SADHANAPAD SUTRA 32

    SHAUCH,  SANTOSH,  TAPAH,  SWADHYAYA,  ISHWARPRANIDHANI, NIYAMAH

    SHAUCH OR PURITY OR CLAENLINESS,,SANTOSH OR SATISFACTION OR

    CONTENTMENT, TAPAH OR AUSTERITY, SWADHYAYA OR STUDY OF SCRIPTURES,

     ISHWAR PRANIDHAN OR SURRENDER TO GOD  ARE NIYAMAH.

     We were told about the YAMAH or things that we should not do . We should not hurt any one , we should not tell a lie, we should not steal, we should not engage in sexual activity ,(without need for procreation ) and we should not do hoarding. These were the YAMAH. So now we are told about the things that we should DO .So we have 2 sets of suggestion in our behavior.These could be considered as 10 commandments of Christianity The difference between the YAMA and NIYAMA are that the the YAMA are external behavior while the NIYAM are what we should do in our internal behavior.So not to tell a lie or not to hurt anyone etc are all how we should behave with the society . While we should keep our body and mind CLEAN is more internal than it's relationship to society.
     So the SHAUCH is the cleanliness of our body , mind and intellect. If the physical body is not clean then we may have physical sickness and then we will not be in position to get better mentally.So keeping body physically clean is very important . If we look at the scriptures there are many external requirements as to how and when we should take shower. But it may be practically impossible. One can not take shower after each bowel movement. So EXTERNAL cleanliness is not as important as INTERNAL. On should keep our thoughts CLEAN. If we have SATWIK food then it helps the MIND to be quite and calm and not agitated. So when one eats meat or spicy, food -one which has lot of garlic or onion, it is not good.Out intellect should be also be clean. We should not be using our intellect to create violence.In modern society we should not use our intellect to create violent video games or Internet porn , or weaponry or developing schemes  to cheat someone.
     The next one is SANTOSH or satisfaction with what we have or got. We are often frustrated with our own life and tend to blame our LUCK or GOD or someone else . But in reality we CREATE our own life and future, (if one believes in reincarnation).This does not mean one should not make any efforts to improve upon our own condition. But it means we should not be greedy or do hoarding or be unhappy if we do not succeed in getting better condition.As it is said in GEETA , we should offer our all fruits of our actions to GOD .
    The next 3 are TAPA,SWADHYAY and ISHWAR-PRANIDHAN. These 3 are called KRIYAYOGA. These are related to how we improve our min and get one with GOD.Mental and physical endurance is TAPAH , the study of scripture is SWADHYAYA and unconditional surrender to GOD is ISHWAR- PRANIDHN . This last one is where we develop an attitude where we stop thinking our self as DOER and accept the fact that we have RIGHT to action , but not to the FRUITS of action. So if we take out 'I' from our actions then we do not get frustrated if do not get success. Our usual surrendering to the God is CONDITIONAL and it occurs only when we are in trouble and WANT something . Here we are told to surrender to God without any problem , desire or ego .