64 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 12

TRANSLATION

If the wife of the spiritual master is young, a young brahmacari
should not allow her to care for his hair, massage his body with oil,

or bathe him with affection like a mother.

PURPORT

The relationship between the student or disciple and the wife of the
spiritual master or teacher is like that between son and mother. A mother
sometimes cares for her son by combing his hair, massaging his body
with oil, or bathing him. Similarly, the wife of the teacher is also a
mother (guru-patni), and therefore she may also care for the disciple in a
motherly way. If the wife of the teacher is a young woman, however, a
young brahmacari should not allow such a mother to touch him. This is
strictly prohibited. There are seven kinds of mothers:

atma-mata guroh patni
braéhmani rdja-patnika
dhenur dhatri tatha prthvi

saptaité matarah smrtah

These mothers are the original mother, the wife of the teacher or spiri-
tual master, the wife of a brahmana, the king’s wife, the cow, the nurse
and the earth. Unnecessary association with women, even with one’s
mother, sister or daughter, is strictly prohibited. This is human civiliza-
tion. A civilization that allows men to mix unrestrictedly with women is
an animal civilization. In Kali-yuga, people are extremely liberal, but
mixing with women and talking with them as equals actually constitutes
an uncivilized way of life.

TEXT 9
aati: SHED ATM TAS TAAH: TAT |
Garay Tat TMNTeAaT WAG II 2 II

nanv agnih pramada nama
ghrta-kumbha-samah puman
sutam api raho jahyad
anyada yavad-artha-krt
