From the Spiritual Discourses of
Param Pujya Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu
The Secret of
Vital Energy is the essence of Your Body.
Preservation
of it is the key to longevity of youthfulness.
Brahmacharya
is the supreme penance
Preservation
of semen gives life
The
cause of magnetic personality
Sex
for progeny -A natural plan
Psychoanalysis
-created by abnormal Freud
Ways
to preserve seminal energy
(iii) Bathing
the genital organ
(iv) Asanas
and physical exercises
(viii) Seek
Satsang or Good Company
(ix) Practise
Tribandha Pranayama
(x) When
the Neem tree (Margosa) moved..
(xi) Change
the angle of vision
(xiii) Read
good spiritual books
Miracles
of preserving seminal energy
Grandsire
Bhishma and the great Abhimanyu
The
cause of Prithviraj Chauhan's defeat
A
Word of caution to the youth
Experiences
of sublimation through grace
Techniques
for Conservation of Seminal Energy
Is
the woman the gateway to hell?
The
miracle of darsan of a saint
Experience
of divine grace abroad
शरीरमाद्यं
खलु
धर्मसाधनम् |
"The
body is the soul's instrument to perform righteous actions."
All spiritual disciplines are performed through the
body. If the body is weak and sickly, the mind becomes similarly afflicted. To
attain success in any enterprise, it is essential that both the body and the
mind are healthy and function in harmony and synchronicity. That is why an aged
person is unfit to undertake Sadhana (spiritual discipline). The unbridled
gratification of desires over the years drains away mental, vital and physical
energies. Even if such a person possesses a strong will power, his body would
not assist him. On the other hand, sadly, today's Youth, in spite of having the
physical ability to proceed on the path of Sadhana, are distracted by the objects
of sense indulgence
and
fall a prey to carnal pleasures. Not appreciating the prime importance of
sexual energy, they recklessly fritter it away through sensual indulgence, a
folly that would later become a matter of life-long repentance for them.
Many young people, who are badly perturbed, come to
me for guidance and help. They open up their hearts before me. They confess
that through uncontrolled sexual indulgence they have lost mental, vital and
physical energies with the result that their mind becomes sluggish, will power
is lost and the body becomes languid and sickly. They live a miserable life
seeing no way to redemption. They lament that, for them, Self-realisation will
remain a distant dream and that they have somehow to drag along the remaining
part of the life, aimlessly.
Throughout history, great sages, saints, and seers
have stressed the paramount importance of celibacy for leading a noble and
sublime life. A person lacking in self-restraint and self-discipline can never make progress in any worthwhile
endeavor nor can he be of any service to the society. A society made up of such
people is unable to make any material or spiritual progress. Such degenerated
societies disintegrate in the long run.
First of all, let us understand the meaning of Brahmacharya.
'Yajnavalkya Samhita' states:
कर्मणा
मनसा वाचा
सर्वास्थासु सर्वदा
|
सर्वत्र
मैथुनत्यागो
ब्रह्मचर्यं
प्रचक्षते ||
"Brahmacharya is abstaining from all kinds of Maithuna
or sexual enjoyment forever, in all places and in all
conditions- physically, mentally and verbally."
The great sage Vyasa said:
ब्रह्मचर्यं गुप्तेन्द्रिस्योपस्थस्य संयमः |
'To abandon the pleasure gained through the sexual organs by restraint is defined as celibacy."
Lord Siva said to Goddess Parvati,
सिद्धे बिन्दौ महादेवि किं न सिद्धयति भूतले |
"O Parvati! What is there on this earth which cannot be accomplished if one has control over his sexual fluid?" That is, all powers reside at the divine feet of the Enlightened Urdhvareta (one who is able to sublimate his sexual energy through the practice of yoga). In fact, Siddhis (divine powers) become his facile servants. Such a Sadhaka can attain Self-Realisation within a short span of time. Even the gods (deities) have attained immortality through Brahmacharya".
ब्रह्मचर्येण
तपसा देवा
मृत्युमुपाघ्नत
|
इन्द्रो
ह
ब्रह्मचर्येण
देवेभ्यः
स्वराभरत ||
"The gods have conquered death by Brahmacharya and penance. Indra, the King of gods, has attained a still higher status, through the self-discipline of Brahmacharya." (Atharva veda: 1. 5. 19)
Lord Siva said:
न
तपस्तप
इत्याहुर्ब्रह्मचर्यं
तपोत्तमम् |
ऊर्ध्वरेता
भवेद्यस्तु स
देवो न तु
मानुषः ||
"Celibacy alone is the supreme penance. Of course, other penances (such as keeping fast and silence etc ...) are good in their place, but they are all inferior to Brahmacharya. That Urdhvareta saint who has done penance over the restraint of the sexual organ is not a human-being but God."
Brahmacharya is also hailed in Jain scriptures.
तवेसु वा उत्त्मं बंभचेरम् |
"Brahmacharya is the supreme penance."
Semen is found in a subtle state in all the cells of the body. Just as the buttermilk is thinned after the butter is removed, so also, semen is thinned by its wastage. The more the wastage of semen, the more the body deteriorates and weakens. The preservation of semen is the secret of good health and longevity, and of all success in the physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual planes. He who has even a little bit of Brahmacharya will tide over a crisis of any disease very easily. One who follows Brahmacharya strictly is usually not afflicted by any disease. That is why, in scriptures, it is said:
मरणं बिन्दोपातेन जीवनं बिन्दुधारणात् |
"Death is hastened by letting
out semen from the body. Life is saved and prolonged by preserving it. Semen is the
real vitality in men. It is the hidden treasure in man."
"There is no doubt that people
die prematurely by letting the semen out of the body; knowing this, the Yogi should
always preserve semen and lead a life of strict celibacy."
- Siva Samhita
In Jain Scripture, it is said,
अबंभचरियं घोरं पमायं दुरहिठ्ठियम् |
"Of the myriad
vices, lust is the worst." ----- (Dasa
Vaikalika Sutra : 6.17)
'Atharva Veda'
declares:
व्रतेषु वै वै ब्रह्मचर्यम् |
"Celibacy is the
supreme religious observance."
After
Dhanvantari, founder of Ayurveda (Herbal Medical Science) taught all details
about this science, his students enquired about its keynote (essence). In the
reply, master asserted," I tell you that Brahmacharya
is truly a precious jewel. It is the one most effective
medicine-nectar indeed-, which destroys diseases, decay and death. For
attaining peace, brightness, memory, knowledge, health and Self-realisation,
one should observe Brahmacharya, the highest Dharma, the highest knowledge, greatest strength. Of the nature of Brahmacharya
is verily this Atma and in Brahmacharya it resides. Saluting Brahmacharya first, the cases beyond cure, I cure, Aye' Brahmacharya
can undo all the inauspicious signs."
All
the sages, saints and founders of religions have sung the glory of celibacy.
The
great Yogi Gorakhandtha, chanting in praise of semen has said,
कंत
गया कूँ
कामिनी झूरै | बिन्दु
गया कूँ जोगी ||
"As
a fair lady grieves due to separation from her beloved, so does an ascetic
(Yogi) due to his separation from his semen."
"By
the power of the composure of the semen, one will become just like
Myself." ---- Lord Siva
According
to Ayurveda, from the digested food chyle is formed. Out of chyle comes blood.
Out of blood comes flesh. Out of flesh comes fat. Out of fat comes bone. Out of
bone comes marrow. Out of marrow comes semen. Conversion of Dhatu at
every step takes a period of five days. Thus semen is the last Dhatu that is formed out
of food. It takes approximately 30 days and 4 hours to complete this cycle.
Scientists believe that an intake of 32 kgs. Of food produces 800 Gms. of
blood, which in turn forms only 20 Gms. of semen. Now, you can see how precious
the semen is!
Eminent
European Medical experts also support the statements of the Yogis of India. Dr.
Nicole says, "It is a medical and physiological fact that the best blood in
the body goes to form the elements of reproduction in both the sexes. In a pure
and orderly life, this matter is reabsorbed. It goes back into
circulation ready to form the finest brain, nerve and muscular tissues. This
vital fluid of man carried back and diffused through his system makes him
manly, strong, brave and heroic. If wasted, it leaves him effeminate, weak and
physically debilitated and prone to sexual irritation and disordered function,
a wretched nervous system, epilepsy and various other diseases and death. The
suspension of the use of the generative organs is attained with a notable
increase of bodily, mental and spiritual vigour."
If
the spermatic secretion in man is continuous, it must either be expelled or be
reabsorbed. As a result of the most patient and preserving scientific
investigations, it has been found that whenever the seminal
secretions are conserved and thereby reabsorbed into the system, it goes
towards enriching the blood and strengthening the brain.
Dr.
Dio Louis thinks that the conservation of this element is essential to strength
of body, vigour of mind and keenness of intellect. Another writer Dr. E.P.
Miller says: "All waste of spermatic secretions, whether voluntary or
involuntary, is a direct waste of the life-force. It is almost universally
conceded that the choicest element of the blood enters into the composition of
the spermatic secretions. If these conclusions are correct, then it follows
that celibacy in life is essential to man's ultimate well- being."
According to Dhanvantari, the sexual energy is transmuted
into Ojas or spiritual energy by pure thoughts. It is called sex
sublimation in western psychology. Sublimation is not a matter of suppression
or repression, but a positive dynamic conversion process. It is the process of controlling the sex energy, conserving it, then diverting it into
higher channels and finally converting it into spiritual energy or Ojas
shakti.
Ojas is the cause of attractive personality. If you see
any person who is outstanding in his works, whose speech is impressive and
thrilling, has lustrous eyes and a magnetic aura on his face and awe-inspiring
(charismatic) personality, be sure that he has stored up Ojas in his
brain. This stored up energy can be utilised for divine comtemplation
and spiritual pursuits (Self-realisation).
Assuming that an ordinary man consumes 32 kgs. Of food in
40 days, yielding 800 Gms. of blood, which in turn will yield only 20 Gms. of
semen over a period of one month. A person will be able to accumulate about 15 Gms. of semen in 30 days. And one-month
accumulation of semen is discharged in one sexual intercourse!
Once there was a gardener. He spent all his time, energy
and wealth in developing a floral garden. In the garden varieties of
multi-colored flowers were grown. He gathered the flowers and extracted a
wonderful perfume. And what did he do next? He poured the perfume into a sewer.
Don't you think that only the gardener is foolish? Most of
us are like the stupid gardener. The semen accumulated in the body over a
period of 15 to 20 years up to our early youth, plus what we go on collecting
in cycles of 30 to 40 days that could have been transmuted into Ojas
to give bodily strength, vigour and radiance, is dissipated
for enjoying fleeting sexual gratification. Thus many of us are not less stupid
than the gardener of the story. Certainly the gardener would have not repeated
the mischievous action after knowing his folly through someone's instructions,
but the people are repeating their folly of sex-indulgence over and over again
(even after getting instructions from scriptures and saints). For a momentary
pleasure a person falls a prey to the sexual act blindly driven by passion.
After the heat of the passion has subsided, a person feels drained of all
energies. The energy that is wasted during one sexual intercourse, tantamount
to the energy that is spent in physical labour for 10 days or the energy that
is utilized in mental work for three days. Still one repeats the same folly
without realizing that it does not provide lasting happiness. On the contrary,
it results in terrible harm to health and wastes the precious vital fluid
accumulated over a period of 30 to 40 days.
The sexual degradation that has overtaken mankind today is directly
due to the fact that people have assumed that there is a natural "sexual
instinct" in human beings. It is not so. The natural instinct is the
procreative one. The Mother Nature has bestowed the power of reproduction to
all the creatures (flora and fauna) for continuation of the race. Sex is not an
entertainment. If a man leads a life of celibacy even in householder's life and
has copulation for the sake of progeny only, he can bring forth healthy, intelligent,
strong, beautiful and self-sacrificing children. Higher forms of animals do
have the sex impulse, but it becomes active only during the mating season; and
thus they maintain health. Man, with his boasted intellect, has to learn
lessons from birds and animals. Even animals have more self-control than men.
It is only the so-called man who has degraded himself much by indulgence. At
the heat of sexual excitement, he repeats the same ignoble act again and again.
Man only violates the laws of nature and consequently suffers from innumerable
diseases. He has degenerated to a level far lower than that of animals in this
respect.
आहारनिद्राभयमैथुनं च सामान्यमेतत्पशुभिर्नराणाम् |
Food,
sleep, fear and copulation are common to both animals and men. That which
differentiates a man from an animal is Dharma, faculty of
discrimination. Viveka and Vichara Shakti can be secured by the
preservation of Virya. You had enough of sense and sex gratification in
all your previous
bodies of various animals. Human life is not meant for satisfaction of lower
appetites of sex and tongue. It is meant for higher purpose. If we do not
cultivate discrimination and intelligence and go on gratifying sexual desires
without restraint, how can we attain the higher goal of Self-realisation?
Many persons are misled by the perverse logic of the
so-called intelligent people who say that scriptures and saints have also
preached to lead a natural way of life. When you desire to work, work. When you desire to play, play. When you feel hungry, eat. When
you are tired, go to sleep. They are advocates for uncontrolled sense
pleasures. Even the Freudian psychologists stress that repression or
suppression of the sexual desires is the cause of many diseases. So there
should be no tension or suppression. They advocate for free sex.
In the practice of Brahmacharya, what is wanted is
elimination of lust, but not suppression. Repression or suppression of the
sexual desires will attack you again and again and will produce wet dreams, irritability and restlessness of mind. Brahmacharya
means control, but not suppression of the sexual desire or
sex force. The mind should be rendered pure by Meditation, Japa,
Kirtan and Prayer. If the mind is filled with sublime
divine thoughts by meditation, japa, prayer and study of holy scriptures, the
sex desire will be devitalized and the sexual energy is transmuted into Ojas
or spiritual energy. Sublimation is not a matter of
suppression or repression, but a positive, dynamic, conversion process. The material
energy is converted into spiritual energy, just as heat is changed into light
and electricity. Freud had studied the cases of suppression or repression of
sexual desire. He did not study the cases of sublimation of sexual energy into
spiritual energy. Dr. Freud called desire as 'sexual instinct’ or 'libido'. Dr.
Carl Jung refuted this theory and described this desire as the 'creative
energy.'
The practice of celibacy is not attended with any
danger or any dire disease or undesirable result such as the various sorts of
complex that are wrongly attributed to it by the western psychologists. They have no practical knowledge of the subject on hand. They have got
a wrong, ill-founded imagination that the ungratified sex energy assumes in
disguise the various forms of complex such as touch phobia. The complex is due
to some other causes. It is a morbid state of mind due to excessive jealousy,
hatred, anger, worry and depression brought about by various causes. Some people
quote saint Kabir's words,"O saints! Supreme
is the natural state of Samadhi." They misinterpret the
message of Kabir and indulge in unrestrained sex. But they commit
selfdeception. Such people fail to understand that this natural life is meant
for Enlightened (Jnani) souls. In a Self-Realized person,
the sexual craving is entirely eradicated; no sexual thought will crop up in
the mind. They have transcended the allurements of their senses, mind and
intellect and are unaffected by praise or insult, steadfastly poised in the
Self, beyond the reign of ignorance and illusion. They do not expect anything
from the world. Worldly happenings have no effect on their perennial state of
bliss. Thus, if they are offered abundance of material, they can, with perfect
equanimity, either use them or throw them away. What to speak of material
objects, they have lost all attachment even to their bodies. It makes no
difference to them whether they have a body or not. They are in a continuous
state of peace and bliss. It is in regard to these enlightened souls that saint
Kabir says:
साधो, सहज समाधि भली |
If
anyone has reached this stage, then it is all right. Otherwise beware! Under
the pretext of leading a natural life, one should not make excuses and become
the cause of one's own moral and spiritual degradation. Compare the state of an
ordinary person to that of a great saint. If an ordinary person were insulted,
he would become furious and revengeful. His mental poise is disturbed even by
trivial attacks in life. He is a slave to passion and hatred. He is dominated
by the sense of I-ness and My-ness: my house, my wealth, my reputation, and my
body... This is the pseudo identification yet it seems real to the ordinary
person. Is it possible for him to live being detached from these feelings?
Please think over it seriously.
Even
some saintly persons are not able to detach themselves from their bodies, what
to speak of ordinary people? Many a sages and saintly persons are obsessed with
these concepts, "I am an ascetic, I don't eat sweets, I don't look at
women, I don't touch money..." They have not been able to make their
lives 'natural'.
Many
a people indulge in sense pleasures in the name of 'natural life'. The mouth
waters at the sight of sweets. One becomes upset when one's beloved is in
trouble. If the business suffers a loss, owner suffers from insomnia. One
becomes homesick if one stays away from his dear ones for a long time.
Are these the marks of a 'natural life' that the saints speak of? Certainly
not!
There is a great injustice being done to the youth at
present time. They face attacks from all sides, which is sex stimulating.
On one side, animalistic sexual instincts drag them to wanton sex-pleasures; the permissive society encourages them to become libertine. If these base instincts are supported by the scientists who assert that self-control is harmful to health and when so called Gurus also start preaching "From sex to super conscious”, on the basis of the science of corruption founded by misleading psychoanalyst like Freud, then God alone can save the celibacy of the youth and chastity of the married couples.
Lack of self-control gives rise to diseases. The western
world has suffered moral and ethical degradation by following the Freudian
psychology. It is clearly observed in statistical data. Population of
(Srole,
Leo, Langer, Thomas, et al, Mental health in Metropolis, The midtown Manhatton
Study.)
Freudian psychoanalysts failed to give any solution to the
problem of suppressing desires. So the people alarmed of getting mental
disorders, continued to satisfy their desires even by illegal means. This in
turn increased the incidence of crimes. On an average one case of rape is
recorded per six seconds and about 2 million cases of pre-marietal
pregnancy are recorded every year in U.S.A. Teenage pregnancy is a burning
problem of
About 65% of marriages result in divorce. As they have
violated the nature's law of self-control, they suffer from sexually
transmitted diseases. The most horrible is AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome), which is spreading like an epidemic. The family life is disturbed by
internal conflicts, dissatisfaction and rage. The social life is
full of chaos, terror, insecurity and arrogance. This is not caused by poverty
or lack of materials. The
Dr. Freud called desire as 'sexual instinct' or 'libido'.
Dr. Jung refuted this theory and described this desire as the creative energy'.
Wide "Modern man in search of soul" Professor Adler differed from
Freud attributing less importance to sexual factors. He broke away in 1912.
Though Freud has been severely denounced for his sexual
obsession by eminent psychologists Adler and C.G.Jung, his followers are
misguiding the youth even this day. A few unthoughtful philosophers of
Child psychiatrist Stilia Chess of
Ernest Jones has called this single-idea-obsession, which
leads Freud to extrapolate his own feelings on to all
humanity in the case of the oedepal theory.
During his self-analysis, Freud learnt of his oedepal love
towards his mother, attractive Amalie. It was first aroused as a boy when he
took an overnight train trip with her from
Freud said, "These feelings of love for the parent of
opposite sex and hostility to the parent of same sex begin at the age of three
years and remain in subconscious mind throughout the life. With boys to beget a
child from mother is never absent. Suppression of sex desires causes nervous
diseases like neurosis and psychological maldevelopment."
What a disgustible and ridiculous theory this is! A male
child desiring sexual union with his mother? Even birds and animals enter into
sex-life after puberty, when their sexual organs are well developed. How can a young child have sexual craving when he is
physiologically immature and psychologically unaware of sexual desires? How
could the innocent child come to know of the sexual involvement of parents? How
can he develop hostility to his father?
Freud says, "The infants first sexual feelings are
stirred at his mother's breast... suckling of the child at the mother's breast is the model for every (sexual)
relation."
If this were true, the child would never wean
breast-feeding. He would continue intensifying his desire till adulthood. How
could this be possible'? Adler had come to disbelieve Freud's sexual theories
including infantile sexuality.
Now these Freud's ills are advancing towards
Therefore, the people who wish to save mankind
particularly the young generation from undergoing devilish transformation, wish
the youth to possess vibrant physical health, cheerfulness of mind and sharp intelligence, want to save the people of our nation from the
dreaded disease of AIDS, and want to build a healthy society should come out to
propagate the message Of self-Control, self-restraint, chastity and celibacy to
the young people in the Society.
Thousands
of devotees distribute books like 'Yauvan Suraksha' ('The Secret of Eternal Youth') and 'Yoga Yatra-4' among schools, colleges and society for the layman's benefit.
"In
1977 'The President's Commission on Mental Health' concluded that the state of
our psyche is worse than believed and that one quarter of all Americans suffer
from severe emotional stress. They warned that up to 32 million Americans are
in need of professional psychiatric help."
(Lyons, Richard D.)
In his
book, "The psychological society", Mr. Martin Gross, a great author,
editor and educator says, "The Freudian neurosis has infiltrated our
psyche and our culture more deeply than we yet understand. If we recognise that
much of it is a reflection of Freud himself, and we know the dimensions of that
personality's distortions, it may help us to free ourselves from its pervasive
influence. We might no longer have to live in the shadow of Dr. Freud."
Modern
psychoanalysis, most of modern psychiatry and most of psychotherapy is the
perfect mirrors of Freud's neuroses. They are the nurturing home for Freud's
murderous death wishes, calamitous sibling rivalries, unconscious enmity
against parents, bisexuality, incest drives, latent homosexuality, inverted
love hate relationships, dogmatised superstition and unseen hatred of every
description.
Freud
suffered from spastic colon, near continuous depressive moods, neurasthenia,
homosexual tendencies, bad temper, migraines, constipation, travel phobias,
death fears, heart irregularity, money phobias, infected sinuses, fainting spells
and hostile drives of hate and murder. He had been a victim of superstition,
magical numbers and childish gullibility. He was a cocaine addict.
Freud
has impressed his own pathological childhood onto modern society as a typical
situation, thus creating psychic chaos in the psychological society. Freud's
personality has distorted psychology and psychiatry.
Eminent
psychologist Dr. C.G.Jung refuted Freud's theory. Dr. Adler also differed from
Freud in many respects. He rejected root and branch of the entire Freudian
conception of basic masculine and feminine psychology.
It is
sad to note that these refuted theories founded by abnormal Freud are taught by
many psychiatrists and sexologists to the people of
If
sexual urge is not controlled, excessive sexual intercourse drains the energy
enormously. Persons are physically, mentally and morally debilitated by wasting
the seminal power. You experience much exhaustion and weakness. Such unrestrained
sex-indulgence nullifies the very purpose of human life, which is specially endowed
with intelligence; wisdom, discrimination and will power to enable the soul
attain Self-realization. Man wants unbridled license to indulge in sex all the
365 days of the year on the fallacious plea that, 'if it were not good to
satisfy the urge, why did God create it in the first place?' They do not
realize that their intellect is blinded by lust and that they are vainly trying
to blame God for their errors.
Sometime ago, I received a letter. The gentleman had
written: "Your Holiness said in a Satsang and it is also published in your
books that one shouldn't smoke cigarettes, cigars etc, and should abstain from other addictions, as they destroy the strength, health
and intelligence of the consumer. If it be so, why did God create
tobacco?"
This gentleman is unable to abandon his addiction and he
is making God liable for it. God has created roses as well as thorns. Then why
do we pick up the roses and not the thorns? Why is a knife used to cut vegetables and not one's own throat? God has created
fire. Why do we use it to cook food and not to bum our own houses? Why don't we
use poisonous plants as vegetables? The answer is simple. In these situations
we use our discriminative intelligence (Viveka) to select beneficial and to reject harmful ones. But in case of
sex-indulgence, man does not control his mind and blames God. God has created
almonds, pistachios, milk and many other nutritious eatables too. If we are
discriminative, we would certainly choose such nourishing and energy-giving
things rather than spending our money on energy draining and health injuring
addictions. Man justifies his bad habits and addictions through hypocritical
rationalisation. This is misuse of intelligence and energy. Smoking and other
addictions debilitate the mind and make the intelligence dull and confused.
Preservation of seminal energy is the vital subject
for those who want success in material or spiritual life. It is essential for
strong body and sharp brain.
ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां
वीर्यलाभः ||37||
Maharisihi Patahjali has stated in his Yoga Aphorisms,
"After becoming an urdhvareta (a Yogi who has accomplished
perpetual sublimation of semen) through Yoga, a Yogi becomes all-powerful. That
Yogi alone can realize the supreme truth. Since through celibacy the impossible
becomes possible, the gain of fame, wealth and other material
things is assured to the celibate."
One of the disciples of Socrates (a great Greek
philosopher) asked his teacher, "My Venerable Master, kindly instruct me
how many times a house-holder can have copulation with his legal wife?"
Socrates
replied, "Only once in his life time"
The
disciple said," Oh my Lord! This is absolutely impossible for worldly men.
Pray, kindly prescribe an easy path."
Then
Socrates said, "A house-holder can have copulation once in a year."
The
disciple replied, "O Venerable Sir, this is also a hard job for them. You
must prescribe an easier course."
Socrates
then replied, "Well, my dear disciple, once in a month. This is suitable.
This is quite easy. I think you are satisfied now."
The
disciple said, "This also is impossible, my revere master. Householders
are very fickleminded. Please prescribe an easier course."
Socrates
said, "Twice in a month. But this will cause an early death."
The
disciple said, "This also is impossible, for they cannot remain for a
single day without sexual intercourse."
Then
Socrates said, "Well said, my dear child. Do one thing now. Dig a grave
and purchase a coffin and winding sheet for the corpse before hand. Now you can
spoil yourself any number of times you like. This is my final advice to
you."
This last advice pierced the heart of the disciple. He
thought over the matter seriously and understood the importance and glory of Brahmacharya.
He took a vow of strict unbroken celibacy for life. He took to
spiritual Sadhana in right earnest and
attained Self-realisation. But one, who wastes his semen for sexual pleasure,
finally attains despair, weakness and death. Priceless human life is wasted in
sexual indulgence but sexual desires are never satiated. You might have heard
the story of King Yayaati.
There
once lived a King named Yayaati who lived for a full one thousand years of
enjoying all the pleasures a King of his position could command. Guru
Shukracharya's daughter Devayani was his wife. Guru Shukracharya cursed him to
become old because he had intimate relations with a maid servant named
Sarmistha. He asked for forgiveness. Shukracharya took pity on him and
favourably modified his curse, so that Yayaati could regain his youth if anyone
of his sons is ready to get his old age in return. He had still a great desire
to enjoy all royal pleasures for some more years, he asked each of his sons (Yadu,
Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu), one by one, to take upon himself this old age and
give him his youth in return, assuring that after one thousand years he would
return the youth and take back his decrepitude. Not one of them was willing to
accept the offer except his youngest son named Puru.
Puru gave his youth to his father and got in return old age and its
consequent weakness. Yayaati, being exceedingly delighted with his new youth,
began to indulge again in sensual pleasures. He enjoyed himself to the full
limit of his powers and as much as he desired without violating the precepts of
religion. He was very happy, but only one thought troubled him. And that was
the thought that the one thousand years would come to an end. He was not
satisfied even when the fixed time came to an end. He came to his son Puru and
addressed him thus: "O son, I have enjoyed with your youth to the full
limit of my powers and all pleasures, according to their seasons. But desires
never die. They are never satiated by indulgence. By indulgence they flame up
like the sacrificial fire with ghee poured into it."
न
जातु कामः
कामानामुपभोगेन
शाम्यति |
हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ||
He
said, "If one becomes the sole lord of all the earth, with its paddy,
oats, gems, beasts and women, still it will not be considered by him enough.
Therefore, the thirst for enjoyment should be abandoned. The thirst for enjoyment which is
difficult to cast off by the wicked, which does not fail even with failing
life, is truly a fatal disease in man. To get rid of this thirst is real
happiness.
Yayaati's experience is very useful to mankind. He continued, "My
mind was attached to the pleasures of life for full one thousand years. My
thirst for them, however, without being abated, is daily being increased."
पूर्णं
वर्षसहस्रं
मे
विषयासक्तचेतसः
|
तथाप्यनुदिनं
तृष्णा
ममैतेष्वभिजायते
||
Yayaati
said, "My son, therefore, I shall get rid of it. I shall fix my mind on Brahman
(supreme consciousness), and becoming peaceful and having no attachment, I
shall pass the rest of my days in the forest with the innocent deer." So
saying he installed Puru on the throne after giving him back his youth and
retired into the forest to lead the life of an ascetic. Puru's dynasty was
named Paurav in which Janmejaya, the son of King Parikshit was born.
By the blessing of Sage Gargacharya, King Muchakunda had darshan
of Lord Sri Krishna. The king asked Lord Sri Krishna to bestow his
unswerving devotion. Lord Sri Krishna said, "You have excessively indulged
in sense pleasures. Epicureans cannot get unswerving devotion to God.
Selfcontrol is a must to get firm devotion. In next life you
will be conferred with firm devotion."
King Muchakunda died. In Kaliyuga he was born as a great
staunch devotee of Lord Sri Krishna - known as Narasimha
Mehata.
Those, who do not realize the importance and value of this
vital essence of life, should remember that they are followers of Yayaati and
they will be ruined. They must learn a lesson from the experience of Yayaati.
They should cultivate dynamic will power, discriminative intellect and elevating compassion. If not upon others, at least be kind to
yourself. Forget the past. take a fresh
start in your life. Better late than never. Practice Brahmacharya, learn various Yogasana, Pranayama etc. and practice
regularly and adopt the herbal therapy to keep sound health and regain the lost
vitality. Be heroic and brave-hearted ...
In the present-day world, unfortunately, many people read pornographic
literature, view sexy films on television and in theatres, view blue films in
privacy, as a result we see all around us, the number of physical, mental and
moral wrecks increasing every day. Many a times such people indulge in unnatural
sex. Masturbation or homosexual tendency lead them to wastage of seminal energy
many times a weak. They may discharge seminal energy in bad dreams or wet
dreams. Due to excessive loss of semen, enlargement of testes and sometimes
pain in the testes develops. The evil after-effects that follow the loss of
seminal energy are dangerous. Persons are physically, mentally and morally
debilitated. The body and the mind refuse to work energetically, because the
semen is not used up in the body to form Ojas that give
vibrant health, strong will power and sound mind. Later on, such people develop
impotency for the testices cannot produce semen with normal sperm count. Life
for him loses all zest, zeal and charm. He becomes a victim of a number of
diseases like anaemia, loss of memory, gloominess, palpitation of heart, pain
in the back, loins, head and joints, weak kidneys, fickle mindedness,
enlargement of testes, pain in the testes, debility, nervous breakdown,
restlessness of mind, lack of thinking power, etc. He goes through hellish
suffering. The scripture declares emphatically,
आयुस्तेजोबलं
वीर्यं
प्रज्ञा
श्रीश्च महदयशः
|
पुण्यं
च
प्रीतिमत्वं
च
हन्यतेऽब्रह्मचर्या
||
"By the practise of Brahmacharya,
longevity, glory, strength, vigour, knowledge, wealth, undying fame, virtues and
devotion to truth increase."
Therefore, practice of
celibacy is always commendable.
'Atharva Veda' declares:
अति
सृष्टो अपा
वृषभोऽतिसृष्टा
अग्नयो दिव्या
||1||
इदं
तमति सृजामि
तं
माऽभ्यवनिक्षि
||2||
"I
have abandoned the lust that wastes my seminal energy. I throw away those
sexual desires forever as they destroy my strength, intelligence and health. I
will never become a victim of sexual desires' "
But what happens to one who does not lead the life of celibacy. 'Atharva Veda' says,
रुजन्
परिरुजन्
मृणन्
परिमृणन् |
म्रोको
मनोहा खनो
निर्दाह
आत्मदूषिस्तनूदूषिः
||
"The
lust is the cause of diseases, dire diseases. It is the cause of death, fatal
death. It makes one walk with tottering steps. It causes mental debility and
retardation. It destroys health, vitality and physical well being. It burns all
the Dhaatus (viz.chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen). It
pollutes the purity of mind."
With
the strength of brahmacharya Arjuna was able to defeat Angaarparna, a
great Gandharva. The story goes like this:
The Pandavas, sons of Pandu, proceeded towards Panchaala.
They walked day and night and reached Somasrayan, on the bank of the
river
Hearing this, Angaarparna became very angry and drawing
his bow he shot at them his arrows, which were like the poisonous snakes. The
Pandava Arjuna, who had an excellent shield, warded off all those arrows with it and with the torch in his hand. Then the
Pandava angrily hurled at the Gandharva that celestial weapon, blazing fire weapon, which immediately burnt
his chariot. Having fainted away by the force of the weapon, the greatly
powerful Gandharva was falling headlong
downwards from his chariot. But Arjuna seized him by the hair of his head,
which was adorned, with garlands of flowers. He dragged towards his brother
that Gandharva insensible in consequence
of being wounded by the weapon. Seeing this, his wife Kumminasi being desireous
of rescuing her husband, came to Yudhisthira and asked for his protection.
Yudhisthira said,"O, chastiser of foes, who would kill an enemy who has
been vanquished in the battle, who has been deprived of his fame, who is
protected by a woman and who is incapable of defending himself. 0 child, set
him free."
Arjuna said, "O Gandharva ! Take your life. Go
hence and do not grieve. The king of the Kurus, Yudhisthira orders me today to show you mercy."
The Gandharva said,
"I have been defeated by you, therefore I shall give up my former name of
Angaarparna (the blazing vehicle). My excellent and beautiful chariot has been
burnt by your fireweapon. I was formerly called
Chitraratha having a beautiful chariot; I shall now be called Dagdharatha
(having the chariot burnt). I am desirous to impart to Arjuna the power of
producing illusions of the Gandharvas. This science is called Chaaksusi. It was taught by Manu to Soma. Soma taught it to Vishwaprabha.
Vishwaprabha taught it to me. Having been given by the preceptor to one who is
a Kaapurus (without energy) it went
to die out. Listen now to its prowess. Whatever you will desire to see by your
eyes in this world and whatever its nature, it will be seen by you with the
help of this science. One can acquire this science by standing on one leg for
six months. I shall impart to you this science without your observing any vows.
0 King! Only on account of this science, we have superiority over men. Because
we are capable of seeing everything (by our spiritual eyes) we are equal to the
celestials. 0 excellent man, I desire to give you and your brothers, each
separately, one hundred horses born in the regions of the Gandhara. They are of
the celestial colour and they possess speed as that of the mind. Arjuna refused
to be obliged by the Gandharva. Gandharva then asked to give his
fire weapon in exchange of his horses.
Arjuna said, "O Gandharva
! I shall take your horses in exchange of my fire-weapon. Let our
friendship be everlasting. 0 Gandharva ! we are all chastisers of foes,
we are all learned in the Vedas, and we are all virtuous. Tell us why we were censured by you
when travelling at night."
Gandharva said, "O sons of
Pandu ! you do not keep fire, you do not have wives; you have no Brahmanas
walking before you, therefore you were censured by me. 0 descedant of Kuru ! no
man, possessing strength of arms, ought to bear with patience any ill usage
before his wife. 0 son of Kunti, our strength specially increases at
night. As I was accompanied by my wife, I was filled with wrath. 0 best of all
vow-observing men, I was vanquished by you in battle; hear from me the reason
for which I was discomfited. 0 chastiser of foes, if any Kshatriya, engaged in the exercise of his desire to fight with us at night, he
can never escape from us with life. But Brahmacharya is a great virtue, you are leading that mode of life. 0 Arjuna, it was
for this that I was defeated by you in battle."
So it is clear that preservation of vital fluid is very
essential. Now let us understand the actual meaning of Brahmacharya
before we discuss about some powerful aids to the practice of Brahmacharya.
Brahmacharya is an inspiring, uplifting and sanctifying word. In
common parlance a Brahmachaari is one who is unmarried, who does not
indulge in sex, and who shuns the company of women. But this definition is very
superficial and restricted. In this context only preservation of the seminal energy is considered to be Brahmacharya. But in the true sense of the word, preservation of semen is only the
means and not the final goal. The ultimate goal of human life is to attain
Self- Knowledge. To get Self-realisation, One who is enlightened is Jivanmukta
(one who is embodied yet liberated). He is absorbed in Brahmic
Bliss i.e. he lives in a state of perennial Self-Bliss.
He expects nothing from the world. He lives, moves and has his being in an
infinite ocean of bliss within himself. He never depends upon objects of sense
pleasures for his happiness. He is completely liberated from the worldly
attractions and repulsions. All his actions are performed effortlessly and egolessly.
Worldly objects and subjects cannot disturb his perennial state of supreme
bliss. He has realised the hollowness of the phenomenal dream like world of
sense pleasures. It does not matter to him whether he wears a strip of loin
cloth or expensive clothes, whether he lives in a hut or a palace, whether he
is a householder or a renunciate hermit. He remains tranquil under all
circumstances. Such a realised soul may externally appear to be living in
abject poverty but internally he is king of the kings because all of his
desires have been burnt away in the fire of Self-knowledge. For him there is no
duty to be discharged for he has transcended them all. Such an enlightened soul
effortlessly lives in a state of Brahman. His celibacy is effortless and natural. He lives in a state of Brahmic
consciousness even while being engaged in worldly
transactions. His is in natural uninterrupted Samaadhi. Only such an enlightened, Jivanmukta is a true Brahmachcaari because he is always one with Brahman, ever absorbed in Brahmic Bliss. So Brahmacharya literally means conduct that leads to the realisation of Brahman
or one's own Self. The technical meaning of Brahmacharya
is conservation of seminal energy. In this context it is
the supreme observance, the supreme penance and the supreme Saadhanaa
and the fruit of Saadhanaa is Self-knowledge, Self-realisation. It is only on attaining this
ultimate goal that the full importance of Brahmacharya can be comprehended.
Brahmacharya is absolute freedom from sexual desires and thoughts. Even if there is
a single impure sexual thought in the mind, one cannot be called a true Brahmachaari. In a Self-Realised soul (Jnani) the cravings are
completely destroyed. Before attaining Self-knowledge, one is not released from
the shackles of carnal desires. Conservation of seminal energy is the most
essential for eradication of desires, attaining purity of mind, healthy and
happy life, God realisation, or Supreme goal of human life, i.e. Supreme Bliss.
Now we will discuss about some techniques of Brahmacharya.
The
majority of human beings suffer under the delusion that they will gain a
special and covetous social status if they lead a life of pomp and show. But
this only reveals the hollowness of their perverted ego-based value system,
which takes pride in vulgar exhibition of wealth and possessions. With
a view to leading a worthwhile, purposeful life one should abstain from wearing
gaudy-coloured (fashionable) clothes, silks, etc. and using stimulating
perfumes and scents. The more luxurious a life one leads, the more difficult it
becomes for him to preserve his seminal energy.
A
cursory glance through history shows that truly great personages led simple,
unostentatious lives. Simple living is a sign of greatness. Learn to follow the
lives of great saintly souls. Don't be impressed by the life-styles of ostentatious
egoistic people.
Don't
be a glutton. Control of tongue is a sine qua non if you want to control
lust. If discrimination is not used as to what to eat, when to eat, how to eat,
how much to eat, digestion will be impaired. Bahman, the Emperor of Iran, once
asked his physician, "How much food a man should take in a day?
"
Physician replied, "100
dirhams (about 507 gms.)"
The King said, "This much
is not enough."
The Physician replied,
"This much is enough for nutrition of the body. If any one takes more it
is a burden
on digestive system. It reduces the longevity of life."
Generally
people stuff the stomach with delicacies to enjoy taste. Stuffing the stomach
is highly deleterious. In ancient times an Emperor in
Such
licentious indulgence of the sense of taste will also lead to frequent
discharge of semen in dreams. Thus one will gradually become a victim of
diseases and ruin. Food should be taken in a holy place, when the mind is in
pleasant mood and peaceful state. Solid food is easily digested if it is taken
when Surya Nadi is working dominantly i.e. when the breathing mainly takes
place through right nostril. If right nostril is closed, it should be opened
before eating. The method is given below:
Close
the right hand first. Place it in the left armpit and press it with the left
arm or lie on your left side and make the right nostril work.
Keep
another important point in mind. Whenever you take any liquid food, make sure
that the left Nadi (Chandra Nadi) is dominantly working, i.e. left nostril is
open. If milk, coffee, tea, water or any other liquid is drunk when the Surya Nadi is
open, then one is sure to lose seminal energy. Beware do not take any liquid
when the right nostril is open.
Do
not overload the stomach at night. Overloading is the direct cause for
nocturnal emission. Take easily digestible, light food at night. Don't take
very hot or heavy food as they cause diseases. Things fried in oil or ghee,
over cooked foods, spicy foods, chutneys, chillies, meat, fish, eggs, garlic, onion,
liquor, sour articles and stale food preparations should be avoided for they
stimulate the sexual organs. Hot foods and hot tea weaken the teeth and gums.
They make the semen watery.
Thoroughly
chew the food. If you feel tired, take a little rest before you take food. No
strenuous work should be done immediately after meals. Water should not be
taken just before meals. It is better to take it in the middle of the meal or
about 30 to 60 minutes after the meal.
Eating
after midnight is not good for health. One should never take warm milk at night
before going
to bed. It usually causes wet dreams.
Spinach,
green leafy vegetables, milk, butter, ghee, buttermilk, ripe fresh fruits and
white pumpkin are sattvic articles for keeping up Brahmacharya. Sattvic
foods increase Sattva guna; thereby help in overcoming lust, anger, attachment
etc.
Never
stop the urge to answer calls of nature. When there is any inclination for
micturition at night immediately get up to empty the bladder. A loaded bladder
is the cause of wet dreams. Before retiring to bed answer the calls of nature.
If there is severe constipation and the bowels are loaded, they will
press the vesiculae seminalis and consequently, there will be discharge at
night. To relieve constipation do as follows:
Take
about 50 Gms. of red alum. If you heat it on a baking pan, it is puffed. Grind
it to fine powder. Fill this powder in a glass bottle.
Soak
about 15 Gms. of fennel in a glass of water. Next day morning boil it. Filter
the boiled water. Mix 15 Gms. of alum powder from the bottle. Drink it. This will
relieve constipation.
You
may take Trifala churna or Sant Kripa Churna or Isab-gul (Plantago ovata) with
water to relieve constipation. Avoid the use of so called hot, sour,
stimulating laxatives as it creates heat in the body.
You
should take recourse to occasional fasting. During fasting, the internal organs
such as the stomach, the liver and the pancreas take rest. Avoid excessive
fasting. One should fast in accordance to his capacity. Fasting one day and
stuffing the stomach with heavy foods (sweets, laddu) the next
day is not sensible. Over eating and excessive fasting both are detrimental to
health.
The
literal meaning of 'fasting' is to be near God. Sanskrit word for fasting is Upavaasa.
"Upa" means near and "
Soon
after micturition or defecation a fine stream of cold water should be poured on
the sexual organ. It tones and soothes the nerves of the genito-urinary system
and stops nocturnal discharges. It also weakens the sexual desire.
A healthy mind lives in a healthy body. One should
regularly practice selective yogasanas, pranayamas and exercises
early in the morning. This helps considerably in ones effort to check the sexual impulse. Jogging and brisk walking in early morning for 3-4
minutes also provides a good exercise to the body. In addition, do 13 or more Suryanamaskaras
at sunrise, it gives the benefit of both asanas
and exercise.
Exercise does not mean bodybuilding. Heavy muscular
exercise should be avoided. The purpose of exercise is just to provide enough
exercise to the body to keep it free from diseases. Body and mind should be healthy.
Asanas are more helpful and useful to a sadhaka than
exercises because asanas are not only physical, but also spiritual. They
help a long way in controlling the senses, mind and body. Asanas are very useful for integral physical growth and practice of Brahmacharya. Asanas purify the body, nerves
and muscles, nadis and thereby enhance the sattvic
nature. As such there are so many different asanas
for development of different organs and parts of the body.
Padapaschimottanasana, Sarvangasana
and Mayurasana are very useful for maintaining Brahmacharya. Among these, Padapaschimottanasana is the most useful. This is the personal experience of many Sadhakas
who come to the Ashram.
Asanas should be leant from a qualified instructor and
should be done on an empty stomach, in the open air. Asanas should be done
after evacuation of bowels and after taking a bath. Here I have given you instructions for Padapaschimoitanasana
that is the most useful for maintaining Brahmacharya. For instructions on other asanas refer to my book "Yogasana".
Technique: Spread a blanket on the floor and sit over it with legs
extended in front. Hold both toes with the index fingers and flex the spine.
Touch the forehead to your knees by bending forward from the waist. The knees
should remain flat on the ground. In the beginning if the knees tend to bend, it does not matter. Only by repeated practice, this asana
is perfected. Avoid too much exertion when you do this asana.
Benefits: Practice of this asana purifies nerves, prevents
and cures many diseases. Many abdominal disorders like indigestion,
constipation, common colds, acute coryza, productive cough, backache, hiccup, leucoderma, urinary diseases, wet dreams, seminal
disorders, Appendicitis, scitica, jaundice, insomnia, asthama, hyperacidity,
nervous debility, uterine disorders, menstrual disorders, impotency,
(sterility), blood disorders, stunted growth and many other diseases can be
cured by this asana.
In the beginning of the practice, do this asana for
30 seconds and then gradually and slowly increase the period up to 15 minutes.
Difficulty will be experienced in the initial few days. The asana will become easy with practice. This asana improves the built of the body. It reduces excess of fats (if any),
and makes a weak body strong and well built. For those who practice Brahmacharya, this asana is a special boon from
Lord Shiva. This asana was specially designed by Lord Shiva and later
Gorakhanatha made it popular.
Before you take a bath, rub your body thoroughly with a
coarse towel. This friction generates static electricity, which helps in
prevention of a number of diseases. Fast breathing improves peripheral blood circulation.
During inhalations, lungs are filled with clean air, which
provides oxygen to all the organs of the body through arterial blood
circulation. The venous blood carry carbon dioxide (toxic waste) to the lungs
from where it is thrown out through exhalation. Some of the impurities are
removed by sweat glands in form of perspiration. Therefore, it
is better to bathe after rubbing the body because impurities are removed
through perspiration. The rubbing opens up the skin pores, which gives agility
to the body. Again after bathing, the body should be thoroughly rubbed with a
clean and coarse towel.
Night pollution generally occurs in the fourth quarter of
the night. Therefore get up from bed between 4 and 4.30 a.m. Those, who get up
late in the morning, become spiritless. Sleep on the left side. Allow the Solar (Surya) Nadi pingalaa to work throughout the
night through the right nostril.
Alcoholic
drinks (liquor), tobacco (chewing), cigarettes stimulate passion.
In
Quran Sherifs Allaah Pak Trikol Roshal's Sipard, it is written:"O
believers, this wine and gambling, and these arrows you use for divination, are
all acts of Satan,
so keep away from them. You may haply prosper.
Satan
only wishes to create among you enmity and hatred through wine and gambling and
to divert you from the remembrance of God and prayer. Will you, therefore, not
desist?" - 5th feast.
Heart
and lungs are weakened by intoxicants. Immune system is jeopardized and
longevity is reduced. Scientific research conducted by American doctors proved
that the intoxicants make semen watery and infertile.
If one doesn't seek good company, he will fall in bad company.
Therefore always seek satsang or association with the wise, saints, Yogis,
Sanyasis and Mahatmas, and practice their precepts in thought, speech and deed.
Whenever an evil thought enters your mind, be alert. Leave that place
immediately and go to a place of Satsang. The magnetic aura, the spiritual
vibrations and the powerful thought currents of saints purify the body and the
mind of passionate man. If one doesn't do this, the sexual thoughts will
penetrate the body. It is the mind that really does all actions, the
determination of mind will be put into action. You will get a downfall.
Lamentation after the fall is futile. The water has a natural tendency to flow
downwards. Even so mind has a natural tendency to go downwards to sense
pleasures. The passionate mind deceives the person and drags him to sense
pleasures. It takes you into bad company, which ultimately leads to downfall.
Apparently the bad company may seem attractive to you but ......
जिसके
पीछे
हों गम की
कतारें, भूलकर
भी उस खुशी से
न खेलो |
"Don't indulge in
momentary sensual gratifications, for it results ultimately in a number of
sorrows and
sufferings."
Even
if you suffered a great downfall in past life, there is a chance for redemption
provided you turn to satsang. The history reveals that many wicked persons have
become great persons through Satsang.
Lack
of Satsang leads to downfall. Therefore, take a bath in the holy
Even great sages and Yogis have, at times, experienced failure on the
path of Brahmacharya, how can we observe celibacy strictly? Resolutely
drive away such weakening thoughts. Develop dynamic will power. As you think,
so you become. This world is itself a manifestation of Cosmic Will. Therefore,
think positively. Will is a powerful enemy of passion. Strong will helps in
preservation of seminal energy and the later cultivates the former.
विश्वासो
फलदायकः |
It is the faith that bestows the fruit of success.
Brahmajnani saints have unshakable will power. Actually Brahmajnani
is an embodiment of Brahmacharya.
Practice of Pranayama along with three Bandhas
(i.e. Mula Bandha, Uddiyan Bandha and Jalandhar Bandha)
purifies the mind of all passion. Mula Bandha enables one to conquer
passions, Uddiyan Bandha brings rapid spiritual progress and Jalandhar
Bandha develops intelligence. It should be learnt from any adept in Yoga. To begin with, 12 Pranayama
is enough. By this practice one becomes master in Pratyahara. The 'Yoga Sutras' say that to make the sense organs follow the
intellect and to withdraw them from their objects is Pratyahara. 12 times Pratyahara leads to Dharana (concentration). Mystries of Nature are revealed by the power of Dharana. Sweetness in nature, uniqueness of intelligence and vibrant health
are the marks of well-developed Dharana. 12 times Dharana practised culminates into Dhyana (meditation). 12 times Dhyana practised turns into Savikalpa Samadhi and 12 times uninterrupted Savikalpa Samadhi leads to Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
Thus, by constant practice a Sadhaka can become and
adept in Yoga (Siddha Yogi) Riddhis and Siddhis (miraculous
powers) obey his commands. Even Yaksas, Gandharvas and Kinnaras
seek an opportunity to serve him. Such a Holy man fulfils the desires of
worldly people by merely his strong will power. A sadhaka
should aspire for this goal. One who observes Brahmacharya, who leads a life of purity, can only succeed in this goal.
Friends! Be not disappointed even if you fail several
times. Do not give in to failure. When you get up early in the morning, sit for a while on your bed and meditate:
"Animal is dragged by natural tendencies to sorrows
and sufferings. I am not born to lead animalistic life. I won't destroy my life
in sensual pleasures. I will march ahead. I will exert vigorously to control my senses and mind to transcend the nature. Hari
Om...
God's
infinite power resides in my heart. Hari Om ....
I will not be impressed by the life style of passionate
worldly people. Hari Om...
This practice will give miraculous benefits. You love; you
pray the Almighty, Omnipresent, Omniscient Lord. At times you call him
earnestly for his help. God is our sure guide. He always helps us, gives us strength and intelligence and a Sadhaka
defies lowly passionate nature. God’s infinite power is
ready to help you. Do not be disappointed. Don't be depressed. Don't give up courage
and hope to attain success even if you have failed again and again.
Bravo ! be courageous. Try again. Read this book again and
again. Think over it seriously. You can easily progress
successfully in any field. Will you join courage ?
Over eating, excessive sleeping, garrulousness, excessive
sex indulgence and excessive traveling destroy our innate abilities. Whereas, self-control and
exertion develop our hidden abilities and thereby lead us to God-realisation.
I
narrate an event which occurred in the life of my Sad-gurudev, Rev. Sri
Lilashahji Maharaj. It happened during the pre-partition times in the
इंसाँ
की अज्म से जब
दूर किनारा
होता है |
तूफाँ
में टूटी
किश्ती का एक
भगवान किनारा
होता है ||
"When
a storm causes ship wreck in the ocean and it is beyond the capacity of man to
reach the sea-shore, God alone is the saviour."
If an egotist goes to a saint, he gains nothing but if one
goes with humility and with a sense of surrender he gains something. Out of
compassion the saint readily showers blessing upon people endowed with faith
and humility. After listening to their prayers, Sri Lilaramji went to the
assembly held at the disputed site and sat on the ground placing
his head between his knees. On seeing him in this unassuming and simple manner,
the members of the opposite party mistook him for a fake holy man without any
miraculous powers whatsoever.
They
whispered, "What can this saint do? Victory is ours.
The Muslim fakir first displayed his magic, Mantras
and Tantras. Then came the turn of Sri Lilaramji.
Although he appeared to be an ordinary looking person, he
was a mighty saint and a master of yoga, who remained absorbed in a constant
state of communion with cosmic consciousness, Bliss Absolute. He was so deeply absorbed in the all pervading, Omnipotent
reality that it was his own experience, "Earth, Space, Nay? All cosmos
exists in my Being. Not even a leaf can move without my power. The sun, the
moon, the stars and the galaxies move in their orbits on my command. Everywhere
in all these different forms, I am sporting. I am the Lord of the
universe." This apparently impoverished-looking Self-realised saint could
make things happen according to his will and nobody (in this world or the
other) could check it, for his will is one with the Divine will. Nature becomes
a pliant servant of such saints. Sage Vashistha said in Yoga Vashistha :
"Oh ! Ramji, there is none in the universe who can disobey the command of
a saint. "When the people requested Sri Lilaramji, he raised his head
slowly. He looked at the neem tree and said "O Neem ! Why do you stand
here ? Go and stand over there." As soon as Sri Lilaramji issued this
order, the tree began to move all along the ground and firmly rooted itself
inside the disputed land, at a short distance away from its original site. The
spectators were dumbfounded. No one had seen such a miracle in past. Even the
members of the muslim community began to touch Sri Lilaramji's feet with deep
reverence. They realised that he was a truly great and mighty saint, with
miraculous power at his fingertips. The muslim members said, "He is not
only your saint. He belongs to all. From now onwards he is not Lilaram; he is
Swami Lilashah."
From then on, people forgot his name Lilaram and began to
recognize him as Lilashah. There are many similar miracles that people have
witnessed in his life. Swami Lilashah left his mortal body at 93 and merged with Brahman. Even at the age of 93 years all his teeth were firm and his speech
was impressive. He regularly practised asanas and Pranayamas. He was a great brahmachari
all his life. Even at the age of 93 years, he used to walk
many miles a day. By his grace childless couples were blessed with children,
the poor became wealthy, people with depression got new enthusiasm, and many
diseased people got rid of their ailments. His spiritual guidance and grace
enlightened seekers of truth. The story of miracles he performed is unending.
But the cause of his greatness is not his miracles but his Self-knowledge.
Through practice under the guidance of a Yogi, any one can perform miracles.
Self- realisation is far beyond miracles. It is the acme of all Sadhanas. To
attain Self-realisation is the ultimate aim and the supreme state of
Brahmacharya. I have told it earlier that merely preservation of seminal fluid
does not constitute actual Brahmacharya. It is just a means of Brahmacharya. If
anyone practises Brahmacharya but his mind is corrupted by sexual desires, he
subconsciously rejoices in vicarious joys. He does not get Brahmic Bliss.
However, Brahmacharya is the only key to success in attaining Brahmic Bliss.
Strict observance of Brahmacharya and unquestioning obedience to commands of a
Sad guru lead to Self-knowledge. Such a Sadhaka is able to practise
Brahmacharya effortlessly. In due course of time he becomes a Siddha. Even by
his gracious glance, a lustful man becomes a man of self-control.
Saint Gyaneshwar ordered the platform, on which he was
sitting, to move and it started moving on the ground. Similarly Shri Lilashahji
Maharaj asked the Neem tree to move and it moved from one place to another.
These miracles are caused by strong will power. You can also develop strong
will power.
Swami Vivekananda said: "People of India suffer
slavery only because they have forgotten their will-power."
"What can we do?" such negative thinking has
weakened their will power. Where as even a British child is full of
self-confidence and self-esteem, for he thinks positively, he gets success. He
thinks, "I am an Englishman. English people rule over three
quarters of the world. I belong to a glorious race. Who can check my success ?
Nobody can prevent me from attaining success. I am bound to succeed. What is
impossible for me ? Nothing." Such positive thoughts lead him to success.
If a British boy can enhance his will power merely by
thinking about his glorious race, why cannot you do the same ?
"I am the descendant of great sages and saints. I am
born in the race of great man of firm resolve like Bhishma. In my veins flows
the blood of King Bhagirath who landed the river
Ramakrishna Param Hamsa said, "Whenever you see a
beautiful woman, and if evil thoughts crop up in your mind, visualise the
'World Mother' (Jagadamba) in her. She is a manifestation of 'World Mother'. That is why she is so beautiful. She is Divine mother
blessing me with her Darshana. Entertain this Bhava (attitude), evil thoughts will die. When Governor of Kalyana, Bahlol
Khan was defeated by Major General of Shivaji's army, the latter presented a
beautiful Begum to Shivaji. Strict
celibate Shivaji looked at her with reverence, and said, "If I have to
become beautiful, I will take birth through your womb, mother." Saying
this he scolded his Major and ordered him to send her with full honour to her
husband. Shivaji was a strict celibate because he was a disciple of a mighty saint
Samartha Ramadasa.
Once upon a time, Urvashi came to meet Arjuna in heaven.
Beholding her at night in his mansion, Arjuna with a fear stricken heart,
stepped up to recieve her with respect and as soon as he saw her, the son of
Kunti, from modesty, closed his eyes. And saluting her he offered the Apsara
such a worship, as is offered to a superior. And Arjuna said:
"O thou foremost of the Apsara, I rever thee by bending my head down. 0 lady! Let me know thy
command. I wait upon thee as thy servant."
Hearing these words of Arjuna, Urvashi became deprived of
her senses and she soon represented unto Arjuna all that had passed between her
and Gandharva Chitrasen. And she said, "O best of men, on account of thy
coming here, 0 Arjuna, Indra had convened a large and charming assembly in which celestial festivities were held. When I was dancing,
thou hardest looked on me, only with a steadfast gaze. 0 sinless one, commanded
by Chitrasen and thy father (Indra) also, I come to thee in order to wait upon
thee. 0 slayer of foes my heart hath been attracted by thy virtues, and am
already under the influence of the God of Love (Kamadev). And 0 hero, even this
is my wish and I have cherished it for ever."
While in heaven, hearing her speak in this strain, Arjuna
was overcome with bashfulness and shutting his ears with his hands he said,
"O blessed lady, fie on my sense of hearing, when thou speaks thus to me. For 0 thou of beautiful face, thou art certainly
equal in my estimation unto the wife of a superior. Even as Kunti here, even
this is my wish and I have cherished it forever. 0 auspicious one, of this
there is no doubt! That I had gazed particularly at thee, 0 blessed one, is
true. There was a reason for it. In the assembly I gazed at thee with eyes
expanded in delight, thinking, "Even this blooming lady is the mother of
kaurava race." 0 blessed Apsara, it behoveth thee not to entertain other feelings towards me, for
thou art superior to my superiors, being the parent of my race."
Hearing these words of Arjuna, Urvashi answered saying,
"O son of the Chief of the celestials, we Apsaras are free and
unconfined in our choice. It behoves thee not, therefore, to esteem me as thy superior. The sons and grandsons of Puru's race that have come hither
in consequence of ascetic merit do all sport with us, without incurring any
sin. Relent, therefore, 0 Arjuna, here it behoveth thee not to send me away. I
am burning with desire. I am devoted to thee. Accept me, 0 thou giver of proper
respect."
गच्छ
मूर्ध्ना
प्रपन्नोऽस्मि
पादौ ते वरवर्णिनी
|
त्वं हि में
मातृवत्
पूज्या
रक्ष्योऽहं
पुत्रवत् त्वया
||
(Mahabharat: vanaparvani indralokabhigamana parva: 46.47)
Arjuna replied, "O beautiful lady, listen. I truly
tell thee. Let the four directions and the transverse directions, let also the
gods listen. 0 sinless one, as Kunti or Madri, or Shachi is unto me so art
thou, the parent of my race, and object of reverence to me, Return, I bend my
head unto thee, and prostrate myself at thy feet. Thou deservest my
worship as my own mother, and it behoveth thee to protect me as a son."
Thus addressed by Arjuna, Urvashi was deprived of her
senses by wrath. Trembling with rage and contracting her eyebrows, she cursed
Arjuna, saying, "Since thou disregard a woman come to thy mansion at the command of thy father and of her own motion- a woman
besides who is pierced by the shaft of Kama. Therefore, 0 Arjuna, thou shalt
have to pass thy time among females, unregarded and as a dancer and destitute
of manhood and scorned as a eunuch."
Arjuna sought Chitrasen without loss of time. And having
found him, he told him all that had passed between him and Urvashi in the
night, repeatedly referring to the curse pronounced upon him. And Chitrasen
also represented everything unto Indra. And Indra calling his son (Arjuna) unto
himself in private, and consoling him in sweet words, smilingly said, " 0
thou best of beings, having obtained thee, 0 child, Kunti hath today
become a truly blessed mother. 0 mighty armed one, thou hast now vanquished
even Rishis (Sages) by the patience and self-control. But 0 giver of proper
respect, the curse that Urvashi hath denounced on thee will be to thy benefit,
0 child, and stand thee in good stead. 0 Sinless one, ye will have on earth to
pass the thirteen years (of your exile,) unknown to all. It is then that thou
shalt suffer the curse of Urvashi. And having passed one year as a dancer
without manhood, thou shalt regain thy power on the expiration of the
term."
And it happened so. During his exile, Arjuna worked as a
dance teacher in the palace of king Virat, where Virat's princess learnt
performing arts of music and dance from Arjuna in the guise of Brhannala.
Author of the great epic, (Mahabharata) says, "The
desires of the man that listen to this history of the son of Pandu never run
after lustful ends. The foremost of the awfully pure conduct of Arjuna, become
void of pride and arrogance and wrath and other faults, and ascending to
heaven, sport there in bliss."
This is an unprecedented example of beholding all women
(except one's legal wife) as mother. Similar example occurs in
the great epic, Ramayana.
Laksmana, the younger brother of Rama, followed Sri Rama
for the long period of fourteen years, though he was perfectly aware of the
dangers of the forest. He was pure in thought, word and deed. He led the life
of an ideal Brahmachari, during the fourteen years of exile. He never looked at the face or body of Sita. His eyes were ever directed towards her
lotus-like feet only. When Sugriva brought Slta's cloak and jewels-which, while
she was being carried away by Ravana, she had allowed to fall on the earth,
seeing the monkeys on the mountain - Rama showed them to Laksmana and asked
whether he recognised them. Laksmana said:
"I do not recognise the bracelets or ear-rings; I
know only the anklets, for I worshipped her feet alone." It was due to
this attitude of beholding woman as the mother that Laksmana could strictly
observe celibacy for fourteen years.
Meghanada, the son of Ravana, had conquered even the Indra,
the lord of gods. He had a boon of being invincible to all except to one who
'could abstain from all sorts of sensual enjoyments at least for fourteen years. Laksmana destroyed him by the power of his
purity, by the power of his Brahmacharya. This illustrates the significance of Brahmacharya.
Indian civilization has given such a high and holy status
to the mother that this attitude of beholding mother as goddess can save the
mankind from utter ruin. Ramakrishna Paramhamsa and other saints of his level,
when tempted to licentious women, saved themselves from lust by beholding the mother in them. This motherly attitude (Matribhava) protects the mind from all passions. Whenever you see a woman and
the evil thought arises in your mind, you should become cautious and develop
Matribhava to her.
As you read, so does your mind think? And as you think, so
you become. Those, who are in a habit of reading novels and pocket books that
deal with passion and love, (pornographic literature), cannot progress in life.
Novel reading fills the mind with base, lustful thoughts and excites passion. Therefore, one who reads such literature cannot preserve his seminal
energy. Do not read those joumals that excite your lower instincts. Now days,
under the influence of western culture, some people produce and distribute
exciting films (blue films). They arrange private shows for children,
teenagers, and adolescent people. The American government is now using
television as medium to warn children against teachers and other adults who are
child molesters. This situation has got out of control to a great extent. Such
pedophiles should be severely punished. Abuse of children must be prevented.
Sometimes, when the parents are not at home, the children hire exciting
videocassettes from cassette libraries and see at home. These films destroy the
character and youth of the spectators. They spoil the minds of young men by the
distribution of these worthless & vulgar films and videocassettes. The
whole atmosphere is polluted. Severe punishment is awaiting them in the Yamaloka
(terrible hell). No doubt, they will suffer the
consequences of their sins but to save the young generation from ethical, moral
and spiritual downfall is the primary duty of the Indian Government and the
leaders of the society. Everybody should make efforts to save children and
teenagers from falling a prey to such video-film (blue film) monsters.
Put an end to going to exciting films and seeing serials
on television. Do not allow your children to see such movies. Do not see vulgar
sensuous scenes wherever it may be. Do not indulge in naked pictures or
bluefilms. All these tend to increase passion and deplete semen.
Multinational television serials are the chains of westem
civilisation to capture the victim unaware in its glittering
fetters. You should strictly avoid these and compel your children to do so.
Children are the invaluable assets to the nation. If
chidren are ruined, the nation is ruined. And in order to save the nation from
utter ruin, children should be saved from sex abuse. Therefore, prodigal
children should be protected from drug addiction, cheap-aphrodisiac literature,
exciting films and blue films.
In order to build the character of school-going children
and college students, they should be provided and encouraged to read the books
on Brachmacharya, so that they can know the glory of Brahmacharya and by its practice, become brilliant and promising students. This is
our moral duty. It is the moral duty of the government to make all efforts to
propagate the books of Brahmacharya among all students, for children (students) of today are the builders
of future Indian nation.
If you read biography of any great person, you will find
good literature as the source of their inspiration. Emerson was a great
American Philosopher. Thoreau's character and literature exercised a great
influence on him. Thoreau practised Brahmacharya. He wrote, "I
bathe everyday in the sanctifying water of (the teachings of) 'Bhagavadgita'. Although this gem of spiritual literature was written many
centuries ago, no other scripture (book) can compete or be compared with
it." Indian spiritual lore exercised a fascinating influence on the mind
of the famous journalist and writer, Paul Brunton. That inspired him to visit
Our great martyrs Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh and
Vir Savarkar were inspired by patriotic literature to dedicate and sacrifice
their lives for the liberation of
For protecting the semen, it is essential to wear
always a strip of cloth (Langoti or Kaupin or loin cloth) over
the private part, for there will be no night emission and growth of
inflammation or any other disease of the testicles. This will help you
in keeping up Brahmacharya.
Do not witness vulgar sensuous scenes wherever it
may be. Do not indulge in seeing naked pictures and advertising posters. All
these tend to increase passion. You should strictly avoid it.
Immoral songs produce a bad, deep impression in the mind.
Aspirants should run away from places where vicious songs, poems, vulgar film
songs, pop music or disco songs are sung or played on radio, transistor or cassette player.
Semen
is the vital energy, which supports your life. Each and every sperm is capable
of producing a human being (if given a chance to fertilize). The great
spiritual masters like Acharya Shankara, Saint Kabir, Guru Nanak, the great warriors, the
ingenious scientists and fascinating writers were born through seminal energy.
Even in the future all geniuses will be born through seminal energy. One who
does not conserve his seminal energy, and wastes it for momentary sensual
pleasures paves his way towards self- destruction.
वीयं
वै भर्गः | (शतपथ
ब्राह्मण )
"Semen
is brightness, strength and (Self) Atma." -(Satapath brahman).
Semen
is such a vital sublimating force for uplifting the life. Following are the
examples of those who wasted it and incurred the great irreparable loss:
There were two great battles, which took place during the
war of Mahabharat. One is of grandsire Bhisma and the other of Abhimanyu.
Bhisma was a Naisthika Brahmachari, i.e. life long celibate. Therefore
he was a man of boundless power. Lord Krishna had taken a vow that during the
war he would not wield any weapon. However, he was compelled to
break his vow in the face of the allconquering and irresistible attack that
Bhisma mounted on the army of Pandavas. Even Arjuna armed with celestial
weapons could not combat Bhisma's onslaught and Lord Krishna was forced to take
up a wheel of a chariot to protect Arjuna from the arrows showered by Bhisma.
It was through the power of Brahmacharya (alone), that Bhisma could conquer death. When he was pierced by sharp
arrows all over the body, his survival was impossible. Yet (god of) death could
not snatch his life. Lying on the bed of arrows, he gave wonderful discourses
on political, philosophical, religious, social and moral subjects to
Yudhisthira. Bhisma waited for the beginning of auspicious Uttarayana. Then he willingly left his body.
The second battle was that of a charming and brilliant
hero Abhimanyu. Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu fought single handed against the
terrific strategy of Kauravas called Chakravyuha. Bhima, the chief of Pandava army, was left behind. Abhimanyu fought with commendable
valour wielding a wheel of a chariot all alone amidst great warriors of
Kauravas. But in the end he was killed because Abhimanyu sowed the seed of
Pandava dynasty before proceeding to his last battle. He had passed the night
before the great battle in the amorous company of his wife Uttara. Due to this
act of infringement of Brahmacharya, he could not conquer death, unlike grandsire Bhisma.
Prthviraj Chauhan defeated Mohammed Ghauri in sixteen
battles, but in the 17th battle, he was defeated and captured. Mohammed Ghauri
blinded Prithviraj by piercing hot iron bares in his eyes. The astonishing thing is why the sixteen times victorious hero was
defeated at the 17th time? The history says that while going to the
battlefield, he was girdled by his beautiful and charming empress Sanyukta.
These
are the evil consequences of wasting seminal energy.
You might have heard about heroic feats of Mahavir Hanuman, the great devotee of Lord Rama.
Hanuman burnt the whole Lanka and brought news of Sita to
Rama. In doing this, he crossed the ocean by flying in air. In the great war
between Rama and Ravana, Hanuman killed many heroes of the Raksasa army.
In that war he made Ravana unconscious by giving just a single blow of his fist on Ravana's head. He did many superhuman acts. Carrying a big
mountain (to get life-giving herb, 'Sanjivani' for unconscious Laksman) and
other great activities were nothing for Hanuman. It was his celibacy that made
him a great hero.
Napoleon, the great conquerer
said, "Impossible is not a french word." Yet he was defeated in the
battle of
In the Bible, Samson has been described as an ideal of
courage and bravery.
"My strength is the
strength of ten because my heart is pure."
"I never felt the kiss of love, nor maiden's hand in
mine."
But when he enjoyed the poisonous wine of a lady's eyes,
all his bravery and heroism vanished in no time.
When
Swami Ramatirtha was a professor, he had drawn a list of successful and
unsuccessful students. From their inner condition and character, he had come to
the conclusion that students, who were engrossed in base pleasures, during the examination
days or just before the examination, were often unsuccessful, even though they
were said to be good students in the class. On the other hand, those students
whose hearts were pure and one pointed during examination, were always
successful.
To
control the sexual desires is a herculean task. That is why Manu said:
"One should not share his seat even with one's step-mother, sister, or
daughter. The organs of senses are not easily controllable and lead to the fall
of even educated people."
I
would like to tell something, especially to the youth, for the future of
This
sexual energy is a boon given by God to the youth. It is not a curse pronounced
on the youth. When this sexual energy
develops in adolescent (a youth), it fills him with so much vigour and
self-confidence that he feels that he can do anything and everything in the
world. But he becomes victim of vices and bad practices.
These
bad practices and bad habits of masturbation or excessive sexual intercourse
drain the energy enormously. There appears boils on the body, acne or eruptions
on the face, blue lines around the eyes, sunken eyes, pale face with
anaemia, loss of memory, loss of eye sight, discharge of semen along with
urine, enlargement of the testes, pain in the testes, debility, drowsiness,
gloominess, palpitation of heart, pain in the back, loins, head and joints,
weak kidneys, fickle mindedness, lack of thinking power, bad dreams, wet dreams
and restlessness of mind. In the end he suffers from sexual impotency and
sterility. This happens particularly in the age group of 17 to 29 years.
Preservation
of this divine energy during this period leads to the attainment of strong will
power, good
behaviour, sharp intellect and spiritual exaltation.
It is
my sincere appeal to the youth to realize the value of the vital fluid. You
must try your level best to preserve every drop of semen. You should learn and
follow the proven techniques of preserving seminal energy. It has been observed
that ordinary aids to the practice of celibacy, like fasting,
diet-control, etc. give temporary benefits only.
A scientific experiment was carried out in an American
school of science. 30 students were given no food for a fixed period of time.
It was observed that their libido subsided. But when they were given food, libido increased. This shows that fasting gives only a
temporary benefit in observation of celibacy.
Ignorant people adopt foolish methods to kill the Indriyas
in order to control sexual desires. They think that lust can be eradicated
completely by such a procedure. They put an iron or brass-loincloth. They are known as Sikadia Baba. Many foolish aspirants amputate the organ of reproduction. They fail
and repeat eventually. Lust is in the mind. Lust finds expression through organ
of reproduction. A tree cannot be destroyed (completely) by cutting off its
flowers and leaves. If the mind is subdued, the tree of lust is uprooted. What
a great foolish act is committed by ignorant people not getting proper
guidance.
Repression
or suppression of the sexual desire will not help you much. What is wanted is
transmutation of the sexual energy into Ojas (That is called Sublimation
in Western psychology), which in turn should be used to attain Absolute
Bliss. One who has mastered this art is the master of all. In spite of being a
multi-millionaire, knowledgeable, (politically) powerful or highly reputed
(world renowned) person, one who does not know the art of sublimation, he
cannot attain Selfrealisation. He is utterly disappointed at the time of death.
Sage
Narada was a master of this art. He transformed a robber named 'Valia' into a
great sage named 'Valmiki'. Buddha was a master of this art. He transformed a
cruel, heartless murderer Angulimaal (wearing a garland of fingers) into a
great monk of the Buddhist order.
Such great
sages possess a yogic power, which transforms even a lustful person into a Sadhak.
Having attained the grace of Shaktipata, one does not have to fight with
the lust; Brahmacharya becomes a natural way of life.
I
know some people, who practised not much penance or Japa, yet they are
highly revered. And there are some people who practice penance and japa for
many years, yet they don't have charismatic personality. The reason is that
knowingly or unknowingly, their sexual energy is destroyed either
in waking state or sleeping state (wet dreams).
A Sadhak
whom I shall not name, confided to me, "Swamiji, earlier I was not
able to stay away from my wife. I was so much obsessed with sex. But now with
your grace I do not indulge in sex for even six months as the lust does not compel me
to do so."
Another gentle man visits the ashram regularly. His wife
complained that Swamiji has cast a magic spell on my husband. Please stop my
husband from visiting the ashram. Why should one stop somebody from visiting an
ashram? But she told its reason to the people, who told me. She said, "Previously we used to sleep together in the same bed. Now he
sleeps in a separate bed. I wish he goes to the movies, and spend time with his
former friends and behaves normally. Earlier he paid heed to me and my needs;
but now......."
What a sign of misfortune! She seemed to say, "It
does not matter if my husband goes to perition and his life is ruined. All that
matters is that he should be under my control. He should become a puppet in my hands. That is the selfish and sordid face of worldly
love. There is hardly 5% of real love in it, the rest of the 95% is lust,
attachment and selfishness. Unluckily attachment, in the guise of love, leads
us to downfall and degradation."
In the above case, Swamiji (myself) did not cast any magic
spell on the man. That man received the yogic sakti transmitted by me
during saktipata. His sexual energy was sublimated. So he got above sexual desires and enjoyed inner joy of meditation. After
receiving nectar, who would look for sewage water? Even an idiotic fool would
not hanker after disgustible, degrading sexual pleasure if he were enabled to
enjoy pure inner joy of Brahmacharya.
For ordinary people, this seems like a great miracle but
there is nothing miraculous in it. It is nothing for the saints versed in the
science of Yoga. Science of Yoga is subtler and more powerful than the physical science. The glory of satsang or association with
the enlightened saints is indescribable. Even a moment's company with saints is
quite sufficient to overhaul the old vicious Samskaras of the people. They can easily observe Brahmacharya without any personal efforts.
The
man who has a bad habit of masturbation or who suffers from wet dreams should
give up the evil habit at once. You will be entirely ruined if you continue the
practice. Do not be worried. Forget musing over the past mistakes and think
positively and with confidence about your ability to get rid of evil habits.
Give up negative thinking. Let the past not bother you. Let bygones be bygones.
The disease is aggravated by getting worried about it. Let not weakening
thoughts enter your mind. Do not be anxious over sexual energy you have already
wasted in past. Up to this time you were blind and ignorant. You had no idea of
the disastrous effect of this evil practice. Wake up now and girdle up loins to
preserve seminal energy in the remaining life.
Remember,
the aim is not to suppress the seminal energy but to sublimate it. You do not
know how to sublimate it.. Learn the techniques of sublimation. But before that
you should know the
meaning of sublimation of seminal energy.
According to yogic science, semen exists in a subtle form
throughout the body. It is withdrawn and elaborated into a gross form in sexual
organ under the influence of an electromagnetic (Bioelectric) energy. It is called Kamasakti. Sublimation of sexual energy does not mean flowing the semen from
seminal vesicles to the brain. There is no any duct of vessel through which
semen could flow upwards towards the brain. Sublimation means diversion of
bioelectric energy from sexual organs to central nervous system. This energy is
converted into Ojas. Semen remains in the
same place.
When a
man looks at a woman clad in fashionable dress, or he thinks of the body of a
woman, this Kamasakti flows downwards and activates the genital organs.
It is this energy that is used up in the process of ejaculation of semen. So this
is the actual loss of vital energy. The Yogi penetrates into the subtle hidden
nature of things through inner vision. The allopathic doctors and biologists do
not understand the inner Yogic secrets and mysteries. Therefore, doctors often
fail to cure some serious incurable diseases. But Yogis can cure the same
merely by casting a look or through his Yogic powers.
If you may not become a Yogi who has achieved complete
sublimation through Self-realisation, it would be helpful to learn and practice
the following techniques of conservation of seminal energy.
Technique: When the sex-centre is stimulated, ejaculation of semen
takes place. This method checks it effectively. If there is a thought of sexual
desire in the mind, be alert. Concentrate your mind on genitals and contract the genitals inwards towards the belly,
just as piston is pulled outwards to fill the pump with water. This is called Yoni
Mudra. Then shut your eyes. Meditate, "Now I am looking
upwards from lower sex-organs to the thousand petalled lotus (Sahasraar
Chakra) in brain within my body." The seminal energy
flows to whatever point (organ) the mind is focussed on. If you focus the mind
on Sahasraar Chakra, the bioelectric energy,
which would have otherwise, been wasted in ejaculation through the activated Muladhar
Chakra, will be sublimated upwards to the Sahasraar
Chakra and will be transmuted into Ojas. But mind well. If your mind is still covetous of sex-pleasure, you
will not succeed in preserving seminal energy. But if you practise for a few
days with discrimination and strong will, you will get abundantly its rewards.
You will directly experience that even though sexual desires come with a force
of storm, with this technique applied, they subside within a few seconds.
Another technique: Whenever any strong sexual desire arises, exhale all the
air from lungs completely and retain the breath out. Then contract your belly
and take your navel back towards the spinal cord. By
repeating this two-three times, the passion is pacified and you will be saved
from seminal discharge.
This technique is very simple but it is a very important
Yogic manoeuvre. Air in the lungs is called Apaana Vayu. With the
strengthening of Apaana Vayu the sexual organ awakens and the mind
becomes troubled. By forceful expiration of air, Apaana Vayu is
weakened. So it cannot activate the sex-centre. Moreover,
by contracting the belly and navel backwards, the remaining energy in the
sex-centre goes towards the navel. So there is no more energy left to activate
sex-centre and thus ejaculation is prevented.
This technique could be practised in any place, without
spending any money. This technique should be practised regularly
even when there is no sexual stimulation. It gives excellent benefits.
Herbal aid to celibacy: One can make this Ayurvedic Churna, without much cost at
home. Take dried Amalas (goose berries) the fruits of a tree Emblica
Officinalis and grind them into powder. Ready-made Amala
powder is available in the market also. Mix two parts of
the Amala powder with one part of
powdered rock-sugar. You may get this ready-made mixture from ashram also.
Take one spoonful of the powder with water half an hour
before going to bed. This powder thickens the semen. It also relieves constipation.
It restores the balance of Vata (Wind), Pitta (Bile) and Kafa (Phelgm). It is also beneficial to those who get wet dreams. Even
healthy people can take it as it helps in self-control.
Use of Gum: Soak 6 Gms. of Gum of Khair tree (Acacia catechu)
in water at night. In the morning take this soaked gum on empty stomach. If
this causes loss of appetite, take a few slices of ginger with lemon juice 5-10 minutes before meals.
Tulsi (ocimum sanctum) : A miraculous herb - Victor Resin, a french
doctor says, "Tulsi is a wonder drug. Tulsi is very useful in regulation
of blood pressure, digestive system, erythrocytocis and mental disorders. It has anti-pyretic and anti-malarial properties
also. This has been proved by research scholars.
Tulsi (Basil) cures many diseases. Moreover, it helps in
conservation of seminal energy. It improves power of memory. Leaf of Tulsi is
an excellent herbal medicine. It restores imbalance of wind, bile and phelgm and thereby helps in cure of many ailments
caused due to their imbalance. It is very useful in cases of blood disorders,
cough, worm- infestation etc. It is good for cardiac disorders also."
Take some milk in a cup. While gazing at the
milk, repeat the following mantra twenty-one times and thereafter drink the
milk. This is an excellent aid to Brahmacharya. This Mantra is worth remembering by heart.
ॐ नमो
भगवते महाबले
पराक्रमाय
मनोभिलाषितं
मनः स्तंभ
कुरु कुरु
स्वाहा |
There are many people who object to the view of the Sanyasis
that woman is the gateway to hell. Ladies should not be offended when they
read such scriptures. The saints and Sanyasis have great regards and admiration for women. The same scriptures and saints who
censure women in one place praise them in another. They say, "Women should
be honoured. They are manifestations of sakti or the energy of Lord. Only those who honour women can attain
prosperity." Therefore 0 Women ! Try to know the heart of the scriptures
and the saints and become wise. Certainly woman is the creatrix, generatrix and
nourisher of the universe. Lust is a potent force, very difficult to get rid
of. That is the reason why the saint and scriptures have criticized women in
order to create dispassion and discrimination in men and wean them from lustful
tendencies and aggressive attacks. Women also can keep a mental picture of the
component parts of the body of a male in order to create in themselves disgust
for the physical body of a male and develop dispassion (Vairagya).
In this connection there it will be instructive to narrate
a story of a young Sanyasi. While passing through a village street, he
saw a marriage procession. He asked the people what it was. The people said,
"The man sitting on the horse is a bridegroom. He is going to get a girl
as his wife and thereafter they will sleep in a bed together
etc.." The young Sanyasi did not comprehend the implications fully. Engrossed in the thoughts
of the couple, the Sanyasi walked on and stopped to rest on the platform of a well. Being
exhausted, he fell asleep within a short time. In sleep he dreamt that he and
his bride were sleeping on the same bed. His wife told him to move over and he
moved. The bride repeatedly asked him to move further and the Sanyasi
actually began moving in his sleep. But his body was
gradually reflecting the actions of dream by moving on the platform towards the
well. So he fell into the well. The people passing by the road heard the
splashing sound of someone falling into the well and came running. They managed
to pull Sanyasi out by a rope. The people
asked him as to how he fell into the well.
The Sanyasi narrated them the story of his seeing
the marriage procession and of his subsequent dream while sleeping on the
platform of the well and then he said aloud, "If the momentary company of
a dream-girl could throw me into the well, God knows where the groom's real
wife will throw him."
The moral is that mere thinking of a woman with sexual
feelings causes a Sadhaka's downfall. Therefore, beware! Try to know the
heart of the scriptures and saints and take its benefits by following it. Do not find faults in their teachings. Do not blame them
for criticizing women.
Earlier, I had thought the only pursuit of the life is
indulgence in sex. I could not imagine even in my wildest dream that I could
live without a woman. I had already married twice. But when my second wife
expired, when I was 51 year old, I looked for marrying an 18-year-old girl. Fortunately, I went to have darsan of Sri Lilasahji Bapu at Disa ashram. When I reached the ashram, he
was not there. On opening the door of Mahrishi's hut, I saw a majestic divine
figure with radiant face. His eyes were so brilliantly sparkling with yogic
power that I could not gaze at him. I looked down at his holy feet and heard
his nectarine words, "At this age you want to marry with a bag of flesh
and bones?" Pointing his finger upwards to sky, he continued, "Now I
will get you married with Him." I was startled to hear it all. I went
home. But surprisingly, I found that the sexual craving disappeared, the fire
of passion had been extinguished. I informed my brothers and other members of
my family that I was not going to marry. At first they thought that I was
joking. But when they learnt of my firm decision, they left no stone untumed to
deflect me from my resolve. As a last resort they locked me up in a room with
the 18-years old girl who was going to be married to me, in the hope that this
might make me change my decision.
In the normal course, when alone with a young girl, it
would have been natural for me to talk to her, to touch her. But again I was
surprised. I did touch her with the intent of arousing my sexual desire, but all in vain, as if the key to my sexual urge was with that
saint I had earlier met.
He was unknown to me. We had not met earlier. How was he
able to read my thoughts? What was in that laser- sharp glance (of his) that
burnt my libido? A young woman and a man locked in a room all by themselves, is like keeping fire and petrol together. It
was nothing less than a miracle that the sex impulse, which even the Yogis at
times are not able to control, had become virtually nonexistent (pacified)
within me; an ordinary human being, just due to the power of a saint's
grace-filled glance. I firmly believed he is God incarnate in human form. At
that very moment, I resolved to be always under the protective wings of his
grace.
I immediately made the girl my sister, gave her some money
and sent her back with her mother, and I accepted that saint as my Gurudev. I
shifted to the ashram and stayed with him. I practiced sadhanas, under his guidance and I got rid of many chronic ailments. My
obesity was controlled. There was notable loss in my body weight. Later I lived
in his vicinity at Sabarmati Ashram (Sant Sri Asaramji Ashram) and advanced in
Yoga.
After sometime, another miraculous event took place in my
life. For some work, I went to Disa ashram and overstayed there. Days went by
and I could not make up my mind to return to Sabarmati Ashram, One day
when I was strolling in morning, I had a vision of Gurudev walking ahead of me.
I rushed to prostrate myself at his feet but suddenly the figure vanished. I
understood the message and went to Sabarmati Ashram. Later on I learned that
had he not called me back in time through his vision, I would have experienced
a great downfall. I have had a number of such miraculous experiences. I have
taken a final refuge at his feet. That great saint, my Gurudev is Sant Sri
Asaramji Maharaj. What he has done for me cannot be repayed even I offer him
all my material wealth.
I also know of a number of other devotees who have been
saved by his divine grace. I am convinced that the miraculous feats in the
lives of truly great saints are not mere myths. Such a saint is alive amongst us and thousands of aspirants are being
uplifted and transformed through his touch, glance and guidance.
- Mahant Sri
Chandiram
Sant Sri
Asaramji Ashram
Sabarmati,
Ahmedabad
I had
gone to
I
returned to
People
wonder how could Lord Krishna have imparted the lengthy teachings of the
'Bhagvadgita' on the battlefield ? I believe, I too received instant guidance
and succour in the hour of need in a far off country, at
Jayantilcil B. Vczdivi7la
President, Sasmi Co-operative Soc.
Bi7laft road, Su-rat, Gujarat (
Lust,
greed, attachment, pride and anger are the inner enemies, which rob you of the
treasure of Self-bliss. Among all, anger is the most dangerous and detrimental
to Sadhana. If a thief enters a house, some items (fumitures etc.) still remain
untaken. But if a house catches fire, everything is reduced to ashes. Nothing
remains.
In
the same way, if thieves like greed and attachment enter us, only some of our
virtues are destroyed. But if the fire of anger overtakes, our mind, our entire
treasures of Japas, Tapas and virtues are destroyed. Therefore, beware of anger.
It is all right to act out anger, but be ever alert not to allow it to possess
you.
Do
not eat hurriedly. Take at least 25 minutes to eat and chew your food properly.
If you find it difficult to ward off anger, press your tips of the fingers into
your palms making a fist. Eat sattvic food. Stay away from garlic, red chillies, and
fried foods.
Peace
attained through Sadhana (spiritual practice) for the duration of one
month is put to naught by a single fit of anger. Therefore, my beloved brothers
! be careful. Do not waste away your priceless life.
If
you want to be happy and cheerful take a mixture of following contents every
morning: 10 gms Honey, 1 glass of water, 5 to 10 basil (Tulsi) leaves and Sant
Kripa Churna. If the churna or Tulsi are not available, honey alone will do.
"And
those students who find that world of God through chastity, there is that
heavenly country; theirs in whatever world they are, is
freedom."
- Chhandogya Upanisad
"A
wise man should avoid married life as if it were a burning pit of live coals.
From the contact comes sensation, from sensation thirst, from thirst clinging,
by ceasing from that, the soul is delivered from all sinful existence."
- Lord Buddha
"These
sexual propensities, though they are at first like ripple, acquire the
proportions of a sea on account of a bad company. Whenever the mental image of
a woman crops up in your mind with evil thoughts, repeat mentally "Om
Durgaa Devyai Namah " and do mental prostrations."
- Swami Vivananda
"Know
that in this world there is nothing that cannot be attained by one who remains
from birth to death a perfect celibate ..... In one person, knowledge of the
four Vedas, and in another, perfect celibacy- of these, the
latter is superior to the former who is wanting in celibacy."
- The Mahabharat
"All
men and youngmen in particular, can experience the immediate benefit of
chastity. The memory is quiet and tenacious, the brain lively and fertile, the
will energetic, the whole character gains a strength of which
libertines have no conception, no prism show us our surroundings under such
heavenly colours as that of chastity, which lights up with its rays the least
objects in the universe and transports us into the purest joys of an abiding
happiness that shows neither shadow neither decline. "
- Prof. Montagaza
"This
seed (semen) is marrow to your bones, food to your brains, oil to your joints
and sweetness to your breath and if you are a man, you should never loose a
drop of it, until you are fully thirty years of age and then
only for the purpose of having a child which shall be blessed by heaven and
really one of the inmates of the kingdom of heaven by being born again."
- Dr. Molvil Keith M.D.
Chastity
no more injures the body and the soul, self-discipline is better than any other
line of conduct.
-
Sir James Pagen
"It is a singularly false
notion... the notion of imaginary dangers in absolute continence. Virginity is
a physical, moral and intellectual safeguard to youngmen. "
- Dr. E. Perier