Practice of *Brahmacharyam (*Self- Restraint ). : Section-3 continued ... : Swami Sivananda
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Wednesday, September 28, 2022. 08:00.
Section-3 : Techniques of Sex Sublimation :
17. STOP THAT LUSTFUL LOOK!
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A gentleman who has given up smoking and drinking wants to practice Brahmacharya,
though married. His wife has no objection, but he himself finds this discipline hard; especially,
the trouble seems to be in the control of the sense of sight. “The street is my chief enemy”, he
said to me recently. This means that the eyes are attracted by well-dressed ladies.
Another aspirant says, “While I practiced vigorously Pranayama, Japa and meditation, my
mind was not polluted even if I saw half-nude young ladies. But when I left the practice, I was
not able, to control my sight and I was attracted by well-dressed ladies in the streets and halfnude pictures pasted in front of picture-houses. The sea-beach and Mall Road are my enemies.”
Those who practice Brahmacharya should control the sexual gazing impulse. This kind
of impulse is a great menace, as it stimulates curiosity and sexual desire. Vasanas grow from
lustful look.
Looking at a woman will create a desire to talk to her. Talking to a woman will create a
desire to touch her. Eventually you will have an impure mind and will fall a victim. Therefore,
never look at a woman. Never talk to a woman in privacy. Do not be familiar with any woman.
Mind the feeling behind the look!
There is no harm in looking at a beautiful object; but you will have to develop the Divine
Bhav. You will have to feel that everything is a manifestation of God. Purify your thoughts and
feelings. Purity is Brahman. Thou art pure in essence. Thou art an embodiment of purity, O
Ram. Repeat mentally the formula, “Suddhoham, Suddhoham. I am purity, I am purity”, and
attain that state of pristine, matchless purity.
You have no lustful look when you see your mother or sister although they are beautiful,
well-dressed and decorated with ornaments and flowers. You look at them with affection and
pure love. This is Suddha Bhavana. There are no lustful ideas. You will have to develop such a
pure love or Bhavana when you look at other women also. If there is impurity behind the gaze, it
tantamounts to adultery. Looking at a woman with a lustful heart is tantamount to sexual
enjoyment. It is one form of Maithunam. That is the reason why Lord Jesus says, “If you have a
lustful look at a woman, you have already committed adultery in your heart.”
There is no harm in looking at a woman, but you must have a perfectly chaste look. You
must have Atma-Bhav. When you look at a young lady, you can think within yourself:
“Prostrations unto Thee, O Mother. Thou art an image or manifestation of Mother Kali. Do not
tempt. Do not allure me. I have understood now the secret of Maya and her creation. Who has
created these forms? There is an omnipotent, all-pervading and all-merciful Creator behind these
names and forms. This is all decaying, false beauty. The Creator or God is Beauty of beauties.
He is an embodiment of undecaying beauty. He is the fountain-head of beauty. Let me realize
this Beauty of beauties through meditation.” You will have to cultivate feelings of devotion,
admiration and awe when you look at an alluring form by remembering the Creator of that form.
Then you will not be tempted. If you are a student of Vedanta, think and feel: “Everything is Self
only. The names and forms are illusory. They are Mayaic pictures. They have no independent
existence apart from the Self.”
If one should not look at a woman, how did the Rishis of yore impart Atma-Jnana to
ladies? Why did they keep them in their constant company for service?
The dictum, “Do not look even at the picture of a woman”, is for passionate people who
have no self-control. Yajnavalkya taught Atma-Vidya to his wife Maitreyi. Raikva had the
daughter of King Janasruti to serve him. He was a Naishthik Brahmachari.
Even in a Jivanmukta or a liberated sage, the eyes will move towards the objects through
the force of habit. But, he can withdraw them completely and make them mere empty sockets if
he wills. When he sees a woman, he does not see her outside himself. He sees the whole world
within himself. He feels that the woman is his own Self. He has no sex idea. There are no evil
thoughts in his mind. He feels no sexual attraction towards her. Whereas, a worldly man sees
the woman outside himself. He entertains lustful thoughts. He has no idea of Self. He is
attracted towards her. This is the difference between the vision of a Jnani and that of a worldly
man. There is no harm in looking at women, but you must not entertain evil thoughts.
There is no harm in looking at a beautiful woman. You can admire the beauty of a girl
just as you admire the beauty of a rose, the beauty of the sea, the stars or any other natural
scenery. Think that the beauty of your wife belongs to Nature and Nature’s Lord, Isvar.
Whenever you see a lady, put this question to your mind: “Who is the creator of this beautiful
form?” At once, a sense of wonder, a sense of admiration and a sense of devotion will arise in
your mind. It is only when you dart a lustful, unchaste look at a woman that you commit sin.
You commit adultery at heart. Only when you entertain lustful thoughts, bondage and misery
come.
The beauty that you perceive in the faces of the ladies is the beauty of the Lord. You can
have admiration in this manner. There is no harm in so doing.
Woman is a symbol of beauty. She is a symbol of power. She talks to you in the
language of silence: “I am a representative of Adi Sakti. See God in me. See Mother Kali in me.
Realize God in and through me. Worship God as an embodiment of beauty. Adore Him as an
embodiment of power. Recognise His omnipotence.” Again and again think that the beauty of
the face is the beauty of the Lord. Godly feeling will arise in you when you look at a woman.
Study the Tenth Chapter of the Gita, Vibhuti Yoga, again and again.
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Next-
18.How to counter impure thoughts :
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