SP's letter

[Guest guest]

Bombay

17 December, 1972

Los Angeles

 

 

My dear Danavir,

Please accept my blessings.

 

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 27, 1972,

and I note that you are requesting to take the sannyasa order of life. But

if you have got wife, that will be difficult. If someone devotee has got

wife, that will not become a very popular policy to grant so easily

sannyasa. And if your wife wants many children, that is the only purpose for

getting married to wife, to have facility for sex-life, otherwise what is

the use for taking so much botheration of married life?

 

So now you are married man, that decision you have made. That is

great responsibility, and that should not become so light matter that anyone

may think, "Oh, let me get married and if I don't like my wife, or there is

anything difficulty, I will write Prabhupada for taking sannyasa, finished.

Never mind wife, let her go to hell." That is not very nice proposal.

 

Married life is serious business. If you have taken wife, you must

be completely responsible for her throughout your life. She shall always

serve and obey you without fail, and you shall instruct her in Krishna

Consciousness and act as her spiritual master. Otherwise, without husband,

women have great difficulty to make spiritual advancement.

 

So if we have to develop a perfect society of scientific arrangement

for making spiritual progress, then so many women will be there, so what

shall they do? They have also come to Krishna, we cannot reject them.

Therefore I have advised my students to get themselves married.

 

I was householder, my Guru Maharaja was life-long brahmacari. But we

are doing the same work of preaching Krishna Consciousness, so what is the

difference, grhastha and brahmacari?

 

Actual sannyasa means that he has given everything to Krishna, so

practically you are already sannyasa. But if you have got wife, and if she

is very desirous to raise children, she will not be very happy if you go

away. That is not our business, to create havoc, no. If wife is very strong,

she will appreciate if you take sannyasa, but if there is question at all,

that should be avoided.

 

Just like I never liked my wife, but I knew it was my duty to stick

until my sons were grown-up, then I left. But if you give your wife one

child, then she will be happy and she will have some life-long occupation,

that you must consider. But at least you can wait until I come there next

time, then we shall see further.

 

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

 

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami