What is Brahmacharya?

Rules and methods

Brahmacharya is different from western celibacy/nofap. It involves not only at physical level but also at the mental level where you make your thoughts, words and actions purer.

They say—
Karmana manasa vaca
Sarvavasthasu sarvada
Sarvatra maithuna-tyago
Brahmacaryam pracaksate

karmana- by actions, manasa- by mind, vacasa- by speech, sarvavasthasu- in all states, sarvada- always, sarvatra- everywhere, maithuna tyagah- abandonment of sex, brahmacharya pracakshate- is called Brahmacharya.
By actions, by mind, by speech, in all states, always, everywhere, abandonment of sex is called Brahmacharya.

Swami Vivekananda says- “Chastity in thought, word, and deed, always, and in all conditions, is what is called Brahmacharya.”

Simple Eight rules for Brahmacharya in this Slok-

smaranam kirtanam kelih
preksanam guhyabhasanam
sankalpo ‘dhyavasayas ca
kriya-nirvrttir eva ca

~Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.12

One should not:

1. Think about women.
2. Speak about sex life.
3. Dally with women.
4. Look lustfully at women.
5. Talk intimately with women.
6. Decide to engage in sexual intercourse.
7. Endeavor for sex life.
8. Engage in sex life.

These above are the rules and methods to follow Brahmacharya.
Brahma- God, Charya- Path. Someone walking on the path of God. So, a Brahmachari wants to conserve his/her sexual energies to utilise in useful things like helping people and Building things. He wants to rise above the mere senses or bodily pleasures and utilise this energy to get pleasure by helping people.

Brahmacharya is not realted to Sex only but anything which is more than Self- Interest.

Please feel free to share it with your friends.

Thanks,
Kapil

P.s.- Sorry for the delay in the Newsletters.