Canto & Chapters
General History (31 Chapters)
Chapter 120v
The Curse upon the Yadu Dynasty
Chapter 254v
Mahārāja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
Chapter 352v
Liberation from the Illusory Energy
Chapter 423v
Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi
Chapter 549v
Nārada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva
Chapter 644v
The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhāsa
Chapter 772v
Lord Kṛṣṇa Instructs Uddhava
Chapter 843v
The Story of Piṅgalā
Chapter 932v
Detachment from All that Is Material
Chapter 1032v
The Nature of Fruitive Activity
Chapter 1134v
The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities
Chapter 1218v
Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge
Chapter 1341v
The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā
Chapter 1437v
Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava
Chapter 1533v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections
Chapter 1644v
The Lord’s Opulence
Chapter 1754v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of the Varṇāśrama System
Chapter 1847v
Description of Varṇāśrama-dharma
Chapter 1927v
The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge
Chapter 2035v
Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment
Chapter 2139v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Explanation of the Vedic Path
Chapter 2256v
Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation
Chapter 2359v
The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa
Chapter 2424v
The Philosophy of Sāṅkhya
Chapter 2533v
The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond
Chapter 2634v
The Aila-gītā
Chapter 2748v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship
Chapter 2843v
Jñāna-yoga
Chapter 2945v
Bhakti-yoga
Chapter 3046v
The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty
Chapter 3126v
The Disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Canto 11, Chapter 18

Description of Varṇāśrama-dharma

Verse 43 (SB 11.18.43)
SB 11.18.43 • मूल श्लोक

ब्रह्मचर्यं तप: शौचं सन्तोषो भूतसौहृदम् । गृहस्थस्याप्यृतौ गन्तु: सर्वेषां मदुपासनम् ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

brahmacaryaṁ tapaḥ śaucaṁ santoṣo bhūta-sauhṛdam gṛhasthasyāpy ṛtau gantuḥ sarveṣāṁ mad-upāsanam

Synonyms (Word-for-Word)

brahma-caryam — celibacy; tapaḥ — austerity; śaucam — purity of mind without attachment or repulsion; santoṣaḥ — full satisfaction; bhūta — toward all living entities; sauhṛdam — friendship; gṛhasthasya — of the householder; api — also; ṛtau — at the proper time; gantuḥ — approaching his wife; sarveṣām — of all human beings; mat — of Me; upāsanam — worship.

Translation

“A householder may approach his wife for sex only at the time prescribed for begetting children. Otherwise, the householder should practice celibacy, austerity, cleanliness of mind and body, satisfaction in his natural position, and friendship toward all living entities. Worship of Me is to be practiced by all human beings, regardless of social or occupational divisions.”

Bhaktivedanta Purport

By Śrīla Prabhupāda
Sarveṣāṁ mad-upāsanam indicates that all followers of the varṇāśrama system must worship Lord Kṛṣṇa or risk falling down from their position. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.3), na bhajanty avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ: even though one may be advanced in the performance of Vedic rituals and customs, without worshiping the Supreme Lord one will certainly fall down. Those in the householder āśrama are not authorized to enjoy life like pigs and dogs, freely exercising their sexual potency. A religious householder should approach his wife at the prescribed time and place and beget a saintly child for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, it is specifically mentioned here that a householder must practice celibacy along with all of the other members of advanced human civilization. The word śaucam indicates cleanliness of mind and body, or else freedom from attachment and repulsion. One who faithfully worships God as the supreme controller experiences santoṣa, full satisfaction in whatever situation the Lord arranges. By seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa within everyone, one becomes bhūta-suhṛt, the well-wishing friend of all.