Importance of Ekadashi fasting in Hinduism
In the Vedic calendar called Panchang(am), Ekdashi is the name given to the eleventh (11th) day of the fortnight of the lunar cycle. It occurs twenty-four (24) times in a year and each Ekadashi has a unique name. One of the most celebrated is known as ‘Vaikunta Ekadashi’, also known as ‘Mokshada ekadashi’.
‘Vaikuntam’ in the Tamil language literally means, the abode of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is represented as the Preserver of the universe and is one of the Trinity of the Hindu pantheon.
He assumes a distinct presence for devotees during Ekadashi days. Constant devotion and fasting, even during a single Ekadashi event, is believed to bring the blessings of Vishu and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. One gets freedom from past sins by following the Ekadashi fast. It is not surprising that in present times the occasion of Ekadashi has become synonymous with fasting.
The study of Vedic astronomy reveals the meaning of the moon’s influence on the mind. Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight, is said to be auspicious for the mind to be in its natural states of love and wisdom. By finding its place of home, the mind is helped to merge with the True Self. In this stage, the person reaches the enlightened states of being.
Keeping the physical life relatively free through methods such as abstinence from food and certain activities benefits the seeker in reaching the ultimate goal of aligning with the Higher Self. By forging an atmosphere of holiness, time and energy is redirected toward devotional activities and selfless service.
As much as the religion of Hinduism emphasizes following the spiritual discipline of fasting on Ekadashi, it also recommends exercising common sense while following the fast. A reference to an incident that took place in the life of the Holy Mother, Sri Sarada Devi, illustrates this.
It is said that Mother Sarada Devi once rebuked a young devotee who came to visit her. Concerned for the girl’s frail health, Mother lovingly ordered her to stop observing strict abstinences on Ekadashi days. It is narrated that she also pointed out to the woman her young age and how it was not entirely appropriate for her to follow such mature practices.
Therefore, discrimination is a major factor in following the Ekadashi fasts.
Aside from the spiritual significance that marks the days of Ekadashi and the strict observances thereof, regular fasting is obviously beneficial on other levels of our being, such as the physical, mental, and emotional.
Swami Sivananda, a physician who embraced asceticism and later came to be revered as a saint, describes Ekadashi and fasting. To paraphrase his description of some of the benefits, fasting on Ekadashi improves physiological functions. There are five functions of the physical body given in the philosophy of Vedanta (sacred scripture of Hinduism). They are the physiological functions of respiratory, circulatory, digestive, urinary and mental functioning. He describes how fasting purges the internal systems of its poisons.
Reflecting on my own experiences with Ekadashi fasting, which I followed for at least a year during my recent past, I relate to Swami Sivananda’s explanation that fasting results in the victory of control over the senses, an ideal that spiritual aspirants yearn to achieve.