Is marriage important?

Hare Krishna!
Lord Krishna says in The Bhagavad-gita 'Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If one gives up his prescribed duties because of illusion, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance. Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or out of fear of bodily discomfort is said to have renounced in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation.' My doubt is 'is marriage important in todays life where there is a need of a compatible partner who can adjust in all situations? As there are 4 stages in a human life, one of them being "grihasta ashram". It is also one of the prescribed duty of a human being according to the Vedas. So is it compulsary to enter into a married life?

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  • Yes, it is important to some, but not all.
    Those who FEEL they need to get married, they should get married, and those who FEEL they don't need to get married, they should not.
    That INNER FEELING or INNER VOICE is actually Paramatma who is telling you what is the best for you.
  • hare krsna matji..
    im posting here watever srila prabhupad has insisted abt these four varnashramam.
    SB :8.2.30
    Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has actually declared war against the illusory energy, in which all the living entities are rotting in a false understanding of civilization. The soldiers in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must always possess physical strength, enthusiasm and sensual power. To keep themselves fit, they must therefore place themselves in a normal condition of life. What constitutes a normal condition will not be the same for everyone, and therefore there are divisions of varṇāśrama—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is advised that no one take sannyāsa.

    aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ
    sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam
    devareṇa sutotpattiṁ
    kalau pañca vivarjayet

    [Cc. Ādi 17.164]



    (Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa)

    From this we can understand that in this age the sannyāsa-āśrama is forbidden because people are not strong. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed us an example in taking sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years, but even Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya advised Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be extremely careful because He had taken sannyāsa at an early age. For preaching we give young boys sannyāsa, but actually it is being experienced that they are not fit for sannyāsa. There is no harm, however, if one thinks that he is unfit for sannyāsa; if he is very much agitated sexually, he should go to the āśrama where sex is allowed, namely the gṛhastha-āśrama. That one has been found to be very weak in one place does not mean that he should stop fighting the crocodile of māyā. One should take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, as we shall see Gajendra do, and at the same time one can be a gṛhastha if he is satisfied with sexual indulgence. There is no need to give up the fight. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore recommended, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vān-manobhiḥ. One may stay in whichever āśrama is suitable for him; it is not essential that one take sannyāsa. If one is sexually agitated, he can enter the gṛhastha-āśrama. But one must continue fighting. For one who is not in a transcendental position, to take sannyāsa artificially is not a very great credit. If sannyāsa is not suitable, one may enter the gṛhastha-āśrama and fight māyā with great strength. But one should not give up the fighting and go away.

    thank you matji:)
    yours servant:)
    • Eye opener
      • Srila Prabhupad is our eye opener:)
    • Hare Krishna Mataji ! I have been following this discussion. Your reply is most satisfactory of all so far.
      Thankyou for a proper and pin-pointed reply.
  • its not compulsory to enter a married life.If one thinks he can't live as a brahmachari or brahmacharini then he should marry to fulfill the purpose of this life-to go back to Godhead.
  • The decison depends totally on individual, if he thinks he can responsibly raise krishna conscious children and wife,then its a boon for a society. And whatever great Brahmacharya personalities we have in our today world, its only because there parents got married and raised in a right manner. So its our choice and Krishna Grace.
    • Hare Krishna

      Sanyasi is not a state of your material existence but the state of your conscious sustainability. Grihast ashram is the state where there is test of ones level of KC . Total samarpan to Krishna & control of the sensces . if the circumstances are favourable then where is the question of exam . if one has to give the exam with open text books then where is the need to go through the hardships of learning. So please enter the Grihast ashram and pass out with great marks.

      Radheyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Shyam.
  • Marriage is a obstacle in the path of devotional service. But in Kali-yuga it is not favorable.
    • actually mahesh prabhu u said that men have to control and need a sperm.but what about the women of today?they in the name of freedom are doing everything and anything which needs no mention.then already it is difficult to control senses then all this adulteration then what can men also do?there has to be control on both sides else only varnasankaras will be born.and that is what is happening today.
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