In Vedic civilization marriage is one of the important function of life. As death is important function, birth is important function, similarly, marriage is also important function. Janma-mrityu-vivaha. So in this age everywhere, not only…. The marriage is now farce. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. There will be no more marriage. Svikara eva codvahe. Even there is marriage, there will be simply an agreement. That is happening, and it was written five thousand years ago. Svikara eva. Svikara means by agreement, signing agreement. No marriage function. Otherwise marriage is a…. According to Vedic system, if one has got some money, he will spend the money in three functions. When the child is born, very gorgeously he will spend money, give in charity. Always in the Bhag… Nanda Maharaja is giving in charity cows and money, and Yudhishthira Maharaja is giving. Krishna, as family man, He was giving in charity. So when the child is born, the horoscope is made, and to make the child happy, blessings of saintly persons, brahmanas, they are given. Ordinary men also sumptuously fed. So bhūribhiḥ.(?) Everyone gives some blessings so that the child is…. Then marriage. During marriage time…. You have seen Krishna’s mother’s marriage? That was the system. The father gives to his heart content, as much as possible, to the daughter. The Krishna’s mother was royal prince, so her father gave so many elephants, so many horses, so many chariots. That was the system. [break] This sraddha ceremony. That is also, feeding the learned brahmanas, saintly person, poor man, relative. Lavishly they spend money during three occasions: birth, death, and marriage. During birth the father spends; the marriage, father spends; and death, the son spends. This is the system.
Room Conversation
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April 23, 1976, Melbourne