युक्तः सांवत्सरं वीरो दधार द्वादशीव्रतम् ॥२९॥
ÄrirÄdhayiá¹£uḥ kṛṣṇaá¹
mahiá¹£yÄ tulya-śīlayÄ
yuktaḥ sÄá¹vatsaraá¹ vÄ«ro
dadhÄra dvÄdaśī-vratam
ÄrirÄdhayiá¹£uḥ - aspiring to worship; kṛṣṇam - the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa; mahiá¹£yÄ - with his queen; tulya-śīlayÄ - who was equally as qualified as MahÄrÄja AmbarÄ«á¹£a; yuktaḥ - together; sÄá¹vatsaram - for one year; vÄ«raḥ - the King; dadhÄra - accepted; dvÄdaśī-vratam - the vow for observing EkÄdaśī and DvÄdaśī.
To worship Lord Kṛṣṇa, MahÄrÄja AmbarÄ«á¹£a, along with his queen, who was equally qualified, observed the vow of EkÄdaśī and DvÄdaśī for one year.
To observe EkÄdaśī-vrata and DvÄdaśī-vrata means to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must observe EkÄdaśī-vrata regularly. MahÄrÄja AmbarÄ«á¹£a’s queen was equally as qualified as the King. Therefore it was possible for MahÄrÄja AmbarÄ«á¹£a to engage his life in household affairs. In this regard, the word tulya-śīlayÄ is very significant. Unless a wife is equally as qualified as her husband, household affairs are very difficult to continue. CÄṇakya Paṇá¸ita advises that a person in such a situation should immediately give up household life and become a vÄnaprastha or sannyÄsÄ«:
mÄtÄ yasya gá¹›he nÄsti
bhÄryÄ cÄpriya-vÄdinÄ«
araṇyaá¹ tena gantavyaá¹
yathÄraṇyaá¹ tathÄ gá¹›ham
A person who has no mother at home and whose wife is not agreeable with him should immediately go away to the forest. Because human life is meant for spiritual advancement only, one’s wife must be helpful in this endeavor. Otherwise there is no need of household life.
