Swami Speaks About Tapas
Q. What exactly is tapas [penance], Swami?
A. It means the end of the activities of the senses; one must be the master of all of them. There should be no trace of craving or appetite. It involves effort to attain Brahmam [the Absolute], incessant yearning for that end; it must be expressed through moderate food and sleep: it means agony to realize the Principle. Such tapas is called satwic [pure].
Q. What then is rajasic tapas [austerity with a motive]?
A. Those who simply starve the body and make it weak without curbing the senses and controlling the emotions are doing only rajasic tapas. They do not study or meditate upon the atmatatwa [soul principle]; they lay emphasis on physical asceticism.
Q. There must be tamasic tapas [austerity in the mode of ignorance] also?
A. There is. To propitiate the Gods for favors and then, with the favors as instruments, to desire the exploitation of the world—that is tamasic tapas. Only that tapas is proper which has as its aim the attainment of God, the realization of Brahmam, the achievement of the highest wisdom. That type of tapas alone is approved by the Shastras. All the rest will lead you astray, away from the goal. Only the tapas approved by the Shastras deserves that name. The others are tamas not tapas. Tapas means ‘heat’—the heat burns out sin and reduces all karma [actions] to ashes.
Q. The Shastras say that Rishis [sages] had in their ashrams things like the Chintamani jewel, the Kalpavriksha, and also the Kamadhenu, which gave them whatever they wished for. I cannot understand why they should do tapas at all. Please make this clear to me.
A. Think about it well. Then you will know that Chintamani is not a jewel, nor Kalpavriksha a tree, nor Kamadhenu a cow. They are all names for the fruits of tapas. They are powers that automatically accrue to a person as a result of tapas. He realizes all that he wishes for. It is called Kalpavrikshasiddhi. When he subdues all desire, it is called Kamadhenusiddhi. What is the Chintamanisiddhi? It is the stage when you have no chinta or worry or mental agitation, a stage when all sorrow is kept afar. When chinta ends and the supreme ananda [joy] is won, it is Chintamanisiddhi. Chinta must disappear from thought, word, and deed.
Q. They also speak of mental tapas. What does that mean?
A. Observe control of speech, cultivate purity of feeling, practice humility, and let your thoughts be always on the Brahmatatwam. Then you can be said to be in mental tapas.
Q. And physical tapas?
A. That too is good in its own way. Revering elders, spiritual teachers, saints and sages, and God make for purity. Non-violence, sympathy with all beings, and straightforwardness contribute to physical well-being, health, and wholesomeness. Mental tapas leads to the purity of the mind. Verbal control or tapas leads to purity of speech. By practicing these three the precious possessions of Kamadhenu, Kalpavriksha, and Chintamani are attained. They are attainments, and not cows, trees, or jewels.
Source: Prashnottara Vahini
