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MANAV DHARMA / 57 called as the Real Fast. Refraining only from taking the meals does not come in the category of fasting but it will be taken as half fasting or having the food once a day. Here we are discussing about. Prosodhopavasa, for which our Acharya is expressing in the next verse. How it is to be observed rightly?
चतुराहार-विसर्जन-मुपवासः प्रोषधः सकृदभक्तिः ।
स प्रोषधोपवासो यदुपोष्यारम्भमाचरति ॥१०९॥ Explanation :
Refraining from the four kinds of food (i) Solid (ii) Liquid (iii) Semi liquid (iv) things like the betel leaf, is called UPAVASA; taking only one meal in 24 Hours is PROSHADHA; that which consists in (taking only one meal on the day of undertaking and) only one meal on the day following the fast is called Prosadhopavasa. The day of undertaking is the day preceding the full fasting day. Thus the Prosadhopavasa Vow consists in fasting for about 48 hours at a stretch. Description :
“Aadwiyante Bhujyante padarthastey Ahara" (34fgerontyout water and 371ER:) All those articles of food stuffs are known as Aahara-food or taking meals. There are four kinds of food (i) Solid (ii) Liquid (iii) Semi liquid and (iv) Things to be tasted. Bread, Puri haluva, Ladoo all come under solid food. Those food stuffs, which come in fourth category are not meant for satisfying the hunger but are meant only for tasting like suparis, fennel (Sonf) or chooran goli etc. Things which can be licked like chatni come under semi liquid food and the last like Milk. Sharbat, water etc. which are drunk, come under the category of liquid.
Where these four kinds of food are totally refrained, even water is not drunk, then it is called UPAVASA. Taking only one meal at a time and a place in 24 hours is known as “Prosadha" And taking only one meal on the day of under taking Upvasa and also only one meal following the fast of 24 hours, that is called Prosodhopavasa. Thus it consists in fasting for 48 hours at a stretch. At least two prosodhopavasa should be done/observed in a fortnight, especially on the 8th and 14th day of the fortnight. The abandonment of all the four kinds of food at the time of observation of fast is very essential. By observing fast twice a fortnight will help in clearing all the dirty stuff collected in the stomach: it will also serve the purpose of purgative and will maintain the body healthy. Secondly this observance will asko help a man to have contentment, when the proper pure food is not
