RE: [ramakrishna] Fw: Earlier question about role of Fasting.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Gopi,

 

Thank you for a well founded question.

 

Yes you are right. The word " upavasa " is used more in describing the

religious fasting. In deed, at my native place, where I am brought up, we

use the word upavasa! We say " today I am on upavasa " . It comes out of the

words " upa + vasat "

" to live at higher " Hunger is a bodily need, so they wanted to live higher

than the bodily need, so they used the word " Upavasa " . I also find another

reason for using this word. IMHO, this usage of Upavasa conveys humility.

It is conveying the seekers urge to " live higher " from his body. But it

refuses to say that he is having a " near seat to God " (upasana!), because

God has highest respect, so one doesn't really know how much higher is

really near to God!

 

The word Upavasa is not used in our ancient texts, as far as my knowledge

goes. Hence, though I know the word " upavasa " , I used the word " Upasana "

simply because the word " Upasana " is used in Bhagwad Gita.

 

Please note the word " UpasatE " from Verse 25 of Chapter 4, Bhawad Gita.

daivamevaapare yaGYa.n yoginaH paryupaasate .

brahmaagnaavapare yaGYaM yaGYenaivopajuhvati .. Ch4.25..

 

 

And this is what is written in Bhagwad Gita about fasting, describing is as

a " upasana " following exactly after 5 slokas. Sri Krishna is saying:

(Chapter 4, verse 30)

apare niyataahaaraaH praaNaanpraaNeshhu juhvati .

sarve.apyete yaGYavido yaGYakshapitakalmashhaaH .. Ch4.30..

 

30. Others, with well-regulated diet, offer vital-airs in the Vital-Air. All

these are knowers of sacrifice, whose sins are destroyed by sacrifice.

 

It is clear that religious fasting is quite old in our Hindu Tradition. It

is clear from the very fact that Lord Krishna in Gita (Ch4, Verse 30) is

clearly stating about such " upasana " .

 

I hope I answered your question.

 

I remain yours,

Madhava

 

 

>

> Vivekananda Centre [vivekananda]

> Friday, January 05, 2001 1:40 PM

> list

> [ramakrishna] Fw: Earlier question about role of Fasting.

>

>

>

> -

> " Gopi Krishna " <gopi

> <vivekananda

> Friday, January 05, 2001 03:48

> Earlier question about role of Fasting.

>

>

> Dear Sir,

>

> Pranams.

>

> Is it " Upaasana " or " Upavaasa " . Of course, the meaning is

> same for the both

> the words. But the word Upavasa is more in usage than

> Upasana, I believe. I

> am sorry, I am not a well-lettered person to comment upon,

> especially on

> Sanskrit words, but it is only a doubt. The explanation is

> just wonderful.

> Thank you very much.

>

> Om

>

> Gopi.

>

>

> Message: 1

> Wed, 3 Jan 2001 19:12:40 -0000

> " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda

> Earlier question about role of Fasting.....

>

> ======response from Mahdava======

>

> Somehow, I am missing reading a lot of personal mails now a

> days. I am in

> serious plans to migrating to USA and hence all this delay.

> I apologize!

>

> In Hinduism we use a word called " upAsana " for Fasting.

> Fasting literally

> means " nirAhAra " in sanskrit. However, we use the word

> " upAsana " . And

> being " nirAhAra " means " going with out food " is a part of

> this " upAsana " .

>

>

> " upAsana " - consists two words " upa " + " aasana " - having a near seat.

> Hindus believe that the mortal body will not survive with out

> food. Please

> refer Taittiriya Upanishad, which is a part of our Yajurveda

> which dates

> back to 5000BC as per western historians. In that it says " annaM na

> niMdyAt, tad vrataM, annaadvai prajAH prajAyaMtE, atha annEna

> jeevaMti,

> jAtAnynnEna vardhaMti " - it means " Never scold/abuse food,

> that should be a

> vow, because of food only verily all these beings/children

> are born, they

> grow because of food... " . For Hindus the belief is that there is the

> consciousness which is sustaining the body. As long as

> consciousness is

> there the body is there. Once the consciousness withdraws

> then the body

> drops, which we call as death. So by giving away the food

> for a limited

> amount of time they make the physical body very week, in

> order to stay close

> to the consciousness by sitting near to the consciousness

> (jeevAtma is the

> word used here).

>

> Annagata, pAnagata, piMDagata --- fasting is various kinds in

> our Hindu

> belief. There is no uniform method advised. Just a

> digression --- For

> Hindus the religion is always the most flexible one. As long

> as you believe

> in God, you are free to do things on your wish, things are

> not contrary to

> Dhrama (social law). It is because God has given you a power

> to wish, you

> may wish and live happily. How ever you are forbidden from

> going against

> the wish of the society. Social law you should abide.

>

> Some people go with out food and water for 24 hours day, once

> in a week

> through out the year. This is the major practice in

> Hindusystem. And there

> are people who take water but relinquish food for two days a week.

>

> The most popular one among Hindus is a Vow called

> " cAMdrAyaNa " . The most

> famous reference to this is in Mahatma Gandhi's book " My

> experiments with

> Truth " . Gandhi's mother used to Fast like this. " cAndrAyana " means

> " following the moon path " . They take 15 morsels (one fist full = one

> morsel) of food on the full moon day. Then they reduce it to

> 14, then 13,

> then 12.. so on... by they time it is no moon day, they go

> complete fasting.

> They have to see the Moon in order to eat the food. From his

> mother, Gandhi

> got inspired and he used Fasting as an effective method to

> bring change in

> humans.

>

> There are many references in our epics Vishnu Purana (3000BC), vAmana

> purANa(2500BC) and Padma Purana (3000BC) about Fasting.

> Especially in the

> " Padma Purana " where Lord Shiva teaches his wife Parvati about the

> importance of fasting and how many kinds of fasting is

> observed by devotees.

>

> I hope this information is useful. Please do not hesitate to

> contact me in

> case you require any further information.

>

>

> I remain yours,

> Madhava

>

>

> P. Gopi Krishna

> South Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (SAAT)

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