SB 11.17.55
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 55
karmabhir gṛha-medhīyair
iṣṭvā mām eva bhaktimān
tiṣṭhed vanaṁ vopaviśet
prajāvān vā parivrajet
SYNONYMS
karmabhiḥ—by activities; gṛha-medhīyaiḥ—suitable for family life; iṣṭvā—worshiping; mām—Me; eva—indeed; bhakti-mān—being a devotee; tiṣṭhet—one may remain at home; vanam—the forest; vā—or; upaviśet—may enter; prajā-vān—having responsible children; vā—or; parivrajet—may take sannyāsa.
TRANSLATION
A householder devotee who worships Me by execution of his family duties may remain at home, go to a holy place or, if he has a responsible son, take sannyāsa.
PURPORT
This verse describes the three alternatives for a householder. He may continue at home, or he may take vānaprastha, which involves going to a sacred place with one's wife. Or if he has a responsible son to take over his family duties, he may take sannyāsa, the renounced order, for a definitive solution to the problems of life. In all three āśramas, ultimate success depends on sincere surrender to the Supreme Lord; therefore, the most important qualification one can have is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.