24 - Discourse of Brahma on the duties of the house-holder 

Brahma said—О son, you can move along for performing tapas. This creation of the universe is of no consequence for me. I shall go to Goloka to know about lord Krishna. 

Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and the fourth son Sanatkumara have already become recluses. The son named Yati, Hansi, Aruni, Vodhu, Panchasikha and other sons also have also become mendicants. Then how my I concerned with the creation of the universe. Marichi, Angira, Bhrugu, Ruchi, Atri, Kardama, Praceta, Kratu and Manu these are the sons who are quite obedient to me. Out of these sons Vasistha is extremely obedient, who always moves according to my wishes. The rest of the sons are thoughtless and do not care for my command. In such circumstances why should I brother about the creation of the universe. 

О son, listen, I speak to you the welfare words which are contained in the Vedas. These words are being followed with great effort and bestow Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

In the assembly of the sages mentioned in the Vedas, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha are praised and desired by all the intellectuals. The Dharma is found established in the Vedas and the actions which are denounced in the Vedas are called adharma. The Brahmana first of all should to be adorned with yajnopavita and should study the Vedas. Thereafter we should offer dakshina to his teacher. Then he should marry a spotless girl of noble race. 

The woman born in high family remains attached to her husband and lives the life of chastity; the woman of the high race is also well disciplined. How could a glass-gem emerge out of the mine of pure gems? 

О Narada, only a girl born in some low family becomes harsh and wicked and acts according to her own will. 

О son, all the ladies cannot be wicked because they happen to be the rays of Lakshmi. Such of the ladies who are born of the race of Apsaras and low family. Only they become wicked. 

A chaste woman serves even a husband who is devoid of any good qualities. But a wicked woman disregards even a virtuous husband and turns her good qualities as the vices. 

Therefore, the men of noble nature marry their daughters with great efforts and produce children from them. After attaining the old age, they leave the house for performing tapas. 

It is better to live in the fire, over the serpent hood or over the thorn, but it is difficult to manage with a wife who is ill-tongued, because she is more troublesome even than the fire, the snakes, of the thorns. 

О son, you have learnt Vedas from me and I want only this much dakshina in return that you marry yourself. О son, your earlier spotless wife named Malati has been reborn, she is sinless. You marry her on some auspicious day. 

Having been born in the race of Manu and the house of king Srunjaya, she is performing tapas in the land of Bharatavarsha to achieve you. 

Her present name is Ratnamala, she is the ray of Lakshmi and Therefore, you go and accept her as your wife, because in Bharatavarsha the tapas performed by someone never becomes infructuous. 

A man should first of all conduct himself as a house-holder. Thereafter as a Vanaprastha. At the third stage he should aspire for salvation turning himself to the form of an ascetic and performing tapas. This sequence has been defined in the Vedas. 

It has been described in the Vedas, the adoration of the lord is tapas for a Vaishnava who should conduct himself as a house-holder and adore lord Krishna. О son, a person in whom lord Vishnu resides and even surrounds him, what is the use of tapas for him? 

О sinless one, who is not surrounded by Hari, the performing of tapas is of no use for me because by performing tapas, one adores lord Vishnu only and none else. 

О son wherever one renders services to lord Krishna it amounts to the best of tapas. Therefore, listening to my words, you stay at home and recite the name of the lord. 

О best of the sages, you become the best of the house-holder which will bestow immense pleasure on you. The pleasure one derives from the company of his damsel is equivalent to all the pleasures of the world. 

Even the truth seekers are desirous of having an audience with her and to touch her. The touch of a lady, is considered to be the best of the touch of all others. 

О sage looking to the face of a son and touching him also gives immense pleasures. The wife is considered to be the dearest of all and that is why she is called the beloved. 

You need a wife for producing a son, who happens to be dearer than hundreds of wives. No other relation becomes dearer to anyone then his own son. You try to overcome all the desires and think of a defeat from your son only. No good things are kept by anyone for himself and are given away to the son. Therefore, the son happens to be the dearest of all. 

Therefore, one should give away all his riches to his dearest son. О Shaunaka, thus speaking Brahma kept quiet; thereafter Narada the best of the intellectual spoke to him. 

Narada said—How can the father who leads a son to the wrong path, be considered as the compassionate one. 

О Brahman the entire universe is like the water bubble and vanishes in no time. It is like the line drawn over the water. 

The mind should not be allowed to be influenced by the worldly pleasures and passions and should be devoted to lord Hari. Because of this, one should make it successful. 

Who is the beloved of whom in this ocean of universe and who is the wife, the son and the brother. Because of the movement of waves they come together and after the decline of the deeds they again get separated. The one who performs noble deeds or inspires to do so can be called a true friend, a father and the teacher and one who inculcates evil thoughts, he cannot be considered as a father but is an enemy. 

О father in this way I have spoken out the essence of the Vedas and the Sastras. Though it is absolutely true, inspite of that I should obey your command. 

О lord first of all I shall visit the abode of Naranarayana. Thereafter listening to the advised of lord Vishnu I shall marry myself. 

Thus speaking Narada kept quiet. At that very movement there was a showering of flowers. 

Thereafter Nerada, the best of the sages, stood before his fathem (Brahma), and further spoke pleasant words.

Narada said—О lord, you bestow the mantra of Krishna on me, which is desired by me in my life. Whatever knowledge is associated with the mantra of Krishna, you better bestow the same on me. You tell me all about it. 

Thereafter I shall marry himself in order to please you, because a person feels happy after his desired tasks is accomplished and then he attends to the other jobs. 

The all knowledgeable Brahma felt delighted at the words of Narada and said to him. 

Brahma said—the intelligent person should not receive mantra of his father or the husband. Even to receive a mantra from a female ascetic does not bestow welfare on anyone. Therefore, a person should receive mantra from a teacher, a lord and not from a woman, otherwise one cannot get pleasure and has to face misery. He cannot achieve them by his own efforts. 

Therefore, lord Shiva happens to be your old teacher besides mine. Therefore, you go to lord Shiva who is peaceful, bestower of welfare and is the teacher of all the intellectuals. 

You go to him have a mantra from him besides listening to the stories of Narayana and return to me at once. 

О Shaunaka, Brahma the creator of the universe kept quiet after speaking all this and the sage Narada also went to Shiva bowing in reverence to Brahma.