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90 : Śramaņa, Vol 66, No. 1, January-March 2015 our Tapas and also to destroy them. When their condition is ripe, they emerge to the surface and exhaust themselves. Karmas losing its roots are called svataḥ or self-destruction. The destruction of karmas by means of Tapas is called Upāyanirjarā. Karmas have to be destroyed only by means of Tapas or austerities. It must be remembered that if you are bearing with hunger, thirst, violence, involuntarily, karmas end by exhausting themselves then it is Akāmanirjarā. If we destroy karmas by means of willed endurance, endeavours and austerities, with the idea of achieving spiritual purification by carrying out austerities like fasting etc. it is called Sakāma-nirjarā. Tapas or austerities are of two kinds: (A) External and (B) Internal. External austerities are those which are visible to the outside world and which cause hardship outwardly. The internal austerities are intended to shake and destroy the internal, impure propensities. The Jain dharma expounds six kinds of each of these two; so there are twelve kinds of austerities or Nirjarās. 12 (A) External: The six kinds of external austerities: Anaśana, Uņodarī, Vțittisarkṣepa, Rasatyāga, Kāyakleśa and Samlīnatā 1. Anaśana : Discarding food. That means performing
Upavāsa, Ekāsana, Biyāsana, Cauvihāra, Tivihāra, Abhigraha, etc., which a śrāvaka should take vrata and follow it, even a single
day should not go without any vrata. 2. Unodarī
Eating a little less than what one requires so that his austerities may achieve success. This is also a kind of austerity which a śrāvaka
should have the intention to follow. 3. Vịtti Sankṣepa: Limiting the number of items to be eaten out
of the items served. Taking a vow that one would not eat certain items other than some, like limitation of fruit and vegetable to the extent of 100 varieties instead of the total of 24 lakh varieties.
