Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam (Study)
by Sadhu Gyanananddas | 2021 | 123,778 words
This page relates ‘Significance of Tapa (austerities)’ of the study on the Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam in Light of Swaminarayan Vachanamrut (Vacanamrita). His 18th-century teachings belong to Vedanta philosophy and were compiled as the Vacanamrita, revolving around the five ontological entities of Jiva, Ishvara, Maya, Aksharabrahman, and Parabrahman. Roughly 200 years later, Bhadreshdas composed a commentary (Bhasya) correlating the principles of Vachanamrut.
8.3. Significance of Tapa (austerities)
In the Svāminārāyaṇa School, tapa (austerities) plays a major role as far as the physical-spiritual endeavors are concerned.
Svāminārāyaṇa explicitly states:
“To please Parabrahman, Nāradji accomplished stringent austerities by tolerating cold and heat, hunger and thirst for many yugas; and due to this, he was able to please Parabrahman. In the same manner, a person who is wise deliberately performs austerities by restraining his body and indriyas.”(Vacanāmṛta Kāriyānī 10, p.270)
Bhadreśadāsa explains the meaning of tapa:
bāhyāntaḥkaraṇasaṃyamanalakṣaṇaṃ tapaḥ (Brahmasūtra 1/1/1, p.3)
“A seeker should pacify the power of his internal and external indriyas and restrain them from the sense pleasures.”
Svāminārāyaṇa also shows the way to control them:
“The physical indriyas can be regulated by observing the niyamas specified for a renunciant in the dharma-śāstras; by governing one’s diet; by observing vows like taptkrucchha chāndrayanā, etc.; by deliberately enduring cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; by engaging in the discourses, talks, and devotional songs related to Parabrahman; by engrossing in worship and remembrance; by governing one’s posture and by other spiritual endeavors. The antahkarana can be controlled by contemplating upon Parabrahman’s greatness, by meditating on Parabrahman and by realizing oneself to be the ātman.”(Vacanamrut Loyā 5, p.293)