Printable View
Pranaam, Vannakam,
Brahmacharya is the conservation of Sexual Energy in order to be converted into Ojas, and maybe Tejas. That is my mindset. So now I have actually started to nourish the Shukra dhatu with herbs. Also Triphala every now and then.
Now in order to convert the sexual energy into ojas, I do Japa, Meditation, etc. etc.
MY QUESTION:
Is this the right methodology of ascending spiritually, through continence?
Thank you!!
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
from a past post ( some years back)...
Within the yama-s¹ that are listed out by patañjali muni, we find that of brahmacarya. When one thinks of brahmacarya it conjurs up celibacy.
Many have been taught that brahmacharya is continence, perhaps this is one facet. Yet there are many who believe too much attention has been placed on the word being ONLY celibacy. This is all well and good. Yet a far more richer notion than the retention of semen is the fullness offered in the term brahmā + ācārya. Let me explain.
Brahmā¹ is the creator, the creative impulse of all + carya is conduct. So , both put together, it is the conduct of brahmā, the source, Brahman. The path that leads to Brahman. We can also look at this another way. This carya is also a carriage, a chariot. The notion is then a carriage that brings one to the source of Creation, Brahman. Some also look at the word ācārya or a teacher 'knowing or teaching the rules'. The rules then that connect the sadhu to Brahman. That is why it (brahmacarya) has been considered 'a student' as one of the āśramas or halting places, stages of life.
These additional dimensions are notions from the chāndogya upaniṣad¹. Continence (or the practice thereof) brings the fruit of tapas and is equal to yajña (worship).
Yet the knower of truth that practices self-control ( another form of brahmacharya) attains the same benefits as vedic rituals (yajña).
This ritual is sattrāyaṇa - sat ( truth) + trāṇa (safety or protection), another form of continence and self control. 'Sat' is Being + trāṇa, or the benefits of protection in every way. So, one is protected by Being-Truth, in every way through this yajña (worship or sacrifice) and can also be accomplished by (and therefore equal to dispensing) self-control.
Here is my point
What is of great interest is the observance of silence, maunam is also = to brahmacharya. Why so? it is the silencing of the senses. Now what is the Supreme silence? Contact with ātman (Self, Being). And when can this be done? Sitting quietly, transcending during meditation. Hence, meditation is silence and is = to brahmacharya = yajña. Hence, being in and practicing silence is of great value.
So, there are those that try to control the senses outwardly - like holding on to the tail of a run-away horse. A noble effort, yet the horse does not go back to the barn.
How is the horse brought back ? Gently , easily, with some coaching and perhaps a carrott. So , all this notion of celibacy misses a deeper point of the knowledge ( and behavior ) of brahma+carya
iti śivaṁ
- brahmā = the the personal devata ; note brahman (brahma) is used for the impersonal or the Absolute ; yet one must note get caught up in this as it only brings confusion.
- yama-s & niyama-s listed out:
- ahiṁsā non-harm and leads us to the other 4 yama-s:
- satya is true , real , actual , genuine , sincere , honest , truthful , faithful , pure , virtuous , Reality. We know there are two levels or experiences of this. One is the spoken word, the truthful word, some call this honesty.
- asteya or non-stealing
- brahmacarya - the conventional view: state of an unmarried religious student; a state of continence and chastity yet we talked of its components brahma+carya; Brahma as the creator, the creative impulse of all + carya is conduct. So , both put together, it is the conduct of Brahma, the source, Brahman. The path that leads to Brahman.
- aparigraha is to back-away from and release (from the behavior of, since it is a yama) of grasping, binding and seizing. Therefore apaigraha is a most descriptive term for the absence of hoarding
- niyama-s
- Śauca - cleanliness. Yet in essence, purity. We can consider the purity of the heart and mind ( thinking and emotions)
- santoṣa - contentment. The absence of greed and possessing in excess ( hoarding)
- Tapas - is from tapa , to consume by heat or fire; this tapas blooms as tapasya. Most think austerity; some think religious austerity, penance, even severe restrictions. From a practical perspective , tapasya is self-control. This tapas compliments the yama of aparigraha - see above list.
- Svadhayāya - is considered study. It is also self-knowing. The study that can assist the individual to become SELF-knowing.
- Īśvara-praṇidhāna - this is the notion of recognizing and advancing ( some say adoring) Īśvara. Creating that personal relationship with Sarvesvara (Lord of all).
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
Patañjali múni ( some call ādiśeṣa patañjali) calls out the following in his yogadarśana some call the yoga-sūtra-s regarding brahmacarya.
brahmacaryapratiṣṭhāyāṁ vīryalābhaḥ ||38
- brahmacarya or continence
- pratiṣṭhāyām or ~establishment~ ; pratiṣṭha = standing firmly, point of support, center.
- lābhaḥ or acquisition, obtaining, capture or conquest
- vīrya or energy, vigor, stamina, strength, splendor, luster; heroic
this says,
established or standing firmly in brahmacarya (continence) one captures or obtains the splendor of energy, vigor, strength.
So , one may think , oh I become stronger and have vitality. Perhaps, yet there is more to this. It is the vigor or stamina to pursue one’s spiritual practice. How can
one come to this conclusion ? Because it is the focus of patañjali’s yogadarśana – union with the Divine, one-pointedness (tanmaya¹)
This vīrya , says svāmī lakṣman-jū , is for the pursuit of god consciousness . It is said if a brahmacārī is instructed by his master, meditation will bear fruit for him quickly and easily. Therefore brahmacarya is a precious jewel.
Svāmī lakṣman-jū relates a story found in vālmīki’s rāmāyaṇa¹ that illustrates the character of brahmacarya.
When rāvaṇa took away sītā from her āśrama, rāmaḥ and lakṣmaṇa searched the whole jungle in pursuit of sītā.
On this occasion a group of monkeys that included sugrīva and hanumān-ji where sitting as rāvaṇa flew overhead
with sītā in his chariot. At that moment sītā cast her ornaments over the side in hopes that rāmaḥ and lakṣmaṇa
would find them as a clue to her whereabouts. Some of the ornaments fell close to where sugrīva and hanumān-ji
were sitting. They took the ornaments to rāmaḥ and lakṣmaṇa for confirmation. Rāmaḥ recognized them immediately.
He turns to lakṣmaṇa-ji to confirm the identification of the ornaments and lakṣmaṇa-ji replies:
I cannot recognize the ornaments which she wore in her ears nor on her waist. I can only recognize the ornaments
she wore on her feet and nothing else; I have never seen her face.
iti śivaṁ
words
- tanmaya- made up of that , absorbed in or identical with that
- this is found in book 4 of the rāmāyaṇa, kiṣkindhā kaṇḍa , 6th sargam (chapter) :
- nāhaṁ jānāmi keyūre nāhaṁ jānāmi kuṇḍale |
nūpure tvabhijānāmi nityaṁ tatpādavandanāt ||
- kiṣkindhā kaṇḍa - kiṣkindhā = the kingdom of king sugrīva ; kaṇḍa is defined as ‘a joint’ and is = to a parvan or section, division. So it
it is the kiṣkindhā division or section of the rāmāyaṇa.
some write the offering like this:
evam uktasaḥ tu rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇo vākyam idam abravīt |
na aham jānāmi keyūre na aham jānāmi kuṇḍale ||
nūpure tu abhijanāmi nityam pāda abhivaṃdanāt |
Wow, I am impressed with your detailed knowledge, Yavjan!
Thanks for your approvals!