Changes

== निषिद्धाचरणम् ॥ Forbidden activities ==

== निषिद्धाचरणम् ॥ Forbidden activities ==

According to the Bhagavata Purana, those who have taken the vow of brahmacharya (celibacy) should avoid the use of collyrium, unguents, massage of the body, dealings with women, painting or viewing pictures of women, meat, spirituous liquor (in the case of those who are permitted to drink, honey in the case of brahmanas), garlands, sandal pigment and ornaments.<ref name=":5" />

A brahmachari, as enunciated earlier, is required to always be engrossed in the service of his teacher and offer salutations. And while doing so, the Mahabharata states that he must refrain from the 6 activities (associated with livelihood) viz. performing yajnas for himself or others, learning or teaching, giving or accepting dana and also refrain from engaging in inappropriate activities. It also states that a brahmachari must not exhibit his authority in his behaviour and must avoid the company of those who foster hatred.<ref name=":13" /><blockquote>शुश्रूषां सततं कुर्वन्गुरोः संप्रणमेत च। षट्‌कर्मस्वनिवृत्तश्च न प्रवृत्तश्च सर्वशः।।१२.६०.२०

अञ्जनाभ्यञ्जनोन्मर्दस्त्र्यवलेखामिषं मधु । स्रग्गन्धलेपालङ्कारांस्त्यजेयुर्ये धृतव्रताः ॥ १२॥<ref name=":4" />

नाचरत्यधिकारेण सेवेत द्विषतो न च। एषोऽऽश्रमपदस्तात ब्रह्मचारिण इष्यते।।१२.६०.२१<ref name=":7" />

The Agni Purana states that one should abstain from (drinking) intoxicants, (eating) flesh, singing and dancing with men. (One should also eschew) violence, spreading scandal about others and especially speaking unpleasant words.<ref name=":10" />

nācaratyadhikāreṇa seveta dviṣato na ca। eṣo<nowiki>''</nowiki>śramapadastāta brahmacāriṇa iṣyate।।12.60.21 </blockquote>The Manusmrti, Yajnavalkya Smrti, Bhagavata Purana, Agni Pura, etc. also state the restrictive rules applicable to the students in the brahmacharyashrama.

मधु मांस जनैः सार्धं गीतं नृत्यञ्च वै त्यजेत् ॥१५३.१५

* According to Manusmrti, a brahmachari in the gurukula must abide by the rules with control over his senses in order to increase his tapas (2.175).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":12" /> It says,

हिंसाम्परापवादं च अश्लीलं च विशेषतः ।१५३.१६<ref name=":11" />

<blockquote>वर्जयेन्मधु मांसं च गन्धं माल्यं रसान्स्त्रियः । शुक्तानि यानि सर्वाणि प्राणिनां चैव हिंसनम् । । २.१७७ । ।

 

वर्जयेन्मधु मांसं च गन्धं माल्यं रसान्स्त्रियः । शुक्तानि यानि सर्वाणि प्राणिनां चैव हिंसनम् । । २.१७७ । ।  

अभ्यङ्गं अञ्जनं चाक्ष्णोरुपानच्छत्रधारणम् । कामं क्रोधं च लोभं च नर्तनं गीतवादनम् । । २.१७८ । ।  

अभ्यङ्गं अञ्जनं चाक्ष्णोरुपानच्छत्रधारणम् । कामं क्रोधं च लोभं च नर्तनं गीतवादनम् । । २.१७८ । ।  

abhyaṅgaṁ añjanaṁ cākṣṇorupānacchatradhāraṇam । kāmaṁ krodhaṁ ca lobhaṁ ca nartanaṁ gītavādanam । । 2.178 । ।  

abhyaṅgaṁ añjanaṁ cākṣṇorupānacchatradhāraṇam । kāmaṁ krodhaṁ ca lobhaṁ ca nartanaṁ gītavādanam । । 2.178 । ।  

dyūtaṁ ca janavādaṁ ca parivādaṁ tathānr̥tam । strīṇāṁ ca prekṣaṇālambhaṁ upaghātaṁ parasya ca । । 2.179 । ।  

dyūtaṁ ca janavādaṁ ca parivādaṁ tathānr̥tam । strīṇāṁ ca prekṣaṇālambhaṁ upaghātaṁ parasya ca । । 2.179 । । </blockquote>Meaning: A brahmachari must abstain from consuming honey or intoxicant and meat, avoid use of fragrances, flowers, juices, stay away from women, things that have turned sour and abandon violence against living beings. Oiling, applying collyrium to the eyes, use of sandals, umbrella, fostering lust, anger and greed, indulging in dancing, singing and playing musical instruments, gambling, quarelling, belittling, lying, laying eyes or hands on women, wishing or causing harm to others should also be completely abandoned by a him.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":12" />

Similar abstinance is quoted in the Yajnavalkya Smrti as well (2.33)<ref name=":8" />  

Similar abstinance is quoted in the Yajnavalkya Smrti (1.33),<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" /> Bhagavata Purana (7.12.12)<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> and Agni Purana (153.13)<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":11" /> as well.

Let him always sleep alone, let him never waste his manhood; for he who voluntarily wastes his manhood, breaks his vow. However, a twice-born student, who has involuntarily wasted his manly strength during sleep, must bathe, worship the sun, and afterwards thrice mutter the Rik-verse (which begins), “Again let my strength return to me.” (2.180 and 181)<ref name=":0" /> <blockquote>एकः शयीत सर्वत्र न रेतः स्कन्दयेत्क्व चित् । कामाद्धि स्कन्दयन्रेतो हिनस्ति व्रतं आत्मनः । । २.१८० । ।  

* The Manusmrti also adds that a brahmachari must always sleep alone and never give up his veerya. For, the one who gives up his veerya willingly, destroys his vow of brahmacharya. However, if one happens to lose veerya, unwillingly, in dream state then it is advised to bathe, perform worship of the Sun and repeat the rk 'punarmāmetvindriyam' thrice.<ref name=":12" />

<blockquote>एकः शयीत सर्वत्र न रेतः स्कन्दयेत्क्व चित् । कामाद्धि स्कन्दयन्रेतो हिनस्ति व्रतं आत्मनः । । २.१८० । ।  

स्वप्ने सिक्त्वा ब्रह्मचारी द्विजः शुक्रं अकामतः । स्नात्वार्कं अर्चयित्वा त्रिः पुनर्मां इत्यृचं जपेत् । । २.१८१ । ।<ref name=":1" />  

स्वप्ने सिक्त्वा ब्रह्मचारी द्विजः शुक्रं अकामतः । स्नात्वार्कं अर्चयित्वा त्रिः पुनर्मां इत्यृचं जपेत् । । २.१८१ । ।<ref name=":1" />  

ekaḥ śayīta sarvatra na retaḥ skandayetkva cit । kāmāddhi skandayanreto hinasti vrataṁ ātmanaḥ । । 2.180 । ।  

ekaḥ śayīta sarvatra na retaḥ skandayetkva cit । kāmāddhi skandayanreto hinasti vrataṁ ātmanaḥ । । 2.180 । ।  

svapne siktvā brahmacārī dvijaḥ śukraṁ akāmataḥ । snātvārkaṁ arcayitvā triḥ punarmāṁ ityr̥caṁ japet । । 2.181 । । </blockquote>शुश्रूषां सततं कुर्वन्गुरोः संप्रणमेत च। षट्‌कर्मस्वनिवृत्तश्च न प्रवृत्तश्च सर्वशः।। 20

svapne siktvā brahmacārī dvijaḥ śukraṁ akāmataḥ । snātvārkaṁ arcayitvā triḥ punarmāṁ ityr̥caṁ japet । । 2.181 । । </blockquote>

 

 

 

He must not exhibit his authority in his behaviour and must avoid the company of those who foster hatred. This is ashrama dharma enunciated for a brahmachari, says bhishma to Yudhishthira in the Rajadharmanushasana Parva (Adhyaya 61) in the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata.<ref name=":13" />

== The Period of Studentship ==

== The Period of Studentship ==

The Yajnavalkya Smrti says,

The Yajnavalkya Smrti says,

ācārye tu khalu prete guruputre guṇānvite । gurudāre sapiṇḍe vā guruvadvr̥ttiṁ ācaret । । 2.247 । ।

ācārye tu khalu prete guruputre guṇānvite । gurudāre sapiṇḍe vā guruvadvr̥ttiṁ ācaret । । 2.247 । ।

eteṣvavidyamāneṣu sthānāsanavihāravān । prayuñjāno'gniśuśrūṣāṁ sādhayeddehaṁ ātmanaḥ । । 2.248 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: If (a student) desires to pass his whole life in the teacher’s house, he must diligently serve him, until he is freed from this body. (A perpetual student) must, if his teacher dies, serve his son (provided he be) endowed with good qualities, or his widow, or his Sapinda, in the same manner as the teacher. Should none of these be alive, he must serve the sacred fire, standing (by day) and sitting (during the night), and thus finish his life.<ref name=":0" />

eteṣvavidyamāneṣu sthānāsanavihāravān । prayuñjāno'gniśuśrūṣāṁ sādhayeddehaṁ ātmanaḥ । । 2.248 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: If (a student) desires to pass his whole life in the teacher’s house, he must diligently serve him, until he is freed from this body. (A perpetual student) must, if his teacher dies, serve his son (provided he be) endowed with good qualities, or his widow, or his Sapinda, in the same manner as the teacher. Should none of these be alive, he must serve the sacred fire, standing (by day) and sitting (during the night), and thus finish his life.<ref name=":0">The Laws of Manu, Translated by G.Buhler, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu02.htm Chapter 2]</ref>

It is in line with this duty that the Yajnavalkya smrti states that the Naishthika brahmachari should live with his acharya, in the absence of the latter, with his son or wife or even fire.<ref name=":8" />

It is in line with this duty that the Yajnavalkya smrti states that the Naishthika brahmachari should live with his acharya, in the absence of the latter, with his son or wife or even fire.<ref name=":8" />