FOURTH CHAPTER
In this chapter, swamiji has given education regarding second part of life, that is, from 25 years to 50 years, called as ‘गृहस्थ आश्रम’, that is, married life. He has talked of the duties of the persons entering this stage of life. As we have been brought up by our parents, in the same way, we, too, are indebted to take care of our children. We are duty bound, on coming of our turn, to give the society the best of our heirs. Children act as a link between past and future. The best way to make a good future is to fill all the best qualities of our forefathers into our children.
At the time of swamiji, the institution of marriage had deformed a lot. Even the children of 3-4 years used to get married. Because of high mortality rate among children, the number of children, whose spouses had met with death, ran into crores. Such a practice affected not only the lives of these children but also the social health. Swamiji established through the evidences of vedaas that marriage of children is a sin. The Hindus had the notion that the parents, who do not marry their daughters before the age of 12 years go to hell. Swamiji was very much against this practice. He advised that men before the age of 25 years and women before the age of 16 years should not be married. With certain conditions, he favoured the remarriages of men and women, whose spouses have died.
WORDS OF SWAMIJI
-If, ‘in laws’ of a person reside at a far off place, then, it is better.
-For women, period between 16-24 years of age and for men, period between 25-48 years of age is good for marriage.
-In a family, where wife from her husband and husband from his wife remain happy, pleasure and peace stay forever.
-It is written in vedaas that ‘ब्राह्मण ’ (highest category in a society) should marry only once.
-If there is no practice of marriage, then, all the values of married life will get destroyed.
-Whosoever, speaks ill of married life, should be disrespected and whosoever, speaks well of married life, should be respected.
-It is good, if men and women choose their life-partners on their own. If marriage is arranged by the parents, even then, it should not be against the willingness or happiness of the concerned men and women. This way, minimum opposition is met and better children take birth.
-Out of the people, who have taken birth in a high category of the society, only those people should be considered in the high category, who behave with knowledge and detachment and those, who have taken birth in a lower category but act with knowledge and detachment should, also, be placed in the high category. Accordingly, if a person, who has taken birth in a high category of the society, acts or behaves with un-knowledge and attachment should be considered in the lower category.
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