Upaniṣads · Jābāladarśana 1.13
॥
Devanāgarī
कायेन वाचा मनसा स्त्रीणां परिविवर्जनम् । ऋतौ भार्यां तदा स्वस्य ब्रह्मचर्यं तदुच्यते
Transliteración (IAST)
kāyena vācā manasā strīṇāṃ parivivarjanam | ṛtau bhāryāṃ tadā svasya brahmacaryaṃ taducyate
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
कायेन वाचा मनसाkāyena vācā manasāby body, speech, mind
स्त्रीणां परिविवर्जनम्strīṇāṃ parivivarjanamavoidance of women
ऋतौ भार्यां तदा स्वस्यṛtau bhāryāṃ tadā svasyaat the [proper] time, one's own wife then
ब्रह्मचर्यं तत् उच्यतेbrahmacaryaṃ tat ucyatethat is called celibacy
Traducción
"Avoidance of women by body, speech, and mind — [approach], at the proper time, to one's own wife — that is called celibacy."
Versión
3504c9687316 · publicado 12 ago 2026, 5:00:00 UTC
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The definition of brahmacharya is given in two forms, and they deserve distinguishing, for they are constantly confused. The first form — complete abstinence, "by body, speech, and mind," for one who has chosen celibacy. The second — ritau bharyam, "at the proper time — to one's own wife": for a householder, celibacy means not renunciation but moderation and fidelity.
This distinction is universal in Indian codes of conduct, and it is, in my view, sound. To demand the same of a renunciant and of a father of a household would be senseless; and a teaching that fails to distinguish them condemns the householder to a permanent sense of inadequacy. Let us also say what belongs to its own time here and what we shall not accept. The rule is set out one-sidedly: it is women one is bidden to avoid, not men; the book addresses a man, and speaks of woman as an object of danger.
This one-sidedness is a trait of nearly every ancient code, and there is no need to justify it. The rule itself does not become worthless for this — moderation and fidelity are required of both — but it is stated as it is stated, and to pretend this is not so would be dishonest. The Vaishnava side keeps the rule and grounds it not in aversion but in the ordering of ends. The Gita says, in Krishna's own voice: dharma-aviruddho bhuteshu kamo'smi, "I am the desire in beings that is not contrary to law" (7.11). Desire that does not run against the code is named there Himself; and hence in its practice marriage is not a concession to weakness, but one of the four stations of life, the grihastha-ashrama — and, indeed, the station that sustains all three others.