100 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 9, Ch. 10

everything in His character was good, untinged by qualities like
anger. He taught good behavior for everyone, especially for
householders, in terms of varnasrama-dharma. Thus He taught the
general public by His personal activities.

PURPORT

Eka-patni-vrata, accepting only one wife, was the glorious example set
by Lord Ramacandra. One should not accept more than one wife. In those
days, of course, people did marry more than one wife. Even Lord
Ramacandra’s father accepted more wives than one. But Lord Rama-
candra, as an ideal king, accepted only one wife, mother Sita. When
mother Sita was kidnapped by Ravana and the Raksasas, Lord Rama-
candra, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, could have married
hundreds and thousands of Sitads, but to teach us how faithful He was to
His wife, He fought with Ravana and finally killed him. The Lord
punished Ravana and rescued His wife to instruct men to have only one
wife. Lord Ramacandra accepted only one wife and manifested sublime
character, thus setting an example for householders. A householder
should live according to the ideal of Lord Ramacandra, who showed how
to be a perfect person. Being a householder or living with a wife and
children is never condemned, provided one lives according to the regula-
tive principles of varnasrama-dharma. Those who live in accordance
with these principles, whether as householders, brahmacdris or
vanaprasthas, are all equally important.

TEXT 55

HMITT Ta PLTIAA At |
ren fen a raat aa: Stare: 4H

premndnuvrttyd silena
prasrayavanata sati

bhiya hriyd ca bhaéva-jna
bhartuh sitaharan manah

premna anuurttya —because of service rendered to the husband with
love and faith; silena—by such good character; prasraya-avanatd —al-
