A devotee of the Lord possesses all good qualities

It is said that one who has unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which means unflinching faith in the Vaiñëava or the pure devotee of the Supreme Lord, develops all the good qualities of the demigods. Yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä/ sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù (SB 5.18.12). Prahläda Mahäräja also said, naiñäà matis tävad urukramäìghrim (SB 7.5.32). Unless one takes the dust of the lotus feet of a pure Vaiñëava on one's head, one cannot understand what the Supreme Personality of Godhead is, and unless one knows the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one's life remains imperfect. A great soul who has fully surrendered to the Supreme Lord after understanding Him fully and after repeatedly undergoing austerities and penances for many, many lives is very rare.

SB 4.21.43, Purport

Påthu Mahäräja's talks before the Kumäras were very laudable because of so many qualifications. A speech should be composed of selected words, very sweet to hear and appropriate to the situation. Such speech is called meaningful. All these good qualifications are present in Påthu Mahäräja's speech because he is a perfect devotee. It is said, yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù: "For one who has unflinching devotional faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is engaged in His service, all good qualities become manifest in his person." (SB 5.18.12)

SB 4.22.17, Purport

Närada Muni is herein offering the King blessings of all good fortune so that the King will not desire anything or make plans for sense gratification. The King was engaged in fruitive ritualistic ceremonies because he hoped to get a better life in the future. Närada Muni desired him to give up all mental concoctions. As explained before, all bodies in heavenly planets and hellish planets arise from mental concoctions, and the sufferings and enjoyments of material life are simply on the mental platform. They take place on the chariot of the mind (mano-ratha). It is therefore said:

yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä

sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù

haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëä

mano-rathenäsati dhävato bahiù

"One who has unflinching devotion for the Personality of Godhead has all the good qualities of the demigods. But one who is not a devotee of the Lord has only material qualifications, that are of little value. This is because he is hovering on the mental plane and is certain to be attracted by the glaring material energy." (SB 5.18.12)

SB 4.29.66, Purport

"In one who has unflinching devotional faith in Kåñëa, all the good qualities of Kåñëa and the demigods are consistently manifest." (SB 5.18.12) Prahläda Mahäräja is praised herein for having all good qualities because of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, a pure devotee, who has no motives, has all good qualities, material and spiritual. If one is spiritually advanced, being a staunch, liberal devotee of the Lord, all good qualities are manifest in his body. On the other hand, haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëäù: if one is not a devotee, even if he has some materially good qualities, they have no value. That is the verdict of the Vedas.

SB 7.4.30, Purport

A Vaiñëava should possess the brahminical qualities such as satya, çama, dama, titikñä and ärjava [Bg. 18.42]. There cannot be any duplicity in the character of a Vaiñëava. When Bali Mahäräja acted with unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Viñëu, this was very much appreciated by all the residents of the higher planetary system.

SB 8.20.19, Purport

Although Kaàsa was a sinful demon, he believed that Vasudeva would never deviate from his word. The character of a pure devotee like Vasudeva is such that even so great a demon as Kaàsa firmly believed in his words and was satisfied. Yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù (SB 5.18.12). All good attributes are present in a devotee, so much so that even Kaàsa believed in Vasudeva's words without a doubt.

SB 10.1.55, Purport

Our philosophy says. We have to satisfy Kåñëa. We haven't got to satisfy ourself that "I am doing very nice work in this way." So all these people, they are manufacturing concocted ideas. Mano-rathena asato dhavato bahiù. By mental concoction. Haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëä mano-rathena äsato dhävato bahiù [SB 5.18.12]. One who is not Kåñëa conscious, not devotee of Kåñëa, he has no good qualification. "No, he's a very big man. He has opened such big, big hospitals, big, big schools, big, big, big..." Yes, that may be good from the material estimation, but because he's not a devotee of Kåñëa, these are not good qualifications. Haräv a... This one word: Haräv abhaktasya, haräv abhaktasya. If one has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he cannot have any good qualities. These are not good qualities.

BG 2.2, lect., London, 3 August, 1973

So Kåñëa conscious person is neither interested in pious activities or impious activities, but one who is in Kåñëa consciousness, all activities are pious, transcendental, automatically. He hasn't got to try separately. Yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä [SB 5.18.12]. Anyone. Take for example nonviolence. Nonviolence is good quality. Now here, you see Kåñëa and Arjuna. Arjuna is a devotee of Kåñëa. Automatically he's trying to be nonviolent. "Why should I fight?" This is Kåñëa consciousness. Because he is devotee of Kåñëa, nonviolence is already his quality. People are starting vegetarian society to become vegetarian, a very uplifted society. But the persons who are in Kåñëa conscious, they are already vegetarian. That means the people in the ordinary status, they are trying to acquire some good qualities, but in Kåñëa conscious person you will find all the good qualities automatically. That is the difference.

BG 2.27-38, Lect., Los Angeles, Dec.11,1968

And yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù [SB 5.18.12]. And one who has got unflinching faith in God, he has got all the good qualifications of the demigods. There are many examples. Just see. You are mostly Christian, you know. Lord Jesus Christ, when he was being crucified, he was begging, "My Lord, these fools do not know what they are doing. Please excuse." Just see how much qualified. Because he is devotee of God.

BG 4.9, lect., Montreal, june, 19, 1968

So this is the process of the more you become purified, the more you'll be advanced in Kåñëa consciousness. And your advancement in Kåñëa consciousness will be tested, how you are developing good qualities. Officially I'm Kåñëa conscious yogi, but I am still addicted to so many nonsense habits—that means you are not advancing. That is the test. Yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù [SB 5.18.12]. He hasn't got to learn how to become good. Simply by executing this devotional service, he'll be all good. That is the test.

BG 7.1, lect., San Diego, July 1, 1972

There are six, twenty-six qualifications of a factual devotee of the Lord. They are very kind. They are very obedient. They are sober, economic, everything, all good qualifications. Yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù [SB 5.18.12]. One, if he becomes the devotee of the Lord, all good qualities automatically will develop because he is good. By nature a living entity is the perfect good, but due to the contamination of the lust, he has become vicious. He has become vicious. By nature he's not vicious; he's perfect. Because he's part and parcel of the gold, he's gold. By outward covering he has become something nonsense.

BG 7.18, lect., New York, October 12, 1966

So our formula is if one is not God conscious, or Kåñëa conscious, we immediately reject him. We immediately accept that he has no qualification. Haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëäù. One cannot be qualified unless he is God conscious. His all qualities immediately become rejected. "Why? He has passed M.A., Ph.D. and D.A.C., and he's honored..." That's all right, but in spite of all his education, he will create simply havoc in the world. That's all. Haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëä mano-rathenäsati dhävato bahiù [SB 5.18.12]. Because he is hovering over the mental plane, he'll simply create havoc. His education will be utilized for his sense gratification, and he will not care for anything. Just like great scientists have discovered the atom bomb, by scientific research. What is the effect? Now by one drop you can kill many millions of people. That is his advancement of science. "Oh, why don't you create something that people will not die?" That is not... "I can assure death, but I cannot save death. That is not in my power." Then what kind of scientist you are? You create something, you create some medicine, that "Take this tablet and no death, no more, at least, no disease." That is not possible. There is disease, development of different kinds of disease, and they are discovering different kinds of medicine. That is a struggle. That is not scientific improvement. There is one problem before you, and you are creating some antidote. That's all. This is struggle, struggle for existence. This is not scientific advancement.

BG 7.1-3, lect., London, August 4, 1971

1. Gandiva:

The heavenly demigods are certainly more intelligent, powerful, beautiful and yet they had to take help from Arjuna on account of his Gandiva bow which was empowered by the Grace of Lord Sri Krishna. The Lord is all powerful and by His Grace His pure devotee also can be as much powerful as He may desire and there is no limit about it. And when the Lord withdraws His power from anyone, one is powerless by the will of the Lord.

SB 1.15.13, Purport

Kåñëa engaged in the pastime of offering Khäëòava Forest, which belonged to King Indra. Kåñëa wanted to give it to Agni, the fire-god. Khäëòava Forest contained many varieties of drugs, and Agni required to eat them for rejuvenation. Agni, however, did not touch Khäëòava Forest directly, but requested Kåñëa to help him. Agni knew that Kåñëa was very much pleased with him because he had formerly given Him the Sudarçana disc. So in order to satisfy Agni, Kåñëa became the chariot driver of Arjuna, and both went to the Khäëòava Forest. After Agni had eaten up the Khäëòava Forest, he was very much pleased. This time, he offered a specific bow known as Gäëòéva, four white horses, one chariot, and an invincible quiver with two specific arrows considered to be talismans, which had so much power that no warrior could counteract them. When the Khäëòava Forest was being devoured by the fire-god, Agni, there was a demon of the name Maya who was saved by Arjuna from the devastating fire.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead-vol2, 1970 edition

1. Sakuni:

It is said that giving good counsel to a foolish person causes the fool to become angry, just as feeding milk to a snake only increases its venomous poison. Saint Vidura was so honorable that his character was looked up to by all respectable persons. But Duryodhana was so foolish that he dared to insult Vidura. This was due to his bad association with Çakuni, his maternal uncle, as well as with his friend Karëa, who always encouraged Duryodhana in his nefarious acts.

(SB 3.1.14)

From Daçaratha came a son named Çakuni and from Çakuni a son named Karambhi. The son of Karambhi was Devaräta, and his son was Devakñatra. The son of Devakñatra was Madhu, and his son was Kuruvaça, from whom there came a son named Anu.

(SB 9.24.5)

Just like one of our Godbrothers, he's thinking that "This institution was started by me and Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté as partners. Now the senior partner is dead. Therefore I am the sole proprietor. Who are these Godbrothers? Let them go away." So this is mäyä, the same mäyä Dhåtaräñöra was thinking. And his brother-in-law, Çakuni, was very expert in conspiracy. So he was advising him, "Yes, you are the proprietor. At least your sons should be..."

(Lecture:SB 1.8.24—741004SB.MAY)

8. Kåtavarmä

The sons of Bhadrasena were known as Durmada and Dhanaka. Dhanaka was the father of Kåtavérya and also of Kåtägni, Kåtavarmä and Kåtaujä.

(SB 9.23.23)

Because almost all the members of the Yadu dynasty went to Kurukñetra, some important personalities, like Aniruddha, the son of Pradyumna, and Kåtavarmä, the commander-in-chief of the Yadu dynasty, along with Sucandra, Çuka and Säraëa, remained in Dvärakä to protect the city.

(KB 1970-2-27/Lord Krsna and Balarama Meet the Inhabitantsof Våndävana)

Understanding Kåñëa's plan to kill him, he immediately went to take shelter of Kåtavarmä. But on being approached by him, Kåtavarmä said, "I shall never be able to offend Lord Kåñëa and Balaräma because They are not ordinary persons. They are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Who can be saved from death if he has offended Balaräma and Kåñëa? No one can be saved from Their wrath." Kåtavarmä further said that Kaàsa, although powerful and assisted by many demons, could not be saved from the wrath of Kåñëa, and what to speak of Jaräsandha, who had been defeated by Kåñëa eighteen times and each time had to return from the fighting in disappointment.

(KB 1970-2-2/The Killing of Satrajit and Çatadhanvä)

9. Kesava- killer of demon kesi:

In this verse the Lord is addressed as Keçava because He killed the demon Keçé in the beginning of creation. Keçava is also a name of Kåñëa. Kåñëa is the origin of all incarnations, and it is confirmed in Brahma-saàhitä that Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, exists simultaneously in His different incarnations and expansions. The demon's attempt to measure the Supreme Personality of Godhead is significant. The demon wanted to embrace Him with his arms, thinking that with his limited arms he could capture the Absolute by material power. He did not know that God is the greatest of the great and the smallest of the small. No one can capture the Supreme Lord or bring Him under his control. But the demoniac person always attempts to measure the length and breadth of the Supreme Lord. By His inconceivable potency the Lord can become the universal form, as explained in Bhagavad-gétä, and at the same time He can remain within the box of His devotees as their worshipable Deity. There are many devotees who keep a statue of the Lord in a small box and carry it with them everywhere; every morning they worship the Lord in the box. The Supreme Lord, Keçava, or the Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, is not bound by any measurement of our calculation. He can remain with His devotee in any suitable form, yet He is unapproachable by any amount of demoniac activities.

(SB 3.19.24)

Kåñëa is addressed here as Keçava, "the killer of the Keçi asura." You know, in Våndävana there is Keçi-ghäöa. That Keçi-ghäöa is famous because Kåñëa killed one asura of the name Keçi. He appeared in Våndävana as a ferocious horse and Kåñëa killed him. Since then, his name is Keçava.

(Lecture:Bg 13.1-2—730924BG.BOM)

1. Symptoms of Material attachment:

The jïänés, the yogis, or the karmés, they do not want this no attachment. They want more and more attachment. The jïänés, they want brahma satyaà jagan mithyä-detachment. But bhakta, without any endeavor, because he develops attachment for Kåñëa, he automatically gives up attachment for this material world. Bhaktiù pareçänubhavo viraktir anyatra syät [SB 11.2.42]. This is the symptom how one has become attached with this material world. If I am trying under the, I mean to say, cover of becoming bhakta and trying to gather some material profit, that is not bhakti. That is very dangerous. So in this way there are so many things in the material world we take it for acceptance that these things will save me. He's a pramatta. Pramatta means crazy, half-mad. And full mad is unmatta, full mad. He becomes naked. That is one of the symptoms of unmatta-he'll remain naked. So these men, mattaà pramattam unmattam... Just see how the rules and regulations are there.

(Lecture:SB 1.7-36-37—760929SB.VRN)

Because you have got material attachment, therefore something material lost we lament and something material we do not possess, we hanker.

(Lecture:SB 7.6.1—760102SB.Madras)

CHASTITY

Good population in human society is the basic principle for peace, prosperity and spiritual progress in life. The varnasrama religion's principles were so designed that the good population would prevail in society for the general spiritual progress of state and community. Such population depends on the CHASTITY and faithfulness of its womanhood. As children are very prone to be misled, women are similarly very prone to degradation. Therefore, both children and women require protection by the elder members of the family. By being engaged in various religious practices, women will not be misled into adultery. According to Canakya Pandita, women are generally not very intelligent and therefore not trustworthy. So, the different family traditions of religious activities should always engage them, and thus their CHASTITY and devotion will give birth to a good population eligible for participating in the varnasrama system. On the failure of such varnasrama-dharma, naturally the women become free to act and mix with men, and thus adultery is indulged in at the risk of unwanted population. Irresponsible men also provoke adultery in society, and thus unwanted children flood the human race at the risk of war and pestilence.

(Bg 1.40 P Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra)

The three perfections of liberation are religiosity, economic development and sense gratification: For a conditioned soul, the wife is considered to be the source of liberation because she offers her service to the husband for his ultimate liberation. Conditional material existence is based on sense gratification, and if someone has the good fortune to get a good wife, he is helped by the wife in all respects. If one is disturbed in his conditional life, he becomes more and more entangled in material contamination. A faithful wife is supposed to cooperate with her husband in fulfilling all material desires so that he can then become comfortable and execute spiritual activities for the perfection of life. If, however, the husband is progressive in spiritual advancement, the wife undoubtedly shares in his activities, and thus both the wife and the husband profit in spiritual perfection. It is essential, therefore, that girls as well as boys be trained to discharge spiritual duties so that at the time of cooperation both will be benefited. The training of the boy is brahmacarya, and the training of the girl is CHASTITY. A faithful wife and spiritually trained brahmacari are a good combination for advancement of the human mission.

(SB 3.14.17 P Pregnancy of Diti in the Evening)

In the Hindu scriptures, therefore, woman's CHASTITY and devotion to man is greatly emphasized. A woman's attachment to her husband may elevate her to the body of a man in her next life, but a man's attachment to a woman will degrade him, and in his next life he will get the body of a woman.

(SB 3.31.41 P Lord Kapila' s Instructions on the Movements of the Living Entities)

The word sati means "the most CHASTE." Whenever there is consideration of CHASTITY, Sati, this wife of Lord Siva and daughter of Daksa, is considered first. Vidura, therefore, was astonished. "Daksa is such a great man," he thought, "and is the father of Sati. And Lord Siva is the spiritual master of everyone. How then could there possibly be so much enmity between them that Sati, the most CHASTE goddess, could give up her body because of their quarrel?"

(SB 4.2.2 P Daksa Curses Lord Siva)

When they looked down they could see that the body of Prthu Maharaja was being burned and that his wife, Arci, was entering into the fire, and when they looked upward they could see how they were being carried in two airplanes to the Vaikunthalokas. All of this is possible simply by durvibhavyena karmana, inconceivable activity. Prthu Maharaja was a pure devotee, and his wife, Queen Arci, simply followed her husband. Thus they can both be considered pure devotees, and thus they are capable of performing inconceivable activities. Such activities are not possible for ordinary men. Indeed, ordinary men cannot even take to the devotional service of the Lord, nor can ordinary women maintain such vows of CHASTITY and follow their husbands in all respects. A woman does not need to attain high qualifications, but if she simply follows in the footsteps of her husband, who must be a devotee, then both husband and wife attain liberation and are promoted to the Vaikunthalokas. This is evinced by the inconceivable activities of Maharaja Prthu and his wife.

(SB 4.23.26 P Maharaja Prthu' s Going Back Home)

Different personalities become beautiful by possessing different qualities. Canakya Pandita says that the cuckoo bird, although very black, is beautiful because of its sweet voice. Similarly, a woman becomes beautiful by her CHASTITY and faithfulness to her husband, and an ugly person becomes beautiful when he becomes a learned scholar. In the same way, brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras become beautiful by their qualities. Brahmanas are beautiful when they are forgiving, ksatriyas when they are heroic and never retreat from fighting, vaisyas when they enrich cultural activities and protect cows, and sudras when they are faithful in the discharge of duties pleasing to their masters. Thus everyone becomes beautiful by his special qualities. And the special quality of the brahmana, as described here, is forgiveness.

(SB 9.15.40 P Parasurama, the Lord' s Warrior Incarnation)

"When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krsna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrsni, comes unwanted progeny."

Prabhupada: This is very important point. For good population. Without good population in the society, gentlemen, cultured, educated, following the rules and regulations of religious principles, how you can expect peace and prosperity? That is not possible. So the whole Vedic system was meant for having very good population. Not such kind of population who are addicted to killing and drinking and so many other sinful activities. No. Then you cannot check. If such population is there, then everything will be polluted. Especially nowadays, because there is want of good population, and they go in the government, and how you can expect good government, good administration? The whole population is polluted. Therefore even such a great state, U.S.A., the president is being tried and he's being criticized.

So there must be good population. So to have good population, the women should be very CHASTE. That is the basic principle of Vedic civilization. And to keep the women CHASTE, it was the function of the responsible father, or, in the absence of father, the elder brother... So he must get the woman, the girl, married. It is compulsory. There was no compulsory for man to marry. Because a man may remain brahmacari. By training, he can abstain from sex. But if woman is not protected very strictly, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. Canakya Pandita has... It is not... It is... We are discussing sastra. Don't think otherwise. Canakya Pandita says: visvasam naiva kartavyam strisu raja-kulesu ca. Visvasam naiva kartavyam. "Don't trust women." Visvasam naiva kartavyam strisu. Strisu means women. Raja-kula... And politicians. Yes. Visvasam naiva kartavyam strisu raja-kulesu ca. Never the trust the politician and woman. Of course, when woman comes to Krsna consciousness, that position is different. We are speaking of ordinary woman. Because Krsna says, in another place, striyo vaisyas tatha sudrah. They are considered, women, vaisya, the mercantile community, and sudra, and the worker class, they are less intelligent. Papa-yoni. When the progeny is defective, then they become less intelligent. So Krsna says:

mam hi partha vyapasritya

ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah

striyo vaisyas tatha sudras

te 'pi yanti param gatih

Even papa-yoni, degraded birth, even women, sudra and vaisya, they also can become fully Krsna conscious by training. And they can also go back to home, back to Godhead, without any check.

So when we study things from material point of view, these things are to be taken care. But when a man or woman becomes Krsna conscious, he or she takes care of herself or himself. So it is spoken... Arjuna is speaking of ordinary woman. Strisu dustasu. Just like adharma-abhibhava. Adharma. If the woman is trained, a girl is trained from the very beginning that: "You should remain CHASTE," that is dharma. It is called Satita dharma. Sati means CHASTITY. There are many stories of Sati, CHASTE woman. Nala-damayanti. His husband became so poverty-stricken. He was king, but he became later on so poverty-stricken that he had no sufficient cloth. The husband and wife was putting on the same cloth, half and half. So still, still there was no divorce. You see. Still the woman did not consider... She was also king's daughter. But the husband has fallen down to so much poverty-stricken condition. "So why shall I live with him?" These are some of the extreme examples of CHASTITY. Not to speak of olden days, I have seen in Bombay, in 1935 or '34, on the roadside, there was a beggar. The beggar, the face was defaced. Might be some accident. His eyes and everything became defaced. He could not see, everything became useless. So he, he was sitting on the roadside, and his wife also, also sitting. But I saw that beggar was neat and clean. The wife was also neat and clean. The wife's business was that to keep the husband always neat and clean and fresh and bring him there and again take him at home. Young woman. So I could understand that the wife is so CHASTE. She has not left such ugly husband. Because his face was defaced. And helping him. Because they require some money. So we have seen.

There are many stories of CHASTE woman. Many stories. There was one disciple of Ramanujacarya, a very poor. So Ramanujacarya came in that poor disciple's house and he saw there was no one in the house. So he thought: "What is this? This is my disciple's house. He's family man. Why there is none?" That means he could understand that the door is not locked. Door was closed only. Then he could understand that within the door his wife is there. Therefore he knocked the door, and there was response also, knocking, but she could not come out. That means she, she was so poor that she had no garment. She was keeping herself within the room, naked. So Ramanujacarya could understand that "There is his wife. Maybe she has no sufficient clothing." So immediately, his own cloth he gave her, within the room, and the woman came out, putting on that... And then offered obeisances. So he could understand the position. They were very, very poor. Even no clothing. So after putting on the cloth, she went to the grocer's shop. Because Ramanujacarya is there. She must receive. Grocer shop. The grocer knew that this woman is very woman, uh, very poor, so his business was to entice her. But she never agreed, although she was young. Now this woman went to the grocer's shop that: "You know that I am very poor. I require immediately some grains, ghee, and other things. My Guru Maharaja has come at home. I must receive. So tonight I agree with your proposal. Please give me. Even at the sacrifice of my CHASTITY I want this." So the grocer was very glad. "Oh, this woman, I have canvassed her, (I have) tried to induce her. She never agreed. And now she's agreeing." So: "All right, you take, whatever you like. Take." So she was given all kinds of food grains, as much as she wanted. And she cooked and gave to the spiritual master and his associates, his servants. Everything was very nice. In the meantime, the husband came, working whole day. And he saw that everything was nicely done. "Guru Maharaja is fed, and his associates, they're fed." So he asked his wife: "How did you get all these things?" Then she narrated the whole story. Then husband also said: "Yes, you have promised. All right. Take some prasadam and go to him. Because you have promised to meet him this evening. So go." Then the grocer heard the whole story and his mind became changed. "Oh, such a CHASTE woman. Such a faithful... She, even... You are my mother. You take more ingredients, grains, as much as you like, you shall..."

So there are still. That is not very long ago. So this was the training. And the psychology is that woman, the first man she meets and if she is kept carefully, she becomes staunch lover. This is psychology. There is good psychology in maintaining the society. Therefore a woman, especially in India, especially in Bengal, before attaining puberty, she was married. Not to meet the husband unless she attains puberty. But she remained at father's house, but she must know that: "I am married. I have got husband." This psychology. Then she becomes very CHASTE. Because she thinks of her husband, and becomes more and more devoted. So this arrangement that woman must be married before puberty... Or even after puberty, she must get a husband. So if this dharma... It is called kanya-daya, kanya-daya. Kanya-daya means it is very obligatory that the father must get the daughter married. This is dharma. So if this dharma, or this religious principle is violated, that is... Arjuna is marking: adharma-abhi, abhi-bhava. When people become neglectful of the family tradition and religious principles, adharma abhibhavat krsna pradusyanti kula-striyah. Kula-striyah. Kula-striyah means... Kula means family, and striyah means woman. So woman must be belonging to a respectable family. Therefore it is said: kula-striyah. Not society-girls. Kula-striyah. Of the family. We have got experience in our school, college days. I was sitting in a friend's house and one sweeper woman, sweeper, with broomstick and with, what is called, covering?

Devotee: Shawl.

Prabhupada: She was standing, say, about twenty yards distant from our sitting place. So I asked my friend that: "Your, this sweeper woman wants to come in. She's waiting because we are sitting. She is ashamed to come. So let us come here." So we stood separately. That means although she was a sweeper woman, still we had to honor her to enter. We stood up separately. She was feeling that; "How can I go between two men?" This we have seen in our... So this is Vedic culture. Woman should not be allowed to mix with man. Not allowed. In Japan also, the same system. Before marriage, they can mix. But after marriage they cannot mix. In Japan also I have seen. But in India still the system is there. Woman, without husband, cannot talk with any man. That is also psychological. In the Bhagavata it is stated that man is like ghee, butterpot, and woman is like fire. Therefore, as they, as soon as there is fire and butter pot, the butter pot must melt. Therefore they should be kept aside. These are the statements. And the sastra says that in a solitary place you should not remain even with your daughter, even with your sister, even with your mother.

matr-svasra-duhitravan

na viviktah sanevaset

balavan indriya-gramo

vidvams api karsati

Either your mother or sister, or daughter. No, nobody becomes lusty with mother or sister or daughter. But sastra says: "Even your mother or sister or daughter, you should not live in a solitary place." Then one may question that "How it is possible?" No. The sastra says: balavan indriya-gramah. The senses are so strong that it becomes polluted. "Now it may be, some rascal fools may be polluted like that." No. Sastra... Vidvams api karsati. Even the most learned, he can be polluted. So sometimes in India, I am criticized that I keep women and men in the same temple. In India, that is not allowed. No women can live at night. They can come and go. But I defend myself that this is the system of the country, the women and men, they intermingle. How can I check it? Then the women, shall I not give them any chance for chanting Hare Krsna? No, I shall do this chance, I shall give this chance to woman even at the risk. That is my reply.

So therefore CHASTITY is very, very important thing for producing good population, nice population. So unless the population is good... If the population becomes hippies, then how there can be any peace and prosperity? Therefore, to produce children, there is samskara. First samskara is Garbhadhana samskara. This is called kula-dharma. Garbhadhana samskara means when, especially the high caste, brahmana, ksatriya especially... Sudra... Not sudra. Sudra has no samskara. Only the higher class, brahmana, ksatriya and vaisya. Vaisya also sometimes no samskara. But brahmana, ksatriya must have samskara. Dasa-vidha samskarah. Ten kinds of samskara. One of the samskara... Samskara means purificatory method. One of the samskara is also marriage. One must get married. So, before the child is given birth, there is a samskara, what is called? Garbhadhana samskara. It is not that the husband and wife mix without any restriction and have sex life at any time. No. You know that, that mother of Hiranyakasipu, Kasyapa Muni, I think, father. So she, the woman became very much sexually excited and the husband replied that: "This is not time. This is very bad time, evening. Why you are insisting?" But she was too much lusty, and because the husband was obliged, Hiranyakasipu was born, a demon was born. Therefore there is Garbhadhana samskara, to find out when the husband and wife should mix and give birth to a child. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita you'll see that sex life which is according to the principle of religious ideas, that is "I am." So sex life is not bad, provided it is executed according to the religious principles. So Garbhadhana samskara... Just, what is the idea? The idea is the child born must be first class. He'll be able to become Krsna conscious. He'll be able to understand the sastras, the Vedas. He must have the good brain. These were the ideas. But if they are not born in that way, like cats and dog, that is called varna-sankara. Varna-sankara. You cannot specify whether he's a brahmana or a ksatriya and vaisya and sudra. That is called varna-sankara. So varna-sankara population is not good. Varna-sankara. No caste. No designation, no definition to which class this man belongs.

(730728BG.LON Lecture)

Gandhari was an ideal CHASTE lady, a life companion of her husband, and therefore when she saw her husband burning in the fire of mystic yoga along with his cottage of leaves, she despaired. She left home after losing her one hundred sons, and in the forest she saw that her most beloved husband was also burning. Now she actually felt alone, and therefore she entered the fire of her husband and followed her husband to death. This entering of a CHASTE lady into the fire of her dead husband is called the sati rite, and the action is considered to be most perfect for a woman. In a later age, this sati rite became an obnoxious criminal affair because the ceremony was forced upon even an unwilling woman. In this fallen age it is not possible for any lady to follow the sati rite as CHASTEly as it was done by Gandhari and others in past ages. A CHASTE wife like Gandhari would feel the separation of her husband to be more burning than actual fire. Such a lady can observe the sati rite voluntarily, and there is no criminal force by anyone. When the rite became a formality only and force was applied upon a lady to follow the principle, actually it became criminal, and therefore the ceremony was to be stopped by state law. This prophecy of Narada Muni to Maharaja Yudhisthira forbade him to go to his widowed aunt.

Working sanely and diligently, she pleased her very powerful husband, giving up all lust, pride, envy, greed, sinful activities and vanity.

PURPORT

Here are some of the qualities of a great husband's great wife. Kardama Muni is great by spiritual qualification. Such a husband is called tejiyamsam, most powerful. Although a wife may be equal to her husband in advancement in spiritual consciousness, she should not be vainly proud. Sometimes it happens that the wife comes from a very rich family, as did Devahuti, the daughter of Emperor Svayambhuva Manu. She could have been very proud of her parentage, but that is forbidden. The wife should not be proud of her parental position. She must always be submissive to the husband and must give up all vanity. As soon as the wife becomes proud of her parentage, her pride creates great misunderstanding between the husband and wife, and their nuptial life is ruined. Devahuti was very careful about that, and therefore it is said here that she gave up pride completely. Devahuti was not unfaithful. The most sinful activity for a wife is to accept another husband or another lover. Canakya Pandita has described four kinds of enemies at home. If the father is in debt he is considered to be an enemy; if the mother has selected another husband in the presence of her grown-up children, she is considered to be an enemy; if a wife does not live well with her husband but deals very roughly, then she is an enemy; and if a son is a fool, he is also an enemy. In family life, father, mother, wife and children are assets, but if the wife or mother accepts another husband in the presence of her husband or son, then, according to Vedic civilization, she is considered an enemy. A CHASTE and faithful woman must not practice adultery--that is a greatly sinful act.

(SB 3.23.3 P Devahuti' s Lamentation)

In the glorious days, or before the advent of the age of Kali, the brahmanas, the cows, the women, the children and the old men were properly given protection.

1. The protection of the brahmanas maintains the institution of varna and asrama, the most scientific culture for attainment of spiritual life.

2. The protection of cows maintains the most miraculous form of food, i.e., milk for maintaining the finer tissues of the brain for understanding higher aims of life.

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