śrī-bhagavān uvāca
api brahman guru-kulād
bhavatā labdha-dakṣiṇāt
samāvṛttena dharma-jña
bhāryoḍhā sadṛśī na vā
sri-bhagavan uvaca -- the Supreme Lord said; api -- whether; brahman -- O brahmana; guru-kulat -- from the spiritual master's school; bhavata -- by your good self; labdha -- having received; dakshinat -- remuneration; samavrittena -- returned; dharma -- of religious principles; jna -- O knower; bharya -- a wife; udha -- married; sadrisi -- suitable; na -- not; va -- or.
The Supreme Lord said: My dear brahmana, you know well the ways of dharma. After you offered the gift of remuneration to our guru and returned home from his school, did you marry a compatible wife or not?
Among civilized human beings, the question of asrama, or spiritual order, is significant. In other words, every human being must execute prescribed duties as a celibate student, a married man or woman, a retired person or a renunciant. Since Lord Krishna could see that the brahmana was poorly dressed, He inquired if His friend had been properly married and was executing the duties of household life. Since he was not dressed as a renunciant, he would be without a suitable asrama unless he were properly married.
