SB 4.29.54

सुमनःसमधर्मणां स्त्रीणां शरण आश्रमे पुष्पमधुगन्धवत्क्षुद्रतमं
काम्यकर्मविपाकजं कामसुखलवं जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यादि विचिन्वन्तं मिथुनीभूय तदभिनिवेशित
मनसं षडङ्घ्रिगणसामगीतवदतिमनोहरवनितादिजनालापेष्वतितरामतिप्रलोभितकर्णमग्रे
वृकयूथवदात्मन आयुर्हरतोऽहोरात्रान्तान्काललवविशेषानविगणय्य गृहेषु विहरन्तं पृष्ठत एव
परोक्षमनुप्रवृत्तो लुब्धकः कृतान्तोऽन्तः शरेण यमिह पराविध्यति तमिममात्मानमहो
राजन्भिन्नहृदयं द्रष्टुमर्हसीति ॥५४॥

sumanaḥ-sama-dharmaṇāṁ strīṇāṁ śaraṇa āśrame puṣpa-madhu-gandhavat kṣudratamaṁ kāmya-karma-vipākajaṁ kāma-sukha-lavaṁ jaihvyaupasthyādi vicinvantaṁ mithunī-bhūya tad-abhiniveśita-manasaṁ ṣaḍaṅghri-gaṇa-sāma-gītavad atimanohara-vanitādi-janālāpeṣv atitarām atipralobhita-karṇam agre vṛka-yūthavad ātmana āyur harato ‘ho-rātrān tān kāla-lava-viśeṣān avigaṇayya gṛheṣu viharantaṁ pṛṣṭhata eva parokṣam anupravṛtto lubdhakaḥ kṛtānto ‘ntaḥ śareṇa yam iha parāvidhyati tam imam ātmānam aho rājan bhinna-hṛdayaṁ draṣṭum arhasīti.

sumanaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsumanaḥ

beautiful flowers; by flowers; flowers; of flowers.—flowers; samaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsama

and equal; equal; equal level; equal or proper; equal to; equally; equiposed; just like; like; of equal; same; symmetrical; the same; unaltered.-dharmaṇāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdharmanam

of the religiosities.—exactly like; strīṇāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigstrīṇām

all the ladies; by the women; of a woman; of the fair sex; of the women; of women; to women.—of women; śaraṇeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigśaraṇe

in the shelter; the shelter; under protection; under the protection.—in the shelter; āśrameplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigāśrame

hermitage; household life; in the cottage; in the social order; in the status; the order of.—household life; puṣpaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpuṣpa

by flowers; flowers; in flowers; of flowers; with flowers.—in flowers; madhuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmadhu

and by the Madhus; by honey; by the honey; drinking liquor or honey; fragrant, laden with honey; honey; Madhu; nectar; of honey; sweet; sweet to hear; sweethearts; sweetness; the honey.—of honey; gandhaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggandha

by the wonderful fragrance of Her the body; flavor; fragrance; fragrances; having the aroma; of incense or scents; sandalwood; sandalwood pulp; scent; scented; scented substances like sandalwood pulp; scents; smell; the aroma; the fragrance; the scent.—the aroma; vatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvat

as if; exactly like; like.—like; kṣudraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkṣudra

a small; infinitesimal; insignificant; unimportant, insignificant; very insignificant; very little; very small.-tamamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtamam

in the superlative degree.—most insignificant; kāmyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkāmya

desired.—desired; karmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkarma

karma; according to work; act; action; actions; activities (to support the Daityas); activities; activities being dedicated to You; activities of service to You; activity; activity of life; acts; and activities; and fruitive activities; and work; another activity; by actions; by activities; by fruitive activities; by predestined resultant actions; by wonderful activities, pious activities; by work; duties; duty; fruitive action; fruitive activities; fruitive activity; fruitive desires; fruitive work; in activities; material activities; my deeds; of activities; of fruitive activities; of the activities; one's prescribed activities; pastimes; pastimes, activities; prescribed duties; prescribed duty; reaction of the past; reactionary work; story; such service to the master; the accomplishment; the act; the activities; the activity; the business; the fate of the living entity; the fruits of action; the fruits of activities; the interaction; the objective; the sacrifice; these activities; to such activities; transcendental activity; uncommon deeds; whose transcendental activities; work.—of activities; vipākaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvipāka

the resultant destinations.-jamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjam

born.—obtained as a result; kāmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkama

a desire; all desires; amorous love; as Cupid; business; by lusty desires; Cupid; desire; desire for sense gratification; desires; desires for sense satisfaction; desiring; due to lusty desire; execution of the duty; from lust; fulfillment of desires; full of lust; lust; lust and desire; material desire; material desires; necessities; of lusty desires; of lusty desires or Cupid; of sense enjoyment; of sexual desire; passion; satisfaction of the senses; sense gratification; sexual pleasure; the desire; to sensual pleasures.-sukhaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsukha

awakening of happiness; by happiness; by the happiness; easily; happily; happiness; happinesses; in happiness; of happiness; of the happiness; so-called happiness; the happiness; the happiness derived from these things; the satisfaction.—of sense gratification; lavamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biglavam

a fragment.—a fragment; jaihvyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjaihvya

and the tongue; enjoyment of the tongue.—enjoyment of the tongue; aupasthyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigaupasthya

due to the genitals; pleasure from the genitals; sex enjoyment.—sex enjoyment; ādiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigādi

a beginning; all such places; all these; all together; and other arrangements; and other things; and others; and similar other persons; and so on; and the other; beginning; beginning with; by artificially practicing detachment, by the mechanical practice of yoga, by studying the Sāṅkhya philosophy, and so on; etc; everything; first; headed by; heading; heading the list; in the beginning; in the beginning of the millennium; original; originally; other subject matters; primarily; the beginning; the first; the original.—beginning with; vicinvantamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvicinvantam

always thinking of.—always thinking of; mithunīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmithunī

sex enjoyment or the materialistic way of life.-bhūyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhūya

coming together with their spouses; embracing; engaging in sex life; having sex life.—engaging in sex life; tatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtat

establishment of the statement tat tvam asi.—in his wife; abhiniveśitaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigabhiniveśita

always absorbed.—always absorbed; manasamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmanasam

of one whose mind is so fixed; whose mind.—whose mind; ṣaṭplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsat

again the father or grandfather has come; always existing; auspicious; being; by authorities on religion; by exalted personalities; cause; effect; eternal; eternal existence; existing; good; legitimate; manifest; manifestation; manifested; manifested or phenomenal; of reality; of the devotees or the pious; respectable; result; resultant; right; Supreme; the cause; the effect; the Supreme; to the great sages; to the virtuous; to Your devotees; transcendental; which is existing, as the effect.-aṅghriplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigaṅghri

at Your feet; at Your lotus feet; by the lotus feet; feet; leg; legs; lotus feet; of feet; of the feet; on the lotus feet; the legs; Your toe.—of bumblebees; gaṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggana

assembly; associates; by hosts; congregation; crowds; descendants; devotees; followers; group; multitudes; of crowds; of groups; party of gopīs; the companions; the group; the groups; the sum total; with clusters.—of crowds; sāmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsama

and equal; equal; equal level; equal or proper; equal to; equally; equiposed; just like; like; of equal; same; symmetrical; the same; unaltered.—gentle; gītaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggita

chanting; singing; song; songs; speaking; sung; the chanting; the song; the songs; their songs; various songs.—the chanting; vatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvat

as if; exactly like; like.—like; atiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigati

completely; exceedingly; extremely; great; greater; greatly; highly; superseding; too; too much; very; very great; very much; very serious.—very; manoharaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmanohara

attractive; mind-attracting; of the name Manohara; very beautiful.—attractive; vanitāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvanitā

the women.-ādiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigādi

a beginning; all such places; all these; all together; and other arrangements; and other things; and others; and similar other persons; and so on; and the other; beginning; beginning with; by artificially practicing detachment, by the mechanical practice of yoga, by studying the Sāṅkhya philosophy, and so on; etc; everything; first; headed by; heading; heading the list; in the beginning; in the beginning of the millennium; original; originally; other subject matters; primarily; the beginning; the first; the original.—beginning with the wife; janaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjana

a person; by persons; followers; in the devotee; inhabitants; of people; of persons; of the associates; people; people in general; person; personalities; persons; souls; the person.—of people; ālāpeṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigālāpeṣu

to the talks.—to the talks; atitarāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigatitarām

entirely; exceedingly; excessive; excessively; greatly; highly.—excessively; atiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigati

completely; exceedingly; extremely; great; greater; greatly; highly; superseding; too; too much; very; very great; very much; very serious.—very much; pralobhitaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpralobhita

attracted.—attracted; karṇamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkarṇam

also Karṇa; whose ears.—whose ears; agreplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigagre

at first; before (before the creation of this cosmic manifestation); before; before creation; before the creation; before them; formerly; hereinbefore; in front; in the beginning; in the beginning, before the creation; in the previous birth; previously; prior to the creation.—in front; vṛkaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvṛka

by tigers and other ferocious animals.-yūthaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyūtha

bereft of her husband.—a group of tigers; vatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvat

as if; exactly like; like.—like; ātmanaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigatmanah

and one's own self; children; consisting of; done by himself; expansions; expansions of His person; for herself; for himself; for His personal benefit; for my personal self; for personal sense gratification; for personal service; for self-preservation; for the benefit of the soul; for the body; for the living entities; for the real self; for the self; for the soul; for themselves; from my body; from the self; from the Supreme Soul; her own; himself; His; his own; his own self; His personal; his personal interest; in the self; mind; My; my own; of all living entities; of herself; of Him; of himself (Lord Śiva); of himself; of himself, personally (the head of the state); of his body; of His own; of his own real identity, the soul; of his own self; of his own welfare; of his personal self; of his self; of his soul; of myself; of one's own; of one's own self; of one's self; of oneself; of self-realization; of the Absolute; of the body; of the conditioned soul; of the living being; of the living beings; of the living entities; of the living entity; of the mind; of the most dear; of the person; of the same category as You (viṣṇu-tattva); of the self; of the soul; of the spirit soul; of the Supersoul; of the Supersoul of everyone; of the Supreme; of the Supreme Being; of the Supreme Lord; of the Supreme Lord and of oneself; of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of the Supreme Soul; of the supreme spirit soul or the Transcendence beyond the material conception of life; of the Supreme Spirit Soul, or the transcendence beyond the material conception of life; of the vital energy; of themselves; of us living beings; of you; of your own body; of your own body, mind and soul; of Yourself; of yourselves; on Transcendence; one's own; one's self; oneself; own; own selves; personal; self; self-caused; self-dependant; self-sufficiently; soul; than the Supreme Soul; the living entities; the mind; the senses; the soul; the soul or the Supersoul; the spiritual identity of the universe; the Supersoul of everyone; their minds; their own property; to himself (Kardama); unto His own (Brahmā); whose mind; whose minds; whose nature.—of one’s self; āyuḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigayuh

Ayu.—span of life; harataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigharataḥ

taking away.—taking away; ahaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigahaḥ

alas; day; days; daytime; during daytime.-rātrānplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigrātrān

days and nights.—days and nights; tānplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtan

about them; all of them; all the demigods and demons; all the members; all the saintly persons; all the sons; all the Yakṣas; all those; all those boys; arrows; as they came there; materialistic activities; such conditions; such persons; such principles; such rogues and ruffians; that those calves were going away; the class friends; the demons and Rākṣasas; the lotus feet of the Lord; their; them (family members); them (the demigods); them (the soldiers of the demigods); them (the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa known as the Savalāśvas); them (the trees); them; they are; things created by the material energy; those; those benedictions; those persons; those planets; those reciters; those same persons; those sense objects; those Yakṣas; to all of them; to the demigods; to the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu; to them; unto all of them; unto the demigods; unto the Kumāras, as above mentioned; unto the materially attached persons; unto the Pracetās; unto them (the demigods); unto them (the lamenting queens); unto them (the sons of the demons); unto them.—all of them; kālaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkala

melodious.-lavaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biglava

a fraction; fragment; small particle.-viśeṣānplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigviśeṣān

the moments of time.—the moments of time; avigaṇayyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavigaṇayya

neglecting; without considering.—without considering; gṛheṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biggṛheṣu

(who arrived) in his house; at home; in family life; in home life; in household affairs; in household life; in householder life; in houses (or bodies); in the family affairs; in the home; in the homes; in the house; in the house and rooms; in the houses; to family affairs; to family life; to household life; to the home.—in household life; viharantamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigviharantam

enjoying.—enjoying; pṛṣṭhataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpṛṣṭhataḥ

behind; from behind; from the back; on His back; to the back.—from the back; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—certainly; parokṣamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparokṣam

indirectly; invisible; unknown; without being seen; without the knowledge of the demigods.—without being seen; anupravṛttaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganupravṛttaḥ

following behind; taking place everywhere.—following behind; lubdhakaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biglubdhakaḥ

a hunter; hunter; named Lubdhaka (very greedy); the hunter.—the hunter; kṛtaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkrta

accepted; accepted or assumed; activities; adjusting; already done; by accepting; completed; composed; determination; doing so; done; done by; excited; fixed; had been performed; having done; having made; having performed; made; making; manufactured into different forms; on which is created; performance of; performed; performing; placed; taken; undertaken; with Satya-yuga.-antaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigantah

a limit; conclusion; disappearance; end; in the core of the heart; in the heart; in the interior; in the transcendental world; inner; inside (the palace or home); inside; interior; internal; internally; internally or not manifested; limit; out of sight; the cause of dissolution; to the end; within; within herself; within his heart; within the cores of our hearts.—the superintendent of death; antaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigantah

a limit; conclusion; disappearance; end; in the core of the heart; in the heart; in the interior; in the transcendental world; inner; inside (the palace or home); inside; interior; internal; internally; internally or not manifested; limit; out of sight; the cause of dissolution; to the end; within; within herself; within his heart; within the cores of our hearts.—in the heart; śareṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarena

by an arrow.—by an arrow; yamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyam

about whom; He who; He whom; him (Vena) whom; Him; Him whom; one who; that which; the person; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Personality of Godhead who; to which; to whom; unto anyone to whom; unto one; unto the Personality of Godhead who; unto the Supreme Person; unto whom (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); unto whom (Marutta); unto whom (Ṛṣyaśṛṅga); unto whom; upon whom; what; where; which (bridge); which (Vedic path); which; which son; who; whom (Paraśurāma); whom (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); whom (You); whom.—whom; ihaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigiha

as a matter of fact; at the present moment; at this place; by this; during this span of life; here (in this body); here (in this life); here (in this universe); here (on this water); here; here in Jagannātha Purī; here in the spiritual world; here in this world; here in Vṛndāvana; here, in this arena of sacrifice; herein; herewith; in material sense gratification; in the foolish species of life; in the material world; in the matter of this offense; in the sacrifice; in the universe; in this (material world); in this (the holy name); in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; in this; in this battle; in this body; in this case; in this connection; in this existence; in this human society; in this land of Bhārata-varṣa; in this life; in this material world (especially in this pious land of Bhārata-varṣa, India); in this material world; in this matter of creation; in this millennium; in this narration; in this place; in this place, in this spot; in this situation; in this universe; in this very life; in this water; in this world; in this world of mortality; in this world or in this life; in Vaikuṇṭha; in which house; it; now; on this planet; on this subject; this; within the universe; within this life; within this material world; within this world.—in this world; parāvidhyatiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparāvidhyati

pierces.—pierces; tamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtam

by Him; Dhruva; Dhruva Mahārāja; for that reason; from him (Kardama); from him (Maitreya); him (Ajāmila); him (Arjuna); him (Bali); him (Cyavana); him (Dhruva Mahārāja); him (Gajendra); him (Gargamuni); him (Hiraṇyakaśipu); him (Indra); him (Jaḍa Bharata); him (Kardama); him (King Yayāti); him (King Yudhiṣṭhira); Him (Kṛṣṇa); him (Lord Indra); Him (Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva); him (Lord Śiva); Him (Nara-Nārāyaṇa); him (Nārada Muni); him (Prahlāda Mahārāja); him (Prajāpati Dakṣa); him (Pṛthu); him (Pṛṣadhra); Him (Rohiṇī-nandana, the son of Rohiṇī); him (the bull); him (the condemned person); him (the he-goat); him (the King of heaven, Indra); him (the King); Him (the Lord); him (the male bird); him (the saintly person); Him (the Supreme Lord); Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa); him (Tṛṇabindu); him (Vasudeva); him (Vidura); him (Viśvarūpa); Him (Vāmanadeva); him (Vṛtrāsura); him; Him, Lord Rāmacandra; him, Mahārāja Sumitra.—that; imamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigimam

all these; him; now present before me; this (love of Godhead); this (material world); this; this body; this child; this exalted position; this science; thus; unto the Supreme Lord.—this; ātmānamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigatmanam

and of the mind; by His energies; living entities; mind; most dear; of all living entities; of all other souls; of all the living entities; of men; of such a mind; of the body; of the living entities; of the people; of the subtle body; of those whose minds; the mind; thus inclined; whose minds are absorbed.—yourself; ahoplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigaho

ah; alas (in great lamentation); alas; all glory to; exclamation; hello; how; how surprising it is; how wonderful; how wonderful it is; just look at; O; O all of you; O Lord; O my lord; oh; oh, goodness; oh, how much; oh, it is our good luck; oh, just see; what great; wonderful. rājanplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigrājan

my dear King; O great King; O King (if you still think that you are master and I am servant); O King (Mahārāja Parīkṣit); O King (Parīkṣit); O King (Yudhiṣṭhira); O King; O King Citraketu; O King Parīkṣit; O King Prācīnabarhiṣat; O King Purūravā; O King Pṛthu; O King Varuṇa; O King Yudhiṣṭhira; O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; O my dear King.—O King; bhinnaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhinna

broken; demonstrating different; divided; separate; separated; were shocked.-hṛdayamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighṛdayam

a heart; core of the heart; heart; heart and soul; His heart; in the core of the heart; intelligence; intention; mind; My heart; the core of the heart; the heart; the location of the mind; the mind; within the core of the heart; within the heart.—whose heart is pierced; draṣṭumplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdraṣṭum

just to see; to see.—to see; arhasiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigarhasi

are able; are worthy; be pleased; by the prowess; deserve; desire; may kindly be explained; may you do it; may you do so; ought; ought to; ought to do it; please (accept); please; requested to do; you are able; you deserve; you ought; You should.—you ought; itiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigiti

thus; all these; also; and so on; as; as such; considering all these things; considering in that way; here; in this way (after giving everything to the brāhmaṇas); in this way; it is thus; known by these names; like that; like this; so it is; such; taking it as; that; therefore; they; this; thus (Hariścandra said); thus (saying out of contempt); thus (thinking in the above-mentioned way); thus (thinking); thus; thus accepted; thus accepting the words of Lord Brahmā; thus deciding; thus stated; thus thinking; thus vituperating.—thus. ¶

My dear King, woman, who is very attractive in the beginning but in the end very disturbing, is exactly like the flower, which is attractive in the beginning and detestable at the end. With woman, the living entity is entangled with lusty desires, and he enjoys sex, just as one enjoys the aroma of a flower. He thus enjoys a life of sense gratification—from his tongue to his genitals—and in this way the living entity considers himself very happy in family life. United with his wife, he always remains absorbed in such thoughts. He feels great pleasure in hearing the talks of his wife and children, which are like the sweet humming of bumblebees that collect honey from flower to flower. He forgets that before him is time, which is taking away his life-span with the passing of day and night. He does not see the gradual diminishing of his life, nor does he care about the superintendent of death, who is trying to kill him from behind. Just try to understand this. You are in a precarious position and are threatened from all sides. ¶

Materialistic life means forgetting one’s constitutional position as the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, and this forgetfulness is especially enhanced in the gṛhastha-āśrama. In the gṛhastha-āśrama a young man accepts a young wife who is very beautiful in the beginning, but in due course of time, after giving birth to many children and becoming older and older, she demands many things from the husband to maintain the entire family. At such a time the wife becomes detestable to the very man who accepted her in her younger days. One becomes attached to the gṛhastha-āśrama for two reasons only—the wife cooks palatable dishes for the satisfaction of her husband’s tongue, and she gives him sexual pleasure at night. A person attached to the gṛhastha-āśrama is always thinking of these two things—palatable food and sex enjoyment. The talks of the wife, which are enjoyed as a family recreation, and the talks of the children both attract the living entity. He thus forgets that he has to die someday and has to prepare for the next life if he wants to be put into a congenial body. ¶

The deer in the flower garden is an allegory used by the great sage Nārada to point out to the King that the King himself is similarly entrapped by such surroundings. Actually everyone is surrounded by such a family life, which misleads one. The living entity thus forgets that he has to return home, back to Godhead. He simply becomes entangled in family life. Prahlāda Mahārāja has therefore hinted: hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta [SB 7.5.5]plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.5.5

Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṇa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.. Family life is considered a blind well (andha-kūpam) into which a person falls and dies without help. Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends that while one’s senses are there and one is strong enough, he should abandon the gṛhastha-āśrama and take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, going to the forest of Vṛndāvana. According to Vedic civilization, one has to give up family life at a certain age (the age of fifty), take vānaprastha and eventually remain alone as a sannyāsī. That is the prescribed method of Vedic civilization known as varṇāśrama-dharma. When one takes sannyāsa after enjoying family life, he pleases the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. ¶

One has to understand one’s position in family or worldly life. That is called intelligence. One should not remain always trapped in family life to satisfy his tongue and genitals in association with a wife. In such a way, one simply spoils his life. According to Vedic civilization, it is imperative to give up the family at a certain stage, by force if necessary. Unfortunately, so-called followers of Vedic life do not give up their family even at the end of life, unless they are forced by death. There should be a thorough overhauling of the social system, and society should revert to the Vedic principles, that is, the four varṇas and the four āśramas. ¶