Hare Krsna,
From a purely material standpoint, the following two prayers of Kardama Muni may seem to express conflicting sentiments. In the first prayer, he says that the less intelligent people worship the lotus feet of the Lord to achieve cheap material things.
“Your lotus feet are the true vessel to take one across the ocean of mundane nescience. Only persons deprived of their intelligence by the spell of the deluding energy will worship those feet with a view to attain the trivial and momentary pleasures of the senses, which even persons rotting in hell can attain. However, O my Lord, You are so kind that You bestow mercy even upon them.” (SB 3.21.14)
However in the second prayer, he specifically prays to the Lord for a benediction to marry a girl of like disposition.
“Therefore, desiring to marry a girl of like disposition who may prove to be a veritable cow of plenty in my married life, to satisfy my lustful desire I too have sought the shelter of Your lotus feet, which are the source of everything, for You are like a desire tree.” (SB 3.21.15)
Therefore, from a material perspective it may seem that Kardama Muni, although aware that asking the Lord for material benediction is against the principles of pure devotional service, still prays to the Lord for a suitable wife, and thus contradicts what he previously prayed for.
Lord Caitanya, in His siksastaka prayers, instructs us that we should not pray to the Lord for wealth, women, fame, etc.
“O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.” (Siksastaka 3)
From a pure devotional standpoint, Kardama Muni’s prayers are not conflicting with each other. Kardama Muni worshipped Lord Visnu by performing austerities for ten thousand years, with a desire to get a suitable wife. His desire wasn’t for his sense enjoyment, but to fulfill the instruction of Brahma to create progeny, which was in turn a service to Lord Visnu.
“Commanded by Lord Brahmā to beget children in the worlds, the worshipful Kardama Muni practiced penance on the bank of the river Sarasvatī for a period of ten thousand years.” (SB 3.21.6)
“Kardama Muni wanted to have a wife of like disposition because a wife is necessary to assist in spiritual and material advancement. It is said that a wife yields the fulfillment of all desires in religion, economic development and sense gratification. If one has a nice wife, he is to be considered a most fortunate man.” (SB 3.21.15 P)
An advanced devotee may also circumstantially desire a temporary object, but it is only for a specific service for the Lord’s satisfaction.
In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krsna tells Arjuna that sex life is not contrary to religious principles.
“I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bhāratas [Arjuna].” (BG 7.11)
“The strong man’s strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression. Similarly, sex life, according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their offspring Kṛṣṇa conscious.” (BG 7.11 P)
As will be revealed later in the third canto, Kardama Muni and Devahuti actually begot a son – Lord Kapiladeva – who is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, Kardama Muni’s prayers to the Lord asking for a girl of like disposition is not against religious principles. He is praying for a wife to fulfill his superior (Lord Brahma’s) order to create progeny. Eventually after having created sufficient progeny, Kardama Muni would retire from active family life and dedicate himself completely to bhakti.
The lesson I take away from this is that exalted devotees like Kardama Muni prioritize spiritual life above all although they attend to the social and family duties very responsibly.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 