Benefits of Fasting
Abstaining from food or at least from some kinds of food items is referred to as Fasting. It does have its own physical benefits as it provides the much needed rest to the digestive organs and gives respite to the other over-worked systems. However, the benefits of fasting on the spiritual side can be said to be much more profound. Upavas or fasting is undertaken at times for the fulfillment of some vows and for physical gains, its true purpose remains less material and substantially spiritual. Our consciousness often is corrupted over time by accumulation of impurities, and it is fasting that helps significantly in its purification.
Fasting and Religions
Fasting is an observance that is common to all religions. While Muslims fast daily during the full month of Ramadan, Christians too fast on special occasions, and so are Buddhists. However, for Hinduism, fasting is an inherent part of the religious way of life. Hindus undertake strict fasting with great regularity on many auspicious and special days, right through the year. This fast is normally from dawn to dusk and sometimes, from one morning to the next. While many have only liquids like water and milk during fasting, some have fruits too. However, even non-vegetarians have only vegetarian food on the fasting days and avoid even items like onion and garlic.
Significance of Hindu Fasting
The Hindu fasting has many facets within its fold. Some are dedicated to particular Gods and Goddesses, and are observed on different days of the week, month or the year, that are meant for those divinities. There are also many different festival or sacred days, when people observe fasts as a regular practice. There are also those who observe periodic fasts for the fulfillment of some specific wishes, like curing of diseases, getting employment, clearance of debts, passing examinations, improvement in fortunes etc. For instance, it is common to see many people observing fasts on Ekadasi days, that is, the 11th thithi, the lunar day, which normally comes twice a month, as this day is regarded as very holy. So are the fasts that are observed on Pournami, the full Moon day and Ekadasi, the new Moon day.
These apart, different sects observe fasts on different occasions. This is like, Shaivites fasting on Shivaratri and Pradosam days; Ganesha worshippers on Sankatahara Chaturthi and Ganesh Chaturthi; Muruga worshippers on Sashti and SkandaSashti and Durga worshippers during Navarathri/Durga Puja. In addition, there can even be full or partial fasting daily for particular durations of time, on account of some observances. The austerities that Lord Ayyappa devotees undertake during the Tamil months of Karthigai and Margazhi (November–January) prior to their pilgrimage to the hill temple of Sabarimala fall under this category.
There is also the strange practice of Chandrayana fasting observed by some devout. This involves the gradual reduction of food intake from Pournami, the full Moon day to Amavasya, the new Moon day, and then, its gradual increase during the following new Moon–full Moon phase.
Hindus also take the green Agasthi or AgathiKeerai first for breaking the fast, which is believed to do immense good to the health.
Greatness of Fasting
There are many legends that speak about the greatness of fasting. One of them is about sage Mudkalar, who used to take food only on Full and new Moon days and fast on all other days, and so were his family members. But every time they were trying to break the fast, a guest used to come seeking food and all of them used to give away their share and go without food. When this happened for the fifth continuous time, the guest showed himself as the God of Dharma and blessed them all for their great sacrifice.