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spiritually. Unodari of food and controlling passions keeps Jiva healthy and keeps them away from doctor and diseases, but most importantly, it strengthens the spirituality.
Vritti-sankshep (Bhikshächäri or Limiting Food Items):
This is the third type of Tapa, which is for developing willpower. In this type of austerity, one takes Abhigraha (makes some resolution). Jain ascetics mainly carry out this type of austerity. One may also take Abhigraha on the day of terminating the austerities. There are four types of Abhigrahas -
Material (Dravya)
Area (Kshetra)
Time (Käl) Mode (Bhäva)
To have predetermination of having certain items of food is called Dravya Abhigraha.
To take food at a specific location is called Kshetra Abhigraha.
To eat at a fix specific time is called Käl Abhigraha
To get the food only from a particular individual or a certain type of person is called Bhäva Abhigraha.
One can also observe this Tapa by limiting the number of food items one may consume during the day to 10 or 15 items.
Mahävir Bhagawän had undertaken an Abhigraha when he was yet to attain perfect knowledge. It was the twelfth year of his spiritual pursuit. He was continually meditating and observing severe austerities. Once he set up apparently improbable stipulations for accepting food. He vowed that he would accept food only if soaked black peas were offered to him from a winnowing basket by a princess in chains with a shaved head, who had fasted for three days and who had tears flowing from her eyes. How can all these conditions be fulfilled at one time?
For months, he used to go for alms and come back without food because his stipulations could not be fulfilled. However, how could fate allow so great a saint to die for want of food? Fate had brought apparent havoc on Chandanbälä as if to enable her to fulfill the divine mission of terminating the six months' fast of Bhagawän Mahävir!
Therefore, the Bhagawän happened to come for alms where Chandanbälä was thinking to offer food to some Muni. He saw all his stipulations coming true. There was a princess in chains with cleaned shaven head, having fasted for three days and offering black peas from winnowing pan. Chandanbälä was happy to see the great ascetic in front of her and cheerfully offered the peas. For the Bhagawan this was the right situation for accepting food. But nay, where were the tears? He declined the offer and turned back. Chandanbälä felt intensely miserable that the sage did not accept her food. She started crying and tears began to roll down her eyes as she repeatedly entreated the great ascetic to accept her humble offer. The Bhagawän looked back and saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. Now all his hard stipulations were fulfilling and he willingly accepted the food offered by her.
Rasa Tyäg (Limiting Tasty Food):
This is the fourth type of Nirjarä. It involves renouncing the tasty food that one likes. This is for conquering the desire for tasty food and eliminating the attachment for the tasty food, and thus, enabling to strengthen one's spiritual capability. There are many ways to limit the consumption of tasty food. For example: performance of Äyambil (simple bland meal - without oil, butter, spices, vegetables or may be salt) and abstaining from Vigai (absence of milk, oil, butter, sugar, yogurt, and fried food). To suppress one's passions, it is essential that he overcome his desire for tasty food. One, who has a desire for tasty food, cannot be free of sensual instinct. By willingly, putting the limits to the tasty foods one eradicates the Karma, and better health, lower risk of heart diseases, and diabetes are the byproducts.
Käyä Klesha (Physical Forbearance):
Käyä means body and Klesha means forbearance. Body is an instrument that is needed in good condition for undertaking spiritual pursuit (Sädhanä) and therefore, it is important to develop its
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