Madhvaon Brahma Sūtra 3.4.48

(The householder is the most exalted of all in heaven; for in the Chandogya Upanishad the passage) winding up with the importance of the householder runs thus: “ He who having completely rendered his service as a pupil to the preceptor enters on the life of a house- holder, and living in a hallowed tract of country, studies scripture; performs righteous acts and righteously begets sons and maintains his children and others, centres all his senses on the Supreme Being, refrains from killing life except in the holy acts of sacrifice and thus spends the whole of his life time,—he attains to the world of Brahman ” ; and further on it is stated in the same pas- sage," And he does not return, does not return ” (Ch. VIII* 15.1). But this cannot be said (admitted); for the conclusion of the passage refers only to the gods who are perfect householders. Thus the Pautrayana Sruti says : « And these gods are certainly the perfect household- ers and they are the perfect ascetics; for their sons do not inherit their property, nor do they ever give up their house (the householder’s character). But they are desti- tute of love, hate and covetousness; they have all enjoy- ments ; they are all-knowing ; and they do everything.1'