FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.25.40

पितृदेवर्षिमर्त्यानां भूतानामात्मनश्च ह । क्षेम्यं वदन्ति शरणं भवेऽस्मिन् यद्गृहाश्रम: ॥ ४० ॥
pitṛ-devarṣi-martyānāṁ
[pitri-devarshi-martyaanaam]
bhūtānām ātmanaś ca ha
[bhootaanaam aatmanash cha ha]
kṣemyaṁ vadanti śaraṇaṁ
[kshemyam vadanti sharanam]
bhave ’smin yad gṛhāśramaḥ
[bhave ’smin yad grihaashramah]
pitṛ — forefathers deva — demigods ṛṣi — sages martyānām — of humanity in general bhūtānām — of the infinite living entities ātmanaḥ — of oneself ca — also ha — certainly kṣemyam — beneficial vadanti — they say śaraṇam — shelter bhave — in the material world asmin — this yat — that which gṛha-āśramaḥ — householder life.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pitṛ-devarṣi-martyānāṁ
pitṛ
forefathers
deva
demigods
ṛṣi
sages
martyānām
of humanity in general
bhūtānām ātmanaś ca ha
bhūtānām
of the infinite living entities
ātmanaḥ
of oneself
ca
also
ha
certainly
kṣemyaṁ vadanti śaraṇaṁ
kṣemyam
beneficial
vadanti
they say
śaraṇam
shelter
bhave ’smin yad gṛhāśramaḥ
bhave
in the material world
asmin
this
yat
that which
gṛha-āśramaḥ
householder life.
The woman continued: According to authorities, the householder life is pleasing not only to oneself but to all the forefathers, demigods, great sages, saintly persons and everyone else. A householder life is thus beneficial.

According to the Vedic system, when one is born in this material world he has many obligations. He has obligations to the demigods — the demigods of the sun and moon, King Indra, Varuṇa, etc. — because they are supplying the necessities of life. We receive heat, light, water and all other natural amenities through the mercy of the demigods. We are also indebted to our forefathers, who have given us these bodies, paternal property, intelligence, society, friendship and love. Similarly, we are indebted to the general public for politics and sociology, and we are also indebted to lower animals such as horses, cows, asses, dogs and cats. In this way, as soon as one is born in this material world as a human being, he has so many obligations and is bound to repay all these obligations. If he does not repay them, he is further entangled in the process of birth and death. The gṛhamedhī, however, who is overly addicted to material things, does not know that if he simply takes shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, he is immediately freed from all obligations to others. Unfortunately a gṛhamedhī does not have any interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prahlāda Mahārāja says:

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām

( Bhāg. 7.5.30 )

A gṛha-vrata is the same as a gṛhamedhī. One who takes sex life to be supreme finds action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness confusing. Either due to his own personal consideration or due to his having taken instructions from others or conferring with them, he becomes addicted to sexual indulgence and cannot act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
They say that, in this human birth, household life is the beneficial shelter for Pitrṣ, devatās, sages, humans and you. Householder life gives happiness to all. Asmin bhave means “in the human form of life.” They say what gives shelter is the household āśrama.
Related verses
Householder life pleases self, forefathers, demigods, sages, all others — it's beneficial. The case for householder life cites many beneficiaries; the breadth of benefit obscures the spiritual ceiling.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I confuse breadth of benefit with absolute desirability?
  • Whose interests am I being asked to serve that may not be mine?
📝 My note

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