A section of the population, especially male, did not marry at all. Instead of allowing their semen to be driven downwards, they used to lift the semen up to the brain.

Increased Brain Power with Celibacy

Lifting the semen to the brain

The system of brahmacharya has been current since the birth of Brahma. A section of the population, especially male, did not marry at all. Instead of allowing their semen to be driven downwards, they used to lift the semen up to the brain. They are called urdhva-retasah, those who lift up. Semen is so important that if, by the yogic process, one can lift the semen up to the brain, he can perform wonderful work—one's memory is enabled to act very swiftly, and the duration of life is increased. Yogis can thus perform all kinds of austerity with steadiness and be elevated to the highest perfectional stage, even to the spiritual world. Vivid examples of brahmacharis who accepted this principle of life are the four sages Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara, as well as Narada and others.

Don't waste semen

The word urdhva-retasah in this verse is very significant. Urdhva-retah 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.

Pounds of blood

Sex enjoyment means you discharge your semina. Your thing, not others. And it is said by medical science, some pounds of blood makes one drop of semina. That means, suppose you allow, if you allow somebody to take your blood, pounds of blood, would you like to do that? Unless it is... Nowadays, blood bank, there is going on. But anyone, if he wants to take your blood, you will protest. But our enjoyment is by giving our own blood. There is a Hindi poet, Tulsi das, who said: din ka dakini, rat ka baghini, palak palak rahe chushe duniya sab bhora hoye, ghara ghara baghini puje . It is actual for the materialistic person, that there is an animal, during daytime she is witch, and at night she is tigress. The witches, they also, by their black art, they suck the blood of children. Do you know that? There are witches. The kamekha (?) witches, from the black art. The Putana was like that. They suck the blood of children by some mantra. So it is pointing out to one's wife. During daytime she is dakini, witch, and at night she is tigress. So Tulasi das says that. . . Tulasi dasa's life is very interesting. He had very bad experience of his wife. Everyone. So he says that nobody keeps a tigress to suck one's blood, but duniya sab bhora hoye: the whole world, being mad, they keep one tigress. In every moment, sucking blood. This criticism is for the materialistic persons. Those who are spiritually advancing, this criticism does not apply. For materialistic person, this agent of sucking blood is their happiness, is their happiness. That is the real fact.

Therefore the Vedic system of civilization is seventy-five percent life of celibacy. In the brahmachari system there is no connection with woman. Student life. Student life, if one remains brahmachari, he becomes determined. His brain becomes very receptive. Therefore, in the brahmachari system, complete celibacy, no connection with woman. So up to twenty-five years, if he does not discharge semen, he becomes very stout, strong, and his health is built up for whole life, and he becomes so intelligent that anything he will hear, he will remember immediately. Then after brahmachari system, if one cannot remain brahmachari, naishthika-brahmachari, then the spiritual master allows him to marry. That is grihastha-ashrama. So when one is complete, fit for sex life, he begets children, male children, and after twenty-five years, the child becomes grown up, so he retires. In this way, brahmachari, grihastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. The whole aim is Vishnu, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. Not like, living like this, animals.