Re: Penance
VaNakkam EM.
As you said, tonsure is a greater penance for women, because a long hair considered a gift for Hindu women. Brahmin widows in those days were subjected to tonsure of head, but this custom has died down. Speaking of tonsure for women, the name of the India-born actress Persis Khambatta comes to mind.
Food and Fasting: Food
In Hinduism, food is an aspect of Brahman: 'annam parabrahma svarUpaM' as the saying goes. In honour of this name, our physical body is named as 'annamaya koSha'. Orthodox Hindus mentall offer food to God before eating.
A child's first feeding of cooked rice is celebrated by the Hindus as a ritual known as 'annaprasanam'. The funeral rites of a deceased person also invove serving food to the departed soul. On festive occasions, food is offered to God in the form of 'nivedanam' before it is consumed by the household members. Food is also classified on the order of the three 'guNas'--sattva, rajas, tamas; most vegetarian food is sattvic. The saying 'atithi devo bhavaH'--'a guest becomes a god' in Taittiriya Upanishad stresses the importance of sharing food in charity.
Some quotes on food:
"I speak the truth, it is indeed his death. He who nourishes neither the god nor a friend, he who eats alone, gathers sin." (Rig Veda X.117)
"From earth herbs, from herbs food, from food seed, from seed man. Man thus consists of the essence of food." (Taittiriya Upanishad)
"From food are produced all creatures which dwell on earth. Then they live by food, and in the end they return to food. For food is the oldest of all beings, and therefore it is called panacea." (Taittiriya Upanishad)
"Food is in truth the Lord of Creation (PrajApati). From food is produced 'retas' (the sexul energy or semen) and from it beings are born." (Prasna Upanishad)
According to Manu, "Food, that is always worshipped, gives strength and manly vigor; but eaten irreverently, it destroys them both."
For other scriptural quotes on food, check this thread:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=572
Food and Fasting: Fasting
In Hinduism, absention from food is mainly done for spiritual gains, although it has the additional benefit of tuning up the health. Since food invariably results in gratification of senses, fasting becomes a great instrument for self-discipline. Luqman, the wise once said, "When the stomach is full, the intellect begins to sleep. Wisdom becomes mute and the parts of the body restrain from acts of righteousness."
Hindus fast on certain days of the month (such as 'pUrNima','ekAdashi', 'sankaTahara chaturthi'); certain days of the week (depending on one's favourite god: e.g., Devi worshippers fast on Fridays either completely or eating only one meal in a day); at festival times (a popular example is ShivarAtri); absention also involves staying away from specific food substances such as onion, garlic, salt on some days; a common form of fasting is a diet known as 'phalAhAr': avoid cereals and taking only fruits and milk. Apart from these occasions, fasting is also undertaken as a form of penance for some divine favour, e.g. a wife fasts as a penance for restoration of her husband's health.
Socially, fasting was introduced by Gandhiji as a form of non-violent protest, but India's politicians these days make a farce of it. Orthodox and ascetic Hindus regularly resort to fasting to improve their spiritual progress.
Ayurveda sees the basic cause of many diseases as the accumulation of toxic materials in the digestive system. Regular cleansing of toxic materials keeps one healthy. By fasting, the digestive organs get rest and all body mechanisms are cleansed and corrected. A complete fast is good for heath, and the occasional intake of warm lemon juice during the period of fasting prevents the flatulence.
MahAbhArata considers fasting as the highest and best form of penance:
"Of all kinds of penances, however, that one may practise after abstaining from pleasure and enjoyment, abstention from food is the highest and best. The penance involved in abstention from food is superior, O king, to even compassion, truthfulness of speech, gifts, and restraining the senses." (The Mahabharata Santi parva, Section CLXI)
रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥
To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.
--viShNu purANam
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