Hinduism
In Hinduism, celibacy is usually associated with the sadhus ("holy men"), ascetics who withdraw from worldly ties.
Celibacy, termed brahmacharya in Vedic scripture, is the fourth of the yamas and the word literally translated means "dedicated to the Divinity of Life". The word is often used in yogic practice to refer to celibacy or denying pleasure, but this is only a small part of what brahmacharya represents. The purpose of practicing brahmacharya is to keep a person focused on the purpose in life, the things that instill a feeling of peace and contentment.
The Vedic literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam, reject from its very beginning kaitava-dharma or false philosophy, thus it frankly speaks about the principle of material life, and it does have a meaningful relation to celibacy. Srimad Bhagavatam does not establish broad terms destined to fulfil the demographic expansion of mundane religiousity.
Lord Rishabadeva instructed his 100 sons in this way:
- pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam
- tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh
- ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair
- janasya moho 'yam aham mameti
The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of "I and mine." (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.8)
According with the Yajnavalkya-smrti, as quoted in Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.13-14) (A.C. Bhaktivedanta's authorized commentary), bramacarya means celibacy:
- karmana manasa vaca
- sarvavasthasu sarvada
- sarvatra maithuna-tyago
- brahmacaryam pracaksate
"The vow of brahmacarya is meant to help one completely abstain from sex indulgence in work, words, and mind – at all times, under all circumstances and in all places."
There are eight aspects of brahmacarya, as described in Sridhara Swami's commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.12:
- smaranam kirtanam kelih
- preksanam guhyabhasanam
- sankalpo ‘dhyavasayas ca
- kriya-nirvrttir eva ca
One should not:
- Think about women.
- Speak about sex life.
- Dally with women.
- Look lustfully at women.
- Talk intimately with women.
- Decide to engage in sexual intercourse.
- Endeavor for sex life.
- Engage in sex life. (SB 6.1.13 Purport)
One who practices brahmacarya is called a brahmacari. In the varnasrama system, the brahmacari-asrama is the first of four, namely, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa.
"According to Vedic principles, the first part of life should be utilized in brahmacarya for the development of character and spiritual qualities." (SB 3.22.19)
Brahmacarya is thus student life. It was traditionally rigorous, disciplined, and austere. It is a life of cultivation, of preparing for the future. In all asramas devotees are cultivating Krsna consciousness, preparing for the examination of death. But the brahmacari period is specifically meant for training: training in how to control the senses and subdue the mind; training to be a grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasi. This training is by submission to, service to, and friendship to the guru. (SB 7.12.1)
In terms of varnasrama principles, the highest standard of brahmacarya means the vow not to marry but to observe strict celibacy throughout life. (SB 7.12.7) This is called the brhad-vrata ("great vow"), or naisthika-brahmacarya. "Naisthika-brahmacari refers to one who never wastes his semen at any time." (SB 3.24.20) "The word maha-vrata-dharah indicates a brahmacari who has never fallen down." (SB 6.17.8)
Prahlad Maharaj, the Vaisnava devotee of Lord Nrisimhadev had prayed:
- om namo bhagavate narasimhaya
- namas tejas-tejase avir-avirbhava vajra-nakha
- vajra-damstra karmasayan randhaya randhaya
- tamo grasa grasa om svaha; abhayam
- abhayam atmani bhuyistha om ksraum.
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nrsimhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possesses nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demon-like desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world."
Unless one is completely freed of all material desires, which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always offer our prayers to Lord Nrsimhadeva, who killed Hiranyakasipu, the personification of material desire. Hiranya means "gold," and kasipu means "a soft cushion or bed." Materialistic persons always desire to make the body comfortable, and for this they require huge amounts of gold. Thus Hiranyakasipu was the perfect representative of materialistic life. He was therefore the cause of great disturbance to the topmost devotee, Prahlada Maharaja, until Lord Nrsimhadeva killed him. Any devotee aspiring to be free of material desires should offer his respectful prayers to Nrsimhadeva as Prahlada Maharaja did in this verse. (SB 5.18.8 Text and Purport. See also 5.18.10 and 14):
- yadi dasyasi me kaman
- varams tvam varadarsabha
- kamanam hrdy asamroham
- bhavatas tu vrne varam
"O my Lord, best of the givers of benediction, if You at all want to bestow a desirable benediction upon me, then I pray from Your Lordship that within the core of my heart there be no material desires." (Text SB 7.10.7)
Celibacy also is also the natural state of a pure and advanced devotee of the Lord. This principle of having a superior taste depicted in Bhagavad-Gita as param dristva nivartate is clearly expressed by the great Saint Sri Yamunacharya:
- yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde
- nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit
- tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
- bhavati mukha-vikarah susthu nisthivanam ca
"Since my mind has been engaged in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, and I have been enjoying an ever new transcendental humor, whenever I think of sex life with a woman, my face at once turns from it, and I spit at the thought."
It is also advised by the avatar of Lord Visnu, Devahuti-suta-Kapiladev that the attraction to the opposite sex is the cause of material captivity:
- yopayati sanair maya
- yosid deva-vinirmita
- tam iksetatmano mrtyum
- trnaih kupam ivavrtam
The woman, created by the Lord, is the representation of maya, and one who associates with such maya by accepting services must certainly know that this is the way of death, just like a blind well covered with grass.
Sripad Sankaracarya showed how one must one consider illogical that so called beauty of a woman's body as an argument to stay celibate:
- nari-stana-bhara-nabhi-desam
- drstva ma ga moha-vesam
- etan mamsa-vasadi-vikaram
- manasi vicintaya varam varam
Having seen the supposed beauty of a woman's heavy breasts and her thin waist, do not become agitated and influenced with illusion, for these attractive features are simply transformations of fat, flesh & toxins. One should chant this in his mind again and again.
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