; yavat—as long as; abhasam—reflection (of the original body and senses); idam—this (the body and senses); isvarah—completely independent of illusion; dvaitam—duality; tavat—for that long; na—does not; viramet—see; tatah—by such duality; hi—indeed; asya—of the person; viparyayah—counteraction. TRANSLATION As long as a living entity is not completely self-realized—as long as he is not independent of the misconception of identifying with his body, which is nothing but a reflection of the original body and senses—he cannot be relieved of the conception of duality, which is epitomized by the duality between man and woman. Thus there is every chance that he will fall down because his intelligence is bewildered. PURPORT Here is another important warning that a man must save himself from attraction to woman. Until one is self-realized, fully independent of the illusory conception of the material body, the duality of man and woman must undoubtedly continue, but when one is actually self-realized this distinction ceases. vidya-vinaya-sampanne “The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” (Bg. 5.18) On the spiritual platform, the learned person not only gives up the duality of man and woman, but also gives up the duality of man and animal. This is the test of self-realization. One must realize perfectly that the living being is spirit soul but is tasting various types of material bodies. One may theoretically understand this, but when one has practical realization, then he actually becomes a pandita, one who knows. Until that time, the duality continues, and the conception of man and woman also continues. In this stage, one should be extremely careful about mixing with women. No one should think himself perfect and forget the sastric instruction that one should be very careful about associating even with his daughter, mother or sister, not to speak of other women. Srila Madhvacarya cites the following slokas in this regard: bahutvenaiva vastunam yatha jnanam tatha vastu Unity in variety is real knowledge, and therefore giving up variety artificially does not reflect perfect knowledge of monism. According to the acintya-bhedabheda philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there are varieties, but all of them constitute one unit. Such knowledge is knowledge of perfect oneness. SB7.12.11 TEXT 11 etat sarvam grhasthasya samamnatam yater api guru-vrttir vikalpena grhasthasyartu-gaminah SYNONYMS etat—this; sarvam—all; grhasthasya—of a householder; samamnatam—described; yateh api—even of the person in the renounced order; guru-vrttih vikalpena—to follow the orders of the spiritual master; grhasthasya—of the householder; rtu-gaminah—accepting sex only during the period favorable for procreation. TRANSLATION All the rules and regulations apply equally to the householder and the sannyasi, the member of the renounced order of life. The grhastha, however, is given permission by the spiritual master to indulge in sex during the period favorable for procreation. PURPORT It is sometimes misunderstood that a grhastha, a householder, is permitted to indulge in sex at any time. This is a wrong conception of grhastha life. In spiritual life, whether one is a grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi or brahmacari, everyone is under the control of the spiritual master. For brahmacaris and sannyasis there are strong restrictions on sexual indulgence. Similarly, there are strong restrictions for grhasthas. Grhasthas should indulge in sex life only in accordance with the order of the guru. Therefore it is mentioned here that one must follow the orders of the spiritual master (guru-vrttir vikalpena). When the spiritual master orders, the grhastha may accept sex life. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.11). Dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamo ’smi: indulgence in sex life without disobedience to the religious rules and regulations constitutes a religious principle. The grhastha is allowed to indulge in sex life during the period favorable for procreation and in accordance with the spiritual master’s order. If the spiritual master’s orders allow a grhastha to engage in sex life at a particular time, then the grhastha may do so; otherwise, if the spiritual master orders against it, the grhastha should abstain. The grhastha must obtain permission from the spiritual master to observe the ritualistic ceremony of garbhadhana-samskara. Then he may approach his wife to beget children, otherwise not. A brahmana generally remains a brahmacari throughout his entire life, but although some brahmanas become grhasthas and indulge in sex life, they do so under the complete control of the spiritual master. The ksatriya is allowed to marry more than one wife, but this also must be in accordance with the instructions of the spiritual master. It is not that because one is a grhastha he may marry as many times as he likes and indulge in sex life as he likes. This is not spiritual life. In spiritual life, one must conduct one’s whole life under the guidance of the guru. Only one who executes his spiritual life under the direction of the spiritual master can achieve the mercy of Krsna. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. If one desires to advance in spiritual life but he acts whimsically, not following the orders of the spiritual master, he has no shelter. Yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ’pi. Without the spiritual master’s order, even the grhastha should not indulge in sex life. SB7.12.12 TEXT 12 anjanabhyanjanonmarda- stry-avalekhamisam madhu srag-gandha-lepalankarams tyajeyur ye brhad-vratah SYNONYMS anjana—ointment or powder for decorating the eyes; abhyanjana—massaging the head; unmarda—massaging the body; stri-avalekha—to glance over a woman or to paint a woman’s picture; amisam—meat-eating; madhu—drinking liquor or honey; srak—decorating the body with garlands of flowers; gandha-lepa—smearing the body with scented ointment; alankaran—decorating the body with ornaments; tyajeyuh—must give up; ye—those who; brhat-vratah—have taken the vow of celibacy. TRANSLATION Brahmacaris or grhasthas who have taken the vow of celibacy as described above should not indulge in the following: applying powder or ointment to the eyes, massaging the head with oil, massaging the body with the hands, seeing a woman or painting a woman’s picture, eating meat, drinking wine, decorating the body with flower garlands, smearing scented ointment on the body, or decorating the body with ornaments. These they should give up. SB7.12.13-14 TEXTS 13–14 usitvaivam guru-kule dvijo ’dhityavabudhya ca trayim sangopanisadam yavad-artham yatha-balam dattva varam anujnato guroh kamam yadisvarah grham vanam va praviset pravrajet tatra va vaset SYNONYMS usitva—residing; evam—in this way; guru-kule—under the care of the spiritual master; dvi-jah—the twice-born, namely the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas; adhitya—studying Vedic literature; avabudhya—understanding it properly; ca—and; trayim—the Vedic literatures; sa-anga—along with supplementary parts; upanisadam—as well as the Upanisads; yavat-artham—as far as possible; yatha-balam—as far as one can, according to one’s ability; dattva—giving; varam—remuneration; anujnatah—being asked; guroh—of the spiritual master; kamam—desires; yadi—if; isvarah—capable; grham—household life; vanam—retired life; va—either; praviset—one should enter; pravrajet—or get out of; tatra—there; va—either; vaset—should reside. TRANSLATION According to the rules and regulations mentioned above, one who is twice-born, namely a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya, should reside in the guru-kula under the care of the spiritual master. There he should study and learn all the Vedic literatures along with their supplements and the Upanisads, according to his ability and power to study. If possible, the student or disciple should reward the spiritual master with the remuneration the spiritual master requests, and then, following the master’s order, the disciple should leave and accept one of the other asramas, namely the grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or sannyasa-asrama, as he desires. PURPORT To study the Vedas and understand them, of course, requires some special intelligence, but the members of the three higher sections of society—namely the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas—must learn the Vedic literatures according to their capability and power to understand. In other words, studying the Vedic literatures is compulsory for everyone but the sudras and antyajas. The Vedic literature gives the knowledge that can lead one to understand the Absolute Truth—Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan. Guru-kula, or the reformatory educational institution, should be used only to understand Vedic knowledge. At the present time there are many educational institutions for training and technology, but such knowledge has nothing to do with understanding of the Absolute Truth. Technology, therefore, is meant for the sudras, whereas the Vedas are meant for the dvijas. Consequently this verse states, dvijo ’dhityavabudhya ca trayim sangopanisadam. At the present time, in the age of Kali, practically everyone is a sudra, and no one is a dvija. Therefore the condition of society has very much deteriorated. Another point to be observed from this verse is that from the brahmacari-asrama one may accept the sannyasa-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or grhastha-asrama. It is not compulsory for a brahmacari to become a grhastha. Because the ultimate aim is to understand the Absolute Truth, there is no necessity of going through all the different asramas. Thus one may proceed to the sannyasa-asrama directly from the brahmacari-asrama. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura accepted the sannyasa-asrama directly from the brahmacari-asrama. In other words, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did not think it compulsory to accept the grhastha-asrama or vanaprastha-asrama.
brahmani raja-patnika
dhenur dhatri tatha prthvi
saptaita matarah smrtah
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva svapake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
yathartha-jnanam ucyate
advaita-jnanam ity etad
dvaita-jnanam tad-anyatha
yatha vastus tatha matih
naiva jnanarthayor bhedas
tata ekatva-vedanam