Q. Why do you not lead a family life with your wife?

A. The God Kârtikeya, the leader of the Heavenly army, once happened to scratch a cat with his nail. On going home he saw there was the mark of a scratch on the cheek of his Mother. Seeing this, he asked of her, ‘Mother, dear, how have you got that ugly scratch on your cheek?’ The Goddess Durgâ replied, ‘Child, this is thy own handiwork,–the mark scratched by thy own nail.’ Kârtikeya asked in wonder, ‘Mother, how is it? I never remember to have scratched thee!’ The Mother replied, ‘Darling, hast thou forgotten having scratched a cat this morning?’

Kârtikeya said, ‘Yes, I did scratch a cat; but how did your cheek get marked?’ The Mother replied, ‘Dear child, nothing exists in this world but myself. I am all creation. Whomsoever thou hurtest, thou hurtest me.’ Kârtikeya was greatly surprised at this, and determined thenceforward never to marry; for whom would he marry? Every woman was mother to him. I am like Kârtikeya. I consider every woman as my Divine Mother.

– The Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna, #222