Penance

There are five categories of humans in the world.

1. People following the rules and systems with due care.

2. People following them to a certain extent but without care  

3. People never follow them but remain careful.

4. People never follow them and also lack care.

5. People not only neglect but viloate them.

People have alertness naturally as three qualities as Satva, Rajas and Tamas. But that depends on the intrinsic character.

Those who do rigorous penance with pride in their self, violating the set norms of such penance, actually harm the impermanent body and the ever present soul or atma of God. Such people are unintelligent and possess qualities of the devil.

Satvic People worship the celestial things, Rajasic people worship the demons and evils while Tamasic group worship the ghosts. Similarly, these people have their own preferences over food and other aspects of life to suit their character.

Satvic person likes good, sweet, harmless, fresh, and cool(not spicy) food for longevity.

Rajasic type relishes sour, bitter, saltish, hot and spicy food that causes dryness and irritation resulting in aggressive emotions and diseases. Tamasic person prefers the stale, unclean and half-boiled food which causes laziness, excessive sleep, and inertia.

Good Exercise or Adherence or Thavam can be done through one’s body, mind, speech, and action.

Cleanliness, Honesty, Celibacy or Virginity, Nonviolence, and Worship of elders, saints, god are the types of penance done with your body.

Unhurting truthful and pleasant talk, chanting of scriptures, and praising God with songs(bhajan) are the examples for "Penance done with speech."

Happiness, Calmness, Purity, and control and continuous thoughts of God, etc. are the ways of mind to attain the goal.

Helping others with physical efforts like feeding the kids, washing clothes of elders, etc. constitute the penance by action.

(Extracts From Chapter 17, Sraddha Thraya Vibhaga yoga)