Upavasa or Fasting (उपवासः)
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Upavasa is the samskrt term which means fasting. In Ayurveda The term upavasa and langhana are used synonymously at some places. Langhana is the treatment type that generates lightness in the body. Upavasa is one of the 6 different types of langhana used in Ayurveda. Simply put, Ayurveda considers fasting as treatment for multiple disease conditions. This is the unique approach of Ayurveda of managing certain conditions. In Sanatana dharma, fasting is observed in many religious functions as well as on particular days like Ekadashi or on some months in a year like chaturmasa and it is popularly known as Upavasa. The medical significance of fasting was deeply studied by Ayurveda scholars thousands of years ago and was implemented in Ayurveda treatments effectively.
Etymology
उपवासः, पुं, (उप + वस + घञ् ।) अग्न्याधानम् ।
इति मलमासतत्त्वम् । अहोरात्रभोजनाभावः । (Shabdakalpadruma pg 1/260)
Synonyms
तत्पर्य्यायः । उपवस्तम् २ । इत्यमरः ॥ उपोषितम् ३ उपोषणम् ४ औपवस्तम् ५ । इति तट्टीका ॥
लङ्घनं-उपवासाख्यं,… (Asht. Hrud. Su 8.21)
Langhana is also known as Upavasa.
Definition
1) Ayurveda acharyas have stated that Upavasa (the popular term used in reference to fasting for particular religious or spiritual cause) is similar to langhana.
लङ्घनं-उपवासाख्यं,… (Asht. Hrud. Su 8.21)
Langhana is also known as Upavasa.
Langhana, the technical term used for fasting in Ayurveda is defined as follows,
यत् किञ्चिल्लाघवकरं देहे तल्लङ्घनं स्मृतम्||९|| (Char. Samh. Su 22.9)
Meaning: Anything that generates lightness in the body is called as langhana.
Anything used as a treatment in Ayurveda is defined and explained in terms of its effect on body, mind or life as a whole. In this reference, fasting that limits food intake in body naturally lowers the load on body systems and generates the feeling of lightness
2) Going further, Commentator chakrapani of Charaka Samhita has given definition of upavasa specifically observed for some religious purpose as follows,
उपवासः क्रोधादिपरित्यागः सत्याद्युपादानं च, वचनं हि- “उपावृत्तस्य पापेभ्यः सहवासो गुणे हि यः| उपवासः स विज्ञेयो न शरीरस्य शोषणम्” इति (Chakrapani commentary on Char. Samh. Su 1.6)
OR
3) उपावृत्तस्य पापेम्यो यस्तु वासो गुणैः सह । उपवासः स विज्ञेयः सर्व्वभोगविवर्ज्जितः” ॥ (Shabdakalpadruma Pg 1/263)
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अस्यार्थः । उपावृत्तस्य निवृत्तस्य । पापेभ्यः पापकर्म्मभ्यः । गुणाः । सर्व्वभूतेषु दया क्षान्तिः अनसूया शौचं अनायासः मङ्गलं अकार्पण्यं अस्पृहाच । सर्व्वभोगविवर्ज्जितः शास्त्राननुमतनृत्यगीतादिसुखरहितः ।
Upavasa is related to not just physical but also the psychological and spiritual aspects of one’s life. The deeper understanding of the term upavasa along with and even beyond its physical dimension has been described by Acharya Chakrapani as follows,
Upavasa denotes giving away the shadripus (negative emotions) like anger, lust, jealousy etc and following the path of truth, purity, japa (prayers), puja (worshipping), danam (offering), sewa (volunteering, giving service), brahamcharyam, dhyanam etc. Moreover, the one who refrains from these sins or the act of refraining from these sins by living in vicinity with the divine (and following the right path of truth etc) is known as Upavasa and it is not merely parching your body which is commonly misunderstood otherwise.
Therefore, the term Upavasa encompasses 2 main aspects of a particular way of living life. This includes refraining from the regular food, excess food and unwholesome food along with being in the presence of the divine by observing specific code of conduct.
Upavasa as a type of Langhana
Ayurveda has described different types of langhana. These are the activities or processes that work as langhana. Since langana generates certain qualities in body, processes or activities that generate similar qualities are grouped under the chief heading of langhana and utilized wherever appropriate. These types are as follows,
चतुष्प्रकारा संशुद्धिः पिपासा मारुतातपौ|
पाचनान्युपवासश्च व्यायामश्चेति लङ्घनम्||१८||
For how long the food should not be taken in Upavasa?
Reference from Mahabharata
वैधोपवासे भोजनचतुष्टयनिवृत्तिमाह महाभारते ।
“सायमाद्यन्तयोरह्नोः सायं प्रातश्च मध्यमे ।
उपवासफलं प्रेप्सोर्वर्ज्यं भक्तचतुष्टयम्” ॥
What to be taken and what should not be taken during Upavasa
उपवासदिने वर्ज्जनीयानि ।
अञ्जनम् ।
रोचनम् ।
गन्धः । पुष्पम् । माल्यम् । अलङ्कारः ।
दन्तधावनम् । गात्राभ्यङ्गः । शिरोभ्यङ्गः । ताम्बूलम् । यच्चान्यत् बलरागकृत् ।
दिवास्वापः ।
अक्षक्रीडा ।
मैथुनम् । स्तीणां सरागसम्प्रेक्षणस्पर्शौ । व्रतादिषु
पुत्त्रोत्पत्तिपर्य्यन्तं ऋतौ सकृत् स्त्रीगमने न दोषः ॥
तत्पूर्ब्बापरदिने वर्ज्जनीयानि ।
कांस्यपात्रे भोजनम् ।
मांसभोजनम् ।
सुरापानम् ।
मधुपानम् ।
लोभः ।
वितथमाषणम् ।
व्यायामः ।
व्यवायः
दिवास्वापः ।
अञ्जनम् ।
शिलापिष्टभक्षणम् ।
मसूरभक्षणम् ।
पुनर्भोजनम् ।
अध्वगमनम् । यानम् ।आयासः ।
द्यूतक्रीडा ।
अभ्यङ्गः ।
परान्नम् । तैलम् ।चणकम् । कोरदूषकम् । शाकम् । अधिकधृतम् ।अत्यम्बुपानम् । इति एकादशीतत्त्वम् ॥
Alternatives to compensate the inability to do upavasa
उपवासा-
सामर्थ्ये प्रतिनिधिः । स्कन्दपुराणम् ॥
“पुत्त्रं वा विनयोपेतं भगिनीं भ्रातरं तथा ।
एषामभाव एवान्यं ब्राह्मणं विनियोजयेत्” । इति ।
“भार्य्या भर्तृव्रतं कुर्य्यात् भार्य्यायाश्च पतिस्तथा ।
असामर्थ्ये द्वयोस्ताभ्यां व्रतभङ्गो न जायते” ॥
इति गरुडपुराणम् ॥ तदनुकल्पः ।
“नक्तं हविष्यान्नमनोदनञ्च
फलं तिलाः क्षीरमथाम्बु चाज्यम् ।
यत्पञ्चगव्यं यदि वाथ वायुः
प्रशस्तमत्रोत्तरमुत्तरञ्च” ॥
इति वायुपुराणम् ॥
“उपवासासमर्थश्चेदेकं विप्रन्तु भोजयेत् ।
तावद्धनानि वा दद्याद्यद्भक्ताद्द्विगुणं भवेत् ॥
सहस्रसम्मितां देवीं जपेद्वा प्राणसंयमान् ।
कुर्य्याद्द्वादशसंख्याकान् यथाशक्ति व्रते नरः” ॥
इति ब्रह्मवैवर्त्तपुराणम् ॥
What is acceptable in Upavasa
“अष्टौ तान्यव्रतघ्नानि आपो मूलं फलं पयः ।
हविर्ब्राह्मणकाम्या च गुरोर्वचनमौषधम्” ॥
इति बौधायनः ॥
Popular Legend about Health
Once upon a time, there was a debate going on about Health.
Amidst the debate, the teacher Guru sprang a question - "Who is a healthy person?"
As the question raised the pitch of the debate, one small bird going by the way tweeted. It sound like - Koruk, Koruk, Koruk.
It was hovering over the roof, for some time - repeating the tweet.
One lad in the group shouted - Hitabhuk, Ritabhuk, Mitabhuk.
Swinging its wings happily, the bird went away looking pleased.
It is said that, the bird was none other than the Seer of Ayurveda - Sage Atri. Koruk means; (Kah, Aruk?) Who is diseaseless?
The reply was -
Hita Bhuk (One who eats the prescribed diet)
Mita Bhuk (One who eats within limits prescribed)
Rita Bhuk (One eats in prescribed manner, maintains time and more importantly the food earned thru right means)
The lad was Charaka (Doyen of Ayurveda, whose compilation Charaka Samhita is the bible for Ayurveda Physicians and Pharmacologists for generations.)