# SB 3.22.14 > अहं त्वाशृणवं विद्वन्विवाहार्थं समुद्यतम् । > अतस्त्वमुपकुर्वाणः प्रत्तां प्रतिगृहाण मे ॥१४॥ ## Text > ahaṁ tvāśṛṇavaṁ vidvan > vivāhārthaṁ samudyatam > atas tvam upakurvāṇaḥ > prattāṁ pratigṛhāṇa me ## Synonyms *aham*—I; *tvā*—you; *aśṛṇavam*—heard; *vidvan*—O wise man; *vivāha*-*artham*—for the sake of marriage; *samudyatam*—prepared; *ataḥ*—hence; *tvam*—you; *upakurvāṇaḥ*—not taken a vow of perpetual celibacy; *prattām*—offered; *pratigṛhāṇa*—please accept; *me*—of me. ## Translation **Svāyambhuva Manu continued: O wise man, I heard that you were prepared to marry. Please accept her hand, which is being offered to you by me, since you have not taken a vow of perpetual celibacy.** ## Purport The principle of *brahmacarya* is celibacy. There are two kinds of *brahmacārīs.* One is called *naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī,* which means one who takes a vow of celibacy for his whole life, whereas the other, the *upakurvāṇa-brahmacārī,* is a *brahmacārī* who takes the vow of celibacy up to a certain age. For example, he may take the vow to remain celibate up to twenty-five years of age; then, with the permission of his spiritual master, he enters married life. *Brahmacarya* is student life, the beginning of life in the spiritual orders, and the principle of *brahmacarya* is celibacy. Only a householder can indulge in sense gratification or sex life, not a *brahmacārī.* Svāyambhuva Manu requested Kardama Muni to accept his daughter, since Kardama had not taken the vow of *naiṣṭhika-brahmacarya.* He was willing to marry, and the suitable daughter of a high royal family was presented.