Hare Krsna,
Please accept my humble obeisance,
All Glories to Srila Prabhupad,
After reading so many scriptural texts, still have not understood, when woman have told to be chaste to their husband, the same have not been asked to men,to be the same to their wife....for ordinary men like us.
Is it not cheating to have many wives? I have read so many texts, but have got confused as to which scriptural inferences from which text & religious principles should I follow as well as teach my children.
There are texts like Bhagavatam, Manusmriti, Parasharsmriti, Yajnavalkya Smriti that state the code of conduct but some say, this is not relevant to our age and was written only for first two yugas. Can some one clear this long pending doubt of me, as I would want to know whether I am acting as per scriptures...Just one scriptural text to keep as reference for our code of conduct throughout our life.....
Haribol.
Replies
Hare Krsna Mataji,
PAMHO.
To add to what Sudipta prabhu has rightly mentioned, why are your reading so many scriptures to find out what is the duty of a woman? Isnt the first thing we are taught in Bhagavad Gita that we are not the body, we are the soul that lives in the body? How does it matter - man body or woman body. We have to utilise our time in the human body to go back home, back to Godhead, which is possible even in a woman's body.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi
Hare Krsna Mataji,
Thanks for your kind reply...I agree to what you said above but being in this material world..I wish to know my duties as a ordinary woman as per shastras so as to execute them properly...
Hare Krishna Mataji. Pamho. Agtsp
In all department of knowledge we need a teacher to learn anything . Just remember the first day when we were first introduced to the alphabets, did we learnt it by our own, NO. Either our parents or teacher taught us all that we know today. Similarly Shastra/ scriptures has to be learn under the guidence of a bonafide guru else we will reach no where.
We should read Srila Prabhupada's books in systematic way. Srila Prabhupada's books contains all regarding duty for all classes of man. Bhagavatam, Manu samhita all have perfect codes of duty explained for all four ashramas. In Bhagavatam this [ SB 7.11: The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes and SB 7.12: The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes ] two chapters elaborately talks about duty of husband and wife.
It is utter misconception that sastra demands only woman to be chaste. Isn't all vedic literature repeatedly emphasis that a men should be a perfect celibate or brahmachari even in grihastha life. Isn't Bhagavtam condemned Ajamila ( 6th canto) for abandoning his chaste wife for sake of enjoyment with a prostitute. And regarding many wives this was the necessity during previous ages as most of the men in other yugas didn't enter into married life ,they used to devote their whole life in penance,austerity,celibacy to know Brahman. So as woman need care,protection it was customs that a powerful Ksatriya used to give shelter to the woman by religiously marrying them following all rules and regulation. It is not like modern date where a men , woman have multiple relationships like cats and dogs without duly married and no responsibility.
Hope this will help,
ys,
Hare Krsna,
PAMHO,
AGTSP,
Thanks..for clearing a part of my confusion....I still have a doubt....what if men take the example of previous yugas and marry numerous times? What is the actual and ideal code of conduct for both of them?
Haribol
you don't have to worry about this. Modern men has no capacity to maintain multiple wives in duly respected way under marriage with all facilities and finance and same proportion of care without having any mental anxiety. If he try to do so he is surely to die early from too much tension from relationship problem and physical problem by nature's arrangement...:)
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
Thanks for clearing my doubt.....I agree to what you said above.....I just need criptural injuctions to strengthen my faith....and deviate from it..morally as well as ethically...