Tuesday 28 April 2015

Why do 'Ekadashi' fasting?

Hindu culture follows something called 'Ekadashi Vrat' or fasting on every 11th day of the lunar cycle i.e. 11th day (eka-dashi) from 'Poornima' as well as 'Amavasya'. Legends are that eating rice on ekadashi day would bring bad omen, also it is believed that fasting on ekadashi day get all our sins forgiven by Lord Krishna. Believe me there is nothing of that sorts and there is no religious reasons behind Ekadashi Vrat. Since we are more of 'God Fearing' people rather than 'God Loving' people our intelligent sages found this unique way of getting it followed by everyone in society for health and spiritual reasons. Let us take the scientific look behind the 11th day of every Lunar cycle.

We know that in India full moon night are called as 'Poornima' and 'New Moon' night is called as 'Amavasya'. This moon cycle is of 15 days - from poornima to amavasya. It is a proven scientific fact that the air pressure in the atmosphere rapidly changes in the surroundings on a full moon day or on the new moon day. The Sun-Moon-Earth combinations in the orbital path, when distances itself at every particular interval (i.e. every 24 hours of for every full circle the Earth rotates). When it occurs, accordingly the pressure in the atmosphere too changes drastically and varies from day to day. One can observe this from the increasing high tidal waves in the ocean. On any given New Moon day or Amavasya the pressure increases in the ocean and the tidal waves are very rough and high. But from the immediate next day onwards the pressure recedes gradually thus improving the atmospheric pressure. So, particularly on the 11th day from New Moon or Full Moon days, the pressure is somewhat very light or nil.

In the Indian Vedic system, there are different methods to calculate a month. One such method is counting from the new moon day known as Amavasya. The period between the new moon day till the full moon day it is called as ‘Sukla Paksha’ or waxing moon; from the full moon day till next Amavasya/new  moon day, it is known as ‘Krishna Paksha’ or the waning moon.  In the celestial phenomena, the Earth as well as moon raises and settles at the same time on Amavasya and from the next day to Amavasya, moon is moving about 12 degree distance from the solar path; on the Ekadasi day, i.e. 11th day from full moon the Moon stays at a distance of about 135 degrees in the solar path that causes lesser gravitation force and thus causing lesser atmospheric pressure. Thus fasting on an Ekadasi day will not affect the body system as also feeling of hunger would be too minimum.

If one has to go with an empty stomach on any other day, the atmospheric pressures will put on him or her more strain wherein on the Ekadasi day, the problem is minimal or nil. So the body never takes the pain while we cleanse the bowel system and thus refreshing the whole body mechanism - specifically the liver/stomach/bowel and the system movements. But on the immediate next day (called as Dwadasi or Dvadasi - i.e. 12th day from Full Moon/New Moon), to avoid any pressure on the body system we must eat food in the morning as early as possible. 

We do fast for health reasons because fasting helps in the detoxification of the body. In medical context, fasting refers to the state achieved after digestion of a meal. A number of metabolic adjustments occur during fasting and many medical diagnostic tests for blood sugar, cholesterol levels are standardized to fasting conditions. Thus fasting has medical reasons coated with religious significance in India.

Those who observe Fasting on Ekadasi days are keeping fittest health, cleansing their bowel system and mostly free from frequent ailments. Also it’s not about fasting strictly but just to avoid grains and oily (heavy) food. Eat light on this day to remain fit and healthy.


So guys, please don’t be superstitious w.r.t. Ekadashi, its just that it’s the best day for observing fast or eating light/dieting to get the best results.