Tapas

Tapas is a variety of austere spiritual practices in Indian religions. Jainism means asceticism (austerities, body mortification); in Buddhism, it denotes spiritual practices including meditation and self-discipline. Tapas means austerity. In Sanskrit the word “Tapah” means heat. Just as gold is traditionally purified by heating it in fire, the mind is purified by doing austerities. Tapas can be interpreted in many ways. Facing life with equanimity can also be termed tapas. Life is full of opposites. Living with righteousness and maintaining a stable, balanced mind amid all opposites is a kind of austerity. Tapas can also mean certain specific practices done to discipline the body, speech, and mind, like fasting, a vow of silence, the practice of yoga, isolated meditation retreats, etc. However, the scriptures are against inflicting pain on the body in the name of Tapas. In the Bhagvat Gita’s 18th chapter, such austerities are termed as “tamasic” or the lower type of Tapas. But real Tapas removes the dullness and negativity of body and mind. It is a process of purification.