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TEXT 16
aprthag-dharma-silanam
sarvesam vah sumadhyama
aprthag-dharma-sileyam
bhuyat patny arpitasaya
SYNONYMS
aprthakwithout differences; dharmaoccupation; silanamwhose character; sarvesamall; vahof you; su-madhyamaa girl whose waist is slender; aprthakwithout differences; dharmaoccupation; silawell-behaved; iyamthis; bhuyatmay she become; patniwife; arpita-asayafully surrendered.
TRANSLATION
You brothers are all of the same nature, being devotees and obedient sons of your father. Similarly, that girl is also of the same type and is dedicated to all of you. Thus both the girl and you, the sons of Pracinabarhisat, are on the same platform, being united on a common principle.
PURPORT
According to Vedic principles, a woman cannot have many husbands, although a husband can have many wives. In special instances, however, it is found that a woman has more than one husband. Draupadi, for instance, was married to all of the five Pandava brothers. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead ordered all the sons of Pracinabarhisat to marry the one girl born of the great sage Kandu and Pramloca. In special cases, a girl is allowed to marry more than one man, provided she is able to treat her husbands equally. This is not possible for an ordinary woman. Only one who is especially qualified can be allowed to marry more than one husband. In this age of Kali, to find such an equipoised woman is very difficult. Thus according to scripture, kalau panca vivarjayet. In this age a woman is forbidden to marry her husbands brother. This system is still practiced in some of the hilly tracts of India. The Lord says: aprthag-dharma-sileyam bhuyat patny arpitasaya. With the blessings of the Lord, all things are possible. The Lord especially blessed the girl to surrender equally to all brothers. Aprthag-dharma, meaning occupational duty without difference of purpose, is taught in Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is divided into three primary divisionskarma-yoga, jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga. The word yoga means acting on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed by Bhagavad-gita (3.9):
Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.
One may act according to his own occupational duty just to satisfy the yajna-purusa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called aprthag-dharma. Different limbs of the body may act in different ways, but the ultimate objective is to maintain the entire body. Similarly, if we work for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we will find that we satisfy everything. We should follow in the footsteps of the Pracetas, whose only aim was to satisfy the Supreme Lord. This is called aprthag-dharma. According to Bhagavad-gita (18.66), sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. This is the advice of Lord Krsna. Our only aim should be to act in Krsna consciousness for the satisfaction of the Lord. This is oneness, or aprthag-dharma.
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