Nowadays people are looking for comfort and convenience in every work. This increasing desire may have made life easier, but it has reduced stamina, discipline and self-confidence. Earlier people lived a simple life, ate simple food, yet their body remained strong and their mind strong.
Elders believe that people who are always in search of comfort eventually become weak. In this context, a devotee asked Premanand Maharaj whether it is right to bathe with hot water. Maharaj ji gave a deep answer to this question.
He said, “Bathing in hot water will make you weak.” He explained that the habit of luxuries weakens stamina and inner strength. Hot water gives instant relief, but it gradually depletes the body’s natural energy. When a person starts fearing cold, both his body and mind become fragile.
Premanand Maharaj said that man should create harmony with nature. He said, “When you take a cold water bath, your body learns to cope with the natural cold. This increases blood circulation, improves mental strength and provides natural energy.” This power makes a person strong both at the physical and spiritual levels.
Maharaj Ji clarified that celibacy does not just mean sexual abstinence, but it is the practice of channelizing energy in the right direction. He said, “When the body is strong and the mind is controlled, then the person is able to concentrate on the right tasks.” Bathing with cold water is not just a physical act, but it is a penance, which purifies both body and mind.
Finally, Maharaj Ji said that only the person who lives life with simplicity and discipline and values stamina over comfort can proceed on the path of celibacy. He said that bathing with cold water not only purifies the body but also the soul, and this practice makes a person strong from within.
