The Spiritual Duties of Householders

This is classic essay on this subject By Shrila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the Modern Pioneer Spiritual Preceptor of Gauranga Dharma, written in his Vaishnava Toshani magazine.

What is proper occupation? To know this, one should see the behavior of Sri

Gauranga Mahaprabhu's followers. As far as possible I will try to briefly

compile them in this essay. First I will write about the behavior and

occupation of the grhastha, as found in the character of Sri Gauranga

Mahaprabhu and His devotees.



As a support for his devotional service, a householder should find a

suitable wife. In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 15.26-27) Lord Gauranga says:



grhastha ha-ilama, ebe cahi grha-dharma

grhini vina grha-dharma na haya sobhana



"Since I am remaining at home it is My duty to act as a grhastha. Without a

wife, there is no meaning to householder life."



While maintaining religious family life with one's wife, sons and daughters

are born in the form of Krsna's servants and maidservants; to nourish them

is called maintaining the family. In these activities there is a need for

piously accumulating wealth. In this regard Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu has

said in the Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 5.41) and Caitanya-caritamrta 

(Madhya 15.96):



prabhu bale,-parivara aneka tomara

nirvaha kemate tabe haibe sabara?

'grhastha' hayena inho, cahiye sancaya

sancaya na kaile kutumba-bharana nahi haya



The Lord said, "There are so many members in your family. How will you

maintain everyone? Being a householder, one needs to save some money.

Because he is not doing so, it is very difficult for him to maintain his

family."

One must be educated at a proper age. But he should not study atheistic

literatures. In the Caitanya-bhagavata (Adi 12.49 and Madhya 9.241-242)

Lord Gauranga says:



pade kene loka?-krsna bhakti janibare

se yadi nahila, tabe vidyaya ki kare?

visaya-madandha saba kichui na jane

vidya-made, dhana-made vaisnava na cine

bhagavata padiyao ka 'ro buddhi nasa



"Why do people study? Education is only for understanding devotional

service of Lord Krsna. If you miss this point, then what is the use of

your education? Everyone is blinded by pride and sense gratification.

Being proud of their education and wealth, they fail to recognize a

Vaisnava. If one studies Srimad-Bhagavatam improperly his intelligence is

polluted."

Serving guests is the principle duty of a grhastha-this is Lord Gauranga's

instruction. In the Caitanya-bhagavata (Adi 14.21, 26) it is stated:

grhasthere mahaprabhu sikhayena dharma

atithira seva-grhasthera mula-karma

akaitave citta-sukhe ya 'ra yena sakti

taha karilei bali atithite bhakti



"In this way Lord Gauranga satisfied all His guests and taught the world how to

behave as a perfect householder. The foremost duty of a householder is to

serve his guests. If a householder happily serves his guests without

duplicity and according to his ability he is considered hospitable."


A grhastha should act with simplicity in his dealings with people; he

should not allow any kind of cheating or duplicity in his heart. In the 

Caitanya-bhagavata (Adi 14.142) Lord Gauranga Himself says:

ataeva grhe tumi krsna bhaja giya

kutinati parihari' ekanta haiya



"Therefore go back to your home and worship Lord Krsna with full attention,

giving up all duplicity."

It is the principle duty of a grhastha to serve senior persons. In the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 15.21) Lord Gauranga says:

grhastha ha-iya kariba pita-matara sevana

ihate-i tusta habena laksmi-narayana



"Later I shall become a householder and thus serve My parents, for this

action will very much satisfy Lord Narayana and His wife, the goddess of

fortune."

A householder should take the principles of renunciation to heart; but he

should not simply dress as a renunciate. As stated by Lord Gauranga in the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 16.237-239):

sthira hana ghare yao, na hao vatula

krame krame paya loka bhava-sindhu-kula

markata-vairagya na kara loka dekhana

yatha-yogya visaya bhunja' anasakta hana

antare nistha kara, bahye loka-vyavahara

acirat krsna tomaya karibe uddhara



"Be patient and return home. Don't be a crazy fellow. By and by you will be

able to cross the ocean of material existence. You should not make

yourself a showbottle devotee and become a false renunciant. For the time

being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become

attached to it. Within your heart you should keep yourself very faithful,

but externally you may behave like an ordinary man. Thus Krsna will soon

be very pleased and deliver you from the clutches of maya."



A householder is duty-bound to work for the benefit of everyone. In the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 9.41, 7.92) Lord Gauranga said:



bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara

janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara

naca, gao, bhakta-sange kara sankirtana

krsna-nama upadesi' tara' sarva-jana



"One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India

[Bharata-varsa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit

of all other people. 'My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and

performing sankirtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out

and preach the value of chanting the Holy Name, for by this process You will

be able to deliver all fallen souls.'"



In this practice of devotional service, duplicitous association has been

prohibited. Even in street sankirtana one should chant and dance in the

association of pure devotees. One should not chant in the association of

nondevotees.



A householder should fully depend on the will of Lord Gauranga-Krishna in all his

activities. Lord Gauranga says in the Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya 28.55):

suna mata, isvarera adhina samsara

svatantra haite sakti nahika kahara

"Listen, dear mother, the whole world is under the control of the Lord. No

one has the power to become independent."

A householder should cautiously give up the association of nondevotees,

women, and uxorious people. In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.87) the

Lord said:

asat-sanga-tyaga, -- ei vaisnava-acara

'stri-sangi' -- eka asadhu, 'krsnabhakta' ara

"A Vaisnava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common

people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaisnavas

should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord

Gauranga-Krsna.”



By following his prescribed duties a grhastha Vaisnava should accumulate

wealth for his maintenance. He should not accumulate wealth by sinful

means. Lord Nityananda Prabhu has stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 

5.685-688):



suna dvija, yateka pataka kaili tui

ara yadi na karis, saba nimu muni

parahimsa, daka, curi-saba anacara

chada giya, iha tumi na kariha ara

dharma pathe giya tumi laha hari-nama

tabe tumi anyere kariba paritrana

yata saba dasyu, cora dakiya aniya

dharma-pathe sabare laoyao tumi giya



"Now listen carefully, O brahmana. I will take responsibility for all your

previous misdeeds if you do not repeat them. No more aggression, violence,

looting, or murder; give them up forever. Lead a religious life and chant

the holy names of the Supreme Lord. Then later you can also save others.

Go and meet other dacoits and murderers and bring them to the path of pure

religious life."



A householder should not hanker for another's wife or prostitutes. This is

exhibited in Lord Gauranga's dealings with Krsnadasa in the Caitanya-caritamrta

(Madhya 9.226-227):

gosanira sange rahe krsnadasa brahmana

bhattathari-saha tahan haila darasana

stri-dhana dekhana tanra lobha janmaila

arya sarala viprera buddhi-nasa kaila


"Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu was accompanied by His servant, Krsnadasa. He was

a brahmana, but he met with the Bhattatharis there. With women the

Bhattatharis allured the brahmana Krsnadasa, who was simple and gentle. By

virtue of their bad association, they polluted his intelligence."



Lord Gauranga protected that brahmana from the women's clutches by pulling him

by the hair. The words sarala vipra mean a weak-hearted young brahmana.

He is a real householder who chants one hundred thousand names every day.

Pure devotees should accept prasada in the houses of such grhasthas. In

the Caitanya-bhagavata (9.121-2) Lord Gauranga said:

prabhu bale,-jana, 'laksesvara' bali kare? 

prati-dina laksa-nama ye grahana kare

se janera nama ami bali 'laksesvara'

tatha bhiksa amara, na yai anya ghara

"Lord Gauranga replied: Do you know who is a laksesvara? He is someone who

chants one laksa, or one hundred thousand, holy names everyday. I call

such a person a laksesvara. I only take meals in that person's house, no

one else."

There is no difference between smartas and Vaisnavas regarding following

the codes of religion. Lord Gauranga has said in the Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 

9.388-9):

adhama janera ye acara, yena dharma

adhikari vaisnaveo kare sei karma

krsna krpaye se iha janibare pare

e saba sankate keha mare, keha tare

"Sometimes an exalted Vaisnava exhibits the same activities as a

materialistic person. One can understand this by the mercy of Krsna;

otherwise in this dilemma one may be liberated or destroyed."



The purport is that the conviction in the heart of a Vaisnava is

independent. If one is a Vaisnava, then he can understand the conviction

in the heart of another Vaisnava who is engaged in the same activities as

those of the smartas. One who cannot understand this cannot respect

Vaisnavas, and he thereby goes to hell.



Lord Gauranga has explained the duties of householders in the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 15.104):



prabhu kahena, -- 'krsna-seva', 'vaisnava-sevana'

'nirantara kara krsna-nama-sankirtana'



Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu replied, "Without cessation continue chanting the

holy name of Lord Krsna. Whenever possible, serve Him and His devotees,

the Vaisnavas." (Please note that Hare Krishna, Radha Krishna, Nityananda, Gauranga etc. are all Holy Names of Lord Krishna.)



It is the duty of a grhastha to constantly chant the holy names of the Lord

and serve the Vaisnavas and the Lord with the help of his relatives and by

the wealth he has earned through his pious life. Regarding serving the

Vaisnavas, one should know that there are three types of nonduplicitous

devotees. Serving such Vaisnavas is called vaisnava-seva. There is no need

to gather many Vaisnavas by invitation. Whenever a Vaisnava comes for any

purpose he should be properly served with care. By gathering many

Vaisnavas, one may commit offenses. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (

Madhya 15.198):



bahuta sannyasi yadi aise eka thani

sammana karite nari, aparadha pai



"If all the sannyasis come together, it would not be possible for me to pay

them proper respects. Therefore I would be an offender."



It is the duty of a grhastha Vaisnava to show mercy on the poor and fallen.

As stated in Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 3.238):

dine daya kare, -- ei sadhu-svabhava haya

"It is a characteristic of all saintly persons to be kind toward the poor

and fallen."

A grhastha Vaisnava should not desire to give up his body merely out of

some sentiment or anger. As stated by Lord Gauranga in Caitanya-caritamrta (

Antya 4.57):

deha-tyagadi yata, saba -- tamo-dharma

tamo-rajo-dharme krsnera na paiye marma

"Acts such as suicide are influenced by the mode of ignorance, and in

ignorance and passion one cannot understand who Krsna is."

There is no consideration of superior or inferior status due to social

position in regard to worshiping Gauranga-Krsna. In worldly occupations there are

different activities according to the different social divisions, which

are due to superior and inferior grades of intelligence. There are no such

distinctions in the process of devotional service. As confirmed by 

Lord Gauranga in Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 4.66-67):



nica-jati nahe krsna-bhajane ayogya

sat-kula-vipra nahe bhajanera yogya

yei bhaje sei bada, abhakta -- hina, chara

krsna-bhajane nahi jati-kuladi-vicara



"A person born in a low family is not unfit for discharging devotional

service to Lord Krsna, nor is one fit for devotional service simply

because he is born in an aristocratic family of brahmanas. Anyone who

takes to devotional service is exalted, whereas a nondevotee is always

condemned and abominable. Therefore in the discharge of devotional service

to the Lord, there is no consideration of the status of one's family."


Also in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 5.84) it is said:

sannyasi pandita-ganera karite garva nasa

nica-sudra-dvara karena dharmera prakasa

"To vanquish the false pride of so-called renunciants and learned scholars,

He spreads real religious principles, even through a sudra, or lowborn,

fourth-class man."

A grhastha Vaisnava should feel satisfied with whatever food and clothing

he gets without difficulty. As stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 

4.293):



saba' haite bhagyavanta-sri saka, vyanjana

punah punah yaha prabhu karena grahana



"The different varities of spinach and vegetables are the most fortunate of all, for Lord Gauranga accepts them again and again."



A grhastha Vaisnava should perform devotional service with undeviated

attention, knowing Gauranga-Krsna as the Lord of all. He should not disrespect the

demigods worshiped by the smarta-sampradaya. As stated in Sri 

Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 2.243):



na mane' caitanya-patha, bolaya 'vaisnava'

sivere amanya kare vyartha ta 'ra saba



"If one claims to be a Vaisnava, but he disrespects Lord Siva and does not

strictly follow the path exhibited by Lord Gauranga, all his efforts are

futile."



It is the duty of a grhastha to work for the benefit of others even by

giving up his own self-interest. In the Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 3.365)

it is said:



apanara bhala hau yete jana dekhe

sujana apana chadiyao para rakhe



"Some people expect only benefits for themselves, but a gentleman cares for

others while giving up his own interest."



A grhastha Vaisnava should respect and worship tulasi. As stated in Sri 

Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 8.159-160):



sankhya nama laite ye sthane prabhu vaise

tathai rakhena tulasire prabhu pase

tulasire dekhena, japena sankhya-nama

e bhakti-yogera tattva ke bujhibe ana?



"Wherever Lord Gauranga sits to chant His prescribed rounds, He keeps tulasi before Him. He gazes at tulasi while He chants His rounds. Who can understand the science of devotional service?"



A householder with devotion is glorious, while a householder without

devotion is insignificant. Whatever social dealings a householder has to

perform should be done while taking shelter of the holy name of Gauranga-Krsna.



Regarding the character of the mahajana Sri Kalidasa, the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 16.6-7) states:



maha-bhagavata tenho sarala udara

krsna-nama-'sankete' calaya vyavahara

kautukete tenho yadi pasaka khelaya

'hare krsna' 'krsna' kari' pasaka calaya



"Kalidasa was a very advanced devotee, yet he was simple and liberal. He

would chant the holy name of Krsna while performing all his ordinary

dealings. When he used to throw dice in jest, he would chant Hare Krsna

while throwing the dice."



Everyone is prohibited from corrupt earning or spending, and workers are

prohibited from accepting bribes. As stated by Lord Gauranga in the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 9.90, 142-144):



rajara vartana khaya, ara curi kare

raja-dandya haya sei sastrera vicare

'vyaya na kariha kichu rajara mula-dhana'

rajara mula-dhana diya ye kichu labhya haya

sei dhana kariha nana dharme-karme vyaya

asad-vyaya na kariha, -- yate dui-loka yaya"



"One who serves the government but misappropriates the government's revenue

is liable to be punished by the king. That is the verdict of all revealed

scriptures. Do not spend any of the King's revenue. First you should pay

the revenue due the King, and then you may spend the balance for religious

and fruitive activities. Don't spend a farthing for sinful activities for

which you will be the loser both in this life and the next." 



A grhastha should accept a spiritual master who is full of devotion and of

pure character. As stated in Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya 21.65):



guru yatha bhakti-sunya, tatha sisyagana 



"As the guru is without devotion, so are the disciples."



A householder should be particularly careful not to commit offenses against

the Vaisnavas. In the Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya 22.33) Lord Gauranga says:



ye vaisnava-sthane aparadha haya ya 'ra

punah sei ksamile se ghuce, nahe ara



"When someone offends a Vaisnava, he is not relieved until he is forgiven

by that same Vaisnava." 



Serving devotees is a householder's main duty. As stated in the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 16.57, 60):



vaisnavera sesa-bhaksanera eteka mahima

kalidase paoyaila prabhura krpa-sima

bhakta-pada-dhuli ara bhakta-pada-jala

bhakta-bhukta-avasesa, -- tina maha-bala



"Taking the remnants of the Vaisnavas' food is so valuable that it induced

Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu to offer Kalidasa His supreme mercy. The dust of

the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee,

and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very powerful

substances."



In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.27-8) Lord Krsna describes how a

householder should act until his natural propensity for enjoying sense

objects is overcome and he fully attains the characteristics of a pure

devotee:



jata-sraddho mat-kathasu

nirvinnah sarva-karmasu

veda duhkhatmakan kaman

parityage 'py anisvarah

tato bhajeta mam pritah

sraddhalur drdha-niscayah

jusamanas ca tan kaman

duhkhodarkams ca garhayan



"Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted

with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads

to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My

devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and

conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My

devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result,

and he sincerely repents such activities."



When a householder has faith, he should take initiation into the chanting

of the Holy Name. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.64):



sraddhavan jana haya bhakti-adhikari

'uttama', 'madhyama', 'kanistha' -- sraddha-anusari



"A faithful devotee is a truly eligible candidate for the loving service of

the Lord. According to one's faith, one is classified as a topmost

devotee, an intermediate devotee or an inferior devotee."



A grhastha Vaisnava must gradually acquire all the qualities mentioned in 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.78-80):



krpalu, akrta-droha, satya-sara sama

nidosa, vadanya, mrdu, suci, akincana

sarvopakaraka, santa, krsnaika-sarana

akama, aniha, sthira, vijita-sad-guna

mita-bhuk, apramatta, manada, amani

gambhira, karuna, maitra, kavi, daksa, mauni



"Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless,

magnanimous, mild and clean. They are without material possessions, and

they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to

Gauranga-Krsna and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and

are fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad

qualities-lust, anger, greed and so forth. They eat only as much as

required, and they are not inebriated. They are respectful, grave,

compassionate and without false prestige. They are friendly, poetic,

expert and silent."



A grhastha Vaisnava should be eager to associate with advanced devotees. In

the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.83) it is stated:



krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya 'sadhu-sanga'



"The root cause of devotional service to Lord Gauranga-Krsna is association with

advanced devotees."



Out of all the processes of devotional service, one should give earnest

attention to the five limbs mentioned in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 

22.128-129) as follows:



sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana

mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana

sakala-sadhana-srestha ei panca anga

krsna-prema janmaya ei pancera alpa sanga



"One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear

Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith and

veneration. These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all.

Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Krsna."



Gradually one should diminish the following of prescribed rules out of

obligation and cultivate spontaneous attachment. When spontaneous

attachment to Lord Gauranga-Krishna is awakened, many prescriptions are automatically

discarded and atonement becomes needless. 



The difference is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.140, 142-143) as follows:



kama tyaji' krsna bhaje sastra-ajna mani'

deva-rsi-pitradikera kabhu nahe rni

vidhi-dharma chadi' bhaje krsnera carana

nisiddha papacare tara kabhu nahe mana

ajnane va haya yadi 'papa' upasthita

krsna tanre suddha kare, na karaya prayascitta



"If a person gives up all material desires and completely engages in the

transcendental loving service of Gauranga-Krsna, as enjoined in revealed

scriptures, he is never indebted to demigods, sages, or forefathers.

Although the pure devotee does not follow all the regulative principles of

varnasrama, he worships the lotus feet of Gauranga-Krsna. Therefore he naturally

has no tendency to commit sin. If, however, a devotee accidentally becomes

involved in a sinful activity, Gauranga-Krsna purifies him. He does not have to

undergo the regulative form of atonement."



A grhastha Vaisnava should not endeavor for any knowledge or renunciation

other than knowledge of one's relationship with the Lord in devotional

service and renunciation born from devotional service. If one begins the

worship of Gauranga-Krsna with special care and eagerness, then he achieves all

auspiciousness. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.145):



jnana-vairagyadi -- bhaktira kabhu nahe 'anga'

ahimsa-yama-niyamadi bule krsna-bhakta-sanga



"The path of speculative knowledge and renunciation is not essential for

devotional service. Indeed, good qualities such as nonviolence and control

of the mind and senses automatically accompany a devotee of Lord Gauranga-Krsna."



The gradations of devotion to Lord Gauranga-Krsna are stated in the 

Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 23.10-13). One should cultivate them as

follows:



sadhu-sanga haite haya 'sravana-kirtana'

sadhana-bhaktye haya 'sarvanartha-nivartana'

anartha-nivrtti haile bhaktye 'nistha' haya

nistha haite sravanadye 'ruci' upajaya

ruci haite bhaktye haya 'asakti' pracura

asakti haite citte janme krsne prity-ankura

sei 'bhava' gadha haile dhare 'prema'-nama

sei prema 'prayojana' sarvananda-dhama



"When one is encouraged in devotional service by the association of

devotees, one becomes free from all unwanted contamination by following

the regulative principles and chanting and hearing. When one is freed from

all unwanted contamination, he advances with firm faith. When firm faith

in devotional service awakens, a taste for hearing and chanting also

awakens. After taste is awakened, a deep attachment arises, and from that

attachment the seed of love for Gauranga-Krsna grows in the heart. When that

ecstatic emotional stage intensifies, it is called love of Godhead. Such

love is life's ultimate goal and the reservoir of all pleasure."



A grhastha Vaisnava should constantly chant the holy names while carefully

giving up the ten offenses. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 

4.70-71):



bhajanera madhye srestha nava-vidha bhakti

'krsna-prema', 'krsna' dite dhare maha-sakti

tara madhye sarva-srestha nama-sankirtana

niraparadhe nama laile paya prema-dhana



"Among the ways of executing devotional service, the nine prescribed

methods are the best, for these processes have great potency to deliver

Gauranga-Krsna and ecstatic love for Him. Of the nine processes of devotional

service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord.

If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily

obtains the most valuable love of Godhead."



A householder should accept pure devotional service that is not based

simply on religious sentiments. In the Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya 23.41)

Lord Gauranga states:



mora nrtya dekhite uhara kon sakti?

payah pan karile ki mote haya bhakti?



"What qualification does he have to watch My dancing? By drinking milk can

one attain devotion for Me?"



The mood of servitude is proper for a living entity, and the mood of being

lord is detrimental. As stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya 23.480,

482):



udara-bharana lagi' ebe papi saba

laoyaya 'isvara ami'-mule jaradgava

kukkurera bhaksya deha-ihare laiya

balaye 'isvara' visnu-maya mugdha haiya



"All sinful persons claim to be God in order to fill their bellies,

although factually they are idiots. Accepting the material body, which is

meant to be eaten by the dogs, they call themselves God under the

influence by Lord Visnu's external energy."



A grhastha Vaisnava should model his character after that of Lord Gauranga

and His followers. A householder should follow the ways of life and obtain

his means of livelihood as exhibited by Lord Gauranga and His followers.

If one desires Gauranga-Krsna in all his activities, then those activities are

auspicious. By endeavoring to gratify one's senses and attain irrelevant

fruits, one becomes a materialist. For a devotee, to remain a householder

or to become a renunciate is the same thing. Srila Ramananda Raya, Sri

Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Sri Srivasa Pandita, Sri Sivananda Sena, Sri

Satyaraja Khan, and Sri Advaita Prabhu were all grhasthas and have shown

us the way of faultless living. The difference between a householder and a

renunciate is due to their different means of livelihood. If the home is

favorable for a devotee's devotional service, then he should not leave. It

is his duty to remain a grhastha with detachment. But when the home

becomes unfavorable for his service, he then becomes eligible to leave

home. At that time the detachment he develops for his house through his

devotional service is accepted. For this reason, Srivasa Pandita did not

leave home. For this reason, Svarupa Damodara took sannyasa. All genuine

devotees have remained either at home or in the forest due to this

consideration. Whoever has left home due to this consideration is called a

genuine renunciate. He is always careful not to commit offenses against

the Holy Name.



(Translated by Bhumipati dasa prabhu and Pundarika Vidyanidhi dasa prabhu)