I have read a book named The secret of Eternal Youth. It elaborates the importance of semen preservation in human body and negative effects of wasting semen. Actually this book is based on the spiritual discourse of a reputed Indian saint Bapuji. He says in your life till now you have checked with wasting semen, you have long life please try just one year with preserving semen then you will know the meaning of life, you will know the difference. You will know the reason behind the successful personality. Actually life is experiment, if you don't succeed with one way you should have to try with another way. I am going to write some important excerpts from his book. You can study it, think it. It is in your own hand to follow this or not, because life is yours and nobody has to do nothing with your personal life, but always it is beneficial to make the habit of thinking from the flip side.
VITAL ENERGY IS THE ESSENCE OF YOUR BODY PRESERVATION OF IT IS KEY TO LONGEVITY OF YOUTHFULNESS.
THE SECRET OF ETERNAL YOUTH:
All worldly actions 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 body and the mind are healthy and function in harmony and synchronicity. The unbridled gratification of desires over the years drains away mental, vital and physical energies. Even if such a person posses 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 success, are distracted by the objects of sense of 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 body becomes languid and sickly. They live a miserable lie seeing no way to redemption. They lament that, for them, self-realisation will remain a distant dream and 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. Such degenerated societies disintegrate in the long run.
Lord Shiva to goddess parvati,
"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".
PRESERVATION OF SEMEN GIVES LIFE:
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 semen preservation will tide over a crisis of any disease very easily. It is also true that one who preserves semen striclty is usually not afflicted by any disease.
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 semen 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 the way of semen preservation, the highest Dharma, the highest knowledge, greatest strength. Saluting celibacy first, the cases beyond cure, I cure, Aye' celibacy can undo all
HOW IS SEMEN FORMED?
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!
MODERN MEDICAL OPINION:
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."
THE CAUSE OF MAGNETIC PERSONALITY:
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!
SEX FOR PROGENY- A NATURAL PLAN:-
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.
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?
DONT BE MISLED.
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.
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!
SIGNIFICANCE OF SELF CONTROL:-
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 India is three times that of U.S.A. Yet, consumption of drugs in U.S.A. is 10 times that in India. In New York City, a ten-year study, Mental Health in metropolis, claimed that approximately 80 per cent of adults showed some symptoms of Mental illness, with one in four actually impaired.
(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 U.S.A. Pre-marital sex is common in U.S. because they advocate free sex. As a result of that they compare the sexual gratification after marriage with the previous pre-marital experiences and when they find it less, they ask for divorce.
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 U.S. has 4 % of the world's population. They have made provisions for 40 % of the global material productions (like cars, TVs etc.). Yet the criminal tendency is so high that one case of burglary is recorded per ten seconds. There are 425 prisoners per one lakh population whereas there are only 23 prisoners per one lakh population in Indian jails. In U.S.A. 14 million cases of crime were recorded by the police department during the year 1992. This is because the people under the influence of Freudian psychology try to satisfy all desires (not only sexual). The social life is degraded. Unchecked criminal tendencies lead to chaos, terror and insecurity.
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 India have preached the same school of Freudian psychology in guise of religious discourses titled, "From sex to superconscious", which has misled many people. Freud, being an atheist, supported his theory on study of some cases of hysteria and kindred patients but the socalled philosopher has misled even religious people from self-control to unrestricted & illegal sex by extending spiritual support to licentiousness in his discourses, "From sex to superconscious". Sex undoubtedly leads to spiritual downfall (self-destruction). Self-control is essential to attain superconscious. Now this principle is accepted by western psychologists. They have realised the superiority of Indian psychology over the western psychology. The school of analytical psychology founded by Dr. Carl Gustav Jung must be appreciated. He disowned the materialistic view of Freud and he arrived at a view of man, which took proper account of the mystical side. Many ordinary people became great yogis, by following the principles of Indian psychology founded by sage Patahjali, many are treading this path and many will follow it even in future to become great yogis, but we have not seen even a single person who followed the teachings of "From sex to super conscious" and attained Samadhi. We have seen some of them suffering from mental disorders.
Child psychiatrist Stilia Chess of New York University says, "Freud obviously experienced oedipal lust. He then suffered the delusion that his abnormality was normal and universal."
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 Leipzig to Vienna. "I must have had the opportunity of seeing her nudum", he guessed. As a youth, young Freud exhibited unusual behaviour. At the age of seven he walked into his parent’s bedroom and intentionally urinated on the floor. He felt passion and jealousy against his father.
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 India through multinational T.V. channels in a big way. It is time to alert us before our young generation becomes victim of the situation.
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.
PSYCHOANALYSIS- CREATED BY ABNORMAL FREUD:
"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 India. They advocate for pre-marital sex (unethical), and masturbation (unnatural sex). Their teachings are published in periodicals and newspaper columns misleading the youth to corruption and ethical degradation. Many of them who follow the teachings of "From sex to super conscious" have become victims of incurable diseases, mental imbalance and AIDS. Freud reminded us shortly before his death, my ego resembles that of the psychotic in one point or another, in a greater or lesser degree." His followers may not admit their madness but they are followers of Freud who was psychotic. It is our humble request to them to give up madness of misguiding and corrupting the people of our nation. They should read this book, if they wish the good of all.
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.
SUCIDAL ARGUMENTS:-
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.
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."
FREQUENCY OF COPULATION:-
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
VICTIMS OF BAD HABIT:
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.
"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.
"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,
"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."
WHAT IS 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.
WAYS TO PRESERVE SEMINAL ENERGY:
(i) Simple Living
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.
(ii) Moderation in diet
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 Europe was fond of tasteful foods. He took food, and then vomited it out. Again took food to enjoy taste and vomited out. But he died earlier due to his gluttonous habit.
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.
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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 "Vaasa" means to stay. You will have very good meditation and contemplation during fasting, as the mind is calm and introverted. Fasting controls passion and destroys sexual excitement.
(iii) Bathing the genital organ
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.
(iv) Asanas and physical exercises
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".
(v) Padapaschimottanasana
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.
(vi) Early rising
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.
(vii) Eschew intoxicants
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.
(viii) Seek Satsang or Good Company
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 ......
₃जसके पीछेह₃ गम क₃ कतार₃, 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 Ganges of satsang. It will burn all ignorance, all thoughts and Sanskaras of passion and evil actions in short time just as a single matchstick burns huge bundles of cotton in few seconds.
(viii) Cultivate good will
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.
It is the faith that bestows the fruit of success.
Brahmajnani saints have unshakable will power. Actually Brahmajnani is an embodiment of Brahmacharya.
(ix) Practise Tribandha Pranayama
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... Om... Om...
God's infinite power resides in my heart. Hari Om .... Om... Om...
I will not be impressed by the life style of passionate worldly people. Hari Om...
Om... 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.
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 Ganges from heaven. I am the descendant of great sage Agastya who drank the ocean. I am born in a country where Lord Rama and Lord Krishna (incarnations of Lord Vishnu) lived and even devtas cherish a desire to take birth in it. I am Indian. How can I be poor, downtrodden? I can't remain poor, meek, weakling. Nothing is impossible for me. How could I remain a weakling & poor guy, being a descendant of the great sages who disseminated the message of immortality of soul, divinity of man and absolute fearlessness to the world? I will cultivate my innate Samskaras of fearlessness. I will become powerful."
(xi) Change the angle of vision
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.
(xiii) Read good spiritual books
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 India, where he was blessed with Darshan of Ramana Maharsi and other great saints and Yogis.
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 India. Therefore, the glory of good literature is beyond words. There are so many great inspiring spiritual books reflecting the glory of Indian civilization viz, 'Yoga-Vagistha Maha Ramayan', 'Shrimad Bhdgavadgita', 'Upanishads', 'Daas Bodh', 'Vivek Chudamani', 'Sukhmani', publications of Shri Ramakrishna mission, books by Swami Ramatirtha, etc etc. Make study of such literatures an indispensable part of your daily routine. Books that deal with love stories exciting passion and pornographic literatures should be either thrown into dustbin or reduced to ashes. You should strictly avoid these and give them not to others for reading. Reading of spiritual literature is of immense value in observing Brahmacharya. Always read a spiritual book in the morning after taking bath (and before going to job) and at night just before retiring to bed. The pure, sublime-elevating thoughts of the book will displace the evil (passionate) thoughts of your mind and you will not become a victim of sexual thoughts and fantasies.
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.
MIRACLES OF PRESERVING SEMINAL ENERGY:
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.
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:
Grandsire Bhishma and the great Abhimanyu
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.
The cause of Prithviraj Chauhan's defeat
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 Waterloo. It is said that, when he fell from his zenith, he had split his white blood before going to the battle. In the evening preceding the battle, he is reported to have allowed himself to be thrown into the well of carnal pleasure.
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.
Swami Ramatirtha's survey
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."
A Word of caution to the youth
I would like to tell something, especially to the youth, for the future of world lies in their hands. In ancient India, youth worked for upliftment of the nation and discovered scintillating secrets of the spiritual realm. The youth of modern India is blinded by luxurious living and indulgence in sexual pleasure. Fashion, style, epicureanism, gluttony and luxury have occupied their minds. The vices and bad practices are ruining their health, vitality and will power.
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.
EVIL EFFECTS OF MASTURBATION;
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.
An experiment done in U.S.A.
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.
Suppression or sublimation
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).
Experiences of sublimation through grace
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.
HOW TO GIVE UP MASTURBATION?
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.
Sublimation of sexual 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.
Techniques for 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."
Is the woman the gateway to hell?
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.
Our Experiences
The miracle of darsan of a saint
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
Gujarat, India.
Experience of divine grace abroad
I had gone to Japan at the invitation of a famous Organisation (C.H.E.T.O.). Being the President of "Sasmi Co-operative Society, India", I was invited. I toured a number of places in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. At Bangkok, I had an amazing experience. I went to a nightclub with my friends and saw a scene that shook me deeply. Young men and women were dancing naked for sexual satisfaction. Exposed to this horrible perversity, I began to doubt God's grace. Those young women have to do this kind of extremely abhorrent work just to make a living hurt me deeply. At that time, I suddenly remembered my Gurudev, Sant Sri Asaramji Maharaj. Immediately I went into deep trance. My Gurudev appeared and pressed one of my nerves and talked to me. A sweet and soothing sensation went through my whole being. My mind went into a tranquil state. When I finally regained my consciousness, I felt that the storm was subsided. Only peace prevailed.
I returned to Surat on 6th March, 1980. Immediately I went to have his darsan. Seeing my Guruji, I recollected the whole scene of that event that took place at Bangkok and I broke into tears of joy and gratitude. Guruji takes care of his disciples even if they are thousands of miles away. Seeing me, Guruji smiled gently. Saints have mind-boggling supernormal powers, which the scientist and psychologists cannot understand or explain.
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 Bangkok. Arjuna must have received answers to his questions by the grace of Sri Krishna. Atheists, who call the Gita a mythology, probably, have not had the good fortune of receiving the grace of a seer-saint like my Gurudev. Whenever I recall the sublimating divine power of My Gurudev, I am filled with deep peace and divine bliss.
Jayantilcil B. Vczdivi7la
President, Sasmi Co-operative Soc.
Bi7laft road, Su-rat, Gujarat (India)
How to ward off anger
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.
Some memorable statements
"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
