Gurudev, my children have brought home a puppy, and every time I touch the puppy I feel I have to take a bath before I say my prayers. I am now fed up with having to bathe so many times. What should I do?
(Laughter) It is not necessary to keep on bathing like this. You need to be clean but you can just wash your hands before you say your prayers, that is good enough. Dogs are also a part of God. We don’t bathe for God, we bathe so that we are clean, God will accept us as we are! It is only the neighbors who will have a problem if we don’t bathe! (Laughter)
Even with regard to fasting, people misunderstand it to be something we are doing for God. You are not doing it for God. God is like your mother, or your father; would they like it if you stay hungry? Or if you bargain with them saying that you will fast until they accept your demands? Parents know when to give what to their children; They know better than you. Similarly, God knows what and when to give you, so don’t fast for God; fast to cleanse your body and mind.
Ekadashi (eleventh day of the fortnight) fasting has a very scientific reason; it is done three days before the full moon or new moon day, to cleanse the body. It is said one should eat only fruits or drink fruit juice. This change in your food intake eliminates the toxins in the body, which could otherwise cause diseases. These toxins in the system get aggregated during full moon and new moon, so to keep the body healthy it is suggested that we fast, and not to keep God happy.