Changes

== Scriptural Occurances: ==

== Scriptural Occurances: ==

1.    In Atharva Veda, Shaunaka Samhita, Kanda - 11, Sukta - 7, Verse - 18<ref name=":1" /> , we find the reference to Brahmacharya.<blockquote>ब्रह्मचर्येण कन्या युवानं विन्दते पतिम् ....|  ''brahmacaryeṇa kanyā yuvānaṁ vindate patim.... |''</blockquote>Meaning  A youthful ''Kanya'' (कन्या, girl) who graduates from Brahmacharya, obtains a suitable husband.  

1.    In Atharva Veda, Shaunaka Samhita, Kanda - 11, Sukta - 7, Verse - 18<ref name=":1">Dr G. S. Sharma, Atharvaveda(2015), New Delhi, Sanskrit Sahitya Prakashan, page 609</ref> , we find the reference to Brahmacharya.<blockquote>ब्रह्मचर्येण कन्या युवानं विन्दते पतिम् ....|  ''brahmacaryeṇa kanyā yuvānaṁ vindate patim.... |''</blockquote>Meaning  A youthful ''Kanya'' (कन्या, girl) who graduates from Brahmacharya, obtains a suitable husband.  

2.   Patanjal Yoga Sutras 2.29<ref name=":2">Patanjal Yoga Sutras (2.29) (2.30)- [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8 link]</ref> enlists Yama as one of the limbs of Ashtanga Yoga as below. <blockquote>यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि ।। २.२९ ।।    ''yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayo'ṣṭāvaṅgāni ।। 2.29 ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: The 8 limbs of yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayam, Pratyahar, Dharna, Dhyana, Samadhi.  

2.   Patanjal Yoga Sutras 2.29<ref name=":2">Patanjal Yoga Sutras (2.29) (2.30)- [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8 link]</ref> enlists Yama as one of the limbs of Ashtanga Yoga as below. <blockquote>यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि ।। २.२९ ।।    ''yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayo'ṣṭāvaṅgāni ।। 2.29 ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: The 8 limbs of yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayam, Pratyahar, Dharna, Dhyana, Samadhi.  

4.   The 10 Yamas as per Shandilya Upanishad verse 1<ref>Shandilya Upanishad Verse 1 - [https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/shandilya.html link]</ref> are as below.<blockquote>“.... तत्राहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यदयाजप- क्षमाधृतिमिताहारशौचानि चेति यमादश ....”  ''".... tatrāhiṁsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryadayājapa- kṣamādhr̥timitāhāraśaucāni ceti yamādaśa ...."''</blockquote>Meaning; Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Daya, Japa, Kshama, Dhriti, Mitahara and Aarjava. Shandilya Upanishad Verse 1. (<nowiki>https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/shandilya.html</nowiki>)  

4.   The 10 Yamas as per Shandilya Upanishad verse 1<ref>Shandilya Upanishad Verse 1 - [https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/shandilya.html link]</ref> are as below.<blockquote>“.... तत्राहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यदयाजप- क्षमाधृतिमिताहारशौचानि चेति यमादश ....”  ''".... tatrāhiṁsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryadayājapa- kṣamādhr̥timitāhāraśaucāni ceti yamādaśa ...."''</blockquote>Meaning; Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Daya, Japa, Kshama, Dhriti, Mitahara and Aarjava. Shandilya Upanishad Verse 1. (<nowiki>https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/shandilya.html</nowiki>)

5.   Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swatmaram<ref>Swami Muktibodhananda, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, 2013 ed. Pg. 56 Chap. 1 verse 16. Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India</ref> also mentions Brahmacharya as below. <blockquote>अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं बरह्मछर्यं कष्हमा धॄतिः | दयार्जवं मिताहारः शौछं छैव यमा दश || १७ ||

5.   Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swatmaram<ref>Swami Muktibodhananda, Hatha Yoga Pradipika,(2013),  Munger (Bihar), Yoga Publications Trust, Pg. 56 Chap. 1 verse 16.</ref> also mentions Brahmacharya as below. <blockquote>अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं बरह्मछर्यं कष्हमा धॄतिः | दयार्जवं मिताहारः शौछं छैव यमा दश || १७ ||

''ahiṁsā satyamasteyaṁ barahmacharyaṁ kaṣhamā dhr̥̄tiḥ |'' ''dayārjavaṁ mitāhāraḥ śauchaṁ chaiva yamā daśa || 17 ||''</blockquote>Meaning: “Non-violence, truth, non-stealing''',''' continence (being absorbed in a pure state of consciousness), forgiveness, endurance, compassion, humility, moderate diet and cleanliness are the ten rules of conduct (yama). (ii)”

''ahiṁsā satyamasteyaṁ barahmacharyaṁ kaṣhamā dhr̥̄tiḥ |'' ''dayārjavaṁ mitāhāraḥ śauchaṁ chaiva yamā daśa || 17 ||''</blockquote>Meaning: “Non-violence, truth, non-stealing''',''' continence (being absorbed in a pure state of consciousness), forgiveness, endurance, compassion, humility, moderate diet and cleanliness are the ten rules of conduct (yama). (ii)”

Brahmacharya is a virtue that a person is expected to bear. It is a Yama that a person can follow. Below are reasons for it.  

Brahmacharya is a virtue that a person is expected to bear. It is a Yama that a person can follow. Below are reasons for it.  

=== a.   Swami Sivananda in Practice of Brahmacharya<ref>Swami Sivananda 1997, Practice of Brahmacharya, World Wide Web, A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION</ref>  says, ===

=== a.   Swami Sivananda in Practice of Brahmacharya<ref>Swami Sivananda, [https://www.dlshq.org/download/practice-of-brahmacharya/ Practice of Brahmacharya],(1997), World Wide Web, A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION</ref>  says, ===

<blockquote>“Brahmacharya is absolute freedom from sexual desires and thoughts. A real Brahmachari will not feel any difference in touching a woman, a piece of paper or a block of wood. Brahmacharya is meant for both men and women. Bhishma, Hanuman, Lakshman, Mira Bai, Sulabha and Gargi were all established in Brahmacharya. Mere control of the animal passion will not constitute Brahmacharya. This is incomplete Brahmacharya. You must control all the organs—the ears that want to hear lustful stories, the lustful eye that wants to see objects that excite passion, the tongue that wants to taste exciting things and the skin that wants to touch exciting objects” – Page 24</blockquote>

<blockquote>“Brahmacharya is absolute freedom from sexual desires and thoughts. A real Brahmachari will not feel any difference in touching a woman, a piece of paper or a block of wood. Brahmacharya is meant for both men and women. Bhishma, Hanuman, Lakshman, Mira Bai, Sulabha and Gargi were all established in Brahmacharya. Mere control of the animal passion will not constitute Brahmacharya. This is incomplete Brahmacharya. You must control all the organs—the ears that want to hear lustful stories, the lustful eye that wants to see objects that excite passion, the tongue that wants to taste exciting things and the skin that wants to touch exciting objects” – Page 24</blockquote>

=== b. Osho in "Talks on Zen" <ref name=":0">Osho(1977), Zen: The Path of Paradox, Vol. 1, Talks on Zen, Pune, Osho.com (Audio Discourse)</ref> gives the below reason. ===

=== b. Osho in "Talks on Zen" <ref name=":0">Osho, Zen:The Path of Paradox, Vol. 1, Talks on Zen, (1977), Pune, Osho.com (Audio Discourse)</ref> gives the below reason. ===

<blockquote>Chapter 8

<blockquote>Chapter 8

“Only a bored man -- bored with sex -- can really become a celibate. A BRAHMACHARYA ARISES, a pure BRAHMACHARYA arises -- out of sheer boredom. If you are not yet bored, then your BRAHMACHARYA will be a repression and I am not in favour of any repression because repression keeps the joy in sex alive”</blockquote>

“Only a bored man -- bored with sex -- can really become a celibate. A BRAHMACHARYA ARISES, a pure BRAHMACHARYA arises -- out of sheer boredom. If you are not yet bored, then your BRAHMACHARYA will be a repression and I am not in favour of any repression because repression keeps the joy in sex alive”</blockquote>

=== d. Osho in discourse Yoga The Alpha & Omega Vol 05 - Discourse 7<ref>Osho, Yoga: A New Direction, Discourse : Yoga The Alpha & Omega Vol 05 - Discourse 7 </ref> give the below reason, ===

=== d. Osho in discourse Yoga The Alpha & Omega Vol 05 - Discourse 7<ref>[https://oshoworld.com/yoga-the-alpha-omega-vol-05-01-10/ Osho, Yoga: A New Direction, Discourse : Yoga The Alpha & Omega Vol 05 - Discourse 7 (1975)] </ref> give the below reason, ===

<blockquote>Topic: The Alchemy of Being: Brahmacharya

<blockquote>Topic: The Alchemy of Being: Brahmacharya

“Brahmacharya is not against sex. If it is against sex then sex can never disappear. Brahmacharya is a transmutation of the energy: it is not being against sex, rather it is changing the whole energy from the sex center to the higher centers. When it reaches to the seventh center of man, the sahasrar, then brahmacharya happens. If it remains in the first center, the muladhar, then sex; when it reaches to the seventh center, then samadhi. The same energy moves. It is not being against it; rather, it is an art how to use it. “</blockquote>

“Brahmacharya is not against sex. If it is against sex then sex can never disappear. Brahmacharya is a transmutation of the energy: it is not being against sex, rather it is changing the whole energy from the sex center to the higher centers. When it reaches to the seventh center of man, the sahasrar, then brahmacharya happens. If it remains in the first center, the muladhar, then sex; when it reaches to the seventh center, then samadhi. The same energy moves. It is not being against it; rather, it is an art how to use it. “</blockquote>

== References ==

== References ==