brahmacharya

Or brah·ma·cār·ya

[brah-muh-chahr-yuh]

noun

Hinduism.

1. the stage of life of the student, entailing study of the Vedas and complete celibacy, usually lasting for twelve years.

Word History and Origins

Origin of brahmacharya¹

From the Sanskrit word brahmacarya

Example Sentences

He even went public with his sexual life — and the negation of it through brahmacharya, or chastity.

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The second section that will provoke controversy tackles an even more sensitive subject: Gandhi’s notorious brahmacharya experiments, beginning in 1946.

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They were there as a temptation: if he wasn’t aroused by their presence, he could be reassured he’d achieved brahmacharya, a Hindu concept of celibate self-control.

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His vow of brahmacharya, or self-imposed celibacy, taken in 1906, was to become the foundation of his moral authority in the eyes of the Indian masses.

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An aspirant to a godly life must observe the Hindu practice of Brahmacharya, or celibacy, as a means of self-control and a way to devote all energy to public service.

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