We explained how and what one should eat. There must be a rest even for eating. Those who eat indiscriminately must take shelter in this rest. Others also need this rest. This is called Fasting.
Health in tradition
Our ancestors had lot of forethought. The daily life is interspersed with the Daily prayer, Religious, Ritual and periodical worship of the Divine Forces. They have not forgotten the part of cleanliness, orthodoxy and health. Instead of making these fasts, etc. as independent regulations of worldy life, they have made these interdependent in worship of the Divine Being. They have also ruled that one acquired spiritual merit (Punya) by observing these practices and that degradation (Papam) would result by giving them up. When we examine the social rules and regulations of daily conduct, we find that they contribute to the purity of the body, mind and the spirit and they tend to preserve health the individual. There are many who do not understand this truth. Attracted by the formal and superficial civilisation of the west these mock at their own Shastras and injunctions.
Ekadashi
One of those things which have not been understood but has been neglected is the ceremony of the Ekadashi or the Eleventh day after the full moon and the new moon. In this an important health rule lies hidden. Some attach greater importance to the religious mythological origin of this Ekadashi which if regularly observed elevate one to heaven. They may get angry at our limiting this in a way as a health prescription.
Sign post of experience
The experience of our ancestors proves our assertion. On these days there is complete fast prescribed. On the tenth day the Hindu is asked to take only one meal, fast on the eleventh completely with only water and sacred Tulsi leaves and then before sunrise on the next day to break the fast with the addition of certain special articles of food. The fasting time is spent in reading the Great Epics or Japa or Bhajan after the day’s work. Just as the Sastras have been twisted to suit the idiosyncracious of individuals and particular states of society so also this injunction of the Ekadashi Vratam has also been distorted and twisted. Some will say that there need not be any complete fast on the Ekadasi Day.
Others will fix that to eat in other ways will give merit. Another party will state that milk and plantains will suffice to observe this vow. This Vratham will usually be observed in a very unpleasant and ill-suited way. Some will soak ten varieties of millets and grains grind it and eat ten of that hunger killing preparation ADAI and pretend observance of the Fast. There will be those who join in this cry of Fast after gorging themselves with a seer of milk and a dozen big bananas! In between these two varieties of observers there will be many intermediate classes who would fast by omitting the regular meals but taking tiffin in the hotel, in friends houses and lastly at home!
This type of Ekadashi Fast does not give any rest to the stomach and the digestive organs. But additional strain and labour are imposed. Wishing not to exite the comment of neighbours, if these people take extra numbers oiDosais, etc., at the time of mid-day meal, what can poor stomach do? Perhaps this sensible organ will curse the introducers of this Fast! One may be born as anything but certainly not as the stomach of these so called Fasters!
Fast – for others? or for you?
Do not observe fast for the sake of Society? Observe Fast for the sake of your own health. This can be divided into the ordinary Fast and that which is carried out for curing diseases and disorders. The long fast is a study by itself. There is no room to describe that here. This has to be dealt with along the Curative articles on Diseases.
The ordinary Fast is enough to maintain health and prevent disorders and defects. There is one special rule in this. When there is no real relish for food, that is hunger, one should fast. The tongue should not be pleased because some good variety of dishes have been prepared at home. People with sedentary occupations, men of little physical work, those who sit all day at desks, should fast according to their capacity for 12 hours once in a fortnight. Those who have got physical work daily may observe partial fast once in a week or fifteen days omitting one meal.
For mazdoors
Those who do intense physical labour like the woodcutter, road-cooly, etc., should not take to full fasts. Their daily life in India will be by itself a semi fast! Those who maintain good and regular habits, feel their and digestion are normal, and do regular exercise, need not fast at all. If necessary they also can forego a meal in a week or fortnight and spend the time in spiritual thoi nt or study.
Food after fasting
There should not be work or labour during Fast. After Fasting there should be no feasting. The meal should be mild and of chosen healthy food-stuffs. The quantity taken should also be moderate. The fruit of the Fast will be lost if the individual takes the quantity of the foregone meals also, after the Fast.
Conclusion
What we have learnt is very little compared to what remains to be learnt. This statement will hold good to this treatise also. There are innumerable products in Nature. Who has fully investigated the characteristics of all these articles? There are varieties in creation which compensate some quality of one product by another in a different one. It has also preserved the balance in created life by making one the enemy of the other. Are there not herbs and leaves which destroy diseases in no time? Those who know do not reveal the secret. Life and the process of sustenance of life are not thoroughly known. Researches are still going on. The scientists are discovering new theories and products. There is still great scope for enlarging this work. But for the ordinary person who is after health this prolongation is unnecessary. The Song of Life will, tone on well if people understand the broad principles of dietetics and use their discretion and utilise the essential products daily.