Item 8 in Bhagavad Gita's Twenty-Six Divine Qualities

Austerity

Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess.

Position
8
Form
Mixed formulation
Obligation
Context-dependent
Wording status
Translation
Intended audience
Readers and practitioners cultivating disciplined and liberating character
Last reviewed
28 June 2027

Names and terminology

Canonical name: Tapas

Original term: Tapas

Transliteration: Tapas

Source wording

<p>Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess.</p><p><em>Editorial paraphrase; consult the linked source for full wording and context.</em></p>

Translation

Literal meaning

Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess.

Broader interpretation

Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess.

Historical context

This principle belongs to Bhagavad Gita's Twenty-Six Divine Qualities and must be read within that framework's setting.

Practical meaning

Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess.

Ethical purpose

Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess.

Exceptions and disputes

Translation and application vary; each quality should be applied with evidence, proportionality and attention to competing duties.

Variations across schools or traditions

Translations divide and render several Sanskrit terms differently; this catalogue follows the standard twenty-six-term enumeration.

Modern application

Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess. Modern application should consider consent, evidence, proportionality, power and consequences.

Criticism and difficult cases

Translation and application vary; each quality should be applied with evidence, proportionality and attention to competing duties.

Truth By Reason analysis

Practise disciplined simplicity and endurance without self-destructive excess. Application should preserve the ethical purpose while avoiding coercion, discrimination and preventable harm.

Ethical themes

  • Humility
  • Self-control

Sources