________________
Celibacy and Chastity
131
indulgence. This standard is ideal, everybody is advised to move towards it. The second standard. is called social; it prescribes sex relations of a limited form, as much as it is essential for the preservation of society. Firstly it is restricted to wife only; secondly it is allowed for the sake of progeny, and not for the sake of enjoyment.
In the sense of proper control of sensual desires Manu has used the rightest term. He uses the term 'Indriyanigraha' by which he means control of all desires pertaining to various senses, not particularly sex desire. Manu considers it not a specific duty but a general duty or Sāmānyadharma of all men, as he says kāma (or sensual desire) is needed to be given up which is against "dharma'.1 And that which is in accordance with dharma is not only desirable but a duty.2 However, brahmacarya' in the conventional meaning has been equally prevalent in the Smộtis. All secondary sexual activities, it is said, are nothing but sexuality itself, and are therefore against brahmacarya.8 Mahābhārata also says, that kāma, krodha and lobha are the enemies of man, but they are weak enemies and are conquerable, and if they are not conquered the gates of hell are open for the man.4
Though, it is seen, the control of sense desires is pronounced in all the Brāhmaṇical literature, the most concrete shape to 'brahmacarya' is given in the Pātañjala-yoga-sūtras, among the five abstentions. Here, the primary importance is given
1. fustanet TT FOTAI Thafsat i --Manu. 4. 176. 2. Ibid., 5.56. 3. स्मरणं कीर्तनं केलिः प्रेक्षणं गुह्यभाषणं संकल्पोऽध्यवसायश्च क्रिया
निवृत्तिरेव च एतनमैथुनमष्टांगां प्रवदन्ति मणीषिणः विपरीतं ब्रह्मचर्य
gadareci -Dakșa Smrti, 7.32. 4. furfaceti TT ar TTTTATHAT: 1 कामक्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत् त्रयं त्यजेत् ।
--Mahābhā., Udyoga Parva, 70. 32.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
