So this Kardama Muni was a siddhi-yogī, and his wife, Devahūti . . . so he had nine daughters, and they were all distributed to the Prajāpatis. Just like Dakṣa Mahārāja, Prajāpati, and there were many others. And the only son was this Kapiladeva. He is incarnation of God, Kṛṣṇa, and He is one of the mahājana. Mahājana means authority. There are twelve authorities according to Vedic śāstra. One of them is this Kapila.
- svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
- kapila kumāraḥ manuḥ
- prahlādo janaka bhīṣma
- balir vaiyāsakir vayam
- (SB 6.3.20)
This is a statement of Yamarāja. Yamarāja is also one of the authorities. So Svayambhū. Svayambhū means Brahmā. And svayambhūr nāradaḥ, Nārada Muni, he's also authority. And Śambhu, Lord Śiva, he's authority. Similarly, Kapiladeva, He's also authority. These authorities should be followed. If we want to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if we want to understand what is the purpose of religious life, then we have to follow these mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahā yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Dharmasya tattvam.
So dharmasya tattvam is explained by the Dharmasetu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is actually dharma. And all these mahājanas—svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ (SB 6.3.20)—they also follow the same principle. Therefore we cannot understand very easily what is the truth of religious system, but if we follow these mahājana, then we can understand. So that Kapila Muni is explaining to His mother the glories of devotional service. So if we follow Him, then we also get informed what is the truth of devotional service. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ.
Here another feature is that pitari prasthite araṇyam. So it is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. One who has passed over fifty years of age, he must give . . . leave home and go to the forest, and completely devote his life for spiritual realization. That is the system, varṇāśrama-dharma. The name "Hindu" is a foreign name, given by the Muslims on the other side of the ocean. They used to say the inhabitants of this part of the world as "Hindu." Actually, you won't find this word Hindu in any Vedic literature. The Vedic literature you'll find: varṇāśrama-dharma. Civilized human being means who are following strictly the varṇāśrama institution, four varṇas and four āśramas. So four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for brāhmaṇa, the four āśramas should be followed. Brāhmaṇa should become a child born in brāhmaṇa family and trained up nicely as brahmacārī. Then he becomes a gṛhastha. Then he gives up the home. That is called vānaprastha. And after that, he takes sannyāsa.
So this Kardama Muni did it. Because he was a yogī, he strictly followed the principle. So as soon as Kapiladeva was grown up, the mother, Devahūti, was given in His charge and Kardama Muni left home. Therefore it is said that pitari prasthite araṇyaṁ mātuḥ priya-cikīrṣayā. Now, it is the duty of the son. Women should be under the protection. In the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that woman should not be given freedom. Na strī svātantryam arhati. They cannot properly utilize freedom. It is better to remain dependent. That is very good. Independent woman cannot be happy. That's a fact. We have seen in the Western countries, on . . . in the name of independence, so many women are unhappy. So that is not recommended in the Vedic civilization and on the varṇāśrama-dharma. So therefore the mother, Devahūti, was given under the charge of his (her) grown-up son, Kapiladeva. And Kapiladeva was fully cognizant that He has to take care of His mother. Therefore mātuḥ priya-cikīrṣayā. It is the duty of the father to protect the girl very nicely. Women are very delicate. They should be given . . . so during childhood, until she attains, I mean to say, youthhood, puberty, the girl is under the protection of the father. Still, in India, the father takes care of the girl until she is married to a suitable boy. The father takes. And then the young husband takes care of the young girl, wife, and then some children are born, and then grown up. Suppose a man marries at the age of twenty . . . that is, I mean, the highest. A boy is married not later than twenty-five years. And the girl is not married not later than sixteen years. That is the system. So a sixteen-year girl and twenty-five-year boy, if the child is born, then when the man is fifty years old, the child becomes twenty-five years old. So he can take charge.