but!!!!!!!!! the less often it happens, the better

[Guest guest]

> Dear prabhu, could you tell me who is Sivavavna Swami? Those statements to

> not being worry about the discharging of the semen and overflow of the

> same are bit strange to me. What I know is that if you practice this

> process of Krishna consciousness nicely, then the semen change its flow

> from down towards up, and in this way it is nourishing the brain.

 

I am sorry, I am not so familiar with Swami Sivananda's background, and can

just tell you that he was born in 1887 in SOuth India and later took sannyas

in 1924 which he maintained up until his demise in 1963.

 

He is famous for his strong preaching of brahmacarya, and given his nearly

40 years of sannyasa practice, I think it can be safely assumed that he knew

what he was writing about *as far as technicalities of brahmacarya are

concerned*.

 

The last remark is necessary because from his writings he appears to have a

some leaning towards Mayavada, and therefore the higher taste of Krsna

consciousness might well remain unknown to him.

 

But on the practical level, it is true, devotional service does give one the

higher taste and in this way makes him *deliberately averse* to wasting his

semen, and it does change seminal flow from downward to upward - the fact

evident from devotees' bright appearance. But at the same time it might not

necessarily at once do away with all kinds of external influences on one's

body and mind, like ghosts, spinal disorders, body overheating, subtle

contaminations through food (like the one recently discussed in this

conference re. mahaprasadam and a prostitute) and including some natural

overflow.

 

In such cases a loss of semen is not a result of the person's conscientious

endeavor for sex, but is as accidental (and of course as undesirable) as,

say, a loss of a tooth. It is, therefore, not a valid reason for

self-remorse. That's why both Srimad-Bhagavatam and Manu-samhita

compassionately give recommendations for such incidents, as quoted above,

rather then blame the brahmacari for breaking his principles or not

practicing them properly.

 

Still, the less it happens the better, and over the years many brahmacaris,

besides engaging in devotional practices, find themselves getting more

mindful about what, when and where they eat, where they sleep, who they talk

or listen to, what posture they take while sleeping or sitting, many take to

physical exercises or yoga - just to help their brahmacari life.

 

I beg to remain

 

your servant,

Madana-mohana das