Vedic Wisdom - Wrong Notions-2- Brhamacharya

Vedic Wisdom

Wrong Notions-2- Brhamacharya

The other major misconception is in relation to the concept of ‘Brahmacharya’ - celibacy- which has caused a terrible confusion into the basics of the cosmic science itself. The completely wrong concept of the rejection of the life as mean and fleeting is rooted in a wrong interpretation of this divine principle as elaborated below.

The people who make a virtue out of celibacy, saying that it is the ordain of the God have completely misunderstood the meaning of the Vedic ‘brahmacharya’.

Vedas do not decry or deride conjugal bliss, because if that is so , then there is no pro creation and no evolvement at all. If that was God’s ordain how will he achieve his objective of grand evolution?

More importantly if it was so why he should have started this process at all

Two of the potencies of the omnipotent Goddess has been described as ‘Ya devi sarva bhuteshu vriddhi roopena samsthitha’ and ‘ya devi sarva bhuteshu matru roopena samsthitha’ which clearly states that ‘Mata Paraskthi’ is in the form of ‘vruddhi’ – the drive to procreate and in the form of ‘matru’- the desire to attain motherhood.

Therefore to decry progeny and procreation and promote celibacy as ‘the’ virtue for attaining God realization is a misguidance fraught with lot of negative consequences.

Then what it is that the Vedas proscribe. They condemn and prohibit illegitimate, forced, unabashed, unwilling and uncontrolled animalistic attitude towards physical relationships

There is a nice story on the Vedic definition of celibacy. A man who learnt all the Vedas, after completing ‘Gurukulam’ returned home and their parents wanted to arrange for his marriage.

But he said he can’t agree to get married because he wanted to realize God and being a ‘Brahmachari’ is the right and sure route for that. His parents were very upset.

Now our man wanted to know all about being a celibate so that he will follow them without fail as he was very keen to realize the God.

So he went to his Guru who was a celibate all through his life and asked him to guide. The Guru said I am not the right person to guide you. You go and meet Rishi Pulastya as he will be the right person.

Our man was surprised that his guru is asking him to meet a Rishi who have many children. But yet that is Guru’s order and so he has to obey.

He went and met Rishi Pulastya and asked him to guide. He said more than me the right person will be Sage Vashishtha who can guide you better.

Again our man was surprised because he knows Sage Vashistha is a Grihsastha. But again it was an instruction from a Rishi and he had to obey and so he went to Sage Vashishtha and asked him to guide.

Sage Vasistha said the right person will be Vyasa who can guide you. Our man was now terribly confused as he knows Sage Vyasa is the father of Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura and that too not out of a formal marriage. Yet he can’t disobey the order of the great Sage and so he went and met Sage Vyasa.

Sage Vyasa asked why he has come to meet. He told that he wants to realise God and he is convinced that celibacy will the right route for that and therefore he should know all about celibacy so that he doesn’t err in it.

He further said that he met his Guru and others and on being directed that you will be the ideal person to guide me, I am here.

He asked him what your objection to get married. The boy said if I am married I how I can I be a celibate.

Vyasa said now I understand what is your problem. Vyasa said let me now explain to you the right definition of Brahmacharya.

Brahmacharya means one should not be running after illegitimate and immoral physical relationships. It does not prohibit legitimate conjugal bliss ; all that it says is that ‘Chastity and fidelity’ are the foundation of conjugal bliss and only on this a strong and happy marital relationship stands.

This has to be understood by both the husband and wife so that they can very well practice this in their married life and be blissful.

He further explained that as explained in ‘Srimad Bhagavatam’, of which he is the composer, brahmacharya as explained above is one of the disciplines to be observed in married life and subject to that ,conjugal bliss is fully permitted for procreation, austerity, purity, contentment and friendliness towards all.

Vyasa summed up and said my dear boy, in essence all that has to be avoided is lust.

Our man got great clarity and thanked him and came back to their parents and agreed to get married.

The wrong notions of Sanyasa and celibacy have actually played havoc with religions and religious leaders because it has lead to deceit, hypocrisy and exploitation.

This article is a snippet from the Book Vedic Wisdom, Authored by Pandit Sri Rama Sharma. Vedic Wisdom is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.