One could argue that since Priyavrata was free of material desire, why did he get married and get involved in sexual life? Why not just remain as a Brahmacārī king? Prabhupāda discusses this point in his purport:
“Since Mahārāja Priyavrata was fully trained in transcendental knowledge, he could have returned home and conducted the business of government as a brahmacārī. Instead, however, when he returned to household life, he accepted a wife also. The principle is that when one becomes a gṛhastha he must live perfectly in that order, which means he must live peacefully with a wife and children. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s first wife died, His mother requested Him to marry for a second time. He was twenty years old and was going to take sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four, yet by the request of His mother, He married. “As long as I am in household life,” He told His mother, “I must have a wife, for household life does not mean staying in a house. Real household life means living in a house with a wife.”
Many of the duties of a king can’t be performed by a celibate. A king has to perform many fruitive sacrifices that demand the presence of a wife, and he has to produce descendants that can continue the lineage. Because Priyavrata was so qualified, he didn’t need a wife for inspiration in performing his duties, like most men, but still, without a wife, he would not be properly situated in the āśrama. Vedic culture encourages us to be properly situated in one of the āśramas instead of trying to mix up their functions. By definition, a king is supposed to be a married man, and therefore, when he accepted the post, Priyavrata decided to also accept a wife and beget children...
