Chapter 17

Verse 14 (SB 11.17.14)

SB 11.17.13

SB 11.17.15

SB 11.17.14 • मूल श्लोक

गृहाश्रमो जघनतो ब्रह्मचर्यं हृदो मम । वक्ष:स्थलाद्वनेवास: संन्यास: शिरसि स्थित: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

gṛhāśramo jaghanato brahmacaryaṁ hṛdo mama vakṣaḥ-sthalād vane-vāsaḥ sannyāsaḥ śirasi sthitaḥ

Synonyms (Word-for-Word)

gṛha-āśramaḥ — married life; jaghanataḥ — from the loins; brahmacaryam — celibate student life; hṛdaḥ — from the heart; mama — My; vakṣaḥ-sthalāt — from the chest; vane — in the forest; vāsaḥ — dwelling; sannyāsaḥ — the renounced order of life; śirasi — in the head; sthitaḥ — 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.”

Bhaktivedanta Purport

By Śrīla Prabhupāda

There are two classes of brahmacārī life. The naiṣṭhiki-brahmacārī remains celibate throughout life, whereas the upakurvāṇa-brahmacārī marries upon finishing his student life. One who remains perpetually celibate is situated within the heart of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but those brahmacārīs who eventually marry are situated within the loins of the universal form of the Lord. The word vane-vāsaḥ refers to vānaprastha, or the retired order of life, which is situated on the chest of the Lord.