Salvation of the Soul

The line of the Atharvaved 19/41/1 says that — the person who desires spiritual salvation of the soul is first initiated into austerity. Bodily strength, mental strength, status and happiness are obtained with it.

Message: All the great men of the world have laid an emphasis on performing austerities. It is necessary for attaining more and more happiness and joy. But what is austerity? These days a lot of hypocrisy is practiced in the name of austerity. Austerity does not mean troubling our body by various hardships. Austerity means - to go on moving forward on the path of religion and duty, truth and justice and go on bearing the hindrances and hardships coming in the way. 'Tapa' or austerity means bearing with composure or balanced mind hunger, thirst, heat or cold, happiness-unhappiness, joy or sorrow, and honor or insult. 'Tapa' means proper conduct in respect of diet, clothes, exercise, rest and religious study as required so that the body remains completely healthy.

According to the holy Gita, Tapa is of three types - viz bodily tapa, tapa of speech and mental tapa. By our body we make a ritual worship of our Guru (spiritual teacher), Brahman, the learned ones etc, become humble and discreet, remain clean and pure and see to it that we do not trouble any animal by our eyes, ears, hands, feet, tongue, etcetera, by keeping these organs under control. This is physical or bodily tapa. We should see to it that we should never speak words that hurt anyone. Always speak the truth but never speak a bitter truth. Speak the truth that is liked and speak sweetly. This is th e tapa of speech. 'Manasik' or mental tapa consists of study of excellent books and reflecting and contemplating on them, remaining cheerful, at peace, observing 'mouna' (silence) and try to keep the mind under control and keep heart clean.

The petty selfishness of man opposes these high sentiments that are why, our ancient sages had to bear innumerable hardships and had to carry out extremely severe austerities to rouse these sentiments in initiated. Assume that they had taken the birth for carrying out this aim and that is why they could fulfill their pledge. They had no personal interest. They underwent the severe austerities only for the welfare of the public.

Most people are under the illusion that 'tapascharya' (austerities with meditation) can be carried out only in dense jungles, in which one should dehydrate or dry up one's body remaining hungry and thirsty. This thought is utterly false and baseless. The fact is that the real 'tapascharya' is to go on fighting adverse situation while remaining in this world. That increases the power of the body, mind and the soul.

The realistic meaning of 'tapa' is that man should give up his selfish interest, all people should think of each-other's welfare and a feeling of togetherness should develop in them. A nation is nothing but a reflection of the collective sentiment in man. The tapa-shakti (the power resulting from austerities) of such religiously disciplined men only, makes the nation strong and glorious. Only because of the 'tapashcharya ' of great sages like Bhagirathi, our nation was called 'swargadapi gariyasi', (i.e. greater than heaven) and was titled as the 'golden sparrow'. To sacrifice everything for the welfare of the society and the nation is actually called 'tapa'.

We too can achieve the zenith of progress if we imbibe in our daily life the true meaning of tapa.