Fasting: What is it’s Secret?

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Lalbahadur Shastry was the most honest and most responsible Prime Minister that India ever found. His simplicity and honesty are mostly remembered by all. He was Our Prime Minister for a very short period. It is our misfortune that we could not have him in our midst for very long. When he was our Prime Minister, he had given a call to the nation to forego one meal on Mondays for the sake of poor people of the country. He too practised what he preached. In those days, this call by Shastryji, had so much effect that croresof people followed his example. Many hotels in India closed down before night on Mondays. Several tonnes of food grains were saved for the poor this was the result of foregoing only one meal by many in one week.

Shri Gurubasava Mahamane which is established with the purpose of propagating Basava Principles in a friendly environment of simplicity and honesty, is getting prepared to the great service of taking the people towards religion and spiritualism. It is growing into an institution silently serving the people towards their integrated welfare, loosening the deep rooted grip of immorality and anarchy and sowing the seeds of Ethics and Spiritualism. In this selfish mechanical environment, it tends hearts pulsating for humanity. It is growing up shedding the light of wisdom and guiding as a hand post to those who are victims of excessive cynicism in spite of bizarre scientific advancement.

Shri Gurubasava Mahamane has started "Prabhudeva Prakashana" as its branch organization to publish works like, "Healthy Living" by Hardekar Manjappa, which contains treatment methods of leading simple life, "Ishta Lingapuja Vidhana", "Hoovillada Kampu", "Anandadedege", which blend Yoga, meditation and knowledge into one. These books have attracted many readers and are well received. In the meantime, the Swamiji is traveling far and wide in Karnataka like a bird of devotion, in the firmament of Basava Principles, and spreading his knowledge and experience through nature cure as well as giving discourses to thousands of people filled with humour, philosophy and compassion. As desired by his disciples, he has studied in depth, the Sharana literature, in a new vision and written in simple style, the meanings of Vachanas, which are easy not only to comprehend but also to implement physically, mentally, socially and spiritually and lead a happy life, in his book, "Arogyamruta", which has received a wide appreciation of all people. When all his book lovers were anxious as to know what new light is going to flash in his divine eye, he has woven an entirely new formula of "Fasting", which is helping in achieving both health and spiritualism. "Fasting! What is its secret?" contains easy methods of preserving our health. It tells in detail, who, when, why and how one can follow fasting, identifying our own shortcomings and overcome them. Come. Let us read and enjoy going through these several tip on health improvement.

Small babies have no craving for food. Even when they refuse to eat, the eating habit is started by forcing eatables into their mouths, saying, "Eat, Little one; Look at the Moon. If you don't eat, the Bugbear will come." The baby learns to eat, and it is over. It goes on eating non-stop, as if living only to eat. This is a kind of fasting - "Upavasa". "Upa" means near. Near what? Near the kitchen or near the eating plate? Living near the eatables is Upavasa or fasting!

"Okay. We ate all this, you know? What use is it for?"

"What, Sir, You ask like this! Are we not living?"

"Yes. We are living. It is true! Should we eat so much for living? This is equally true. If we had eaten just enough to live, as we went on growing, these diseases would not have troubled us. My Guruji, 117 year old Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi, who lives in Jayanagar, Bengaluru says like this: "More people die in this world, eating too much than who die without anything to eat." We should stop eating when we still feel like eating a little more. This is the secret of long life."

Fasting, as dealt in this book, is becoming nearer to our own selves. Becoming nearer to God, who is inside us, from the cognitive point of view. Hence Sri Basavananda Swamiji teaches Yoga in. the morning, gives suggestions on Nature Cure in the afternoon, ar.d gives religious discourses in the evenings. "Religious" here means "humanitarian". The light of his humane thoughts can be seen in his discourses. They are not impracticable preachings. They are down to earth practicable. Now there is no lure of outside eatables. When we are really hungry, we should eat just enough quantity of docile food. This is called "Fasting while eating" by some people.

We have filled our belly bag all these years non-stop. Have we ever felt pity about this bag called Stomach? How should it keep digesting whatever we fill into it incessantly, without any rest, give strength to all other parts of the body and throw the undigested waste? If we ever have felt pity over this, how and why would these diseases bother us like this? Past is past. Let us feel pity at least now! There is no use speaking a few words of pity through our mouths. We should tie up that mouth. Tie it up so that it does not eat and drink whatever that comes in its way. You should force it to' accept anly these things: Water, honey, Ie man juice, tender coconut water, buttermilk and fruit juices. This is not Upavasa. This is Rasopavasa - "Fasting with juices". This second one is very easy for common people. This book gives enough information and guide lines for fasting, with self experiences, along with so many experiments with their results.

Of course, Swamiji gives us rough guidelines. But the minute changes that occur in our body due to fasting should be brought to his attention and the responsibility of implementing his alterations is on us .When I and my wife started this "fasting with juices" for 10 days, we did our daily duties as usual. Both body and mind felt light, active and enthusiastic as usual. I knew that dirt collected in the alimentary canal, especially in the large intestine and colon was flushed out. To help smooth motions, I took non-violent enema once or twice. When I felt really hungry in the final stages of fasting, I felt glad. Generally our food was fruits, vegetables, organic products, red rice, sprouted seeds. This kind of docile food also left so much dirt in the dig.estive tract was a surprising fact. What could be the condition of the lay men eating junk food mostly? When I think about it, I feel that the punishment alarm thatthe nature gives us by diseases is too soft. Both God who is father to all of us and Nature who is our mother are extremely kind.

After this fasting, if we simply follow Swamiji's principle of HEFS, in later life, we can live longer, more fruitful and philanthropic life. H stands for humour. Swamiji makes everyone laugh by his illustrations and parables. One should lead a happy life, smiling and laughing. E stands for excretion. Our motion habits should be regular and systematic. F stands for food. Food is good and pure for our health, when it is correct type, at correct time, in correct way of eating and in correct place. S stands for sleep. We should keep off all tensions, think of God and slide into sleep, which is healthy and sound and restful so that you feel fresh and active when you get up.

This much is enough for what is really to be experienced.

"Fasting! What is its secret?" This book was written in just 3 months. You all welcomed my previous book, "Arogyamruta” and made it possible to bring out its prints 5 times in just 5 m print is coming out in an improvised outlook. Encouraged success of "Arogyamruta", now I am extremely happy to put, you, this book on fasting. One special feature of this along with my own experiences, it contains experience other health seekers. The habit of healthy reading is fast deteriorating these days and the general health is equally fast de general reader has turned down reading literature on philosophy and he is now showing interest on books on is why while discussing the history of fasting from various I have explained fasting in great detail. "Was this long necessary for us readers?" you may ask. Yes. I felt necessary to attract you towards fasting with a strong determination and take up fasting practically.

Many people have worked towards this boo Sangappa Totad of Davanagere has helped in pro manuscript of this book.

It was my friend, S.Harish from Mysore, who responsibility of printing this book. He is a young and energeticwho has dedicated his life towards social service and al He has established an institution called "Prakruti Foundation" in Mysore, providing ayurvedic treatment ayurvedic medicines. He has been bringing out a healthmonthly called "Swasthya Sanjivini". He is in close and contact with Sri Gurubasava Mahamane helping in its E so many works. I must thank Sri S.Harish.

Sri Prakash Pujar of Bangalore who is a Development Manager in a multi-national company, came forward to bring the front page of this book and has made it ve eye-catching. He is a very sentimental person. Visiting h Dasoha is as happy a thing for me as I feel when I am in Mahamane The conduct of his whole family, his wife Smt. Kavita, his son Pruthvi is extremely gratifying. A native of Koda , Hirekerur Taluk, though now settled in Bengaluru, he has not given up the Sharna Culture of his birth place. I pray Lord Basaveshwara to bless him. I must thank all the health seekers, who have contributed their articles on their experiences, for this book. I must especially thank Fr. Albert Pinto, an elderly mm moo the Christian Missionary. A65 Years old man, he was suffering from diabetes. Hearing my discourses, he was influenced to practice fasting strictly, giving up all medicines. I pray God to bless his with peaceful life.

Sri P.K.Nandish, a scholar in many fields, has studied subjects in depth and can give authentic information on subjects with ease and fluency. He is an "Information Treas thank him.

Sri C.P.Rangaramaswamy of Hassan is a retired teach had suffered a lot with diabetes. After coming into my conta followed fasting treatment and improved his health. I pray for blessings on him.

Smt. Sharada Basavaraja Addarsi has become a cynos many places. Relieved of the dreaded fatal disease Hepatitis- is a ray of hope for so many people suffering from it. She guit those who go for her consultation. She lived entirely on nature foods, got relieved of her disease and is now leading a heallt peaceful life. I pray for God's blessings on her too. Sri Shar Kammar who has written a humorous and thrilling experiei fasting, has been with me for the last 10 years, helping me way or the other. I wish his life to be full of happiness as he enthusiastic and hilarious youth, keeping all around him lai and enjoying.

I must remember with deep respect and honour Sri Sudt Sharma, a scholar in Vedas, principled in simple living ant thinking. He thoroughly went through the manuscript of this and made corrections. He also fasted before writing his forewt this book. He invited me to his house, when I was giving discr in Bengaluru. I visited his house despite my busy schedul house, its atmosphere, the family, made me feel that I was vis Rishi's ashram of the bygone era. In this hurly and burly of It century, he reminds me of the lives of the sages like Molige Marayya Madara Chennayya, Medara Ketayya. He has rendered his For after his own self-experience and I thank him for enhancir greatness of this book with his valuable Foreword.

The popular anchor of the "Heegoo Unte" Kannada se TV 9 channel Sri Narayana Swamy made fasting and its good effects a big propaganda not only in Karnataka but in many foreign contries also, through his programme. I thank his as well as those who helped its transmission, Sri Rajendra and Guruswamy of Kollegal, Kailasamurthy of Mysore, the TV channels Udaya, Chandana, Kasturi, I also thank F.M Rainbow and all the press correspondents.

My heartfelt thanks to all those who helped me directly of indirectly.

I welcome all of you who read this book happily and come to me for improving your health.