|| Shri Hari ||

Duties in a Household Life

 continued

Question ‒ What is the main duty of a householder ?  

Answer -  The main duty of a householder is to serve the persons of the four social orders -  celibates, householders, retirees,  and renunciates.   The householder is their mother-father, sustainer,  preserver etc.   All the people in the four social orders are born of householders and are sustained and preserved by them.  It is therefore the main and special duty of householders to sustain and support the persons of the four social orders.  

Hospitality, providing facilities to cattle such as cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats etc.,   regarding rats-mice etc.,  which live in the house as members of the family and to sustain and support them all -  these are the special duties of a householder.  Similarly rendering service to gods and sages,  offering oblation of cooked rice balls and water to manes and rendering special service to God (chanting His name and His remembrance) are also special duties of householders.  

Question:   How to lead a household life ?   

Answer:   A householder life is a school to attain salvation.   The main duty of the householder is to serve all the four household orders.  ‘This human body does not aim at enjoying pleasures’  (Manasa,  Uttara.  44/1)  Even the attainment of the world of Brahma by performing religious sacrifices etc.,  is not at all praiseworthy,  because he has to return from there as well.   Lord Krishna declares,  ‘A’;; worlds including that of Brahma are subject to return.’  (Gita 8/16).   Therefore,  a householder should renounce his own comforts in order to provide comforts to others according to his own power (resources) with his body, mind, intellect and rights etc. 

(to be continued....... ) 

 ‒From the book ‘Jeevan ka Kartavya' by Swami Ramsukhdasji

|| Shri Hari ||

Duties in a Household Life

Question ‒ Why should one get married  ?  Is it a necessity ?  

Answer ‒  There are two types of celibates over here -  ‘Naishthika’ (life long celibates)   and ‘Upakurvaana’ (celibates after leading a household life).   ‘Naishthika’  celibates are those who lead a pure unmarried life throughout their life;  while ‘Upakurvaana’ celibates are those who after reflection are unable to renounce the desire for pleasure so they lead a married life in order to root out this desire.  It means that those who can’t renounce the desire for pleasure, get married, in order to experience that the desire for pleasure can’t be rooted out through enjoyment.  After the householder social order, the other two social orders namely the retired and the renunciate have been ordained in our society.  It is not human to continue to enjoy pleasures by continuing to lead a household life.  

He who has a desire to enjoy mundane pleasures or he who wants the family succession to continue and has no brother,  should get married in order to wipe out the desire for pleasure or to continue the family succession.   If he has none of the above mentioned two desires,  he need not get married.  In the scriptures,  the path of renunciation has been declared to be the supreme.  

Question -  How to follow the path of renunciation when it is forbidden in the Kali age. (Kaliyug) ?  

Answer -  It is forbidden in the Kali age because in this age it is very difficult to follow this renunciate path properly.  Therefore just like retired government servants, he should retire from the domestic duties and having handed over the family duties and responsibilities to his sons and grand sons,  should devote himself to devotion to God.  If his sons want,  he should have affinity for his family in order to receive food and clothes for the mere maintenance.  If the sons don’t want it, he should renounce the affinity even for the mere maintenance.  He should not worry for the maintenance of his body because Saint Tulasidasa declares -  Fate is decided first and then the body is bestowed.  So why should a person worry ?   He should recite Lord Rama’s name with devotion.  

(to be continued....... ) 

 ‒From the book ‘Jeevan ka Kartavya' by Swami Ramsukhdasji