Brahmacharya (Austerity)

Brahmacharya is perhaps one of the more difficult of the yamas to understand as well as to discuss and explain. In a very traditional sense, brahmacharya means strict sexual control or total celibacy. In India, when a person takes a vow to never get married, he is referred to as a "brahmachari".

The well-known rishi Yajnavalkya says, "Brahmacharya is abstaining from all kinds of Maithuna or sexual enjoyment for ever, in all places and in all conditions, physically, mentally and verbally. "

The word is composed of two words, "brahma" and "charya". Brahma literally means the supreme consciousness and "charya" means to "live in" or "get established in". In this sense Brahmacharya would mean "to get fully established in the divine consciousness". That seems like an immensely difficult goal to achieve since that is the ultimate goal of all yoga practices. So, it is generally believed that Patanjali meant to use this term in its more practical understanding of "total abstinence" or celibacy.

Vyasa, in his commentary states that brahmacharya is controlling the "guptendriya" (the secret sense organ). Subsequent commentators have taken this to mean that one needs to control all the five senses as they can lead to sexual desires and finally controlling the sexual desire.

Ancient sages have defined these eight forms of sexual indulgence: Darshan or looking at women with passionate resolve, Sparshan or touching them, Keli or play, Kirtan or praising the qualities of the other sex, Guhya-Bhashan or talking in private, Sankalpa or determination, Adhyavasaya or nearing the other sex with the desire for gratification and Kriyanivritti or the actual sexual act.  Brahmacharya means to abstain from these eight sexual indulgences.

The above interpretation of brahmacharya is applicable for those yogis who have taken the vow of sanyasa (renunciation) and have given up attachment to worldly objects. Even they find it extremely hard to follow strictly the guidelines for brahmacharya. Since such strict definition is not applicable for a householder, most commentators have suggested a more practical meaning of brahmacharya – that of moderation in all sensual enjoyments through the five senses.

As with all the other yamas and niyamas, Patanjali does not provide a definition of Brahmacharya. However, in sutra 2.38 he tells us the benefits of brhmacharya:

ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां वीर्यलाभः॥३८॥
brahmacharyapratiShThaayaaM vIryalaabhaH

"By one established in continence, vigor is gained." (Sutra 2.38)

There are several well-known stories in our history and mythology which talk about supernormal powers that a practitioner of brahmacharya could attain. One such story relates to Bhishma in Mahabharata (from Wikepedia):

Bhishma means one who has taken the most dreadful vow, referring to his vow of life-long celibacy. Originally named Devavrata, he became known as Bhishma after he took the bhishana pratijna (‘terrible oath’) — the vow of life-long celibacy and of service to whoever sat on the throne of his father (the throne of Hastinapur). He took this oath so that his father, Shantanu could marry a fisherwoman Satyavati.  Satyvati’s father had refused to give his daughter’s hand to Shantanu on the grounds that his daughter’s children would never be rulers as Shantanu already had a son (Devavrata). This made Shantanu despondent and upon discovering the reason for his father’s despondency, Devavrata sought out the girl’s father and promised him that he would never stake a claim to the throne, implying that the child born to Shantanu and Satyavati would become the ruler after Shantanu. At this, Satyavati’s father retorted that even if Devavrata gave up his claim to the throne, his (Devavrata’s) children would still claim the throne. Devavrata then took the terrible vow of life-long celibacy, thus sacrificing his ‘crown-prince’ title and denying himself the pleasures of conjugal love. This gave him immediate recognition among the gods and his father granted him the boon of Sweccha Mrityu (control over his own death — he could choose the time of his death, but he was not immortal, which would have been an even severe curse and suffering).

A more recent story relates to the vow of celibacy taken by Mahatma Gandhi. In his autobiography "My experiments with Truth", Gandhi talks about brahmacharya at length. Here are a few quotes from Gandhi on brahmacharya:

"Brahmacharya, like all other observances, must be observed in thought, word and deed. … the foolish man, who appears to control his body, but is nursing evil thoughts in his mind, makes a vain effort….Mere control of animal passion has been equated with observing brahmacharya. I feel, that this conception is incomplete and wrong. Brahmacharya means control of all the organs of sense. He who attempts to control only one organ, and allows all the others free play, is bound to find his efforts futile…Brahmacharya will come easy to anyone who controls his palate. "

[from Wikepedia] "In the 1940s, in his mid-seventies, he brought his grandniece Manubehn to sleep naked in his bed as part of a spiritual experiment in which Gandhi could test himself as a "brahmachari." Two other women also sometimes shared his bed. Gandhi discussed his experiment with friends and relations, and the experiment ceased in 1947."

Vyasa further adds that one who, having been established in brahmacharya, becomes a siddha (an adept), can effectively transfer his supreme knowledge to his disciples. That means he can become a most effective teacher for the disciples.