कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात्तपसः॥४३॥
kaaya=the body; indriya=senses; siddhih=perfection; ashuddhi=impurities; kShayaat=from the removal; tapasaH=from austerity
Sw. Satchidananda
"By austerity, impurities of the body and senses are destroyed and occult powers gained"
The literal meaning of tapas is "to burn". By the tapas of fasting, we burn our fat and remove toxins from our body. By mental tapas, we can burn away past impressions (samskaras). By verbal tapas, we control speech. Tapas involves some pain. However, when this pain burns away impurities then we feel joy. Sometimes we can bring happiness to others by a little pain to ourselves.
Even a laundryman puts the cloth through a lot of heat (tapas) to make it clean and pure. He washes in hot water, dries in hot air, irons with hot iron and then only all the dirt is washed away. In the same manner, we need to cleanse our mind of impurities. If someone insults or otherwise hurts us, we should welcome the opportunity as we can develop intense mental calm and purity by not responding negatively. If censure upsets us and praise makes us happy, we are not strong yet.
A mother, for example, goes through painful childbirth and then lot of pain while bringing up the child. However, all this gives her immense joy and she welcomes this pain.
Bryant
"From austerity, on account of the removal of impurities, the perfection of the senses and body manifests."
As early as the Vedic texts, practice of tapas was required for anyone undertaking a vedic sacrifice, jajna. The practice of austerity removes the covering of dirt , ashuddhi (in the form of tamas and rajas) from the body and the yogi can attain siddhis or mystical powers such as clairvoyance etc. These siddhis are the main topic in chapter 3 (Vibhuti Pada) of the sutras.
Practicing tapas can take the form of putting the body through hunger, thirst and not falling for cravings. One can control sleep, do fasting or observe strict Brahmcharya (celibacy). Tapas may also include practice of pranayama and asana.
Discussion
If you recall, in sutra 2.28, Patanjali used the same word "ashuddhi kshaye" (on the destruction of impurities) while introducing the eight limbs of yoga. Sutra 2.28 reads:
"Upon the destruction of impurities as a result of the practice of yoga, the lamp of knowledge arises. This culminates in discriminative discernment".
In the current sutra again, Patanjali emphasizes the practice of tapas as a means to eliminate all the impurities – physical, mental, emotional etc. As we know, the goal of yoga as per sutra 1.2 is "chitta vritti nirodhaH" (controlling the fluctuations of the mind). That goal can be achieved only when we have cleansed the mind of impurities in the form of all the past impressions, samskaras, that we carry in our karmashay (the bag of karmas). As per this sutra, the practice of austerities, tapas, will help us get to that goal.
(Commentary by Kailasam)
"Elimination of impurities from the mind by ascetic practice ( self- mortification) leads to the realization of the full potential ( towards the goal of yoga practice) of the body and the sense organs."
Recall Vyasa’s formula: Tapa is the effort (cause), asuddhikshaya is the intermediate enabling mechanism toward the result of Viveka, and kayandriya siddhi is the indicator of progress. Austerity is the axe that severs the tree of mental impurities to promote the growth of discriminating ( between Purusha and Prakriti or the recognition of the “non-associated state of Purusha“) wisdom.
The belief that voluntary poverty and a life of self-denial lead to control over the senses and bodily needs toward a state of mind receptive to spiritual realization is universal. The Stoics, the Essenes, the Christian mystics, priests of Oriental ancient religions, and of course serious minded folks in India have practiced this discipline and have recorded the benefits.
We learn from the commentaries of Vyasa and Hariharananda that 1) those who punish their bodies and minds in training for the purpose of learning circus acts and conjuring tricks are to be disdained, 2) those who practice austerity in a balanced way with the guidance of a caring guru for the sole purpose of achieving enlightenment are to be commended and followed, and 3) enlightenment is possible through dedicated intellectual rigor without self-mortification.
The ability to “see” beyond the obvious is clearly indicated in the Gospels. Jesus narrates parables to his disciples and explains lucidly with this introduction: “But happy are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear” ( Matt. XIII – 16). It is not uncommon in our lives that we come across people who have a gift for “sizing up a situation” instantly. One cannot get away from the fact that in Patanjali’s days this ability was a learned habit and reining in ones sensuality was a requirement.
I have a recommendation. “The Imitation of Christ” is a revered document. A modern rendition by Abhayananda is a wonderful read and brings out the essentials of ascetic life clearly. You can see the selflessness of a practitioner in his face in the attachment. I have never felt comfortable with pictures of munis, yogis, etc., in severe, dreadful, unnatural ways. I always felt that such practices would lead to hallucination.
We must always remember that the central theme of the YSP is ontology. Shortly we will be introduced to a phrase “ prakashaavaranam” a veil over the sattvic aspect of intelligence. Destruction or removal of this veil is the objective.
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