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Tapasya (tápasya) in Sanskrit means "heat". In Vedic religion and Hinduism, it is used figuratively, denoting spiritual suffering, mortification or austerity, and also the spiritual ecstasy of a yogin or tapasá (a Vrddhi derivative meaning "a practitioner of austerities, an ascetic"). In the Rigveda, the word is connected with the Soma cult. The adjective tapasvín means "wretched, poor, miserable", but also "an ascetic, someone practicing austerities".
In the yogic tradition, tapasya may be translated as "essential energy", referring to a focused effort leading towards bodily purification and spiritual enlightenment. It is one of the Niyamas (observances of self-control) described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Tapasya implies a self-discipline or austerity willingly expended both in restraining physical urges and in actively pursuing a higher purpose in life. Through tapas, a yogi or spiritual seeker can "burn off" or prevent accumulation of negative energies, clearing a path toward spiritual evolution.
Personified, Tapasya appears as the father of Manyu in the Rigveda. The tapo-raaja ("king over austerities") is a name of the Moon.
Sanskrit tapasya (neuter gender), literally "heat", refers to a personal endeavor of discipline, undertaken to achieve a goal, accompanying suffering and pain. Earlist reference of this word is to be found in the Rgveda-8.82.7, where its is used in the sense 'pain, suffering' (Monier-Williams). It is usually applied in religious and spiritual terms, but can be applied to any field or context. One who undertakes tapas is a Tapasvin. From tapas the more widespread word tapasya was derived, which is used in all three genders and was mentioned in Katyayana-Shrauta-Sutra, Baudhayana's Dharma-shashtra, Panini-4.4.128, etc. Rgveda has dozens of references to words derived from 'tapas' which indicate that "suffering, austerity" was its meaning from the Rgvedic times.
Monks and gurus in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism practice tapasya as a means to purify and strengthen their devotion to God, practice a religious lifestyle and obtain moksha, or spiritual liberation.
Tapas may be the striving for nirvana, or moksha. It may also be striving for perfection in a particular sport, field of knowledge or work. Tapasya may also be undertaken as penance, to liberate oneself from the consequences of a sin or sinful activities, or karma.
Brahmacharya
Tapasya is closely associated with meditation, fasting and the practice of yoga. Meditative tapas involves focusing entirely upon God, the Supreme Brahman and ignoring all environmental, artificial and other provocations or distractions. In the purest state of meditation, no thought save that of God must occupy the processes of the mind.
A tapasvin also practices brahmacharya, endeavoring to control all his or her biological instincts, functions and senses. Tapasvins reduce consumption of food and drink steadily, using their mental, intuitive force to reduce their biological needs. Ahimsa and vegetarianism, pure non-violence towards all living beings is practiced to eliminate anger, destructive impulses and avoid the sin of hurting others.
Fasting is accompanied by avoiding all cooked foods, especially spices and meats. Only fruits and roots are considered acceptable, and one may strive to reduce the quantity one has to consume.
Yoga and Vows
Yoga is closely linked with tapas. The disciplined and concentrated practice of yogic arts and exercises may be considered tapas by itself.
A vow to observe brahmacharya, silence or fast is the commitment an individual offers to complete the objectives of tapas.
Religion and Mythology
In the ancient scriptures, mythology and folklore of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, holy men, women and heroes undertake tapas to obtain a spiritual goal of realization, or salvation. Many of the times tapas is undertaken to win a boon by pleasing a God, and many other times it is undertaken to increase one's pious characteristics.
Famous Tapasvins
- Ravana: according to the Ramayana, as a young man Ravana undertakes a terrible penance, lasting over 1,000 years to please Lord Shiva. When Shiva does not appear before him, Ravana begins to cut off his ten heads one by one - cutting one head off and meditating again for a thousand years, then cutting another. When he is about to cut off his last and base head, Shiva appears. He grants Ravana's request for immeasurable strength and knowledge of weapons.
Ravana then undertakes another penance for 10,000 years, endeavoring to please Lord Brahma. Brahma tells Ravana that he cannot grant him the immortality he desires, for none of the created are immortal. But Ravana obtains invulnerability against all celestial beings and living creatures, save man.
- Vishwamitra: king Kaushika undertakes a heavy penance, fasting and meditating for thousands of years to become the equal of Guru Vasishta, a Brahmarishi. He steadily rises to become a Rajarshi, or a royal saint after a thousand years, but is not satisfied.
Even harder penance wins him the status of rishi, and rising to the brahmin order from the kshatriya order. But that is not enough for him. He strives harder to control his sensual passions, including the sexual urge which ruined his tapas when he consorted with the apsaras Menaka, and the anger which led him to attack Vasishta and turn another apsaras Rambha into stone.
After over 10,000 years, Lord Brahma rewards Kaushika's fearsome penance with the title of Brahmarishi, the highest of all brahmins and holy men, and equal to Vasishta. However now, Kaushika has dissolved his anger as a result of his tapas, and is named Vishwamitra, meaning Friend of the Universe, prepared to help anybody who sought his help.
- Bhagiratha: was an ancient Indian king who brought down the River Ganga to earth.
Bringing Ganga back to Earth was a near impossible task and required many years to be spent in tapas and prayer. The Kosala kings of successive generations could not do this while managing their duties as kings. As a result, the sins of the thousand princes multiplied in their destructive energy, and began resulting in natural disasters. The kingdom began to lose its peace and prosperity, and by the time Bhagiratha ascended the throne, he found it impossible to attempt to govern in this situation, that had only one solution.
Turning over the kingdom to trusted ministers, Bhagiratha set off to the Himalayas to perform an arduous tapas in the extreme climate. For one thousand years, he performed an excruciatingly harsh penance to please Lord Brahma. At the end of the thousand years, Brahma came to him and told him to ask for anything. Bhagiratha asked Brahma to bring down the river Ganga to earth so that he may perform the ceremony for his ancestors.
Brahma asked Bhagiratha to propitiate Lord Shiva, for only He would be able to break the Ganga's fall. It was the largest river, and it would be impossible for anyone save Him to contain the destructive impact of this event.
Bhagiratha performed tapas for Lord Shiva, living only on air. The compassionate Shiva appeared only after a year's penance, and told Bhagiratha he should not have to perform tapas to accomplish a noble goal such as this. He assured Bhagiratha that he would break Ganga's fall.
Buddha and Mahavira
The meditation undertaken by Siddhartha Gautama founder of Buddhism and Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, earned Mahavira the exalted state of Moksha. Their tapas, undertaken to obtain salvation from a sinful, disturbing and violent world, is the foundation of Mahavira's teachings. However, Gautama realized that tapas alone were not enough to gain Enlightenment, and continued his search.
To this day, Buddhist and Jain monks keep rigid discipline, stringent vows and persistent study of their religion. Jain monks are often witnessed to take immense care by wrapping their feet in thick, soft cloth to avoid killing insects, as per the absolute non-violence taught by Mahavira.
Modern Tapasvins
Modern Hindu mendicants pursue tapas - meditation and study of religion in ashrams across India and the world. Many hundreds of monks and mendicants base themselves around the holy sites of Hinduism, or in hermitages around the Himalayas to observe their vows and penance in an as religious environment as possible.
Exhausting or Violating Tapas
One may exhaust all the merit or virtuous credit one has earned through tapas if one indulges in actions contrary to the principles and discipline of tapas, such as indulging in sense pleasures, or committing a sin or a crime.
Tapas may be violated if an outside influence or the tapasvin distracts himself or herself, successfully causing a break in the spiritual concentration or impurifying the environment in which the tapas is conducted.
References
See also
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