Urdhvaretas
Question
in the book practice of Brahmacharya by Sivananda it is written: According to Yogic science, semen exists in a subtle form throughout the whole body. It
is found in a subtle state in all the cells of the body. It is withdrawn and elaborated into a gross
form in the sexual organ under the influence of the sexual will and sexual excitement. An
Oordhvareta Yogi not only converts the semen into Ojas, but checks through his Yogic power,
through purity in thought, word and deed, the very formation of semen by the secretary cells of
the testes or seeds. This is a great secret. Allopaths believe that even in an Oordhvareta Yogi, the
formation of semen goes on incessantly and that the fluid is reabsorbed into the blood. This is a
mistake. They do not understand the inner Yogic secrets and mysteries. They are in the dark.
Their Drishti or vision is concerned with the gross things of the universe. The Yogi penetrates
into the subtle hidden nature of things through Yogic Chakshu or the inner vision of wisdom.
The Yogi gets control over the astral nature of semen and thereby prevents the formation of the
very fluid itself.
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Can you give some details how this can be accomplished?
Thank you.
Answer
The subtle most state of Bindu (seed) is Soma (nectar). This nectar inundates the body in subtlety throughout. It is the basis on which the foundation of life rests upon. This is one of the reasons why further to its loss after ejaculation, man feels drained and empty. Semen is referred to as the Prana of Pranas. It is the basic vital energy on which all other energies are formed and rest upon.
In a normal man indulging in the sexual sensation, 'Soma' (nectar) transcends into its gross form Veerya (semen). When man is under sexual duress, all energy gets focused and concentrated at the Svadhistana chakra (at the lumbar region) or the sex center. This prompts the secretor cells in the testes to produce sperm. The Cowpers glands or the bulbo-urethral glands get ready with the Cowpers fluid (meant to neutralize the acidity of urine in the urethra) and the prostate with the prostatic fluid. All these three mix together in the right volumes before ejaculation to form the resultant semen. In a man constantly harboring in the sex plane, semen is mostly close to the gross form, waiting to flow downward.
In Brahmachari yogi who is an Urdhvareta (a compound Sanskrit word formed from the simple words: Urdhva- meaning upward, Rethas- meaning sexual fluid. Urdhva Rethas yasya saha iti meaning one who has taken his semen upward) a different phenomenon occurs. His attitude & perspective being different, wisdom takes the forward seat. Bindu in its subtle form (Soma) nourishes his body effectively and does not flow down to form semen. In the subtle form is its maximum power and reach. A cup of water in the gross form when limited to the cup has little energy by itself. But the same water when converted to steam and pressurized can be made to drive a steam turbine.
To accomplish this state, the yogi shifts to a lifestyle aimed at withdrawing and developing indifference over sense stimulations and responses. Man has developed his liking for sense stimuli from his past actions. It takes considerable effort to negate and finally win over these past tendencies along with divine blessings. The Urdhvareta has accomplished the same.
Brahmacharya is truly speaking the means to achieve the end - Self or God realization. It is the tool for man to dig himself out of the cave of ignorance and reach the bright state of knowledge. Knowledge of oneself and the creator!