Daily Readings
Fasting Philosophy of Shirdi Sai Baba
FASTING PHILOSOPHY OF SHIRDI SAI BABA
One of the important advice of Sai Baba concerning food was that of fasting. Sai Baba never kept a fast Himself, nor did He allow others to do so. In Ch. 32 (of Sai Satcharita), Mrs. Gokhale wanted to keep a fast for 3 days at Shirdi; but Baba asked her to go to Dada Kelkar's house to cook, as Kaka's wife was in menses and not permitted by custom to cook. Further, He not only ordered her to feed Kaka and his family members with sumptuous and delicious 'puran polies' (sweet-stuffed breads) but asked her to feed herself also to heart's content by giving up the fast. Baba used to say :
"The mind of the person fasting is never at ease, then how could attain the Paramartha (goal of life)? God is not attained on an empty stomach; first the soul has to be appeased. In short, when all organs get their proper nutrition and are sound, we can practise devotion and other sadhanas to attain God.Therefore, neither fasting nor over-eating is good. Moderation in diet is really wholesome both to the body and mind." (Ch. 32, P. 177-178, Shri Sai Satcharita)Also in Ch. 19, Baba persuaded Mrs. Radhabai Deshmukh, who had determined to remain without food and water unto death so long as Baba did not give her Upadesh Mantra, to give it up and narrating His own experience with His Guru, explained to her a simplest method of achieving oneness in the God -"You,look at Me and I look at you." The Sanskrit word for fasting is 'Up + vaas', which means seat near. Since the fasting is done for religious purposes, it means seating near God. In other words on that day one has to think and act with pure mind and meditate on God's form. But, we hardly do this. On the contrary, on that day since we continue to attend to our normal secular business and other duties, we also continue to indulge in immoral activities such as telling lies, cheating others etc. There are many methods of observing fast, narrated in our religious books. But, at present the following methods are in vogue:
(i) To accept only fruits and milk avoiding meals both by day and night.
(ii) To accept only fruits and milk by day and eat the meal after sunset.
iii) To eat the meal once by day and accept only fruits and milk at night.
But, do we observe these also correctly? Whatever you eat during fasting days must be in small quantities. The idea is to give rest to our digestive system. But, instead, what do we do? Fruits we hardly eat. But, other so called permitted items we eat in full and a number of times. One meal also, which we eat, is not only over-eaten; but is also extra rich, The result is indigestion. Thus there is neither any religious nor health benefit. Sai Baba probably had realised this and that is why He stopped His devotees from observing such fasts in the name of religion.