गुरुवृत्तिर्विकल्पेन गृहस्थस्यर्तुगामिनः ॥११॥
etat sarvaá¹ gá¹›hasthasya
samÄmnÄtaá¹ yater api
guru-vá¹›ttir vikalpena
gá¹›hasthasyartu-gÄminaḥ
etat - this; sarvam - all; gá¹›hasthasya - of a householder; samÄmnÄtam - described; yateḥ api - even of the person in the renounced order; guru-vá¹›ttiḥ vikalpena - to follow the orders of the spiritual master; gá¹›hasthasya - of the householder; á¹›tu-gÄminaḥ - accepting sex only during the period favorable for procreation.
All the rules and regulations apply equally to the householder and the sannyÄsÄ«, the member of the renounced order of life. The gá¹›hastha, however, is given permission by the spiritual master to indulge in sex during the period favorable for procreation.
It is sometimes misunderstood that a gá¹›hastha, a householder, is permitted to indulge in sex at any time. This is a wrong conception of gá¹›hastha life. In spiritual life, whether one is a gá¹›hastha, vÄnaprastha, sannyÄsÄ« or brahmacÄrÄ«, everyone is under the control of the spiritual master. For brahmacÄrÄ«s and sannyÄsÄ«s there are strong restrictions on sexual indulgence. Similarly, there are strong restrictions for gá¹›hasthas. Gá¹›hasthas should indulge in sex life only in accordance with the order of the guru. Therefore it is mentioned here that one must follow the orders of the spiritual master (guru-vá¹›ttir vikalpena). When the spiritual master orders, the gá¹›hastha may accept sex life. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (7.11). DharmÄviruddho bhÅ«teá¹£u kÄmo ’smi: indulgence in sex life without disobedience to the religious rules and regulations constitutes a religious principle. The gá¹›hastha is allowed to indulge in sex life during the period favorable for procreation and in accordance with the spiritual master’s order. If the spiritual master’s orders allow a gá¹›hastha to engage in sex life at a particular time, then the gá¹›hastha may do so; otherwise, if the spiritual master orders against it, the gá¹›hastha should abstain. The gá¹›hastha must obtain permission from the spiritual master to observe the ritualistic ceremony of garbhÄdhÄna-saá¹skÄra. Then he may approach his wife to beget children, otherwise not. A brÄhmaṇa generally remains a brahmacÄrÄ« throughout his entire life, but although some brÄhmaṇas become gá¹›hasthas and indulge in sex life, they do so under the complete control of the spiritual master. The ká¹£atriya is allowed to marry more than one wife, but this also must be in accordance with the instructions of the spiritual master. It is not that because one is a gá¹›hastha he may marry as many times as he likes and indulge in sex life as he likes. This is not spiritual life. In spiritual life, one must conduct one’s whole life under the guidance of the guru. Only one who executes his spiritual life under the direction of the spiritual master can achieve the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasÄdÄd bhagavat-prasÄdaḥ. If one desires to advance in spiritual life but he acts whimsically, not following the orders of the spiritual master, he has no shelter. YasyÄprasÄdÄn na gatiḥ kuto ’pi. Without the spiritual master’s order, even the gá¹›hastha should not indulge in sex life.
