Actually, this material life is our bondage. It may be . . . Just like gold handcuff or iron handcuff. So handcuff is bondage; either it is made of gold or iron, it doesn't matter. So we are in this material world handcuffed, imprisoned. Our aim of life is how to get out of this material bondage, or prison house. Prahlāda Mahārāja, in another place, when he was asked by his father what is the best education he had received from his teachers, so father asked him to explain. So the son, Prahlāda Mahārāja, said that hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). This is the best thing he has learned. What is that? Hitvātma-ghāṭam gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛha, this family life, is called gṛham andha-kūpam. Just like a man fallen in the dark well, so it is sure death, ātma-ghātam. Unless we are very cautious, this gṛha-andha kūpam, this family life, is very dangerous for spiritual advancement. Therefore, according to Vedic system, it is very regulated. First of all one is trained up as a brahmacārī, not to be attached in sex life. That is brahmacārī, celibacy. Just like these boys, these children, if we train them how to remain in celibacy . . . They can be trained up. The first training is brahmacārī. To remain in the gurukula . . . They are innocent. As you will train them, they will be trained up.
So in the beginning of life to train the children as brahmacārī is essential. The fact is that one may not be attached to sex life. Sex life only allowed to beget children. That's all.
- putrāyate kriyate bhāryā
- putra-pinda prayojanam
- pun-nāma trāyate iti
- putra . . .
These are the Vedic injunction. Bhāryā, wife, is accepted putrāyate, only for having good children. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi (BG 7.11): "Lusty sex life is, when it is not against the religious principle, that sex life I am," Kṛṣṇa says. Dharmāviruddho. So dharmāviruddho, or which is not against religious principles. In this way you will find, according to Vedic system, the sex life is practically denied. But because we are now in the conditioned state, it is very difficult to completely deny sex life, there is regulative principle. First of all training: no sex life. If you can remain without sex life, brahmacārī, it is very good. But if you cannot, then get yourself married, live with wife, but have sex only for progeny, not for sense enjoyment. Therefore even one is married, if he's sticking to one wife and the wife is sticking to one man—that is real married life. Then the husband is also called brahmacārī, even though he's a gṛhastha, and the wife is called chaste.