Duties of a CHASTE Wife 1 страница

To render service to the husband, to be always favorably disposed toward the husband, to be equally well disposed toward the husband's relatives and friends, and to follow the vows of the husband-- these are the four principles to be followed by women described as CHASTE.

PURPORT

It is very important for peaceful householder life that a woman follow the vow of her husband. Any disagreement with the husband's vow will disrupt family life. In this regard, Canakya Pandita gives a very valuable instruction: dampatyoh kalaho nasti tatra srih svayam agatah. When there are no fights between husband and wife, the goddess of fortune automatically comes to the home. A woman's education should be conducted along the lines indicated in this verse. The basic principle for a CHASTE woman is to be always favorably disposed toward her husband. In Bhagavad-gita (1.40) it is said, strisu dustasu varsneya jayate varna-sankarah: if the women are polluted, there will be varna-sankara population. In modern terms, the varna-sankara are the hippies, who do not follow any regulative injunctions. Another explanation is that when the population is varna-sankara, no one can know who is on what platform. The varnasrama system scientifically divides society into four varnas and four asramas, but in varna-sankara society there are no such distinctions, and no one can know who is who. In such a society, no one can distinguish between a brahmana, a ksatriya, a vaisya and a sudra. For peace and happiness in the material world, the varnasrama institution must be introduced. The symptoms of one's activities must be defined, and one must be educated accordingly. Then spiritual advancement will automatically be possible.

(SB 7.11.25 The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes)

A CHASTE woman must dress nicely and decorate herself with golden ornaments for the pleasure of her husband. Always wearing clean and attractive garments, she should sweep and clean the household with water and other liquids so that the entire house is always pure and clean. She should collect the household paraphernalia and keep the house always aromatic with incense and flowers and must be ready to execute the desires of her husband. Being modest and truthful, controlling her senses, and speaking in sweet words, a CHASTE woman should engage in the service of her husband with love, according to time and circumstances.

(SB 7.11.26-27 The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes)

A CHASTE woman should not be greedy, but satisfied in all circumstances. She must be very expert in handling household affairs and should be fully conversant with religious principles. She should speak pleasingly and truthfully and should be very careful and always clean and pure. Thus a CHASTE woman should engage with affection in the service of a husband who is not fallen.

(SB 7.11.28 The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes)

According to the injunction of Yajnavalkya, an authority on religious principles, asuddheh sampratiksyo hi mahapataka-dusitah. One is considered contaminated by the reactions of great sinful activities when one has not been purified according to the methods of the dasa-vidha-samskara. In Bhagavad-gita, however, the Lord says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah: "Those miscreants who do not surrender unto Me are the lowest of mankind." The word naradhama means "nondevotee." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said, yei bhaje sei bada, abhakta--hina, chara. Anyone who is a devotee is sinless. One who is not a devotee, however, is the most fallen and condemned. It is recommended, therefore, that a CHASTE wife not associate with a fallen husband. A fallen husband is one who is addicted to the four principles of sinful activity--namely illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Specifically, if one is not a soul surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is understood to be contaminated. Thus a CHASTE woman is advised not to agree to serve such a husband. It is not that a CHASTE woman should be like a slave while her husband is naradhama, the lowest of men. Although the duties of a woman are different from those of a man, a CHASTE woman is not meant to serve a fallen husband. If her husband is fallen, it is recommended that she give up his association. Giving up the association of her husband does not mean, however, that a woman should marry again and thus indulge in prostitution. If a CHASTE woman unfortunately marries a husband who is fallen, she should live separately from him. Similarly, a husband can separate himself from a woman who is not CHASTE according to the description of the sastra. The conclusion is that a husband should be a pure Vaisnava and that a woman should be a CHASTE wife with all the symptoms described in this regard. Then both of them will be happy and make spiritual progress in Krsna consciousness.

(SB 7.11.28 P The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes)

The faithfulness of the goddess of fortune is the ideal for a CHASTE woman. The Brahma-samhita (5.29) says, laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. In the Vaikuntha planets, Lord Visnu is worshiped by many, many thousands of goddesses of fortune, and in Goloka Vrndavana, Lord Krsna is worshiped by many, many thousands of gopis, all of whom are goddesses of fortune. A woman should serve her husband as faithfully as the goddess of fortune. A man should be an ideal servant of the Lord, and a woman should be an ideal wife like the goddess of fortune. Then both husband and wife will be so faithful and strong that by acting together they will return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.

(SB 7.11.29 P The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes)

Thereafter, the great elephants from all the directions carried big water jugs full of Ganges water and bathed the goddess of fortune, to the accompaniment of Vedic mantras chanted by learned brahmanas. While thus being bathed, the goddess of fortune maintained her original style, with a lotus flower in her hand, and she appeared very beautiful. The goddess of fortune is the most CHASTE, for she does not know anyone but the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, is described in this verse as sriyam, which means that she has six opulences--wealth, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. These opulences are received from the goddess of fortune. Laksmi is addressed here as devi, the goddess, because in Vaikuntha she supplies all opulences to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees, who in this way enjoy natural life in the Vaikuntha planets. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased with His consort, the goddess of fortune, who carries a lotus flower in her hand. Mother Laksmi is described in this verse as sati, the supremely CHASTE, because she never diverts her attention from the Supreme Personality of Godhead to anyone else.

(SB 8.8.14 The Churning of the Milk Ocean)

O CHASTE and auspicious woman, when I left home for other places, were you in so much anxiety that you did not offer oblations of ghee into the fire?

(SB 8.16.8 Executing the Payo-vrata Process of Worship)

When Vamanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, King of the Yaksas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and mother Bhagavati, the wife of Lord Siva and most CHASTE mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms.

(SB 8.18.17 Lord Vamanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation)

But Bali Maharaja's CHASTE wife, afraid and aggrieved at seeing her husband arrested, immediately offered obeisances to Lord Vamanadeva [Upendra]. She folded her hands and spoke as follows.

(SB 8.22.19 Bali Maharaja Surrenders His Life)

Sukanya could have selected any one of them as her husband, for one could not distinguish among them, but because she was CHASTE, she took shelter of the Asvini-kumaras so that they could inform her who her actual husband was. A CHASTE woman will never accept any man other than her husband, even if there be someone equally as handsome and qualified.

(SB 9.3.16 P The Marriage of Sukanya and Cyavana Muni)

This shows the values of Vedic culture. According to the circumstances, Sukanya had been given a husband who was too old to be compatible with her. Because Cyavana Muni was diseased and very old, he was certainly unfit for the beautiful daughter of King Saryati. Nonetheless, her father expected her to be faithful to her husband. When he suddenly saw that his daughter had accepted someone else, even though the man was young and handsome, he immediately chastised her as asati, unCHASTE, because he assumed that she had accepted another man in the presence of her husband. According to Vedic culture, even if a young woman is given an old husband, she must respectfully serve him. This is CHASTITY. It is not that because she dislikes her husband she may give him up and accept another. This is against Vedic culture. According to Vedic culture, a woman must accept the husband given to her by her parents and remain CHASTE and faithful to him. Therefore King Saryati was surprised to see a young man by the side of Sukanya.

(SB 9.3.20 P The Marriage of Sukanya and Cyavana Muni)

As CHASTE women bring their gentle husbands under control by service, the pure devotees, who are equal to everyone and completely attached to Me in the core of the heart, bring Me under their full control

(SB 9.4.66 Ambarisa Maharaja Offended by Durvasa Muni)

When the CHASTE wife of the brahmana saw that her husband, who was about to discharge semen, had been eaten by the man-eater, she was overwhelmed with grief and lamentation. Thus she angrily cursed the King.

(SB 9.9.34 The Dynasty of Amsuman)

Not only was mother Sita powerful, but any woman who follows in the footsteps of mother Sita can also become similarly powerful. There are many instances of this in the history of Vedic literature. Whenever we find a description of ideal CHASTE women, mother Sita is among them. Mandodari, the wife of Ravana, was also very CHASTE. Similarly, Draupadi was one of five exalted CHASTE women. As a man must follow great personalities like Brahma and Narada, a woman must follow the path of such ideal women as Sita, Mandodari and Draupadi. By staying CHASTE and faithful to her husband, a woman enriches herself with supernatural power. It is a moral principle that one should not be influenced by lusty desires for another's wife. Matrvat para-daresu: an intelligent person must look upon another's wife as being like his mother. This is a moral injunction from Canakya-sloka (10)

(SB 9.10.27 P The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Ramacandra)

"One who considers another's wife as his mother, another's possessions as a lump of dirt and treats all other living beings as he would himself, is considered to be learned." Thus Ravana was condemned not only by Lord Ramacandra but even by his own wife, Mandodari. Because she was a CHASTE woman, she knew the power of another CHASTE woman, especially such a wife as mother Sitadevi.

(SB 9.10.27 P The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Ramacandra)

"Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life." Thus the destination of godless atheists such as Ravana, Hiranyakasipu, Kamsa and Dantavakra is a hellish condition of life. Mandodari, the wife of Ravana, could understand all this because she was a CHASTE woman. Although lamenting for the death of her husband, she knew what would happen to his body and soul, for although one cannot see directly with one's material eyes, one can see with eyes of knowledge (pasyanti jnana-caksusah). In Vedic history there are many instances of how one becomes godless and is condemned by the laws of nature.

(SB 9.10.28 P The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Ramacandra)

Mother Sita was very submissive, faithful, shy and CHASTE, always understanding the attitude of her husband. Thus by her character and her love and service she completely attracted the mind of the Lord.

PURPORT

As Lord Ramacandra is the ideal husband (eka-patni-vrata), mother Sita is the ideal wife. Such a combination makes family life very happy. Yad yad acarati sresthas tat tad evetaro janah: whatever example a great man sets, common people follow. If the kings, the leaders, and the brahmanas, the teachers, would set forth the examples we receive from Vedic literature, the entire world would be heaven; indeed, there would no longer be hellish conditions within this material world.

(SB 9.10.55 The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Ramacandra)

Women as a class are merciless and cunning. They cannot tolerate even a slight offense. For their own pleasure they can do anything irreligious, and therefore they do not fear killing even a faithful husband or brother.

PURPORT

King Pururava was greatly attached to Urvasi. Yet despite his faithfulness to her, she had left him. Now, considering that the King was wasting his rarely achieved human form of life, Urvasi frankly explained the nature of a woman. Because of her nature, a woman can respond to even a slight offense from her husband by not only leaving him but even killing him if required. To say nothing of her husband, she can even kill her brother. That is a woman's nature. Therefore, in the material world, unless women are trained to be CHASTE and faithful to their husbands, there cannot be peace or prosperity in society.

(SB 9.14.37 P King Pururava Enchanted by Urvasi)

Maharaja Dusmanta knew that Sakuntala and the boy were his own wife and son, but because they came from outside and were unknown to the citizens, he at first declined to accept them. Sakuntala, however, was so CHASTE that an omen from the sky declared the truth so that others could hear. When everyone heard from the omen that Sakuntala and her child were truly the King's wife and son, the King gladly accepted them.

(SB 9.20.20 P The Dynasty of Puru)

Because a son delivers his father from punishment in the hell called put, the son is called putra. According to this principle, when there is a disagreement between the father and mother, it is the father, not the mother, who is delivered by the son. But if the wife is faithful and firmly adherent to her husband, when the father is delivered the mother is also delivered. Consequently, there is no such thing as divorce in the Vedic literature. A wife is always trained to be CHASTE and faithful to her husband, for this helps her achieve deliverance from any abominable material condition. This verse clearly says, putro nayati naradeva yama-ksayat: "The son saves his father from the custody of Yamaraja." It never says, putro nayati mataram: "The son saves his mother." The seed-giving father is delivered, not the storekeeper mother. Consequently, husband and wife should not separate under any condition, for if they have a child whom they raise to be a Vaisnava, he can save both the father and mother from the custody of Yamaraja and punishment in hellish life.

(SB 9.20.22 P The Dynasty of Puru)

His wife, Srimati Sacidevi, was a CHASTE woman highly devoted to her husband. Sacidevi's father's name was Nilambara, and his surname was Cakravarti

(Cc Adi 13.60 The Advent of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu)

Sri Ranga Puri also remembered the wife of Jagannatha Misra. She was very much devoted and CHASTE. As for her affection, she was exactly like the mother of the universe.

(Cc Madhya 9.297 Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu' s Travels to the Holy Places)

Even Satyabhama, one of the queens of Sri Krsna, desires the fortunate position and excellent qualities of Srimati Radharani. All the gopis learn the art of dressing from Srimati Radharani, and even the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, and the wife of Lord Siva, Parvati, desire Her beauty and qualities. Indeed, Arundhati, the celebrated CHASTE wife of Vasistha, also wants to imitate the CHASTITY and religious principles of Srimati Radharani

(Cc Madhya 8.183-184 Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya)

Narayana is as beautiful as Krsna, but Krsna's pastimes are more sportive. It is not that the sportive pastimes of Krsna make Him different from Narayana. Laksmi's desiring to associate with Krsna was perfectly natural. In other words, it is understandable that a CHASTE woman wants to associate with her husband in all his different dresses. Therefore one should not criticize Laksmi for wanting to associate with Krsna.

(Cc Madhya 9.116 Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu' s Travels to the Holy Place)

The beauty of Krsna's body is so attractive that it attracts not only the demigods and other living entities within this material world but the personalities of the spiritual sky as well, including the Narayanas, who are expansions of Krsna's personality. The minds of the Narayanas are thus attracted by the beauty of Krsna's body. In addition, the goddesses of fortune [Laksmis]--who are wives of the Narayanas and are the women described in the Vedas as most CHASTE-are also attracted by the wonderful beauty of Krsna.

(Cc Madhya 21.106 The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Sri Krsna)

Srimati Sitadevi is the mother of the three worlds and the wife of Lord Ramacandra. Among CHASTE women she is supreme, and she is the daughter of King Janaka

(Cc Madhya 9.201 Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu' s Travels to the Holy Place)

A loving, CHASTE wife and a loving husband who desire all welfare for each other in separation and do not care for personal happiness, desire only one another's well-being. Such a pair certainly meet again without delay.

(Cc Madhya 13.153 The Ecstatic Dancing of the Lord at Ratha-yatra)

“Sudras and women who are CHASTE and sincerely interested in understanding the Absolute Truth are qualified to be initiated with the pancaratrika-mantras. " This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.32):

(Cc Madhya 24.331 The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse)

" It is the duty of a CHASTE wife, devoted to her husband, not to utter her husband's name, but all of you chant the name of Krsna. How can this be called a religious principle?"

(Cc Antya 7.104 The Meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Vallabha Bhatta)

Hearing this, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My dear Vallabha Bhatta, you do not know religious principles. Actually, the first duty of a CHASTE woman is to carry out the order of her husband.

(Antya 7.106 The Meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Vallabha Bhatta)

The order of Krsna is to chant His name incessantly. Therefore one who is CHASTE and adherent to the husband Krsna must chant the Lord's name, for she cannot deny the husband's order.

(Antya 7.107 The Meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Vallabha Bhatta)

"The wife of a brahmana suffering from leprosy manifested herself as the topmost of all CHASTE women by serving a prostitute to satisfy her husband. She thus stopped the movement of the sun, brought her dead husband back to life and satisfied the three principal demigods [Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara].

PURPORT

The Aditya purana, Markendeya Purana and Padma Purana tell about a brahmana who was suffering from leprosy but had a very CHASTE and faithful wife. He desired to enjoy the company of a prostitute, and therefore his wife went to her and became her maidservant, just to draw her attention for his service. When the prostitute agreed to associate with him, the wife brought her the leprotic husband. When that leper, the sinful son of a brahmana, saw the CHASTITY of his wife, he finally abandoned his sinful intentions. While coming home, however, he touched the body of Markendeya Rsi, who thus cursed him to die at sunrise. Because of her CHASTITY, the woman was very powerful. Therefore when she heard about the curse, she vowed to stop the sunrise. Because of her strong determination to serve her husband, the three deities--namely Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara--were very happy, and they gave her the benediction that her husband would be cured and brought back to life. This example is given herein to emphasize that a devotee should engage himself exclusively for the satisfaction of Krsna, without personal motives. That will make his life successful

(Antya 20.57 The Siksastaka Prayers)

Kåñëa wanted to impress on them that they were not old enough to take care of themselves. Actually, they required protection. It was not very wise for them to come in the dead of night to Kåñëa. Kåñëa also indicated that He was young and that they were young girls. "It does not look very well for young girls and boys to remain together in the dead of night." After hearing this advice, the gopés did not seem very happy; therefore Kåñëa began to stress the point in a different way.

"My dear friends, I can understand that you have left your homes without the permission of your guardians; therefore I think your mothers, your fathers, your elderly brothers or even your sons, and what to speak of your husbands, must be very anxious to find you. As long as you are here, they must be searching in different places, and their minds must be very agitated. So don't tarry. Please go back and make them peaceful."

When the gopés appeared to be a little bit disturbed and angry from the free advice of Kåñëa, they diverted their attention to looking at the beauty of the forest. At that time the whole forest was illuminated by the bright shining of the moon, and the air was blowing very silently over the blooming flowers, and the green leaves of the trees were moving in the breeze. Kåñëa took the opportunity of their looking at the forest to advise them. "I think you have come out to see the beautiful Våndävana forest on this night," He said, "but you must now be satisfied. So return to your homes without delay. I understand that you are all very CHASTE women, so now that you have seen the beautiful atmosphere of the Våndävana forests, please return home and engage in the faithful service of your respective husbands. Some of you must have babies by this time, although you are very young. You must have left your small babies at home, and they must be crying. Please immediately go back home and just feed them with your breast milk. I can also understand that you have very great affection for Me, and out of that transcendental affection you have come here, hearing My playing on the flute. Your feelings of love and affection for Me are very appropriate because I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All living creatures are My parts and parcels, and naturally they are affectionate to Me. So this affection for Me is very much welcome, and I congratulate you for this. Now you can go back to your homes. Another thing I must explain to you is that for a CHASTE woman, service to the husband without duplicity is the best religious principle. A woman should be not only faithful and CHASTE to the husband, but affectionate to the friends of her husband, obedient to the father and mother of the husband, and affectionate to the younger brothers of the husband. And most importantly, the woman must take care of the children."

In this way, Kåñëa explained the duty of a woman. He also stressed the point of serving the husband: "Even if he is not of very good character, or even if he is not very rich or fortunate, or even if he is old or invalid on account of continued diseases, whatever her husband's condition, a woman should not divorce her husband if she actually desires to be elevated to the higher planetary systems after leaving this body. Besides that, it is considered abominable in society if a woman is unfaithful and goes searching for another man. Such habits will deter a woman from being elevated to the heavenly planets, and the results of such habits are very degrading. A married woman should not search for a paramour, for this is not sanctioned by the Vedic principles of life. If you think that you are very much attached to Me and you want My association, I advise you not to personally try to enjoy Me. It is better for you to go home, simply talk about Me, think of Me, and by this process of constantly remembering Me and chanting My names, you will surely be elevated to the spiritual platform. There is no need to stand near Me. Please go back home."

The instruction given herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the gopés was not at all sarcastic. Such instructions should be taken very seriously by all honest women. The CHASTITY of women is specifically stressed herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore this principle should be followed by any serious woman who wants to be elevated to a higher status of life. Kåñëa is the center of all affection for all living creatures. When this affection is developed for Kåñëa, then one surpasses and transcends all Vedic injunctions. This was possible for the gopés because they saw Kåñëa face to face. This is not possible for any women in the conditioned state. Unfortunately, by imitating the behavior of Kåñëa with the gopés, sometimes a rascal takes the position of Kåñëa, following the philosophy of monism or oneness, and he very irresponsibly takes advantage of this räsa-lélä to entice many innocent women and mislead them in the name of spiritual realization. As a warning, Lord Kåñëa has herein hinted that what was possible for the gopés is not possible for ordinary women. Although a woman can actually be elevated by advanced Kåñëa consciousness, she should not be enticed by an imposter who says that he is Kåñëa. She should concentrate her devotional activities in chanting and meditating upon Kåñëa, as is advised herein. One should not follow the men called sahajiyä, the so-called devotees who take everything very lightly. (KB 29 The Rasa Dance: Introduction)

They very devotedly began to worship the deity of Lord Siva and Ambika. It is the general practice that wherever there is a temple of Lord Siva, there must be another temple of Ambika (or Durga) because Ambika is the wife of Lord Siva and is the most exalted of CHASTE women. She doesn't live outside the association of her husband. After reaching Ambikavana, the cowherd men of Vrndavana first bathed themselves in the river Sarasvati. If one goes to any place of pilgrimage, his first duty is to take a bath and sometimes to shave his head. That is the first business. After taking bath, they worshiped the deities and then distributed charity in the holy place

(KB 34 Vidyadhara Liberated)

Every human being should be obliged to his parents and understand that he cannot repay his debt to them. If, after growing up, a son does not try to satisfy his parents by his actions or by an endowment of riches, he is surely punished after death by the superintendent of death and made to eat his own flesh. If a person is able to care for or give protection to old parents, a CHASTE wife, children, the spiritual master, brahmanas and other dependents, but does not do so, he is considered to be already dead, although he is supposedly breathing

(KB 45 Krsna Recovers the Son of His Teacher)

These verses indicate how degraded one becomes simply by indulging in illicit sex with a prostitute. Illicit sex is not possible with CHASTE women, but only with unCHASTE women. The more society allows prostitution and illicit sex, the more impetus it gives to cheaters, thieves, plunderers, drunkards, and gamblers. Therefore we first advise all the disciples in our Krsna consciousness movement to avoid illicit sex, which is the beginning of all abominable life and which is followed by meat-eating, gambling, and intoxication, one after another. Of course, restraint is difficult, but it is quite possible if one fully surrenders to Krsna, since all abominable habits gradually become distasteful for a Krsna conscious person

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16