Recorded at the Vedanta Society of Western Washington on August 11, 2013.
In this lecture, Swami Bhaskarananda clarifies what is meant by the “householder” in Vedanta and explains that the spiritual goal is the same for all: to experience God and manifest inherent divinity. While “householder” commonly refers to those living a family life, he broadens the meaning to include anyone who still has body-consciousness, including monastics who have not yet transcended it. True renunciation, he notes, is the relinquishing of body-identification, and the great saints serve as examples of what that full absorption in God-consciousness means.
Swami Bhaskarananda then describes how householders can progress spiritually without abandoning family responsibilities. Drawing from the Bhagavad Gita and Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings, he emphasizes selfless action, surrendering the fruits of work to God, cultivating love for God, seeking holy company, and periodically practicing solitude when the mind is ready. He highlights the discipline of replacing “I” and “mine” with “Thou” and “Thine,” seeing home, spouse, children, and possessions as belonging to God. He also summarizes traditional scriptural duties for householders—ethical living, truthfulness, fidelity, respect for parents, care for family, and service to the needy—presenting these as supports for inner purification and the steady growth of devotion and awareness.
