| Canto 11: General History | Chapter 17: Lord Krishna's Description of the Varnāśrama System |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.14
grihāśramo jaghanato
brahmacaryam hrido mama
SYNONYMS
griha-āśramah — married life; jaghanatah — from the loins; brahmacaryam — celibate student life; hridah — from the heart; mama — My; vakshah-sthalāt — from the chest; vane — in the forest; vāsah — dwelling; sannyāsah — the renounced order of life; śirasi — in the head; sthitah — situated.
TRANSLATION
The married order of life appeared from the loins of My universal form, and the celibate students came from My heart. The forest-dwelling retired order of life appeared from My chest, and the renounced order of life was situated within the head of My universal form.
PURPORT
There are two classes of brahmacārī life. The naishthiki-brahmacārī remains celibate throughout life, whereas the upakurvāna-brahmacārī marries upon finishing his student life. One who remains perpetually celibate is situated within the heart of Lord Krishna, but those brahmacārīs who eventually marry are situated within the loins of the universal form of the Lord. The word vane-vāsah refers to vānaprastha, or the retired order of life, which is situated on the chest of the Lord.
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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari