This question rings in every man’s mind, usually in the teenage – is masturbation wrong? is masturbation safe? does it cause sexual impotence? Here is an attempt to unearth a few facts about an act, which almost every man indulges with.., Masturbation.
Masturbation facts: In a new born, there will be many organs, muscles and bones in different growing stages. gradually all the organs grow up and start performing their normal functions. This maturation is caused by proper release of hormones at proper time. When the child enters teenage, at the age of 14-18, gradually sex hormone production takes place leading to exhibition of male sexual characteristics like development of beard, moustache, axial hairs, pubic hairs, attraction towards female etc. Likewise, there also starts sperm and semen production.
Imagine a tank, in which water is getting filled up. If the water is totally filled up to its brim, the water overflows, out of the tank. Similarly the produced sperms in the (seminiferous tubules of the testis) gets stored & matured in epididymis.
To make it further simpler, the sperm is produced and stored in the testis. But when the sperm volume exceeds the storage capacity, it tends to overflow. Either through the process of masturbation or during night. (called as night fall).
Why masturbation? Masturbation is a safe method of evacuating the sperm along with semen, which is naturally secreted in the testis.
Advantages of masturbation :
It is a sign of good mental and physical health. (Did you ever heard that one feels like masturbating during fever or any other physical illness?)
It gives a chance for the man to confirm his maleness.
It helps to evacuate the semen from time to time.
Done in a frequency of once in twice or thrice a week is absolutely safe and healthy.
If done with sufficient gap of 2 – 3 days, it helps to improve confidence.
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Masturbation is healthy for the body and the mind. I actually think that if teenagers didn’t masturbate they would explode.
Once or twice a week? haha, I think its more like once or twice a day for most guys.
I find it rather strange that a website which believes in the authenticity of ayurvedic science should post an article like this.Modern western scientists have poor knowledge of universe. Much of it is still a big mystery to them. They do not know prana or the astral body or the subtle elements. Our great rishis on the other hand understand all this and hence study the effect on them when sex or any other physical/mental act is performed.It is a fact that he who has wasted the vital energy by sex or masturbation becomes easily irritable, loses his balance of mind.The body and the mind refuse to work energetically.You can check these symptoms with anyone else or with oneself. The vigor is missing days after sex/masturbation.Ojas is a Sanskrit word which literally means “vigor”. According to the principles of Ayurveda, it is the essential energy of the body which can be equated with the “fluid of life”. Those who practice Ayurveda say that Ojas is the sap of one’s life energy which, when sufficient, is equated with immunity and, when deficient, results in weakness, fatigue and ultimately disease.According to Yogic science, semen exists in a subtle form throughout the whole body(astral). It is found in a subtle state in all the cells of the body. It is withdrawn and elaborated into a gross form in the sex organ under the influence of the sexual will and sexual excitement.A true celibate possesses tremendous energy, a clear brain, gigantic will-power, bold understanding, retentive memory.
“Part of the human energy which is expressed as sex energy, in sexual thought, when checked and controlled, easily becomes changed into Ojas.It is only the chaste man or woman who can make the Ojas rise and store it in the brain; that is why chastity has always been considered the highest virtue.The “Ojas” is that which makes the difference between man and man. The man who has much Ojas is the leader of men. It gives a tremendous power of attraction. Ojas is manufactured from the nerve – currents. It has this peculiarity: it is most easily made from that force which manifests itself in the sexual powers. If the powers of the sexual centres are not frittered away and their energies wasted (action is only thought in a grosser state), they can be manufactured into Ojas.” -Swami Vivekananda
Why don’t you also post what the great rishis through the scriptures have to say about sex? They are more scientific and knowledgeable than the western researchers blinded by lust. The irresponsible and incomplete research gets published all over the world and make youngsters more promiscuous and immoral.Sexual tension is better relieved or prevented by pranayama,chants and other yogic mudra practices and abstaining from voluptuous reverie.
Dear sir,
Thanks for your valuable inputs.
I completely agree with your explanation regarding the benefits of Abstinence – Brahmacharya.
I have already posted an article on it – http://easyayurveda.com/2011/02/02/abstinence-brahmacharya-the-greatest-tool-to-improve-concentration/
You have rightly told that “only chaste” people can practice absolute Brahmacharya.
But let me tell you 99.99 % people, including me can not practice ‘absolute’ Brahmacharya.
Suppose a patient comes to you and says that he practices masturbation and asks whether it is wrong. He is not spiritually oriented (By choice or by default), he is just a common man like myself, if I preach him not to do it, he will try not to, but he can not, and the guilt builds from within and he is emotionally devastated.
For a ‘spiritual person’, masturbation needs totally to be avoided. But how many of us really want to go spiritual way? How many of us are as gutsy as Lord Swamy Vivekananda? If you ask me, I can only be devotee of Swamy Vivekananda but following his words with 100 % is certainly not possible for a common man like me and like other 99.99 % people of this world. It is for those people that I have written this article.
For such human beings, masturbation does absolutely no harm. Neither it is wrong, nor it is a sin.
Brahmacharya can be lost in 10 ways – Shravana – by hearing to explicit words
Keertana – by chatting about explicit matter
Dhyana – by a simple thought process about sex. etc
Ayurveda is for spiritual seekers all right. But Ayurveda is also for common people.
Physiologically and Ayurvedically speaking, masturbation is a very healthy habit.
But for a spiritual seeker, he needs to follow absolute Brahmacharya.
Well what you’ve told is indeed true.To people who are not into spirituality and already addicted to a certain thing, it is difficult to let go that habit.But in my opinion you as a doctor must educate these people on Ayurvedic science behind things.Whether they accept it or not is left to them.Our education unfortunately does not teach about these things from a Vedic perspective which is why so many youngsters become addicted to such things.You must also in my opinion teach people about sex sublimation to those people who have faith in this science but have a sense of guilt,so that they can get over the bad habits.Simple sublimation practices are not spiritual, any ordinary person with limited interest in spirituality can do it.People who have no faith in this science will definitely not get unduly worried about it, I can assure you of that.
In my opinion celibacy is not a matter of choice but a necessity to keep good physical and mental health.Sex does have some harmful effects on the body, but it is a necessary evil for the sake of procreation.That is why our scriptures advise restraint in case of married couples also, not just for spirituality but also from an health perspective.People should be informed about the negative effects on the body when sex is performed so that they can regulate the act for their own benefit.
This in turn will help our society as we’ll have less number of lustful people.
Dear sir,
Again there is a little difference of opinion between my believes and yours.
As long as masturbation is depicted as something forbidden, the guilt feeling can not be relieved.
If someone asks me,
For any healthy man or woman, masturbation once a while is very healthy and normal habit.
Likewise, sex is also very healthy habit for a married person.
Mr Shiva is wrong.I am 42 years old and have been masturbating almost every day for the past 22 years and I look like a 28 year old man. So I find it funny when Shiva says sex is bad. Learn to let go. Most of our Vedic literature is lost and I have proved everyone wrong by not having any of the symptoms that Shiva believes an oversexed person may have
Let us keep spirituality and health as separate entities on this issue. Irrespective of availability of Vedic literature, the truths told in Vedas are truths forever. At the same time, in this age, where distractions are there at every corner of our homes, we may not be able to lead a perfectly ‘pure’ life. The intelligence lies in hitting a balance, based on personal beliefs and habits.
Thank you Sir for such a knowledgeable reply. By the way one more query is that why man is attracted to other females even one is married even though we know that all the female organs are same in all women.
Well, what can I say?
just the naughty point of the brain getting more stimulated.
‘Boredom and extra enthusiasm for new things’ might be the answer.
Hi Dr Hebbar
I was wondering if a person who has had sex can turn to brahmacharya or not?
Ways to improve and correct oneself are always open to anyone who has positive inclination and positive attitude. Hence the answer is yes, he can.
Read more about Brahmacharya here – http://easyayurveda.com/2011/02/02/abstinence-brahmacharya-the-greatest-tool-to-improve-concentration/
Namaste Dr Hebbar,
I was doing some research on dosha shamya and came across your site, very enlightening indeed.
As per nitin’s query as to why males are attracted to other females even when one is married. I believe we need to look at the institution of monogamous marriage against the backdrop of mankind’s evolution.
Man has been programmed since we walked upright to propagate our gene pool to ensure the survival of his particular genetic traits via his offspring. In other words man are hard-wired to “sow their wild oats” whenever the chance present itself. It’s only through social norms and the institution of marriage that man is subdued to a monogamous relationship. The present norm of marriage is but a few hundred years old, how can it be compared to what mother nature had programmed us to do over the history of our evolution. This loyalty to a singular spouse is the exact opposite of what nature had intended and if the suppression of natures programming is not strong we will have spouses that strays! While I do not encourage husbands to stray, it is always unhealthy and unnatural to go against nature. Do you agree?
Regards.
KC
Namaste Dear KC, your words are thought provoking.
See, there is difference between human beings and animals – It is wisdom = Viveka.
Nature provokes man in many ways. Man manipulates nature, with his wisdom, for his well being.
For example, nails are grown naturally, man cuts it, as it suits his health and habits.
Swamy Vivekananda has told that we should struggle against nature to make our path to success, using our wisdom.
When there is a flood, and water is gushing towards us, we should not think that it is the order of mother nature, that gravity is working to take away our lives. In stead, we should try and hold on to a tree branch nearby. Wisdom is the critical issue here.
In man, sex has purposes -
1. procreation by means of recreation.
2. Enjoyment
3. Following the duties of houseman-ship.
4. Expressing love towards spouse
As long as sex is used for these purposes, ‘within the norms of the society, and norms of a marriage relationship’, I would say it is healthy.
Sexual desire towards wife = expression of love = worth encouraging.
Sexual desire before marriage / sexual desire towards multiple partners = expression of lust = worth suppressing.
I guess, I just have told the same thing what you have told, in different words.
Coming to masturbation –
Masturbation once or twice in one or two weeks, without guilt feeling and misconception = healthy.
Masturbation every day, or multiple times a day, or with misconceptions,guilty feeling = unhealthy and needs correction.
Why do you say masturbation every day is unhealthy?? Is there any logic to the statement that you made? Please follow up with hard proof that masturbating every day is bad!!! There is no such proof!!!!
I agree that I can not show any proof for it.
But consider it from a teenage student’s point of view. If a student indulges in masturbation, daily, he would be delegating at least 15 – 30 minutes for it, which he can utilize for studies.
On top of it, ‘self-control’ is very much needed for a happy sexual life , after marriage. In many cases, lack of good mind control is the cause of premature ejaculation. In a sexual act, more controlled you are, more will be the enjoyment. -
http://easyayurveda.com/2011/02/01/the-best-sex-medicine-restraint/
http://easyayurveda.com/2011/02/02/abstinence-brahmacharya-the-greatest-tool-to-improve-concentration/
Speaking in general, “lack of mind control” is the root cause for all our miseries in life.
There are maximum chances that a teenager will have his misconceptions about masturbation, it might lead to building up of guilty feeling further worsening his studies, if he is doing it daily.
You may argue that “why then masturbation once in 7 or 15 days?” Because semen collected needs to be evacuated, and it makes sense to give a student a little room for enjoyment.
We need to be a little social conscious about our opinions you see.
Many thanks for thought-provoking views.
I think you need to relax a bit. 15 minutes of studying or no studying is not going to make an iota of difference to ones’ life on this worthless planet. Why should you control a natural urge. I am not advocating drinking or drugs which are detrimental to the mind and body. In today’ morose and dangerous world sex provides the necessary stimulant to one’s happiness and well being. Conservative people may pooh pooh my theory but take it from me that controlling a natural urge is only going to make people do wrong things. Its just like controlling the desire to eat and drink. If you can do it and still be happy there is nothing like but this is easier said than done. That is what Osho and J Krishnamurthy said. Just observe the act .Enjoy and forget it…
I respect your subjective opinion, with respect to masturbation.
if someone is asking me, then ‘don’t masturbate everyday’ would be my answer.
what a clear mind u have..
I agree but why don’t you admit that women also look at other men. They do so in a subtle manner which may pass unnoticed in case you are not very observant. I have observed many such women looking at men who are married. So your conclusion is not 100% correct. Everybody has the same desires whether man or woman ,Indian or American etc,,,
Dear Mr Rajesh,
Again, naturally men and women get attracted to each other.
But both should use our wisdom
– to suppress our desire to others and
– to show and limit our desire to our spouse only.
Here lies the fruitfulness in relationship. Here lies the success in society and humanity.
what say?
That is easier said than done. Believe me people will be what they are. I am a philosopher and a spiritual person to some extent.I can say that nature cannot be changed.It is an axiom that is preached in Dvaita. Do your karma and be happy with the results!!!
Hello! Just want to say thank you for this interesting article! =) Peace, Joy.