Diet and Celebacy

8/8/2019 Diet and Celebacy

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Chandrayana Vrata:

Fasting on New Moon's Eve

There are many very ancient, traditional forms of Fasting (Upavasana). One of the most

ancient ones, known as Chandrayana, is observed for a whole month. It consists inreducing the amount of food which totals fifteen mouthfuls on Full Moon, by onemouthful daily until New Moon when the fast becomes complete and then increasing it in

the same manner from the day after New Moon to Full Moon. Complete abstinence from

food is also observed for one, three, six, nine or twelve days according to each person's

capacity and inclination.

Among the most auspicious times for fasting are the days of Full and New Moon as well

as the eighth and the twenty-third of each month (counting from the first day after NewMoon). New Moon Day (Amavasya) is that day of the lunar month which begins when

the last crescent of the Moon becomes invisible at dawn - for which reason it may

accurately be called No Moon Day. The night before this, that is, New Moon's Eve, is theSacred Night of Shiva (Shiva Ratri) which is also known as The Fourteenth Day of Shiva

(Shiva-Chaturdashi) and The Dark Night of Shiva (Shiva Kalaratri). Fasting during the

day and night on this auspicious occasion is particularly meritorious, and is observed for

the expiation of sins as well as for acquiring religious merit.

Thus it is written in the Shiva Purana: "O Sages! on the thirteenth day of the dark half of

the month, one meal only shall be taken (by the devotee). But on the fourteenth, completefast shall be observed. The fourteenth of the dark half is sure to bring about the

propitiation of Lord Shiva".

Even greater merit is acquired by fasting on New Moon's Eve in the month of Phalguna

(or Magha, in the South Indian calendar). This is known as the Great Night of Shiva orMaha Shivaratri and is the most important holiday in Yoga. In India, this annual holiday

may begin as early as a fortnight before New Moon, thus lasting for sixteen days in total,

from the first day after Full Moon to the first day after New Moon. Says the ShivaPurana: "In the Month of Phalguna, in the Star Uttara-Phalguni, let the Great Festival of

Shiva (Maha Utsava) commence".

Maha Shivaratri proper falls on the 14th of the dark fortnight in February or March,which is usually the 3rd New Moon's Eve from the Winter Solstice (22 December) and a

fortnight before the Festival of Holy (and the beginning of Indian Lunar Year).

Krichara Vrata:

Krichara Vrata is fasting for 12 days. The observer of the Vrata drinks only some water.

Many sins are destroyed by the practice of this Vrata.


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Twelve Pointers for Maintaining

Brahmacharya (Celibacy)

by Swami Nirmalananda Giri

Occasionally I receive letters from spiritual aspirants asking me for advice on thesubject of brahmacharya. The following are pointers which are essential for the

establishment of brahmacharya.

1) Daily meditation and constant japa is the essential foundation of brahmacharya. The japa and

meditation of Om cause the subtle forces known as prana to rise upward. Those who become

adept in these spiritual practices will become urdhvareta yogisthose in whom the sexual

energies flow upward and become transmuted into spiritual energies.

2) Satsanga, the company of holy peopleor at least those who are aspiring to holinessis

extremely helpful in the maintenance of brahmacharya. If you know like-minded people, then

meet with them regularly for spiritual study and conversation. It is not uncommon among both

Hindus and Buddhists for spiritual aspirants to meet daily for meditation.

If you do not know any other spiritual aspirantsand this is not uncommon here in the Westthen

keep satsanga with saints and masters by reading their lives and teachings and keeping their

pictures in your home. Holy images of divine forms are also beneficial.

Every day listen to spiritual music. Such music should be soothing and reflectivenot the raucous

banging and clanging that many shallow and worldly Christians and Hindus like. It is good to

listen to devotional music, but shun merely emotional music, for it is linked to lower desires, nomatter how holy the words.

3) Avoid asatsanga the company of the unholy and the worldlyin the form of people who have

no interest in spiritual life, as well as books, magazines, television, radio, and motion pictures that

are centered on material consciousness. Absolutely avoid those things that deal with the subject

of sex or depict sexually suggestive (or outright) matters or images.

4) Avoid casual association with members of the opposite sex. Never be socially alone with a

member of the opposite sex. This is an absolute. Make no exceptions based on seemingly spiritualcharacter, age, or intention. When an older woman tells you that she is your mother run away!

The same thing applies when a man tells a woman that he is her father. This goes on in both

India and America, including closeand privateassociation of men with female gurus and ofwomen with male gurus. No one knows what impulses carried over from previous livesmany

even from centurys pastare lying not far beneath the surface of the conscious mind, waiting to

manifest. Spiritual friendships with members of the opposite sex are doors to disaster. I have

seen it over and over. Even in my early teen years I watched spiritual associations inevitably

turn into sexual associations. And that had usually been the intention from the first moment. If

what I have said does not convince you, at least I have discharged my responsibility.


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5) If you happen to be homosexual, then what I say above applies to both sexes. (The number of

gays that end up fathers is remarkable. It may be cute or poignant on the movie screen, but it is

tragic in real life.) In your spiritual associations try to be sure that there are always several people

involved. This is a trial, but many saints and masters have coped with much worse.

6) Avoid absolutely any person or thing that argues against your aspiration to brahmacharya or

tries to persuade or force you into sexuality in any form. The just try it once/for a bit people areworse than tigers. Run for your lifeliterally.

7) I have warned you about external factors that harm the life of a brahmachari, but the biggest

threat or danger comes from your own mind and impulses. Ruthlessly cut off all overt or oblique

thoughts of sex when they rise in your mind. Note what innocent subjects of thought

somehow end up in ideas of sex and banish them the moment they appear in the future.

8) What about physical needs and bodily urges? Never let them be an excuse for wavering in

your ideal. But you must keep the body clean and pure to help you in maintaining brahmacharya.

9) Continuing the previous subject: Diet is an essential factor for the brahmachari and the yogi.

Diet is a form of spiritual culture as well as physical culture. There should be total avoidance of

animal protein in any form and to any degree whatsoever, and this includes dairy products.

Gandhi saw over and over that animal flesh, animal fats, and dairy products were detrimental to

brahmacharya, that movements of lust could be attributed to the physical effects of their use.

(This also happens to be the opinion of the Eastern Orthodox Church, especially the monks who

watch their minds.) This Hindus screamed blasphemy because of their attitude toward cows,

but the truth cannot be changed by hysteria. Become not just a vegetarian but a vegan: Eat a diet

that is free from all animal protein and fat, dairy products, sugar, and caffeine. Abstain totally

from nicotine and alcohol.

To learn the scientific and practical basis of what I have advised, see the books of Dr. Neal

Barnard (http://www.nealbarnard.org) and the information put out by the Physicians Committe

For Responsible Medicine (http://www.pcrm.org), Dr. Michael Klaper (http://drklaper.com), and

Dr. McDougall (http://www.drmcdougall.com).

10) Food for the mind in the form of spiritual reading is also a tremendous help to the

brahmachari. Two books are especially important for the aspiring brahmachari: Meditation and

Spiritual Life by Swami Yatiswarananda (order from amazon.com) and Practice of Brahmacharyaby Swami Sivananda. This latter book can be downloaded for free from the Divine Life Society

website.

Read the books of many traditions and teachers on spiritual life, taking what is useful and leaving

aside what is not. Follow your intuition and dont get what Yogananda called spiritual

indigestion.

11) What if you fail in some area or to some degreeor completely? Just keep on trying and be

more vigilant. Do not let the ego or foolish associates or authorities convince you that it is

hopeless, you should not even try, you will not be able, blah, blah, blah. Multitudes of holy

people have struggled; some have failed at times, but ALL HAVE SUCCEEDED. So will you.

12) Finally, know that God is on your side. And remember these words of the Bhagavad Gita:
http://www.nealbarnard.org/http://www.pcrm.org/http://drklaper.com/http://www.drmcdougall.com/http://www.amazon.com/http://www.dlshq.org/download/brahmacharya.pdfhttp://www.dlshq.org/download/brahmacharya.pdfhttp://www.amazon.com/http://www.drmcdougall.com/http://drklaper.com/http://www.pcrm.org/http://www.nealbarnard.org/


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Though a man be soiled with the sins of a lifetime, let him but love me, rightly resolved, in utter

devotion: I see no sinner, that man is holy.

Holiness soon shall refashion his nature to peace eternal; O son of Kunti, of this be certain: the

man that loves me, he shall not perish.

You find yourself in this transient, joyless world. Turn from it, and take your delight in me.

Fill your heart and mind with me, adore me, make all your acts an offering to me, bow down to

me in self-surrender. If you set your heart upon me thus, and take me for your ideal above all

others, you will come into my Being. (Bhagavad Gita 9:30, 31, 33, 34)

The Role of Diet in Sex Control - Swami Sivananda Saraswati

Diet plays a prominent part in keeping up brahmacharya. Purity of food brings in purity

of mind. That power which connects the body and the mind is present in the food that we

take. Various kinds of food have varying effects on the mind. There are certain kinds of

food that make the mind and the body very strong and steady. So it is absolutely essentialthat we should take pure and sattwic1 food. Food has a very close connection with

brahmacharya. If proper attention is given to the purity of the food that we take,

brahmacharya becomes quite easy.

The influence of foodstuffs on the brain cells, emotion and passion is remarkable. There

are different compartments in the brain and each food produces its own effect on eachcompartment and on the general system. A confection of sparrow produces an

aphrodisiac effect. It directly stimulates the reproductive organs. Meat, fish and eggs

stimulate passion. Mark how elephants and cows that live on grass are quiet and peacefuland how tigers and other carnivorous animals that live on meat are turbulent and

ferocious. Instinct or the voice from within will guide you in the selection of articles ofdiet that are conducive to the keeping up of brahmacharya. You can also consult some

elderly and experienced persons.

Sattwic food

Charu,2 Havishya3 Annam,4 milk, wheat, barley, bread, ghee,5 butter, dried ginger,

green gram, potatoes, dates, plantains, curd, almonds and fruits are all sattwic articles offood. Charu is a mixture of boiled white rice, ghee, white sugar and milk. Havishya

Annam is also a similar preparation. This is very useful for spiritual aspirants. Milk is a

perfect food by itself, containing as it does, the different nutritive constituents in a well

balanced proportion. This is an ideal food for yogins and brahmacharins. Fruits are greatenergy producers. Bananas, grapes, sweet oranges, apples, pomegranates and mangoes

are wholesome and nutritious.

Dry fruits such as grapes, raisins, dates and figs, sweet fresh fruits such as bananas,

mangoes, sapotas, melons, limes, pineapples, apples, wood apples and sweet

pomegranates, sugar and sugar-candy, honey, sago, arrowroot, milk, butter and ghee ofcows, tender coconut water, coconut, almonds, pistachio nuts, toor dal, ragi, barley,


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maize, wheat, rice of red paddy whose bran is only partly removed and rice of good smellor sweet taste, and all preparations from any of these grains, and white pumpkin are

sattwic articles for keeping up brahmacharya.

Milk, fruits, almonds, sugar-candy, butter, green oats, Bengal oats (Chenai) soaked in

water overnight, bread, etc., are all helpful in meditation. Thed, a kind of Kandamulafound in abundance in Brahmapuri, Vasishtha Guha and other parts of the Himalayas, isvery Sattvic. It helps meditation. My friend and spiritual brother Swami

Purushottamanandaji used to live on that for some days when he was at Vasishtha Guha,

fourteen miles from the reputed Rishikesh. Sunthi-Sevana (taking powder of dried

ginger) is very good for aspirants. It can be taken along with milk. It refreshes the mindand helps digestion. Yogins take it very often. Triphala water also is taken by Yogins. It

removes constipation, cools the system and stops wet-dreams. Myrobalan or Haritaki

(Harad of the yellow kind) can be chewed by Yogic practitioners very often. It preservessemen and checks nocturnal discharges. Potatoes boiled without salt or roasted in fire are

very good.

Forbidden food

Meat, fish, eggs, tobacco, liquor, and stale food, are not at all beneficial. Tobacco and itspreparations, foods and drinks containing liquor or narcotic drugs such as opium and

bhang, food preparations which are stale, or which are remnants after being eaten away

by other persons, animals, birds or insects, or which contain dust, hair, straw or otherrubbish, and milk of buffalo, goat or sheep should be avoided as they are either rajasic6

or tamasic7 by nature.

Mitahara8 or moderation in diet

Mitahara is moderation in food. Take wholesome sattwic food half-stomachful. Fill a

quarter with pure water. Allow the remaining part free. This is mitahara. brahmacharins

should always take mitahara only. They should be very careful about their night diet.They should never overload the stomach at night. Overloading is the direct cause for

nocturnal emissions.

A glutton can never dream of becoming a brahmachari. Control of tongue is a sine quanon if you want to control lust, if you want to observe the vow of brahmacharya. The

tongue must be controlled first. Then it will be easy to control the passion. There is

intimate connection between the tongue and the organ of generation. Tongue is an organof knowledge. It is born of the sattwic portion of the water-tanmatra.9 The organ of

generation is an organ of action. It is born of the rajasic portion of the water-tanmatra.

They are sister organs as the source is the same. If the tongue is stimulated with rajasicfood, at once the reproductive organ also gets excited. There should be selection and

restriction in diet. The food of a brahmachari must be simple, bland, spiceless, non-

irritating and non-stimulating. Moderation in food is very necessary. Stuffing the stomachis highly deleterious. Fruits are highly beneficial. You should take food only when you


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are really hungry. The stomach will deceive you sometimes. You may have false hunger.When you sit for taking meals, you will have no appetite and no relish. Dietetic

restrictions and fasting are very useful auxiliaries in controlling the camel mind and in the

attainment of brahmacharya. You should not ignore them or make light of them on anyaccount.

Fastinga purificatory exercise

Fasting controls passion. Fasting destroys sexual excitement. It calms the emotions. It

controls the indriyas10 also. Passionate young men and ladies should take recourse to

occasional fasting. It will prove highly beneficial. Fasting is a great tapas.11 It purifiesthe mind. It destroys a great multitude of sins. Shastras12 prescribe Chandrayana

Vrata,13 Krichara Vrata, Ekadasi Vrata14 and Pradosha Vrata for the purification of the

mind. Fasting controls particularly the tongue, which is your deadly enemy.

When you fast, do not allow the mind to think of delicious dishes, because then you will

not derive much benefit. Fasting overhauls the respiratory, circulatory, digestive andurinary systems. It destroys all the impurities of the body and all sorts of poisons. It

eliminates uric acid deposits. Just as impure gold is rendered pure by melting it in the

crucible again and again, so also, the impure mind is rendered purer and purer by fasting

again and again. Young, robust brahmacharins should observe fasting whenever passiontroubles them. You will have very good meditation during fasting, as the mind is calm.

The chief object in fasting is to practice dhyana15 rigorously during that period as all the

indriyas are calm. You will have to withdraw all the indriyas and fix the mind on God.Pray to God for guiding you and throwing a flood of light on the path. Say with bhav:16

O God! Prachodayat, Prachodayat.17 Guide me, guide me. Trahi, Trahi. Protect meprotect me. I am Thine, my Lord! You will get purity, light, strength and knowledge.

Fasting is one of the ten canons of Yoga.

Avoid excessive fasting. It will produce weakness. Use your commonsense. Those who

are not able to observe a full fast can fast for nine or twelve hours and can take milk and

fruits in the evening or at night.

During fasting, the internal digestive organs such as the stomach, the liver and the

pancreas take rest. Epicureans, gluttons and those who are tireless eaters do not allow rest

for these organs even for a few minutes. Hence, these organs get diseased soon. Diabetes,albuminuria, dyspepsia and hepatitis are all due to overfeeding. After all, man wants very

little on this earth. Ninety per cent of the people in this world take more food than what is

absolutely necessary for the body. Overeating has become their habit. All diseases taketheir origin in overeating. An occasional complete fast is a great desideratum for all to

keep up good health, relieve the internal organs and maintain brahmacharya. Diseases

that are pronounced incurable by allopaths and homoeopaths are cured by fasting. Fastingdevelops will-power. It increases the power of endurance. Manu, the Hindu law-giver,

prescribes in his code the remedy of fasting for removal of the five capital sins also.


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It is better to drink a large quantity of water, either tepid or cold, according totemperament and inclination, during fasting. It will flush out the kidneys and remove the

poison and all sorts of impurities in the body. In Hatha Yoga it is termed as gata-shuddhi

or purification of the flesh-pot, the physical body. You can add half a teaspoonful of sodabicarbonate to the water. Those who fast for two or three days should not break their fast

with any solid food. They should take some kind of fruit juice, either sweet orange juiceor pomegranate juice. They should sip the juice slowly. You can take an enema dailyduring fasting.

Fast for a day to start with. Then slowly increase the number of days according to your

strength and capacity. In the beginning you may feel a slight weakness. The first day maybe very tiring. You will feel real ananda, bliss, on the second or the third day. The body

will be very, very light. You can turn out more mental work during fasting. Those who

are in the habit of fasting will rejoice. On the first day, the mind will tempt you in avariety of ways to eat something or the other. Stand firm. Be bold. Curb the mind at once

when it hisses or raises its hood. Do more japa18 of Gayatri19 or any mantra20 during

fasting. Fasting is more a spiritual kriya21 than a physical kriya from the viewpoint ofhealth. You will have to utilise the fasting days for higher spiritual purposes and in the

contemplation of God. Always entertain thoughts of God. Dive deep into the problems of

life such as the why and the wherefore of the universe. Enquire: Who am I? What is this

atman22 or Brahman? What are the ways and means to attain knowledge of God? How toapproach Him? Then realize your Nijananda23 state and rest in purity for ever and ever.

My dear brothers! Will you start the fasting tapasya from the very second you read theselines?

Peace be unto all beings!

For more reading on the subject of Brahmacharya, please read the following articles:

Twelve Pointers for Maintaining Brahmacharya (Celibacy) by Swami Nirmalananda

Giri. Pointers which are essential in maintaining brahmacharya written in response toletters from spiritual aspirants.

The Role of Celibacy in Spiritual Life by Swami Chidananda

Science Discovers the Physiological Value of Continence Part 1 by Dr. Raymond

Bernard. Yogis have known for ages the necessity of continence for success in spiritualendeavor. Medical science has detailed the benefits of sexual abstinence and the negative

effects of dissipation. This book is an in-depth scientific examination of the subject.

Science Discovers the Physiological Value of Continence Part 2 by Dr. RaymondBernard

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1) Sattwic: Partaking of the quality of Sattwa: light; purity; reality. [Go back]


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2) Charu: A preparation of boiled rice, milk, sugar and ghee, to be offered into the fire forgods; a sattvic dietary regimen usually taken by yoga-practitioners and celibates. [Go

back]

3) Havishya: Sacrificial food. Charu. [Go back]

4) Annam: Food. [Go back]

5) Ghee: Clarified butter. [Go back]

6) Rajasic: Possessed of the qualities of the raja guna (rajas). Passionate; active; restless.[Go back]

7) Tamasic: Possessed of the qualities of the tamo guna (tamas). Ignorant; dull; inert; anddark. [Go back]

8) Mitahara: Moderate diet. [Go back]

9) Element [Go back]

10) Indriya: Organ. The five organs of perception (jnanendriyas) are the ear, skin, eye,tongue, and nose. The five organs of action (karmendriyas) are the voice, hand, foot,

organ of excretion, and the organ of generation. [Go back]

11) Tapas (tapasya): Austerity, practical (i.e., result-producing) spiritual discipline;

spiritual force. Literally it means the generation of heat or energy, but is always used in asymbolic manner, referring to spiritual practice and its effect, especially the roasting of

karmic seeds, the burning up of karma. [Go back]

12) Shastra: Scripture; spiritual treatise. [Go back]

13) Chandrayana Vrata: Aan observance in which, beginning with fifteen morsels of foodon a full-moon day, a person lessens them one by one daily, until he takes no food on the

new moon day; and again increases them one by one till he reaches the same fifteen

morsels on the next full-moon day. [Go back]

14) Ekadashi Vrata: Observing ekadhashi (the eleventh day after the new and full moons,

sacred to Vishnu) by fastingthrough abstinence from grains and other staples and eating

much less than usual, oftentimes fasting from food (and sometimes water) until aftersundown. [Go back]

15) Dhyana: Meditation; contemplation. [Go back]

16) Bhava: Subjective state of being (existence); attitude of mind; mental attitude or

feeling; state of realization in the heart or mind. [Go back]


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17) Impel me! Impel me! [toward Thee]. [Go back]

18) Japa: Repetition of a mantra. [Go back]

19) Gayatri Mantra: A Rig Vedic mantra in the gayatri meter invoking the solar powers

of evolution and enlightenment. [Go back]

20) Mantra: Sacred syllable or word or set of words through the repetition and reflection

of which one attains perfection or realization of the Self. Literally, a transforming

thought (manat trayate). A mantra, then is a sound formula that transforms the

consciousness. [Go back]

21) Kriya: Purificatory action or practice or exercise; movement; function; skill. Kriyas

purify the body and nervous system as well as the subtle bodies to enable the yogi toreach and hold on to higher levels of consciousness and being. [Go back]

22) Atma(n): The individual spirit or self. [Go back]

23) Nijananda: The bliss beyond sense perception. [Go back]

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