Upavas Ke Phal Aura Pakvan

उपवास के फल और पकवान
Fasting in Sanskrit is called upavaasa. Upa means "near" vaasa means "to stay". Upavaasa therefore means staying near (the Lord), meaning the attainment of close mental proximity with the Lord. Then what has upavaasa to do with food?
The spiritual significance of fasting is being forgotten today as man is losing contact with his inner being. Nevertheless the science of fasting, as preserved in the Vedas and Shastras, is a method of purification which can aid man in his mundane and spiritual life.
In yogic terminology this is known as the sattvic element. Because the mind becomes predominantly sattvic and more receptive, the scriptures advise the worship of certain deities during these fasting periods. This is called vrat, a specific type of purifying austerity or tapa. In the 'Tapovanshant Paras' fasting is referred to as param tapa, or supreme austerity.