FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.1.26

एतेषां कविर्महावीर: सवन इति त्रय आसन्नूर्ध्वरेतसस्त आत्मविद्यायामर्भभावादारभ्य कृतपरिचया: पारमहंस्यमेवाश्रममभजन् ॥ २६ ॥
eteṣāṁ kavir mahāvīraḥ savana iti traya āsann ūrdhva-retasas ta ātma-vidyāyām arbha-bhāvād ārabhya kṛta-paricayāḥ pāramahaṁsyam evāśramam abhajan.
[eteshaam kavir mahaaveerah savana iti traya aasann oordhva-retasas ta aatma-vidyaayaam arbha-bhaavaad aarabhya krita-parichayaah paaramahamsyam evaashramam abhajan.]
eteṣām — of these kaviḥ — Kavi mahāvīraḥ — Mahāvīra savanaḥ — Savana iti — thus trayaḥ — three āsan — were ūrdhva-retasaḥ — completely celibate te — they ātma-vidyāyām — in transcendental knowledge arbha-bhāvāt — from childhood ārabhya — beginning kṛta-paricayāḥ — very well versed pāramahaṁsyam — of the highest spiritual perfection of human life eva — certainly āśramam — the order abhajan — executed.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
eteṣāṁ kavir mahāvīraḥ savana iti traya āsann ūrdhva-retasas ta ātma-vidyāyām arbha-bhāvād ārabhya kṛta-paricayāḥ pāramahaṁsyam evāśramam abhajan.
eteṣām
of these
kaviḥ
Kavi
mahāvīraḥ
Mahāvīra
savanaḥ
Savana
iti
thus
trayaḥ
three
āsan
were
ūrdhva-retasaḥ
completely celibate
te
they
ātma-vidyāyām
in transcendental knowledge
arbha-bhāvāt
from childhood
ārabhya
beginning
kṛta-paricayāḥ
very well versed
pāramahaṁsyam
of the highest spiritual perfection of human life
eva
certainly
āśramam
the order
abhajan
executed.
Three among these ten — namely Kavi, Mahāvīra and Savana — lived in complete celibacy. Thus trained in brahmacārī life from the beginning of childhood, they were very conversant with the highest perfection, known as the paramahaṁsa-āśrama.

The word ūrdhva-retasaḥ in this verse is very significant. Ūrdhva-retaḥ refers to one who can control sex life and who instead of wasting semen by discharging it can use this most important substance accumulated in the body to enrich the brain. One who can completely control sex life is able to work wonderfully with his brain, especially in remembering. Thus students who simply hear Vedic instructions once from their teacher could remember them verbatim without needing to read books, which therefore did not exist in former times.

Another significant word is arbha-bhāvāt, which means “from very childhood.” Another meaning is “from being very affectionate to children.” In other words, paramahaṁsa life is dedicated for the benefit of others. Just as a father sacrifices many things out of affection for his son, great saintly persons sacrifice all kinds of bodily comforts for the benefit of human society. In this connection there is a verse concerning the Six Gosvāmīs:

tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau

Because of their compassion for the poor fallen souls, the Six Gosvāmīs gave up their exalted positions as ministers and took vows as mendicants. Thus minimizing their bodily wants as far as possible, they each accepted only a loincloth and a begging bowl. Thus they remained in Vṛndāvana to execute the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by compiling and publishing various Vaiṣṇava literatures.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Three among these ten—namely Kavi, Mahāvīra and Savana—lived in complete celibacy. Thus trained in brahmacārī life, beginning from childhood, they were very conversant with knowledge of ātmā and entered the paramahaṁsa-āśrama.
Lifelong celibacy properly trained from childhood produces tremendous mental clarity and the capacity for the paramahaṁsa stage. Even householders can learn from the principle: conserved energy, rightly directed, becomes spiritual power.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in your life is energy leaking out through indulgence that could be redirected to spiritual work?
  • What single discipline would, if held steadily, most enrich the 'brain' of your devotional life?
📝 My note

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