Meaning: According to the line of Rigved 10/151/2 — in this world, the labor of only those men succeeds who faithfully donate for public charity and endeavor for public welfare.
Message: Why has God made this creation? For man, for his labor, endeavor and deeds so that walking on the (moral) highway he may perform austerities. The dictum is 'shramena tapasa shrushtam' which means that the meaningfulness of life lies only in labor and austerity, which are two sides of the same coin. Whatever work we do, whatever efforts we make without worrying about difficulties for the body and remain busy in that work, are austerity only. Austerity does not mean unnecessarily fasting and reducing the body or going into the jungle for prayers in seclusion.
The meaning of 'tapa' or austerity is 'to get heated' or 'to become not'. Gold develops the luster only after heating and melting in a furnace and then we are able to cast it in the desired shape. Similarly, the capacity to give a special mould to our life is obtained only through austerity, labor and endeavor. This 'tapa is also of 3 types viz, saatvik, rajasik and taamasik.
The austerity of a man is saatvik when without the least worry of the body's comforts; a man immerses himself in spiritual endeavor. By acknowledging the presence of God in all living beings one who offers or surrenders him entire lire for public-service, his life's entire passage is 'saatvik tapa' only. One who gives up physical comforts for obtaining knowledge and wisdom, who spreads fragrance like sandal-wood by sacrificing every moment for others, his life is saatvik itself. One whose deeds and endeavor reflect an attitude of selflessness, dedication and wanting to be always useful for others his austerity is saatvik.
That endeavor which is made for creating a kingdom, or for money, fame, popularity, reputation, exercising one's rights is called 'raajasik' austerity. That scientist, who forgetting his thirst and hunger, giving up all physical comforts, closeted in his laboratory discovers unknown powers of the universe and achieves fame and reputation by revealing them is also doing raajasik tapa. Practicing long hours every day to achieve expertise in singing or playing music or to work determinedly for the propagation of one's thoughts, is also raajasik tapa.
The exercise undertaken with jealousy and malice with the aim of destroying others is 'taamasik tapa'. The labor and endeavor for selfish ends, for satisfying the desires of the senses by becoming their slaves and for satisfying petty temptations is taamasik tapa. The demon-king Ravan and Hiranyakashyap also had performed great austerities for taamasik achievements. Thief's dacoits and corrupt persons also undertake hardships for their wicked acts. All these are 'taamasik tapa'.
For undertaking 'tapashcharya (i.e. the conduct of tapa or tapas i.e. austerity) man must have some great aim, especially for making life yagyamaya. A life with a noble aim is like the flame of the yagya, whereas an aimless life is like a heap of ash. God expects us to employ our deeds, labor and endeavor faithfully, always with the lofty aim of working for public benefit.
The meaningfulness of life lies only in the loftiness of the aim.
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