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Fasting in Sanskrit is called Upavaasa. Upa means “near” + vaasa means “to stay”. Upavaasa therefore means staying near (the Lord), meaning the attainment of close mental proximity with the Lord.
“The saintly persons get relief from all kinds of sins by partaking the food that has been first offered to gods as sacrifice. But those who prepare food for their selfish ends eat but only sins.” (Bhagavad gita 3:13)
“All beings come into existence from food. Food comes from rains. Rains originate from the performance of sacrifices. And sacrifice is born out of doing prescribed duties.” (Bhagavad gita 3:14)
“I speak the truth, it is indeed his death. He who nourishes neither the god nor a friend, he who eats alone, gathers sin.” (Rig Veda X. 117)
The spiritual significance of fasting is being forgotten today as man is losing contact with his inner being. Nevertheless the science of fasting, as preserved in the Vedas and Shastras, is a method of purification which can aid man in his mundane and spiritual life. These ancient texts are inherited from our ancestors who understood and were in tune with the law of nature and man. The systems they devised came from their profound knowledge and enable man to raise his consciousness into the higher realms.
According to Hinduism, food is verily an aspect of Brahman (annam parabrahma swaroopam). Because it is a gift from God, it should be treated with great respect. The gross physical body is called annamayakosh or the food body, because it is nourished by food and grows by absorbing the energies from the food. Orthodox Hindus offer food to God mentally before eating. Food is identified with the element of earth. According to Prasna Upanishad, “Food is in truth the Lord of Creation (Prajapathi). From food is produced retas and from it beings are born”. According to Manu, “Food, that is always worshiped, gives strength and manly vigor; but eaten irreverently, it destroys them both.” Food should be eaten for the survival and strength of the body, with a religious attitude, to practice austerities and gain self control, but not for pleasure. Eating is therefore any other human activity which can be made into either a sacrificial act that would help in the liberation of soul or a mere pleasure activity that would lead to bondage and suffering.
In the Bhagavad Gita Sri Krishna declares that food is of three types as are sacrifices, austerity and charity. Sattvic (pure) food is that one which increases longevity, purity, strength, health, happiness and taste and which is juicy, oily, durable in nature and liked by sattvic people. Rajasic (hot) food is that one which is bitter, sour, salty, hot and spicy, burning and which gives unhappiness, sorrow and disease. Tamasic (intoxicating) food is that one which is stored and devoid of any juices, dried, foul smelling, decomposed, left over and indigestible. When a person eats these foods without offering them to God, he develops the qualities they impart and acts according to them. One should therefore be very careful in what one eats and when, where and how it is eaten.The Bhagavad-Gita urges us to eat appropriately – neither too less nor too much – yukta-aahaara and to eat simple, pure and healthy food (a saatvik diet) even when not fasting.
Food means satisfaction of the sense organs, and to starve the senses means to elevates them to contemplation. Fasting in Hinduism, is a method to attain control over one’s desires and senses for the sake of spiritual gain. Doing it for a cause has always strengthened people’s minds to attain their goals.
It has been scientifically proven that fasting makes the mind calm and serene. In yogic terminology this is known as the sattvic element. Because the mind becomes predominantly sattvic and more receptive, the scriptures advise the worship of certain deities during these fasting periods. This is called vrat, a specific type of purifying austerity or tapa.
Different Fasting Rituals in Hinduism
- A common fasting ritual may mean avoidance of foods like fish and meat for a couple of days (for non-vegetarians). Most Hindus abstain from eating such foods for one or more days.
- Moderate fasting involves avoiding solids and following a liquid diet consisting of vegetable or fruit juices. This fasting ritual is generally followed during festivals.
- Some follow a strict fasting ritual by taking only water or avoiding any liquids for a set number of days. The Karva Chauth ritual among women is the best example of such kind of fasting.
Different Kinds of Fasting in Hinduism
- Hindus fast on certain days of the month such as Purnima (full moon) and Ekadasi (the 11th day of the fortnight).
- Certain days of the week is also marked for fasting, depending on individual choices and on one’s favorite god and goddess. Monday fasting is done in reverence of Lord Shiva. Tuesday fast is for pleasing Ganesha or Devi. Thursday fast is in worship of Lord Dattatreya, the tri-headed form of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. On Friday Santoshi Ma is worshiped and on Saturday blessings from Hanuman can be granted. One specific day is taken by an individual in accordance with his personal being. This is often allotted under the guidance of the guru.
- Fasting at festivals is common. Hindus all over India observe fast on festivals like Navaratri, Shivratri and Karwa Chauth. Navaratri is a festival when people fast for nine days. Hindus in West Bengal fast on Ashtami, the eighth day of the festival of Durga Puja.
- Fasting can also mean abstaining from taking certain things, either for religious reason or for the sake of good health. For instance, some people refrain from taking salt on particular days. It is common knowledge that excess salt and sodium causes hypertension or elevation of blood pressure.
- Another common kind of fast is to forego taking cereals when only fruits are eaten. Such a diet is known as phalahar.
Ayurvedic Viewpoint of Fasting
The underlying principle behind fasting is to be found in Ayurveda. This ancient Indian medical system sees the basic cause of many diseases as the accumulation of toxic materials in the digestive system. Regular cleansing of toxic materials keeps one healthy. By fasting, the digestive organs get rest and all body mechanisms are cleansed and corrected. Since the human body, as explained by Ayurveda, is composed of 80% liquid and 20% solid, like the earth, the gravitational force of the moon affects the fluid contents of the body. It causes emotional imbalances in the body, making some people tense, irritable and violent. Fasting acts as antidote, for it lowers the acid content in the body which helps people to retain their sanity.
Benefits of Fasting
Fasting controls passion. It checks the emotions. It controls the senses also. It is a great penance. It purifies the mind and the heart. It destroys a multitude of sins. Fasting controls the tongue in particular which is the deadliest enemy of man. Fasting overhauls the respiratory, circulatory, digestive and urinary systems. It destroys all the impurities of the body and all sorts of poisons. It eliminates uric acid deposits. Just as impure gold is rendered pure by melting it in the crucible again and again, so also this impure mind is rendered purer by repeated fasting.
Fasting Aligns the Physical and Subtle Bodies with the Whole Cosmos
Fasting is one of the ten canons of Yoga. However, avoid excessive fasting. It will produce weakness. Use your common sense. If you cannot fast for the full twenty-four hours, at least fast for 10-12 hours and then take some milk and fruit. Gradually increase your fast to 15 hours and then up to 24 hours. Fasting makes a man strong, both spiritually and mentally.
In his code, the Manu Smriti, the great Hindu lawgiver, Manu, prescribes fasting for the removal of the five capital sins. Diseases that are pronounced incurable by doctors are cured by fasting. Occasionally, a complete fast is greatly desirable for all to keep up good health, to give adequate rest to the internal organs and maintain celibacy. All diseases have their origin in overeating and verily fasting is the only method to cure this.
We too can adopt these systems of fasting to help us in our daily lives no matter what our profession is, where we live, or which religion we have faith or no faith in. These systems were formulated and recorded to enable all people to go beyond individual consciousness and experience the real essence of life. Fasting is systematically advocated in the scriptures in order to align the physical and subtle bodies with the whole cosmos, enabling sustained equilibrium in every aspect of life.
