karmabhir gṛha-medhīyair
iá¹£á¹vÄ mÄm eva bhaktimÄn
tiá¹£á¹hed vanaá¹ vopaviÅ›et
prajÄvÄn vÄ parivrajet
karmabhiḥ - by activities; gá¹›ha-medhÄ«yaiḥ - suitable for family life; iá¹£á¹vÄ - worshiping; mÄm - Me; eva - indeed; bhakti-mÄn - being a devotee; tiá¹£á¹het - one may remain at home; vanam - the forest; vÄ - or; upaviÅ›et - may enter; prajÄ-vÄn - having responsible children; vÄ - or; parivrajet - may take sannyÄsa.
A householder devotee who worships Me by execution of his family duties may remain at home, go to a holy place or, if he has a responsible son, take sannyÄsa.
This verse describes the three alternatives for a householder. He may continue at home, or he may take vÄnaprastha, which involves going to a sacred place with one’s wife. Or if he has a responsible son to take over his family duties, he may take sannyÄsa, the renounced order, for a definitive solution to the problems of life. In all three ÄÅ›ramas, ultimate success depends on sincere surrender to the Supreme Lord; therefore, the most important qualification one can have is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
