Shri Sai Sat Charitra-Chapter 32-Part VI

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Fasting and Mrs. Gokhale

Baba never fasted Himself, nor did He allow others to do so. The mind of the faster is never at ease, then how could he attain his Paramartha (goal of life)? God is not attained on an empty stomach; first the soul has to be appeased. If there is no moisture of food in the stomach and nutrition, with what eyes should we see God, with what tongue should we describe His greatness and with what ears should we hear the same? In short, when all our organs get their proper nutrition and are sound, we can practise devotion and other sadhanas to attain God. Therefore, neither fasting nor overeating is good. Moderation in diet is really wholesome both to the body and mind.

Sai Ram. Fasting has its place and can be resorted in early stages of spiritual sadhana. But any dogmatic approach is not good. One should not get puffed up with pride that one is able to fast and look down at others as sinners. One should not fast if one is always thinking of the food. The sanskrit word for fast is upavas, meaning staying near. Near to whom? To God. If one is truly near to God in consciousness, one will forget thirst and hunger, without the Bala and Atibala mantras (Sage Viswamitra gave these mantras to Ram and Lakshman when He was taking them to the forest for protecting his yagna against the demons). If we read the story of Sai and His Guru in the previous chapter, we see that when the mind is merged into the Para Brahman, all thoughts, including thoughts of food subside. That is how the sages of ancient times were able to stay in samadhi for years at a time. Fasting the body may be needed in illness, but is not a right thing to progress spiritually. Sai Ram.

One Mrs. Gokhale came to Shirdi with an introductory letter from Mrs. Kashibai Kanitkar (a devotee of Baba) to Dada Kelkar. She came to Baba with a determination to sit at Baba's feet observing a three days fast. The previous day Baba said to Dada Kelkar, that He would not allow his children to starve during the Shimga, i.e., Holi holidays, and that if they had to starve, why was He there? Next day when the woman went with Dada Kelkar and sat at Baba's Feet, Baba at once said to her, "Where is the necessity of fasting? Go to Dadabhat's house, prepare the dish of Puran Polis (wheat rotis with gram-flour and jaggery), feed his children and yourself too." Shimga holidays were on.

Mrs.Kelkar was then in her menses and there was nobody to cook in Dadabhat's house. So Baba's advice was very timely. Then Mrs. Gokhale had to go to Dadabhat's house and prepare the dish as directed. She cooked that day, fed others and herself. What a good story and how beautiful its import!

Sai Ram. Baba knew the past, present and future. No surprise then about this Leela. Sai Ram.

To Be Continued

About the author

S.V. Swamy

Swarna.Venkateswara Swamy, (also known as Venkateswara Swamy Swarna, S.V.Swamy or simply Swamy) is a physicist and a metallurgist by education. He considers Sai Baba of Shirdi as his Sadguru but respects all Gurus. He is an avid reader, a book reviewer and an editor. He has an abiding interest in holistic health systems..