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
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HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS
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 amThine! 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”.
The Yogi withdraws his senses from the particular sense objects. The senses are made to
turn into or get involved into the mind. When one is fully established in these two practices,
supreme control of the senses is achieved.
Once there was a demon, Mura, who oppressed the gods. The gods approached Lord Hari
for protection. Hari sent Yoga Maya to kill the demon. Yoga Maya carried out the behests of the
Lord successfully.
Then the Lord said to Yoga Maya, “Those who observe Ekadashi will be freed from all sins,
and you will be called by the name Ekadashi.”
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VAIKUNTA EKADASHI
King Ambarisha was a great votary of Lord Hari. He practised the Ekadashi Vrata for a
year. Ambarisha obtained His Grace. On one occasion he fasted for three consecutive days. He was
about to break the fast when Rishi Durvasa appeared as his guest. The king received him with due
respect and requested him to take his meals. The Rishi agreed and went to bathe in the river. The
king waited patiently for a long time, but the Rishi did not return. Time was running out; if the king
did not eat anything before the day ended his Vrata would not bear fruit. And if he ate, he would be
showing disregard to the Rishi. As a compromise the king took a little water to serve both the
conditions.
When Durvasa returned from his bath, he knew exactly what had happened, and was angry.
He tore a hair from his tuft and charged it to kill Ambarisha. The king was unmoved. The discus of
Lord Vishnu destroyed the power of the hair of Durvasa. It now followed the Rishi wherever he
went and tried to destroy him.
Rishi Durvasa went to Brahma and Shiva for help, but to no avail. He went to Lord Hari who
said to him, “I am dependent on My devotees. My heart is in the possession of My devotees. Go
thou, therefore, to Ambarisha; beg his pardon and thou shalt be saved.”
Ambarisha thereupon prayed to the charged hair to desist from its course, and saved the
Rishi. Durvasa thanked him from the bottom of his heart.