What Did Sri Sai Baba Say About Fasting?

Aum Sairam

Sri Sai Baba has given us the middle path to follow on the path of emancipation. Did not advocate the over indulgence in either the senses or in asceticism.
Let us see what Sri Sai Baba had said about fasting on Thursdays or any other holy days.

M.W. Pradhan, a devotee of Sri Sai Baba had organized the birthday party of his son in Shama’s house at Shirdi and invited all devotees of Sri Sai Baba to lunch. That day happened to be a Thursday. Bala Bhate apologized to Pradhan that he was unable to eat on that day as he had a wow to fast on Thursdays and went to the Masjid. As Sri Sai Baba saw Bhate he asked, “Have you gone to Pradhan’s party and had your food?”

Bhate: “Baba today is a Thursday”.
Baba: “So what?”
Bhate: “I do not eat on Thursdays. It is my wow”.
Baba: “To please whom have you made this wow”?
Bhate: “I have made this wow in your name for your grace”.
Baba: “I am telling you this myself. Leave off this fasting and go have your food with Pradhan”.

From the above it is clear that Sri Sai Baba didn’t agree to do fasting to please him on Thursdays. Now, let us see what Sri Sai Baba said about fasting on holy days such as Ekadasi, Maha Shivratri and such days.

Tatya Kote Patil was one of the closest and most intimate devotees of Sri Sai Baba. He had the great good fortune of sleeping along with Sri Sai Baba in the Masjid for fourteen years. Those who had seen the love and intimacy between Sri Sai Baba and Tatya Kote Patil felt that Sri Sai Baba loved Tatya more than his life even. Tatya in his reminiscences says thus, “I used to fast regularly on Ekadasi, Maha Sivaratri and other such hold days. Sri Sai Baba’s opinion was that fasting had no usefulness in either the mundane worldly life or the spiritual life. I would try my best to fast on these holy days but Sri Sai Baba would some how or the other break my fast and made me eat something. On one Shivratri I said, ‘Baba, please let me fast at least on this day.

Please don’t make me eat anything.’ Sri Sai Baba said, “Eat man, eat, what Shivratri are you talking about?” Dada Kelkar who by standing by also told me to do as Sri Sai Baba says and not to disobey him. I did not raise any further objection to Sri Sai Baba and have never fasted on any day since then.”

Thus Sri Sai Baba showed us in many incidents that there is no meaning in doing fasting.

Don’t ever fast….Sri Sai Baba doesn’t like His children to starve...

Believe or not believe….
I did not forget to take my breakfast….even when my Mom expired....
I had it with her sacred body in my house….Just because my love Sri Sai Baba doesn’t like it.....

I don’t bother what people think about me….Sri Sai Baba is the one I need.

Allah Malik