Household affairs

Expressions researched:
"household affair" |"household affairs" |"householder affair" |"householder affairs"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.5.36, Purport:

Apart from such Vedic duties, even in our ordinary dealings (for example, in our household affairs or in our business or profession) we must consider that the result of all activities must be given over to the supreme enjoyer, Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has declared Himself to be the supreme enjoyer of everything, the supreme proprietor of every planet and the supreme friend of all beings.

SB 1.13.9, Purport:

Vidura went out from the palace to detach himself from household affairs, especially political intrigues. As referred to hereinbefore, he was practically insulted by Duryodhana's calling him a son of a śūdrāṇī, although it was not out of place to talk loosely in the case of one's grandmother. Vidura's mother, although a śūdrāṇī, was the grandmother of Duryodhana, and funny talks are sometimes allowed between grandmother and grandchildren.

SB 1.15.37, Purport:

The Pāṇḍavas are eternal companions of the Lord, and therefore they are more interested in the company of the Lord than anything else. Besides that, being an ideal king, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira wanted to retire just to set an example for others. As soon as there is some young fellow to look after the household affairs, one should at once retire from family life to uplift oneself to spiritual realization.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.3.19, Purport:

The so-called advancement of human civilization has engaged a human being in the work of an ass. The laborers in great factories and workshops are also engaged in such burdensome work, and after working hard during the day, the poor laborer has to be again kicked by the fair sex, not only for sex enjoyment but also for so many household affairs.

SB 2.4.2, Purport:

Animals like horses, elephants, cows and dogs are all household animals, and a householder has to keep them as household paraphernalia. In modern civilization the horses and elephants have been replaced by cars and conveyances with considerable horsepower. To maintain all the household affairs, one has to increase the bank balance and be careful about the treasury house, and in order to display the opulence of material assets, one has to keep good relations with friends and relatives, as well as become very careful about maintaining the status quo.

SB 2.7.27, Purport:

So at the age of only three months He killed the Śakaṭāsura, who had remained hidden behind a cart in the house of Yaśodāmayī. And when He was crawling and was disturbing His mother from doing household affairs, the mother tied Him with a grinding pestle, but the naughty child dragged the pestle up to a pair of very high arjuna trees in the yard of Yaśodāmayī, and when the pestle was stuck between the pair of trees, they fell down with a horrible sound.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.5.5, Purport:

Thinking material nature to be independent is like seeking milk from the nipplelike bags on the neck of a goat. The Lord is independent and desireless. He does not create the material world for His own satisfaction as we create our household affairs to fulfill our material desires. Actually the material world is created for the illusory enjoyment of the conditioned souls, who have been against the transcendental service of the Lord since time immemorial.

SB 3.22.11, Purport:

For a gṛhamedhī, to accept a wife means to satisfy the senses, but for a gṛhastha a qualified wife is an assistant in every respect for advancement in spiritual activities. It is the duty of the wife to take charge of household affairs and not to compete with the husband. A wife is meant to help, but she cannot help her husband unless he is completely equal to her in age, character and quality.

SB 3.23.49, Purport:

Kardama Muni finished his household affairs quickly by his mystic power. The building of the castle in the air, traveling all over the universe with his wife in the company of beautiful girls, and begetting of children were finished, and now, according to his promise to leave home for his real concern of spiritual realization after impregnating his wife, he was about to go away.

SB 3.25.5, Purport:

In the absence of the father it is the duty of the grown son to take charge of his mother and serve her to the best of his ability so that she will not feel separation from her husband, and it is the duty of the husband to leave home as soon as there is a grown son to take charge of his wife and family affairs. That is the Vedic system of household life. One should not remain continually implicated in household affairs up to the time of death. He must leave. Family affairs and the wife may be taken charge of by a grown son.

SB 3.33.15, Purport:

The statement in this verse that Kardama Muni's household affairs were envied even by persons who travel in outer space refers to the denizens of heaven. Their airships are not like those we have invented in the modern age, which fly only from one country to another; their airplanes were capable of going from one planet to another.

SB 3.33.17, Purport:

The way of Vedic civilization is that whatever was used in household affairs had to be valuable. In case of need, such items of value could be exchanged immediately. Thus one's broken and unwanted furniture and paraphernalia would never be without value. This system is still followed by Indians in household affairs. They keep metal utensils and golden ornaments or silver plates and valuable silk garments with gold embroidery, and in case of need, they can have some money in exchange immediately. There are exchanges for the moneylenders and the householders.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.3.9, Purport:

It was fortunate for Satī that Lord Śiva did not take the ornaments from his wife and spend them for gāñjā, because those who imitate Lord Śiva in smoking gāñjā exploit everything from household affairs; they take all of their wives' property and spend on smoking, intoxication and similar other activities.

SB 4.13.12, Purport:

Vatsara's wife is mentioned here as iṣṭā, which means "worshipable." In other words, it appears that Vatsara's wife had all good qualities; for example, she was always very faithful and obedient and affectionate to her husband. She had all good qualities for managing household affairs. If both the husband and wife are endowed with good qualities and live peacefully, then nice children take birth, and thus the whole family is happy and prosperous.

SB 4.20.28, Purport:

Mother Lakṣmījī, the goddess of fortune, is well known for always massaging the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa. She is an ideal wife because she takes care of Lord Nārāyaṇa in every detail. She takes care not only of His lotus feet but of the household affairs of the Lord as well. She cooks nice foods for Him, fans Him while He eats, smoothes sandalwood pulp on His face and sets His bed and sitting places in the right order.

SB 4.26.15, Purport:

Actually, a woman is supposed to be the energy of the man. Historically, in the background of every great man there is either a mother or a wife. One's household life is very successful if he has both a good wife and mother. In such a case, everything about household affairs and all the paraphernalia in the house becomes very pleasing. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had both a good mother and pleasing wife, and He was very happy at home.

SB 4.28.20, Translation:

King Purañjana continued thinking how, when he was in a state of bewilderment, his wife would give him good counsel and how she would become aggrieved when he was away from home. Although she was the mother of so many sons and heroes, the King still feared that she would not be able to maintain the responsibility of household affairs.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.2.20, Purport:

For example, after Menakā, the celestial woman who had come to delude Viśvāmitra Muni, gave birth to the child Śakuntalā, she left both the child and her husband and returned to the heavenly planets. Pūrvacitti did not remain permanently with Mahārāja Āgnīdhra. After cooperating in his household affairs, she left Mahārāja Āgnīdhra and all nine sons and returned to Brahmā to worship him.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.5.54, Translation:

When the teachers went home to attend to their household affairs, the students of the same age as Prahlāda Mahārāja would call him to take the opportunity of leisure hours for play.

SB 7.6.11-13, Translation:

A daughter is especially dear to her father, and while living at her husband's house she is always in his mind. Who could give up that association? Aside from this, in household affairs there are many decorated items of household furniture, and there are also animals and servants. Who could give up such comforts? The attached householder is like a silkworm, which weaves a cocoon in which it becomes imprisoned, unable to get out. Simply for the satisfaction of two important senses—the genitals and the tongue—one is bound by material conditions. How can one escape?

SB 7.6.11-13, Purport:

In household affairs the first attraction is the beautiful and pleasing wife, who increases household attraction more and more. One enjoys his wife with two prominent sense organs, namely the tongue and the genitals. The wife speaks very sweetly. This is certainly an attraction.

SB 7.6.11-13, Purport:

Then there are one's own father and mother to be taken care of, and one also becomes concerned with the social atmosphere and with pleasing his brothers and sisters. A man becomes increasingly entangled in household affairs, so much so that leaving them becomes almost impossible. Thus the household becomes gṛham andha-kūpam, a dark well into which the man has fallen.

SB 7.11.28, Translation:

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 Canto 9

SB 9.4.27, Translation:

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa gave up all attachment to household affairs, wives, children, friends and relatives, to the best of powerful elephants, to beautiful chariots, carts, horses and inexhaustible jewels, and to ornaments, garments and an inexhaustible treasury. He gave up attachment to all of them, regarding them as temporary and material.

SB 9.4.29, Purport:

Those interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must observe Ekādaśī-vrata regularly. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa's queen was equally as qualified as the King. Therefore it was possible for Mahārāja Ambarīṣa to engage his life in household affairs. In this regard, the word tulya-śīlayā is very significant. Unless a wife is equally as qualified as her husband, household affairs are very difficult to continue.

SB 9.6.53, Translation:

In this way he passed his life in household affairs for some time, but then he became detached from material enjoyment. To renounce material association, he accepted the vānaprastha order and went to the forest. His devoted wives followed him, for they had no shelter other than their husband.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.6.19, Purport:

When Kṛṣṇa was saved from such a great danger, mother Yaśodā and Rohiṇī were principally concerned, and the other elderly gopīs, who were almost equally concerned, followed the activities of mother Yaśodā and Rohiṇī. Here we find that in household affairs, ladies could take charge of protecting a child simply by taking help from the cow. As described here, they knew how to wave about the switch of a cow so as to protect the child from all types of danger.

SB 10.7.5, Purport:

An affectionate mother takes great care of her child and is always anxious to see that the child is not disturbed even for a moment. As long as the child wants to remain with the mother, the mother stays with the child, and the child feels very comfortable. Mother Yaśodā saw that her child felt sleepy, and to give Him all facilities for sleep, she lay down with the child, and when He was peaceful, she got up to attend to her other household affairs.

SB 10.7.19, Translation:

Feeling the child to be as heavy as the entire universe and therefore being anxious, thinking that perhaps the child was being attacked by some other ghost or demon, the astonished mother Yaśodā put the child down on the ground and began to think of Nārāyaṇa. Foreseeing disturbances, she called for the brāhmaṇas to counteract this heaviness, and then she engaged in her other household affairs. She had no alternative than to remember the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa, for she could not understand that Kṛṣṇa was the original source of everything.

SB 10.8.30, Translation:

"When the milk and curd are kept high on a swing hanging from the ceiling and Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma cannot reach it, They arrange to reach it by piling up various planks and turning upside down the mortar for grinding spices. Being quite aware of the contents of a pot, They pick holes in it. While the elderly gopīs go about their household affairs, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma sometimes go into a dark room, brightening the place with the valuable jewels and ornaments on Their bodies and taking advantage of this light by stealing."

SB 10.9 Summary:

Now, being compassionate, He did not show her His unlimited potency. After mother Yaśodā bound Kṛṣṇa and became engaged in other household affairs, Kṛṣṇa observed two yamala-arjuna trees, which were actually Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, two sons of Kuvera who had been condemned by Nārada Muni to become trees. Kṛṣṇa, by His mercy, now began to proceed toward the trees to fulfill the desire of Nārada Muni.

SB 10.9.1-2, Translation:

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: One day when mother Yaśodā saw that all the maidservants were engaged in other household affairs, she personally began to churn the yogurt. While churning, she remembered the childish activities of Kṛṣṇa, and in her own way she composed songs and enjoyed singing to herself about all those activities.

SB 10.9.5, Purport:

Everything in the household affairs of mother Yaśodā was meant for Kṛṣṇa. Although Kṛṣṇa was drinking the breast milk of mother Yaśodā, when she saw that the milk pan in the kitchen was overflowing, she had to take care of it immediately, and thus she left her son, who then became very angry, not having been fully satisfied with drinking the milk of her breast.

SB 10.9.22, Translation:

While mother Yaśodā was very busy with household affairs, the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, observed twin trees known as yamala-arjuna, which in a former millennium had been the demigod sons of Kuvera.

SB 10.11.30, Translation:

Upon hearing this advice from Upananda, the cowherd men unanimously agreed. "Very nice," they said. "Very nice." Thus they sorted out their household affairs, placed their clothing and other paraphernalia on the carts, and immediately started for Vṛndāvana.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.23.45, Translation:

Indeed, infatuated as we are with our household affairs, we have deviated completely from the real aim of our life. But now just see how the Lord, through the words of these simple cowherd boys, has reminded us of the ultimate destination of all true transcendentalists.

SB 10.29.34, Translation:

Until today our minds were absorbed in household affairs, but You easily stole both our minds and our hands away from our housework. Now our feet won't move one step from Your lotus feet. How can we go back to Vraja? What would we do there?

SB 10.47.21, Translation:

O Uddhava! It is indeed regrettable that Kṛṣṇa resides in Mathurā. Does He remember His father's household affairs and His friends, the cowherd boys? O great soul! Does He ever talk about us, His maidservants? When will He lay on our heads His aguru-scented hand?

SB 10.69.41, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus in every palace Nārada saw the Lord in His same personal form, executing the transcendental principles of religion that purify those engaged in household affairs.

SB 10.80.29, Translation:

Even though you are mostly involved in household affairs, your mind is not affected by material desires. Nor, O learned one, do you take much pleasure in the pursuit of material wealth. This I am well aware of.

SB 10.82.48, Translation:

The gopīs spoke thus: Dear Lord, whose navel is just like a lotus flower, Your lotus feet are the only shelter for those who have fallen into the deep well of material existence. Your feet are worshiped and meditated upon by great mystic yogīs and highly learned philosophers. We wish that these lotus feet may also be awakened within our hearts, although we are only ordinary persons engaged in household affairs.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 4.65, Purport:

Lord Kṛṣṇa's father, mother and household affairs are all displayed in the same viśuddha-sattva existence. A living entity situated in the status of pure goodness can understand the form, qualities and other features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins on the platform of pure goodness.

CC Adi 6.68, Translation:

"O Uddhava! It is indeed regrettable that Kṛṣṇa resides in Mathurā. Does He remember His father's household affairs and His friends, the cowherd boys? O great soul! Does He ever talk about us, His maidservants? When will He lay on our heads His aguru-scented hand?"

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.81, Translation:

The gopīs spoke thus: "Dear Lord, whose navel is just like a lotus flower, Your lotus feet are the only shelter for those who have fallen into the deep well of material existence. Your feet are worshiped and meditated upon by great mystic yogīs and highly learned philosophers. We wish that these lotus feet may also be awakened within our hearts, although we are only ordinary persons engaged in household affairs."

CC Madhya 1.211, Translation:

“'If a woman is attached to a man other than her husband, she will appear very busy in carrying out her household affairs, but within her heart she is always relishing feelings of association with her paramour.'"

CC Madhya 13.136, Translation:

"(The gopīs spoke thus:) 'Dear Lord, whose navel is just like a lotus flower, Your lotus feet are the only shelter for those who have fallen into the deep well of material existence. Your feet are worshiped and meditated upon by great mystic yogīs and highly learned philosophers. We wish that these lotus feet may also be awakened within our hearts, although we are only ordinary persons engaged in household affairs.'"

CC Madhya 16.244, Purport:

When Raghunātha dāsa's father and mother saw that their son was no longer acting like a crazy fellow and was responsibly attending to his duties, they became very happy. The eleven people—five watchmen, four personal servants and two brāhmaṇas—who were guarding him became less strict in their vigilance. When Raghunātha dāsa actually took up his household affairs, his parents reduced the number of guards.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 5.131, Purport:

Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī strictly prohibits the behavior of the materialistic so-called hearers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Instead of awakening real love for Kṛṣṇa, such hearers of the Bhāgavatam become more and more attached to household affairs and sex life (yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45)).

CC Antya 19.107, Purport:

"Like a bird with no means of subsistence, such a person becomes a mendicant and lives by begging. Ordinary household affairs become miserable for him, and without attachment he suddenly gives up everything. Although such renunciation is quite suitable, because I am a woman I am unable to adopt it.”

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 11:

While offering himself as a fully surrendered soul, he said, "My mind, my household affairs, my body, whatever is in my possession, my dear Lord, I offer to You for Your service. Now You can do with them as You like. You are the supreme possessor of everything, so if You like You can kill me, or if You like You can give me protection. All authority belongs to You. I have nothing to claim as my own."

Nectar of Devotion 43:

When Akrūra was present in Vṛndāvana and was narrating the activities of Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā, mother Yaśodā was informed that Kṛṣṇa had married so many queens and was very busy there in His householder affairs. Hearing this, mother Yaśodā lamented how unfortunate she was that she could not get her son married just after He passed His kaiśora age and that she therefore could not receive both her son and daughter-in-law at her home.

Nectar of Devotion 44:

In Padyāvalī Rādhārāṇī told Her companion, "My dear friend, I was just going to the bank of the Yamunā, and all of a sudden a very nice boy whose complexion is like a dark blue cloud became visible in front of My eyes. He glanced over Me in a way that I cannot describe. But since this has occurred, I am sorry that I can no longer engage My mind in the duties of My household affairs."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 7:

One day, shortly after the ceremony, when mother Yaśodā was patting her baby on her lap, the baby felt too heavy, and being unable to carry Him, she unwillingly placed Him on the ground. After a while, she became engaged in household affairs. At that time, a servant of Kaṁsa's known as Tṛṇāvarta, as instructed by Kaṁsa, appeared there in the shape of a whirlwind.

Krsna Book 9:

After binding her son, mother Yaśodā engaged herself in household affairs. At that time, bound up to the wooden mortar, Kṛṣṇa could see a pair of trees before Him which were known as arjuna trees. The great reservoir of pleasure, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, thus thought to Himself, “Mother Yaśodā first of all left without feeding Me sufficient milk, and therefore I broke the pot of yogurt and distributed the stock butter in charity to the monkeys."

Krsna Book 23:

As the Supersoul living in everyone's heart, Lord Kṛṣṇa could understand their minds; they had come to Him despite all the protests of their relatives, fathers, husbands and brothers, and despite all the duties of household affairs. They came just to see Him, who was their life and soul. They were exactly following Kṛṣṇa's instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā: one should surrender to Him, giving up all varieties of occupational and religious duties.

Krsna Book 23:

"My dear wives of the brāhmaṇas," Kṛṣṇa said, "you can now return to your homes. Engage yourselves in sacrificial activities and in the service of your husbands and household affairs so that your husbands will be pleased with you and the sacrifice which they have begun will be properly executed. After all, your husbands are householders, and without your help how can they execute their prescribed duties?"

Krsna Book 29:

"O dear Kṛṣṇa," they continued, “You are the supreme instructor. There is no doubt about it. Your instructions to women to be faithful to their husbands and merciful to their children, to take care of household affairs and to be obedient to the elder members of the family, are surely just according to the tenets of the śāstras. But we know that one may perfectly observe all these instructions of the śāstras by keeping oneself under the protection of Your lotus feet."

Krsna Book 45:

They also learned how to paint tilaka on the face by making different kinds of dots on the forehead and cheeks. Then They learned the art of making paintings on the floor with a liquid paste of rice and flour; such paintings are very popular at auspicious ceremonies performed at household affairs or in the temple. They learned how to make a resting place with flowers and how to decorate clothing and limbs with colorful paintings.

Krsna Book 60:

"My dear beautiful wife, you know that because we are householders we are always busy in many household affairs and long for a time when we can enjoy some joking words between us. That is our ultimate gain in household life." Actually, householders work very hard day and night, but all fatigue of the day's labor is minimized as soon as they meet, husband and wife together, and enjoy life in many ways.

Krsna Book 69:

Being inquisitive as to how Kṛṣṇa was managing His household affairs with so many wives, Nārada, desiring to see these pastimes, set out to visit Kṛṣṇa's different homes. When Nārada arrived in Dvārakā, he saw gardens and parks full of various flowers of different colors, and also orchards overloaded with a variety of fruits. Beautiful birds were chirping, and peacocks crowed delightfully.

Krsna Book 69:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead was engaged in His so-called household affairs in order to teach people how one can sanctify one's household life although one may be attached to the imprisonment of material existence. Actually, one is obliged to continue the term of material existence because of household life. But the Lord, being very kind upon householders, demonstrated the path of sanctifying ordinary household life.

Krsna Book 82:

The gopīs are always liberated souls because they are fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They only pretended to be entangled in household affairs in Vṛndāvana. Because of their separation from Kṛṣṇa, He might have asked them to return with Him to His capital city, Dvārakā. But the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, the gopīs, were not interested in the idea of going with Kṛṣṇa to Dvārakā.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

Either in picture or in idol, they establish that. Now, what is the function in your household affairs? You have got wife, you have got children, and you require some money. And the activities in householder affair is that you have to get some store from the market, and they are brought in your house, and they are stocked, and in due time they are cooked, and you take your foodstuff and then go to your work. This is generally the whole system of household work.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

The whole idea is "The proprietor is the Supreme Lord, and we are all workers." Now, I am going to my office, to my work, to earn some money, because without money my household affairs cannot be run. So I am thinking that "This money is required; otherwise God's service will be stopped." So in earning that money in my office or in my workshop, my God consciousness is there.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

You cannot differentiate between the energy and the energetic. Just like electric powerhouse. The energy is electricity. Now, from the electricity energy we are working so many things. So far our household affairs are concerned, by the same electric energy we are getting heat and we are getting also cold. In the refrigerator we see everything is cold.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

One attains to the kingdom of God where spiritual varieties are there. They are not variety-less. Otherwise, the Lord would not have said that saṁsthām. There is a regular establishment. Just like you have got a regular establishment in your household affairs, similarly, the Lord has a regular household establishment in the spiritual world. Mat-saṁsthām adhigacchati. If... These processes are simply to qualify himself to enter into that establishment. That's all.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

When you get fire, you can get so many things done through fire, electricity. All industry is going on through fire. Your household affairs, cooking, that is also, you require fire. For your living condition you require fire, heat. So fire is necessity, not the earth, neither the wood, nor the smoke. Similarly, although Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are one, from Kṛṣṇa—they are different incarnation of different modes of material nature—but actually, Viṣṇu is required.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

Just in the shop, foodstuff or fruits, they should not be too old, or rotten. The inspector is there. If there is not to the standard, they are thrown away. Similarly, not only, only these stores and shopkeepers, but even in household affairs, there should be government inspection. That is stated in the śāstra. Whether a man who is professing to become a brāhmaṇa, whether he is following strictly the brahminical rules and regulations.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

But if you go to another person's, gṛhastha (gṛhamedhī), you will find their apartment nicely decorated, chairs, cushions, and sitting place, but they have no vision about self. And here, although we see that household affairs, their resting place, is not so nicely decorated, but their aim is Kṛṣṇa. So that is the difference between gṛhamedhī and gṛhastha. Gṛhamedhī means they simply want to decorate their apartment and children and wife. That is their end of life.

Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

Just like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, he was a great devotee, and his business was, although he was a king, very responsible king and ruling over the world, but his mind was always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. This is possible. This is possible. That example is given, that a woman or a lady is always busy in his (her) household affairs, but she also takes care of her bunch of hair, how to set it up and very nicely comb it. She does not forget. In spite of her being engaged in so many household affairs, she does not forget to take care of the bunch of hair. Similarly, one who is actually devotee, he may be engaged in so many things, but he does not forget Kṛṣṇa. That is the example, very good example.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

So Mahārāja Pṛthu..., er, Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva, before retirement... Formerly, even one is king, he was to take leave of householder affairs. The Vedic culture means that the social order and the spiritual order of life. The social order of life is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to quality and according to work, the social order is divided into four.

Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Denver, July 1, 1975:

Rūpa Gosvāmī has given a very nice example that a woman, if she is attached to some man and she has a fixed up time to meet the man at some place or at some hour, so she may be engaged in household affairs very busily, but she is expecting, "When that hour will come?" This is very factual example. The mind is there, "When that meeting will take place?" Similarly, you can remember Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

"One who has passed his life simply being attached to household affairs, sneha-pāśair, and when the affection of household life is too strong, it is very difficult to get out of it." That will be very nicely explained, one after another.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is compulsory get-out from household life. Compulsory get-out means pañcāś ordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāś means fifty years. "As soon as one passes over fifty years of age, he should get out." That is the injunction of the scriptures. No more in household affairs. The life is divided into four parts, four divisions. First of all brahmacārī.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.6 -- Mayapur, March 30, 1975:

Don't try to understand the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs. Just like if you make a friend, ordinarily, if you become intimate friend, then you can understand about his household affairs. If you are newly a gentleman introduced with another gentleman, you cannot ask him, "What is the affair in your household or with your wife or with your beloved?" That you cannot ask, neither it is possible to understand.

General Lectures

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

The same example, just like I gave you several times, that a woman who is attached with another lover, he, she appears to be very much engaged in the family duties but she's always thinking of her lover, when she'll meet at night. The thinking process is going on even with the activities of her household affairs. These examples are given in Vedic literature. Similarly, if you actually love Kṛṣṇa, then, in spite of your being engaged in so many works, you can think of Kṛṣṇa, full meditation. That is possible, practical.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Acintaya, unlimited qualities. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... He is govindam. So it can be realized that He is situated everywhere, at the same time in His person He is always engaged in Vṛndāvana dancing with the gopīs and playing with His friends and talking with His mother, and sometimes as naughty boy He is teasing mother's household affairs. So this is Kṛṣṇa.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 31, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Example is given: just like a polluted woman is doing all household work, but she is always thinking when she will meet with her paramour at night. This example is... Similarly, we may be engaged in different material activities, but if we keep our faith in Kṛṣṇa, then it will save us. It is possible. Just like the example: the woman is engaged in household affairs very diligently, but she is always thinking when she will meet her paramour.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1975, New Orleans:

Prabhupāda: Then combine together. Then it will be nice. You cannot change the different capacities. There is God's law, nature's law. Let the man and woman combine together, live peacefully. The woman takes charge of the household affairs, the man may take charge of bringing money, and they meet together, have Deity at home, together chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? That is unity.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Prabhupāda: This is Vedic civilization. In the beginning a woman, childhood, she's trained up by the mother. Then as soon as she is married, formerly, child-marriage, so she's transferred to the care of mother-in-law. There she is trained up. Then she becomes very good housewife, takes care of household affairs, husband, children, and home becomes happy.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk About Varnasrama, S.B. 2.1.1-5 -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: In the morning collecting water, cleansing the house, utensils, clothes, taking bath, then cooking, those girls. Their first business. Man's business is to earn money, go to the market, the necessities. Woman's business is take care of household affairs, children, and they have got engagement. And in the presence of father or elder brother or husband, a woman has to earn livelihood—that's a great insult.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Laksmimoni -- Bombay 1 May, 1971:

So far as taking care of the Deities and your family simultaneously, you have to do both mutually, but the main importance is Deity worship. Just like a busy housewife always busy in household affairs, yet still she is engaged in dressing herself nicely, combing her hair, etc. So both things go together.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Chaya -- Calcutta 16 February, 1972:

A woman's real business is to look after household affairs, keep everything neat and clean, and if there is sufficient milk supply available, she should always be engaged in churning butter, making yogurt, curd, so many nice varieties, simply from milk. The woman should be cleaning, sewing, like that. So if you simply practice these things yourselves and show examples, they will learn automatically, one doesn't have to give formal instruction in these matters.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Adi-kesava -- Bombay 2 January, 1975:

The thing is, we should have a little common sense in all activities. The example can be given that women by nature do not forget to dress very nicely although always engaged in household affairs. Deity worship or lecturing in the colleges is just as important as book distribution. So, these things must be done very nicely and at the same time, book distribution should be done. Not that we should do one thing at the sacrifice of another. That requires a little common sense. Factually, we should be engaged 24 hours in Krishna's service and everything should be done very nicely and perfectly.

Letter to Laksmimoni -- Bombay 2 January, 1975:

The thing is, we should have little common sense in all activities. The example can be given that women by nature do not forget to dress very nicely although always engaged in household affairs. Deity worship is just as important as book distribution. As we sing in the Gurvastakam prayers, srivigrahara dhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tanmandira-marjanadau. So, it should be very nicely done, and at the same time, book distribution should be done.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Honolulu 20 May, 1976:

The devotees should attend mangala arati at the temple otherwise it will become a household affair. So according to the situation see that if at all possible the devotees staying at the Taparia house can come to the temple for Mangala arati. If not do not insist.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Amogha -- Mayapur 27 February, 1977:

Regarding your situation, it is nothing new for Westerners. This is a family matter. It is better to consult Bali Mardan how to manage your personal affairs. He is a grhastha, so you can speak with him. You are an intelligent boy, so do not misuse your intelligence.