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ŚB 4.31.6

Devanagari

यदादिष्टं भगवता शिवेनाधोक्षजेन च ।
तद् गृहेषु प्रसक्तानां प्रायश: क्षपितं प्रभो ॥ ६ ॥

Text

yad ādiṣṭaṁ bhagavatā
śivenādhokṣajena ca
tad gṛheṣu prasaktānāṁ
prāyaśaḥ kṣapitaṁ prabho

Synonyms

yat — what; ādiṣṭam — was instructed; bhagavatā — by the exalted personality; śivena — Lord Śiva; adhokṣajena — by Lord Viṣṇu; ca — also; tat — that; gṛheṣu — to family affairs; prasaktānām — by us who were too much attached; prāyaśaḥ — almost; kṣapitam — forgotten; prabho — O master.

Translation

O master, may we inform you that because of our being overly attached to family affairs, we almost forgot the instructions we received from Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu.

Purport

Remaining in family life is a kind of concession for sense enjoyment. One should know that sense enjoyment is not required, but one has to accept sense enjoyment inasmuch as one has to live. As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.10), kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. One has to become a gosvāmī and control his senses. One should not simply use his senses for sense gratification; rather, the senses should be employed just as much as required for maintaining body and soul together. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī recommends, anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ: one should not be attached to sense objects but should accept sense enjoyment as much as required, and no more. If one wishes to enjoy the senses more than required, he becomes attached to family life, which means bondage. All the Pracetās admitted their fault in remaining in household life.