SB 4.3 Talks between Lord Siva and Sati

4.3. Talks between Lord Siva and Sati

 1-4: Dakña starts another sacrifice 

1. Why was Dakña’s neglect of Lord Siva in the sacrifice not fitting?
He was proud of his position and neglected Lord Siva and di not invite him in the sacrifice. He failed to see him as an exalted devotee of the Lord and a demigod , he saw him through the bodily conception of life as his son-in-law.
His neglect was not fitting as no sacrifice is complete unless all the demigods are invited and they give their blessings.

 5-14: Sati tries to convince Lord Çiva to go to the sacrifice with her

 2. What were the various arguments given by Saté to Lord Çiva to convince him to go to Dakña’s sacrifice? (BS p. 40)

1. She said she did not need invitation to go to her father's house for a sacrifice. 
2. She wanted to go and meet her mother, sisters,aunts, and relatives. She also wanted to decorate herself like her sisters and the wives of other demigods.
3. She wanted Lord Siva to show kindness to her and allow her to go for the sacrifice. 

 3. Explain the meaning of the words –
stré (9):cannot find this word in the text or purport
yoñit (11):one who is enjoyed, women
 abava (12):one who is never born

 15-25: Lord Çiva’s response 

4. Write the arguments given by Lord Siva to convince Sati that she shouldn’t go for Daksa’s sacrifice. Include VCT’s links (BS p. 41-42).


 5. Why did Dakña become angry with Lord Çiva in spite of all the six qualities? Explain based on 17P and 21P.

Quote 4.3.17 vidyä-tapo…

 6. WVT of 4.3.23 sattvaà viçuddhaà… and write the salient points from the purport about çuddhasattva, samädhi of a devotee and adhokñaja. 

Systematic Grhastha Life as enjoined in the Vedas is better than irresponsible sinful life

From Srila Prabhupada's purport to SB 4.27.1

A sinful life can be counteracted by various processes of religion such as yajña, vrata and dāna — that is, the performance of sacrifices, the taking of a vow for some religious ritual, and the giving of charity. In this way one may become free from the reactions of sinful life and at the same time awaken his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By coming home, taking his bath, eating nice foodstuffs, getting refreshed and searching out his wife, King Purañjana came to his good consciousness in his family life.
Benefits of Systematic Family Life as enjoined in the Vedas
 In other words, a systematic family life as enjoined in the Vedas is better than an irresponsible sinful life. If a husband and wife combine together in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and live together peacefully, that is very nice. However, if a husband becomes too much attracted by his wife and forgets his duty in life, the implications of materialistic life will again resume. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has therefore recommended, anāsaktasya viṣayān (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255). Without being attached by sex, the husband and wife may live together for the advancement of spiritual life. The husband should engage in devotional service, and the wife should be faithful and religious according to the Vedic injunctions. Such a combination is very good. 

Sex Desire spoils spiritual advancement of the family
However, if the husband becomes too much attracted to the wife due to sex, the position becomes very dangerous. Women in general are very much sexually inclined. Indeed, it is said that a woman’s sex desire is nine times stronger than a man’s. It is therefore a man’s duty to keep a woman under his control by satisfying her, giving her ornaments, nice food and clothes, and engaging her in religious activities. Of course, a woman should have a few children and in this way not be disturbing to the man. Unfortunately, if the man becomes attracted to the woman simply for sex enjoyment, then family life becomes abominable.

The great politician Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has said, bhāryā rūpavatī śatruḥ: a beautiful wife is an enemy. Of course every woman in the eyes of her husband is very beautiful. Others may see her as not very beautiful, but the husband, being very much attracted to her, sees her always as very beautiful. If the husband sees the wife as very beautiful, it is to be assumed that he is too much attracted to her. This attraction is the attraction of sex. The whole world is captivated by the two modes of material nature rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, passion and ignorance. 

A Husband's Role if the wife is not properly situated
Generally women are very much passionate and are less intelligent; therefore somehow or other a man should not be under the control of their passion and ignorance. By performing bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, a man can be raised to the platform of goodness. If a husband situated in the mode of goodness can control his wife, who is in passion and ignorance, the woman is benefited. Forgetting her natural inclination for passion and ignorance, the woman becomes obedient and faithful to her husband, who is situated in goodness. Such a life becomes very welcome. The intelligence of the man and woman may then work very nicely together, and they can make a progressive march toward spiritual realization. Otherwise, the husband, coming under the control of the wife, sacrifices his quality of goodness and becomes subservient to the qualities of passion and ignorance. In this way the whole situation becomes polluted.

The conclusion is that a household life is better than a sinful life devoid of responsibility, but if in the household life the husband becomes subordinate to the wife, involvement in materialistic life again becomes prominent. In this way a man’s material bondage becomes enhanced. Because of this, according to the Vedic system, after a certain age a man is recommended to abandon his family life for the stages of vānaprastha and sannyāsa.

Sacrificial fire and brahamanas are considered to be the mouth of Vishnu

SB 8.16.9:
By worshiping the fire and the brāhmaṇas, a householder can achieve the desired goal of residing in the higher planets, for the sacrificial fire and the brāhmaṇas are to be considered the mouth of Lord Viṣṇu, who is the Supersoul of all the demigods

From Srila Prabhupada's purport:
"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." Therefore, all these items may be offered in the sacrificial fire, and Lord Viṣṇu will be satisfied. Similarly, brāhmaṇa-bhojana, feeding of the brāhmaṇas, is also recommended, for when the brāhmaṇas eat sumptuous remnants of food after yajña, this is another way that Lord Viṣṇu Himself eats. Therefore the Vedic principles recommend that in every festival or ceremony one offer oblations to the fire and give sumptuous food for the brāhmaṇas to eat. By such activities, a householder may be elevated to the heavenly planets and similar places in the higher planetary systems.


SB 5.5.23
O respectful brāhmaṇas, as far as I am concerned, no one is equal or superior to the brāhmaṇas in this world. I do not find anyone comparable to them. When people know My motive, after performing rituals according to the Vedic principles they offer food to Me with faith and love through the mouth of a brāhmaṇa. When food is thus offered unto Me, I eat it with full satisfaction. Indeed, I derive more pleasure from food offered in that way than from the food offered in the sacrificial fire.

The format for grhastha life should be dedication to the Lord

In the chapters 11,12 and 13 of the 7 th canto Narada Muni explains the duties and activities of Brahmacaris, Vanaprasthas, Sannyasis and women. All the three varnas mentioned are very important to achieve the goal of life.Also Narada Muni wanted to stress that sex life was not at all necessary and if one so desires it he can go enter grhastha ashram.
Yudhisthira Maharaj inquires for our benefit on what should the activities of a person in grhastha ashram be. How can one in the grhastha ashram without any knowledge of the goal of life attain liberation according to the instructions of the Vedas.The asrama is very difficult and offers many diversions , how can one in such an ashram also attain the success of life.

In this post the instructions given by Narada Muni in answer to the above question are presented:

• Work to earn the livelihood but offer the results to Krishna and satisfy Him
  

Srila Prabhupada states in 7.14.2 "The format of Grhastha life should be dedication to the Supreme Personality of Godhead". One must act only to satisfy the Lord.One must live a very simple life

• Through Association one learns the science of satisfying the Lord:

In 7.14.2 "saksad upasita maha-munim" - How to satisfy Vasudeva in this life can be perfectly understood through the association of great devotees of the Lord.
maha-muni refers to those who have not only studied the goal of life but who are actually engaged in satisfying the Lord.These persons are known as devotees. Unless one associates with devotees, one cannot learn the science of "vasudevarpana" -dedicating ones life to the Supreme.

• What is the recommended way of association: Hearing from saintly persons

In 7.14.3-4 Narada Muni says: "A gṛhastha must associate again and again with saintly persons, and with great respect he must hear the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Lord and His incarnations as these activities are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other Purāṇas. Thus one should gradually become detached from affection for his wife and children, exactly like a man awakening from a dream."
By hearing from great souls on topics of SB and BG one gets purified of their sinful inclination.
One should hear repeatedly - again and again (abhiksanam) because bhagavat-katahare the words spoken by Krishna or about Krsna- thus they are amrtam. The more one drinks this amrtam one advances in his eternal life.
Srila Prabhupada says: "One should work eight hours at the most to earn his livelihood, and either in the afternoon or in the evening a householder should associate with devotees to hear about the incarnations of Kṛṣṇa and His activities and thus be gradually liberated from the clutches of māyā."
After hearing from the great souls one's detachment to material life reduces. Also the relationships within the family become based on a Krsna centric conception rather than the material conception of enjoyment.

• Simplicity(7.14.5-8) : Give up the sense of proprietorship
  

One should live unattached to family affairs even though one may look externally attached like others. Thus household life centered around Krsna may externally look like any other household but in consciousness and principle they are unattached to family affairs and are working on developing attachment towards Krishna.

Those in grhastha life should work enough to keep body and soul together and keep the focus in fulfilling the purpose of life.Even when others may give suggestions, the householder must agree externally but internally he should be fixed in the goal of life and keeping his activities centered around that.

Claim proprietorship to only as much as needed to keep body and soul together. Anyone desiring more than that must be considered as a thief. If there is extra money it should be spent in furthering the Krsna Consciousness movement- building temples, books, etc.

• Non-envious and maintain others (7.14.9 and 7.14.11)
  

Animals like deers , asses, monkeys, mice, snakes etc should be treated exactly like one's own children. They are also innocent. They should be allowed to live peacefully and we should not disturb them. Infact if possible the householder can maintain them by giving them prasad. If he doesnt do that he is envious and does not like it that all other animals also have a claim to God's property.

One should give up the attachment to one's material life and pleasures and should engage in maintaining even dogs, fallen persons, untouchables, etc.

One should give up one's excessive attachment to one's wife - i.e. the idea of ownership towards family must also be abandoned.

• Give up excessive attachment to wife(family members)

We are eternal souls and any material attachments that we have will not be eternal.Only the Supreme Lord is eternal. Thus one must develop a stronger spiritual conception and base the relationships one the spiritual conception. Excessive material attachment towards family members will divert one from services. Instead basing the relationships on devotion to Krsna and thus engaging in service to Krsna is favorable.

Thus "offering even one's wife in reception of guests and people" means offering that material attachment as an oblation in the sacrifice of devotional service.Thus giving up any activities centered around that material relationship.If one does so one can direct one's energies towards devotional service.

The relationship between man and women based on sex is the strongest relationship - if that can be given up one can conquer the Supreme.

• Grhasthas should eat only prasad.
• Respect and worship all living entities:Worship the Supreme Lord everyday by worshiping the demigods, saintly persons, forefathers, other human beings and living entities.
• Offer sacrifices with wealth and knowledge : in this day and age chanting the Hare Krsna mahamantra and participating in Lord Caitanya's sankirtan movement with one's wealth and knowledge is the recommendation.
• Service to vaishnavas by serving them nice prasad and distribute prasad to other living entities.
  

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is the enjoyer of sacrificial offerings. Yet although His Lordship eats the oblations offered in the fire, my dear King, He is still more satisfied when nice food made of grains and ghee is offered to Him through the mouths of qualified brāhmaṇas.

• Offer oblations to forefathers

Idea is : In one's life shouldnt be restricted to selfishness
If cannot become great devotee, or give up one's life like a brahmacari, sannyasi or vanaprasthi, or live simply - atleast one should minimize one's selfishness by becoming charitable. Charity to be done atleast to one's family members and forefathers if one cannot perform the charity of maintaining other living entities and animals.
By acknowledging that the ceremony we do now will benefit the forefathers who have passed away one develops the consciousness of eternalness of the soul. One's self is benefited by this consciousness. One's heart expands a little bit.In grhastha life - one is usually very self-centered and thinks about his benefit and that of family members. This contracts the heart and makes it heard for giving charity. One develops envy and desires all enjoyment for oneself. The contraction of the heart by which one feels one needs more and more creates greater dissatisfaction and thus UNHAPPINESS.The oblations one performs towards one's forefathers and the charity and non-enviousness exhibited towards other living entities(7.14.9-7.14.11) helps one open their heart a little bit. Thus people gradually become less selfish and more charitable. This helps one give up the sense of proprietorship over all that pervades - it helps one recognize that all entities are God's creation and they have as much right to be maintained as much as oneself. So makes some advancement by this process it is eternal.

• Any place where there is a Vaishnava, or a temple of Lord Krishna ,etc are auspicious places to perform worship and purificatory rituals.
• Lord Krsna is the best person to whom everything must be given - He is the object of all our worship. e.g Rajasuya sacrifice all the assembled sages unanimously decided that Lord Krsna must be the first person to be worshiped.
• One must be respectful to all living entities as the Lord resides as the Supersoul in all of them.
• Deity worship is recommended to overcome envy and develop respectful dealings with everyone. Refer for further explanation:One who worships the deity must be non-envious and Engagement in deity worship encourages respectful dealings between Vaishnavas
  
• Brahmanas are to be considered the best because by practicing austerity, Vedic studies and satisfaction he becomes the counterpart body of the Lord.
  

Women's duties

View this label "chaste wife" for other excerpts of Texts and Srila Prabhupada's purports on this topic.

SB 7.11.25: To render service to the husband, to be always favorably disposed toward the husband, to be equally well disposed toward the husband's relatives and friends, and to follow the vows of the husband — these are the four principles to be followed by women described as chaste.

SB 7.11.26-27: A chaste woman must dress nicely and decorate herself with golden ornaments for the pleasure of her husband. Always wearing clean and attractive garments, she should sweep and clean the household with water and other liquids so that the entire house is always pure and clean. She should collect the household paraphernalia and keep the house always aromatic with incense and flowers and must be ready to execute the desires of her husband. Being modest and truthful, controlling her senses, and speaking in sweet words, a chaste woman should engage in the service of her husband with love, according to time and circumstances.

SB 7.11.28: A chaste woman should not be greedy, but satisfied in all circumstances. She must be very expert in handling household affairs and should be fully conversant with religious principles. She should speak pleasingly and truthfully and should be very careful and always clean and pure. Thus a chaste woman should engage with affection in the service of a husband who is not fallen.

SB 7.11.29: The woman who engages in the service of her husband, following strictly in the footsteps of the goddess of fortune, surely returns home, back to Godhead, with her devotee husband, and lives very happily in the Vaikuṇṭha planets.

Importance of attachment to Krsna's Lotus feet in grhastha ashram

Maharaj Priyavrata was leading a life in the renounced order. He was instructed by Lord Brahma to take the service of ruling all the planetary systems. For doing so , he would have to leave the renounced order and accept a wife.Maharaj Priyavrata asked Lord Brahma if he will be diverted from the devotional service of the Lord by accepting the responsibility of ruling over of the world. Maharaj Pariksit also asked Sukadeva Maharaj how was it possbile for Priyavrata Maharaj to be in householder life and still achieve the topmost perfection of Krishna Consciousness.

This a plaguing question for most grhasthas as the ashram offers many material distractions.
How can one keep oneself protected when one is completely surrounded by debilitating material attractions?

Following is a summary of the answers provided by Sukadeva Goswami,Lord Brahma and Srila Prabhupada's purports in answer to these pertinent questions from the verses SB 5.1.1 -5.1.23.

• Experience bliss in the Lord's shelter : Those who have taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet are under His cool shade ,experiencing complete bliss and are protected from the anxieties of the material world.They are completely satisfied and blissful. Thus they have no attraction and attachment for the material world.param drstva nivartate: one gives up lower engagements when he experiences a higher taste. Thus one becomes detached from family life as soon as he comes under the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Ref SB 5.1.4
  
• Mind and senses automatically conquered in the Lord's shelter:When a bumblebee enters the opening of a lotus flower and drinks its honey, it is fully protected by the petals of the lotus. The bee is undisturbed by sunshine and other external influences. Similarly, one who always seeks shelter at the lotus feet of the personality of Godhead is protected from all dangers - the urges of the mind and senses.Our actual duty is to carry out the supreme order of the Personality of Godhead. If we are fixed in our determination to carry out the supreme order of the Lord, we are always secure, regardless of where we are situated, whether in hell or in heaven.Ref SB 5.1.19
  
• Following strictly rules and regulations of Sadhana Bhakti: Householder life affords one a chance to either go back to Godhead or get entangled in frutive material enjoyment. If one follows rigid sadhana and the rules and regulations of sadhana bhakti under guidance of Spiritual Master one can use householder life as a vehicle to get blessed with love for Krishna.Lord Brahma indicated that since Maharaj Priyavrata followed a high standard of renunciation, austerity, penance and devotion he would not be deviated from devotional service, even though he would accept household life. Ref SB 5.1.10
• Krpa siddhi:By the blessings of the spiritual master and senior devotees one can achieve anything.Our attitude and following of the practice should be such that it can attract such blessings. By Narada Muni's and Lord Brahma's blessings it will be possible for Maharaj Priyavrata to be in houshold life yet in complete KC. Ref SB 5.1.10
  
• Yuktam vairagya: SP quotes the sloka anasktasya visyana .... and states "Visayan, material affairs, should be accepted without attachment. and everything should be dovetailed with the service of the Lord. That is real intelligence (manisa). Becoming a family man or king in the material world is not harmful if one accepts everything for Krsna's service. That necessitates clear intelligence. "Ref SB 5.1.12
• Follow instructions of spiritual master:By following the instructions of Lord Brahma and Narada Muni Maharaj Priyavrata performed the worldly affairs but was always engaged in thought of the Lotus Feet of the Lord.He did so to honor the orders of his superiors. If we just follow the instructions of the spiritual master properly we will also be protected from material desires and will be able to constantly think of Krishna's lotus feet. The spiritual master is providing us with so much help and mercy we just have to access it - by following his orders. Ref SB 5.1.23

A description of Maharaj Priyavrata's activities in householder life as a king is given as such:

SB 5.1.29: After Kavi, Mahavira and Savana were completely trained in the paramahamsa stage of life, Maharaja Priyavrata ruled the universe for eleven arbudas of years. Whenever he was determined to fix his arrow upon his bowstring with his two powerful arms, all opponents of the regulative principles of religious life would flee from his presence in fear of the unparalleled prowess he displayed in ruling the universe. He greatly loved his wife Barhismati, and with the increase of days, their exchange of nuptial love also increased. By her feminine behavior as she dressed herself, walked, got up, smiled, laughed, and glanced about, Queen Barhismati increased his energy. Thus although he was a great soul, he appeared lost in the feminine conduct of his wife. He behaved with her just like an ordinary man, but actually he was a great soul.

Vanaprastha:Example of King Malayadhvaja and Queen Vaidarbhi

Reference Post for context: Activities of a Disciple in Separation from Spiritual Master

Srila Prabhupada's purport on vanaprastha life SB 4.28.45:

1. The wife especially should remain austere, not desiring luxurious dresses and living standards. She should accept only the bare necessities of life and minimize her eating and sleeping.
   
2. There should be no question of mating. Simply by engaging in the service of her exalted husband, who must be a pure devotee, the wife will never be agitated by sex impulses. The vānaprastha stage is exactly like this. Although the wife remains with the husband, she undergoes severe austerities and penances so that although both husband and wife live together, there is no question of sex. In this way both husband and wife can live together perpetually.
   
3. Nonetheless, the wife is expected to give up all luxurious habits. She should not even dress nicely or comb her hair. Hair combing is one of the main businesses of women. In the vānaprastha stage the wife should not take care of her hair. Thus her hair will become tangled in knots. Consequently the wife will no longer be attractive to the husband, and she herself will no longer be agitated by sex impulses.
   
4. In this way both husband and wife can advance in spiritual consciousness. This advanced stage is called the paramahaḿsa stage, and once it is obtained, both husband and wife can be actually liberated from bodily consciousness. If the disciple remains steady in the service of the spiritual master, he need no longer fear falling down into the clutches of māyā.

Example of King Malayadhvaja:

1. He was a powerful king and great devotee.
   
2. He was not attached when retiring from family life as we can see he divided his kingdom amongst his sons and then engaged in worship,executing austerities and following regulative principles in a solitary place(nirjana bhajan).SB 4.28.33
3. Practiced austerities and became equipoised in dualities.Austerities prescribed in the sastras help one transcend the material body.Sense control can be achieved automatically by engaging in the Lord's service. SB 4.28.37
4. He became fixed by following these principles for 36000 years.
   
5. He attained the perfection of life: Not only did he come to the conclusion that Krsna is everything but he also remained fixed in that realization.

Example of Queen Vaidarbhi:

1. She gave up all sensual enjoyment and in complete renunciation followed the principles of her husband, who was so advanced. Thus she remained engaged in his service.SB 4.28.43
2. Srila Prabhupada says in this regard:"If a woman is fortunate enough to be the wife of a pure devotee, she can serve her husband without any desire for sense gratification. If she remains engaged in the service of her exalted husband, she will automatically attain the spiritual perfections of her husband."
   
3. She remained austere, accepted only bare necessities of life, minimized her eating and sleeping and dressed in old garments.
4. While serving her husband the Queen did not even talk to her husband while serving.he would simply perform her prescribed duties without talk.This is evident from text SB 4.28.45
5. When she discovered her husband had left his body, she cried out of affection for him and she then prepared a blazing fire with firewood and placed the dead body of her husband upon it. When this was finished, she lamented severely and prepared herself to perish in the fire with her husband.SB 4.28.50
   

Chaste wife: Srila Prabhupada's comments from the pastime of Arci

Refer synopsis and verses from Arci's dedication and devotion to Prthu Maharaj

1. Follows the husband in every situation:Being the wives of great personalities like Pṛthu, Lord Rāmacandra and Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Arci,mother Sita and Gandhari were ideal chaste women. Such queens also instructed the general people by showing them how to become a chaste wife and follow the husband in every stage of life. When the husband is king, she sits beside him as the queen, and when he goes to the forest, she also follows, despite having to tolerate all kinds of difficulties in living in the forest.4.23.19
2. Duty in householder life:The words bhartur vrata-dharma-niṣṭhayā indicate that a woman's duty, or religious principle, is to serve her husband in all conditions. In Vedic civilization a man is taught from the beginning of his life to become a brahmacārī, then an ideal gṛhastha, then vānaprastha, then sannyāsī, and the wife is taught just to follow the husband strictly in all conditions of life. After the period of brahmacarya, a man accepts a householder's life, and the woman is also taught by her parents to be a chaste wife. Thus when a girl and boy are united, both are trained for a life dedicated to a higher purpose. The boy is trained to execute his duty in accordance with the higher purpose of life, and the girl is trained to follow him. The chaste wife's duty is to keep her husband pleased in householder life in all respects, and when the husband retires from family life, she is to go to the forest and adopt the life of vānaprastha, or vana-vāsī. At that time the wife is to follow her husband and take care of him, just as she took care of him in householder life. But when the husband takes the renounced order of life, namely sannyāsa, the wife is to return home and become a saintly woman, setting an example for her children and daughters-in-law and showing them how to live a life of austerity.
3. Simply follow in footsteps of husband who is a devotee:A woman does not need to attain high qualifications, but if she simply follows in the footsteps of her husband, who must be a devotee, then both husband and wife attain liberation and are promoted to the Vaikuṇṭhalokas. This is evinced by the inconceivable activities of Mahārāja Pṛthu and his wife.

Wife is adorned with fine garments and ornaments

Synopsis:

Its a wife's responsibility to be an inspiration and keep the husband's intelligence in good order so that they can carry on duties of grhastha asrama together peacefully.

SP's purport:
A woman is generally accustomed to dress herself nicely with fine garments and decorative ornaments. She may even sometimes wear flowers in her hair. Women especially dress themselves up in the evening because the husband comes home in the evening after working hard all day. It is the duty of the wife to dress herself up very nicely so that when her husband returns home he becomes attracted by her dress and cleanliness and thus becomes satisfied. In other words, the wife is the inspiration of all good intelligence. Upon seeing one's wife dressed nicely, one can think very soberly about family business. When a person is too anxious about family affairs, he cannot discharge his family duties nicely. A wife is therefore supposed to be an inspiration and should keep the husband's intelligence in good order so that they can combinedly prosecute the affairs of family life without impediment.

Reference text:
SB 4.27.2: The Queen took her bath and dressed herself nicely with all auspicious garments and ornaments. After taking food and becoming completely satisfied, she returned to the King. Upon seeing her beautifully decorated attractive face, the King welcomed her with all devotion.

Wife should not be neglected

King Puranjana neglected his wife and went for hunting. When he returned he found she was lying on the ground because she was neglected by her husband.
Srila Prabhupada writes in this regard:

"The wife of King Purañjana was lying on the ground because she was neglected by her husband. Actually the woman must always be protected by her husband. We always speak of the goddess of fortune as being placed on the chest of Nārāyaṇa. In other words, the wife must remain embraced by her husband. Thus she becomes beloved and well protected. Just as one saves his money and places it under his own personal protection, one should similarly protect his wife by his own personal supervision. Just as intelligence is always within the heart, so a beloved chaste wife should always have her place on the chest of a good husband. This is the proper relationship between husband and wife. A wife is therefore called ardhāńganī, or half of the body. One cannot remain with only one leg, one hand or only one side of the body. He must have two sides. Similarly, according to nature's way, husband and wife should live together. In the lower species of life, among birds and animals, it is seen that by nature's arrangement the husband and wife live together. It is similarly ideal in human life for the husband and wife to live together. The home should be a place for devotional service, and the wife should be chaste and accepted by a ritualistic ceremony. In this way one can become happy at home."

Reference verse and purport:
SB 4.26.17: All the women addressed the King: O master of the citizens, we do not know why your dear wife has taken on this sort of existence. O killer of enemies, kindly look! She is lying on the ground without bedding. We cannot understand why she is acting this way.

Good wife increases family's engagement in devotional service

Synopsis:

1. Success in household life is measured by how well husband and wife are executing Krishna Consciousness.
2. A good wife is one who can help her husband in executing Krishna Consciousness and save him from dangers offered by material existence.
3. There is no difference between good intelligence and a good wife as both help a person on the path of devotional service.
4. With such a good wife the family's engagement in devotional service of the Lord actually makes the home a grahastha-asrama or household dedicated spiritual cultivation.
5. If one is fortunate to have a good wife, he can decide by mutual consultation that human life is meant for advancing in Krishna Consciousness and the children should also be expansion of their Krishna Consciousness.

Reference Text and Purports:
SB 4.26.15: King Purañjana said: I do not understand why my household paraphernalia does not attract me as before. I think that if there is neither a mother nor devoted wife at home, the home is like a chariot without wheels. Where is the fool who will sit down on such an unworkable chariot?
Purport:
Actually, a woman is supposed to be the energy of the man. Historically, in the background of every great man there is either a mother or a wife. One’s household life is very successful if he has both a good wife and mother. In such a case, everything about household affairs and all the paraphernalia in the house becomes very pleasing. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had both a good mother and pleasing wife, and He was very happy at home. Nonetheless, for the benefit of the whole human race, He took sannyāsa and left both His mother and wife. In other words, it is essential that one have both a good mother and wife in order to become perfectly happy at home. Otherwise home life has no meaning. Unless one is religiously guided by intelligence and renders devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his home can never become very pleasing to a saintly person. In other words, if a man has a good mother or a good wife, there is no need of his taking sannyāsa — that is, unless it is absolutely necessary, as it was for Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.


SB 4.26.16: Kindly let me know the whereabouts of that beautiful woman who always saves me when I am drowning in the ocean of danger. By giving me good intelligence at every step, she always saves me.
Purport
Herein we see that King Purañjana was searching after his good wife, who always helped him out of the dangerous situations that always occur in material existence. As already explained, a real wife is dharma-patnī. That is, a woman accepted in marriage by ritualistic ceremony is called dharma-patnī, which signifies that she is accepted in terms of religious principles. Children born of a dharma-patnī inherit the property of the father, but children born of a woman who is not properly married do not inherit the father’s property. The word dharma-patnī also refers to a chaste wife. A chaste wife is one who never had any connection with men before her marriage. Once a woman is given the freedom to mingle with all kinds of men in her youth, it is very difficult for her to keep chaste. When butter is brought into the proximity of fire, it melts. The woman is like fire, and man is like the butter. But if one gets a chaste wife, accepted through a religious marriage ritual, she can be of great help when one is threatened by the many dangerous situations of life. Actually such a wife can become the source of all good intelligence. With such a good wife, the family’s engagement in the devotional service of the Lord actually makes a home a gṛhastha-āśrama, or household dedicated to spiritual cultivation.

SB 4.27.6: Purport for Point 5 in synopsis.
 If a man is in good consciousness, he consults with his religious wife, and as a result of this consultation, with intelligence, one advances in his ability to estimate the value of life. In other words, if one is fortunate enough to have a good, conscientious wife, he can decide by mutual consultation that human life is meant for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and not for begetting a large number of children. Children are calledpariṇāma, or by-products, and when one consults his good intelligence he can see that his by-products should be the expansion of his Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Also from purport to 4.26.15:

The great politician Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said:

mātā yasya gṛhe nāsti
 bhāryā cāpriya-vādinī
araṇyaṁ tena gantavyaṁ
 yathāraṇyaṁ tathā gṛham

“If a person has neither a mother nor a pleasing wife at home, he should leave home and go to the forest, because for him there is no difference between the forest and home.” The real mātā, or mother, is devotional service to the Lord, and the real patnī, or devoted wife, is a wife who helps her husband execute religious principles in devotional service. These two things are required for a happy home.

Actually, a woman is supposed to be the energy of the man. Historically, in the background of every great man there is either a mother or a wife. One’s household life is very successful if he has both a good wife and mother. In such a case, everything about household affairs and all the paraphernalia in the house becomes very pleasing. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had both a good mother and pleasing wife, and He was very happy at home. Nonetheless, for the benefit of the whole human race, He took sannyāsa and left both His mother and wife. In other words, it is essential that one have both a good mother and wife in order to become perfectly happy at home. Otherwise home life has no meaning. Unless one is religiously guided by intelligence and renders devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his home can never become very pleasing to a saintly person. In other words, if a man has a good mother or a good wife, there is no need of his taking sannyāsa — that is, unless it is absolutely necessary, as it was for Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.