Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.10.26
Sarga· CreationFamily Life Can Serve the Lord
“Thereupon, for sexual pleasure, begetting offspring and tasting heavenly nectar, the Lord developed the genitals, and thus there is the genital organ and its controlling deity, the Prajāpati. The object of sexual pleasure and the controlling deity are under the control of the genitals of the Lord.”
What the purport teaches
- The genitals, sexual pleasure and their controlling deity, the Prajāpati, depend on the Lord. The purport explains that this dependence shows that the Lord is not impersonal.
- Material creation gives conditioned souls an opportunity to revive dormant God consciousness and return to Godhead. Begetting children becomes service when they are properly trained in God consciousness.
- Human life is distinguished by the capacity for God consciousness, not merely sexual pleasure. Sexual life and offspring should therefore remain connected with service to the Supreme Lord.
Try this today
Write one sentence describing how family responsibilities can support God consciousness rather than pleasure alone.
Ask yourself
How does the aim of reviving God consciousness shape my understanding of family responsibility?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.