25.194
tabe subuddhi-raya sei ’chadma’ pana
varanasi aila, saba visaya chadiya
SYNONYMS
tabe—upon this; subuddhi-raya—Subuddhi Raya; sei—that; chadma—plea; pana—getting an opportunity; varanasi aila—came to Varanasi; saba—all; visaya chadiya—giving up the implications of material activities.
Taking the Nawab’s sprinkling water upon him as an opportunity, Subuddhi Raya left his family and business affairs and went to Varanasi.
PURPORT
It appears that Subuddhi Raya was a big landholder and a responsible, respectable gentleman.
He could not, however, avoid the social misconception that one becomes a Mohammedan when water is sprinkled on one’s face from a Mohammedan’s pitcher.
Actually he was planning to give up his material life and leave his family.
Hindu culture recommends four divisions-brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa.
Subuddhi Raya was thinking of taking sannyasa, and by the grace of Krsna, he received this opportunity.
He therefore left his family and went to Varanasi.
The system of varnasrama-dharma is very scientific.
If one is directed by the varnasrama institution, he will naturally think of retiring from family life at the end of his life.
Therefore sannyasa is compulsory at the age of fifty.