Brahmacharya and Related Topics

Adi Shankara (788-820), founder of Advaita Vedanta, with disciples, by Raja Ravi Varma (1904)

Sannyasa

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A Hindu Sannyasi. In ancient and medieval literature, they are usually associated with forests and remote hermitages in their spiritual, literary and philosophical pursuits.

A Hindu monk walking during sunrise in a mango garden in Dinajpur, Bangladesh

Swami Vivekananda (1894) was a sannyasi.

The Mughal Army commanded by Akbar attack members of the Sannyasa during the Battle of Thanesar, 1567

Sanyasa (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sannyasa or Sanyasi, is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as Ashramas, with the first three being Brahmacharya (bachelor student), Grihastha (householder) and Vanaprastha (forest dweller, retired).

Statue of Shiva meditating in the lotus position

Yoga

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Group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciousness untouched by the mind (Chitta) and mundane suffering (Duḥkha).

A statue of Patanjali, author of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, meditating in the lotus position

Bas-relief in Borobudur of the Buddha becoming a wandering hermit instead of a warrior

Krishna narrating the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna

Asanga, a fourth-century scholar and co-founder of the Yogachara ("Yoga practice") school of Mahayana Buddhism

Sculpture of Gorakshanath, an 11th-century yogi of the Nath tradition and a proponent of hatha yoga

International Day of Yoga in New Delhi, 2016

Gautama Buddha in seated meditation, Gal Vihara, Sri Lanka

Raja Ravi Varma's Adi Shankara with Disciples (1904)

Viparītakaraṇī, a posture used as an asana and a mudra

1) Yama (The five abstentions): Ahimsa (Non-violence, non-harming other living beings), Satya (truthfulness, non-falsehood), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (celibacy, fidelity to one's partner), and Aparigraha (non-avarice, non-possessiveness).

The hand symbolizes Ahiṃsā, the wheel dharmachakra, the resolve to halt saṃsāra (transmigration).

Jainism

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Ancient Indian religion.

Classification of Saṃsāri Jīvas (transmigrating souls) in Jainism

Lord Neminatha, Akota Bronzes (7th century)

Jain miniature painting of 24 tirthankaras, Jaipur, c. 1850

Jain temple painting explaining Anekantavada with Blind men and an elephant

A Jain monk in meditation, wearing the characteristic white robe and face covering

Nishidhi stone, depicting the vow of sallekhana, 14th century, Karnataka

Praying at the feet of a statue of Bahubali

Jain worship may include ritual offerings and recitals.

Celebrating Das Lakshana (Paryushana), Jain Center of America, New York City

The birth of Mahavira, from the Kalpa Sūtra (c.1375–1400 CE)

A symbol to represent the Jain community was chosen in 1975 as part of the commemoration of the 2,500th anniversary of Mahavira’s nirvana.

Rishabhdev, believed to have lived over 592.704×1018 years ago, is considered the traditional founder of Jainism.

The ruins of Gori Jain temples in Nagarparkar, Pakistan, a pilgrimage site before 1947.

Saavira Kambada Basadi, Moodbidri, Karnataka

Jain monks, after positioning themselves in the sublime state of soul consciousness, take five main vows: ahiṃsā (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (chastity), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness).

A Balinese Hindu family after puja at Bratan temple in Bali, Indonesia

Hinduism

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Variously defined as an Indian religion, a set of religious beliefs or practices, a religious tradition, a way of life, or dharma—a religious and universal order by which followers abide.

Om, a stylized letter of Devanagari script, used as a religious symbol in Hinduism

Swami Vivekananda was a key figure in introducing Vedanta and Yoga in Europe and the United States, raising interfaith awareness and making Hinduism a world religion.

Ganesha is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon.

The Hare Krishna group at the Esplanadi Park in Helsinki, Finland

The festival of lights, Diwali, is celebrated by Hindus all over the world.

Hindus in Ghana celebrating Ganesh Chaturti

Holi celebrated at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Utah, United States.

Kedar Ghat, a bathing place for pilgrims on the Ganges at Varanasi

Priests performing Kalyanam (marriage) of the holy deities at Bhadrachalam Temple, in Telangana. It is one of the temples in India, where Kalyanam is done everyday throughout the year.

Basic Hindu symbols: Shatkona, Padma, and Swastika.

Kauai Hindu monastery in Kauai Island in Hawaii is the only Hindu Monastery in the North American continent.

The Hindu Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram was built by Narasimhavarman II.

The four ashramas are: Brahmacharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vānaprastha (retired) and Sannyasa (renunciation).

Vānaprastha

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Third stage in the varnasrama system of Hinduism.

It represents the third of the four ashramas (stages) of human life, the other three being Brahmacharya (bachelor student, 1st stage), Grihastha (married householder, 2nd stage) and Sannyasa (renunciation ascetic, 4th stage).

Āśrama (stage)

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System of stages of life discussed in Hindu texts of the ancient and medieval eras.

The four asramas are: Brahmacharya (student), Gṛhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest walker/forest dweller), and Sannyasa (renunciate).

Gṛhastha

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Gṛhastha (Sanskrit: गृहस्थ) literally means "being in and occupied with home, family" or "householder".

The stage "Gṛhastha" is preceded by Brahmacharya (student) stage of life, and followed by Vanaprastha (retirement, forest dweller, still an advisor to the next generation) stage.

Chandogya Upanishad

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Sanskrit text embedded in the Chandogya Brahmana of the Sama Veda of Hinduism.

The Chandogya Upanishad describes natural phenomena such as a thunderstorm as a form of chant.

Ahimsa - non-violence in action, words and thoughts - is considered the highest ethical value and virtue in Hinduism. The Chandogya Upanishad makes one of the earliest mentions of this ethical code in section 3.17. Above: non-violence sculpture by Carl Fredrik Reutersward.

The Chandogya Upanishad in 7th chapter discusses progressive meditation as a means to Self-knowledge.

The four asramas are: Brahmacharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (retired) and Sannyasa (renunciation).

Adi Shankara with Disciples, by Raja Ravi Varma (1904)

Guru

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Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field.

Kacha meets the Asura Guru Shukracharya with firewood, to begin his studies, in Mahabharata.

The education stage of a youth with a guru was referred to as Brahmacharya, and in some parts of India this followed the Upanayana or Vidyarambha rites of passage.