Waking Up Early and Regulating Senses - That Is Also Tapasya
To achieve success in spiritual life, one must willingly accept certain regulations and inconveniences. In his vast body of teachings, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that while the material world is full of people performing extreme hardships for temporary gains, true tapasya is the voluntary acceptance of scriptural rules aimed solely at pleasing the Supreme Lord.
The Illusion of Material Tapasya
Many people undergo tremendous physical and mental strain to achieve success in the material world, mistakenly believing that such hard work will bring them ultimate happiness. As Śrīla Prabhupāda points out, whether it is a scientist developing atomic energy, a businessman amassing millions of dollars, or a demon striving for immortality, these material endeavors are a form of tapasya, but they are entirely useless for spiritual liberation.
- Just like we have now discovered this atomic energy. That is also tapasya. Or something wonderful, discovery, that also, tapasya. But here it is said, tapo divyam: "Undergo tapasya, austerity, penances, for transcendental realization."
- Just like a student is working very hard to find out the possibilities of nuclear weapon. That is also tapasya. But what is that? For finding out some means to kill the human society. That sort of tapasya is not required.
- The scientists are thinking of making life eternal, immortal, like the Hiranyakasipu's scheme, that he wanted to be immortal by tapasya. This is also tapasya, the so many scientific endeavor. This is also tapasya. But this tapasya is useless.
- Sometimes we see that a poor man, working very, very hard, he becomes a millionaire. There are many instances. But that is tapasya. The result is you have got millions of dollars, but you cannot enjoy it.
Regulating the Senses in Household Life
Austerity does not strictly require one to retreat to a secluded forest or abandon all social interactions. By explaining the duties of married life, Śrīla Prabhupāda demonstrates that a gṛhastha who strictly restricts sexual intercourse according to the injunctions of the śāstra is performing a very high level of tapasya.
- After brahmacari life, one may marry. This means he enters grhastha life, household life. That is also tapasya. He cannot have sex whenever he likes. No.
- If one cannot give up sex life, let him be satisfied with one man and one woman. That is also tapasya, that is also brahmacari. But not that jumping from here, there, there, there, there, no, like monkey, no. This is training.
- The sastra says, "You must have sex like this: once in a month and only for begetting children." So that is also tapasya.
- If the nature law allows sense gratification to the lower animals, birds and beast, why not to the man? But it should be controlled. Tapasya. So this is also tapasya.
Practical Austerities in Daily Devotion
Developing pure love for God requires continuous daily training and the willingness to sacrifice physical comfort for spiritual duty. For a practicing devotee, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that voluntarily giving up sleep to rise early, fasting on Ekādaśī, applying one's intelligence to understand the Lord, and carefully maintaining the cleanliness of the temple are all inescapable and highly purifying forms of tapasya.
- Tapasya means voluntarily to give up the idea of sense gratification. That is tapasya. Tapasya. Just like Ekadasi. Ekadasi, one day fasting, fortnight. That is also tapasya. Or fasting in some other auspicious day.
- To rise early in the morning, that is also tapasya. Not that every day we have to ring bell - dung, dung, dung, dung - "Get up! Get up!" "No, I am sleeping." No, you have to accept. These are the tapasyas. We cannot avoid.
- You must be very careful how to keep the temple very cleansed, yourself clean, worshiping the Deity. That is recommended. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan mandira-marjanadau. This is also tapasya.
- To understand the form of the Lord, that is not very easy thing. It requires much intelligence. Intelligence, that is also a kind of tapasya.
The Ultimate Goal of Divine Austerity
The purpose of undergoing difficulties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not to punish the body, but to awaken the dormant soul. Providing the ultimate conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that by performing tapo divyam—divine austerity—one learns how to fight against the dictates of material nature, purify their existence, and achieve eternal śānti through complete dependence on the Supreme Lord.
- Suppose one who has manufactured this atomic bomb. This is also tapasya. But not this kind of tapasya. Tapo divyam, for understanding Krsna. To understand Krsna, that tapasya required.
- If you want to purify your existence - because you are eternal - then you have to practice this tapasya. Not being carried away by the waves of material nature. You have to fight. You're fighting against. But you do not know how to fight. That is tapasya.
- People are after peace, santi, but this is the santi formula, that we must know Krsna - the supreme enjoyer of everything. If tapasya, you undergo severe austerities... Suppose you are doing business; that is also tapasya. You have to work very hard.
- If you want to become dependent on God, you'll never be afraid - svargapavarga-narakesv api tulyartha-darsinah - either you are put into the heaven or hell or anywhere. So this is tapasya.
Conclusion
To transcend the painful miseries of the material world, human beings must utilize their higher intelligence to perform austerity. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda vigorously warns against the foolishness of material tapasya, where immense labor is wasted on accumulating money or developing destructive technology. Real freedom is found only through tapo divyam, the divine austerities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By restricting the senses through regulated marriage, waking up early, maintaining cleanliness, and strictly following the scriptural codes, the conditioned soul learns how to fight against māyā. Ultimately, when a devotee willfully accepts these small inconveniences to serve the Supreme Lord, their entire existence becomes purified, securing them the eternal peace that completely eludes the materialistic society.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category That Is Also Tapasya. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.