Text 55
karmabhir gṛha-medhīyair
iṣṭvā mām eva bhaktimān
tiṣṭhed vanaṁ vopaviśet
prajāvān vā parivrajet
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.
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.
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.