Why Do Some People Not Get Married And How Does It Affect Their Life's Purpose?

[Mrs. Lakshmi asked: Dear Sir, I have a question regarding marriage in the modern age. Why are some people not able to get married and how does it impact their purpose in life? Thank you in advance. Lakshmi.]

Swami replied: People do not understand the divine background of marriage and feel that marriage is only a worldly affair, having no connection with spirituality. Marriage has a very important connection with spirituality. The Veda says that one should get married (Prajātantuṃ mā vyavacchetsīḥ…) so that the next generation will be born and humanity and creation will continue forever. The birth of new generations serves as the platform for the entry for the Human Incarnation of God on earth. If Daśaratha had remained unmarried, how would humanity have seen God Rāma? If Devakī and Vasudeva had not been married, would humanity have seen God Krishna? If the parents of Śaṅkara had remained unmarried, could humanity have seen the shining spiritual star called Śaṅkara? If one gets married, he or she might give birth to a Rāma, Krishna or Śaṅkara. Departed ancestors (pitṛ devatās) curse the unmarried persons of their family. They are greatly pleased when a person in their dynasty gets married and produces children. Even the divine bachelor, Hanumān got married with Suvarchalā for this justified reason. Moreover, a married person remains happy in old age in the company of the life-partner and children. The person gets the benefit of being served by one’s grown-up children, who are much younger than him. This tradition of marriage was established by the highest spiritual souls, called sages (ṛṣis). If a person is sure that he is a Human Incarnation of God like Śaṅkara, who will be completely dedicated to propagating true spiritual knowledge in this world, then the person’s case is exceptional and he can be exempted from marriage. Even God Śiva, whose Incarnation was Śaṅkara, got married—not once, but twice!

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| Shri Datta Swami | Why Do Some People Not Get Married And How Does It Affect Their Life's Purpose? | Prajaatantum maa vyavachchetsiih Shankara Shiva Raama Devaki Dasharatha Vasudeva Suvarchala Pitru Devataas rishis