[Advaita-l] Tapas

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste sumithaji,

yOga sUtra (2.43) says:

kAyEndriyasiddhirashuddhikSayAt tapasaH

The process of removal of impurities from one's body and senses is called "tapas".

The end results of tapas vary w.r.t to the objective of the tapas.  The tapas performed by 
mArkaNDeya, dhruva, prahlAda etc. were for different objectives which they achieved.

However, the highest form of tapas is to know one's own true self and abide in that.

regs,
sriram