Brahmacharya: Garland of Brahmacharya

By Sri Swami Sivananda

Garland of Brahmacharya

1. Brahmacharya is abstaining from all kinds of Maithuna or sexual enjoyment forever, in all places and in all conditions, physically, mentally and verbally.

Yajnavalkya

2. Thinking of a woman or her picture, praising a woman or her picture, sporting with a woman or her picture, glancing at a woman or her picture, secretly talking to a woman, thinking of a sinful action towards a woman actuated by sensuality, determining upon the sinful action, and bodily action resulting in the discharge of semen are the eight characteristics of copulation; and Brahmacharya is quite contrary to all these eight indications.

Daksha Smriti

3. 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 Mahabharata

4. Brahmacharya or spotless chastity is the best of all penances; a celibate of such spotless chastity is not a human being, but a god indeed. To the celibate who conserves the semen with great efforts, what is there unattainable in this world? By the power of the composure of the semen, one will become just like myself.

Lord Sankara

5. And those students who find that world of God through chastity, theirs is that heavenly country; theirs, in whatever world they are, is freedom.

Chhandogya Upanishad

6. 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

7. These sexual propensities, though they are at first like ripples, acquire the proportions of a sea on account of bad company.

Narada

8. Sensuality destroys life, lustre, strength, vitality, memory, wealth, great fame, holiness and devotion to the Supreme.

Lord Krishna

9. Death is hastened by letting out semen from the body; life is saved and prolonged by preserving it.

10. There is no doubt that people die prematurely by letting the semen out of the body; knowing this, the Yogi should always preserve semen and lead a life of strict celibacy.

Siva Samhita

11. Caution in diet is of threefold value, but abstinence from sexual intercourse is of fourfold value. The Sannyasi had, and has, a rule never to look at a woman.

Atreya

12. Let not a Brahmin see a woman naked.

Yoga of Right Conduct

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda. See all articles here: Easy Steps to Yoga