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Celibacy is considered as one of the greatest virtues of a student seeking knowledge.

What are the methods proposed by Hindu scriptures, by which a student can keep his/her celibacy or practice of abstinence intact, in this new age?

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    Practice of Brahmacharya by Swami Sivanda is good book though it doesn't explicitly mention "different methods of Brahmacharya" mentioned in scriptures.
    – The Destroyer ♦
    May 15, 2016 at 16:28
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    No one practice fits everyone. There are different methods for different people to keep to brahmacharya. I knew one saint who said that in his early days he would put chilis in his mouth whenever his mind wandered the wrong way. He said it was impossible to hold carnal thoughts when his mouth was on fire. His mind also learned that if it strayed, there would be an unpleasant and immediate painful experience. Best is to ask your guru. He knows what is the best way for you.
    – Swami Vishwananda
    May 16, 2016 at 4:14

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You can't practice Brahmacharya just by reading books or making vows. You are containing Vasanas or Samskarans from eons into/onto your chitta. There are three layers of mind - conscious, sub conscious & unconscious. By force or temporary Vairagya you can only control your conscious mind but the habits patterns which are present in deep layers of mind (namely in other twos) can't be destroyed so easily without a particular organized method or practice. To eradicate Samskarans from deep mind you will have to practice awareness & equanimity. There are many meditations for this which you can find in Vijanabhairava tantra. Buddhist's techniques Vipassana & satipatthan are also for the same. You can find the way in this answer.

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8 things to avoid in order to maintain strict brahmacharya by Sridhara Swami - http://selfdefinition.org/celibacy/quotes/sridhar-swami-eight-aspects-of-brahmacharya.htm

It also greatly helps if you avoid rajasic/tamasic foods - meat, liquor, onion & garlic - because they stimulate nerves & sexual desires.

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    Is there a reference to the scriptures to the quotes?
    – Sathyam
    May 15, 2016 at 18:20
  • they are quoted on that page itself - srimad bhagavatam, daksha smriti etc. Sanskrit slokas are also given
    – mar
    May 16, 2016 at 0:24

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