# Ataptatanu

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{{Hinduism}}

'''''Ataptatanū''''' ({{langx|sa|अतप्ततनू}}) refers to someone who has not subjected himself to the heat of ''[tapas](/source/Tapas_(Indian_religion))''.

== Etymology ==
''Ataptatanū'' derives from ''atapta'' ({{lang|sa|अतप्त}}) which means - 'not heated, cool' (from ''tapa'' ({{lang|sa|तप}}) meaning 'to burn, heat up') and ''tanū'' ({{lang|sa|तनू}}) – means - 'body, the physical self'; therefore, ''ataptatanū'' literally means – 'he whose body or mass is not prepared in fire', 'raw'.<ref>{{cite web |title=Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary |url=http://sanskrit.inria.fr/MW/3.html}}</ref>

== History and meaning ==
The compound word ''ataptatanū'' appears in the [mantra](/source/mantra)s of the [Mandala 9](/source/Mandala_9) of the [Rigveda](/source/Rigveda). In a [sukta](/source/sukta) addressed to ''Pavmāna Somo Devatā'', [Rishi](/source/Rishi) Pavitra prays:
{{poem quote|
{{lang|sa|पवित्रं ते विततं ब्रह्मणस्पते प्रभुर्गात्राणि पर्येषि विश्वतः ।
अतप्ततनूर्न तदामो अश्नुते श्रृतास इद्वहन्तस्तत्समाशत ॥}}|[Rigveda](/source/Rigveda) 9.83.1}}

In this mantra, ''ataptatanūh'', refers to the one who has not subjected himself to the heat of ''tapas'', ''tadāmah'' refers to one who is raw and who therefore, ''aśnute'' - cannot experience the highest bliss because his body is not yet properly prepared to receive the knowledge he seeks.<ref>{{cite book|title=Rig Veda with commentary in Hindi of Swami Dayananda Saraswati|publisher=Arya Samaj, Jamnagar|page=272|url=http://www.aryasamajjamnagar.org/rugveda_v5/rugveda.htm }}</ref>

In his [Satyarth Prakash](/source/Satyarth_Prakash) (Light of Truth), Swami [Dayananda Saraswati](/source/Dayananda_Saraswati) explains that ''tapas'' does not refer to branding one's body with literal fire,{{sfnp|Saraswati|1982|pp=367-369}} and this is also clarified by Rishi Pavitra in the subsequent mantra which reads:
{{poem quote|
{{lang|sa|तपोष्पवित्रं विततं दिवस्पदे शोचन्तो अस्य तन्तवो वयस्थिरन् ।
अवन्त्यस्य पवीतारमाशवो दिवस्पृष्ठमधि तिष्ठन्ति चेतसा ॥}}
“O Lord Thou Who art the Protector of the universe and the Veda, and art Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Holy in nature canst not be approached by a human soul that has not been purified by means of thorough control of the senses, truthful speech, subjugation of the animal in man, conquest of the lower self, the practice of yoga, association with good men (all these constitute ''Tapa'') and is therefore not spiritually regenerate. It is only those, whose souls have been cleansed through righteous conduct and devotion to virtue, that can see Thee Who art All-Holy.”|[Rig Veda](/source/Rig_Veda) 9.83.2, as quoted in [Satyarth Prakash](/source/Satyarth_Prakash) translated by Chiranjiva Bharadwaja{{sfnp|Saraswati|1982|p=368}}}}

''[Tapas](/source/Tapas_(Indian_religion))'' (or ''tapasya'') is practical discipline; according to the [Bhagavada Gita](/source/Bhagavada_Gita) (17.14).

{{poem quote|
{{lang|sa|देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् ।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शरीरं तप उच्यते ॥}}|[Bhagavad Gita](/source/Bhagavad_Gita) 17.14}}
"Worship of [god](/source/Deva_(Hinduism))s, the [twice-born](/source/twice-born), one's elders, the [teacher](/source/Guru)s, and the wise men, [purity](/source/Shaucha), straightness of conduct, [chastity](/source/Brahmacarya), and [non-violence](/source/Ahimsa): these are the ''tapasya'' of the body.<ref>{{cite book|title=Srimad Bhagavad Gita|date=1993 |page=369|url= https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.279/page/n371/mode/2up }}</ref>

The finishing phase of a scholar's higher education was called ''tapasya'' in the time of [Krishna](/source/Krishna).<ref>{{cite book|title=Krishna Charitra|author=Alo Shome|date=April 2011|publisher=V&S publishers|page=55|isbn=9789381384879|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ASNmhKlL0ioC&q=tapasya&pg=PA55 }}</ref> [Gandhi](/source/Gandhi) considered ''tapasya'' to be the test of love, ''[ahimsa](/source/ahimsa)'', self-suffering, and self-sacrifice, which are essential in the quest for truth.<ref>{{cite book|title=wisdom in Action|author=Raghavan Iyer|year=2008|publisher=Theosophy Trust|page=254|isbn=9780979320538|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SrmqJTBK_f4C&q=tapasya&pg=PA254}}</ref>

Accordingly, ''ataptatanū'' refers to someone who has not yet experienced such practical discipline.

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Saraswati |first1=Dayananda|title=Light of Truth: an English translation of the Satyarth Prakash |translator1-last=Bharadwaja |translator1-first=Chiranjiva |publisher=Star Press |location=Allahabad |year=1982 |url=https://archive.org/details/SatyarthPrakashEngVerChiranjivaBharadwaja/page/n377/ |pages=367–369}}
{{refend}}

{{Indian philosophy|state=collapsed}}

Category:Vedanta
Category:Sanskrit words and phrases
Category:Hindu philosophical concepts
Category:Buddhist philosophical concepts
Category:Jain philosophical concepts
Category:Yoga concepts

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