See Tapas (Sanskrit) for the spiritual concept. Tapas are essentially snacks. In many regions of Spain they are often included in the price of drinks (beer, wine, not soft drinks or spirits) served in bars. In this case, they can amount to as little as a few olives, a piece of cheese, or something more substantial like a pork stew. Bigger portions that are ordered to make up part of a meal are called raciones. The portions are usually shared by diners, and a meal made up of raciones resembles a Mi ...

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Tapas:

Tapas means devoting oneself single mindedly to spiritual practice and it is often translated as spiritual austerity or penance. When Shri Swamiji uses the term tapas, he usually refers to meditation in samadhi for at least twelve hours every day. He explains that such tapas is necessary if one wishes to attain God realization.

(See also: Tapas, Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

Sri Aurobindo, a scholar of India's spiritual-philosophical tradition, developed an original philosophy, which contained an evolutionary dimension. Humanity's destiny, according to Sri Aurobindo, is to evolve towards a higher state of consciousness that would fundamentally alter life, as we know it. To accomplish this, Sri Aurobindo synthesized various traditions of ancient spirituality and offered the instrument of integral Yoga. This prophet of the New Age not only predicted the perfectibility of the human condition but also assured that the day is not far when man's Supramental consciousness achieves its fullest fruition on earth. Following is an excerpt from Sri Aurobindo's Synthesis of Yoga.

Read more here: » Sri Aurobindo: Integral Yoga from Sri Arubindo's Synthesis of Yoga

Trilinga Swami

Sri Trilinga Swami of Benares, born in Andhra Desa, lived some fifty years ago. He lived for 280 years. He made his Tapas in Manasarovar (Tibet). Once Ramakrishna Paramahamsa also saw him at Benares.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Inner Voice of Dharma: He who is endowed with a pure heart through protracted Tapas, Japa, Kirtana, meditation and service of Guru and who has a very clear conscience, can be guided by the inner voice in matters of Dharma or duty or moral action.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The mark of Dharma is Achara or good conduct. Achara is the mark of the good. From Achara is Dharma born. Dharma enhances life. Man attains prosperity and fame, here and hereafter, through the practice of Dharma.

Good conduct is the highest Dharma. It is the root of all Tapas or austerities. Righteousness, truth and good works, power and prosperity - all originate from conduct.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Ethics: Ethics in Hindu Darma

Man is made up of a sensory system - therefore, he indulges in sensory pleasures; that's his destiny, say some. However true this might be, man must attempt to rise above them if he is to discover the Divine hidden within.

Aware of the difficulties in controlling the senses, ancient philosophers evolved practical methods of daan or almsgiving, vrat or fast, tapas or austerities and dhyan or meditation. Daanam means the will to share one's wealth with others. But why should we give away anything? Because, it helps to purify the Self. Sharing wealth requires purification of mind, atmashuddhi, and control of senses, damashca

(See also: Charity, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

tapas: (Sanskrit) "Warmth, heat," hence psychic energy, spiritual fervor or ardor.

1)    Purificatory spiritual disciplines, severe austerity, penance and sacrifice. The endurance of pain, suffering, through the performance of extreme penance, religious austerity and mortification. By comparison, sadhana is austerity of a simple, sustained kind, while tapas is austerity of a severe, psychetransforming nature. Tapas is extreme bodily mortification, long term sadhanas, such as meditating under a tree in one place for 12 years, taking a lifetime vow of silence and never speaking or writing, or standing on one leg for a prescribed number of years. Scriptures warn against extreme asceticism that harm the body.

2)    On a deeper level, tapas is the intense inner state of kundalini "fire" which stimulates mental anguish and separates the individual from society. Life does not go on as usual when this condition occurs. The association with a satguru, Sadasiva, brings the devotee into tapas; and it brings him out of it. The fire of tapas burns on the dross of sanchita karmas. This is the source of heat, dismay, depression and striving until final and total surrender, prapatti. The individual can mollify this heated condition by continuing his regular sadhana as outlined by the guru. The fires of self-transformation may be stimulated by the practice of tapas, or come unbidden. One can "do" tapas, but the true tapas is a condition of being and consciousness which is a state of grace, bringing positive change, transformation and purification of one's nature. Guru bhakti is the only force that can cool the fires of tapas.

See: kundalini, penance, sadhana.

(See also: Tapas, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

yama-niyama: (Sanskrit) "Restraints-observances."

The first two of the eight limbs of raja yoga, constituting Hinduism's fundamental ethical codes, the yamas and niyamas are the essential foundation for all spiritual progress. They are codified in numerous scriptures including the Shandilya and Varuha Upanishads, Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Gorakshanatha, the Tirumantiram of Tirumular and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. All the above texts list ten yamas and ten niyamas, with the exception of Patanjali's classic work, which lists only five of each.

The yamas are the ethical restraints; the niyamas are the religious practices. Because it is brief, the entire code can be easily memorized and reviewed daily by the spiritual aspirant. Here are the ten traditional yamas and ten niyamas.

yamas:

1)    ahimsa: "Noninjury." Not harming others by thought, word, or deed.

2)    satya: "Truthfulness." Refraining from lying and betraying promises.

3)    asteya: "Nonstealing." Neither stealing, nor coveting nor entering into debt.

4)    brahmacharya: (Sanskrit) "Divine conduct." Controlling lust by remaining celibate when single, leading to faithfulness in marriage.

5)    kshama: (Sanskrit) "Patience." Restraining intolerance with people and impatience with circumstances.

6)    dhriti: "Steadfastness." Overcoming nonperseverance, fear, indecision and changeableness.

7)    daya: "Compassion." Conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings.

8)    arjava: "Honesty, straightforwardness." Renouncing deception and wrongdoing.

9)    mitahara: "Moderate appetite." Neither eating too much nor consuming meat, fish, fowl or eggs.

10) shaucha: "Purity." Avoiding impurity in body, mind and speech. -

niyamas:

1)    hri: "Remorse." Being modest and showing shame for misdeeds.

2)    santosha: "Contentment." Seeking joy and serenity in life.

3)    dana: "Giving." Tithing and giving generously without thought of reward.

4)    astikya: (Sanskrit) "Faith." Believing firmly in God, Gods, guru and the path to enlightenment.

5)    Ishvarapujana: "Worship of the Lord." The cultivation of devotion through daily worship and meditation.

6)    siddhanta shravana: "Scriptural listening." Studying the teachings and listening to the wise of one's lineage.

7)    mati: "Cognition." Developing a spiritual will and intellect with the guru's guidance.

8)    vrata: "Sacred vows." Fulfilling religious vows, rules and observances faithfully.

9)    japa: "Recitation." Chanting mantras daily.

10) tapas: (Sanskrit) "Austerity." Performing sadhana, penance, tapas and sacrifice.

Patanjali lists the yamas as: ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya and aparigraha (noncovetousness); and the niyamas as: shaucha, santosha, tapas, svadhyaya (self-reflection, scriptural study) and Ishvarapranidhana (worship).

See: raja yoga.

(See also: Yama-niyama, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

101 - Events. Roman emperor Trajan starts an expedition against Dacia. Battle of Tapae Epictetus writes and publishes The Discourses. The Chinese (Tibetan) introduce their Buddhist Religion into Indonesia. 101 - Births. Herodes Atticus, Greek rhetoritician 101 - Deaths. Gan Ying, an envoy of the Han dynasty in China who learned about Ta Ts'in (the Roman Empire) alth ...

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• 101 - Events
• 101 - Births
• 101 - Deaths

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TAT is an acronym for: TAT is the ICAO code for TACA an airline Tapas Acupressure Technique Turn-around time Tourism Authority of Thailand Trans-Atlantic Telephone, in the context of transatlantic telephone cables Total air temperature in aviation Thematic Apperception Test The Astonishing Tribe Category: Ambiguous three-letter acronyms ...

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Backgammon is a board game for two players. Each player has fifteen pieces (checkers or men) which move between twenty-four triangles (points) according to the roll of two dice. The objective of the game is to be first to bear off, that is, to move all fifteen checkers off the board. Backgammon - History. Backgammon is the oldest known recorded game. Traditionally, it was believed to have originated in ancient Egypt, Sumeria, or Mesopotamia in the Persian empire (present-day Iran ...

Including:

• Backgammon - History
• Backgammon - Rules
• Backgammon - The doubling cube
• Backgammon - Three Basic Strategies
• Backgammon - Sample Game
• Backgammon - Backgammon as a Gambling Game
• Backgammon - Chouettes
• Backgammon - Backgammon in the Middle East and Central Asia
• Backgammon - Other variants
• Backgammon - Brädspel
• Backgammon - Gul Bara
• Backgammon - Old English Rule
• Backgammon - Runte Rule
• Backgammon - Tavli
• Backgammon - Computer Backgammon

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tapas

Lit., “heat.” Austerity, or trouble undertaken voluntarily for a higher purpose.

(See also: tapas, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

tapas: to shine, blaze or converge inner heat. Austerities on the physical level include yoga postures; on the mental level, consistent concentration; on the intellectual level, applying the concentration and thought to a divine ideal.

(See also: tapas, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

TAPAS: Austerity.

(See also: TAPAS, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Tapas (Tapoloka)

The planet of renounced sages, above Svarga, Jana, and Mahar, where exalted persons such as the four Kumaras reside.

(See also: Tapas, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

tapas:

tapas - austerity, purification

(See also: tapas, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Tapas:  self discipline

(See also: Tapas, Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

tapas (taapas): The purifying "heat" of meditative practice.

 (See also: Tapas, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)