Is it possible to practice Brahmacharya__Swami Paramarthananda

Is it possible to practice Brahmacharya in this modern age?

Where there is a will there is a way. There is nothing impossible to achieve in life. It is not only possible but essential for the total development of an all-round personality and good character. Retention of Veerya is life and loss of Veerya is death. A student who is aware of the power of Brahmacharya will certainly try his best to practise it at any cost. Do you know what Swami Vivekananda said, " Do you see, simply by the observance of strict Brahmacharya (continence) all learning can be mastered in a very short time - one has an unfailing memory of what one hears or knows but once. It is owing to this want of continence that every thing is on the brink of ruin in our country."

What is Brahmacharya?___ Swami Paramatmananda

The Direct meaning of Brahmacharya is to restrain oneself from sexual enjoyment by thought, word and deed. Brahmacharya includes not only the control of sexual organ but also all other senses. The literal meaning of Brahmacharya is the mode of life which leads to the relation of Brahman or God.....

Strength of Brahmacharya__Introduction__Swami Paramarthananda.

Introduction:

The impact of the western culture on the minds of today's youth is crossing all danger signals. Their rudderless ships are floating on the surface of this materialistic world without any direction whatsoever. The youth who are the future of India, are aimlessly wandering without any destination. The greatest fear is, what will happen to these fresh flowers if they are not well-protected in time from the harmful effects of sensual pleasure. The wild fire of lust and greed is engulfing the entire youth community. They are becoming the victims of the so-called modern culture. They are falling prey to all sorts of bad habits and becoming weak, physically, mentally intellectually and spiritually. Due to lack of proper guidance from parents, elders and teachers they are dissipating their youth energy only to invite physical and mental diseases. Forgetting their prime duty - to study and to acquire knowledge and skills through self-discipline and concentration-students are spending most of their precious time in entertainment and enjoyment. They are least bothered about the long-cherished moral, ethical and spiritual values taught and practised by their ancestors and are blindly imitating the western culture. The result is all around moral and spiritual degradation. Swami Vivekananda could sense this danger long ago when he said, "But mark your, if you give up that spirituality, leaving it aside to go after the materializing civilisation of the West, the result will be that in three generations you will be an extinct race; because the backbone of the nation will be broken, the foundation upon which the national edifice has been built will be undermined, and the result will be annihilation all round."

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No great things can be achieved without conservation of physical, mental and spiritual energy. The right time to achieve that is your. The first 25 to 30 years of life is meant for learning. In ancient education system students were known as Brahmacharins. A student without Brahmacharya is like a fruit without juice, a flower without smell, a temple without deity and a body without life. Brahmacharya and student life always go together. Running after money, sensual pleasures and spending considerable time for comforts and entertainment is a sure sign of fall from the ideal. Such students because of their scattered, restless and fickle minds will not be able to develop one-pointed concentration. And without concentration of mind great achievements are not possible. "To me the very essence of education is concentration of mind, not the collection of facts," says Swami Vivekananda.

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The root cause for most of the problems our youth are facing today is sex and fear complex. Many have vague ideas about the practice of Brahmacharya. Here we are trying to answer some of the questions often asked by students regarding the practice of Brahmacharya......

Good Sayings-30

581. In adversity we are blessed by God in time, but it is we who understand Him late.
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582. Truth is high, but higher still is truthful living.__ Guru Nanak.
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583. As the scent of a flower is wafted afar, so also is wafted afar the scent of a good deed.
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584. There is no eloquence greater than silence.
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585. Pride makes us do nothing well. But it is love that makes us do them perfectly.
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586. Love they neighbout as thyself. Do unto others what you wish others should do unto you.
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587. When you are right, keep your temper; when you are wrong, don't lose it.
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588. Miracles do occur, but one has to work hard for them to happen.
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589. When everything seems lost, remember that future remains.
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590. Self-reverence, self-knowledge, and self-control are the three things that lead life to sovereign power.

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591. A truth that is told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.__ William Blake.

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592. A true hero is one who conquers the internal enemies i.e. lust, greed, anger, hatred, jealousy.

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593. The more we want, the poorer we become.

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594. We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.__Jonathan Swift

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595. We squander health in search of wealth and then squander wealth in search of health.

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596. The more we do, the more we can do.__ Hazlitt

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597. We have learnt how to transplant the human heart but not how to transform it.

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598. Shortest path to failure is through falsehood.

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599. Be a blazing flame of truth. Be a beauteous blossom of love. Be a soothing balm of peace.

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600. If you have not honey in your pot, have some in your mouth.__ Benjamin Franklin

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