Sanskrit for the basic vow of chastity taken by Indian ascetics, who then become brahmacharis. Gandhi broadens this vow to encompass self restraint in all areas of human activity.

Brahmacarya Brahma ch(c)ari The first ashrama or stage of life.

Means, “walking in Brahma” or “walking in the creative force of God.” Commonly interpreted to mean celibacy, but it means more that that. It means preservation and cultivation of the vital force (sexual energy) in the yoga practitioner, which can be accomplished by both celibates and non-celibates through yogic methods.

India Celibacy

Literally means practicing conduct that leads one to God. Mostly it is used to describe self-restraint, especially over sexual organs (celibacy); first stage in the fourfold Hindu life cycle scheme of development

Celibate; one who belongs to the first of the four Asramas or orders of life; one who lives in purity and studies the Veda.

1) 'Divine conduct'. Celibacy. For renunciants brahmacharya has been prescribed as eight-fold abstinence from associating with the opposite gender in the following ways: shravanam - listening to or of keertanam - talking to or of keli - frolicking with prekshanam - intentionally looking at guhyabhãshanam - privately conversing with sankalpa - fantasising about adhyavasãya - thinking of kriyã - intercourse with For householder males, brahmacharya constitutes renouncing all women except their wives, abstaining from sexual relations with one's wife on days of observance, and engaging in sexual relations with her only during the appropriate times {Gadhada I-34.8}.

meaning variously : 1. The practice of continence; 2.the first stage in the four stages of vedic life, where one pours ones energy into learning; 3.the life of `walking with` that leads to Brahman (see Brahman). One of the 5 yamas (see yamas) described by sage Patanjali.

The first of the four stages of human life prescribed by the Vedantic scriptures: Brahmacharya---the celibate student stage Garhasthya---the married householder stage Banaprastha---the stage of retirement and contemplation Sannyas---the stage of religious mendicancy

The first of the four stages of life; the life of an unmarried celibate studentship or scholarship. (Also continence.) The other three stages are Grihasth-ashrama, Vanaprasth-ashrama, and sannyas-ashrama.

This is one of the Yamas( mandatory observance)prescribed for control of body and mind in Yoga. This means continence. It also means one who seeks Brahman experience alone to the exclusion of all others. Other Yamas are Satya( Truth speaking), Ahimsa ( Non Injury to others), Asteya( Non covetousness) and Aparigraha.

Celibacy; one who follows a spiritual lifestyle including celibacy (certain religious married couples have their own form of brahmacharya).

a state of continence followed during student life, routine followed while studying Vedas.

Practice of celibacy. Purity in thought, word and deed. Click here for a discourse on Brahmacharya.

Purity, chastity, nonlust (one of the yamas).

(from brahma and acarya "brahmic conduct"): the discipline of chastity, which produces ojas

Brahmacharya (pronounced /brʌmatʃərɪə/, Devanagari: ब्रह्माचर्य) is a Sanskrit word. "Brahma" signifies Brahman — The Ultimate Reality or The Unified Whole. The root "Char" means To follow or practice.