Fasting – there are numerous reasons to undertake a fast. One may want to propitiate a Deity, or atone for some mistake, or even express disagreement, fasting is a way that instantly gains the intended attention. Many devout Indians regularly fast on certain days as well as on special days and during vrats (Vowed religious observances). Some people consume simple food, some eat only fruits while many subsist on only one meal a day. Some people undertake strict fasting and don’t even drink water.
1. Fasting
Dakshinayan comprises of the monsoon, autumn, and winter season. Most Hindu festivals occur in these three seasons. The monsoon has most of the festivals and vrats amongst them. The monsoons also bring with them various diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to pay adequate attention to one’s health. So these festivals provide an excuse to fast intermittently, consume sattvik food, and even avoid eating out frequently.
1A. Meaning of ‘Upvas’
In Sanskrit, the word ‘उपवास’ (Upvas) is comprised of two words ‘उप’ (Upa) and ‘वास’ (Vasa). ‘उप’ (Upa) means near and ‘वास’ (Vasa) means ‘to stay’. The implicit meaning of Upvas is ‘to sit or stay near the God or to continuously stay in communion with God’ and not merely starving oneself.
2. Fasting – unique feature of Indian culture
Observing various types of fasts has been a unique feature of Indian culture. Since these fasts have blessings of Saints and Sages, the worshippers are bestowed with a Divine radiance after fasting. If one fasts and worships at the behest of evolved souls, one derives higher radiance from it. In addition, fasting is backed by Ayurveda. Yoga also prescribes fasting.
3. Why to fast
3A. Diet and flow of vital energy
सर्वेषाम् एव रोगाणां निदानं कुपिता मलाः ।
तत्प्रकोपस्य तु प्रोक्तं विविधाहितसेवनम् ॥ – अष्टांगहृदय, निदानस्थान, अध्याय १, श्लोक १२
sarveShAm eva rogANAM nidAnaM kupitA malAH |
tatprakopasya tu proktaM vividhAhitasevanam || – aShTAMgahRRidaya, nidAnasthAna, adhyAya 1, shloka 12
Meaning : Imbalanced vata (Wind), pitta (Bile) and kapha (Phlegm) are the root cause of all the diseases. Consuming food which is unhealthy for our body causes vata, pitta and kapha to become aggravated.
There are 72 thousand nadis (channels that carry vital energy) in the human body. Unhealthy diet generates impure Vata. These channels get filled with impure Vata and the toxic by-products built up due to abnormal or impaired process of digestion of the consumed unhealthy food. Due to the congestion of the toxic gases in the air channels, the movement of vital energy gets obstructed.
3B. Improved digestion
Fasting regulates the circulation of vital energy in the body. Also, there are many other (Divine) energies (rays) present in the vital energy. With the help of fasting, these Divine rays enter our body which increases the radiance of the subtle body. According to Ayurveda, fasting digests the food in the channels which carry the fluids in the body. Akin to the digestion that happens in the stomach at the gross level, the digestion in the seven body tissues also occurs in appropriate manner thereby rendering lightness to the body and good health.
Ayurvedic Vaidya V. B. Pardeshi, Pune (Reference : Monthly magazine ‘Dharmik’, April 1989)
3C. Attainment of God
As per the Holy text Kurma Puran, one can attain God by following vrats.
व्रतोपवासैर्नियमैर्होमैर्ब्राह्मणसंतर्पणैः ।
तेषां वै रुद्रसायुज्यं जायते तत् प्रसादतः ।।
vratopavAsairniyamairhomairbrAhmaNasaMtarpaNaiH |
teShAM vai rudrasAyujyaM jAyate tat prasAdataH ||
Meaning : By observing vrats, fasts, abiding by niyam (yam – dont’s and niyam – do’s), gratifying brahmins, one attains Sayujya mukti (Liberation by becoming one with the Supreme or the Guru).
3D. Expiation of sins
व्रतोपवासनियमैः शरीरोत्तापनैस्तथा ।
वर्णाः सर्वेऽपि मुच्यन्ते पातकेभ्यो न संशयः ।। – देवल
vratopavAsaniyamaiH sharIrottApanaistathA |
varNAH sarve.api muchyante pAtakebhyo na saMshayaH || – devala
Meaning : There is no doubt that by performing vrats, fasts, niyam, physical penance, one gets liberated from one’s sins.
3E. Corporeal vowed religious observances
Fasting, consuming only one meal in the day, non-violence etc.
Brushing teeth : On the day of fasting and performing ritual of Shraddha, one must not brush the teeth. If needed, one should gargle with water. One should gargle ten times or clean one’s teeth using mango leaf, stem or fingers.
Corporeal vrats : One obtains huge benefits through penances such as fasting, consuming only one meal in the day etc. It also relieves the sin of pain caused to others.
One should not fast in a way that makes one feeble, irritable, or intensifies the desire to consume food. Usually this happens when there is an absence of good and noble motive behind fasting. Some people fast only to lose weight, while others fast to please God or fulfil a particular wish. Enhancing their energy of resolve is the motive of some people when they fast, while some fast for gaining control over their senses and others do it as a penance.
4. Vowed religious observances that include fasting
In most of the vrats, either big or small, fasting is always recommended. Fasting is an inseparable part of a vrat. References to various types of fasts are found in Ayachit, Chandrayan and Prajapatya vrats. People think that vrats and fasting are two separate things, however, both are one and the same. Only difference is that in vrats meals are consumed whereas in fasting meals are not consumed. Vrat is a niyam prescribed by the scriptures and fasting is its indication.
4A. Ekabhukt vrat
The following are the types of this vrat, wherein only one meal is consumed at the prescribed time.
4A1. Independent : This vrat gets completed once half day is over.
4A2. Anyang : This vrat is done in the aparanhyakal (3rd prahar i.e., in the afternoon).
4A3. Pratinidhi : This vrat is done any time during the morning or in the afternoon.
4B. Nakta vrat
Nakta means a portion of time. The time from sunset till the appearance of stars in the sky is considered as ‘Nakt period’. One performs this vrat by not consuming meal in the entire day and then having meals during the Nakt period. This is a specific vrat which is not related to fasting. Ascetics and widows perform this vrat during the daytime until sunset.
4C. Ayachit vrat
Ayachit means living on whatever food is available without begging or asking anyone. Any individual adopting this vrat eats only one meal either in the day or at night. In this vrat, one is not supposed to beg for food. One is even prohibited from asking one’s spouse or helper to serve food. If one’s spouse or helper brings cooked food without asking for it, only then one can consume it. Otherwise, one is not allowed to partake that food. Those who observe this vrat, must abstain from consuming food during the forbidden time in the day.
4D. Chandrayan vrat
This vrat is observed with the objective of pleasing the moon, acquiring the chandralok (Subtle region of moon) or to wash away the sins committed in one’s life. Following are the types of this vrat
- In this vrat, the intake of food increases or decreases with the size of the moon. Starting with consuming one morsel of food in the afternoon from the first day after the new moon day, one should increase by one morsel every day as the size of the moon increases thereby consuming 15 morsels on the full moon day. After the full moon day, one should start decreasing one morsel every day so that complete fasting occurs on the new moon day. This is one Chandrayan vrat.
- Starting with consuming 14 morsels on the first day after new moon day, 13 morsels on second day and then in the decreasing order of one morsel everyday one should consume only 1 morsel on 14th day, 1 morsel on full moon day and 1 morsel on the first day after the full moon day. Thereafter one should increase one morsel every day reaching up to consuming 14 morsels on the day prior to new moon day. On the new moon day, one should fast.
4E. Prajapatya vrat
This vrat lasts twelve days. At the start of this vrat, during first three days one should consume 22 morsels of food every day during the meals. In the subsequent three days one should consume 26 morsels of food every day and thereafter for three days one should consume 24 morsels of food every day. During the last 3 days of the vrat one should fast completely. This is how Prajapatya vrat is performed over 12 days. As per the vrat it is prescribed that in one morsel equals that quantity of food that comfortably fits in the mouth.
5. Rules to be followed on the day of fasting
5A. Activities to be done in the early morning
1. Wake up earlier than usual.
2. After waking up, one should remember the form of one’s favourite Deity and pay obeisance.
3. After performing routine acts like exercises, bathing etc., one should chant the Name of God for minimum of 108 times or in multiples of that.
5B. Resolve
One should make a resolve that, “I will fast with complete devotion unto God and stay in communion with Him.” Making such a resolve is important from psychological perspective.
5C. Diet
1. One should completely abstain from consuming Rajasik and Tamasik food items.
2. One should consume sattvik, nutritive diet which is easy to digest.
3. If possible, one should consume sweet juicy fruits and milk.
5D. Diet
1. One should keep away the defects such as attachment, greed, lust, anger, and arrogance. As much as possible one should try to remain happy by not giving any mental or physical stress to anyone.
2. Few hours of verbal and mental silence muste be observed.
5E. Beholding one’s favourite Deity
One should pay obeisance to one’s favourite Deity in the evening.
5F. What should one do before going to bed ?
1. One should recollect the form of one’s favourite Deity and meditate on it.
2. One should introspect on all the mistakes committed during the day.
In this manner fasting done even for a day will culminate into a one-day penance that gives us both physical and mental happiness.
6. Benefits of fasting
A. Much of our time and energy is spent in procuring the food items, doing food prep, cooking various food items, consuming the cooked food, and then digesting it. Special meals prepared for occasions slows down and distracts our brain. Therefore, on certain days people decide to save their time and energy by eating simple and light diet or not eating at all. With this approach their mind becomes alert and pure.
B. Fasting helps in diverting our mind from being engrossed in the thoughts of food and becomes capable of imbibing good thoughts.
C. To remain productive, one needs some rest or change in the routine schedule. By fasting, our body gets adequate rest and change in the diet improves the digestive system. Therefore, fasting proves to be beneficial to our whole body.
D. The more a person gets under the control of his senses, the more his desires increase. Fasting helps one to gain control over one’s senses. By fasting, gradually our desires diminish, and it thereby helps balance our mind and keeps it at peace.
7. Importance of pure and sattvik diet emphasized in Shrimat Bhagavad Geeta
Shrimat Bhagavad Geeta stresses on consuming beneficial diet. It should be neither too less nor excessive in quantity. Even if not fasting, one should always consume pure, sattvik, simple and nutritious diet as per the Geeta.
(Reference : ‘Satsang path’ magazine, September 2003)