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These are the human life: to accept brahmacarya life, tapasya, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, tyagena, by giving in charity whatever you possess

Expressions researched:
"These are the human life: to accept brahmacarya life, tapasya, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, tyāgena, by giving in charity whatever you possess"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena (SB 6.1.13). These are the human life: to accept brahmacarya life, tapasya, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, tyāgena, by giving in charity whatever you possess.

A brahmacārī is trained up from the very beginning how to become a sannyāsī at the end of life. How he is trained up? He is trained up to collect for guru alms. Everywhere the brahmacārī would go to householder, and they ask, "Mother, give us some alms for my Guru Mahārāja." And the ladies would give him. Because everyone's son goes to the gurukula. So there was no hesitation. And the brahmacārī would collect and bring it in the āśrama, and then he should live just like a menial servant. He may be a king's son or a very learned brāhmaṇa's son, but when he lives at gurukula, he has to work. It is said in the śāstra . . . in Bhagavad-gītā, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you will find the duty of brahmacārī, the duty of gṛhastha, the duty of vānaprastha, the duty of sannyāsa. Everything is there.

So a brahmacārī is trained in such a way that although he has collected everything, but he does not claim anything. He does not keep anything with him. Even though he has to eat in the āśrama, but that he will eat upon the calling by the guru, "My dear such and such, please come and take your prasādam." It is said if the guru forgets to call him one day, he will not take his food. This is called brahmacārī, means strictly following. And they used to call every woman from the beginning of life "Mother." This is training. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). From the very beginning of life, all women they are treated as mother. That is the system, Vedic system. Everyone will call a woman as "Mother," never mind whether she is younger or older. It doesn't matter. Woman has to be addressed as "Mother." That is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's instruction. Who is learned scholar? Who has got three qualification, he is learned scholar. What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu, "To treat all women as mother." Nowadays it has been introduced in India, "Bahinjī." No. This is not the etiquette. The etiquette is to address every woman, never mind whether she is young or old, as "Mother."

This is brahmacārī. This is brahmacārī. The brahmacarya is very strictly enjoined in the Vedic śāstra. Brahma . . . to maintain brahmacarya, it is advised, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktā . . . mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā (SB 9.19.17). So one should not sit down with woman in a secluded place, even though the woman is mother, sister or daughter. So much restriction. And why? Balavān indriya-grāmaḥ: "The senses are very powerful." Vidvāṁsam api karṣati. "Oh, senses may be powerful for the fools and rascals." No. Vidvāṁsam api karṣati: "Even one is very learned, advanced, still, senses are so powerful that it can be agitated even before the mother, sister and daughter." This is Vedic injunction, brahmacarya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena (SB 6.1.13). These are the human life: to accept brahmacarya life, tapasya, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, tyāgena, by giving in charity whatever you possess. These are the different processes. But if you take to bhakti-yoga, then all these processes become automatically accustomed. That is the profit of bhakti-yoga.

Page Title:These are the human life: to accept brahmacarya life, tapasya, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, tyagena, by giving in charity whatever you possess
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-11-05, 06:38:03
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1