Brahmacharya after 32-33
Question
Hi Dhananjay,
I am a 29-year old student from India. Have been able to practise celibacy for last 7.5 months (and hope to keep it under complete command for life). It definitely has given a good boost to the quality of my early morning meditation. (I wake up daily at 4 am - in fact, only due to early morning routine which I developed after many years' tormenting struggle, my celibacy practice succeeded).
My question is: I read the following in Swami Sivananda's book -
"There is another sect called Dhiryaretas, or those persons, who, previously a prey to lustful thoughts and deviated from Brahmacharya, later take to the practice of strict celibacy. Such a person, if he practices strict celibacy for twelve years, can acquire superhuman powers. Medha Nadi or Buddhi Nadi is formed in him. By means of this, he can have retentive memory of anything as long as he lives, and he will be in a position to learn all kinds of subjects.By observance of unbroken Brahmacharya in thought, word and deed for a period of full twelve years, one is bestowed even with the vision of God, if one aspires for it. He can solve the most abstruse and complicated problems easily. But, this kind of observance should commence before the thirty-second or the thirty-fourth year."
I know that there are many who were not practising celibacy earlier, but started lifelong celibacy in teens or 20s, and got full illumination. Examples include Buddha, Mahavira, Swami Brahmananda (Vivekananda's gurubhai), Bhartihari. But, I have never read about even a single person starting lifelong celibacy in 30-33 range and yet attaining full illumination despite Swami Sivananda's writings above.
Also, one more thing that alarmed me is Ramakrishna Mission's rule that an aspirant for monkhood should be under 30 years' age.
So, my question is:
1) Do you know any example of a person starting celibacy at or after 30 years rather than in teens and 20s and still being fully illumined? Such examples will give a lot of confidence to serious spiritual aspirants who may want to have a family and yet good shot at Self-Realization (these days, someone from middle class family generally marries in late 20s or early 30s due to long periods of education and then earning money for family).
2) If you don't mind, at what age did you start your lifelong celibacy practice? Since you are married, did you follow some special regulations or code of conduct in sync with your spouse as in a married life, celibacy is bound to be more challenging than in a bachelor life (other things remaining the same)?
3) How long does the "troublesome phase" in celibacy practice remain? I have read in a book by Swami Brahmananda that first 3 years are most challenging and things become relatively cool afterwards on spiritual path. What is your experience/understanding on this as celibacy practice seems an off-and-on challenge even for the seriously determined - sometimes going very smooth, somethings testing the very limit of one's determination.
Thanks for your time and help.
Regards,
Gopal
Answer
1. Lord Buddha took up his quest for self realization while nearing his 30th year. Swami Sivananda was himself in his early thirties when he took to Sanyas for enlightenment. There are innumerable examples of people having taken up Brahmacharya in their early thirties and having attained to the final goal. The period of 32-34 is a general pointer for the same. Hence those wishing for liberation should try for marriage as soon as they start earning through a job and get done with fathering a child, following which the path becomes clear to practice unbroken Brahmacharya. The earlier this is got done with, the better.
When ones devotion to the Lord is genuine with complete surrender and honesty, it leads to unbroken Brahmacharya with deep God mediotation. Self-realization comes not merely by ones efforts but by the grace of God, for HE is the doer and not us. The honest Brahmachari should not worry regarding the results/fruits of his practice. Our right is to the effort alone and never to the fruits. That, the Lord delivers, based on ones efforts, past karma and HIS own divine will.
2. Till one attains Kaivalya (self-realization), one should not reveal/proclaim specific details of ones practice. When ones efforts are sincere, when there is much weight of positive Samskara-s from previous births towards the attainment of liberation (meaning the Jiva has striven much in this direction previously), the Lords grace shines in plenty and marriage does not become an impediment to unbroken practice. Even an unwilling wife, eventually becomes willing and helpful. The way to achieve such an environment is through dedicated effort at Yoga & Brahmacharya and through sincere devotion to God. Then, favorable conditions come without doubt in this very birth or in next successive births.
Ones attitude should be Nothing is more important than devotion and respect to the Lord through Yoga & Brahmacharya. Never shall I fail HIM through Abrahmacharya (incontinence). I donot perform any actions for myself but only as a token of service to HIM. I will accept whatever HE offers as my destiny, constantly in HIS thought, all the while working to please HIM and stay true to my Dharma (the attainment of liberation). Let it take as long as necessary, I will not worry about time. The ever just and merciful Lord never fails HIS sincere devotees and always awards them with liberation at the right moment.
3. The troublesome phase remains till one becomes a complete Urdhvareta. After the Yogi reaches this rank, he becomes relatively immune to the vulnerability experienced as a beginner. However, other dangers then blossom as he acquires siddhi-s, name, fame, wealth etc.. and becomes exceedingly attractive in the eyes of the other gender. While the earlier troubles disappear, these offerings of Mâya then test HIM in more subtle ways. Only one who constantly reminds himself of the falsity of Ahamkara (I-nessor Ego), the reality of the Lord and stays fixed to HIM with complete surrender and devotion can stay afloat from here on. Arrogance or a feeling of superiority will bring the Urdhvareta down to square one in no time (as in the case of Sage Visvamitra). One is prone to downfall via such subtle tests till self-realization, as stated by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita.
ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)