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(21) The Purpose of Penance Penance, Renunciation and Fasting
Questioner: Are penance (tapa), vows (vrat) and disciplined rituals (niyam) necessary or are they unnecessary?
Dadashri: All the medicines that are available in a pharmacy are all necessary, but they are necessary for other people, and you only have to take the medicine that you need. In the same way, penance, fasting, renunciation, vows, etc., are all necessary. There is nothing false or wrong in this world. Stealing is not wrong and neither is levying income tax. When your pocket is picked, it is the Nature's tax! The one's imposing the tax are the thieves themselves! There is nothing wrong in that either. There is nothing wrong with fasting, penance or chanting. Everything is correct according to each individual's viewpoint and expectation.
Questioner: So is it necessary to do japa-tapa (chanting or penance)?
Dadashri: No. Is it necessary for you to take all the medicines that are in a drugstore? You take the medicine according to the illness that you have, and you will only need a couple of bottles of it. If you took all the bottles, it would kill you! If you are fond of japa-tapa, then you should do it.
Questioner: Is it possible to be fond of japa-tapa?
Dadashri: Would anyone do it without being fond of it? This is how it goes: fondness for women, for alcohol or for
