Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.12.11
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutySpiritual Life Under the Guru’s Guidance
“All the rules and regulations apply equally to the householder and the sannyāsī, the member of the renounced order of life. The gṛhastha, however, is given permission by the spiritual master to indulge in sex during the period favorable for procreation.”
What the purport teaches
- In every āśrama, one should conduct one’s whole life under the guidance of the spiritual master. Household life is not permission to act whimsically.
- A gṛhastha may engage in sex only during the period favorable for procreation and according to the spiritual master’s order. Permission is also required for garbhādhāna-saṁskāra.
- Following the spiritual master’s direction is the way to receive Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Spiritual advancement cannot rest on ignoring that guidance.
Try this today
Review one instruction you have received from your spiritual master and identify one way to follow it today.
Ask yourself
Where might I be treating spiritual guidance as optional?
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.