Brahmacharya..

Hello Kaushal,

Good to hear of your interest as regards Brahmacharya. Coming to the answer,

A Brahmachari would be more wise and practical in taking a vow of Brahmacharya in the realistic sense than in the sense of becoming a 'Naisthika Brahmachari' (one who practices Brahmacharya without getting married at all). What is this realistic sense? It involves a vow to practice honest and true Brahmacharya in thought, word and deed at all places and times in the real sense. This means he can marry and lead the life of a 'Grihastha' (married man) but limits the sexual act only for the purpose of progeny. Such a man though married, derives the full and complete benefits of a life of Brahmacharya and becomes very eligible for the attainment of self-realization.

A vow of 'Naishthika Brahmacharya' (life long Brahmacharya in the single, unmarried state) may not be in everyone's destiny. One must always remember that it is not we who decide upon our mode of life but the Almighty Lord. It is only through his grace and will that the world was created, exists and will one day dissolve away. Each and every being is completely controlled by the Almighty and subject to his commands whether one wants it or doesn't. A Brahmachari may feel very devoted and interested towards 'Nasithika Brahmacharya' and feel like taking a vow and the Almighty might have other plans for him in terms of marriage and children. He may find himself in a state a few years ahead where he has no other option but to marry through the working of destiny. What will he do then with his vow? A vow is a very serious thing and not something that can be broken casually. A vow involves taking an oath or promise in the name of the Almighty creator and standing by it even if it means death, loss of honor and destruction. How many people are fully geared for such determination and surrender?

Keeping all these practicalities in mind, a beginner Brahmachari would do well to take the vow of Brahmacharya for the period until his marriage. After getting married and fathering a child, he can renew his vows and then try for life-long Brahmacharya if he so wills and if God wills. One must after all remember that the purpose of the sexual act is to produce offspring and thus contribute to continuing the human race. It is only very few souls who have been absolved of this responsibility by the Almighty Lord and such countable number of people take recourse to 'Naisthika Brahmacharya'. The Brahmachari at the start of Brahmacharya does not know if he or she belongs to this minority. If yes, he will remain unmarried and practice absolute Brahmacharya through his life. If no, he marries, produces offspring and then continues with the practice of absolute Brahmacharya. Either way, if his Brahmacharya is absolute and true with devotion and love for the Almighty, he achieves the same goal namely self-realization. It is not that all Naisthika Brahmacharis have attained self-realization or that those who have married haven't attained to it. The marital status of a person has nothing to with attaining self-realization. A man might be an unmarried Sanyasi (monk) and yet be full of sensual desires. Another man might be married and yet be anchored to God with devotion and surrender without desire for sense pleasures. A sensible Brahmachari lets the decision regarding his marital status to God and does not try to write his destiny. Ours is to accept what the Almighty wills and abide by his decision.

To take a vow of Brahmacharya, one must as always wake up early in the morning much before Sunrise while still dark, have a bath and then meditate on the Lord for a few minutes. He should then raise both his hands straight above his head and mentally proclaim - " O Lord Parabrahman, the great creator, preserver and destroyer, today I take the vow of Brahmacharya with the promise that I shall follow the tenets of Brahmacharya in thought, word and deed at all places and times to the best of my efforts. Kindly give me the strength and ability to raise above Mâya (Illusion of this world) and help me establish myself in 'Âtma Gnyâna' (knowledge of the Âtman). Let my Brahmacharya be unbroken and honest. Bless me, bless me".

Further to taking the vow, the Brahmachari must continue with his daily Yogic practices of Tribandha, Prânayâma and meditation regularly and without fail. He should never willingly let a lustful thought grow and develop during times of arousal. His efforts at practicing Brahmacharya in thought, word and deed must be complete and to the best of his efforts in the wakeful state. He should regularly subject his body to physical exercise (or Âsana), intellectual work and God-meditation. He should follow the Yama-Niyams of Yoga and try as much as possible to stay in God-thought during the course of the day. What is very important is to stay very clear of letting sexual thoughts flower and develop. Whenever he is troubled by the sight of a woman, the Brahmachari should tell himself of the falsity of the body by reminding himself that the female body attracting him is nothing but a bag of flesh containing excreta, blood, fat, pus, phlegm and urine. He should remind himself that it will age, wrinkle, get diseased and finally decompose. This is as much as one can do. If the practice is honest, sincere and correctly carried out, God will undoubtedly extend his helping hand and wet dreams will gradually reduce and taper away over the course of time.

              ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)