Fasting

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Why do we fast?

 

Most devout Indians fast regularly or on special occasions like

festivals. On such days they do not eat at all, eat once or make do

with fruits or a special diet of simple food. Some undertake rigorous

fasts when they do not even drink water the whole day! Fasting is

done for many reasons- to please the Lord, to discipline oneself and

even to protest. Mahatma Gandhi fasted to protest against the British

rule.

 

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. Then what has

upavaasa to do with food?

 

A lot of our time and energy is spent in procuring food items,

preparing, cooking, eating and digesting food. Certain food types

make our mind dull and agitated. Hence on certain days man decides to

save time and conserve energy by eating either simple, light food or

totally abstaining from eating so that his mind becomes alert and

pure. The mind, otherwise pre-occupied by the thought of food, now

entertains noble thoughts and stays with the Lord. Since it is a self-

imposed form of discipline it is usually adhered to with joy.

 

Also every system needs a break and an overhaul to work at its best.

Rest and a change of diet during fasting is very good for the

digestive system and the entire body.

 

The more you indulge the senses, the more they make their demands.

Fasting helps us to cultivate control over our senses, sublimate our

desires and guide our minds to be poised and at peace.

 

Fasting should not make us weak, irritable or create an urge to

indulge later. This happens when there is no noble goal behind

fasting. Some fast, rather they diet, merely to reduce weight. Others

fast as a vow to please the Lord or to fulfill their desires, some to

develop will power, control the senses, some as a form of austerity

and so on. The Bhagavad Geeta 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.