Fasting in Hinduism

fruits - fasting in Hinduism

Fasting in Hinduism is mainly done for earning Punya. Fasting is a process where we do not eat anything for half-day, one day, or more. It is observed in all religions. It is used as a treatment in Naturopathy as well as Ayurveda. Modern science has also started taking it seriously. Fasting done in a scientific way can be beneficial.

Fasting is a very important aspect of Hinduism. Hindus observe fast in the name of God every once, twice, or more times a week.

The following are the days and deities associated with that particular day. Fast on that particular day is believed to be beneficial for pleasing that deity.

Monday – Lord Shiva

Tuesday – Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman

Thursday – Lord Dattatreya

Friday – Santoshi Mata

Saturday – Lord Hanuman, Lord Shani

Sunday – Khandoba

Other than these days, there are monthly and yearly fasts also.

Sankashti and Angarki Chaturthi – Lord Ganesha

Ekadashi – Goddess

Mahashivratri – Lord Shiva

Gokulashtami – Lord Krishna

Vat Pournima – this fast is done only by married women to increase the lifespan of their husbands.

Ganesh Jayanti – Lord Ganesha

Guru Pournima – Lord Dattatreya

Navratri – Goddess Durga

An Ideal Way of Fasting in Hinduism:

According to ancient Hinduism tradition, one should fast once a week with remaining empty stomach until afternoon. One is allowed to drink water until that time. In the afternoon one should have fruit juice or one or two fruits (This privilege is given because remaining empty stomachs for a long time can increase acidity and lower blood sugar and blood pressure. Also, some people need to do hard labor throughout the day. In such situations, it is very hard to remain an empty stomach for the whole day. Some people even fall sick and faint at times if they do not eat anything throughout the day). One should break the fast in the evening after sunset. The timing for the fast is from sunrise to sunset or else 12 a.m. to 12 a.m. next night i.e., 24 hours.

While breaking the fast, you should eat some rice first. Eating nonvegetarian food is not allowed on the day of fasting because nonveg food is hard to digest. If you eat nonveg on the day of fasting, it is useless to fast. Plus, killing someone on the day when you are doing fast for God is bad).

Spiritual reasons behind fasting:

It is believed that if your body undergoes sufferings, your sins would lessen. It is like punishing yourself. So, instead of God punishing you, you punish yourself. This would lessen some of your sins and you would have more good time in your life.

It is also believed that if you fast on a particular day that particular deity becomes happy with you and lessens your sufferings. So, if you are in trouble and you go to an astrologer, he would advise you to do fasting on a particular day depending upon the nature of your problem.

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Comments (36)

  • I ate Velgut capsule while I am fasting. I want to know if the Gelatin shell of the capsule is made from plant or animal sources. Please advise.

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    • You should avoid it on fasting days because gelatin capsule shells are mostly made from animal tissues. If the medicine is for a serious illness, then it is okay. But must avoid as much as possible.

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    • On fasting day (Upavasa), you are supposed to be engulfed by thoughts of god only. Fast is for physical as well as mental purification. So physically you are not breaking fast, but mentally you are!

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    • Hinduism has not mentioned smoking as a sin(because there was not anything like that before).But for your good health.I will advice to go rehab and get rid of it.However alcohol is not allowed

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      • No alcohol prohibition in Sanatanah Dharmah also includes no caffeine, no nicotine and etc or anything that may cause addiction

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  • Fasting is clearly a science of welfare.our body defines some cycles according to the biorythmic oscillation ie the circadian rhythm.it is almost a medical fact that there is no need when you dont feel hungry.fasting the right day is possibly the best.when you dont feel hungry.ie your body not mind.there is always a day or two in a month when there is no need to feel the body.it could be sync according to lunar cycles or our own lifestyles.but still it should be believed.our whole body is a cycles.the menstrual cycles are also defines accordingly.i take it the scientific way.you should too.

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  • thnk u for the info. if we eat during lunch and not during breakfast And at night. i hope that is considered A fasts.

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  • Namaskar Admin,
    Please put right thing there Before writing anything first Search as much as you can …or Read Hindu Scriptures Carefully :
    1.) Monday : Lord Shiv ji “Mahadev”
    2.) Tuesday : Lord HANUMAN JI .
    3.) Wednesday : Lord Ganesh ji.
    4.) Thursday : Lord Vishnu ji.
    5.) Friday : Goddes Santoshi Maa.
    6.) saturday ->Shani Dev, people only use to fasting for Hanuman ji, but this day is known for “Shani Dev son of Surya dev”.
    7.) Sunday : Surya Dev

    Thanks!

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    • These days differ from region to region as do Hindu customs and traditions. The days that I have mentioned are followed in Maharashtra region. You might be correct as you follow it in your region.

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  • There is a lot of criticism against Hindus who eat meat on certain days and fasts on religious days. They are taunted, mocked, bullied, called hypocrites etc. How does one respond to these criticism?

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  • Fasting, how it’s practiced, is in a way not exactly blackmailing but bribing God. It’s more like you try to make God yield to your demands by offering to torture yourself. Of course the most compassionate God doesn’t expect that his dear devotees trouble themselves in his name. I don’t beg but I differ with the idea that there exists a God that punishes us. It’s the fruit of our own actions, good or bad, that we bear. The real meaning of the word Upvas is to keep oneself associated with the one we worship. That means to disassociate from ‘food for thought’ as well. Thoughts especially of lust, anger, ego, attachment, jealousy and other vices. Instead of following the trend of fasting blindly we need to fulfil the real purpose of observing a fast.

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  • Fasting makes your body cleaner & gives your digestive system a rest, and at the same time, creates an increased awareness in your brain.
    After a day of fasting, your energy & general well being dramatically increase along with your energy.
    Food tastes amazing after fasting & it is also beneficial to sleep patterns.
    In fact, fasting is an ancient wonder !
    It is only in this western culture of plenty that so much each is eaten every day as a matter of habit.
    No living thing needs that much feeding.
    No wonder the West has a weight problem….

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  • Fasting is nothing but resting your digestive system, do you guys even know how digestive system works, how complicated it is. It is a simple way to give some rest , from sunrise to sunset, enough time to rest and get rid of toxins buildup in stomach,liver and intestines. This comes from the only oldest medical systems that understands human body – Ayurveda.

    when u eat u burn energy of the food and use it for day to day purposes, the excess in stored in form of fat to be used for emergency purposes.
    But when u keep on eating from the day you are born till u die 3 times a day. when will you ever give chance for that system to kickin and burn from fat and use it for your energy… This also comes from ayurveda delivered to common people in the name of god, so that you blindly follow this concept begining 5000 years ago.

    Now everyone wants to understand through science, if you have a machinery that runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, wont you do routine maintenance on it, by shutting it down apply oil to moving parts, change pads etc….that is essentialy what you are doing to human digestive machine.

    Fast until that systems kicks in, for people new to fasting, do it only twice a month, there is one time where people fast for 9 days, but that is advanced users.

    Fasting is for your to understand who you are and what you need and what is your destiny or dharma

    Vegetarian and fasting is the first step towards to world peace

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    • okay first of all the things u said are true u should give some rest to your stomach…but stomach and intestines have involuntary muscles(the muscles that works on its own without u knowing it at all) plus its not about the stomach its about the brain and spirituality and manners and well being…do u ever give rest to your lungs or heart!!!….ofcourse not….u would die….plus even they work on their own…similarly we r not giving it rest we are simply doing it so we can get better health and improve our mentality our mental strength will power n all so that gradually we would abstain from the worldy desires which leads us to sins n bad karmas…for example eating tamasic foods(foods of TAMAS GUNAS in simple language high energy consuming n producing foods)…will take long time to digest and can even cause indigestion…leading to bad mood which indeed leads u towards comitting sin..or speaking ill of anything…SO BAD MOOD BAD HEALTH BAD MANNERS SIN SIN SINSSSS….in other case if u r only eating good sattvic foods(foods with Satvic Guna..or foods that r pure and light for u)foods which are easily digested and gives u good energy will not only lead u to good health it will also improve your cognitive process and will power also good mood and many other good things…leading u towards politeness good manners good speech and good thoughts..that means GOOD KARMAS…ultimately u r doing good and u will be definetly blessed by the LORD…never forget the quote U R WHAT U EAT….for more info u can leave a comment..i hope now u deeply understood it….GOD BLESS U AND YOUR FAMILY AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS….MAY U PROSPER THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFETIME….

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      • hi
        They work on their own but you have to stop running to gasp for air ; so you are giving the lungs a rest; same for the heart.
        Clever people wrote the books for you to follow it.Does that make the writer a god.
        If you believe in God stop working to do a future with big house and car : go and help the poor and disabled ; The Lord is not blind.
        DO you have to praise the Lord: For so many hours you praise the Lord , please work those hours and spend it to help the thirsty , hungry and disabled.
        Do you think your Lord is blind. He wont see the good work you are doing.
        Or Is he greedy of praise.
        Remember that all religions believes in their own religion religiously and will defend the religion with their life.
        What do that tell us about religion.What does this tell you about human behaviour.

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    • This so true, a fruit can bring so much good
      to oneself, water helps us, a good break is essential, to help our body get rid of all toxins, fasting is food for the soul n rest for body organs.
      Our mind has to be steady , so fasting helps us to visit oneself, n have control on our fast evolution where at times we feel bit lost. When someone is not well or sad, or even in deep sorrow, they will not eat, the body asks for peace . After bath we feel comfortable and silently we want to be in harmony with oneself again. Fasting is that silent sweet moment we give to oneself, for a better life.
      God is within, visit self fast and see how we can really feel the power of our almighty help us cope with routine.
      God bless.

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  • Is it spiritually bad to continue Tuesday fast (in respect of Hanumanji) for more than a year without break.. I have been doing it on and off since my college days, but for the last 3 years I have been doing it without a break. My mother n one of my friend adviced me that it can have spiritual set backs if you do it for more than a year without break. Is it TRUE?

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    • How can doing anything for Hanumanji be bad? I have never heard of that. He loves you for any attention you give to him, he is very merciful. Read any Mangalvar vrat kath. They say nothing about it being bad to fast for Hanumanji for a long time.

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    • I don’t know is it bad or good to continue fasting forever without break,
      what I know is if u are fasting u should do udhyapan also after 7,21… days of fasting this completes the fasting. After Udhyapan u can start again from next Tuesday by taking a Sankalp in front of the lord.

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  • I accept each and everyone’s belief but after reading this article I cannot abstain from giving my point of view : This is not a spiritual reason it is only a religious belief or I may call it blackmailing God. According to me the reason behind fasting is to help you concentrate better. to give you an opportunity to empower yourself mentally and spiritually. allowing you to discriminate between good and evil and hence becoming a better human being.
    Fasting for this purpose is something between you and God only; It’s not necessary that everyone should know about it.
    I apologize if I’ve hurt anybody.

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    • That is your opinion and it is fine. But there are scientific as well as spiritual reasons behind fasting. Moreover, your feelings is the most important thing.

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    • hahaha.. blackmailing God. Funny. But you are true. At times, we human beings needs to get out of comfort zone (eating and having plenty of energy puts you in a comfort zone of wasting energy for unnecessary activities). Through fasting, you control yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. Knowing how to dispense energy proportionately & accordingly – eventually leading to the control of senses and time in a much efficient manner.

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      • Its not true.everything need not be weighed in human terms.fasting is holy. Dont underestimate the holiness of it.If ur fasting for weight or medical reasons its human.but for spiritual reasons it is holy.Additionally a person who is fasting should not goabout making a hoo ha abt it but Shud keep it as private as possible.Because if u make a nog deal out of it,youare attracting attention to urself which is against the intenrion of fasting. Intention of fasting is focus on God only and not attract attention to urself.Else the point is lost

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        • Weighing things in human terms as great : why should we weigh anything in unknown terms.
          This is why people think they can be selfish , cruel, but are good human being by praying regularly.You take the Lord to be a fool.
          Think of the son or daughter who is living a good life while using the parents saving and the parents leading a poor life
          and further the religious leader praising the Culprit for holding a prayer.

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    • Your point is well taken.

      I guess it is a case of different strokes. What works for one may not be good for another.

      Hindus take the names of Gods for fasting n the goal is health at a basic level. Now in plain terms, health gets better. As to why it gets better – it goes back to various energies n energy centers n goes on to belief systems n a concept of cosmic oneness n all that.

      But people need not go into all that. Fast n be healthy. We can just leave it at that. Or one can explore and understand the Hindu system of beliefs which is surprisingly very scientific. Or one can be anywhere in between.

      As I said, different strokes. All good, all well 🙂 Om Shanti !

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  • A really nice article. I fast regularly every tuesday and I’m surprised when people from my own religion taunt me when I have a fruit for lunch,saying that hindu fasting is like eating twice the regular food. I hope people start respecting the religion and what others do to keep the religion alive in this time.

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    • Hi,

      Do not feel negative about your fasting believes. Now people from the west, have recognized the power and benefits of Fasting. they have given the name Intermittent fasting. People are making a lot of money from this topic also. But the Ancient Indian people had found already the benefits of it.

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  • There has been? scientific proof that eat meaters are more likely to have a Vit. B12 deficiency than vegetarians or vegans. This is because of the bad quality of meat, and because the body has to use all the vitamine which are already in the body present, to digest the meat. By the way, execpt for the B12, all proteins are available in algeas like spirulina and chlorella, and wheatgrass!!! Hey Brad, just so you know, you argue like Sarah Palin. 🙂 Anyway, great article. Thanks to the author.

    Reply

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