Unseen Factor

Such unseen and incalculable elements are 'those which arrive without effort (praptas). The Western person is often annoyed when something 'accidental' spoils his work or his plans. The Oriental expects it, or at least is not surprised by it, and so accepts it without anger or resentment. He attributes it to the unseen, which, being beyond mind - beyond the most perfect planning is of the deva nature, or the gods, but still within the field of causation, the result of some karma, or action previously done.

Whether it is an adverse 'accident' (i.e. unseen factor) or a propitious one, still the yogi is pleased (santushta) with it. The mistake will henceforth be corrected; the man, having gone through the experience with contentment and attentiveness, has learned his lesson and had his awakening a  lesson he would not have had without the experience, and which he could only have anticipated and averted with much thought and wisdom.

Next the third of the five Observances comes austerity (tapes).This does not mean self mortification a mistake made by many. How could self-mortification lead on to good posture, good breathing, control of the senses, concentration, meditation, and contemplation? On the contrary, the Bhagavad Gita says:

Yoga is not for the excessive eater, nor for one who avoids food too intently; not for one addicted to excessive sleep, nor to (excessive) wakefulness. Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for one whose food and recreations are yogic, whose efforts in actions are yogic, whose sleeping and waking are yogic.

Much light is thrown by the succeeding verses upon the use of the term 'yogic'. It could also be translated 'proper to the occasion' to convey the meaning, for it is when the lower mind mechanism is directed to thoughts about the Self, without longings for objects of desire, that it can be called yogic. In such a case there will not be excess or any unnaturalness or unhealthy habits. The Self has now become the main interest, or in more modern terms it is the welfare of the inner man on his path of evolution or unfoldment that is the subject of thought and interest.

The culmination of this group of verses comes when the yogi is described as so much united with the Self that he 'absorbs the unlimited happiness of contact with Brahman'. Then, when he realizes that there is the same Self (dtmd) standing in all beings everywhere, and all beings existing in that Self'- the same everywhere, regardless of pleasure and pain that yogi is considered to be the highest.

In the same work there is as much condemnation of self mortification as of over-indulgence:

Those people who inflict upon themselves fierce austerity (ghora tapas) unintelligent  suppressing the groups of (small) beings in their bodies, and me (the spirit) also established within the body - know them as having demoniac resolves.

This is confirmed by a description of the foods that are good and are liked by the people whose taste is pure, as 'those which increase vitality, bodily harmony, strength, health, pleasure, and gratification, and are juicy, oily, firm, and heartening.

The yoga Sutras are also very clear on this point - that austerity (tapas) does not mean injury to the body.

From tapas, with the decline of impurity, come the powers (or perfections siddhis) of the body and the organs (of sense and action), and Excellence of the body consists of correct form, beauty, strength, and very firm well-knitness.