Page 50 - Powerful Feminine Qualities

Therefore, purity of the mind is essential for a husband to be a reservoir of goodness and be an expert at organizing
his family life in such a way that his wife and children will be inspired to follow spiritual life enthusiastically. Krishna
says, “Whatever you do, whatever you eat or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of
Kunti (Arjuna), as an offering to Me.” Krishna further elaborates, “In this way you will be freed from bondage to work
and its auspicious and inauspicious results. With your mind fixed on Me in this principle of renunciation, you will be
liberated and come to Me.” (Bg 9.27-28)
The constitutional position of the living entity is to follow the dictation of the superior. Just as the husband wants his
wife and children to follow his dictation, similarly the husband must follow the superior dictation of his guru(s) and
Lord Krishna, the Ultimate Guru. A person who follows superior dictation to remain always engaged in Krishna
consciousness is a yukta-vairagya – a devotee who offers the fruits of all his actions to Lord Krishna. Yukta means
“connected to” and vairagya means “through renunciation.” One is connected to Lord Krishna by sacrificing all the
fruits of his actions to the Lord. Such activities clear everyone’s mind so that the entire family can advance uninhibited
to completely surrender to the will of the Lord. In spiritual consciousness, the family lives in the spiritual world even
though they are still in this world. They are capable of functioning in this material world without being entrapped by
Maya’s wiles. They remain untouched by karmic reactions just as the lotus leaf though remaining always in water
never gets wet. This is due to the lotus leaf’s super hydrophobic quality, by which water that touches its leaf will form
little beads and quickly roll off without wetting its surface. Similarly, the devotee who knows that everything in
existence belongs to the Lord engages everything in the service of the Lord with the appropriate knowledge how to do
it. The enlightened husband understands that that his body and that of his family members are the property of Lord
Krishna and all should be engaged in the service of the Lord.
By mutual consent, the husband and wife organize their life around service to guru and Krishna. Thus, a family that
prays together stays together. Prayer in Krishna consciousness is fun. It comprises of chanting and dancing
accompanied by kartals, mridanga and harmonium. When one gets tired, he can take copious prasadam or sanctified
food to full satisfaction.
If the husband and wife maintain the Krishna conscious life style and culture in the home, then the family life will
remain sublime and spiritually and materially fulfilling.
Now, we will end this seminar. Thank you very much. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Hare Krishna!
Footnote #1: 64 different arts are:

1. gita - art of singing
2. vadya - art of playing on musical instruments
3. nrtya - art of dancing
4. natya - art of theatricals
5. alekhya - art of painting
6. visesakacchedya - art of painting the face and body with colored unguents and cosmetics
7. tandula-kusuma-bali-vikara - art of preparing offerings from rice and flowers
8. puspastarana - art of making a covering of flowers for a bed
9. dasana-vasananga-raga - art of applying preparations for cleansing the teeth, cloths and painting the body
10. mani-bhumika-karma - art of making the groundwork of jewels
11. sayya-racana - art of covering the bed
12. udaka-vadya - art of playing on music in water
13. udaka-ghata - art of splashing with water
14. citra-yoga - art of practically applying an admixture of colors
15. malya-grathana-vikalpa - art of designing a preparation of wreaths
16. sekharapida-yojana - art of practically setting the coronet on the head
17. nepathya-yoga - art of practically dressing in the tiring room
18. karnapatra-bhanga - art of decorating the tragus of the ear
19. sugandha-yukti - art of practical application of aromatics
20. bhusana-yojana - art of applying or setting ornaments
21. aindra-jala - art of jugglery

50