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Greatly Inspiring Brahmacharya (Celibacy) Quotes
Compiled by Gopal Krishna
I. Introduction
Please exercise caution about the absolutist statements made by this writer, who is speaking as if he were an accomplished authority on the subject. As an example, he says unbroken celibacy for a period of 12 years is an absolute requirement for awakening kundalini. But he simply doesn't know this. Now whether such claims were motivated by the inspired zeal of a novice, or more darkly an attempt to claim the mantle of a spiritual teacher, the individual had no basis in experience to make such claims. They reflected opinions held early in his spiritual search, but it is our impression that he no longer believes in the usefulness of celibacy and no longer practices it. Let this be a lesson in following the words of people who speak dramatically but without knowledge. Regardless, we appreciate the great deal of work he undertook in order to compile this material and publish it.
Hi friends,
This is a collection of greatly inspiring Brahmacharya (Celibacy) quotes which I use for reading 10 min every day, just after finishing my early morning yoga practice. I spend a total 20 min for spiritual reading in the morning: 10 min for brahmacharya quotes and 10 min for quotes on meditation and Self-Realization from scriptures like Gita, Upanishads, Yoga Sutra and teachings and life-stories of great sages. I recommend the same for every serious spiritual aspirant. Why? Because, our mind needs the spiritual food of soul-elevating thoughts daily as much as our body needs daily the material food for its nutrition needs.
Err! What are you saying? "I cannot spend 20 min daily for spiritual reading due to lack of time!" Well! You can daily spend 30 min on reading newspaper most of which give useless stuff which you need not read in full details. So, here is a proposal: instead of spending 30 min on newspaper, spend only 15 min there and use that saved 15 min + 5 min more from your side (total 20 min) for spiritual reading every day in the morning. At least try this approach: whatever I suggest/write is coming from a battle-hardened veteran. You can go to the Quotes section directly, but in case you want to learn more about my quest for Samadhi and my approach for being in akhand brahmacharya or unbroken celibacy my whole life, continue reading below. And in case you have some doubts on the benefits of brahmacharya, then please do read this post as well.
Since akhand brahmacharya (unbroken celibacy) for a minimum of 12 years at-a-stretch is a sine-qua-non (an absolute must) for awakening Kundalini and realizing Self-bliss, every spiritual aspirant needs to use all tricks of mind to achieve this state. Brahmacharya was quite challenging even in old times when there were no glossy newspaper, magazines, television, movies and internet; so what to say of present times.
The problem becomes particularly tricky in light of the huge bombardment of mind in today's world with all kinds of lust-exciting images. Combine that with mind's automatic fascination with any intense sense-pleasure and you get a perfect recipe for an Action-thriller movie like Spiderman/
Also, in order to be a Sarvodaya Sannyasin, [1] one will need to practice unbroken celibacy for at least 12 years continuously, apart from doing >= 1 year fulltime secluded yoga-practice 2 times (with some years of gap between two secluded fulltime yoga-practice) combined with vow of silence, not spending time in reading spiritual books or any other things during the seclusion period, but utilizing the entire seclusion period for only yoga-practice.
[1. Broken link. Search at https://bodhisattvagopalon
Why at least 12 years of unbroken brahmacharya-celibacy?
Because, nature requires a fixed quantum of energy for any major change. For example, water has a tendency to flow downward. If it gets heated, it does not boil unless and until heat energy increases water's temperature to 100 degree centigrade. And once that happens, water starts boiling and getting converted into vapor. Now, see the contrast between water and vapor: water flows downward, whereas vapor flows upward; water is liquid and visible to eyes, whereas vapor is gaseous and becomes invisible after merging into the atmosphere.
Exactly the same happen with pranic energy: when it manifests at the level of lust, the tendency of this energy is to move outward and downward, degrading our consciousness level to animal level - this state is comparable to the water state. But, when after gathering pranic energy for (at least) 12 years without any break in celibacy is achieved, the pranic energy manifests at higher levels of creativity and spiritual bliss, moving more inward and upward - compare this state to the vapor state. And compare the 12 years' practice of unbroken celibacy to gathering enough heat to make water temperature 100 degree centrigade in order to convert it into the vapor state.
Now, the only issue is - in spiritual life, bliss comparable to (in fact, superior to, as per our yogis) lustful pleasure arises after 12 years' unbroken, continuous celibacy, when kundalini reaches the 5th or higher centers of Vishuddhi/Agya Chakras; of course, once this happens, mind loses all interest in lustful pleasure, as one would naturally prefer to enjoy more intense and permanent spiritual bliss over momentary and spiritually degrading lustful pleasure. Thereafter, one becomes firmly established in effortless, natural celibacy. But, till this happens, the mind continues to feel some attraction towards lustful pleasure and is always prone to an unfortunate break in brahmacharya practice - a downfall which makes one start all over again the process of 12 years' akhand brahamacharya practice.
In fact, the role of brahmacharya is so important that it is proper to understood it with as much clarity as possible. For this, let us have a broad understanding of the science of kundalini: [2]
[2. For definition of tamasic, rajasic and sattwic see the blog post (broken link, like many on his site) gopalonmission.wordpress.com: attributes of mind. Update: Try searching here: https://bodhisattvagopalon
• Kundalini is the most refined form of vital energy (maha-prana) present in every being. It guides the physical, mental and spiritual evolution of all beings. Its activity is guided by nature in case of all beings except humans. In case of humans, there is freedom to guide the activity of kundalini because with humans conscious evolution through self-effort becomes possible.
• When kundalini resides in the lower 2 chakras (Muladhara and Swadhistana), the mind is primarily tamasic in nature.
• When kundalini resides in the 3rd chakra (manipura - navel center), the mind is tamasic plus rajasic.
• When kundalini resides in the 4th chakra (anahata - heart center), the mind is sattwic plus rajasic.
• When kundalini comes to the 5th chakra (vishuddhi - throat center), the mind is pure sattwic. The 6th chakra (agya) is also pure sattwic. And when kundalini reaches the 7th chakra, mind dissolves into pure consciousness, and the experience of samadhi (absolute oneness or pure silence) happens.
Kundalini gets activated through deep concentration of mind on any creative activities - be it art, music, games, mathematics, technology, etc. But, this activation is only partial and does not lead to enlightenment or samadhi. For samadhi, the whole science of yoga has been designed. With regular yoga practice and keeping the mind sattwic (and gradually and steadily eliminating all rajasic and tamasic thoughts, speech and actions from one's life) through conscious self-effort and self-awareness, kundalini gets activated.
Perfect brahamacharya is possible only when kundalini rises to the 5th center (Vishuddhi) or higher ones. In this state, even the production of reproductive elements stops in the body, so nocturnal loss (night fall) or monthly period (menstrual loss) stops completely. This is an irreversible stage - that is, once kundalini reaches the 5th center, there is no question of downfall to the lower 4 centers/chakras. One can rise only higher from 5th center. Now, the trouble of lust is over and one is established in natural brahmacharya. This is a very very high spiritual state and not even 1 in a million are in this state.
Now, the person is fully sattwic (and always remains peaceful and blissful in all kinds of trying situations). Swami Vivekananda remarked that he did not meet more than 20 sattwic people in his life despite travelling half the globe. This is the goal which I am chasing to achieve by the end of foundation phase of Sarvodaya Mission (2009-2033).
BUT, the great disaster is: till the 4th center (a selfless kindness for everyone is the peculiar mark of a person whose kundalini is in 4th center, whereas in the lower 3 centers/
If brahmacharya gets broken, kundalini falls down to the lower chakras and then after some yoga-practice, it again ascends back to the 4th center. And to make kundalini reach the 5th center requires something which is a himalayana task - it requires absolute brahmacharya practice at the level of body (with the exception of loss through night fall and monthly period) and mind as well as strong yoga-practice for at least 12 years continuously.
The whole animal heritage of millions of past lives has to be faced during this process, which tries to disrupt brahmacharya practice in some way or the other. Many sincere spiritual aspirants also get trapped and get deceived by their own minds. But this battle, which was extremely difficult for all past great ones and will continue to be difficult for all future great ones, has to be fought persistently and won ultimately by every spiritual aspirant.
A good combination of caution, right strategy, will-power, honest self-analysis and regular yoga-practice is an absolute necessity to win this battle. I hope I will be able to win it for myself, and at the end of life give a detailed guidance to others based on personal victory. Till that happens, I can offer ideas from what I learnt in various yoga books in a friendly sense without claiming any personal moral authority.
So, let us come to the point how to do away with such chances for brahamacharya break?