SB 11.18.43 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.18.43

ब्रह्मचर्यं तप: शौचं सन्तोषो भूतसौहृदम् । गृहस्थस्याप्यृतौ गन्तु: सर्वेषां मदुपासनम् ॥ ४३ ॥

brahmacaryaṁ tapaḥ śaucaṁ

[brahmacharyam tapah shaucham]

santoṣo bhūta-sauhṛdam

[santosho bhoota-sauhridam]

gṛhasthasyāpy ṛtau gantuḥ

[grihasthasyaapy ritau gantuh]

sarveṣāṁ mad-upāsanam

[sarveshaam mad-upaasanam]

Word-for-word

brahma-caryam — celibacy tapaḥ — austerity śaucam — purity of mind without attachment or repulsion santoṣaḥ — full satisfaction bhūta — toward all living entities sauhṛdam — friendship gṛhasthasya — of the householder api — also ṛtau — at the proper time gantuḥ — approaching his wife sarveṣām — of all human beings mat — of Me upāsanam — worship.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

brahmacaryaṁ tapaḥ śaucaṁ

brahma-caryam

celibacy

tapaḥ

austerity

śaucam

purity of mind without attachment or repulsion

santoṣo bhūta-sauhṛdam

santoṣaḥ

full satisfaction

bhūta

toward all living entities

sauhṛdam

friendship

gṛhasthasyāpy ṛtau gantuḥ

gṛhasthasya

of the householder

api

also

ṛtau

at the proper time

gantuḥ

approaching his wife

sarveṣāṁ mad-upāsanam

sarveṣām

of all human beings

mat

of Me

upāsanam

worship.

A householder may approach his wife for sex only at the time prescribed for begetting children. Otherwise, the householder should practice celibacy, austerity, cleanliness of mind and body, satisfaction in his natural position, and friendship toward all living entities. Worship of Me is to be practiced by all human beings, regardless of social or occupational divisions.

Purport

Sarveṣāṁ mad-upāsanam indicates that all followers of the varṇāśrama system must worship Lord Kṛṣṇa or risk falling down from their position. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.3) , na bhajanty avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ: even though one may be advanced in the performance of Vedic rituals and customs, without worshiping the Supreme Lord one will certainly fall down.

Those in the householder āśrama are not authorized to enjoy life like pigs and dogs, freely exercising their sexual potency. A religious householder should approach his wife at the prescribed time and place and beget a saintly child for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, it is specifically mentioned here that a householder must practice celibacy along with all of the other members of advanced human civilization. The word śaucam indicates cleanliness of mind and body, or else freedom from attachment and repulsion. One who faithfully worships God as the supreme controller experiences santoṣa, full satisfaction in whatever situation the Lord arranges. By seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa within everyone, one becomes bhūta-suhṛt, the well-wishing friend of all.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

As well, the householder may approach his wife for sex only at the time prescribed for begetting children. Otherwise, the householder should practice celibacy, austerity, cleanliness of mind and body, satisfaction, and friendship toward all living entities. Worship of me is to be practiced by all human beings, regardless of social or occupational divisions. Other duties of the householder are pointed out. Śaucam includes absence of attachment and other negative qualities. The method of the householder’s brahmacarya is described: he should approach his wife while she is fertile. However, everyone must worship me since I give life to all of varṇas and āśramas. Without that worship all varṇas and āśramas are useless. It is said: mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ puruṣasyāśramaiḥ saha catvāro jajñire varṇā guṇair viprādayaḥ pṛthak Each of the four social orders, headed by the brāhmaṇas, was born through different combinations of the modes of nature, from the face, arms, thighs and feet of the Supreme Lord in his universal form, along with the āśramas. ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād ātma-prabhavam īśvaram na bhajanty avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ If any of the members of the four varṇas and four āśramas fail to worship or disrespect the Lord, who is the source of their own creation, they will fall down from their āśrama. SB 11.5.3-4

Personal Guidance

Approach the wife only at prescribed times for begetting children; otherwise practice celibacy, austerity, cleanliness, satisfaction, friendship to all. Marriage too is structured by discipline.

Reflection Questions

Where would more discipline strengthen love rather than reduce it?
What restraint could I take up as offering?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io