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It is known that a married person (grihastha) can practice brahmacharya (by avoiding sex on prohibited days).

It is obviously allowed for him to perform sexual activity for begetting offspring.

But my doubt is:

Will his brahmacharya be preserved even if he engages in sexual activity for sensual pleasure?

hanugm
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  • @commonman Because I red in some puranas that sex is allowed for Brahmachari after marriage. So i get confuse. – hanugm May 05 '19 at 16:23
  • Here we shoud hear from the Smritis as they are the authority in the dos and donts.Tantra is a parallel authority also, but not the puranas. –  May 05 '19 at 16:25
  • @commonman Told in smritis that a person has to do sex only for child after marriage and has to stop then? – hanugm May 05 '19 at 16:27
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    Yes, I think I have read this.Having sex twice a month is allowed only for procreation! –  May 05 '19 at 16:28
  • @hanugm come to chat. Thats correct place to talk. Not here! – Agamas Tantras May 05 '19 at 16:31
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    @hanugm, i edited it further for clarification. btw, this also implies another modern-day question regarding contraceptives - https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/14179/on-use-of-contraceptive-methods-and-enjoying-sex-life-without-being-kandarpa – ram May 06 '19 at 02:01
  • Where did you read this? He should remain celibate. – Wikash_ May 06 '19 at 04:19
  • @Wikash_hindu which one? It's my doubt whether the couple can perform only for offspring or for enjoyment also. – hanugm May 06 '19 at 04:35
  • @hanugm The question is meaningless now! Its like : can a man wanting to maintain fasting engage in eating food for satisfying hunger ? –  May 06 '19 at 11:42
  • @commonman but it looks so shocking if a person can be Brahmachari after marriage if he engages for offspring only... I hope that sex may be banned based on time, but not a permanent ban... – hanugm May 06 '19 at 11:52
  • @hanugm yadichchanto brahmacharyam charanti..Wishing whom people practise brahmacharya.. that is Brahman.How can one who is really willing to get permanent bliss want temporary bliss? If he wants, he is still not prepared for absolute Brahmacharya.So why wd such a person be brahmachari at all? –  May 06 '19 at 12:00
  • Your senses should be controlled is the whole idea. You can be a Brahmachariya but can not possibly realize Brahman – Gopal Anantharaman May 07 '19 at 01:06
  • Yes, as long as it is monogamous and heterosexual. – M_Raghavan May 06 '19 at 23:23

1 Answers1

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The definition of a married Brahmachari is given in the following Yajnavalkya Smriti verse:

LXXIX.—Sixteen nights are the "" Season " of women. Among these he should approach them during the even nights. Let him avoid the Parvana nights, &c. and the first four nights. By so doing he would be even a Brahmachari.—79

On this verse we have the following Mitakasra commentary:

That period of women, indicative of the state in which they are capable of getting conception, is called *' Season." And that period is " sixteen days and nights," counting from the first day of menstruation. In *' such " a season, and during ** even" i.e., equal (and not odd) nights, *' he should approach " or go to his wife for the sake of begetting a son. By specifying "night" day-time has been excluded. " Even nights," being in the plural number, indicates totality taken separately as well as collectively. So that in one season he may go in all even nights which have not been (otherwise) prohibited. By so doing he is even " like a Brahmachari." Therefore, when Brahmacharya (abstention from women) is ordained in Sraddha, &c. then by going as above, he is not guilty of transgressing the rule of Brahmacharya.

From the above discussion it does not seem to me that having sex without the intention of begetting progeny will be counted as "Brahmacharya".

Rickross
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