BACKGROUND TO THE KATHA

• June 20, 2017
• Pt. Telluckram Maharaj

PARVATI DEVI BEGINS HER TAPASYA
On returning to her home in a dejected state of mind when Lord Shiva vanished after destroying Kaamdev, Parvati Devi sought the help of Narad Muni. His advice included the jaap of the Panchakshari mantra “NAMAH SHIVAAYA” and constant meditation on His form and glory while undergoing dedicated tapasya for His grace.

DEFINITION OF TAPASYA
A generic and non-religious definition of tapasya can be “a dedicated attempt to achieve a specific objective”. An example is a student studying for an examination. His entire attention is focused on the studies to the exclusion of everything else. The objective is success in the examination. No matter what the distractions that may be present in his environment the student has a single-minded determination to succeed. This can apply to spiritual life as well. Parvati Devi’s tapasya involves Her single-minded focus on her prayer to succeed in winning the hand of Lord Shiva. The usual translations for the word “tapasya” are penance, austerity, and sacrifice. It can include acts such as fasting, jaap and meditation. However the interpretation of the word always involves the dedicated attempt to achieve a particular goal.

The origin of “tapasya” is the root word “tap” which means warmth, heat or fire. The Vedas use the analogy of a bird incubating its egg, keeping it warm until it is hatched and new life can begin. During the incubation of the egg the bird has no other purpose, it will neglect to feed itself even, until it’s objective is achieved. In a spiritual sense, the energy generated by the practice of tapas such as fasting, jaap and meditation, is likened to a spiritual warmth or fire. This fire has the power of purification. It is capable of burning the impurities of the mind and intellect such as desire and ego so a new, pure consciousness is born as it were. This “fire” of tapasya when generated by intense austerity was described in the scriptures as scorching the earth as in the case of Lord Shiva’s penance, or making the the Devas uncomfortable as in the case of Parvati’s penance.

HOW DID PARVATI DEVI PERFORM HER TAPASYA
There is a detailed description of Parvati’s tapasya in the Shiva Purana. It involved fasting. She first subsisted on fruits alone for a long time, then only leaves, then only water, then took nothing at all. Fasting controls the senses, most important of all is the sense of taste, but it involves all the senses.
In the summertime she built several fires and sat in meditation surrounded by the heat of the flames. In wintertime she sat submerged in the cold water of the holy river. In the wet seasons she stood in the open air without shelter from the rains. Throughout all these activities she constantly recited her mantra of Om Namah Shivaya and meditated on The Lord ‘s form. When the Devas were scorched with the heat of Her tapasya, they appealed The Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to help them by convincing Lord Shiva to grant Parvati Devi her wish.

THE GITA’S INSTRUCTION ON TAPASYA.
The physical activities involved in Parvati Devi’s tapasya are found in mental conditions in Lord Krishna’s instruction to Arjuna about becoming a yogi. Her penance lasted thousands of years and Lord Krishna in the Gita 6/41 says ABHYAASENA TU KAUNTEYA, persevere and practice. Her penance involved strict fasting, and in Gita 2/68 Lord Krishna says INDRIYAANI INDRIAARTEBHYAS TASYA PRAGYA PRATISHTITA – he whose senses are restrained from their sense objects, is of a stable mind. Her penance involved being oblivious to heat, cold, rain and extremes of the environment, in Gita 12/18, it describes a yogi as SHITOSHNA SUKHA DUKHESU – he who is the same in heat and cold, happiness and sadness.

SIGNIFICANCE OF TAPASYA
Each of the activities of Parvati Devi, and also each of the mental conditions required of Arjuna, deal with a specific requirement of a yogi in the world.
DURATION OF TAPAS – it is a long term activity and immediate results are impossible. STRICT FASTING – control of the senses is very important, developing freedom from body consciousness. FREEDOM FROM EXTREMES OF OPPOSITES – with the outward senses under control, then the mind also comes under control and the yogi behaves the same whatever the conditions of his existence.

RESULT OF TAPASYA
The performance of tapasya brings peace and bliss internally and exerts a positive influence on the environment externally.
In the Shiva Purana, the perseverance of Parvati Devi in her tapasya brought about a complete reversal of the condition of the environment. The location was described as desolate and scorched beyond recognition by the fire of Lord Shiva’s energy when Kaamdev was destroyed. Now it was a lush green paradise and animals that are natural enemies were living there in peace with each other. Similarly in Gita 12/13, Lord Krishna describes a yogi and devotee as ADVESHTA SARVABHUTAANAAM – he who hates no one, who is friendly towards all. In that chapter of the Gita verses 12 onwards to the end , a complete description of the mental state a yogi is given by Lord Krishna that matches the physical activities of Parvati Devi’s tapasya of the Shiva Purana. Perseverance in spiritual activity, sense control and stability of mind are qualities that can be developed in a modern day yogi in today’s world also.