TEXT 15
tatha sa caham parivodhu-kamah
samana-silam grhamedha-dhenum
upeyivan mulam asesa-mulam
durasayah kama-dughanghripasya
SYNONYMS
tathasimilarly; sahmyself; caalso; ahamI; parivodhu-kamahdesiring to marry; samana-silama girl of like disposition; grha-medhain married life; dhenuma cow of plenty; upeyivanhave approached; mulamthe root (lotus feet); asesaof everything; mulamthe source; durasayahwith lustful desire; kama-dughayielding all desires; anghripasya(of You) who are the tree.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, desiring to marry a girl of like disposition who may prove to be a veritable cow of plenty in my married life, to satisfy my lustful desire I too have sought the shelter of Your lotus feet, which are the source of everything, for You are like a desire tree.
PURPORT
In spite of his condemning persons who approach the Lord for material advantages, Kardama Muni expressed his material inability and desire before the Lord by saying, Although I know that nothing material should be asked from You, I nevertheless desire to marry a girl of like disposition. The phrase like disposition is very significant. Formerly, boys and girls of similar dispositions were married; the similar natures of the boy and girl were united in order to make them happy. Not more than twenty-five years ago, and perhaps it is still current, parents in India used to consult the horoscope of the boy and girl to see whether there would be factual union in their psychological conditions. These considerations are very important. Nowadays marriage takes place without such consultation, and therefore, soon after the marriage, there is divorce and separation. Formerly husband and wife used to live together peacefully throughout their whole lives, but nowadays it is a very difficult task.
Kardama Muni wanted to have a wife of like disposition because a wife is necessary to assist in spiritual and material advancement. It is said that a wife yields the fulfillment of all desires in religion, economic development and sense gratification. If one has a nice wife, he is to be considered a most fortunate man. In astrology, a man is considered fortunate who has great wealth, very good sons or a very good wife. Of these three, one who has a very good wife is considered the most fortunate. Before marrying, one should select a wife of like disposition and not be enamored by so-called beauty or other attractive features for sense gratification. In the Bhagavatam, Twelfth Canto, it is said that in the Kali-yuga marriage will be based on the consideration of sex life; as soon as there is deficiency in sex life, the question of divorce will arise.
Kardama Muni could have asked his benediction from Uma, for it is recommended in the scriptures that if anyone wants a good wife, he should worship Uma. But he preferred to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead because it is recommended in the Bhagavatam that everyone, whether he is full of desires, has no desire or desires liberation, should worship the Supreme Lord. Of these three classes of men, one tries to be happy by fulfillment of material desires, another wants to be happy by becoming one with the Supreme, and another, the perfect man, is a devotee. He does not want anything in return from the personality of Godhead; he only wants to render transcendental loving service. In any case, everyone should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for He will fulfill everyones desire. The advantage of worshiping the Supreme Person is that even if one has desires for material enjoyment, if he worships Krsna he will gradually become a pure devotee and have no more material hankering.

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