Please write about various fastings

[Avinash 0]

I have read about some fastings (e.g. ekadashi) in some puranas (mostly Padma purana and Brahm Vaivarta purana). But, if somebody asks me to describe any fasting, then I will no be able to answer off-hand. Rather, I will have to refer to some book (say some purana).

 

I was thinking it would be better if a single thread contains descriptions to the fastings.

 

In this thread, please give brief introduction to various kinds of fasting, how to keep those and their importance.

[Sephiroth 0]

Only fasting I know described in Gita is "Silent Fast" - fast where the person do not talk during the period of fasting. In Gita, it is said that this practise is the hardest and the most honored one.

 

I think even Buddhist Monks does it - sitting for hours, closing their eyes in meditation or doing things without putting useless thoughts into their minds.

[Guest guest]

this is an excellent and enjoyable book

 

EKADASI: THE DAY OF LORD HARI

author: Mahamandaleshwaran Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swami

hardcover 196 pages

english, telugu, malayalam

 

Bhagavat Dharma Samaj

PO Box 27127

Baltimore MD 21230

 

basically each tithi or period of time corresponds to a different state of

consciousness. the two ekadasis each month correspond to the unconcious

unconscious state of mind

 

therefore to purify oneself it is recommended to fast and do more spiritual practices on these days, thus pradosha vrata or fasting during the ekadasi

tithi

[Avinash 0]

I read that Rama ekadashi will start the morning of 17 Oct. It is only about 8 hours from now. Could you give me some details on it?

[Avinash 0]

At what time is Rama ekadashi ending?

[Guest guest]

Avinash Prabhuji,

 

Namaskaram. It depends on what part of the world you reside in. Three possible resources:

 

__ www dot himalayanacademy dot com / resources / panchangam

 

__ www dot astrojyoti dot com

 

__ google search: "Vedic Calendar Generator" (ISKCON)

 

Then you plug in what part of the world and you will have a nice Vedic calendar showing all of the tithis including the Ekadasis for the entire year.

 

If you travel then you plug in where you will be going as there is time change, international date line, etc.

 

The Vedic calendar system is so interesting. The first calendar mentioned has panchangams for the auspicious times of day to do everything. Such as Rahukala time of the day no new undertakings or any auspicious work, and Yamagandam is inauspicious time of the day to start any important work.

 

Best times to do japa are Gullika Kala time of the day and on Amrita Yoga and Siddha Yoga days.

 

 

Different effects also happen during the Purnima (full moon) and the Amavasya (new moon). Best days to worship Ganesha are the two Caturthis

each month. Best days for havanas/ homa yajnas are the Dvitiya and Dasami of each month.

 

 

Also have you had your Vedic chart done, so that you know what your moon star is? Then there is a system that you look up how your moon star is doing on any given day in relation to what naksatra it is on any given day.

 

Then you know what kind of activities are best for you personally to pursue

on each day of the week. Such as "avoid important dealings, danger to the body, and routine duties okay" or "successful meetings" or "good food and financial prosperity".

 

There is a chart outlining how to use this technique in "How to Read your Horoscope" by Tom Hopke (Nalini Kant) and James E Higgins III (Niscintya).

[Avinash 0]

"Vedic Calendar Generator" in Google did not give any results. But no problem. I searched for "Vedic Calendar Maker". I downloaded the tool and it gave me whatever information I am looking for.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

You can try this one as well:

 

http://vcal.iskcongbc.org/

[Avinash 0]

 

You can try this one as well:

 

http://vcal.iskcongbc.org/

 

I checked that. It gives the same result. But I liked this better than using the exe. The timing of breaking the fast, as I checked, is between 07:10 Am and 10:07 AM in this part of the world (Bangalore).

 

Read once in Padma-Purana that there is some kind of ekadashi on which you should not fast. I was first wondering if today's ekadashi is one of those. But, when I searched Net, then I found that fasting should be observed today.

[Guest guest]

Ekadashi is extremely confusing because it falls on different days for different sampradayas. If you're smarta, it falls a day earlier than if you're mAdhva.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

Read once in Padma-Purana that there is some kind of ekadashi on which you should not fast.

There is a day called maha-dvadashi, where ekadashi is observed on a different day. It occurs around the appearance of Vamana Avatar.