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Ekadashi

 

Ekadashi

It is already proven by many scientist that fasting is beneficial for our health. The process of fasting help the mechanism of autophagy which destroys our old and useless cells and tissues within our body. This will help to enhance quick regeneration of new cells which will keep our body healthy and energetic. 

This process is very much efficient if it is carried out once in every fortnight especially during the eleventh day of lunar cycle. Coincidentally, Ekadasi (11th day of lunar cycle) not only provide bodily benefits but also spiritual benefits. Therefore anybody fasting on Ekadasi will be a receiver of both material and spiritual benefits. And the person will live a happy and blissful life.

Fasting on Ekadashi is a very old and common tradition which is followed in mostly all Hindu families. We all have seen our Mother, Father, Dadima, Dadaji, Nani and other elders observing Ekadashi fasts, and we usually think they are doing because they are just religious. In fact it is backed up with the scientific logic and facts. 

Hindu Lunar month consists of two fortnights. One that ends on Amavasya Tithi i.e. called Krishna Paksh and another that ends with full moon day is called Shukla Paksh. In each Paksh the eleventh day is called Ekadashi. So, Ekadasi occurs twice in a month. There are 24 ekadashi days out of 365 days of a year. The special feature of Ekadasi, as most people know it, is a fast, abstinence from diet . Ekadashi is recommended for fasting in Shastras. A devotee should very strictly fast on every Ekadashi and control his senses by eating less, abstaining from sex, abstaining from intoxication like (tea, coffee, liquor, tobacco) on this auspicious day. So fasting has become synonym for Ekadashi. As per shastras, a person accumulates lot of sins if he consumes grains on ekadashi fast day. 

Ekadasi is a Sanskrit word, which means 'the eleventh'.  According to scientific research, it is known that the air pressure on the earth varies to extreme limits on both the new moon (Amavasya) and the full moon (Purnima) day. This is because of the orbital path combination of the sun, moon and earth.

This can be observed by the change in the nature of the tidal waves on the new moon(Amavasya) and full moon(Purnima) days. The waves are very high and rough, but from the next day onwards, the waves become calm, an indication that the pressure has also receded. Now, based on this fact, the significance of Ekadasi fasting can be explained in 2 ways:

A.) It takes about 3-4 days for the food that we eat today to reach our brain (for the brain to understand the food intake). Now, if we eat light/fast on Ekadasi days, that intake will reach the brain correspondingly on the New moon/full moon day. On both of these days, the earth pressure is at its maximum, thus leading to imbalance in everything, including ones thought process. So, if the input to the brain is at a minimum, the chances of the brain indulging in any wayward activity due to the high pressure imbalance also becomes minimum. People in asylums behave weirdly during ekadashis due to this same lunar activity.

B.) Another explanation for Ekadasi fasting is that compared to any other day of the moon cycle, atmospheric pressure is lowest on Ekadasi days. Thus, this is the best time to fast and cleanse the bowel system. If we fast on any other day, the high pressure/strain may damage our system. Thus, it is advisable that after fasting on Ekadasi, on the immediate next day (Dwadasi), we should get up early and eat as soon as possible.