Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 88
Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation
चांद्रायणादिभिर्यत्र शरीरस्य विशोषणम् । तपो निगदितं सद्भिर्योगसाधनमुत्तमम् ॥ ८८ ॥
cāṃdrāyaṇādibhiryatra śarīrasya viśoṣaṇam | tapo nigaditaṃ sadbhiryogasādhanamuttamam || 88 ||
That discipline in which the body is restrained and made lean through observances such as the Cāndrāyaṇa is declared by the virtuous to be “tapas”—the highest means for accomplishing Yoga.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue)
Vrata: Cāndrāyaṇa
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It defines tapas as rigorous vow-based discipline—like Cāndrāyaṇa—that purifies and restrains the body, making it a superior support for Yoga and inner realization.
By presenting vows and self-restraint as ‘tapas,’ it implies that disciplined living steadies the mind and senses—conditions that strengthen sustained remembrance and worship, which are essential for mature Bhakti.
It points to vrata-prayoga (ritual observance) such as Cāndrāyaṇa, which depends on calendrical reckoning tied to Jyotiṣa (Vedic astronomy/astrology) for lunar timing and proper performance.