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Spiritual advancement

Romapada Swami

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Q.1) Is there any sastric basis for regulated sex activities

!nswer" In any system of yoga# restraint of the senses is an essential component. $ost systems ofspiritual path# both within %edic culture and elsewhere# demand complete# or at least a very high degreeof# abstinence from sense pleasures. &elibacy is of particular importance because it ma'es one(s mindpeaceful# without which there is no uestion of turning to the higher truths of life. ven materiallyspea'ing# unregulated sex ma'es one(s determination wea' and dissipates one(s focus+ ,rabhupada evencited the example of -andhi as evolving into such a powerful leader of his nation because of hisabstinence from sex.

(rahmacarya( or celibacy is thus very much stressed in many places within hagavad/gita and other%edic literatures as essential for spiritual advancement. rahmacarya refers not 0ust to complete

abstinence or renunciation# as it is often understood. f course that is the standard for an unmarriedstudent 2brahmacari) under the training of the spiritual master in a guru'ula# and this is certainly amandate for other systems of yoga. ut even after entering household life one can maintain(brahmacarya( by regulating sex life according to religious principles and practice bha'ti yoga. 2,leaserefer g !s It Is 3. 14/15 purport).

6rishna says in hagavad/gita" (dharmaviruddho bhutesu 'amo (smi bharatarsabha(" 7I am that sex lifewhich is not contrary to religious principles.7 2g 8.11) Sex should be only within legitimate marriedrelation# and that also only for the purpose of procreation of children# and not otherwise+ then it isreligious. !nd further when it is done so to raise one(s children in a spiritual atmosphere by giving thosesouls a chance for -od/reali9ation# then it becomes a sacrifice# not a binding 'armic 'not. :hese

in0unctions are certainly sastric and in fact very scientifically explained with numerous references madeto it within the %edic culture;literatures. ven until a few generations bac' such regulation was thenormal way of life in India in most cultured families.

n the other hand# unrestricted sex meant only for the purpose of sense en0oyment and avoidance of theresponsibility of children by use of contraceptives and other such methods is completely unnatural andagainst the design of -od# and brings with it severe 'armic repercussions and sufferings.

!s far as procreating children is concerned# there are purificatory rites called sams'aras# which ensurethat a pious soul is begotten and right from the time of conception and while within the womb# thechild(s consciousness is imprinted with godly ualities. :his produces children of very high caliberbrahminical ualities. :hus the families of brahmanas# 'satriyas and vaishyas# or the spiritually cultured

families# would perform garbhadhana/sams'ara# or seed/giving purificatory process 2sudras are thosewho did not perform any sams'aras). In such families begetting children was not a secret affair but wasdone after obtaining the permission and blessings of the spiritual master and other brahmanas# and afterperforming the purificatory activities# which sanctify the minds of the father and mother. :he mentalityof a child depends on the mental status of the parents at the time of conception# and a child conceived insuch a sanctified atmosphere will thus be free of bad u< alities and mental disturbances. ! child bornwithout such purification was understood to be sudra in the %edic culture.

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=e see here the 'ind of great care and attention given to the welfare of children even before their birth.>owever# when sex is viewed primarily as an act of satisfying one(s lust# and children as secondary by/products# this has created numberless woeful anomalies and degradations in our present society.

:here are references in hagavatam of the ill effects of untimely sex 2>istory of 6asyapa and ?iti whogave birth to the asuras# >iranya'asipu and >iranya'sha# S &anto 4# &h 13) and auspicious effects ofsex under proper religious principles 2>istory of 6ardama and ?evahuti who had an incarnation of the@ord# @ord 6apila# as their son# &anto 4# &h A4) and many of these principles and in0unctions areexplained therein. :he $ahabharat discloses the explicit timing for religious procreation to ta'e place#namely once per month when the wife is most fertile and thus li'ely to conceive a child. therwise#$ahabharat en0oins# the act of sex# even within marriage# is not to be ta'en up.

Q.A) Sometimes# we see that in IS6&B# the regulations regarding sex are so hard that it leads tomarriage failures# divorces# youth losing interest in family lives# and other unwanted issues. ,lease shareyour thoughts on this and forgive me for any unintended offenses.

!nswer" :his is a very important yet often misunderstood issue+ than' you for bringing it up.

I find that the strongest component to a devotee marriage(s durability is the degree of commitmentwhich the individuals have toward coming to the platform of serving one another with genuine respect#with a commitment to thereby remain under the benevolent and loving grace of guru and 6rishna.

:he basic bodily activities li'e eating# mating and sleeping# and social activities li'e family andoccupation# are generally considered hindrances on the spiritual path. Bevertheless they are experiencedas needs of the material body for a conditioned soul# and for most people they cannot be prematurelygiven up. oth premature renunciation as well as unrestricted en0oyment of these needs pose seriousthreats to spiritual and material well/being of the individual and the society# and hence the need forregulating them.

:he %edas give us directions by which they can be regulated in such a way that our short human life canbe reasonably disturbance/free and wherein our living habits are conducive to gradual spiritual elevation.y accepting these perfect -od/given principles# far superior and more trustworthy than modernresearch methods# our human life becomes very peaceful and progressive# spiritually and even materially#uite contrary to the concerns you have raised. :he rules are not intended to ma'e our life harder+ ratherthey are meant to mitigate our material pains as far as possible within this material world andsimultaneously elevate us to higher plane of transcendental pleasure.

Cor instance there are regulations for eating" one should eat only vegetarian foods# and that also onlywhen it is offered in sacrifice to the @ord / 6rishna prasadam. :his may seem li'e a very hard rule in thebeginning# but one who 'nows the purpose and importance of this in0unction and practices it# will soonfind it the most natural and compatible way of life+ besides being spiritually elevating it is also very

healthy for the body and mind and is 'arma/free. In the same light we can understand the rules andregulations regarding sex activities.

:he issues you have mentioned such as marriage failures and divorces within IS6&B are 0ust amicrocosmic reflection of the society at large that we live in. :hese same anomalies plague our largersociety as well# where there are no rules whatsoever< =hy is that n the contrary# as we discussedabove# these rules were the norm for many generations in the %edic culture in which divorce and the li'ewere practically unheard of. :he solidarity of the institution of marriage could then withstand many testsof time. :he root of the problem is therefore not the difficulty of the regulations themselves# but in the

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lac' of their proper application. :here are many testimonies within our society of practicing devotees toverify that this way of lifestyle is not only (do/able( but has made their life sublime.

=ithout strong 6rishna consciousness it is impossible to avoid the contamination of this age of 6ali# thereal source of all these problems. $arriage is a sacred institution intended to ma'e one(s mind peacefuland progressively channel all members of the family towards 6rishna+ during one(s youth when thesenses are very strong# marriage provides a safety net where one is allowed to en0oy his;her senses in aregulated way and gradually transcend it# and a properly trained devotee understands this actual purposeof marriage. $arriage is not an arrangement to solve the uestion of lust# because lust burns li'e fire andcan never be satisfied# and this dissatisfaction is what leads to marriage failures etc.

:he process to become satisfied is however different" engagement in devotional service. >ouseholdersare therefore reuired to engage themselves in ?eity worship. =hen fully engaged in this way# theydevelop a higher taste and thus become fully satisfied. !long with any prohibition there is an in0unction+the prohibitions will certainly be burdensome only so long as one does not diligently accept the manypositive and superior engagements. ut by such better engagement one naturally forgets the lowerpleasures even when offered an opportunity. :his is the real and lasting solution to any problem. 2&f. g3.13/18# 4.4D# A.ED).

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