brahmacarya

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EIGHT TYPES OF BRAHMACARYA EXPLAINED

 

Tapah is explained in the smrti-sastra as follows: manasas cendriyanam ca

aikagryam paramam tapah. "Complete control of the mind and senses and their

complete concentration on one kind of activity is called tapah." Our Krsna

consciousness movement is teaching people how to concentrate the mind on

devotional service. This is first-class tapah. Brahmacarya, the life of

celibacy, has eight aspects: one should not think of women, speak about sex

life, dally with women, look lustfully at women, talk intimately with women

or decide to engage in sexual intercourse, nor should one endeavor for sex

life or engage in sex life. One should not even think of women or look at

them, to say nothing of talking with them. This is called first-class

brahmacarya. If a brahmacari or sannyasi talks with a woman in a secluded

place, naturally there will be a possibility of sex life without anyone's

knowledge. Therefore a complete brahmacari practices just the opposite. If

one is a perfect brahmacari, he can very easily control the mind and senses,

give charity, speak truthfully and so forth. To begin, however, one must

control the tongue and the process of eating. In the bhakti-marga, the

path of devotional service, one must strictly follow the regulative

principles by first controlling the tongue sevon-mukhe hi jihvadau svayam

eva sphuratyadah). The tongue (jihva) can be controlled if one chants the

Hare Krsna maha-mantra, does not speak of any subjects other than those

concerning Krsna and does not taste anything not offered to Krsna. If one

can control the tongue in this way, brahmacarya and other purifying

processes will automatically follow.

(Bhag. 6.1.13-14, purp.)