Gokarna, August 10, 2026: Hunger can be brought under control through a disciplined mind and a firm resolve, Sri Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Sri Ramachandrapura Math, said on Monday.
Speaking at a religious discourse on ‘Upavasa’ (fasting) as part of the Annam Brahma series during the ongoing Annabrahma Chaturmasya at Ashokey in Gokarna, the seer drew a connection between the mind, digestion and the practice of fasting.
He said the body is designed to respond to the mind, but people need to understand how to communicate with and discipline their own physical system.
According to him, when a person provides the digestive system with food that is suitable, moderate and wholesome, the digestive fire, or Jatharagni, can gradually be brought under control.
“Just as a yogi can control his breath and enter a state of deep meditation, one can also learn to regulate hunger by gaining control over the digestive system,” he said.
Mind and hunger are closely connected
The Swamiji said the mind has a powerful influence on hunger. He pointed out that people often lose their appetite when they are deeply distressed, suggesting that emotional states can directly affect digestion and hunger.
He referred to the work of Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, whose research on conditioned responses and digestion demonstrated the close relationship between psychological stimuli and physiological processes. Pavlov was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1904.
The Swamiji said a person who decides firmly to fast should not constantly think about food. “Thinking about upma while trying to fast defeats the purpose,” he said, stressing the importance of mental resolve. According to him, fasting is not merely about staying away from food but also about disciplining the mind.
Fasting and spiritual practice
The Swamiji said food can influence the state of the mind and described fasting as a way of reducing tamas, or mental heaviness.He said traditional Indian practices have long recommended meditation and spiritual practices during Brahma Muhurta and twilight hours, when the stomach is relatively empty.
A disciplined eating pattern, he said, can help maintain an empty stomach during these periods and support concentration. For a spiritual seeker, fasting can become part of the path towards liberation, while for an ordinary person it can support better digestive discipline, he said.
‘Intermittent fasting’ is not a new idea
The Swamiji also said the increasingly popular concept of intermittent fasting is not entirely new. Referring to the Mahabharata, he said Bhishma had described a practice of eating only around midday and again in the evening, without eating between those periods.
According to him, a person who follows such a routine is described as a ‘Nityopavasi’, or one who regularly practises fasting. He therefore argued that what is now promoted as intermittent fasting has parallels in ancient Indian traditions.
He also referred to the modern practice of brunch, saying that eating within a limited period can be appropriate, but repeatedly consuming food every hour is not a healthy practice.
Ekadashi and traditional fasting
The Swamiji also referred to modern research suggesting that periodic fasting may have health benefits.
He said the practice has existed in Indian tradition for thousands of years in the form of Ekadashi fasting, describing it as an example of how several practices now being discussed in modern health conversations have long existed within Indian traditions.
The discourse was held as part of the Annam Brahma series during the Annabrahma Chaturmasya at the Moola Math premises in Ashokey, Gokarna.
Representing the Siddapur Havyaka Mandal and its Ambagiri, Harishimangala, Harsikatta, Bidrakana and Siddapur units, Suresh Venkatramana Hegde and his wife offered Gurubhiksha Seva.
Members of the Siddapur Havyaka Mandal, including Satish Hegde Almane, Ramamurthy Hegde Golagodu, Seetharam Hegde Sulagaru, Kalpana Talawata, Chidambara Golikai, Veena Bhat Shirasi, Manu Patel, Pratibha Angadi, Naveen Yana, Darshan Hegde Kantanalli and Dinesh Pradhan Ram Balakrishna Hegde Badagani were present.
Keywords
Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji, Ekadashi, Annabrahma Chaturmasya 2026, Gokarna fasting discourse, intermittent fasting, Upavasa fasting,ancient Indian fasting traditions, Gokarna News, Gokarna Suddi, Citizen News Puttur