Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.20.16
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyMarriage Invokes the Supreme Lord's Blessings
“When Śakuntalā responded to Mahārāja Duṣmanta’s proposal with silence, the agreement was complete. Then the King, who knew the laws of marriage, immediately married her by chanting the Vedic praṇava [oṁkāra], in accordance with the marriage ceremony as performed among the Gandharvas.”
What the purport teaches
- Duṣmanta married Śakuntalā by chanting the Vedic praṇava, following the marriage ceremony of the Gandharvas.
- The oṁkāra is the Supreme Personality of Godhead represented by letters. Religious principles are meant to invoke the blessings and mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
- The association of men and women according to religious principles is allowed in Vedic culture. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement accepts marriage on this religious basis, not sexual relations merely as friends.
Try this today
Pause today to ask Kṛṣṇa for mercy in honoring religious principles.
Ask yourself
How can remembering Kṛṣṇa make my understanding of marriage more sacred and responsible?
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.