Anushasan : Brahmacharya ..contd

|| योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् ||

Karyakarta needs protection from all sides. Knowing the eight steps of falling from the practice of Brahmacharya are therefore important and one introspectively should look within everyday and find out where one stands. This continuous work with oneself helps one to overcome the attractions and passions in the life and then one can scale toward one's goal steadily :
1. Prekshana – It is natural to feel happy if we see anything/ anyone beautiful or pleasing. The first step of fall, Prekshana, means a person tries to see another person [object of attraction from the opposite sex] again and again because she/he likes that person.

2. Smarana – She/he not only looks at the person with eyes but dwells mentally on that person. Then it implies that she/he falls into the second step.

3. Kirtana  – In this third step she/he starts describing that person and enjoys talking about that person. Today vulgar novels, T.V.serials, films, mobile, whatsapp and various websites on such topics come into this third state of fall.

Up to these three steps it is relatively easy to control oneself as one becomes aware of the fall. But after this the acceleration starts and then it becomes difficult to control oneself.

4. Keli – It means playing. A person finds out ways to spend time together by visiting theatres, watching dramas, going to restaurants, parties, discotheque, clubs, cards, gardens, or games such as tennis in which the body is relatively more exposed. On the surface the person shows that it all is done with good intention; inwardly physical passions work. These occasions provide time for talking. The person starts speaking with double meaning through jokes or comments. If the other person is intelligent enough (which generally all instinctively are) then the other person puts a full stop to this. If the other person also falls for it then the fall is to the fifth step. Therefore, in Yogashastra Keli is considered as the Dosha – cause of destruction of Brahmacharya vrata.
Mananeeya Eknathji used to make karyakartas aware of all these points through his letters to karyakartas and protect them.