tapas

tapas
(tapasya)
   Tapas (heat) or tapasya is a concept of great importance in Hindu practices of austerity. The word refers to the sacred heat that is generated by bodily mortifications and ascetic denial. Tapas confers wondrous powers and abilities upon the YOGI and makes it easier for the adept to break the bonds of attachment to worldly life.
   In a very literal example of tapas, ancient orthodox yogis used to sit surrounded by five fires under the noonday Sun in order to absorb the heat and gain spiritual power. Other ascetics doing tapasya would endure lengthy fasts or extreme bodily mortifications. There is some indication that the notion of tapasya developed within the Brahminical tradition as a result of association with the fires of the Vedic sacrifice.
   Further reading: Walter O. Kaelber, Tapta Marga: Asceticism and Initiation in Vedic India (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1989); Klaus K. Klos-termaier, A Survey of Hinduism (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1990); David M. Knipe, In the Image of Fire: Vedic Experiences of Heat (Delhi: Motilal Banar-sidass, 1975).

Encyclopedia of Hinduism. . 2007.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • tapas — [ tapas ] n. f. pl. • 1987; de l esp. tapa « couvercle », de la tranche de pain qui recouvrait le verre pour le protéger des mouches ♦ Assortiment de petites entrées variées, à l espagnole, servi à l apéritif. Un bar à tapas. ● tapas nom féminin… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • tapas —    Tapas are nibbles or snacks eaten with a drink before lunch or dinner. The most common tapas are simple things such as olives, nuts, small portions of cold sausages, serrano (raw cured) ham, potato omelette, vegetable relishes and prawns.… …   Encyclopedia of contemporary Spanish culture

  • Tapas — ist: ein Begriff aus Indien, siehe Tapas (Sanskrit) ein spanisches Gericht, siehe Tapa (Gericht) ein spanischer Film aus dem Jahre 2005, siehe Tapas (Film) Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • tapas — ► PLURAL NOUN ▪ small Spanish savoury dishes, typically served with drinks at a bar. ORIGIN Spanish, cover, lid (because the dishes were given free with the drink, served on a dish balanced on the glass) …   English terms dictionary

  • Tapas — For the spritual concept, see Tapas (Sanskrit); for the Spanish film, see Tapas (film). Infobox Prepared Food name = Tapas caption = Puntillitas a battered and fried baby squid form of tapas alternate name = country = Spain region = creator =… …   Wikipedia

  • Tapas —  Pour l’article homonyme, voir Tapa.  Des tapas …   Wikipédia en Français

  • tapas — /tup euhs/, n. Yoga. the conditioning of the body through the proper kinds and amounts of diet, rest, bodily training, meditation, etc., to bring it to the greatest possible state of creative power. [1930 35; < Skt: penance, lit., heat] * * *… …   Universalium

  • Tapas — Tạ|pas 〈Pl.; span. Kochk.〉 (bes. in Bars angebotene) pikante Vorspeisen, Appetithäppchen * * * Tạpas   [Sanskrit »Glut«, »Hitze«, »Qual«, »Askese«] das, , in der vedischen Kosmogonie die kosmische Bruthitze, durch die das »goldene Weltenei«… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Tapas — Original name in latin Tapas Name in other language Tapas, Tapaz State code PH Continent/City Asia/Manila longitude 11.2613 latitude 122.5364 altitude 43 Population 2340 Date 2012 01 17 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • tapas — noun /ˈtæp.æs,ˈtæp.əs,ˈtæp.əs,ˈtɑːp.əs/ Variety of small food items or snacks originally served with sherry. The snacks are called tapas because in the old days a piece of toast was served, too, so that you might have a top on your glass of… …   Wiktionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”