Fasting according to Hindu Religion.

Dear Chitvish,

Fasting..... Great....

The law of fasting... We will feel very hungry even before the lunch time.... Friends will come with all sweets, BD parties only on the day when we fast....

I follow the fasting... From morning to evening nothing... Tiffin only in the night...

I have a collegue... who also does fasting on wenesdays... But, he will have suffiecient quantitites of veg/fruits... His concept is he is cleaning his body system....

But fasting on various days have various palans... I was told... But my concept is if you pray to GOD and do things... it will work... May be I am wrong....

Very Valuable topic inspired by our Chitra madam and the fine responses from our IL friends are a delight to read.

Like to add a few more lines on Ekadashi

This Ekadashi gives the fruit (in the form) of great religious merit.
It should be observed by the best sages when it is in conjunction with (certain) constellations.
Jaya, Vijaya, Jayanti and Papanashini — all these destroy sins.
They should be observed by those who desire (certain) fruits.
When, in the bright half (of the month), the star Punarvasu (i.e. the seventh lunar mansion) appears on the Ekadashi day, that is called Jaya, and it is the best of days. Having observed a fast on that day a man is freed from a sin.
There is no doubt about this. When, in the bright half (of the month), the star Shravana (i.e. the twenty-second lunar mansion) appears on the Dvadashi day, that is called Vijaya and it is the best of days.
Gift given on that day becomes thousandfold (in religious merit); so also food given to brahmanas (becomes like that). In the same way a sacrifice (performed) or a fast (observed on that day) gives more than a thousandfold fruit.
When on the Dvadashi in the bright half Rohinii (i.e. the fourth lunar mansion) appears, that is called Jayanti.
That day removes also sins.
Vishnu worshipped on that day certainly washes sins, small or great, committed during (previous) seven existences.
When on the Dvadashi in the bright half Pushya (i.e. the eighth lunar mansion) appears, then that will be the very meritorious Papanashini. (The religious merit of him) who every day gives a prastha of sesamum-seeds (to a brahmana) for the (whole) year, and (the religious merit of him) who observes a fast on that day (i.e. on the Papanashini) are said to be equal.
Vishnu, the Lord of all, the Lord of the world, being pleased, appears actually (i.e. in person) only, and endless fruit is said (to be obtained by him who observes a fast) on that (day).
Vishnu who was won over and worshipped on that (day) by Sagara, Kakutstha and Nahusha, gave (them) everything on the earth.
There is no doubt that he (who observes a fast on that day) is freed from the sin due to speech, mental sin or especially bodily sin committed during the seven (previous) existences.
A man having fasted on that (Papanashini) alone, which is joined with the star Pushya, obtains the fruit of (having fasted on) a thousand Ekadashis.
Whatever like a bath, (giving a) gift, muttering (of hymns), a sacrifice, self-study, worship of a deity, is done on that day is said to give an inexhaustible fruit.
Therefore, those who desire the fruit (like salvation) should observe (a fast on) this (day) carefully.
In the cold season, when the auspicious month of Margashirsha has come, a man should fast on that Dvadashi which (comes) in the dark half, O son of Prithaa (i.e. O son of Kunti, O Yudhishthira).
Knowing what 'nakta' is, a man, with a pure heart and of a firm vow, eating (only) once on the tenth, and being controlled, (should eat) during the eighth part of the day when the Sun is feeble (i.e. is setting).
That should be known as 'nakta'. 'Nakta' is not eating only at night.
Nakta is enjoined for a householder before the stars appear (in the sky).
The nakta for an ascetic is eating only in the eighth part of the day.
Eating at night is prohibited for him. Then, O Yudhishthira, he who has taken the vow, should make the religious observance in the morning, so also in the mid-day, and being pure, should bathe. Bathing in a temporary well is the lowest; bathing in a well is of a middling quality.
Bathing in a tank is excellent. Bathing in a river is still better.
O Yudhishthira, the sin and the religious merit are equal when a bath is taken in the water where living beings are troubled.
Bathing at home is excellent, and the water should purify (him).

Subbu

Dear Veda,
You are right, my friend, no worries !
It is more to develop self-discipline that we fast, according to my personal opinion.
Temptations will be plenty, particularly on a fasting day - overcoming them develops discipline. I do not believe in imposing fast on myself, anyday unless I strongly feel so.
Your friend is right - a day of natural foods, rather uncooked food, detoxifies your system completely.
I never fast for palams, to tell you frankly ! I hasten to add that things will not work by prayer to God alone.
When we sleep, do we not fast for atleast 8 hrs at a stretch, to give our digestive system, a much deserved rest ? That is good enough.
Thanks for joining here, Veda.
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by Vysan

Dear Chitvish,

Fasting..... Great....

The law of fasting... We will feel very hungry even before the lunch time.... Friends will come with all sweets, BD parties only on the day when we fast....

I follow the fasting... From morning to evening nothing... Tiffin only in the night...

I have a collegue... who also does fasting on wenesdays... But, he will have suffiecient quantitites of veg/fruits... His concept is he is cleaning his body system....

But fasting on various days have various palans... I was told... But my concept is if you pray to GOD and do things... it will work... May be I am wrong....

Hello Subbusir,
You have tackled the topic on fasting from a religious point of view. It is very interesting and enlightening as well.
Thankyou, Sir.
Regards,
Chithra.

Thank you dear Chitramadam for the feedbacks and would like to share few more lines on fasting.

There has been much contention in the scientific field about whether or not fasting is beneficial to one's health.

Fasting is an integral part of many of the major religions.

Fasting gives the digestive system a break and capitalizes on the energy, which is otherwise directed for digestion and channelizes it for higher mental processes.

After fasting the diet of fruits adds more benefits to body.

Fresh fruits rich in vitamin C, which help our immune system, work at its best.

Be sure, however, that we stick to fresh fruits.

Organically grown fruits are actually the best choice for a fruit fast because they are grown using no artificial fertilizers or pesticides.

Fruit fasts enable us to loose weight, as fruits don’t carry many calories.

We can eat a lot of fruit without consuming many calories.

In fact, we can snack on fruits nearly all day long and still not eat the number of calories contained in one meal at a fast food restaurant in normal days to have the diet control.

Another benefit of a fruit fast is that the body converts the sugar in fruit directly into glucose.

Glucose is the main food of the brain. By keeping our brain will fed, we won’t feel the “fogginess” or lack of concentration we often get with water only fast.

Food is needed by the body to provide energy for immediate use by burning up carbohydrates, that is, sugar.

Excess of carbohydrates which cannot be used is stored up as fat tissue in muscles, and as glycogen in liver for future use.

Insulin, a hormone from the pancreas, lowers blood sugar and diverts it to other forms of energy storage, that is, glycogen.

To be effective, insulin has to be bound to binding sites called receptor.

Obese people lack receptor; therefore, they cannot utilize their insulin.

This leads to Insulin Resistance and Glucose Intolerance..

When one fasts (or decreases carbohydrate intake drastically), it lowers his blood glucose and insulin level.

This causes breakdown of glycogen from liver to provide glucose for energy need and breakdown of fat from adipose tissue to provide for energy needs.

On the basis of human physiology described above, semi-starvation (ketogenic) diets have been devised for effective weight control.

These diets provide calculated amount of protein in divided doses with plenty of water, multi-vitamins, etc.

These effectively lower weight, blood sugar, but because of their side effects, should be used only under supervision of physicians.

Total fasting reduces or eliminates hunger and causes rapid weight loss.

"Fasting as a Way of life" noted that "fasting brings a wholesome physiological rest for the digestive tract and central nervous system and normalizes metabolism."

It must be pointed out, however, that there are also many adverse effects of total fasting.

That includes hypokalemia and cardiac arrhythmia associated with low calorie starvation diets used in unsupervised manner.

The benefit of fasting is the healing process that begins in the body during a fast.

During a fast energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use and towards the metabolism and immune system.

Finally, the most scientifically proven advantage to fasting is the feeling of rejuvenation and extended life expectancy.

Subbu

Chithra Madam

Very apt topic on fasting , various types of fasting and what & how we should be during fasting. Thanks again for sharing this valuable information.

A very neat indepth discussion on fasting.

Often I wonder about what happens, when unfortunately it's broken.

To site an example, I began fasting on Fridays & Saturdays from the beginning of the year. Fast as in, refrain from eating non-veg. But unfortunately, in June, I ended up having non-veg on Friday & then the next day too, had it.

I didn't like the fact that I broke the fast on one weekend then take it up again from the next weekend, hence from then on I stopped doing it.

Some people told me that it's ok to forgo one day & then hold it the next time. But I wasn't comfortable with doing it then. But now I feel I should have carried on fasting.