Tapasya Series-2: Spiritual Austerities
Tapasya, which is derived from the Sanskrit root word ‘tapa’ meaning heat or energy, has roughly been translated as austerities or penances. And a Tapasvi, the one who engages in Tapasya, has often been called an ascetic.
Here, Tapasya means austerities used for advancement in Inself Yoga.
This is the Master database of all my writings
October 23, 2022
Houston, Texas
Spiritual Austeries:
The austerities performed for spiritual advancement to higher realms or liberation (as defined by their respective traditions or lineages).
They are different from cultural austerities which aim for righteous survival from this material world.
From previous lives' spiritual austerities and cultural austerities, the current environment, destiny, and karmic equations will play a key role in continuing spiritual austerities in this life.
Sponsors of the Spiritual Austerities:
This list is from my experience, relationship, and energy transaction with them. The relationship can change from person to person.
- Shiva: Sponsors energy for hatha yoga and other forms of austerities
- Shakyamuni & Amitabha Buddha: Sponsor for meditation & strong austerity for end of suffering
- Krishna: Sponsors for Psyche purification & Sense control
- Lineage Gurus: Sponsors energy to perform or complete given Hatha yoga or kriya yoga practice.
Austerities as defined in Bhagavad Gita
Yesterday, when I wrote this article on Tapasya Series-1: Cultural World Austerities for Survival, I intend to start writing directly on the subject of Spiritual austerities from my raw experience but I ended up wiring on cultural austerities.
The topic of spiritual austerities is immense and I have a starting problem with how to introduce or approach the subject in a formal way. This was the first article, I planned to write, and still wondering how to introduce the subject after writing a quite number of articles on different subjects.
At midnight around 3:30 am when I was doing the breath infusion practice, I stopped the practice and went to the bookshelf.
During the practice, certain energy came and that made me randomly pick a book from the shelf in the darkroom to read. On switching on the lights, it was Bhagavad Gita English by Yogi Madhvacharya and the random page turned directly showed me the verses on austerities.
The following verses were astrally shown to me on austerities in Bhagavad Gita written by Yogi Madhvacharya:
Terrible Austerities :
People who endure terrible austerities which are not recommended in the scripture, people who are enthused with deceit and misplaced identity, who are possessed with craving, rage, and brute force, (17.5)
...those who torture the collection of the elements which comprise the body, who also trouble Me within the body, know that they have wicked intentions. (17.6)
3 modes of Austerities :
Reverential respect of the supernatural rulers, of those who are qualified by the sacred thread ceremony, of the spiritual teacher, and of the wise man, purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-violence, are said to be austerity of the body. (17.14)
Speech which does not cause distress, and is truthful, agreeable, and beneficial, as well as regular recitation of the scriptures, is the discipline of speech. (17.15)
Peace of mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and purity of being, this is called the discipline of the mind. (17.16)
When this threefold austerity is performed with the highest faith by yogicly-disciplined people who do not aspire for a benefit, the authorities consider it to be realistic. (17.17)
Austerity which, in this world is performed with trickery for the sake of reputation, respect, and reverence, is declared to be impulsive, shifty, and temporary. (17.18)
Austerity performed with foolish, mistaken ideas, and with torture or for the purpose of harming someone else, is said to be depressive. (17.19)
Conclusion:
I became speechless on first reading these verses! These verses braked my mental composition of this subject!
Now, I have to delve deeper and categorize and formulate how I would have to write on austerities topic based on these verses as guideposts.
The hidden layers of these verses are so deep, it looks like the notion of learned is the illusion of learning.
I have read these verses before, but when I was astrally shown at midnight during practice, these verses looked to me as brand new.
Now I have to go back to my basics to approach this subject in a different way. I planned it in a certain framework but I have to redesign it again as per Bhagavad Gita.
I am sure it will be better and fuller than what I had designed in my mind.
