This post has been inspired by comments on another thread:
What do you understand Grihasti jeevan to be and involve? Must it include marriage and children? What about people who don't get married for various reasons but achieve a lot of seva in the world? Are children necessary? How about people who are unable to have children? Or do not want them for whatever reason?
I have always understood Grihasti jeevan to mean living in the world, working and living with responsiblities rather than running away to be a hermit. Surely it is not necessary to have marriage and children as part of the deal as it is possible to live in the world without them......
What are your thoughts?
My other area that I have been looking at is the Grihasti stage within Sikhism and the idea of becoming a house holder, getting married and having children. However, should this stage be constrained to heterosexual couples only? Is there any problem with two males or females getting marries (especially now as the result of legalization of gay marriage) and having children (albeit not naturally)?
What do you understand Grihasti jeevan to be and involve? Must it include marriage and children? What about people who don't get married for various reasons but achieve a lot of seva in the world? Are children necessary? How about people who are unable to have children? Or do not want them for whatever reason?
I have always understood Grihasti jeevan to mean living in the world, working and living with responsiblities rather than running away to be a hermit. Surely it is not necessary to have marriage and children as part of the deal as it is possible to live in the world without them......
What are your thoughts?