The vital energy, the Veerya that supports your life, which is the Prana of Pranas, which

shines in your sparkling eyes, which beams in your shining cheeks, is a great treasure for
you. Remember this point well. Veerya is the quintessence of blood. One drop of semen
is manufactured out of forty drops of blood. Mark here how valuable this fluid is!
A tree draws the essence or Rasa from the earth. This essence is circulated throughout the
tree, its twigs, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. The shining colours and life in the
leaves, flowers and fruits are due to this Rasa. Similarly, the Veerya that is manufactured
by the cells of the testes out of blood gives colour and vitality to the human body and its
different organs.
According to Ayurveda, semen is the last Dhatu that is formed out of food. Out of food is
manufactured chyle. Out of chyle comes blood. Out of blood comes flesh. Out of flesh
comes fat. Out of fat comes bone. Out of bone comes marrow. Out of marrow comes
semen. These are the Sapta Dhatus or the seven Dhatus that support this life and body.
Mark here how precious is semen! It is the last essence. It is the Essence of essences. The
Veerya comes out of the very marrow that lies concealed inside the bones.
There are three divisions in each Dhatu. Semen nourishes the physical body, the heart and
the intellect. Only that man who uses the physical body, the heart and the intellect can
have perfect Brahmacharya. A wrestler who uses his physical body only, but keeps the
intellect and the heart undeveloped, cannot expect to have full Brahmacharya. He can
have Brahmacharya of the body only, but not of the mind and the heart. The semen that
belongs to the heart and the mind will certainly flow out. If an aspirant does only Japa
and meditation, if he does not develop the heart, and if he does not practice physical
exercise, he will have only mental Brahmacharya. The portion of the semen, which goes
to nourish the heart and the body, will flow out. But an advanced Yogi who dives deep in
meditation will have full Brahmacharya even if he does not take physical exercise.
Semen is the quintessence of food or blood. One drop of semen in manufactured out of
forty drops of blood according to modern medical science. According to Ayurveda, it is
elaborated out of eighty drops of blood. The two testes or seeds that are located in the
scrotal bag are called secretory glands. The cells of these testes have been endowed with
the peculiar property of secreting semen from the blood. Just as bees collect honey in the
honeycomb drop by drop, so also, the cells of the testes collect semen drop by drop from
the blood. Then this fluid is taken by the two ducts or tubes to the vesiculae seminalis.
Under excitement, it is thrown out by special ducts, called ejaculatory ducts, into the
urethra where it is mixed with the prostatic juice.
Semen is found in a subtle state in all the cells of the body. Just as sugar is all-pervading
in the sugar-cane, butter in milk, so also, semen is pervading the whole body. Just as the
butter milk is thin after the butter is removed, so also, semen is thinned by its wastage.
The more the wastage of semen the more is the weakness. In the Yoga Sastras it is said:
Maranam Bindu Patanat,
Jivanam Bindu Rakshanat.
Falling of semen brings death; preservation of semen gives life. Semen is the real vitality
in men. It is the hidden treasure in man. It imparts Brahma-Tejas to the face and strength
to the intellect.
Modern medical opinion
Eminent European medical men also support the statement of the Yogins of India. Dr.
Nicole says: "It is a medical and physiological fact that the best blood in the body goes to
form the elements of reproduction in both the sexes. In a pure and orderly life, this matter
is reabsorbed. It goes back into circulation ready to form the finest brain, nerve and
muscular tissues. This vital fluid of man carried back and diffused through his system
makes him manly, strong, brave and heroic. If wasted, it leaves him effeminate, weak and
physically debilitated and prone to sexual irritation and disordered function, a wretched
nervous system, epilepsy, and various other diseases and death. The suspension of the use
of the generative organs is attended with a notable increase of bodily and mental and
spiritual vigour."