BG17: "THREEFOLD TAPAS" - "KAAYIKA, VAANKMAYA AND MAANASA TAPAH" [KARANA]

2015-01 BG17: "Threefold Tapas"- Austerity of Body, Speech and Mind
                            based on "Karana" [Organs]

In Chapter 17 of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna talks about 1] Sraddha 2] Aahara 3] Yagna 4] Tapas and 5] Dhaana, each of which may be Saatvic, Rajasic or Taamasic. One should cultivate Saatvic and reject Rajasic and Taamasic.  Here we take for discussion Tapas of Saatvic nature.

"Tapas" means Austerity. Austerity is being morally strict. Austerity is threefold - of the body, speech and mind. The definitions of these are given in Gita Slokas 17.14, 17.15 and 17.16 respectively. We shall study these three in this post and the wholly "Saatvic Tapas" [17.17] in the next.

Austerity of the Body [BG 17.14]:

What is austerity of the body? 
Austerity of the body consists in --

1] Worship of the Gods, the twice-born, the gurus and the wise
    [देव द्विज गुरु प्राज्ञ पूजनं  dEva dvija guru prAgna pUjanam]
2] External Cleanliness
    [शौचं shaucham]
3] Straight-forwardness or Honesty
    [आर्जवम् Arjavam]
4] Continence or Restraint in physical life and
    [ब्रह्मचर्यं brahmacharyam च cha]
5] Nonviolence [not harming people, animals or nature].
    [अहिंसा ahimsa]
 
देव द्विज गुरु प्राज्ञ पूजनं शौचं आर्जवम्  |
ब्रह्मचर्यं अहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते  ||      17.14


Austerity of the Speech [BG 17.15]:

What is austerity of the speech? 
Austerity of the speech consists in --

1] Speech which does not offend anyone
    [अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं  anudvegakaram vAkyam]
2] which is truthful
    [सत्यं sathyam]
3] which is pleasant
    [प्रियं priyam]       
4] which is beneficial
    [हितं hitham]
5] Regular study of Scriptures and repeated Nama Japa.
    [स्वाध्याय अभ्यसनं ऎव च svAdhyAya  abhyasanam Eva cha ] 

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियं हितं च यत्  |
स्वाध्याय अभ्यसनं च ऎव वाङ्ग्मयं तप उच्यते ||  17.15             


Austerity of the Mind [BG 17.16]:

What is austerity of the mind? 
Austerity of the mind consists in --

1] Serenity of the mind
     [मनः प्रसादः manah prasAdah]
2] Gentleness
     [सौम्यत्वं saumyatvam]
3] Silence with the mind active in thinking
     [मौनं maunam]
4] Self-control and
     [आत्म विनिग्रहः Atma vinigrahah] 
5] Purity of heart
     [भाव सम्शुद्धि bhAva samshuddhih]

मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनं आत्म विनिग्रहः |
भाव सम्शुद्धिरिति येततु तपो मानसं उच्यते ||   17.16

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