For a spiritual traveler one indulging in spirituality the whole world finally becomes one large family. Furthermore we need establishing total control over five senses and mind. For this all earthly relationships have to be abdicated forever. Comes a stage in the life of a spiritual traveler when, one is not able to recognize own parents, brothers and sisters, close relatives and friends.
In such circumstances how can marital life sustain? Spiritual journey was all about inner journey towards our soul atman existing in heart. This can be done successfully only when we negated all our earthly relationships for ever. The prime reason why Siddhartha Gautama left confines of his home just by touching feet of wife and child for he knew willingly his wife would never permit Siddhartha Gautama abandoning the family midway.
In the last about 150 years amongst 7 billion people existing world over only two people successfully indulged in spirituality Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Maharshi Ramana and succeeded in reaching stage of self realization, god realization followed by moksha salvation.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa was a married person yet he indulged in spirituality and also gained success. His wife suffered on this account. Maharshi Ramana from the very beginning was a bachelor like Swami Vivekananda. Indulging in spirituality in family life is very difficult yet not impossible. Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita says one who can indulge in spirituality living in family is the biggest Yogi of all.
Why we have to cut family ties, there is a reason behind it. The present journey of life was manifested by our soul atman and the human form was only a medium for soul atman within to cleanse self of dross impurities within. As the ultimate master and controller of human body is our soul atman, the human form had little role to play in the spiritual journey of life.
We are all endowed with free will. Exercising power of discrimination we can choose what suits best in present circumstances. Choice is purely ours. But one thing is certain. We just could not leave confines of home without taking permission from the family. Karma is never burnt that way, it has to be burnt in totality to reach state of enlightenment.
Siddhartha Gautama quit his family midway and for which he suffered almost all his life. Siddhartha Gautama became Gautama Buddha in the last leg of earthly life 80 years of age. Within a year at 81 years of age he left his mortal frame.
In nutshell, spiritual journey can never be completed successfully if we quit the family midway. Either we remain a bachelor throughout like Swami Vivekananda or philosopher Sage Gargi or we should indulge in spirituality like Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa.