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A Hand Book of Jainology
implies that as long as the Navakar (of the first posture) is not counted, food is to be discarded. Only by repeatedly carrying out this Muttisahiyam Pachchakkan can we attain the benefits accruing from anashan (fasting). If in a month, you calculate and find out that you have performed more than 25 Muttisahiyam Pachchakkans, you will get the benefit of one fasting.
Apart from this, on the twelve days of the bright and bleak fortnights namely, the second day, the fifth day, the eighth day, the eleventh day, the fourteenth day, the new-moon day and full-moon day, certain special kinds of fasting are to be carried out such as Biyasan, Ekasan, Nivi, Ayambil, Fasting etc.
Biyasan means taking food only twice at two sittings, a day. At other times, you must discard the 4 kinds of food or except water 3 kinds of food are renounced by means of the Pachchakkan. Ekasan means taking food only once in a day at only one sitting. Food should not be taken at other times in the day.
Rukhinivi (Ruksh = dry). This means not consuming milk, curds, ghee, oil, jaggery and fried substances; renouncing the six vigais, tasty food as well as fruits, dry fruits, green vegetables in the Ekasan.
In Ayambil, in addition to these things, turmeric, chillies, (Kokan) tamarind, mustard, coriander, cummin seed and other spices are not taken. In other words, rough rice-cakes, pulses etc. cooked in water are used in this Tap.
During Upavas you should not take any food during the day and the night. During the day, only boiled water can be taken. In the austerities from Biyasan to Upavas you can use only water which has been boiled three times. If you want to carry out greater austerities you must carry out (two upavasas) Atthai (three upavasas), four, five, six, seven, eight upavas etc. In the same manner, you can also carry out such austerities as Vardhamanthap, Ayambilthap, Navpad Oli, Bees Sthanak, Jnanpanchami, the Ekasan relating to the twentyfour Tirthankar Bhagwans; the Panchakalyanaktap etc. (2) The Pachchakkan of the night. If we do not carry out the austerities of the day like Biyasan, in the night such austerities
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