“Among the disciplines to be applied are:
– Using appropriate breathing technique when moving the body in Āsana practice.
– Eliminating unnecessary travel.
– Regulating the intake of food.
Without these disciplines, the practice of Āsana, Prāṇāyāma and Vairāgya will not be effective.”
–  T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 34

“The whole system functions on the strength of mind.
Mind is affected by what we eat.
‘Our mind is like our food‘.
Tapas is to discipline our eating habits.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“Apart from right food other activities like travel to holy places,
giving away gifts to the needy are also part of Tapaḥ.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“With faith in Īśvara, the master of the whole universe,
regularly offering prayers.
Whether it is Tapas, Svādhyāya or Īśvara Praṇidhānā,
the power of Īśvara alone ensures success.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

‎”It is not enough to clean a vessel,
you must put something in.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

Tapas – the effort to reduce something.
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“Activities that nurture a state of Yoga involve
self-Discipline, self–Inquiry and Self–Awareness.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“Tapas
– Good, limited food
– The ability to listen
– Sharpening the senses
– Building resistance to Dvandva”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 43

“Diet has a great effect on Maitrī Bhāvana.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 23

“Tapas is an offering for something else, not a deprivation.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four verse 28

“Tapas is Proper Diet, Mantra Chanting and Self-Inquiry.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six verse 46

“Patañjali has proposed 3 approaches to verify the indications.
Tapas – Process of action
Food, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma.
You will be doing something that you will not be habitually doing.
For example one day no salt, cigarettes, Prāṇāyāma.
Tapas is from the root to create thirst.
It means to deprive.
It will tell us about ourselves.
It will reveal our Saṃskāra and Pariṇāma or changes in ourselves.
From this Tapas we will start to get an indication of our individual nature.
For example active or lazy.
Tapas indicates the the beginning of the Bheda, through the Bhāva.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“Svādhyāya –
Reflecting on our actions will tell us something about oneself.
The word means going toward oneself.
The re-action of Tapas should lead you towards Svādhyāya.
Also means study of texts.
For example Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā and Pūrṇa Matsyendrāsana.
Is the effect different from what it said will happen?
This leads to Svādhyāya and Anumāna or to a teacher.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

Question to TKV Desikachar:
How rigorous should we be in the practice of Tapas?
“Tapas is not the rejection of everything around us.
In the Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1,
Tapas means to be able to discipline oneself.
So if you are too fat eat less.
If you are too thin eat more.
Tapas which harms the mind should be rejected.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 21st 1988

“Preventive health is a self-discipline and only a minority
seeks Yoga as a preventive measure to prevent illness.
Most people seem to seek Yoga only for therapy.
But it must be remembered that the essence of Yoga is discipline.
Essentially it is the discipline of the body,
it is the discipline of the mind and
it is also the discipline of the spirit.
But prevention does not interest people
even though it is of obvious importance.
People get interested only when they are in trouble.
So we now need to develop strategies
using the salient principles of Yoga practice,
so that it can be adapted to people with specific problems.”
YOGA: SURGERY SANS INSTRUMENTS
– Interview with TKV Desikachar from ‘The Hindu’ 1998

“Prāṇāyāma is regarded as a Tapas,
a Kriyā, which cleanses the Nāḍī,
It is a Sādhana which sharpens Agni
and helps to dissolve obstacles, thus
making the mind fit for attention.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

Links to Related Posts:

• Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad – Ṛtaṃ Tapas as Mantra Practice with translation
• Postscript to yesterdays post around the three Niyama within Kriyā Yoga…… 
• The three Upāya to take control of our inability to see things clearly…….
• T Krishnamacharya on Kriyā Yoga from the Yogavallī