It is because only men can control the flow of Shukra, women can’t.
Preserving Semen
Semen or Shukra is also known as “Virya” (vital essence). This Virya is not only in the reproductive organs but pervades the entire body and radiates as the bodily lustre or aura. When retained, this “Virya” gives strength, courage, determination and the loss of it brings opposite qualities such as weakness, cowardice and scattered intelligence.
Both the Atharva Veda and the Aurveda stresses that a man should try to retain his semen and should restrict his flow of semen through Yoga. Of course the scholar can indulge in regular sexual fulfillment but that does not mean that the scholar should spend his semen in charity, just for the sake of “Bhog” or “recreation” alone. He should try to retain it, since the semen has high value.
Copulation other than the intent of producing children is seen as a “recreation”. Hence, sex for the intent of entertainment is considered a waste of semen and precious energy. If someone has a difficult goal to achieve and he is wasting semen, he cannot achieve it. He must retain the semen in the body and take his mind to that zone wherein he can achieve that goal.
Quoting from Atharva veda
The life prolonging semen which is produced by Jathragni, is maintained in the mortal bodies through and through. He who knows the importance of it and deserves it and who keeps it intact, attains to long, long old age. O soul, the semen produces radiance and splendour having the beauty and glow like the sun, which the men who have gone before you were able to attain. He who bears it, attains to long life.
Yajur veda gives us a warning that excessive discharge of semen causes harm to the body and mind, whereas retaining the semen increases mental capabilities and duration of life. Many Yogis in the east have lived upto 300 years by voluntarily retaining the semen (not at this Kali age, in the Dwapar and Treta yuga)
Women cannot control the flow of Shukra produced inside their body.
Does this mean women cannot be sages?
No it doesn’t. Women can be sages, we have many famous female sages but the number is not as much as male sages. This is because it is far difficult for women to obtain “Siddhi” because of biological limitations.
Also, a Nari is the “Prakriti”. She will soon have this urge of producing a child because of her motherly nature. “Purush” on the other hand can focus his energy on inventions “Sadhana”.
“Siddhi” and “Rati” do not enjoy each other’s company. “Rati” is more feminine in nature and “Siddhi” is masculine. Hence, it is much more difficult for a woman to achieve “Siddhi” since she has no control on how her “Shukra” system works.
A man also has very little control on the “Shukra” or “Energy” system but through continuous practice and sexual abstinence, he can reach that state. It is extremely difficult to achieve but once attained, the (celibate) man can have insurmountable amount of power and knowledge at his disposal.
Examples
1. Shiva is not a Bhogi, he is a Yogi. Shiva never runs after anyone and Shiva is never seduced by any goddess ( except by Mohini who was a form of Lord Vishnu himself and led to the loss of Shiva’s years of abstinence) . Parvati tries to break his Tapasya but Shiva is always immersed (मगन) and he does not have much attraction for his wife.
This infuriates Parvati and she becomes Kali, drenched in Anger for Shiva’s ignorance. This is when Shiva opens his eyes and Kali calms down.
Shiva is the celibate god who has outgrown desires. Hence, it is Shiva who has the power to destroy everything and cause huge destruction in an unthinkable scale.
2. In Ramayana, Lakshman is celibate for 14 years, away from his wife and he never involves himself in any sexual activity. Ram lives with his wife for a short span of time, hence Ram is not celibate. Hence, it is Lakshman who gets the power to kill Meghnad, some celibate prince who has not slept for 14 years.
3. In Mahabharata, Bheesma is the only guy who renounces sex for his father’s happiness. As a result, he gets “Ichyamrithyu” and unthinkable powers which no other person ever had.
4. In Mahabharata, we hear the story of “Nalayani” who was born as Draupadi. In her previos birth, she was trapped in bodily desires and was abandoned by her husband Moudgalya, who wanted to use his energy on “Tapas” and not bodily pleasures. He abandoned his wife but blessed her that in her next birth, she will have 5 renowned men as her husbands with whom she can seek all her pleasures. Read -> What karma of Draupadi in her previous lives lead to her sufferings in the Mahabharata?
5. Swami Vivekananda has mentioned in “Karma Yog” that a man who has retained semen for a long time derives unthinkable mental powers e.g sharp memory, deep foresight.
According to vedic texts, Illicit sex or sex for “entertainment” is a distraction from the bigger goal and should be avoided for “Sadhana”, “Tapasya” and the “Sadhu” should not indulge in passing his semen which he has retained for years. This semen is the cause of his mental strength, he must not let it go to any “Urvashi”, who is sent by Gods to test the Sadhu’s mental state and diligence.
Synopsis
1. Vedas state that Sex is a distraction. It is a waste of mental energy. Anybody who has lust going on in his head cannot focus on bigger and broader goals. He will always be in the lookout to satisfy his “LUST” which will only amplify it, thereby trapping him into a “Vicious cicle of Kaam (desires)”
2. Men need meditation more than Women do. It is because women are not distracted by Lust as much as men are. This is because a woman’s Aeroplane is in auto pilot mode while a man’s aeroplane is manual and needs regular effort. A woman’s system is automatically rebooted after a period of time but this concept is not valid for a man.
3. Semen is a source of energy which is produced inside the body. This Semen is responsible for “Life”, so retaining it allows the subject to reach a state of absolute mental mastery wherein he can have mental capabilities which normal people won’t have.
4. Releasing semen comforts the body and mind but it is just temporary pleasure. Retaining semen hurts the body and causes depression but it is again a temporary pain. Once the subject is out of that stage, it benefits him in his “Sadhana”. (Sadhu is someone who is doing “Sadhana” and does not want distractions).