Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.6.8
Sarga· CreationFamily Life Requires Spiritual Responsibility
“From the Lord’s genitals originate water, semen, generatives, rains and the procreators. His genitals are the cause of a pleasure that counteracts the distress of begetting.”
What the purport teaches
- Water, semen, generative powers, rains and procreators originate from the Lord’s genitals. The pleasure of begetting counteracts the distress of family burdens.
- This pleasure is not false, because it originates in the Lord’s transcendental body. Through material contamination, however, it takes on a perverted aspect and becomes connected with many distresses.
- Sex life should not be encouraged beyond necessity. Generating children and planning family life must be guided by full responsibility for spiritual values, rather than merely seeking material sense pleasure.
Try this today
Write down one spiritual value you want to guide your decisions about family life.
Ask yourself
How can spiritual values guide your understanding of pleasure and 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.