Fasting unto death.

[P.K.Ramakrishnan]

Fasting unto death.

 

Rama went to the forest as per the boon

given to Kaikeyi by his father Dasaratha.

 

Bharata returned from his uncle’s place

and performing the rites for the diseased

father went to the forest and met Rama.

He pleaded with him to return and take

up the duties of a king.  Rama refused.

At that time Bharata started preparations

for fasting unto death. Now read on what

is written in the Ramayana.

 

Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhyakanda Sarga

111 -  Slokas 12 to 18 

 

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण भरत: प्रत्यनन्तरम् /

उवाच परमोदार: सूतं परमदुर्मना: //

 

इह मे स्थण्डिले शीघ्रं कुशानास्तर सारथे /

आर्यं प्रत्युपवेक्षामि यावन्मे न प्रसीदति //

 

अनाहारो निरालोको धनहीनो यथा द्विज: /

शेष्ये पुरस्तात् शालायां यावन्मां प्रतियास्यति //

 

स तु राममवेक्षंतं सुमन्तं प्रेक्ष्य दुर्मना:/

कुशोत्तरमुपस्थाप्य भूमावेवावस्थित: स्वयम् //

 

तमुवाच महातेजा रामो राजर्षिसत्तम:  /

किं मां भरत कुर्वाणं तात प्रतुपवेक्ष्यति //

 

ब्राह्मणो ह्येकपार्श्वेन नरान् रोद्धुमिहार्हति /

न तु मूर्धाभिषिक्तानां विधिः प्रत्य्पवेशने //

 

उत्त्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल  हित्वैतं दारुणं व्रतम् /

पुरिवर्यामित: क्षिप्रमयोद्ध्यां याहि राघव //

 

I request members to enlighten the full implication of this and also its bearing on

Anna Hazara's fast.

 

 

-----------------------------

P.K.Ramakrishnan
http://peekayar.blogspot.com

[Sunder Hattangadi]

Fasting unto death is termed 'prAyopaveshanam'.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayopavesa

 

It does have scriptural sanction, but under stringent conditions only.

 

Bharat wanted to practise this, but the shloka-s in the rest of the chapter explain how he did not meet the criteria to fulfil it.

 

King Parikshit is another example, when he was practicing it, Suka told him the Bhagavata Purana.

 

Its modern examples are Sw. Siva Subrahmanyam of Hawaii, and Vinoba Bhave.

 

Its practice in the cause of protesting tyranny and injustice was an innovation of Gandhi, as an integral part of ahiMsA and satyAgraha. Anna Hazare's adoption of it is in the same framework. Strictly speaking, it does not fulfil scriptural criteria.

 

Gandhi's criteria are spelled out at:

http://www.mkgandhi.org/momgandhi/chap36.htm

 

Regards,

 

sunder

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[Ram Kumar Krishnan ராம குமரன்]

I think Prakasam Pantalu died out of fasting and due to that state reorganizations was carried out on linguistic basis.

Also, i heard of a practice of buddhist/jain monks fasting unto death, if they know that their death is approaching

2011/8/17 Sunder Hattangadi <sun...@yahoo.com>

[naresh keerthi]

It was poTTi srirAmulu who died of fasting, demanding a separate state for the telugu speaking people.

2011/8/18 Ram Kumar Krishnan ராம குமரன் <ramku...@gmail.com>

[Vinodh Rajan]

// Also, i heard of a practice of buddhist/jain monks fasting unto death, if they know that their death is approaching //

It is done by the Jaina Muni-s, not the Bauddha Bhikshu-s.

It is called Sallekhana.

V

[hnbhat B.R.]

I also had heard of it as such by Jains. Here is the Wiki article page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sallekhana

 

This sheds light on the topic.

--
Dr. Hari Narayana Bhat B.R. M.A., Ph.D.,
Research Scholar,

Ecole française d'Extrême-OrientCentre de Pondichéry

16 & 19, Rue Dumas

Pondichéry - 605 001

[gaja...@yahoo.com]

In Marathi we call it "prayopaveshan".

Might be it has come from Sanskrit.

Saw. Veer Sawarka and Shri Vinoba Bhave adopted this way to end their life.

Regards

 G Joshi

[P.K.Ramakrishnan]

I now discovered a verse from Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa Sraga 8, Sloka 94 regarding 

praayopavesham.   

सम्यग्विनीतमथ वर्महरं कुमार-

मादिश्य रक्षणविधौ विधिवत्प्रजानाम् /

रोगोपसृष्टतनुदुर्वसतिं मुमुक्षु:

प्रायोपवेशनमतिर्नृपतिर्बभूव //

For prayopavesana Mallinatha in his commentary

says anasanaavasthaane yasya matih yasya.

Also quotes from purana -

समासक्तो भवेद्यस्तु पातकैर्महदादिभि: /

दुस्चिकित्सैर्महारोगै: पीडितो वा भवेत्तु य: //

स्वयं देहविनाशस्य काले प्राप्तो महामति: /

आब्रह्मणं वा स्वर्गादि महाफलजिगीर्षया //

प्रविशेज्ज्वलनं दीप्तं कुर्यादनशनं तथा  /

एतेषामधिकारोस्ति नान्येषां सर्वजन्तुषु //

नराणामथ नारीणां सर्ववर्णेषु सर्वदा /

Meaning is clear.

 

-----------------------------------
P.K.Ramakrishnan
http://peekayar.blogspot.com

---

From: "gaja...@yahoo.com" <gaja...@yahoo.com>
To: "sams...@googlegroups.com" <sams...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, 19 August 2011 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Samskrita] Fasting unto death.

[Arvind_Kolhatkar]

kAlidAsa has the following at raghuvaMsha 8.94, à propos King Aja's
laying down his life in the confluence of GaNgaa and Sarayu, after he
handed the kingdom over to Dasharatha:

सम्यग्विनीतमथ वर्महरं कुमार-

मादिश्यरक्षणविधौ विधिवत्प्रजानाम्।

रोगोपसृष्टतनुदुर्वसतिं मुमुक्षुः

प्रायोपवेशनमतिर्नृपतिर्बभूव॥

Mallinaatha comments on this thus:

अत्र पुराणवचनम् -
समासक्तो भवेद्यस्तु पातकैर्महदादिभिः।
दुश्चिकित्स्यैर्महारोगै: पीडितो वा भवेत्तु यः।
स्वयं देहविनाशस्य काले प्राप्ते महामतिः।
आब्रह्माणं स्वर्गादिमहाफलजिगीषया।
प्रविशेज्ज्वलनं दीप्तं कुर्यादनशनं तथा।
एतेषामधिकारोऽस्ति नान्येषां सर्वजन्तुषु।
नराणामथ नारीणां सर्ववर्णेषु सर्वदा॥

Arvind Kolhatkar, Toronto, August 19, 2011.