Renunciation and Homelife

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Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

 

The sincere seekers of Lord can learn more from these verses declared

in Srimad Bhagavatam in this regard:

 

gRheSvA vizatAM cApi puMsAM kuzalakarmaNAm

madvArtAyAtayAmAnAM na bandhAya gRhA matAH

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam 4.30.19)

 

Meaning- The glorious Lord said,

 

"In the case of those whose actions are DEDICATED to Me, even though

they have entered the life of a HOUSEHOLDER, home life is NOT

recognized to be a source of BONDAGE."

 

bhayaM pramattasya vaneSvavi syAd yataH sa Ast sahaSaTsapatnaH

jitendriyasy Atmarater budhasya gRhAzramaH kiM nu karotyavadyam"

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.17)

 

Meaning- The glorious Brahma said to the great devotee Priyavrata:

 

"He who has NOT been able to subdue his senses is EXPOSED to the fear

of rebirth EVEN THOUGH he may ROAM about from forest to forest; for

the SIX (internal) foes (in the shape of the FIVE senses and the MIND

that have NOT been controlled) are EVER WITH him.

 

On the other hand, what HARM can the HOME do to the WISE man who has

SUBDUED his senses and DELIGHT in the Supreme Self (Lord)?"

 

yaH SaT sapatnAn vijigISamANo gRheSu nirvizya yatet pUrvam

atyeti durgAzrita UrjitArIn kSINeSu kAmaM vicared vipazcit

 

tvaM tvabjanAbhAGghrisarAjakoza durgAzrito nirjita SaTsapatnaH

bhuGkSveha bhogAn puruzAtidiSTAn vimuktasaGgaH prakRtiM bhajasva

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam.5.1. 18, 19)

 

Meaning- "He who is KEEN to SUBDUE the above mentioned six foes

should in the first instance strive to CONQUER them while REMAINING

at HOME;

 

for he alone who has ensconced himself in a stronghold is able to

OVERCOME even powerful enemies.

When these internal FOES grow WEAK, the WISE man may roam about at

will."

 

"RESORTING to the citadel of the lotuslike feet of the LORD Whose

navel is the seat of a lotus, you (Devotee Priyavrata) have

thoroughly CONQUERED the SIX enemies.

Therefore, enjoy on this earth the BLESSINGS bestowed on you by the

Supreme Person and wholly FREED from ATTACHMENT, be ESTABLISHED in

the Supreme Self."

 

gRhItvApIndriyairarthAn yo na dveSTi na hRSyati

viSNormAyAm idaM pazyan sa vai bhAgavatottamaH

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.48)

 

Meaning- The great sage Sri Havi said:

 

"Even though experiencing and percieving the objects of senses in the

material world, the pure devotee never gets attached to the sense

enjoyments nor becomes enemical towards them,

fully realizing everthing to be the manifestation of Lord's Divine

Power.

 

Such a Saint indeed is the BEST among Lord's devotees."

 

gRheSva va sthito rAjan kriyAh kurvan gRhocitAH

vAsudevArpaNaM sAkSA dupAsIta mahAmuni

 

zRNvan bhagavato 'bhIkSNamavatArakatham

zradda dhAno yathAkAlam upazAnta janAvRtaH

 

satsaGgAcchanakaiH saGgamAtmajAyAtmajAdiSu

vimucyen mucyamAneSu svayaM svapnavad utthitaH

 

yAvadarthamupAsIno dehe gehe ca paNDitaH

virakto raktavat tatra nRloke naratAM nyaset

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam. 7.14.2-5)

 

Meaning-

 

Sri Narada Muni declares, "A householder, who performs his or her

daily duties as an offering to His pleasure only with his (her) mind

engrossed in Lord Vasudeva, engaging in the service of His devoted

Saints, though living in a household, is separate from it, and

attains Divine Association."

 

"Surrounded by liberated Saints who are tranquil by nature and

reverently hearing again and again according to his leisure the

nectar-like stories of the Lord's descents, he should gradually give

up through the fellowship of Saints attachment to his body, wife,

progeny etc., who are themselves going to be severed from him, even

as he who has woke up from a dream gives up attachment to the objects

seen in a dream."

 

"Serving his body and household ONLY to the extent it is absolutely

NECESSARY to do so and OUTWARDLY APPEARING like one attached to them

though INWARDLY DISGUSTED with them, a WISE man should EXHIBIT his

humanity behave like ORDINARY men in the midst of men."

 

The greatest ideal in this regard is established by the Gopis.

 

ya dohane 'vahanane mathanopa lepa

prekheMkha nArbha ruditokSaNa mArjanAdau

gAyanti caina manurakta dhiyozru kaNTyo

dhanyA vraja striya urukrama citta yAnAH

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam. 10.44.15)

 

Meaning-

 

The Gopis performed every household chores like, milking the cows,

cooking, cleaning, taking care of house and children, while singing

the glories of Their Beloved Krishna, with their eyes full of tears,

with voices choked, and hearts filled with divine love.

 

Their supreme selfless devotion, made Lord Krishna Himself, their

eternal Debtor.

 

AsAmahO carana renu jushamahaM zyAM

vRndAvane kimapi gulma latauSadhI nAM

yA dustyajaM svajana mArya pathaMca hitvA

bhejur mukunda padavIM zRti bhirvi mRgyAM

 

(Bhagavatam 10.47.61)

 

Meaning-

 

The great Jnani devotee Uddhava, dedicated friend of Sri Krishna

prayed-

 

"O Sri Krishna!

How fortunate I would be, to become a grove, a creeper, or a plant in

the forest of VrindAvana, in order to be blessed with the "foot-dust"

of the Gopis, who have cut off all bonds of worldly attachments and

attained the Highest state of Transcendental Bliss of Divine love,

which is being searched in Vedas, from time immemorial (but invain)!

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!