sabharyah saprajah kaman
bubhuje nyavirodhatah
sangiyamana-sat-kirtih
sastribhih sura-gayakaih
praty-usesv anubaddhena
hrda srnvan hareh kathah
SYNONYMS
sa-bharyahalong with his wife; sa-prajahalong with his subjects; kamanthe necessities of life; bubhujehe enjoyed; anyafrom others; avirodhatahwithout disturbance; sangiyamanabeing praised; sat-kirtihreputation for pious activities; sa-stribhihalong with their wives; sura-gayakaihby celestial musicians; prati-usesuat every dawn; anubaddhenabeing attached; hrdawith the heart; srnvanlistening to; harehof Lord Hari; kathahthe topics.
TRANSLATION
Emperor Svayambhuva Manu enjoyed life with his wife and subjects and fulfilled his desires without being disturbed by unwanted principles contrary to the process of religion. Celestial musicians and their wives sang in chorus about the pure reputation of the Emperor, and early in the morning, every day, he used to listen to the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a loving heart.
PURPORT
Human society is actually meant for realization of perfection in Krsna consciousness. There is no restriction against living with a wife and children, but life should be so conducted that one may not go against the principles of religion, economic development, regulated sense enjoyment and, ultimately, liberation from material existence. The Vedic principles are designed in such a way that the conditioned souls who have come to this material existence may be guided in fulfilling their material desires and at the same time be liberated and go back to Godhead, back home.
It is understood that Emperor Svayambhuva Manu enjoyed his household life by following these principles. It is stated here that early in the morning there were musicians who used to sing with musical instruments about the glories of the Lord, and the Emperor, with his family, personally used to hear about the pastimes of the Supreme Person. This custom is still prevalent in India in some of the royal families and temples. Professional musicians sing with sahnais, and the sleeping members of the house gradually get up from their beds in a pleasing atmosphere. During bedtime also the singers sing songs in relationship with the pastimes of the Lord, with sahnai accompaniment, and the householders gradually fall asleep remembering the glories of the Lord. In every house, in addition to the singing program, there is an arrangement for Bhagavatam lectures in the evening; family members sit down, hold Hare Krsna kirtana, hear narrations from Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita and enjoy music before going to bed. The atmosphere created by this sankirtana movement lives in their hearts, and while sleeping they also dream of the singing and glorification of the Lord. In such a way, perfection of Krsna consciousness can be attained. This practice is very old, as learned from this verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam; millions of years ago, Svayambhuva Manu used to avail himself of this opportunity to live householder life in the peace and prosperity of a Krsna consciousness atmosphere.
As far as temples are concerned, in each and every royal palace or rich mans house, inevitably there is a nice temple, and the members of the household rise early in the morning and go to the temple to see the mangalaratrika ceremony. The mangalaratrika ceremony is the first worship of the morning. In the aratrika ceremony a light is offered in circles before the Deities, as are a conchshell and flowers and a fan. The Lord is supposed to rise early in the morning and take some light refreshment and give audience to the devotees. The devotees then go back to the house or sing the glories of the Lord in the temple. The early morning ceremony still takes place in Indian temples and palaces. Temples are meant for the assembly of the general public. Temples within palaces are especially for the royal families, but in many of these palace temples the public is also allowed to visit. The temple of the King of Jaipur is situated within the palace, but the public is allowed to assemble; if one goes there, he will see that the temple is always crowded with at least five hundred devotees. After the mangalaratrika ceremony they sit down together and sing the glories of the Lord with musical instruments and thus enjoy life. Temple worship by the royal family is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gita, where it is stated that those who fail to achieve success in the bhakti-yoga principles within one life are given a chance to take birth in the next life in a family of rich men or in a royal family or family of learned brahmanas or devotees. If one gets the opportunity to take birth in these families, he can achieve the facilities of a Krsna conscious atmosphere without difficulty. A child born in that Krsna atmosphere is sure to develop Krsna consciousness. The perfection which he failed to attain in his last life is again offered in this life, and he can make himself perfect without fail.
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