By Swami Chidananda
While the sacred texts are not against pleasure per se, they are uncompromising when it comes to moderation. No one can excessively indulge or get enslaved to pleasure, and yet hope to rise spiritually.
“dama” is the word for self-restraint in the context of sense pleasure. The rishis praise “dama” as the foremost of disciplines.
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Through self-restraint, seekers cleanse themselves.
Through self-restraint, ascetics go to heaven.
Self-restraint makes people invincible.
Everything depends upon self-restraint.
Therefore the wise say that self-restraint is the supreme virtue.
damena dāntāh kilbisham avadhoonvanti
damena brahmachārinah suvar-agacchan
damo bhootānām durādharsham
dame sarvam pratisthitam
tasmād-damah paramam vadanti
Mahā-Nārāyana Upanishad – 79
(anuvāka 79)
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