Practice of austere discipline is known as tapas, and the Puranas and the Itihasas show how various attainments, worldly or spiritual, have been gained through such rigorous penance. A Ravana or a Hiranyakasipu or a Soorapadman, being motivated to achieve worldly goals, engage in severe penance by subjecting themselves to intense physical and mental discipline. Each one of them is trapped by their individual flaws — Ravana by desire (kama), Hiranyakasipu by anger (krodha) and Soorapadman by his ego (ahamkara), pointed out Sri B. Sundarkumar in a discourse. They lack bhakti to the Supreme Lord who has bestowed on them this power to engage in penance. Ravana desires Sita with great obstinacy. Hiranyakasipu gives in to anger and fails to recognise the Supreme Lord in front of Him. Instead of paying obeisance to Him he foolishly attacks Him. Soorapadman succumbs to his own ego. In the case of Duryodhana, greed brings his downfall. So instead of leading to chitta suddhi, the springboard for liberation, penance is directed towards gaining unassailable powers. The wise should avoid these flaws that easily bind one to samsara and instead practice self discipline to attain a state of chitta suddhi. Kapila advises Devahuti on the doctrine of the Self and on the practices of spiritual discipline as a way of life. Devahuti imbibes the essence of Kapila’s teaching and faithfully follows it to finally attain His feet. The child Dhruva attains vision of the Lord through severe penance. Sastras advise that yagna, dhana and tapas are compulsory practices for disciplining the body and the mind. Penance is the basis of spiritual sadana, as it helps to align one’s thought, word and deed so that one is guided by the right spirit behind all actions. Chitta suddhi is the prime requisite to dhyana.