Saivite Virtue

Brahmachariya is transmutation--the changing of a grosser form or force into a finer one, and can be likened to the boiling of water into steam to give a greater power. As the fluids are reabsorbed by the bloodstream, the actinic force of them feeds each of the seven chakras in turn. Transmutation of the sacred fluids does not mean to suppress, repress or inhibit.

Just lift your arm. It took energy to lift it. If you were tired, it took even more energy than usual. This energy does not come from a power plant outside you. It comes from within you, of course. Your stamina, the actinic glow in your eyes, the radiance of your personality--these are all manifestations of energy, of your creative life force. And so are the male and female reproductive fluids. They comprise passive and aggressive forces drawn from the ida and the pingala currents within the soul body. They are sparked with pure spiritual force from the door of Brahm, the sahasrara chakra. When correctly channeled, the subtler forms of this creative energy are the essence of artistic, intellectual and spiritual expression.

Those who practice transmutation awaken many latent talents from within. It becomes second nature to create and express, being in tune with the essence of creative energy.

GURUDEVA'S "RAJA YOGA"

A GOAL AND A PRACTICE

The goal of perfect brahmachariya (literally "Godly conduct") is the continual re-channeling of sexual desire. This is also the practice, for one does not suddenly reach a point where desire goes away. Desire is life. Desire can be directed according to the personal will. Living life according to basic spiritual principles is your sadhana. Through sadhana you can gain mastery over all the forces of your mind and body.

As man leaves his instinctive-intellectual nature and unfolds spiritually, the forces of that nature must be brought under his conscious control.

RAJA YOGA

REVIEW

1. The successful practice of brahmachariya creates a deva-like person.

2. Desire is life. It can be channeled according to choice.

3. Brahmachariya is essential to spiritual culture.

We hope that you have been able to set aside a half-hour, or at least fifteen minutes a day, for your study of these lessons. If not, don't be discouraged. Keep trying. If nothing more, please try to read a little from your daily lesson each night before you go to sleep. These holy teachings will then draw you naturally into the more spiritual areas of the Devaloka when you are asleep. You are not alone in your study and desire for spiritual unfoldment. Many inner-plane people are there to help you as you sleep.

It is known by all mystically minded people that "As we think, so we become." Thinking of the great Mahadevas and Deities of high evolution stimulates our own evolution. Our spiritual unfoldment is hastened.

INNER-PLANE STUDY

Each night you are taught many wonderful things on the inner plane during sleep. You may not realize this or even remember what you have learned upon awakening. This is because the astral brain functions at a much higher rate of vibration than the physical brain. Most nights you probably spend several hours learning from gurus and guides in Saivite schools within the spiritual areas of the Devaloka, the astral world. Sometimes dozens, even hundreds, of devotees with similar interests gather together to learn. They are all in their astral bodies, on the astral plane, while their physical bodies are asleep. When one is firm in the practice of brahmachariya, it is possible to remain for long periods of time in inner plane schools and absorb much more of the teaching being given there. Those who are not strong in brahmachariya are often seen appearing and then disappearing from among the group as they are drawn back to their physical bodies by emotions and desires.

Remember, your own soul knows the reasons why you were born in this life. It knows what you need to accomplish in this birth. As a soul you know what obstacles and challenges you need to face and overcome to grow stronger and conquer past karmic patterns through fulfilling your chosen dharma. These and other matters are examined by you and your teachers in the Devaloka schools while your physical body sleeps. The more fully established you are in bramachariya, the more religious you become and the more able to face the world with a positive mental attitude.

REVIEW

1. Read from your lesson before sleep and attend inner-plane schools.

2. Your soul knows the challenges you need to meet in this life.

Before books were invented, the traditional way of conveying information was through the spoken word. This is called sampradaya. Sampradaya, verbal teaching, was the method that all Sat Gurus used. A Sat Guru can only give his sishiya as much as he can hold in his mind at any one time. If the sishiya comes with an empty cup, the cup is filled by the guru. But if the sishiya comes with a cup that is already full, nothing more can be added by the guru.

Many Sat Gurus work with their devotees in unseen ways. They have the ability to tune into the vibration of a devotee anywhere his physical body might be on the planet, feel how he is feeling and send blessings of protection and guidance. The guru-sishiya system of training is personal and direct. Much is unspoken between them, so close is the mental attunement. The traditional practice of brahmachariya helps to stabilize this relationship.

An advanced sishiya is one whose intuition is in absolute harmony with that of his Sat Guru. This harmony does not occur in the beginning stages, however, when the devotee is probing the subject matter of the guru's teachings for answers. Only after he has conquered the fluctuating patterns of the thinking mind does an inner flow of harmony begin to become apparent to both guru and sishiya.

The sishiya is expected to cultivate his inner life as well as his outer life. The more sincere and consistent he is with his inner work and his inner friends--God, Gods and guru--the more safe and secure and blessed he will be. Your relationship with your guru is growing stronger even now as you come to better know yourself and proceed in your study of these daily lessons.

Blessed are the worshipful devotees, for theirs are the refreshing Feet of the Lord.

SIVA YOGASWAMI

REVIEW

1. Sat Gurus help their sishiya in unseen ways.

2. Cultivate your relationship with your guru. Be a good sishiya.

3. Cultivate your relationship with God and the Gods.

To best observe brahmachariya, a vrata (vow) must be taken. When you feel that you have understood brahmachariya and are ready, you may take your brahmachariya vrata. This can be done as a simple ceremony and vow-giving before parents, elders, or a temple priest. In your vow, specify its duration, whether you are taking it until marriage, for one year or for two, or for some other length of time. If your vrata expires, you may renew it again through another formal vow-giving.

The fact that you have taken a vrata and are now a brahmachari or brahmacharini should be made public knowledge and not kept a secret. Then everyone will understand and respect your intentions. You may indicate this in your name as well. Men append the title "Brahmachari," before their name, and ladies, "Brahmacharini." This is traditional in Hindu culture, but it is not mandatory.

Before you take your vrata and begin the practice of brahmachariya, you should understand the process, and that is the purpose of these lessons. The benefits of brahmachariya are many. Brahmachariya will help you to continually advance in life and improve yourself. It will awaken within you the ability to throw all of your energies into your work, studies and religious pursuits. The practice of brahmachariya will also deepen your religiousness. Saivism will take on greater and deeper meaning for you. This is because the vital energies, life forces, creative forces, of your physical and astral bodies are preserved and transmuted to a higher and deeper expression.

THE BRAHMACHARIYA CORD

A simple white cord which has been blessed in the temple is worn around the waist by the brahmachari and the brahmacharini as a constant reminder to keep the mind centered above the waist in thought, word and deed. When you feel you are ready to take your vrata, do so. You can obtain a brahmachariya cord from a Himalayan Academy temple or make one yourself and have it blessed in your local temple. After taking your sacred vrata tie the cord around your waist. When time comes to renew your vrata, obtain a new cord and repeat the process.

REVIEW

1. The vrata aids you in brahmachariya, which is the transmutation of your energies into positive endeavors.

2. The brahmachariya cord is a reminder to keep awareness centered in the chakras above the waist.

I, (your name), seek the blessings of God, Gods and guru as I declare of my own volition my firm intention to live a pure and virtuous life and now take this brahmachariya vrata.

I vow to value and protect purity in thought, word and deed, and chastity in body, to sublimate and transmute the sexual energies and the instinctive impulses of anger, jealousy, greed, hatred and selfishness.

I promise to remain chaste and pure (state here the duration of your vow--for example, "until marriage") and wear this sacred brahmachariya cord around my waist to betoken this solemn oath. At such time that I marry, I promise to marry a Saivite Hindu virgin by arrangement of both families and with the blessings of my guru.

BENEFITS OF THE VRATA

Once a brahmachariya vrata has been taken, a new energy is released within the individual. Then the devotee finds the mind free to study, study, study--free from the temptations of the instinctive world. The vrata has the effect of actually cutting one off from the instinctive world of the lower nature.

If the sacred seed is retained, life does not ebb; great strength, energy, intelligence and alertness: all these are attained.

TIRUMANTIRAM: VERSE 1948

Once the vrata is taken, you will no longer be as inclined to become emotionally attached to those of the opposite sex. You will also avoid many unnecessary distracting karmic entanglements and much unhappiness and emotional duress. If you have already had a mental-emotional love affair, you know exactly the energy used, anxiety experienced and perhaps heartache finally felt. Once it was over you would have had to agree that it consumed a great deal of time and precious vital energy.

REVIEW

1. Your brahmachariya vrata helps free you from instinctive drives.

2. Your brahmachariya vrata helps you avoid karmic entanglements.

You have truly come to the Holy Feet of Lord Ganesha by seeking knowledge about brahmachariya. Did you know that the elephant is one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet? No wonder that the great Mahadeva Lord Ganesha works through the etheric form of the elephant--so wise, so charming, so humble, yet so grand and powerful. It is Lord Ganesha who is guardian on the path of dharma, who with His millions of helpers guides and protects those who worship Him and pray for clarity of mind and divine grace. During your time as a brahmachari you will come to know Him personally. This may sound beyond your ability, but it is not.

Oh Divine Beings of all three worlds, let us bring our minds to rest in the darshan of Him Who has one tusk. Let us meditate upon Him Who has the form of an elephant with a curved trunk. May He guide us always along the right path.

THE GANAPATI GAYATRI

COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE VEILS

Though you may not see Him, you will feel His mind guiding you, protecting you. You will feel His comforting spiritual vibration. He and His devas can see you and will respond quite readily to your prayerful thoughts. We can assure you of this. Faith is a necessary ingredient to beginning brahmachariya by taking the vrata--faith strong enough to waylay discouraging onslaughts of doubt and uncertainty. Perhaps you are not sure that you have the faith needed to penetrate the veils of ignorance and discover the Truth of life for yourself. But you do have enough faith in yourself to know that you can at least try to experience right thought, deed and action. Even if you fail to live up to your vrata to your highest ideals, you have the faith right now that you will have learned a good lesson from the failure and will begin again.

Open yourself to Lord Ganesha and let your loving thoughts blend with His. Let your problems dissolve in His Love. Mentally pour out your heart to Him. He will hear you. Think of Him as a friend, one of your closest friends. A more wise, magnanimous and kindly being you will never find.

REVIEW

1. Lord Ganesha is the guardian of dharma.

2. Communicate with him through prayer.

3. Think of Him as the closest of friends.

You are living this life to fulfill certain goals that you have set for yourself in lives gone by. Among these goals are:

- inner growth and advancement,

- becoming a better and more religious person,

- fulfilling your brahmachariya vow,

- devoting your vital energies, as a brahmachari or brahmacharini, toward your chosen vocation and major personal aspirations.

Without such goals, you would not be reading this lesson today. This course is meant to help you fulfill your goals and make the best choices as you exercise your power of decision from day to day. Therefore, don't neglect these daily lessons. And don't end your study of the course until you have fully understood and mentally digested all the subject matter within it.

Brahmachariya, or spotless chastity, is the best of all penances. Such a celibate is God indeed."

ADI SANKARACHARIYA

Brahmachariya is transmutation. The goal of brahmachariya is not to repress the sexual energy, but to transmute it.

A perfect brahmachari shines like a noonday sun in all spheres of life.

SWAMI NARAYANANDA

CELIBACY IN PERSPECTIVE

It may interest you to know that nearly all religions teach their young to follow the practice of remaining virgin until marriage. Only in the past 30 years have ideas about "free sex" or freedom without responsibility become so widespread.

REVIEW

1. Try to cognize your goals for this incarnation.

2. Brahmachariya is transmutation, which gives power to the higher nature.

when completed Discipline

1. Visit a Ganesha temple or shrine and sit before the Deity for twenty minutes or more. Strive to tune into His comforting, motherly shakti. Open yourself to His love.

2. Write down your personal goals in life. Keep a copy for yourself, and send a copy to the devas through the homa at Kadavul Hindu Temple with a note asking them to help you fulfill these aspirations.

3. Lift your arm and feel energy, as explained in lesson 1. Then feel the same energy within your spine.

4. On two occasions consciously work to place yourself in an inner plane school by reading your lessons before sleep. In the morning, see if you can recall the results.

5. Visit your guru, or if you don't have a guru, visit any holy person. Before your visit, consciously empty your mind of preconceptions. Try to become an empty vessel, ready to receive the grace and blessings the soul has for you.

6. Once you have prepared yourself, take the brahmachariya vrata.