Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,
There is a discussion about 'brahmacharya' in the 'maattup poNNu' series. After
reading that interesting on going series, I wish to add following.
There is a slokam in sreemadh vaalmeeki raaamayaNam, when that niranthara
[permanent] and recognised brahmachari hanumaan says to seethaa,
'raama: nithyam brahmacharyavrathE sthhitha:'
in slokam 12 sargam 32 of sundhara kaaNdam
meaning - raama is observing the brahmacharya vratham regularly.
As is now quite common with many, in the US and other foreign countries, even
after getting married due to visa problems and others, they are bachelors or
observing brahmacharya vratham in grihasthaasramam, because of the absence of
their wives by their side.
Sri raama is not that kind of brahmachari now, because seethaa is away in asOka
vanam, having been kidnapped by raavaNan, and now only hanumaan, with his
Herculean effort, has located seethaa and says to seethaa, raama is now a
bachelor [because of you, his wife, whom he is missing].
So raama is NOT a 'circumstance forced bachelor' but, by his aachaaram and
anushtaanams.
Hanumaan is a 'sollin selvar' - 'measured talker' and he will not talk wrong.
Then why hanumaan said that? - that too to seethaa, to that very wife of raama,
in front of whom he is standing. This is a point to be understood properly.
As per manu dharma saasthram, one who observes restraint from sex on Ekaadhasi,
chathurdhasi, amaavaasya, and pourNami and enjoys on the even thithis during
rest of the days in a month, then he is called brahmachaari. The relevant
portion of manu saasthram is extracted as given below.
7.1.10 Grihastha brahmacarya
Let (the husband) approach his wife in due season, being constantly satisfied
with her (alone); he may also, being intent on pleasing her, approach her with
a desire for conjugal union (on any day) excepting the Parvans. [v.3.45.]
Sixteen (days and) nights (in each month), including four days, which differ
from the rest and are censured by the virtuous, (are called) the natural season
of women. [v.3.46.]
But among these the first four, the eleventh and the thirteenth are (declared
to be) forbidden; the remaining nights are recommended. [v.3.47.]
On the even nights sons are conceived and daughters on the uneven ones; hence a
man who desires to have sons should approach his wife in due season on the even
(nights). [v.3.48.]
A male child is produced by a greater quantity of male seed, a female child by
the prevalence of the female; if (both are) equal, a hermaphrodite or a boy and
a girl; if (both are) weak or deficient in quantity, a failure of conception
(results). [v.3.49.]
He who avoids women on the six forbidden nights and on eight others, is (equal
in chastity to) a student, in whichever order he may live. [v.3.50.]
This extract is the book manu dharma saasthram from www.sacredtexts.com
<http://www.sacredtexts.com> web site. [2 ekaadhasis, 2 chathurdhasis, one
amavasya, one pourNami - totalling 6 days]
So raama is a grihasthaasrama brahmachaari, since he observes the rules laid
down here.
KrishNa is also a similar grihastha brahmachaari even though he took 16108
roopams to enjoy with his that many wives as per srimadh bhaagavatham.
Trust it is quite interesting information.
Dhasan
Vasudevan m.g.
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page
http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/.itolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam
http://www.vedics.net
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ramanuja/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ramanuja-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |