Importance of Fasting

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Benefits of Fasting

Nowadays, many educated people do not observe fasting on this sacred day. This

is due to the impact of the dark, vicious, materialistic forces. When the

intellect develops a little, people begin to enter into arguments and

unnecessary discussions. Intellect is a hindrance on the spiritual path. They

who have not developed the heart but who have developed their intellect begin to

doubt and question at every step. They are led astray. They want a “why” and a

“how” for everything. They want “scientific” explanations for all phenomena.

God is beyond proofs and presumptions. One has to approach religion and the

scriptures with great faith, reverence and purity of heart. Then only are the

secrets of religion revealed unto him like the apple in the palm of one’s hand.

Does anybody ask his mother to prove who is his father?

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.

Young and robust Brahmacharis (celibates) should observe fasting whenever

passion troubles them. Only then will they have very good meditation, as the

mind will be rendered calm. The chief object of fasting is to render the system

calm so that one is able to practise meditation rigorously during that period.

Withdraw the senses and fix the mind on God. Pray to God to guide you and to

throw a flood of light on your spiritual path. Say with feeling: “O God, guide

me! Protect me, protect me! I am Thine, I am Thine! Forsake me not!” You will be

blessed with purity, light and strength. Follow this Sadhana on the days that

you fast, Ekadashi days in particular.

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.

Complete fasting helps to control sleep. Taking recourse to tea to control sleep

is not desirable. You will not gain any spiritual strength if you depend on an

external agent. During fasting avoid all company. Live alone. Utilise your time

in Sadhana. When breaking a fast do not take a heavy meal or a heavy food that

is hard to digest. Milk or some fruit juice is beneficial.

Moderation in eating and withdrawal of the senses in Yogic meditation are the

obverse and the reverse of the same coin. Moderation consists in taking a little

food or water just to keep the body in good working order.

In the Gita you will find: “Verily, Yoga is not for him who eats too much, nor

who abstains to excess, nor who sleeps too much, nor to the excessively

wakeful”.

 

http://www.dlshq.org/download/hindufest.htm ( Please view it knowledge on many

festivals)

 

 

 

 

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